Buying MBP 2012 vs MBP Retina 2015

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Hi,
I am going to be a first year student at university and looking to buy a new computer. I currently have a thinkpad which doesnt really work anymore and want to get a MBP. Currently I am debating on either getting a MBP 2012 and then upgrading the RAM to 16 GB (500 GB HD)or a MBP Retina 2015 with 8 gb ram and a 256 SSD. What would be the better choice as I will have this computer for at least a few years? Does the RAM at 16 vs 8 gb make it run faster or the SSD? What about the operating system potentially not being able to be run on the 2012 MBP in a few years. Money is a factor and I would be saving about 300 USD with the 2012 pro. What would you do?

850 USD for 2012 MBP + 120 for upgraded ram = 970
1300 USD for MBP 2015 Retina
 

Slydude

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Which options make the computer perform better depends in part on what you will be doing/studying, what programs you are likely to use, and how you se the computer. Here are some examples of what I mean:

The OS and other programs load much faster from an SSD than a standard hard drive: In my case the OS lead time was cut almost in half. The boot time may not be a major issue if you leave the system on 24/7 as many people do.

If you tend to have several programs at once or run larger, memory intensive programs the extra memory is a good idea. If you are doing mainly web browsing, e-mail, and word processing 8 GB should be fine.
 

chscag

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850 USD for 2012 MBP + 120 for upgraded ram = 970
1300 USD for MBP 2015 Retina

Where are you getting the price for the 2012 MBP from? That is not the current price in the on line Apple Store for a new machine. The current price is $1099 for 4 GB of memory and a 500 GB HDD. You do have the price for the 13" rMBP correct.
 
C

chas_m

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The 2012 MBP has the advantage of being upgradeable. I have thus far upgraded the boot drive, the RAM (now at 16GB, the max) and just lately I swapped out the optical drive for an SSD. The Retina doesn't allow any of that IIRC. But of course the Retina has its own advantages, starting with that gorgeous screen, better graphics, more powerful CPU and superfast performance.

Charlie, I think you are quoting a 2014 or 2015 non-Retina device which is new (yes, it's similar to the 2012, but not the same thing), whereas the OP is probably quoting the price of an actual 2012 on the used or refurbished market somewhere.
 

chscag

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Yeah, I agree. He's probably looking at a refurb or used unit for that price. I just checked the on line Apple Store price for the 2012 MacBook Pro (last model that has an optical drive and is upgradeable) and it's still listed at $1099. Still a good machine to buy as long as you don't need any better graphics than the Intel HD 4000.
 
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chas_m

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Again -- that is not a 2012 MacBook Pro. You may be confusing people by referring to it as such. Yes, it is identical to the 2012 model, so I understand why you call it that, but Apple is still manufacturing it, so calling it a "2012" gives people the mistaken impression that it is three-year-old stock when it is not. Those units are brand new, made in 2015, and not refurbished 2012s.
 

chscag

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Those units are brand new, made in 2015, and not refurbished 2012s.

You are correct that they are brand new manufactured in 2015, however, they are the same exact model as yours since they have not been updated. And if I'm not mistaken, even a newly purchased unit, when clicking on the "About this Mac", it reports in fact that it is a late 2012 model.

This from the Mac Rumors buyer's Guide:

Apple's non-Retina MacBook Pro line has been whittled down to a single 13-inch model that has not been updated since June 2012. Further updates are unlikely, as the company will likely simply discontinue the model as Retina MacBook Pro models have become more affordable and popular. The model received a $100 price cut in July 2014.
 
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chas_m

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You are correct. I just wanted to ensure that the OP and others reading this thread do not misunderstand that these aren't old stock, they are new units based on an "old" design. Cheers.
 
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Wow, thanks for clearing up the information about the 2012 model. I definitely didn't know that. Does that mean that the 2012 model (manufactured in 2015) still uses older hardware? The price that I had used was a price that one of the refurbishers on campus was selling it at (that was manufactured in 2012).

I am a bit worried that if I get the 2012 model (manufactured in 2015) then in a few years I will have problems with the new OS that comes out. Thus, a 2012 model would only really last me until 2017 or so whereas a 2015 model could last me until 2019. Is my thinking correct?
 

chscag

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The 2012 MacBook Pro which Apple still sells new at their on line store is using the same hardware that it came with in 2012. And yes they're still being manufactured in 2015, however, a good indication and rumor tells us that when the new MacBook Pro machines appear later this year, that the 2012 model will be discontinued. In the meantime, it's still a great machine and is fully upgradeable. I would suggest though that you buy a new one not a refurbished unit from a third party. The third party refurbished unit will likely not be eligible for Apple Care.
 
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chas_m

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Because the 2015 non-Retina uses the same hardware as the 2012 model it is -- even though its fully warranteed and brand new -- already on "old" specs and performance. Rumors about it being discontinued could well be wrong -- it might well be updated with a newer processor and graphics but otherwise remain similar (lots of institutional buyers who don't need Retina or Retina pricing).

Either way, the non-Retina MBP's internals are not bleeding-edge or anything like that, so it WILL "age" faster than a new Retina model. But as someone with a 2012 (really 2012) MPB right here, I have to say that its ability to be upgraded to SSDs and 16GB of RAM will allow it to meet my needs for a couple-three years yet, most likely (unless I start getting to more serious gaming).
 
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PMFJI, but is the '2012' non-Retina model still a viable machine? I assume we are talking about the 13" MBP (non-Retina) which is listed at from £899?

They are listed on the Apple Store website as running Yosemite.

It still has an optical drive - which is a bonus for me.

Could I upgrade the memory myself and perhaps put in a larger HD? Are those upgrades in the 'unscrew the cover plate and switch the device' or the 'follow the YouTube video to dismantle the entire laptop' category?


Would that still run games at a moderate setting - even if not the latest bleeding edge games?
 

chscag

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Yes, it's still a very good machine to buy and if you need a built in optical drive and wish to upgrade the machine yourself, then, that's the machine for you. However, you do need to realize that the graphics chipset is an older one (Intel HD 4000) but should suffice for most everything except perhaps games that demand a high frame rate. Also, according to the Mac Rumors site and other reliable sites, that machine will be discontinued this Fall when the new MacBook Pros are announced. And there is no indication that Apple will provide another non retina MacBook Pro to take its place.
 

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