MacBook Pro 2020

canderson

Mr. Brightside
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Jul 16, 2005
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This is where i'm at. I used to get a new computer like clockwork every few years. I'm using a 2014 MacBook Pro now and don't really need a new one. I may get the upgrade from work, but it's amazing how long technology lasts at this point.
I'm on my late 2013 iMac right now, sad it won't get Big Sur but eh whatever.

The only tricky thing I guess is if you use parallels or virtual machines / Windows. If you do, I'd buy an Intel machine now since those likely won't work on ARM machines for a while ... if ever. Rosetta can handle some programs, but running Bootcamp is maybe a bridge too far.
 

Senator Donut

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I'm going to take a slightly contrarian viewpoint. If you buy immediately after a big change, your setup will likely last a little bit longer. I bought my late 2013 MacBook Pro right after the switch to Intel Haswell chips and now my Mac will be the oldest to support OS 11.
 

canderson

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I'm going to take a slightly contrarian viewpoint. If you buy immediately after a big change, your setup will likely last a little bit longer. I bought my late 2013 MacBook Pro right after the switch to Intel Haswell chips and now my Mac will be the oldest to support OS 11.
My late 2013 iMac is Haswell and won't support the new OS, though. So it's a crapshoot sometimes.
 

NortheasternPJ

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I'm going to take a slightly contrarian viewpoint. If you buy immediately after a big change, your setup will likely last a little bit longer. I bought my late 2013 MacBook Pro right after the switch to Intel Haswell chips and now my Mac will be the oldest to support OS 11.
I'm not disagreeing with you if you needed a computer at that time, it was a good fit. If you didn't need one and just bought it because it was the latest generation and you felt it was a good time, then sure it worked out. If you didn't need one then, you would have a better system now if you bought it a couple years later and may get more out of it on the backend.

What I am an advocate for is understanding where Apple is in the release cycle. Buying a machine that's been out for 2 years and due for a refresh is probably not the best idea. Sometimes you get caught like when Apple released the iPad 3 and 4 in like 9 months from each other or they have a surprise release but if you go through appleinsider.com etc. there's usually pretty good ideas on when new stuff is coming out.

Back in the day (90's and early 2000's) it was really hard to figure this stuff out, but Apple is so big now there's leaks all over the place.
 

IpswichSox

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Update: I was able to win over my daughter on the 2020 Air versus the Pro. Configured it with the quad core and 16 GB of RAM, so she should be good through college.

There has been some good-natured, no-Touch Bar shaming among her friends with Pros, but I've pointed out that my daughter's laptop is actually better, faster, lighter and with more battery life than those mean girls with Pros. I only wish my daughter had gone with dark gray instead of the so-common silver, but I was fine conceding that point in order to be able to equip it properly.

I've only ever had PCs, so I appreciated being able to come here and pressure-test my online research. Thanks again for everyone's advice.
 

NJ_Sox_Fan

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I need something to edit photos on. Photography is my main hobby, and I have not really had a good machine for editing since the hobby became far more serious. Right now I will literally edit my photos using Lightroom on my phone, or ipad, neither of which are ideal. My videos (drone mostly, or gopro) I basically never do anything with because it is just a pain on my phone. I would like to either grab a macbook, macbook pro, or ipad pro - though I am not sure for what I am looking to do, how much power I truly need. Other than photos (and lots of them) and videos, it would just be used for general web browsing, watching movies, or work related functions - outlook, excel, word, ppt, etc.

I was looking at the new 16" Macbook Pro, which looks great, but is pricey. Thoughts?
 

luckiestman

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Jul 15, 2005
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I need something to edit photos on. Photography is my main hobby, and I have not really had a good machine for editing since the hobby became far more serious. Right now I will literally edit my photos using Lightroom on my phone, or ipad, neither of which are ideal. My videos (drone mostly, or gopro) I basically never do anything with because it is just a pain on my phone. I would like to either grab a macbook, macbook pro, or ipad pro - though I am not sure for what I am looking to do, how much power I truly need. Other than photos (and lots of them) and videos, it would just be used for general web browsing, watching movies, or work related functions - outlook, excel, word, ppt, etc.

I was looking at the new 16" Macbook Pro, which looks great, but is pricey. Thoughts?
Someone will be able to answer better than I will but what about a used Mac?

I have a 2015( or something like that) that I have to turn into my IT office. They shipped me a new one I didn’t open yet. The 2015 is still pretty much perfect and I have photoshop on it (don’t use it much but I have most of the Adobe suite).

I don’t know the market for used Macs but it might work.
 

NJ_Sox_Fan

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Someone will be able to answer better than I will but what about a used Mac?

I have a 2015( or something like that) that I have to turn into my IT office. They shipped me a new one I didn’t open yet. The 2015 is still pretty much perfect and I have photoshop on it (don’t use it much but I have most of the Adobe suite).

I don’t know the market for used Macs but it might work.
Probably a stupid idiosyncrasy to have, but I cannot stand buying something used
 

NJ_Sox_Fan

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Also, anyone know that since it is 99% that my daughter will be at home come school in the fall, if that qualifies as an education store purchase?
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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Is she in college? If she is, she’s eligible, you just need to get verified at the Unidays website. If she’s high school or below, no. I think it used to be as simple as having an .edu email address but they beefed it up, you need a transcript or some other proof from her college/university. Right now they’re throwing in a free pair of AirPods and AppleCare, on top of the discount.
 

HriniakPosterChild

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Probably a stupid idiosyncrasy to have, but I cannot stand buying something used
Buy the refurb from Apple. They have a great source for aluminum cases, so if a unit needs a new case, it’ll get one. It will have the same warranty as a new Mac, and it will be eligible for AppleCare if you choose to purchase it. You’ll have the same amount of time to return it for any reason as if it were new.

My current MBP and Mrs. HPC’s MBP are both refurbs.

https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished/mac
 

NJ_Sox_Fan

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Buy the refurb from Apple. They have a great source for aluminum cases, so if a unit needs a new case, it’ll get one. It will have the same warranty as a new Mac, and it will be eligible for AppleCare if you choose to purchase it. You’ll have the same amount of time to return it for any reason as if it were new.

My current MBP and Mrs. HPC’s MBP are both refurbs.

https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished/mac
I would be limited to the ones with the bad keyboard then, no? Unless I got a desktop?
 

NJ_Sox_Fan

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Ok, after looking I see that they do in fact have the newer models on refurb somehow.

This one looks interesting - MacBook Pro 16" - I would think it would be plenty for what I want to do?

Are the refurbished models noticeably worn/used?
 

MuzzyField

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Ok, after looking I see that they do in fact have the newer models on refurb somehow.

This one looks interesting - MacBook Pro 16" - I would think it would be plenty for what I want to do?

Are the refurbished models noticeably worn/used?
Every refurbished item I've purchased from Apple over many years (laptops, a mini, a few ATV's...) looks like new.

I've never had even a blemish.

Other than the packaging there's been no difference for me.
 

NJ_Sox_Fan

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Every refurbished item I've purchased from Apple over many years (laptops, a mini, a few ATV's...) looks like new.

I've never had even a blemish.

Other than the packaging there's been no difference for me.
Thats good to know. Any thoughts on the model I linked above? I've never had a MacBook, so I am a bit lost.

The other one I was looking at was this one MacBook Pro 16" just for the extra 16GB of memory (32GB total)
 
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nighthob

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Either of those will meet your needs for photo/light video editing. The 32gb memory model might be safer if you’re using Adobe for those purposes given their history of bloatware (and I say that as a photoshop guru whose history extends all the way back to Photoshop 2 30 years ago).
 

MuzzyField

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Both of my current MB Pro's are 2015's. The lack of ports, card reader, and dropping MagSafe power outweighed the keyboard (it did suck) for me.

I have a 2018 Mac mini that I've added a hub to that preps me for a new MBP down the road for backwards compatibility, but my next upgrade will probably be an eGPU for the mini.

The MBP-16 is a solid choice, I'd recommend AppleCare and add Thunderbolt/USB3 hub for your peripherals. I have a CaliDigit I picked-up from B&H.
 

NJ_Sox_Fan

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Either of those will meet your needs for photo/light video editing. The 32gb memory model might be safer if you’re using Adobe for those purposes given their history of bloatware (and I say that as a photoshop guru whose history extends all the way back to Photoshop 2 30 years ago).
Worth the extra ~ $400 price difference to bump from 16gb to 32gb?
 

nighthob

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It depends on how much video editing you’re getting into. If it’s mostly photoshop work the 16gb is fine.
 

MuzzyField

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Worth the extra ~ $400 price difference to bump from 16gb to 32gb?
The problem with MBP's are you can't add RAM later... if you are doing video and effects, as just mentioned, I'd make the investment. You have gone premium on pretty much everything else.

Adobe is a memory hog... among other things.

I upgraded my processor maxed-out (only 512 internal sd) mini from 8 to 32 and saved a bunch. I hope being able to go to 64 in the future gives me a few more years of use down the road.
 

The_Powa_of_Seiji_Ozawa

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I need something to edit photos on. Photography is my main hobby, and I have not really had a good machine for editing since the hobby became far more serious. Right now I will literally edit my photos using Lightroom on my phone, or ipad, neither of which are ideal. My videos (drone mostly, or gopro) I basically never do anything with because it is just a pain on my phone. I would like to either grab a macbook, macbook pro, or ipad pro - though I am not sure for what I am looking to do, how much power I truly need. Other than photos (and lots of them) and videos, it would just be used for general web browsing, watching movies, or work related functions - outlook, excel, word, ppt, etc.

I was looking at the new 16" Macbook Pro, which looks great, but is pricey. Thoughts?
If you can hold out a little longer, the new non-Intel ARM "Apple Silicon" Macbooks will be released later this year. Their graphics performance and battery life are likely to be significantly better than what is in the current models.

Otherwise, if you need to get something now, (1) if you're willing to go used/refurb and can find it at a good price, I'd go for the mid 2015 15" Macbook Pro Retina, which is the last model that has all the ports most regular folks (and especially photo people) are likely to use, along with Magsafe and of course the good regular keyboard. I think it is also the last model whose hard drive can still be upgraded. It's still a really popular model with people. I have one as my primary daily machine, and it is no slower than any of the other newer models I use on the side; (2) if you absolutely need something new or Apple-refurb like-new, go for the 16" model you described, and bite the bullet for 32gb. The OS and software are getting so bloated that soon 16gb will yield to strain. I've also said this before elsewhere, and I know some folks disagree, but I recommend getting as much drive space as you can afford (maybe even a little more than you can afford), especially if you're doing photos. I wouldn't want to be dependent on the cloud and its bottlenecks. Otherwise, if space becomes an issue down the road, you're left to either get a new machine or rely on clumsy expansion solutions like USB drives.
 
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NJ_Sox_Fan

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Thanks. I am trying to stay under say, $3500 delivered. When you say later this year, when approximately would that be for the ARM models? And, what is the likelihood that I can get anywhere near the same machine I could get now for that same $3500?

Edit - Also still torn on refurb vs new - same laptop is $2799 refurb, and $3299 new, so $500 savings
 
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MuzzyField

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I wouldn't wait on Apple Silicon (ARM) processors for a couple of reasons. Why spend thousands of dollars to be in on version 1 of a new platform? I'm sure it'll be great... but probably not Apple great on day 1. Also, Apple is likely to start the transition in the air/MacBook/mini level hardware before going "pro" and you might be waiting a year.

I have both a 15 and 13 2015 MBP and love them for all of the reasons stated... but it's 2020. The video card, RAM and processors from 2015 aren't worth the tradeoff for ports and plug IMO.
 

NJ_Sox_Fan

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I wouldn't wait on Apple Silicon (ARM) processors for a couple of reasons. Why spend thousands of dollars to be in on version 1 of a new platform? I'm sure it'll be great... but probably not Apple great on day 1. Also, Apple is likely to start the transition in the air/MacBook/mini level hardware before going "pro" and you might be waiting a year.

I have both a 15 and 13 2015 MBP and love them for all of the reasons stated... but it's 2020. The video card, RAM and processors from 2015 aren't worth the tradeoff for ports and plug IMO.
Thanks, and I am correct in assuming I would be better off in the MacBook Pro 16" with the 32GB DDR4/8GB GDDR6/1TB SSD than I would be with say a MacBook Air, with a larger drive and what not - or the 13" MacBook Pro?
 
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HriniakPosterChild

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The problem with MBP's are you can't add RAM later... if you are doing video and effects, as just mentioned, I'd make the investment. You have gone premium on pretty much everything else.
The problem with Macs is you can’t add much of anything later. It’s 1984 all over again with 128kb of RAM and the floppy being all you’ll ever need.

This is why it’s so important to buy from a company with a generous return policy, like Apple or (I thin) Costco. If it’s not enough computer for you, take it back and start over.

If you can hold out a little longer, the new non-Intel ARM "Apple Silicon" Macbooks will be released later this year. Their graphics performance and battery life are likely to be significantly better than what is in the current models.
I agree with MuzzyField below, FTR.
I wouldn't wait on Apple Silicon (ARM) processors
Edit - Also still torn on refurb vs new - same laptop is $2799 refurb, and $3299 new, so $500 savings
The one thing I’ll caution you on is that there’s no factory cranking out refurbs. Mrs. HPC saw one she liked and didn’t jump on it because she “wanted to talk to me about it one more time.” (WTF?) She never got a second chance on that particular model. Pull the damned trigger when you have the target in your sights.
 

MuzzyField

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Agree with HPC on the refurb availability factor.

In 2015, I was considering a 2012 mini (it had a quad-core and was ram/hd upgradable) to replace my 2009 mini because the 2014 version wasn't an upgrade in performance and you'd hear the 2012 was available in refurb and it was always gone by the time I'd get to the site, there were always plenty of 2014's were available. It probably for the best... the MBP was a much better solution.
 

NJ_Sox_Fan

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Can someone explain the difference here? Other than price and color? Is it just a very slightly faster processor??

$2,969.00 - MacBook Pro 2.4GHz 8-core Intel Core i9 with Retina display- Silver
Processor
2.4GHz 8‑core Intel Core i9, Turbo Boost up to 5.0GHz, with 16MB shared L3 cache
Memory
32GB of 2666MHz DDR4 onboard memory
Display
16‑inch (diagonal) LED‑backlit display with IPS technology
3072‑by‑1920 native resolution at 226 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
Storage
1TB SSD1
Graphics
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 8GB of GDDR6 memory and automatic graphics switching
Intel UHD Graphics 630


$2,799.00 MacBook Pro 2.3GHz 8-core Intel Core i9 with Retina display- Space Gray
Processor

2.3GHz 8‑core Intel Core i9, Turbo Boost up to 4.8GHz, with 16MB shared L3 cache
Memory
32GB of 2666MHz DDR4 onboard memory
Display
16‑inch (diagonal) LED‑backlit display with IPS technology
3072‑by‑1920 native resolution at 226 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
Storage
1TB SSD1
Graphics
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 8GB of GDDR6 memory and automatic graphics switching
Intel UHD Graphics 630
 

MuzzyField

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Looks like the top one has a bit more processor. I'm not sure you'd notice the difference in real world usage.

Also, B&H and other online retailers (some don't charge you sales tax and ship for free) have sales and you can add AppleCare through many retailers at the time of purchase or through Apple after the fact.
 

The_Powa_of_Seiji_Ozawa

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Can I buy AppleCare for one of those?

The fact that Macs are hermetically sealed makes AppleCare more than “nice to have,” in my thinking.
Yes, as long as it is an Apple certified refurb you can buy AppleCare. I bought my 2015 Macbook Pro 15" as an Apple Refurb at the Cambridge MicroCenter store (seemingly the last available one in the country) and bought Applecare on it, no problem at all. Incidentally, about 5 years ago time ago I bought one of the last available units of the 17" Macbook Pros as an Apple Refurb at MicroCenter, same deal.
 

nighthob

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Can someone explain the difference here? Other than price and color? Is it just a very slightly faster processor??

$2,969.00 - MacBook Pro 2.4GHz 8-core Intel Core i9 with Retina display- Silver
Processor
2.4GHz 8‑core Intel Core i9, Turbo Boost up to 5.0GHz, with 16MB shared L3 cache
Memory
32GB of 2666MHz DDR4 onboard memory
Display
16‑inch (diagonal) LED‑backlit display with IPS technology
3072‑by‑1920 native resolution at 226 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
Storage
1TB SSD1
Graphics
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 8GB of GDDR6 memory and automatic graphics switching
Intel UHD Graphics 630


$2,799.00 MacBook Pro 2.3GHz 8-core Intel Core i9 with Retina display- Space Gray
Processor

2.3GHz 8‑core Intel Core i9, Turbo Boost up to 4.8GHz, with 16MB shared L3 cache
Memory
32GB of 2666MHz DDR4 onboard memory
Display
16‑inch (diagonal) LED‑backlit display with IPS technology
3072‑by‑1920 native resolution at 226 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
Storage
1TB SSD1
Graphics
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 8GB of GDDR6 memory and automatic graphics switching
Intel UHD Graphics 630
The ≈3K laptop has the highest rated i9 available in a MacBook Pro. But unless you’re a professional video editor you’re not going to notice a difference aside from your bank account.
 

NJ_Sox_Fan

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The ≈3K laptop has the highest rated i9 available in a MacBook Pro. But unless you’re a professional video editor you’re not going to notice a difference aside from your bank account.
Thanks. Might as well save myself the ~$200 then? Think ill try the refurb, and if it comes all dinged or scratched I've got 14 days to send back and just buy a brand new one (for $500 more)
 

nighthob

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Apple refurbs are good. My current one is a 2015 model I bought refurbed. I brought it in for servicing before AppleCare ran out (a slight video card issue) and got a new machine (more or less, they replaced the battery, screen, memory, and hard drive along with the video card).
 

NJ_Sox_Fan

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Apple refurbs are good. My current one is a 2015 model I bought refurbed. I brought it in for servicing before AppleCare ran out (a slight video card issue) and got a new machine (more or less, they replaced the battery, screen, memory, and hard drive along with the video card).
I ended up grabbing this one. Fingers crossed it looks good.

$2,799.00 MacBook Pro 2.3GHz 8-core Intel Core i9 with Retina display- Silver
Processor

2.3GHz 8‑core Intel Core i9, Turbo Boost up to 4.8GHz, with 16MB shared L3 cache
Memory
32GB of 2666MHz DDR4 onboard memory
Display
16‑inch (diagonal) LED‑backlit display with IPS technology
3072‑by‑1920 native resolution at 226 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
Storage
1TB SSD1
Graphics
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 8GB of GDDR6 memory and automatic graphics switching
Intel UHD Graphics 630
 

The_Powa_of_Seiji_Ozawa

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I ended up grabbing this one. Fingers crossed it looks good.

$2,799.00 MacBook Pro 2.3GHz 8-core Intel Core i9 with Retina display- Silver
Processor

2.3GHz 8‑core Intel Core i9, Turbo Boost up to 4.8GHz, with 16MB shared L3 cache
Memory
32GB of 2666MHz DDR4 onboard memory
Display
16‑inch (diagonal) LED‑backlit display with IPS technology
3072‑by‑1920 native resolution at 226 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
Storage
1TB SSD1
Graphics
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 8GB of GDDR6 memory and automatic graphics switching
Intel UHD Graphics 630
Well done, this looks like an exceptional machine that you will be very happy with. I can almost guarantee that out of the box you will not be able to distinguish this refurb from a brand new machine.
 

Euclis20

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Well done, this looks like an exceptional machine that you will be very happy with. I can almost guarantee that out of the box you will not be able to distinguish this refurb from a brand new machine.
Yup, I got a 2014 refurbished MBP in 2015 and 5 years later (other than the battery which needed replacing) it was working fine.
 

NJ_Sox_Fan

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Well done, this looks like an exceptional machine that you will be very happy with. I can almost guarantee that out of the box you will not be able to distinguish this refurb from a brand new machine.
Received this today, and gotta say - it is flawless looking. I am in the process now of uploading thousands of photos into LR/PS
 

canderson

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Received this today, and gotta say - it is flawless looking. I am in the process now of uploading thousands of photos into LR/PS
Awesome. But yeah, Time Machine will be your favorite invention ever. Grab a MyPassport 1TB hard drive and set it up as the TM destination. Easy peasy, small, incredibly portable, and cost-efficient.

Edit: If you want just to hook it up and back up/import. @HriniakPosterChild offers a NAS solution which I would like to get into (to backup over wifi) but I have no idea how they work or how easy they are to set up simply.
 
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NJ_Sox_Fan

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Awesome. But yeah, Time Machine will be your favorite invention ever. Grab a MyPassport 1TB hard drive and set it up as the TM destination. Easy peasy, small, incredibly portable, and cost-efficient.

Edit: If you want just to hook it up and back up/import. @HriniakPosterChild offers a NAS solution which I would like to get into (to backup over wifi) but I have no idea how they work or how easy they are to set up simply.
I will probably just grab a 2 or 3TB version of this - if the NAS has to be hard connected to an ethernet connection, I would have to put it in my garage or run another cable, so this seems easier ... Do I need an adapter to connect to the thunderbolt ports on the MacBook Pro?

EDIT - Also, any recommendations on a case for the laptop?
 
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canderson

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I will probably just grab a 2 or 3TB version of this - if the NAS has to be hard connected to an ethernet connection, I would have to put it in my garage or run another cable, so this seems easier ... Do I need an adapter to connect to the thunderbolt ports on the MacBook Pro?

EDIT - Also, any recommendations on a case for the laptop?
The MyPassports now come with a USB C adapter iirc port/cable (Thunderbolt V3 uses a USB C connecter, fwiw, which your MacBook has).

Some might prefer other external drives but I’ve never had a problem wit these and have used them for years.
 
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HriniakPosterChild

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The advantage of the NAS is that your Mac is making hourly backups without your having to do anything. It’s hard to overstate how nice it is to be able to completely toast, say, a random Excel file and then just roll back to the version from an hour ago before I screwed it up.

In addition to the automatic backup, I keep a Time Machine backup on a USB drive in a drawer that I plug into my Mac once a week. I do this because I once crashed a spinning hard drive by dropping my Windows laptop almost 10 years ago, and I paid more than the laptop cost me to have DriveSavers pull the bits off the dead drive. So now I really err on the side of caution.
 

canderson

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The advantage of the NAS is that your Mac is making hourly backups without your having to do anything. It’s hard to overstate how nice it is to be able to completely toast, say, a random Excel file and then just roll back to the version from an hour ago before I screwed it up.

In addition to the automatic backup, I keep a Time Machine backup on a USB drive in a drawer that I plug into my Mac once a week. I do this because I once crashed a spinning hard drive by dropping my Windows laptop almost 10 years ago, and I paid more than the laptop cost me to have DriveSavers pull the bits off the dead drive. So now I really err on the side of caution.
I rotate 2 MyPassports weekly - one kept offsite. They are always connected and do hourly TM backups. Is there any easy solution for this wirelessly?
 

HriniakPosterChild

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My Mac is doing it by WiFi. The AirPort Time Capsule is the WiFi hotspot/router.

I haven’t looked too closely at the NAS options, but I would expect that a NAS would want a wide network connection. As long as the Mac and the NAS are on the same network (NAS connected to your router, perhaps by way of a switch), I think it should be pretty easy after you get the NAS installed, but I don’t have firsthand experience.
 

phrenile

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There has been some good-natured, no-Touch Bar shaming among her friends with Pros, but I've pointed out that my daughter's laptop is actually better, faster, lighter and with more battery life than those mean girls with Pros.
I'm guessing her fingers are smaller than mine, but the touchbar exists solely to accidentally dim the screen or change the volume while touchtyping anything in the number row (and that's after deleting nearly everything off it). It's far too easy to brush when tapping the adjacent keys.