Looking at buying a new Macbook Pro _ could use some tips

Hey folks,

I'm lucky enough to have a couple of pilots in the family, so I've decided to splash the cash from a pending bike sale on a new laptop from the us of A. I was considering an older one but at the end of the day, a newer one will last longer and it'll be lightning fast. I'll be using it mainly for lightroom and photoshop, or whatever I choose instead of the adobe subscription method.

So, the base quad core model is attractivly priced but there are upgrade options and i'm wondering which ones are most important.

Each upgrade is 200 dollars. So, I can upgrade to a 512 gb ssd over a 256. Not too bothered by a 256 gb drive. It's big enough if I have external storage.

What I'm wondering is, is a

2.3GHz quad‑core 8th‑generation Intel Core i5 processor, Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz

or a


2.7GHz quad‑core 8th‑generation Intel Core i7 processor, Turbo Boost up to 4.5GHz

upgrade more significant to a ram upgrade from 8gb to 16gb?

In real world terms, ram is going to serve me better? I'd love to be able to get the maxed out macbook pro but funds don't allow on my humble salary.

Real world thoughts please. With a bit of context lads and lassies, I was considering a 2014 15inch macbook pro, quad core with 16 gb ram but buying from a shop refrubished is not making the numbers add up if I can get my pilot cousin to bring it home in a box.

Thanks for any input you can give.

Or, do I get both and have a stonking kick ass laptop for the next five years??

ALso, the quad core model is more expensive but I've been told it's much better at number crunching.

Would I be better getting loads of ram and the fastest dual core processor for the same price?

I'm a bit confused as to what options would be best. Obviously, maxing everything out to make it four or five grand would be lovely but I'm just not living that life.


Plus, is the keyboard on the new mbp really really shit?

or, am I better in investing in a 2015 quad core 15 inch with a big ssd and 16 gb ram?

Doing my nut in here.

You could upgrade the RAM yourself after sale, probably for cheaper (although I'm not sure what that would do for warranty). I'm by no means an expert, but I would imagine that processor trumps RAM, although both is a bonus if affordable.

My rule is, get the best processor and the most RAM you can afford. This will give you a long lasting Mac.

I use my MacBook for home and work and they generally last a minimum of 6 years before I'm looking to upgrade. Also, look at what hard disk space you're using on your current machine against what your disk size is. If you're well under (like half) then get the same again, otherwise, double your capacity. Everything eats storage and external is such a bore unless you have wireless in the house.

I bought the last big update a couple of years ago and maxed out. I've never looked back. Although you may need to buy a few dongles or one of those nifty connectivity things to connect all of your devices, if you use lots of peripherals.

tuftywhite said:

My rule is, get the best processor and the most RAM you can afford. This will give you a long lasting Mac.

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E X A C T L Y my thoughts

Also, following from Auwyn's post, I think in the new Macs, the RAM is non configurable by the customer. I think it's bought as is now.

I could be corrected if someone knows different.

Thanks for all your reply’s. To get what I want from the USA is 2100. Euro. Lotta cash. Think I’m focused on a new Mac though. Not sure the extra 300 is worth it for the newest processor. Quad core is quad core. I’m meeting my pilot cuz on Sunday so I’ll see what he says. Doubt it’s his first request...

Sorry Auwyn, pretty sure you can’t upgrade the RAM on newer MBPs post build. It is soldered on the motherboard. Upgrading internal storage is a pain too. In fact just forget about upgrading anything in a mbp.
My advice : Upgrade RAM/graphics first, CPU second, storage third.
[Other opinions are available, this one is mine ]

abraxas said:

Sorry Auwyn, pretty sure you can’t upgrade the RAM on newer MBPs post build. It is soldered on the motherboard. Upgrading internal storage is a pain too. In fact just forget about upgrading anything in a mbp.
My advice : Upgrade RAM/graphics first, CPU second, storage third.
[Other opinions are available, this one is mine ]

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That sucks. Mine is a 2011 jobbie with SSD, HD and RAM replaced by me.

Here is a very good review that covers most your questions

https://9to5mac.com/2018/07/25/review-2018-macbook-pro-video/

Thanks Dj. Makes interesting reading.

Auwyn said:

That sucks. Mine is a 2011 jobbie with SSD, HD and RAM replaced by me.

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I was considering a late 2012 model for just that reason.

I too visit the USA on a fairly regular basis. I have in the past bought a lot of Apple products always at Apple stores. Most purchases have been at the request of others and I have been happy to oblige. Here are a few tips. They were correct when I was last in the US a few months back
Apple stores will price match up to 10% off if the offer is checkable and for the same product. I use "best buy" get their price and ask for a match. If its greater than 10% off tough 10% is their ceiling. I have bought a 2 x MacBook air, MacBook pro, Ipad pro plus about 6 ipads.

Do not dismiss the refurbished range, I bought 1 item after checking up on it. Apple refurbished products have a higher reliability record than their new products. The checks are more demanding. (that's independent reviews not apple store patter) Your Pilot friend has to order online and select his hotel as the mailing address. You can pay extra and have next day delivery. I had a long lay over till my next flight and used the standard service. Works just fine,

The laptops are OK and my daughter uses them. Me I bought a used 2011 MacBook pro and did what most do. Big SSD and doubled up on the ram. Really big difference and all doable by yourself. The later laptops are not upgradeable.

Its universally accepted Apple have failed to upgrade the hardware in their laptops for some time. The competition has moved forward and left Apple laptops behind.

I was looking to treating myself to a windows 10 machine. Because the you could spec so high with the latest hardware. This is the spec of my laptop and it was just under £750.

Quad core i7 8th Generation, Full HD screen, 16gb ram with Nvidia GeForce graphics card and 256Gb SSD, yes its fast and the screen quality excellent.

It all depends what you use your machine for. If this buy is your only computer get the best you can, by that I mean processor and ram, if your going to be mean a reduced SSD supplemented by a separate storage device. I wouldn't do this and the smallest SSD I would spec would be 500gb.

Value depends on the exchange rate and its poor with a capital P.

The current range of laptops on offer from Apple are over priced and under spec'd. I saw a quote on the macrumour site that Apple are a phone company that just happen to make computers. Saying that I love my 2011 MacBook pro and the Macintosh operating system.

Good luck with you choice

Smelly Old Boots said:

Hey folks,

I'm lucky enough to have a couple of pilots in the family, so I've decided to splash the cash from a pending bike sale on a new laptop from the us of A. I was considering an older one but at the end of the day, a newer one will last longer and it'll be lightning fast. I'll be using it mainly for lightroom and photoshop, or whatever I choose instead of the adobe subscription method.

Click to expand...

Good luck with that. I've been trying for weeks to get PS working on a current Mac (High Sierra).

Hours of chat with Adobe, reinstalls of Mac OS X and PS, new graphics cards and it still reliably crashes my Mac every time I open it.

stolzy said:

Good luck with that. I've been trying for weeks to get PS working on a current Mac (High Sierra).

Hours of chat with Adobe, reinstalls of Mac OS X and PS, new graphics cards and it still reliably crashes my Mac every time I open it.

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Smelly old boots,

Sounds like good advice from stolzy. Check around and make sure your laptop can run the programs you need. If you do buy a decent MacBook remember you can run windows OS on it via bootcamp (free) or parallels ( to buy) You would need to partion your drive to install windows on. So deffo a big SSD. I did run windows 7 on my MacBook for a long time via bootcamp. Very handy it was as well. The MacBook year of manufacture decides which version of windows you can run. For me it was windows 7.

The MacBook Air my daughter has runs windows 10 as she needs to run work applications on occasions. Thats an option that a PC doesn't have.

I thought you had got that sorted Stolzy. That’s not good. Lightroom and photoshop are what I’ll be using it for.

Interesting reading your comments. Last night I stated thinking about windows machines and my mate came to over with his 13 inch XPs. It’s a little beauty for a lot less cash. I think I’ll have to look into this more. He has a 4K screen and it georgeous!

The lack of connectivity on the new macs is a possible concern too.

stolzy said:

Good luck with that. I've been trying for weeks to get PS working on a current Mac (High Sierra).

Hours of chat with Adobe, reinstalls of Mac OS X and PS, new graphics cards and it still reliably crashes my Mac every time I open it.

Click to expand...

One thing, I installed highsierra on Rc’s 2011 mbp and Lightroom worked fine. I didn’t try photoshop. I’ll install them again and see if they work if that is of any help?

For example this refurbished dell XPs

https://m.ebay.ie/itm/Dell-XPS-13-9...-SSD-13-3-InfinityEdge-1920x1080/292107146079

Hope the link works. My friends on has the qhd higher quality screen and was a little more expensive. Leaving the operating system aside, it’s a serious computer.

Smelly Old Boots said:

One thing, I installed highsierra on Rc’s 2011 mbp and Lightroom worked fine. I didn’t try photoshop. I’ll install them again and see if they work if that is of any help?

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That would be cool, seems I'm not the only one having problems running PS on High Sierra.

Lightroom works fine.