New vs Old MacBook Pro

[brunok]

So, I'm switching from a PC to Mac and was wondering if it's worth buying the old Macbook Pro with a discount. Some stores around here are selling the old models with a small price cut. It seems there is only some performance upgrades (processor and 8GB RAM by default), is there anything else?

Thanks!

 

[phreddyl]

I am not sure which models you are comparing- I would recommend going with what you could afford- I wouldn't get less than 8 gigs of RAM- I am running the beta of Yosemite and it was really sluggish until I upgraded my RAM- I had 4 then put in 8 more and now its so much better.

 

[PeltFrelken]

If by "old" you are talking about the MBP-non-retina, then I would not recommend it. Get the rMBP (Retina MacBook Pro)

Ironically, I have the old MBP, but it's from 2009. We're nearly on our way to 2015. The Retina-MBP is not that much more money, and it's infinitely a better machine. Lighter, thinner, more powerful, more RAM, solid state hard drive and Retina display. Those are all the major elements that make a laptop what it is.

There's a retail $200 difference between the old and new MacBook Pro models. I can't understand how anyone would go with the non-retina version.

Get the Retina, you'll be happy for many years to come.

 

[UJ95x]

I wouldn't recommend the non-Retina MBP either. It's thick, heavy, has an awful display, battery life is meh, has an extremely outdated CPU and GPU, and it uses an HDD instead of an SSD. If you can afford it, get the rMBP. If not, the Air is still a better choice than the non-Retina MBP.

 

[brunok]

Hi, thanks for the input.
Actually, the "old" MacBook I was considering is the retina MacBook pro from 2013 which is still in stock in some stores here in Brazil.
But I already made up my mind, from what I've found from reviews, it's worth paying a little bit more for the new 2014 model, more speed and less battery use.
Anyway, now I'll have to choose between 13" and 15", I won't be using heavy 3d rendering but I need to use MS Project through a virtual machine. Is a 13" Core i5 enough? Also, I want it to last at last around 5 years or more without upgrades. Any thoughts? Should I get a 15" Core i7?

 

[brunok]

Ok, thanks a lot!
Is 8 GB RAM enough to run apps on a virtual machine while running other native apps?
Regarding MS Project, I need full compability, so I'd rather use it through a VM.

 

[UJ95x]

Hi, thanks for the input.
Actually, the "old" MacBook I was considering is the retina MacBook pro from 2013 which is still in stock in some stores here in Brazil.
But I already made up my mind, from what I've found from reviews, it's worth paying a little bit more for the new 2014 model, more speed and less battery use.
Anyway, now I'll have to choose between 13" and 15", I won't be using heavy 3d rendering but I need to use MS Project through a virtual machine. Is a 13" Core i5 enough? Also, I want it to last at last around 5 years or more without upgrades. Any thoughts? Should I get a 15" Core i7?

The early 2013 or late 2013 model?
The latter is exactly the same as the 2014 model, just with slightly slower clocked CPU (Won't make a difference). If it's that one, you can probably get it for cheaper than the recent refresh.

 

[brunok]

Thanks once again!
It's the late 2013 model, but it's a bit harder to find that one with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD, which is the setup I prefer.

 

[xKrNMBoYx]

I want a Retina based MBP, but I will gladly use my Mid-2012 Non-Retina Macbook Pro until it's life is near it's end. I understand the complaints about thickness but not so much about the weight. I guess coming from a 7-10lb Gaming Notebook that I carried around majority of the day the non-retina MBP are plenty light for me. I understand how good the retina version is and you love it but some of you guys are scolding the non-retina a bit too much.

Things I can agree with.
Bad Display
Thickness
Battery Life

Things I can't really agree with
"Extremely" Outdated CPU and GPU (It's one generation change in CPU/GPU and in the same tier too) Not a HUGE improvement to say it's "Extremely" outdated.
Having an HDD. You can always get an aftermarket SSD for a lower price, and then use the HDD as additional storage (whether you use it as an external or use it as a storage drive in the optical bay).

If there is a clear discount on the "old" retina macbook pro then I don't see a bad reason why not to get it over a newer one.