ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Why I'm not buying the newest and most powerful MacBook Pro anymore

Future-proofing can help you save money, but it can also keep you living in the past.

Last year, I faced a conundrum where my old 2012 MacBook Pro was still so good that I found it hard to justify buying a newer model.

I bought the most powerful 15-inch MacBook Pro in 2012 because I knew its Core i7 processor would keep up for several more years than a MacBook Pro with a less powerful Core i5 processor.

The concept is called future-proofing. Basically, I buy a device that's way more powerful than necessary for my current needs in anticipation for the future, when operating systems and apps will require more horsepower.

And this machine is a monster, especially after I replaced its slow, old hard drive with a very fast SSD drive and upgraded its RAM from 4 GB to 16 GB.

ADVERTISEMENT

My plan worked. My five-year-old laptop still ran incredibly well, even by today's standards, and I had no need to spend a couple thousand dollars on a new laptop. In fact, I could probably squeeze another few years out of my trusty 2012 MacBook Pro.

You might ask, "What could possibly be the problem?" Well, future-proofing has one big drawback.

You see, I didn't really want my five-year-old MacBook Pro anymore — not when I saw all the cool new and improved features on newer models.

In the end, I upgraded, but I didn't go for the newest, most powerful model.

Here's why I did that and which model I bought.

ADVERTISEMENT

My 2012 MacBook Pro is a hulking beast.

The mid-2012 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro looks and feels like a brick compared with the mid-2017 model. It's almost an inch thick and weighs a little less than 6 pounds. Back in the day, that was fine for traveling, as it was pretty normal for a 15-inch laptop to be so big and heavy. Today, however, it's no fun packing and carrying around such a heavy machine.

Compare it with today's sleek, slender, and lightweight MacBook Pro.

The 2017 model of Apple's 15-inch MacBook Pro is just under 0.60 inches thick, and it's lighter than my MacBook Pro at about 3 pounds. It's still no featherweight, but it's a lot more portable.

The screen on my old MacBook Pro is awful by today's standards.

ADVERTISEMENT

My MacBook Pro was the model right before Apple introduced its sharper and clearer Retina displays for its MacBook Pros. That means my old MacBook Pro has a 900p resolution, which looks positively blunt compared with Apple's sharper 1600p Retina display.

Slide right or left to compare

Apple's Retina displays also output much better color than the older, non-Retina displays. After using a Retina MacBook Pro for a while, I came back to my non-Retina one and found the colors washed out and lacking contrast.

At the end of the day, my old MacBook Pro's display is fine, but the more recent model's Retina display is very nice.

The new MacBook Pro displays are "flatter" than my old MacBook Pro's — and look a lot nicer and more modern.

ADVERTISEMENT

My old MacBook Pro's display looks like it's recessed farther back from the glass panel than the new model's. This makes it look and feel dated, even though it still runs so well because of its specs and my upgrades.

Slide right or left to compare

The new MacBook Pros have better battery life.

When Apple released my MacBook Pro, it touted a seven-hour battery life, which was great back then. Now, the new model boasts a 10-hour battery life.

My old MacBook Pro doesn't have the latest USB standard, called USB-C.

ADVERTISEMENT

USB-C is still in its early days, and adopters are experiencing the growing pains of switching over to the latest and greatest USB standard. For many, it means using adapters to plug in devices that use legacy USB standards.

However, USB-C is undeniably the future, and it has several benefits over conventional USB. For one, I could use one USB-C adapter to plug in multiple devices, including a monitor, the MacBook Pro's power supply, accessories like SD memory cards, and legacy USB devices like a mouse, keyboard, or external hard drive.

That's great because instead of having several cables sticking out of my MacBook Pro for all my accessories and peripherals, I could have a single USB-C connection. That makes it easier to plug a computer into a workstation at a desk or unplug it when you need to go portable.

I love the new MacBook Pros' gigantic trackpads more than my model's small one.

The newer MacBook Pros' giant trackpad is great for gestures and general usage. It makes the one on my old model feel tiny and limited.

ADVERTISEMENT

Slide right or left to compare

Apple's new Touch Bar isn't a big selling point for me. I'd be happy with or without it.

Having Touch ID, however, is a huge plus in my book.

Using my fingerprint to easily unlock the 2016 MacBook Pro review unit was bliss. It's easier and faster than typing in my password every time I want to unlock my MacBook Pro from sleep. I hadn't tried Apple Pay with the 2016 MacBook Pro, but it's a tempting feature.

Eventually, I finally decided to upgrade because all those features just seemed too good to pass up.

ADVERTISEMENT

In the end, I went with a refurbished 2016 15-inch MacBook Pro with a Core i7 and 16GB of RAM that was considered "last year's" model among Apple's newer 2017 lineup.

The powerful Core i7 processor in the 2016 15-inch MacBook Pro will last me several years, just like the i7 did on my 2012 MacBook Pro. That means I'll probably face a similar conundrum down the line when Apple introduces great new features that makes my 2016 model feel old. But at least I didn't pay the price of a brand-new 2017 model. I saved myself $450 by going with a refurbished model.

I also keep up with Intel's new processor releases, and I can safely say that the processor's performance in the 2017 MacBook Pro model doesn't warrant the extra $450 it would cost over my 2016 model. I can't speak to the performance in future MacBook Pro models, but I'll certainly consider another older refurbished model before buying a brand-new model when it's time for an upgrade.

Plus, one of my requirements for a laptop is a 15-inch display, and Apple doesn't offer its 15-inch MacBook Pro with anything less than a Core i7 processor. So I didn't have much of a choice unless I was willing to compromise on screen size, which I clearly wasn't.

ADVERTISEMENT

Still, I prefer the keyboard on my old MacBook Pro.

They keys on my old MacBook Pro have a lot of travel, and they feel good and satisfying to type on. By contrast, the keys on the newer MacBook Pro have extremely shallow travel, which makes them less comfortable to type on. It's not a huge deal, as I adapted to the new style of keys, but they're still not as comfortable as my old MacBook Pro's keys.

Slide right or left to compare

And the MagSafe power connector is still one of Apple's best innovations.

If it weren't for Apple's magnetic MagSafe power connector, my old MacBook Pro would surely be dead by now. There have been several occassions when I accidentally tripped on its power cord, and the whole laptop was saved from a desk-level drop because the MagSafe power connector would disconnect from the charging port.

ADVERTISEMENT

Now, Apple's latest MacBook Pros use USB-C for charging, which doesn't attach magnetically. In the few days I spent with a 2016 MacBook Pro with USB-C, I had tripped on the power connector and the laptop came crashing to the ground. Thankfully, it was only from couch-height, and the floor has a carpet that softened the blow. Still, I slightly bent the USB-C connector on the review unit I had.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng

Recommended articles

Here's everything to know about being a virgin on your wedding night

Here's everything to know about being a virgin on your wedding night

7 do's and don’ts of the Holy month of Ramadan

7 do's and don’ts of the Holy month of Ramadan

Top 5 sweetest celebrity mother-child relationships that stand out for us

Top 5 sweetest celebrity mother-child relationships that stand out for us

International Women's Day: 5 Nigerian female celebrities championing women’s rights

International Women's Day: 5 Nigerian female celebrities championing women’s rights

Top 5 female directors in Nollywood

Top 5 female directors in Nollywood

6 things that will break a Muslim's fast during Ramadan

6 things that will break a Muslim's fast during Ramadan

5 benefits of fasting during Ramadan

5 benefits of fasting during Ramadan

5 reasons Easter was more fun when we were children

5 reasons Easter was more fun when we were children

Dos and don’ts of supporting Muslims during Ramadan

Dos and don’ts of supporting Muslims during Ramadan

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT