My day-to-day is mainly type design and graphic design, and I'm using an iMac (Late 2013 model, non-retina) right now. 21.5" with 16 GB ram. 2.9 GHz i5. 1 TB Fusion drive.
It's been a good computer and overall still works well, but I do lack flexibility to travel with it and work if needed.
So I'm considering a MacBook Pro (15" as I'm thinking a 13" may just be too small unless I hook up to an external monitor) but I've heard mixed reviews on the 2017 and 2018 models (some don't like the keyboard, arrow keys, Touch Bar, USB-C ports, dongle/hub needed, etc.) but it's getting harder to find older versions available and that won't date themselves too quickly.
The larger trackpad seems like it would be useful as well, I'd guess.
Any recommendations or positive/negative experiences?
Thanks!
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The only real complaint from my side are the arrow keys.
Typing altogether is good. You might need a few hours to get used to.
I have occasionally problems with sticking keys. That can be fixed by trying to lift the key a bit with a fingernail.
I LOVE usb-C. The first time that a mac has no proprietary ports. Yes, right now you need some adapters. But having the same cable type for everything is a good idea.
I miss Magsafe a tiny bit but the usb-charging cable gets torn out quite easily. It is not as safe as the magnetic connector.
And you can charge your phone from the same power brick so you have one item less when you travel.
The larger trackpad is too large. The previous was perfect. I hold my left thumb over the Command key and once in a while the trackpad registers it and triggers a multi touch instead a single cursor movement.
Hmm... sounds like the larger trackpad would take some getting used to. I'm pretty much only a mouse user right now and have been for years. But did have a MacBook years ago for design work.
I was also comparing a mid 2015 model (a little cost savings too, but not much) that has the smaller trackpad (and still retina), but lacks some of the other newer features. I'd have to weigh out the trade-offs.
The 13" model is about a pound lighter than the 15", about the same as a MacBook Air, so it's better for portability, which I realized is the main reason I have a laptop.
If it were my only computer, I'd probably opt for the 15", but even that I would connect to an external monitor for desktop use.
That said, the size of the 13" hasn't been as much of an issue as I expected it would be (compared to the 15") for working on type. Performance-wise, the latest 13" is closer to the 15" than it has been in the past, which was also a factor for me.
The keyboard on the new MBP is noticeably better than the 2016 model I had, but I still don't like it as much as the older full-travel ones. Seems more prone to typing errors for some reason. I've gotten used to the arrangement of the arrow keys.
The larger trackpad is good and the larger size isn't a problem for me. (Maybe I have smaller hands than Georg. )
The Touch Bar is handy sometimes, but, even after having one for two years, I often forget it's there and forget to use it when it's supported by an app.
The ports haven't really been an issue, but it's a drag that you have to have adapters for common things like USB 2. I did have trouble with USB 3 for audio (noise and interference) on my 2016 model, but I think that was mostly related the the LG 5k monitor I was using with it. (What a lemon that turned out to be.)
Apple is probably announcing some new Macs next Tuesday, but probably low-end models mostly.
I found myself leaning towards something like a 2015 because some of the features on the newer models (with the negative reviews) were making me hesitant... but you're right, I also didn't want to find that future compatibility could become an issue.
The 13" is also intriguing for those reasons, it was just a matter of not feeling too cramped for type design (and multi-tasking) at that size and lesser performance. But those gaps seem to be narrowing. And it makes sense to have an external monitor if needed.
Would be a nice surprise if new MBP's were in the announcement.
That said, I do 95% of my type design work on a 30" retina screen. If you expect to work without an external monitor a large portion of the time, the 15" would probably be a better choice.
Right now, my takeaway was that the trackpad, especially on the 15", is indeed really large (less so on the 13"). It was a little awkward to rest part of my palms over the surface of it while typing, but I didn't notice any accidental drag of the cursor in that little bit of time.
The edges are sharp. It was kind of uncomfortable to rest my hands on it because they almost dug in. Especially positioning my hands on the lower part of the keyboard where I use the arrow and control/option/command keys so much, it was not pleasant.
The arrow keys (and keyboard response) were a little strange feeling too. I'm used to more space between the keys and deeper compression/response.
The 15" did seem to present a noticeable amount more breathing room in screen real estate, but the 13" seemed doable too.
A few other observations here and there. But all that said, it'd just be a matter of getting used to a different setup. Overall, they were nice. Kind of just sorting out my thoughts and comparing them to all that's been shared by others.
It is tough to commit to getting a new computer when the desktop still works sufficiently overall, but I'm just running into more situations where the portability of a laptop would make a difference.
Also, the retina display would be nice (don't have it currently).
I'm mainly running type and design software on it, and while there is cost savings to go 8 GB ram / 256 GB storage, I'm hesitant that it may run out of room too quickly (current setup is 16 GB ram). What does your 2014 have that has allowed it to handle your design tasks well?
I opened the "About this Mac" on the 256 GB laptops to see how much room was left out the box, and while I don't know all that they have installed on the display models, there was only like 80 GB free space. That seemed a little tight. (I do have an external hd, but only for backups.)
But I still have not quite seen enough value in upgrading from my late 2013 (!) MBP. I've upgraded the storage to 1 TB a year ago, and replaced the battery this fall. I would benefit from more RAM than my current 16 GB, but not massively—not enough to make it worth the upgrade. And then maybe I would go to 2 TB as well at the same time. But wow, is that ever an expensive laptop, at $3400–4200 USD.
Not even counting however many adapters I might need!
I hoped type design/software would be a relatively small pull on the power, but I also use the Adobe apps quite a bit and have gotten used to 16 GB ram in my current setup (and have not really had any major performance issues)... was hard to tell if going backwards to 8 GB would make a noticeable difference. Sounds like 16 GB would also be a minimum.
My old 15" laptop *definitely* did not fit that requirement. It was far too heavy. The 13" MacBook Pro I use when traveling now is a pretty good balance, but I might even consider the Air when I someday need to replace this machine.
Like the adage about cameras, 'the best laptop to work on is the one you have with you'. So get something that you can carry. Or get something that will only live at home.