[heyyitsmesusan]

I currently have a mid 2012 non-retina MBP now that I want to eventually replace.. with the new macbooks announced and the touchbar being so appealing, I'm starting to consider my choices but wondering which one will be the best for my needs. Basically, what I do on it is:
-a lot of multi-tasking, between web browsers, multiple tabs open, other apps like Twitter, mail, etc.
-Light video editing in iMovie (don't use final cut)
-Web browsing, email, etc

My MBP now is getting the beach ball every time I have too much running at once. Like right now I have two tabs open in Firefox, along with Twitter, mail, messages and the app store but the app store I had to force quit twice.. so do you guys think the touchbar is necessary for me, or should I opt and go for the non-touch bar edition? Thanks!

[firedept10]

A 2012 MBP should not be lagging with what you are doing. But that's another topic. I would recommend this one. It is the base MBP with touch bar as you are interested in the touch bar feature. It will handle what you plan on using it for and then some. It should last you several years. Otherwise a standard MBP with the same specs would also work just as well and you could save the extra money by going without the touch bar feature.

I see the touch bar as more of a productivity feature for people who are going to use their machine for work. My opinion is, for what you are doing I would think you could go without it.

[TripleOne]

What I personally do when I buy a laptop is to always get the best specs that is offered. Since I know I will be using it for years to come.

[samosIM]

Question: How much RAM does your mid-2012 non-retina MBP have? If it does have 8GB RAM and you are getting the beach ball, then you may want to consider a 16GB version. I have been using a 2013 retina MPB 15" with 16GB RAM & a 750GB SSD drive and it has served me well. Beach balls occur, but I work my system hard (Parallels Desktop to access analytical programs only available in Windows (Windows 10), among others).

Again you may want to consider a system with 16GB RAM. More RAM more multi-tasking with less application swapping (to the hard drive?).

[Matty]

I currently have a mid 2012 non-retina MBP now that I want to eventually replace.. with the new macbooks announced and the touchbar being so appealing, I'm starting to consider my choices but wondering which one will be the best for my needs. Basically, what I do on it is:
-a lot of multi-tasking, between web browsers, multiple tabs open, other apps like Twitter, mail, etc.
-Light video editing in iMovie (don't use final cut)
-Web browsing, email, etc

My MBP now is getting the beach ball every time I have too much running at once. Like right now I have two tabs open in Firefox, along with Twitter, mail, messages and the app store but the app store I had to force quit twice.. so do you guys think the touchbar is necessary for me, or should I opt and go for the non-touch bar edition? Thanks!

From what you are mentioning, your 2012 Macbook Pro should be fine. Just make sure you have 8GB RAM this will help with having multiple tabs open.

To save you a little cash i would go with the 2015 Macbook Pro. it may not be the 'latest and greatest' but for what you are doing, it would be a lovely upgrade.

[heyyitsmesusan]

Question: How much RAM does your mid-2012 non-retina MBP have? If it does have 8GB RAM and you are getting the beach ball, then you may want to consider a 16GB version. I have been using a 2013 retina MPB 15" with 16GB RAM & a 750GB SSD drive and it has served me well. Beach balls occur, but I work my system hard (Parallels Desktop to access analytical programs only available in Windows (Windows 10), among others).

Again you may want to consider a system with 16GB RAM. More RAM more multi-tasking with less application swapping (to the hard drive?).

Mine has 4GB right now. If I do decide to get a new laptop I might just pay the extra money and get it upgraded to 16GB

[StraightlineBoy]

Mine has 4GB right now. If I do decide to get a new laptop I might just pay the extra money and get it upgraded to 16GB

4Gb might be the problem as I've got a 2012 MacBook Air and it doesn't lag like that. My Air has 8Gb and it seems fine. I can run Photoshop, have safari tabs open and be running iTunes and not get the beach ball. Have you checked the Activity Monitor to see if it's a particular task that's hogging resources?

[heyyitsmesusan]

4Gb might be the problem as I've got a 2012 MacBook Air and it doesn't lag like that. My Air has 8Gb and it seems fine. I can run Photoshop, have safari tabs open and be running iTunes and not get the beach ball. Have you checked the Activity Monitor to see if it's a particular task that's hogging resources?

I haven't. I'm starting to think that it's Sierra. Do you know how much RAM is needed to install that? I know that El Cap required 2 and it didn't lag for me then but once I installed Sierra it started lagging every time I wanted to switch to another program.

[StraightlineBoy]

I haven't. I'm starting to think that it's Sierra. Do you know how much RAM is needed to install that? I know that El Cap required 2 and it didn't lag for me then but once I installed Sierra it started lagging every time I wanted to switch to another program.

It could be Sierra, partly because it's new and possibly buggy and partly because 4Gb isn't a lot of RAM these days. I guess as each version introduces more features the strain it puts on systems only goes upwards. Apple don't seem to do minimum requirements in the way that Windows software would quote a RAM figure, Hard disk space and CPU (or I can't find them anyway); Apple just seem to say which machines it will run on, and that's not to say it will run well on them. For what it's worth 8Gb still seems fine to me and that's what I'm going to stick with when I upgrade (although I'd maybe get 16 if the bill wasn't so expensive already)

[heyyitsmesusan]

It could be Sierra, partly because it's new and possibly buggy and partly because 4Gb isn't a lot of RAM these days. I guess as each version introduces more features the strain it puts on systems only goes upwards. Apple don't seem to do minimum requirements in the way that Windows software would quote a RAM figure, Hard disk space and CPU (or I can't find them anyway); Apple just seem to say which machines it will run on, and that's not to say it will run well on them. For what it's worth 8Gb still seems fine to me and that's what I'm going to stick with when I upgrade (although I'd maybe get 16 if the bill wasn't so expensive already)

Right, exactly. I've had this machine for four years already, 2017 would be 5. So with my next one I definitely want something that will last, and although 8GB of RAM is standard now in the newer models, I'm probably going to be in the same boat I'm in in a few years with it.