MacBook 16-inch configuration

[giova_dan]

Hello everyone!

 

Right to the question: which configuration is for you guys more worth the price? At the end I will explain my needs and expectations.

to keep in mind is the fact that if some components do not make a big enough difference than I prefer saving money.

 

prices are written in euros according to the Italian prices.

 

i7 - Radeon Pro 5300M - 500GB SSD - 16GB RAM : 2.799€

 

i7 - Radeon Pro 5500M 4GB - 500GB SSD - 32GB RAM : 3.399€
i9 - Radeon Pro 5500M 4GB - 1TB SSD - 16GB RAM : 3.299€

 

i7 - Radeon Pro 5500M 4GB - 1TB SSD - 32GB RAM : 3.639€

i9 - Radeon Pro 5500M 4GB - 1TB SSD - 32GB RAM : 3.779€

 

RAM: I am studying architecture as Bachelor student and I plan on keeping the laptop for a good 6 or more years at least. My use case scenario is: 3D viewport of programs like Archicad, Revit, Blender, Autocad, 3ds Max etc. ; rendering occasionally mostly on Blender; large file projects in Photoshop and tons of polygons in 3D programs (hence 32GB RAM is almost a must for me, also to “future-proof” it).

 

CPU: must not be a multi-core monster but base and clock frequency also matters a bit (maybe sometimes does not make a big enough difference though)

 

Storage: 500GB has always been enough for me with my old Windows laptop, plus I can run Bootcamp on a flash drive which is also fine

 

GPU: I need quite a beefy GPU, I am not sure if the 5500M will make a huge difference in most 3D software but for 150€ I would do the upgrade. About the VRAM I am not actually gonna use more than 4GB I believe. Maybe in the future but I don’t think it’s a must have feature.

 

 

thank you all in advance!

[GDRRiley]

stick with a windows laptop for this. Asus PRO Art line or some of the new 4th gen ryzen chips would do great here.

[jaslion]

3 minutes ago, giova_dan said:

Hello everyone!

 

Right to the question: which configuration is for you guys more worth the price? At the end I will explain my needs and expectations.

to keep in mind is the fact that if some components do not make a big enough difference than I prefer saving money.

 

prices are written in euros according to the Italian prices.

 

i7 - Radeon Pro 5300M - 500GB SSD - 16GB RAM : 2.799€

 

i7 - Radeon Pro 5500M 4GB - 500GB SSD - 32GB RAM : 3.399€
i9 - Radeon Pro 5500M 4GB - 1TB SSD - 16GB RAM : 3.299€

 

i7 - Radeon Pro 5500M 4GB - 1TB SSD - 32GB RAM : 3.639€

i9 - Radeon Pro 5500M 4GB - 1TB SSD - 32GB RAM : 3.779€

 

RAM: I am studying architecture as Bachelor student and I plan on keeping the laptop for a good 6 or more years at least. My use case scenario is: 3D viewport of programs like Archicad, Revit, Blender, Autocad, 3ds Max etc. ; rendering occasionally mostly on Blender; large file projects in Photoshop and tons of polygons in 3D programs (hence 32GB RAM is almost a must for me, also to “future-proof” it).

 

CPU: must not be a multi-core monster but base and clock frequency also matters a bit (maybe sometimes does not make a big enough difference though)

 

Storage: 500GB has always been enough for me with my old Windows laptop, plus I can run Bootcamp on a flash drive which is also fine

 

GPU: I need quite a beefy GPU, I am not sure if the 5500M will make a huge difference in most 3D software but for 150€ I would do the upgrade. About the VRAM I am not actually gonna use more than 4GB I believe. Maybe in the future but I don’t think it’s a must have feature.

 

 

thank you all in advance!

Any reason it can't be a far better windows offering for the price of the cheapest macbook? Most of that software doesn't even run on a macbook natively so you'll lose performance running bootcamp, using some vm software or just running windows natively on the device as it has special optimizations in mac osx only.

[Commodus]

6 minutes ago, jaslion said:

Any reason it can't be a far better windows offering for the price of the cheapest macbook? Most of that software doesn't even run on a macbook natively so you'll lose performance running bootcamp, using some vm software or just running windows natively on the device as it has special optimizations in mac osx only.

While there are fair points about some apps not having native Mac versions, please don't parrot the "omg Macs are soooo overpriced" fluff.  They're priced well for what they have, it's whether you want what they have that makes the difference.  I would rather tell him to think carefully, since you shouldn't buy a Mac if you primarily intend to run Windows on it.

[DrMacintosh]

37 minutes ago, giova_dan said:

My use case scenario is: 3D viewport of programs like Archicad, Revit, Blender, Autocad, 3ds Max etc. ;

This means you should get the 8GB Radeon Pro 5500M. More VRAM = more better for these applications. 
 

The 16” MacBook Pro is an awesome machine. In your situation this is the config I would go for:

• 2.6GHz 6C/12T 9th Gen Core i7
• AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 8GB
• 32GB 2666 DDR4 memory
• 512GB SSD

[Sorenson]

If you're a student make sure you get the student discount through apple (if its available in your country). Some people are suggesting going with Windows over Mac for your use case which is fair if you want to save some money. However, It is important to take into account that MacBook Pros generally last longer than their competition; especially since apple replaced the keyboard. I'm using my 6 year old MBP and it still runs like new. 

[jaslion]

1 hour ago, Commodus said:

While there are fair points about some apps not having native Mac versions, please don't parrot the "omg Macs are soooo overpriced" fluff.  They're priced well for what they have, it's whether you want what they have that makes the difference.  I would rather tell him to think carefully, since you shouldn't buy a Mac if you primarily intend to run Windows on it.

I didn't mean it in a way of macs are bad. Just that there is better value to be had if you don't mind using windows. I want to avoid a misbuy here. I've done a game design major in the past and this included most of the programs he listed and the people with a macbook essentially just had a windows laptop made by apple. So at that point you need to ask yourself why should I go with an apple product if almost all of the time I'm using it for school purposes I am using windows on it?

[Commodus]

9 minutes ago, jaslion said:

I didn't mean it in a way of macs are bad. Just that there is better value to be had if you don't mind using windows. I want to avoid a misbuy here. I've done a game design major in the past and this included most of the programs he listed and the people with a macbook essentially just had a windows laptop made by apple. So at that point you need to ask yourself why should I go with an apple product if almost all of the time I'm using it for school purposes I am using windows on it?

Well, yes and no.  You can sometimes get better specs, but I also find that there are hidden costs to some of these better deals.  Poorer design quality, worse support (one friend had to return a Dell laptop multiple times to get a fix), that sort of thing.

 

But you're right in that there really isn't much point to getting a Mac if you'll spend most of your time in Windows.  Boot Camp works well for what it does, but it's meant for those people who maybe occasionally need Windows rather than depending on it all the time.  It's not Apple's priority, and I wouldn't expect it to be.

[Lord Vile]

12 hours ago, giova_dan said:

Hello everyone!

 

Right to the question: which configuration is for you guys more worth the price? At the end I will explain my needs and expectations.

to keep in mind is the fact that if some components do not make a big enough difference than I prefer saving money.

 

prices are written in euros according to the Italian prices.

 

i7 - Radeon Pro 5300M - 500GB SSD - 16GB RAM : 2.799€

 

i7 - Radeon Pro 5500M 4GB - 500GB SSD - 32GB RAM : 3.399€
i9 - Radeon Pro 5500M 4GB - 1TB SSD - 16GB RAM : 3.299€

 

i7 - Radeon Pro 5500M 4GB - 1TB SSD - 32GB RAM : 3.639€

i9 - Radeon Pro 5500M 4GB - 1TB SSD - 32GB RAM : 3.779€

 

RAM: I am studying architecture as Bachelor student and I plan on keeping the laptop for a good 6 or more years at least. My use case scenario is: 3D viewport of programs like Archicad, Revit, Blender, Autocad, 3ds Max etc. ; rendering occasionally mostly on Blender; large file projects in Photoshop and tons of polygons in 3D programs (hence 32GB RAM is almost a must for me, also to “future-proof” it).

 

CPU: must not be a multi-core monster but base and clock frequency also matters a bit (maybe sometimes does not make a big enough difference though)

 

Storage: 500GB has always been enough for me with my old Windows laptop, plus I can run Bootcamp on a flash drive which is also fine

 

GPU: I need quite a beefy GPU, I am not sure if the 5500M will make a huge difference in most 3D software but for 150€ I would do the upgrade. About the VRAM I am not actually gonna use more than 4GB I believe. Maybe in the future but I don’t think it’s a must have feature.

 

 

thank you all in advance!

To be honest if you have space I’d invest in a desktop. For the top end MacBook you can get a hell of a PC for around half the price. Honestly you could buy the base MBP and a solid system for the same price as the top end pro you listed. 

[giova_dan]

Thank you all for your wise replies.

 

• I honestly didn’t know about the ASUS Pro Art laptop, and looking at the specs it really is a workstation laptop made for professionals and the price is good compared to MacBook. The thing that worries me a bit is the 17-inch format hence the dimensions and weight possibly and then the battery. I am sometimes using my laptop on the go, also in Airports and stuff and it is great to have a long lasting battery

 

• About going for a desktop: it also is a good option to take the base model and then opting for a beefy desktop, but right now I wouldn’t do this step because I do not know yet where I am going to apply for master and I also don’t know if when I find a job there will already be good desktops. 
   
• About windows machines: the programs I use daily are ArchiCad; Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, InDesign; Rhino; sometimes Fusion 360 for CAM software and occasionally Blender importing my existing 3D Models from Archicad. Rarely I use 3ds Max, mostly just to convert 3d models into other formats. 
  So I will mainly run MacOs I believe. 
   
• The reason why I wasn’t considering much Windows laptops is because I was considering mostly these models: XPS 15 7590 ; Thinkpad X1 extreme gen. 2 since they are a thin and light alternative to MacBook although they are not so professional. And honestly I took a look at the Acer ConceptD 7 and the format, the materials don’t appeal much to me. Also the fact of having a good usable Trackpad is a big plus for me. 

[Lord Vile]

4 hours ago, giova_dan said:

Thank you all for your wise replies.

 

• I honestly didn’t know about the ASUS Pro Art laptop, and looking at the specs it really is a workstation laptop made for professionals and the price is good compared to MacBook. The thing that worries me a bit is the 17-inch format hence the dimensions and weight possibly and then the battery. I am sometimes using my laptop on the go, also in Airports and stuff and it is great to have a long lasting battery

 

• About going for a desktop: it also is a good option to take the base model and then opting for a beefy desktop, but right now I wouldn’t do this step because I do not know yet where I am going to apply for master and I also don’t know if when I find a job there will already be good desktops. 
   
• About windows machines: the programs I use daily are ArchiCad; Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, InDesign; Rhino; sometimes Fusion 360 for CAM software and occasionally Blender importing my existing 3D Models from Archicad. Rarely I use 3ds Max, mostly just to convert 3d models into other formats. 
  So I will mainly run MacOs I believe. 
   
• The reason why I wasn’t considering much Windows laptops is because I was considering mostly these models: XPS 15 7590 ; Thinkpad X1 extreme gen. 2 since they are a thin and light alternative to MacBook although they are not so professional. And honestly I took a look at the Acer ConceptD 7 and the format, the materials don’t appeal much to me. Also the fact of having a good usable Trackpad is a big plus for me. 

Having a good desktop is always worth it so you can do work at home too if that makes sense. For around a grand you could get a 6 core AMD chip and a 5700XT. For a bit more you could go ITX and have a more portable system.

 

https://it.pcpartpicker.com/list/GWXpQq

 

With windows laptops you have to be careful because some of them only ramp up to max clocks when they're plugged in. I think the LTT channel did a MacBook pro vs razer studio and though the studio GPU still beat the MacBook on battery its score was cut by more than half when they went from wall power to battery on the razer. 

 

Boot camp battery life is awful btw, I'm predicted to get around 3 hours on my MBP at 100%. On MacOS it's like 10/11.

 

Don't know if it would be worth looking into MacOS alternatives to the windows only programs you use if there are any.