Chosing 2017 MB Pro 13 model (differences pros cons)

[FTLOSM]

I purchased a 2017 MBP 13 with touchbar 256gb ssd, 8gb ram, i5 3.1ghz kaby processor from Apple as a refurb. No matter what I did I updated the os and all apps too but couldn't get 4 hours out of the battery, I reduced screen brightness to 60%, and was only doing tasks like email, facebook, youtube, mostly one at a time nothing intensive even turned keyboard light and bluetooth off but I would average 3 to 3 1/2 hours before it would die from a full charge.

I ended up just returning it, but I loved the machine itself, I didn't really use the touchbar and as I looked online I noticed a slight difference in battery size on the mbp 13 non touchbar 2017, showed it was 54.5 vs 49.2 or something like that size wise yet apples specs show it at the same battery life? I guess I was hoping maybe I might get a bit more out of it without the touchbar which I never really dove into using it so I wouldn't miss it really except the touch id part.

I also saw an article that talked about the fans and venting on the two 2017 mbp 13 models, the touchbar model having 2 side vents 2 fans and speakers put sound out thru those vents saying the speaker grills were cosmetic only vs the non touchbar model having a hinge vent and one fan so I wondered if the non touchbar model speakers actually use the speaker grills to put sound out since there aren't two side vents? I did notice with the side vent model (touchbar) while using it on my lap my leg would muffle the sound a bit sometimes.

Just curious to anyone who may have had both in hand and could verify on the non touchbar model of mbp 13 2017 does the sound come from the speaker grills since there are no two side vents and if anyone has comparisons does the non touchbar model give a hair more battery life since it's larger?

Maybe I just made a mistake ordering a refurb and got someone else's lemon, if I re order I will get a new one this time, just trying to decide which model to buy, i wouldn't miss the touchbar and would trade it for more battery life altho apple seems to give the same specs even though it clearly shows non touch has a larger battery, and that difference of where sound comes out is a question I am curious on too.

 

[chscag]

The battery life you got from your refurbished TB 13" MacBook Pro is not typical according to Apple and other users. Apple checks out all refurbished models very carefully before they put them up for sale which is why they can offer Apple Care and a full warranty on each one. Yours may have been one that slipped thru the cracks with a not so great battery.

I can't help you with the sound thing but you might want to do some searching on the web to find out. There is also www.ifixit.com which may help with their breakouts of the various models.

By the way, according to the tests performed by Macworld you should have gotten at least 7 or 8 hours of battery life.

 

[FTLOSM]

I did order up the MBP 13 non touchbar model new from apple over the weekend it should be here Wednesday, a bit bummed to lose the touch id sign in but won't miss the touchbar itself, saved a few bucks too by dropping the touchbar so I upped the ram and storage a bit to 16gb and 512gb, first test charge it up and start a timer doing day to day stuff and hoping for much better results

 

[FTLOSM]

Update

The new one came this morning, MBP 13 inch 2017 non touchbar, 2,3ghz i5, 16gb ram 512gb ssd, gotta say its been going for just over 4 hours 18 mins playing some visual techno thing off youtube, 75% brightness Volume at 50% and battery still shows 64% so I am ontrack here to well over 8+ hours on this machine, cool as a cucumber too no heat, sound appears to come thru the keyboard and speaker grills vs on the touchbar model i noticed if on my lap the side vents sort of cut sound out a bit, so to me that's a plus, the last unit was pretty warm and didn't even hit 4 hours before it died so I think I got a good one this time

 

[chscag]

Thanks for posting back. Normally, refurbished machines from Apple are like new and sometimes even better because Apple checks them out before placing them in the on line refurb store. Have fun and enjoy your new machine.