MacBook Pro/Laptop Advice

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deliengs

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Hi Guys

I am in the market looking for a new Laptop for work and was hoping someone could provide some advice for me.

Current Laptop Specs:
Dell I5, 4GB Ram, 750 GB Hdd (Early 2011 model)

My laptop has been slowly giving up, panels coming out from the back as well etc and the other day it fell as well. Although it still starts up and works properly I think its time I move on to something a little newer and sell the current whilst i can.

I've been interested in MacBook Pro recently and deliberating over the 13" or 15".
Screen size at the moment doesnt matter to me as i usually plug in to an external screen at work.
Some of the things the laptop will be used for (as with the current device as well):
MS Office(specifically mail), website testing (multiple browser), access to windows network folders, multiple remote desktop sessions, some slight picture editing(i.e taking screenshots and editing them on paint, noting hardcore) as well as the usual surfing etc.

I was also hoping to install a software like Parallels to handle the windows stuff i really need to do , basically just for Internet Explorer for some internal sites etc.

Which would be a better option? Will I need the processing power of i7 over i5? Any other advice would be welcome as well

Thanks!!:)
 
deliengs said:
Hi Guys

I am in the market looking for a new Laptop for work and was hoping someone could provide some advice for me.

Current Laptop Specs:
Dell I5, 4GB Ram, 750 GB Hdd (Early 2011 model)

My laptop has been slowly giving up, panels coming out from the back as well etc and the other day it fell as well. Although it still starts up and works properly I think its time I move on to something a little newer and sell the current whilst i can.

I've been interested in MacBook Pro recently and deliberating over the 13" or 15".
Screen size at the moment doesnt matter to me as i usually plug in to an external screen at work.
Some of the things the laptop will be used for (as with the current device as well):
MS Office(specifically mail), website testing (multiple browser), access to windows network folders, multiple remote desktop sessions, some slight picture editing(i.e taking screenshots and editing them on paint, noting hardcore) as well as the usual surfing etc.

I was also hoping to install a software like Parallels to handle the windows stuff i really need to do , basically just for Internet Explorer for some internal sites etc.

Which would be a better option? Will I need the processing power of i7 over i5? Any other advice would be welcome as well

Thanks!!:)
Click to expand...

Once you see the price tag of the new 15" macbook pro, you'll have a decision.

(the new) 15" i7 MBP 2.7ghz, 512GB (non-removable) is roughly R37,000.

I've been a mac user since 2008, but I'm afraid this is my last one. Those prices are not justified.

If you are using an external monitor, the MBAir is not recommended, as there is only 1 usb-c port. You will be using connectors and adapters just to get a USB port there. Plus, the base model is roughly R21,000.

If compatibility is an issue, parallels is very frustrating, as it does not run natively on the machine; rather through a virtual machine (emulator). This can causes some issues with sites. I tried parallels, but ended up running bootcamp.

If price is not an issue, you are welcome for a huge change vs. windows. The only downfall is that compatibility is still a constant struggle.
 
I have a Macbook Pro, but I think for what you're doing sticking with a windows laptop would be better in your case.
 
Thanks guys for your advice.

The only reason I'm thinking of MacBook is i feel moving over to the whole Apple Ecosystem. Since I have been using other apple devices for a while I thought moving over to MacBook also for work will be better as well, in terms of syncing and generally using one platform if you know what I mean.

The servers at work are also Windows based anyway so I thought remote desktop into one of them for any microsoft uses can be done using that
 
manu55 said:
Once you see the price tag of the new 15" macbook pro, you'll have a decision.

(the new) 15" i7 MBP 2.7ghz, 512GB (non-removable) is roughly R37,000.
Click to expand...

You hit it on the head there, the price range is a quite steep but its also too spec'd up as well. Im sure there are people who need those specs (maybe video designers, photoshop users etc) but for me I though the 13" MacBook Pro will do.

So you thinking of moving to Windows than? @manu55
 
hawker said:
I have a Macbook Pro, but I think for what you're doing sticking with a windows laptop would be better in your case.
Click to expand...

Agree. I had the same discussion with another person. There are a couple of Samsung, Asus, Acer etc. models out there for 15-20k that will fulfill the users needs.
 
If you already have an ipad + iphone then getting a macbook would be a good step. I just found that using Parallels to get stuff to work was too much of a schlep. I'm running Windows 8 on my Macbook now - just because of how heavily reliant on Windows only software I am at this point.

I was dual booting OSX and Windows for a year or so, which was fine just a bit of a mission changing between the two - windows for in the office and then OSX for at home/fun stuff.
 
Thanks @Hawker, @creeper.

Hmm I see... Parallels is not as good as it seems.. Im also hoping to do a lot of personal stuff on it as well. Syncing it with all googledrive docs, keeping itunes stuff in place. But I do get the point, why pay more for a MacBook that a windows PC can do also..
 
manu55 said:
I've been a mac user since 2008, but I'm afraid this is my last one. Those prices are not justified.
Click to expand...
It depends on what you do - I justified the price in a matter of seconds. :)

manu55 said:
If you are using an external monitor, the MBAir is not recommended, as there is only 1 usb-c port. You will be using connectors and adapters just to get a USB port there. Plus, the base model is roughly R21,000.
Click to expand...
I think you're confusing the MacBook Air with the new MacBook. While the new MB has one USB-c port the air has numerous ports, including two USB3 ports and a Thunderbolt/DisplayPort.
 
creeper said:
Haha. Yeah. I'm a 'graphic designer' and need to upgrade my MBP :D :whistling:
Click to expand...

Dont be ridiculous, I don't do graphic design. I needed it for when I go to Mugg & Bean. :mad:
 
If you're looking at running Parallels, then aim for at least the 8gb/256 model, as suggested above.

As an aside – provided you have enough RAM, I've always found Parallels to work quite well. Really well in fact, but that's simply my view. YMMV.
The coherence mode is pretty sweet – it sees Windows apps opening just like a normal application window in OSX, rather than over on a separate desktop.
I've run Parallels on the same machine, and upgraded from the stock system (HDD/4gb RAM), to 8gb/HDD, then 8gb/SSD, and finally, 16gb/SSD. SSD helped, but the biggest difference were the RAM upgrades.

The 15" is eye-wateringly expensive – so sad, it's a beaut, but the 13" will no doubt do what you want.
A very left-field (and controversial soon-to-be-shot-down-in-flames) option – but one I figured I'd mention regardless, is the mid-2012 MBP.

It's getting very long in the tooth now. BUT it's cheap. And (like I have) you can drop in 16gb RAM and multiple SSD's – which makes an enormous difference to performance. Obviously day and night difference from what you can get now – but if you're price sensitive, and don't necessarily need the latest and greatest, but simply have to have OSX on something that will still do the job, it's still an option. A crazy one, but hey – it's there [probably for not much longer!].
 
Cassady said:
If you're looking at running Parallels, then aim for at least the 8gb/256 model, as suggested above.

As an aside – provided you have enough RAM, I've always found Parallels to work quite well. Really well in fact, but that's simply my view. YMMV.
The coherence mode is pretty sweet – it sees Windows apps opening just like a normal application window in OSX, rather than over on a separate desktop.
I've run Parallels on the same machine, and upgraded from the stock system (HDD/4gb RAM), to 8gb/HDD, then 8gb/SSD, and finally, 16gb/SSD. SSD helped, but the biggest difference were the RAM upgrades.

The 15" is eye-wateringly expensive – so sad, it's a beaut, but the 13" will no doubt do what you want.
A very left-field (and controversial soon-to-be-shot-down-in-flames) option – but one I figured I'd mention regardless, is the mid-2012 MBP.

It's getting very long in the tooth now. BUT it's cheap. And (like I have) you can drop in 16gb RAM and multiple SSD's – which makes an enormous difference to performance. Obviously day and night difference from what you can get now – but if you're price sensitive, and don't necessarily need the latest and greatest, but simply have to have OSX on something that will still do the job, it's still an option. A crazy one, but hey – it's there [probably for not much longer!].
Click to expand...
Thanks @Cassady and everyone else for your great advice. I think the MBP13" is good seeing as they have upgraded more of it in 2015 than the MBP15"!
 
I absolutely have to agree with Cassady about the 2012 non-Retina MBP. I have one, and it is great. I also have a 15" Retina MBP, mid-2014. While the latter's screen is awesome, the non-Retina display works perfectly well. Of course, being able to fiddle and tweak the unit is a bonus and the minute my flight touches down in SA in three week's time, a new SSD and more RAM will be added. Of course, one should make sure you do not overspend as adding RAM and a SSD could well amount to spending the same if you had bought a 13" Retina, depending on price variances. Also, there are many places where you can get a pre-owned unit that will be exactly the same as a new unit, for way less. Just because it has had an owner before does not mean it cannot perform like a new unit, unless mistreated.
 
Thanks @andrieso. Any ideas where I can pick up a good 2012 MacBook Pro? Also if anyone is interested iStote apparently has a sale on 30% of MacBook etc
 
deliengs said:
Thanks @andrieso. Any ideas where I can pick up a good 2012 MacBook Pro? Also if anyone is interested iStote apparently has a sale on 30% of MacBook etc
Click to expand...

The iStore is a pretty good deal, right there, surely? 2nd hand ones do pop up over a Digicape's classifieds (often overpriced), and occasionally on Carbonite. On the latter, you're more likely to find newer models though - often at good prices.
 
deliengs said:
Thanks @andrieso. Any ideas where I can pick up a good 2012 MacBook Pro? Also if anyone is interested iStote apparently has a sale on 30% of MacBook etc
Click to expand...

Have a look on FB for The MacMan in Centurion. He sells pre-owned items, and often has mid-2012 units in stock. I assume these are units people sell because that have upgraded.
 
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