Please vote guys - Refurb MacBook Vs MacBook Pro

• 

  EFC94 on 30/11/2017 - 11:14

  +3

  Personal opinion, you'd be an idiot to not get the Pro. Slightly smaller storage, but an external hard drive can solve that.

• 

  Chochkee on 30/11/2017 - 11:14

  +2

  Macbook Pro is the much better machine.

• 

  lupiter on 30/11/2017 - 11:16

  +1

  128GB of SSD storage
  256GB of SSD storage

  Can you live with 128GB? For me, that's the killer. But it depends what you're going to do on this machine.

  • 

    brokeunistudent on 30/11/2017 - 11:17

    +1

    I guess I could. Don't really store any music/videos at all. Hopefully will be enough for just work. I can store all unnecessary files on an external drive.

    • 

      Quantumcat on 30/11/2017 - 11:38

      +1

      I have (had) a 128GB computer (surface pro 2) and eventually ran out of space. I had no videos or music, it was just small games (from gog.com) and all my software projects

      • 

        brokeunistudent on 30/11/2017 - 11:40

        +1

        Did an external drive help or was the computer useless? Surely an external SSD couldn't be that worse? The storage is the only thing stopping me from pulling the trigger.

      • 

        lupiter on 30/11/2017 - 12:07

        +1

        @brokeunistudent: It's also about how annoying it is to take that external around. Are you using this pretty much always at a desk? Then an external is fine. If you like to work on the couch, or travel a lot, or take your computer to coffee shops, it'll be annoying. It's like being the person who always has to cary a mobile battery because their phone battery doesn't last the day.

        In the older macs with an SD card slot you could get cute micro sd card adaptors that sat flush with the case, pretty sweet.

      • 

        Quantumcat on 30/11/2017 - 12:35

        +2

        @brokeunistudent: I added a 128gb microSD, and put the less important stuff on there (afraid of it corrupting eventually). Whatever you get, make sure it has an SD reader built in - way easier than lugging around a portable drive and using it on your lap and there's nowhere to put it and it just hangs down and pulls on the usb socket etc.

      • 

        sim36 on 30/12/2017 - 06:58

        @brokeunistudent: cloud storage works fine, no stress.

• 

  holdenmg on 30/11/2017 - 12:14

  How do you figure on getting Flybuys points?

  Myer are not a participant.

  MyerOne https://www.myerone.com.au/
  points perhaps…

  • 

    brokeunistudent on 30/11/2017 - 12:14

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/340996

    • 

      holdenmg on 30/11/2017 - 12:17

      Oh, OK, buying from Myer via eBay.

• 

  pencilman on 30/11/2017 - 12:17

  +1

  Definitely get the MacBook Pro - beautiful machine.
  And something you may not have realised - has class leading speakers for a laptop. Not sure of the sound quality of the MacBook.
  And great screen - 13 inch compared to 12 inch which is getting cramped on OSX.

  • 

    Kangal on 30/11/2017 - 14:00

    +1

    The Early 2015 MacBook Pro Retina… that's where it's at.

    Very sturdy/elegant chassis.
    Stupidly long battery life.
    Perfect trackpad.
    Awesome keyboard.
    Great screen (pixel density, brightness, and sunlight legibility).
    Decent performance (4 thread, 2 core, 8GB model).
    A webcam of useable quality.
    …..and…. ….. ….
    ….All the major ports: MagSafe power, full-size HDMI, SD card slot, 3.5mm headset jack, 2x USB (plus 2x quite useless ThunderBolt 2 ports).

    (The only way they can improve it is to:
    -Include Apple's TouchID into the top-right corner of the 3D ForceTouch Pad.
    -Replace the 2MP webcam to something high-end like a 8MP Selfie cam like on the iPhone 8, and support Animoji's from Mac to iPhone.
    -Include a touch layer on the display like other Windows laptops, if not fingerprint-smudge magnet.
    -Have a hinge that allows the laptop to fold over itself like the Lenovo Yoga.
    -Include a GPS in the unit for better tracking/navigational or application support.
    -Improve the Bluetooth 4.0 to the newer Bluetooth 5.0 standard for longer range and lower battery consumption.
    -Upgrade the HDMI 1.4 spec to a HDMI 2.1 spec, for proper 60HZ, HDR+, FreeSync support, and Dolby Atmos.
    -Swap out the 5th-gen Intel 28W TDP 2c/4t processor instead for a 8th-gen Intel 28W 15W 4c/8t which should boost the performance ~30% while saving around ~40% battery. Convert the ThunderBolt 2 ports into ThunderBolt 3 (usb-c) ports.
    -All of these small changes end up with a big overall improvement for 2017 in terms of production and media consumption, not that Apple is that consumer friendly to ever let it happen, but it is possible. Not to mention, these would allow the laptop to be put into a TV Stand/Desk-Dock where it could be actively cooled more efficiently, connected to a larger storage drive, and paired with a replaceable graphics card to boost visual fidelity)

    • 

      Member 0230 on 01/12/2017 - 16:35

      +1

      Yes, from personal experience. And yes, it's brilliant.

      As for the wishlist, well… it'll have to forever remain one :)

      But I find it excellent just as it is.

      • 

        Kangal on 01/12/2017 - 20:02

        Yeah, I picked up two in Sep 2015 for $1,600 each.
        The 13inch, 8GB, 256GB model.

        I played with the new models, and they are actually worse overall.
        Sure, they have a slightly faster iGPU and slightly more accurate and bright screen.
        The newer processor is roughly the same performance, but uses less battery drain.
        And are slightly smaller and thinner. But noticeably lighter. And has two useful USB-C ThunderBolt 3 ports…
        ….but….
        They have removed the signature Apple logo light up on the back.
        The touch-screen-bar is also worse, I much prefer the function row of physical keys.
        Talking about the keyboard, the new ones are worse. Because they are so thin, they had to change the qwerty.
        Also since the battery is much smaller now, its actually gone down in battery life slightly.
        Not to mention, removing all the other useful ports. So much that, if you did get the dongles for the functionality, it would make it more bulky and more heavy than the old MacBook. Not to mention an eyesore.

        It's basically a new-age of Apple, and its obvious. You can sum it up into 4 distinct periods: Early Day Apple, Jobs-sacked Apple, Jobs back Apple revival and Post-Death Jobs Apple. Apple used to keep the competition in check, pushing the envelope, despite the ridiculous costs… now there's little to no-one pushing the envelope. Won't be long until someone like Huawei takes over their position.

        It's not just the MacBook, but everything. They renamed OS X into macOS. They converted the iPhone's into fragile emoji machines. They've almost discontinued the iMac and Mac Pro for professionals. Driven the Apple TV and iPod into obscurity. Designed the iWatch as a confused asymmetrical toy called appleWatch. The applePencil. And neglected the iPad. And let's not forget: the iPhone aXe.

• 

  pencilman on 30/11/2017 - 12:19

  And when you really need more storage space, get a USB-C SSD for doing video edits or whatever you need.
  Will still get SATA speed SSD performance on the USB-C, eg Samsung T5 SSD

• 

  skinner on 30/11/2017 - 13:19

  Depends what you will be using it for, I've had both of these laptops and am back using a 2016 MacBook.

  Unless you're doing processor intensive stuff (eg. photo/video editing) the extra processing power won't do much. Performance improvements with Safari/Chrome and Word/Pages would only be marginal.

  For me MacBook is better, I couldn't downgrade storage for one and I would find it an absolute nightmare carrying an endless supply of dongles and external drives etc.
  The extra portability of the MacBook is fantastic as well, I often carry it around the office one-handed while typing with the other, much harder with the MacBook Pro (plus the daily office>home>couch>table>bedroom blah blah and repeat daily).

  Also should note I don't have an issue with the main negatives that most people bring up for the MacBook. The single USB-C is fine, I rarely need to plug in anything other than the charger. I have a single USB-C to USB adapter at home which I use maybe once every two months or so when my wife asks for some pictures on a USB or similar. Also performance wise it's fine, it can handle streaming a video from the internet and onto an Apple TV while still using a web browser etc. It's obviously going to get beaten in some things by the MacBook Pro but that's good enough for me.

  • 

    resisting the urge on 30/11/2017 - 13:33

    So what do you get by buying the new model other than less power usage/heat generated/smaller size?

    Pretty much Zip?

    @brokenunistudent, If you need more storage, buy the smallest model MBP you can and add an aftermarket disk, such as the tailored models OWC and sometimes others sell (but only when you run out of space, by which time they will be cheaper)

    IIRC with all recent MBPs, you just have to get the RAM soldered in from the factory.

    • 

      skinner on 30/11/2017 - 13:55

      Are you referring to 2016 MacBook vs 2017 MacBook? If so there's not much difference really like always, one year newer specs mostly but same design. The 2017 models do have the newer 2nd Gen butterfly keyboard design though which is actually quite improved.

      Also I don't believe the newest model MBP has upgradeable storage, although the SSD on that model is removable it's custom-made by Apple so it's not a straight swap for an off-the-shelf SSD. Can't see OWC etc offering an upgrade at the moment either. Note in the TouchBar model the SSD isn't even removable as it's soldered in, similar to the RAM.

      • 

        resisting the urge on 30/11/2017 - 15:16

        Yes, 2016.

        Re the MBP SSD, there will be a replacement, one just has to wait. It's been done with all their proprietary SSDs to date.

        The new keyboard would be fine, but the missing/disappearing escape key is foolish, certainly not professional- someone needs to tell Jony Ive that no professional would mess with, let alone remove an esc key from a pro machine.

        Looks like I many of us will wait for someone to make a butterfly kb replacement for the older MBPs :-(

      • 

        skinner on 30/11/2017 - 15:22

        @zerovelocity: Can't see a replacement SSD yet for as far back as the 2014 MBP's though so wouldn't hold your breath :s

        Re: escape key, only the Touch Bar models don't have a physical key so the base model MBP is still good for that one. Definitely wouldn't buy a Touch Bar model, online consensus seems it might be helpful for some pros to access shortcuts in photoshop etc but is pretty gimmicky for the vast majority of users.

      • 

        resisting the urge on 30/11/2017 - 15:35

        @skinner: Only the most recent unibody MBPs are yet to get an SSD upgrade. It'll come.

        The trouble is likely to be that a lot of people optioned large SSDs, so the market to upgrade is yet to develop.

        They may do one for the 'sealed' model also, it may even come at the same time…

• 

  brokeunistudent on 30/11/2017 - 14:51

  +1

  Thanks everyone! Went for the Pro due to the overwhelming support! Hopefully won't regret my first Mac purchase :)

  • 

    skinner on 30/11/2017 - 15:23

    Boooooo!

    • 

      brokeunistudent on 30/11/2017 - 15:26

      Thanks for your advice mate. It was a tough call. But I chose performance over ease of use. Going to be a little inconvenient but hey a new system, cheaper than the refurb Macbook and much better in specs. Also 12 vs 1 votes and I trust my OzB'ers!

      • 

        skinner on 30/11/2017 - 15:39

        Yeah no worries, MBP is a good computer for sure. The MacBook definitely still has some trade-offs but for me it's the better option, it all comes down to personal choice in the end.

        Also still Boooooo!

• 

  Msfrugal on 14/02/2018 - 19:00

  Hi. Ok - forgive my ignorance as I ask this question;

  Friends' 16 yr old High School son said he needs a MacBook for school to do recordings and stuff - he talking about the pro.

  This popped up on a local site:
  Is it ANY good for him? He may of course be a millennium child who ONLY wants NEWEST and BEST!!!

  I am TOTALLY ignorant but know the community out there are hugely knowledgeable.

  Worth getting? Can we upgrade anything?
  YOUr thoughts please.
  Appreciate any feedback.
  Seller said battery life still good.

  Photos of the specs as follows:

  "MacBook Pro (Mid 2012)
  2.3ghz intel core i7
  memory 4gb 1600 Mhz ddr3
  Intel HDgraphics 4000 1536mb
  125gb avail of 209
  210 solid state SATA drive
  Bootcamp 0kb of 40gb
  OSX DATA 1GB SATA disk: 1 TB data 580 gb avail of 750
  WIN DATA: 245gb avail of 250gb

  $550

  Great condition. Last of the upgradable models. Has SSD installed as main drive which makes it very fast. Disk drive has been swapped out with anothe HDD for more space. Also has windows 10 installed on seperate partition"

  THANK YOU for Your thoughts on this (would love a 15" screen myself!)
  Clare