Question Is the new 16" Macbook Pro really worth $2,400?

[ultimatebob]

I mean... it looks nice, has a nice keyboard again (finally), and even the base model has decent hardware specs.

But... is it really worth $2,400? I can get a Dell XPS 15 with similar hardware specs for around $1,700.

Has anyone here got one of these yet? If so, what do you think?

 

[ultimatebob]

I would argue for the money you could by a descent 35-43" external monitor for use at home and be even happier.

You can't fit that monitor in your laptop bag yet, though. I'd imagine that a OLED scrolling display prototype is sitting on a test bench at Samsung or LG right now, though.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Yeah, like no one gets home or to the office with another monitor sitting there. Everyone in my office (~120,000) has a laptop and multiple external displays. I like me they do the same at home--and on their dime.

 

[LikeLinus]

I'm a bit unusual that I use Windows 10 Pro/Server almost exclusively at home. At work, I use exclusively Mac.

Kaido makes a good point that Win 10 is overall very solid and a good OS. I can't remember the last time I had a crash and I love the integration of O365, OneDrive and everything else. I agree that you should always run protective software, no matter what platform you run. Yes, Windows is more susceptible, but that's also because they have the largest markeshare and hackers are going to go after the biggest fish. If Apple had the same marketshare, no double they would have issues as well.

TheStu, from personal experience, I do not agree with his assessment on the Surface Pro. In our house, we've had 6 total. Wife, myself and youngest son have all owned 2 Surface Pro each. We had Surface Pro 3 and then moved up to Surface Pro 7 while back. I also have 3 co-workers who use the Surface Pro and one that uses a Surface Book 2. No one has ever broken a screen as far as I'm aware. The Surface Pro is the absolute best "laptop/table" that I've ever used around the house. So handy, love the screen and touch. It's the perfect size to carry around and always have the internet at my fingertips.

I've had several MacBook Pro from a 17", 15" and currently a 16". LOVE the laptops and they are the best true laptops I've ever used. MacOS can be love or hate. Finder is HORRIBLE. Windows Explorer is much better all around, but they really need to add the tab function that Finder has. I REALLY wish Mac would release something like the Air with a touch screen. If they did, I would pick one up, for sure. But, as a whole, I really enjoy the MacBook Pro.

That said, I hate moving between the two sometimes!!! I'm constantly wanting to push the control vs. command key. Ugh!

I actually use my current MacBook Pro as my travel editing machine. I off-load daily footage, back it up to multiple drives, and can do some quick editing of RAW footage for review. I haven't seen or used a Windows Laptop that I could use as a replacement for it. That's not to say there isn't one, but I'm totally happy with with. It has the best build quality of any laptop I've ever used. Best trackpad as well.

Other than the issue with NTFS or or Apple APFS format not being compatible with one another (exfat is the best option), I do like the dual environment I currently work in. I feel far more annoyed with Apple's closed garden and certain things not working, but the same could be said for
Windows. I'd love to combine the best of both, but it is what it is.

 

[ultimatebob]

I'm a bit unusual that I use Windows 10 Pro/Server almost exclusively at home. At work, I use exclusively Mac.

Kaido makes a good point that Win 10 is overall very solid and a good OS. I can't remember the last time I had a crash and I love the integration of O365, OneDrive and everything else. I agree that you should always run protective software, no matter what platform you run. Yes, Windows is more susceptible, but that's also because they have the largest markeshare and hackers are going to go after the biggest fish. If Apple had the same marketshare, no double they would have issues as well.

Ooh, I hate the OneDrive client for Windows 10. I turned it off on my Windows 10 gaming PC, because it kept trying to back up my saved games stored in the Documents directory and running out of free storage space. I couldn't find an easy way to exclude certain directories, so I just bagged it.

If I want something backed up to the cloud on my gaming rig, I'll do it myself dammit

 

[manly]

I mean... it looks nice, has a nice keyboard again (finally), and even the base model has decent hardware specs.

But... is it really worth $2,400? I can get a Dell XPS 15 with similar hardware specs for around $1,700.

Has anyone here got one of these yet? If so, what do you think?

In 2017, I picked Dell XPS 15 over the overpriced, underwhelming 15" MacBook Pro with infamous butterfly keyboard. I tend to use my electronics for a very long time, so it's unlikely I'll ever return to macOS after a dozen years on the platform.

Seems like the best thing to do now is to wait:

Apple Silicon M1 Chip in MacBook Air Outperforms High-End 16-Inch MacBook Pro

Apple introduced the first MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini with M1 Apple Silicon chips yesterday, and as of today, the first benchmark of the new chip appears to be showing up on the Geekbench site. The M1 chip, which belongs to a MacBook Air with 8GB RAM, features a single-core score of...

www.macrumors.com

 

[StinkyPinky]

Those m1 chips have some serious limitations though. Max of 16gb memory. No external GPU support.

Neither are deal breakers for most users but for more power users they are pretty big problems.

 

[ultimatebob]

Those m1 chips have some serious limitations though. Max of 16gb memory. No external GPU support.

Neither are deal breakers for most users but for more power users they are pretty big problems.

Not to mention that the huge swath of lesser known software that hasn't been optimized for Big Sur or Apple Silicon yet. You're basically paying to be a beta tester for Apple if you buy one of those now.

 

[manly]

Those m1 chips have some serious limitations though. Max of 16gb memory. No external GPU support.

Neither are deal breakers for most users but for more power users they are pretty big problems.

I realize this is a nerds forum, but those specific issues should affect under 5% of all users.

Personally, I'd never buy the first release of any all-new product. And esp. when there's an architectural transition. But that's partly because I like to use things until they die or are completely obsolete.

 

[ultimatebob]

I think that it's safe to say that spending $2,400 on a 16" Intel MacBook Pro would be pretty foolish now. Apple is probably going to stop supporting it 3 or 4 years from now.

 

[manly]

FWIW Apple M1 has been smashing the reviews:

Apple's M1 Is Exceeding Expectations - Slashdot

Reviews are starting to pour in of Apple's MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and Mac Mini featuring the new M1 ARM-based processor -- and they're overwhelmingly positive. "As with the Air, the Pro's performance exceeds expectations," writes Nilay Patel via The Verge. "Apple's next chapter offers...

apple.slashdot.org

Apple will declare the transition as completed in about a year.

 

[ultimatebob]

FWIW Apple M1 has been smashing the reviews:

Apple's M1 Is Exceeding Expectations - Slashdot

Reviews are starting to pour in of Apple's MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and Mac Mini featuring the new M1 ARM-based processor -- and they're overwhelmingly positive. "As with the Air, the Pro's performance exceeds expectations," writes Nilay Patel via The Verge. "Apple's next chapter offers...

apple.slashdot.org

Apple will declare the transition as completed in about a year.

Yeah... I'd imagine that they'll do new iMac's and 16" MacBook Pro's with an "M2" like processor come spring, and then finally replace the Mac Pro and iMac Pro's with a desktop oriented ARM processor next fall.