We are continuing our series on how to choose and buy computer hardware for photography needs and today we will be providing suggestions on what Apple laptops are worth looking into. First, we will do a quick overview of the Apple line of MacBooks, then we will provide our top recommendations for doing post-processing work. This article has been written in collaboration with our team members who use Apple’s MacBook products exclusively and extensively for their photography work.
Apple makes a total of three different lines of laptops. First, there is a regular 12″ MacBook, then there is a lightweight 13″ MacBook Air line and finally, there is a MacBook Pro line, which comes in two sizes: 13″ and 15″. For someone who is shopping for a solid Apple laptop for photography needs, all these choices might be overwhelming and confusing, so if you are wondering about which one to pick, below you will find a summary of each product line.
1) MacBook
One of the most basic Apple laptops is the 12″ MacBook. Although it comes with a pretty attractive price, a nice Retina display and can host up to 512 GB of fast flash storage, this is the model you want to avoid for post-processing work. Why? Because its dual-core processor is pretty under-powered for demanding post-processing tasks in applications such as Photoshop and Lightroom and it comes with a pretty basic integrated Intel GPU.
The best CPU you can choose on a 12″ Macbook is the 1.4 Ghz dual-core Intel Core i7, which is good enough for basic needs such as browsing, office applications and perhaps light post-processing, but will surely be challenged when doing more serious work in Photoshop and Lightroom. For these reasons, we recommend that you skip the 12″ MacBook. However, if you have already made up your mind to buy a MacBook, make sure to get the faster i7 CPU and 16 GB of RAM. To be honest though, with the price premium you will be paying to get those upgrades, you might as well get a lower-end MacBook Pro.
2) MacBook Air
Next, we have the MacBook Air line of laptops. Apple used to make 11″ and 13″ versions of the MacBook Air, but it looks like the 11″ line didn’t sell well, so the company discontinued it and it is now focusing only on the 13″ version. MacBook Air is an extremely lightweight machine and it also might look attractive at first. However, when something is this lightweight, there will always be compromises somewhere and that’s the problem with the MacBook Air line – they are pretty underpowered machines overall. While the CPU is limited to a dual-core Intel i5 or i7, the maximum amount of RAM on all MacBook Air models is limited to 8 GB, which is unfortunate. Both Photoshop and Lightroom will function, but you will need to arm yourself with some patience, especially when working with large, high-resolution RAW images and opening multiple applications at once. I personally consider 16 GB of RAM to be a bare minimum today for day-to-day post-processing needs.
If lighter weight is more important for you than performance, I would suggest investing in the 2.2 Ghz Intel i7 CPU and 8 GB of RAM, which is the top-end configuration for the MacBook Air. Anything less won’t cut it for post-processing software. I would also get the 512 GB flash model, although you will have to shell out another $200 for that…
3) MacBook Pro 13-Inch
The MacBook Pro is a whole different beast. The Pro line is what everyone wants, since these machines are much more powerful for heavier post-processing workloads. The MacBook Pro 13″ (technically 13.3″) is a nice and compact machine – it can host fairly good CPUs up to 3.5 Ghz dual-core Intel Core i7, up to 16 GB of RAM and up to 1 TB of PCIe-based SSD flash storage. Both Photoshop and Lightroom will run just fine on these specs.
However, the 13″ has one limitation – it does not have a dedicated GPU and cannot host one. With a lot of applications moving towards GPU acceleration for better speed and now both Photoshop and Lightroom being able to take advantage of it, if you are planning to make the MacBook Pro your primary machine, I would suggest considering the larger 15″ model.
But if you are after small size and lighter weight, here are the three configurations we would recommend:
- Apple 13.3″ MacBook Pro, 2.5 Ghz Intel Core i7, 16 GM of RAM and 512 GB SSD Storage – $2,179
- Apple 13.3″ MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, 3.5 Ghz Intel Core i7, 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB SSD Storage – $2,479
- Apple 13.3″ MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, 3.5 Ghz Intel Core i7, 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB SSD Storage – $2,879
4) MacBook Pro 15-Inch
Now let’s talk about the Mercedes-Benz of Apple laptops, the MacBook Pro 15″. I had a chance to work with these machines a few times in the past and they are truly superb (see my Surface Book 2 vs MacBook Pro comparison). The 15″ (15.4″ to be exact) Retina screen is great for photography work and you don’t have to strain your eyes, because the screen is nice and big. You can beef up the MacBook Pro 15″ with a very powerful 3.1 Ghz quad-core Intel Core i7, 16 GB of RAM and up to 2 TB of fast PCIe flash storage.
In addition to the built-in Intel HD Graphics GPU, the higher-end MacBook Pro 15″ models come with a dedicated AMD Radeon Pro 560 video card, which is powerful enough to not only run post-processing software, but also render 4K videos in Premiere Pro, or even play graphics-intensive games. In short, this thing is a powerhouse!
Here are the configurations we recommend for photography needs (2017 Kaby Lake Models):
- Apple 15.4″ MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, 2.8 Ghz Intel Core i7, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB SSD and AMD Radeon Pro 560 GPU – $2,699
- Apple 15.4″ MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, 2.9 Ghz Intel Core i7, 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB SSD and AMD Radeon Pro 560 GPU – $2,999
- Apple 15.4″ MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, 3.1 Ghz Intel Core i7, 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB SSD and AMD Radeon Pro 560 GPU – $3,349
And if you don’t mind a slightly older 2016 model, I would recommend those instead of the 2017, because they are currently on killer rebates:
- Apple 15.4″ MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, 2.7 Ghz Intel Core i7, 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB SSD and AMD Radeon Pro 455 GPU – $2,299 ($900 off)
- Apple 15.4″ MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, 2.9 Ghz Intel Core i7, 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB SSD and AMD Radeon Pro 460 GPU – $2,499 ($1,000 off)
- Apple 15.4″ MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, 2.9 Ghz Intel Core i7, 16 GB of RAM, 2 TB SSD and AMD Radeon Pro 460 GPU – $3,299 ($1,000 off)
I will be honest with you, if I were buying a MacBook Pro for myself today, it would be the second choice of the 2016 model that is $1,000 off at the moment, or the third choice that has 2 TB of PCIe SSD storage. The new Kaby Lake CPUs on the 2017 models are not a lot faster compared to the 2016 Skylake CPUs and the AMD Radeon Pro 460 is practically no different than its newer AMD Radeon Pro 560 counterpart. That’s a lot of money you are saving by going with an older model, especially with the high-end 2 TB model (the 2017 model is a whopping $4,179!).
By the way, don’t forget to grab this Samsung T5 1 TB SSD puppy. Trust me, you will need it to expand your MacBook storage when it fills up, especially if you decide to go for anything lower than 2 TB.
5) Is Coffee Lake or Cannon Lake Worth the Wait?
With Intel Coffee Lake microarchitecture out since October of 2017, Apple has not yet refreshed its laptop lines, so you might be wondering if new Coffee Lake laptops from Apple are worth the wait. Considering that it is already 2018 and Intel is planning to release Cannon Lake chips in late 2018, some might even speculate that Apple might skip Coffee Lake altogether and just launch the new MacBook laptops with Cannon Lake instead. So far, considering that the new Cannon Lake CPUs have been delayed due to difficulties in manufacturing processes (10nm chips are difficult to make), I seriously doubt that we will see a Cannon Lake MacBook Pro with 64 GB of RAM in 2018. Most likely, it will happen sometime in 2019.
While both Coffee Lake and Cannon Lake CPUs offer significant improvements in overall performance and battery life, don’t forget that you can never keep up with technology. There will always be something faster and better, that’s just the way it is – just like with cameras. If you have an immediate need for a solid laptop, I would recommend to go with the 2016 model of MacBook Pro. If you already have a machine that is good enough for your needs today, but you have a plan to replace it in the next 12 months, then it might be worth waiting for the next generation MacBook Pro machines. Also, keep in mind that when new products are announced, their prices are going to be high and most likely stay high for a while when compared to the older generation offerings. So if you want the latest and greatest, you will have to pay the price premium.
Hope this helps – please let me know if you have any questions!
P.S. B&H is currently offering free next day shipping for many products, including the above-mentioned Apple MacBooks!
One of the concerns with previous versions of MBP having dedicated GPU is the higher occurrences of failure which is usually (and not 100% solved) replaced by an entirely new logic board. So AppleCare is strongly recommended for this purpose as logic board replacements are very expensive.
But I foresee if the MBP is purely used for PS & LR, Adobe doesn’t really make use of the GPU at all (I stand corrected), so one can choose the model without dedicated GPU which is cheaper.
Lee, thank you for your feedback!
From what I remember, the NVIDIA card failures were on models sold from 2011 and 2013. The one I have linked in the article should be free of such issues – please correct me if I am wrong.
As for the GPU vs non-GPU models, I personally would not get a larger machine like the MacBook Pro without a dedicated GPU. While Adobe is providing limited GPU support for its software at the moment, a lot of other software out there can take advantage of a GPU and make things much faster. Once Adobe catches up, things will hopefully get even better.
Personally, I think the older MacBook Pro model with the NVIDIA GPU is a screaming deal!
Nasim,Ihave the 2010 mid version…..crash specialist since investing in adobe .
Apple has made comments intended to assure photographers that Apple is totally committed to designing and building hardware to serve their needs. Which photographers? Hobby or professional? Not one of the professionals I know can stand those glossy screens that show reflections and inhibit clear views of the file content at hand. The only thing I can buy is the Mac Pro so I can hook it up to a non Apple display with a matte surface. If Apple was interested in serving professionals it would provide the option on its products to order them with a matte screen. But they are not about to do that, so all of their huffing and puffing about how they care about pros is just BS.
?
I currently own the 2016 15” MacBook Pro with the 2nd configuration in the list (16GB memory and 1TB SSD). I’m getting Memory Pressure warnings when I have LR and PS and a few other apps running at the same time. Some operations are sluggish, especially brushwork and sharpening in LR. I’m experimenting with lowering the Camera Raw Cache setting down to 16GB to see if that will help.
I’m also considering upgrading to a high end 27” iMac (not Pro) configured with 32 GB of memory – identical to the recommended setting in this site’s article.
I’m wondering how much better the iMac would be that my current MacBook Pro. …
Hi Nasim
Thank you – I was just about to buy a MacBook Pro and found this article very helpful. As usual no time is the right time to by a computer; I cannot wait for the Skylake processor to become available, but will ask Apple when we will see them in the UK??
As usual what costs $2900 in the US, is 1.5 times that in the UK -£2900
I do not think that I will buy one in the US, having just purchased a ceramic fan heater from the States, plugged it in to our 220v supply and it melted!! Alas I didn’t realise that most domestic products run at 110-120 v in the USA.
Kind regards
Martin
Not to worry about voltage incompatibility, all Apple power bricks are worldwide autovolt , its only the AC pins that you need to be worried about.
Lee was first :)
Martin, I expect Apple to update its MacBook line in Q1 of 2016. Anything later will be too late and Apple won’t wait that long. Hoping for a Mac Pro refresh in 2016 as well, as it is about time. Early in 2016, we should see some new Xeon CPUs for the Mac Pro…
As for buying from US, I guess you should have read the voltage specifications before plugging it in :) I’ve done it once back in 2000 when I brought a brand new Pioneer DVD player to Uzbekistan. Thought it would do both 110v and 220v and I was wrong…
Don’t be concerned about buying these laptops from US. Their adapters are designed to work in both 110v and 220v without issues!
Martin… don’t forget that when importing something like a MacBook Pro from USA to U.K. you are still liable for U.K. VAT. You may be “lucky” and not be challenged by customs at the airport or it slips through customs unchecked, but that would legally be considered evasion and you could be liable for fines and even in the extreme prosecution.
Your money … your choice.
Your “How to buy…” articles are interesting and appreciated. The PC article was “How to BUILD” which I suspect most of your readers, myself included, cannot do.
How about an article on How To Order a PC? Or should I be finding a local (or far away?) custom computer builder?
You can try other online diy pc websites that will be better, or search for Linus techtips in YouTube.
Anthony,
I had a PC built for me using most of the items in the PC article. I used a less powerful chip and used the old video card, and drives. Cost built was $1,400. Solved many of my issues. A good test is running the Dxo Optics 10 prime function on a 36MB raw file. Very fast. My problems with the new On1 photo 10 also solved. I thought about a MAC, but the cost was too high. Also, I can upgrade the memory, chip etc. I truly thank Nasim for the article on the PC build. I believe his information and thought process was right. I also appreciate that alternative approaches (small build, MAC) were discussed. By the way, I went to a local store – Microcenter – which I have used for years. They have pre-built PCS, but I went in and said, “I want this board…, etc.”, and they put it all together.
I have bought refurbished from Apple on line twice, with Apple care, and so far, luckily, have not needed it. Every laptop being sold this way is carefully inspected, and if you can manage with last year’s model it’s an excellent choice, with good discounts. The available models change as they become available, and they are listed on their website.
Naxim, thanks for the timely article. I am strongly considering the purchase of a new MacBook Pro 15″ before the end of the year and will take your advice from the article about best options. Since my current MacBook Pro 15″ is almost 10 years old I will likely go with the high end model you recommend as I don’t purchase computers very often. Your articles are always very informative and helpful.
new skylake macbooks will cost almost same as current flagship hashwell
but once they will come out current hashwell prices will drop :)
so anyone who cant wait, no matter what price n power argument we have, he will buy
but those who can wait whether they have money for new stuff or tight on budget both will get good value for their money
i think instead of buying current gen Hashwell Macbook pro it is better to get late 2013 macbook pro
im sure people in states will get an excellent deal on this model
here is a comparison of both macbooks and u will notice one thing, apple has just upgraded touchpad, hard drive and put an amd gpu (R9 370x) which is honestly not even an upgrade :(
www.youtube.com/watch…e=youtu.be
Hi Nasim, excellent article about Apple laptops!! Thank you for the superb stuff you guys put out frequently!! We all know that Apple products carry a fat premium and some would even argue that the premium is justified for the quality experience it buys you. Would it be possible to do an absolute like for like comparison of current Windows machines against equivalent Apple machines and seen which is cheaper? Do you have this information on PL somewhere? Are Windows machines radically cheaper than Macs/iMacs? Thanks again and cheers.
u can check specs and build quality and reviews of Asus UX501
it has essentially everything that macbook pro 2015 has n even improves upon it with better gpu and and 4k resolution touch screen also
here is a link of a very gud review by Dave2D on youtube
at 1500-1600$ it gives a gud alternative
2nd option is a bit expensive Dell XPS 15 inifinity
u can do youtube search for its comparison also but ill post a video review link by same guy
Asus UX 501 review can check review of G501 similar spec machine with different color scheme
www.youtube.com/watch…2vlynTXjqA
Dell XPS 15 Inifinity review
www.youtube.com/watch…A-8_OpUdEM
As an unbiased user, who sells and maintains Windows PCs, I want to make the point that as long as you are within Apple warranty(!), their service is 2nd to none. Tell me what other brand could I buy any product in the range, and use it (e.g. to test or to demo) and then return it within 14 days for a 100% refund with no questions asked and no need for justifying the return?
I have used this many times, e.g. if a new customer is trying to decide between 11″ or 13″ Macbook Air – I just buy both for him and then return one after 10 days of on site evaluation. Can’t do that with a hackintosh. Some of us are also unwilling to break the law and steal OS X and use it on an illegal hardware, even if it is possible. (I tried this myself to evaluate OS X and then when I liked it, I bought my Mac and dropped the hackintosh. I don’t mean to preach, you need to make up your own mind based on your code of ethics).
The price difference between top Windows equivalent h/w is narrowing too. Consider the Dell XPS pricing. (may be slightly cheaper, but not by a huge amount).
…….. But the killer is, it doesn’t have OSX.
ever heard of hackintosh? :)
im running Mac OS X El Capitan on my windows desktop
can easily do same thing on any windows laptop :D
www.youtube.com/watch…xSkQLHcjcE
;)
Really, one of the best photography blogs on the web Nasim. Also noteworthy is Ming Thein and F Stoppers.
Great blog, simple layout and tons of useful information.
My special interest is stage photography
For stage photography I recommend one of the mirrorless cameras that have electronic shutter option and fast lenses. My personal choice is the Fuji X-T1 and any/all of the 56mm f1.2, 90mm f2 and the 50-140mm f2.8 lenses. The electronic shutter is completely silent!
by the way guys have a look at this list and also see which laptops are better than macbook pro retina for photoediting for better color accuracy and color gamut
i was under the impression that MBP had best screens as most professionals use it but its not that good :(
must see where Asus G501 comes in this comparison, much better color gamut i think than MBP 15
www.notebookcheck.net/The-B…541.0.html
I currently own the 2016 15” MacBook Pro with the 2nd configuration in the list (16GB memory and 1TB SSD). I’m getting Memory Pressure warnings when I have LR and PS and a few other apps running at the same time. Some operations are sluggish, especially brushwork and sharpening in LR. I’m experimenting with lowering the Camera Raw Cache setting down to 16GB to see if that will help.
I’m also considering upgrading to a high end 27” iMac (not Pro) configured with 32 GB of memory – identical to the recommended setting in this site’s article.
I’m wondering how much better the iMac would be that my current MacBook Pro. …
Hi Nasim. I’m a Mac guy all the way. My main workstation is a maxed out 27 inch iMac with Retina 5k display – it rocks.
I recently retired my Mac Book Pro for the new Mac Book with the 2.2 Ghz Dual-Core Intel processor. I use Lightroom and Photoshop along with several plug-ins/external editors and I am pleasantly surprised at how well it performs!! While I wouldn’t use it as my primary computer, it is more than up to the task as a travel laptop and for on-location use, including Lightroom Tethering. And it is not much bigger than my iPad.
Bill, I’m glad to hear you like the Mac Book works well for you. To me personally that form factor seems perfect for Lightroom use when travelling. Can you share a little bit more about your experience with it? Like what kind of raw files you process, how many can you touch up and export before and if any thermal throttling occurs? Also, I am still puzzled why Nasim keeps saying that 8GB is not enough for Lightroom, when it’s actually more than sufficient when it’s the only program running. What are your impressions on Lightroom’s memory usage on your MacBook (I assume it’s 8GB)? Ever approached 100% memory usage?
First, a correction. As Tonio observed, the upgraded 12″ Mac Book has a 1.3 Ghz Intel Core M Processor (I said it had a 2.2 Ghz in my earlier post – wishful thinking on my part).
I shoot a Nikon D7100 and capture 24mb RAW files. I touched up and exported 9 raw files and the Lightroom Memory Usage was around 900Mb.
I then imported a 90mb, 9 layer Photoshop file, did some edits in Lightroom, and then did a Photo/Edit In/Photoshop from Lightroom. After it was exported to Photoshop I added a layer, did some edits, and saved it back to Lightroom. Photoshop used about 3G and Lightroom was around 800Mb. The Mac Book was very responsive and handled all of the above very well.
Total Memory used by all Processes was 6.3Gb. I then repeated the above with a second file while keeping the first file open in Photoshop and the memory usage stayed the same.
The small screen did present some challenges while doing this and keeping Activity Monitor visible.
Hope this is of some help.
and not to forget, Macbook has best led display among all apple laptops variants …
www.notebookcheck.net/The-B…541.0.html
Macbook 12
96% sRGB n 60+ AdobeRGB … vs
Macbook pro 15 2015
90% sRGB n 58% AdobeRGB
an ideal companion for tethering with ur camera in field :)
Thank you very much, Bill! That’s what I suspected – that 8GB RAM wouldn’t be a bottleneck on a laptop of this class – I see very well every day that they are not a bottleneck on a desktop machine, where I work with the even bigger raw files from D810.
I think I will pick up a 12” MacBook soon, probably on the next refresh. I hope that with a little more CPU power from Skylake it will become an even more useful ultraportable tool for photography.
As for the iPad Pro as an alternative – I think it’s too soon to expect software support to be on par with a true Intel based machine. Maybe in 3-4 years. Besides, sometimes I feel that a touchscreen is not exactly a desired feature in some software products.
Quick note: the 12″ Macbook comes in a 1.3GHz config (> 1.2GHz). Still nothing to write home about.
If you want an ultraportable Apple device with a ludicrously good screen to work on photographs you might be better off with the iPad Pro (obviously it doesn’t run the desktop version of Photoshop) — it’s even smaller than the Macbook (or Macbook Air) and has a very fast GPU (twice as fast as a typical Windows laptop). Right now the RAW workflow situation is a bit lacking but I’d be shocked if we don’t see a flood of support within the coming months.
As a bonus, the iPad Pro (with pencil) can serve as a display tablet (and it kicks the ass of any Wacom Cintiq or similar; having played with one in an Apple Store I am simply waiting for the pencils to be in stock).
Budget is always a limitation for me. I want a D4s but realize that a D750 does a great job. It’s almost always once you invest in a system of lenses difficult to change. I love the Sigma art twins 35 & 50, although the50 needed +10 calibration. I would like an 810 but my 800e still produces special images with a very 3 dimensional quality. Photography is a very individual and subjective artform. Fortunately we are all different and unique in the way we interpret the world
I don’t know who deleted my comments ! ? :)
I read the post and I decided to buy a WINDOWS PC !
Would a Mac Pro 13.3 with 256 GB of storage and an external hard drive be a workable more economical option?
Nice write-up comparing the models, although I note it was based almost entirely on assessments of the specs rather than real world usage! As commentators have already noted, even the lowly MacBook does wel! With its recent upgrade to an M3, it should do even better, but let’s await real world reports!
There are always trade-offs… Retina display staingate, heavier weight of 15″, keyboard change for MacBook, MBP and MB heat vs. cool MBAs, battery life (much longer on 13″ MBA), etc. Not to mention the HUGE price jump for the pro models, especially the 15″.
For many regular home-family type photographers, especially those who don’t use high end photo editing programs, more built in drive storage could be more important than high end processors and 16gb RAM. And, higher end CPUs generate more heat…and reduce battery life.
If one goes back only a few years, one can find all sorts of articles extolling the virtues of the now supposedly “lowly” and outdated MacBook Airs… Even though there may be better gear out there, we know, just as with cameras, that the oldie but goodies were good for good reasons. Before one gets too caught up in having to having the latest, greatest, fastest, highest resolution computers, keep in mind that your “forefathers” (of just 3-5 years ago) did quite well, with much less!
Oh, one last thought. With updates just around the corner, if one can hold off just a couple of months, we’ll have a much better idea of the value, new features, etc. Plus, previous models go on sale.
Your best place to check all this is with MacRumors Buying Guide. All laptop models, except for the just upgraded MacBook, are shown with a bright red warning– DON’T BUY! (Even the desktops are in the same boat; well, one is a caution.)
Note: Contrary to what was asserted here, Apple typically brings in new models, with upgrades and new features, for the *same* price. So, it’s even more important to wait, if you can!
Hi!
I currently have (had, hard drive has water damage, almost $800. to fix & it would be like new-per Apple Store!)
MacPro.
I’m comparing new MacBook Pro and came upon your article. I main reason I went with Mac years ago is because I LOVE taking & editing photos. (Not at your level)
You suggested this one, & here is the response I received when I went to it:
Here are the two configurations we recommend for photography needs:
Apple 15.4″ MacBook Pro Retina with 2.5 Ghz Intel Core i7, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of PCIe Storage and NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M – $1,799
IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE, really?
Just for the record (APPLE!) I’m SO unhappy that you no longer support iPhoto! The new “photo” app is rediculous!! Hardly any editing features.
Next recommendation?
I’m really getting deep into photography & starting to win some contests. I have been using Adobe products on a PC but a camera club told me I HAD to get a MAC for photography. Your info was very helpful. Thanks
Nasim this is a very good article, I am hardly into editing world till now and looking for a pro kind editing in future. I have 3 questions to ask
can any one suggest me,
1) How important is that to have a 16GB RAM than 8GB RAM?
2) the suffering I need to face with the display size while using Photoshop if I compromise to 13 inch retina than that of a 15 inch retina?
3)Is that so imp to have a GPU along with a 15 inch version?
Though I am thinking after all about my money, I dont want to limit my self with budget if there is really such a need for high configuration of macbook pro.
Let me make an other point not to confuse you but how about considering an 21inch 4k 3.1Ghz version imac (which has only 8gbRAM variant again) on an over all compromise if display size n money stands as a big deal(as Iam not sure of my equipment portability right now)
please get me rid of this confusion and suggest me what exactly is the real world requirement for a pro photographer.
Thank you for your article
Is the 15 inches 2013 late, 2,6 gh 1 terabyte also a good optiom,as in January 2017?
Nadi,
I think a big part of that answer would be related to how much post processing you need and do. I am a full time photographer and was really happy with my late 2012 Macbook. But, I don’t shoot weddings or have to give my client 500 images at a time. I am usually on set and give my client maybe 12 retouched images a day. There are exceptions to the rule, but even with a late 2012 machine, it worked perfectly fine. I never thought it was slow. I did have to run an action in PS, on 400 images, it took 30 minutes, but to do that one at a time would take days.
If you shoot weddings, or need to give your clients hundreds of files at a time a newer machine might be better, but if you are shooting less, I would rather spend the saved money on glass.
Nasim,
I’d love to see an update of this article for the new 2016 touch bar i7 MacBook Pros. I’d especially like your opinion on whether such a machine, with a dock such as the OWC Thunderbolt 3 dock could function as a desktop replacement.
Cheers
Mike, I apologize that it took me so long to update the article, but it has been updated with all the latest info.
I am looking to purchased a refurbished MacBook Pro from Apple and was hoping you could tell if this newer version will work well for me as a photographer? Will it be fast enough and can it handle a heavy load of dieting with LIGHTROOM and PHOTOSHOP/
Processor
2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz, with 8MB shared L3 cache
Memory
16GB of 2133MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory
Storage
512GB PCIe-based onboard SSD1
Graphics
Radeon Pro 455 with 2GB of GDDR5 memory and automatic graphics switching
Intel HD Graphics 530
Charging and Expansion
Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports with support for:
Charging
DisplayPort
Thunderbolt (up to 40 Gbps)
USB 3.1 Gen 2 (up to 10 Gbps)
Video Support
Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display at millions of colors and:
Up to two displays with 5120-by-2880 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors
Up to four displays with 4096-by-2304 resolution at 60Hz at over a billion colors
Thunderbolt 3 digital video output
Native DisplayPort output over USB‑C
VGA, HDMI, and Thunderbolt 2 output supported using adapters (sold separately)
Audio
Stereo speakers with high dynamic range
Three microphones
3.5mm headphone port
Wireless
802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
Bluetooth 4.2 wireless technology
Size and weight
Height: 0.61 inch (1.55 cm)
Width: 13.75 inches (34.93 cm)
Depth: 9.48 inches (24.07 cm)
Weight: 4.02 pounds (1.83 kg)6
Yes, that looks like a solid configuration for post-processing needs.
Yea, that machine would easily do what you need.
Excellent article. Someone must point out that the “Air” lacks a retina screen. Not only is retina much better for editing but non-retina is a poor investment at this time.
Unless you have to, not sure why anyone would want to buy computers that still contains chips with serious security flaws.
www.nytimes.com/2018/…tions.html
Nasim- As always, thanks for your thoughts and a fantastic site. I’ve been using macs since 1984, and currently shoot with a Nikon D750 (love it). As noted, there are always trade offs, and this is, to some degree, a very personal decision. But I have been using the current generation MacBook, maxed out in specs (including 16gb RAM), and I am VERY pleased with this set up. I use LR, Luminar, some photoshop, Aurora HDR.
It IS true that it would be quicker with a more powerful processor (ie, MB Pro). But given that I use the laptop for much more than just photography, and go out with it often, the lower weight and size make this tradeoff worthwhile. My main point is that if these attributes are specifically important to a user, I would NOT rule out the current MacBook (previous generation, from which i upgraded, was more painful).
Emory,
I’m really happy to see your post, as I’m thinking of that very MacBook to use as a travel computer. I’m >70 and am tired of lugging a MBP around in my backpack with my D810 and a couple of lenses. I’ve used my iPad Pro to process RAW files before, but I’d much prefer a laptop option.
I’d be interested in whether processing panoramas or HDR slows down your machine much, as those are some of my most CPU/RAM- intensive tasks (that’s the reason I’m favoring the i7 over the M3 or i5).
Thanks again.
Mike
Mike- Really no problem with HDR or panorama stitching… again, yes, it may be somewhat slower than with a more powerful machine. If speed of processing is the critical issue, the MacBook is probably not the right option. But for you, it sounds like it should be fine. If you haven’t already, see additional excellent comments by Ditcho here, which basically reinforce exactly what I’m saying.
Nasim,
Wondering what your thoughts are on the newest Mac OS X .. following El Capitan and Sierra Apple, on the machine you list above, is installing OS High Sierra which introduces some compatibility issues like most new Mac OS versions but High Sierra goes a big farther and utilizes a new format file system .. this new file system as shown in the B&H reference pages you list is used on both the 2017 and 2016 version Mac’s .. there is a lot new and perhaps difficult to digest in the new OS and Apple indicates they will provide 32bit compatibility to 2019 but then only 64bit will be compatible.
The last time I checked Adobe software including the CC extensions are not 100% usable .. what is your feeling on the OS compatibilty question?
Great article, I just now need to upgrade my late 2012 macbook, and started looking a few days ago. I do not like the fact that you can no longer upgrade the hard drive yourself on the newer macs, and I am concerned about having to use an adapter for a firewire to thunderbolt connection. I sometimes shoot tethered from my Hasselblad via firewire. And this is really important to me. Anyone use an adapter that goes from thunderbolt to firewire while also connected to a TB display?
Great article, and info. I was unaware of the rebates and return policy.
The best choice is the Dell XPS 15. Better resolution 8 MB UHD versus 5 MB, screen can be calibrated for Adobe RGB 100% and sRGB, and you don’t have to put up with Apple’s quirks if you are used to the
Just too bad that you guys didn’t mention the screen of the MacBookAir. I mean its not just an old display, its even much less space. But the cool thing about the Air’s the battery life is quite amazing. Retina’s eat definitely to much power.
So for people who are travelling and backpacking who are working with solar panels it could be still an option. Not?
I am not buying any Apple product anymore. God knows what they do to “older” machines to “protect” the users (extend battery life!). I was about to replace my daughter’s IPad Air due to lower performance compared to when I bought it, then I read about how Apple was playing games to sell new devices.
Then I bought an Amazon Fire 8 HD Kids Edition. Apple lost a good customer because we have 2 Ipads, 2 IPhones and IMac Mini.
Hi,
I own two MBP 13″. One middle 2104 and the other is the new 2017 without the touchbar. Both have 16gb RAM hand High Sierra.
I’m starting to worry that it might be something wrong with my new MPB since it’s slower than my old one. And the fan starts to run really loud after just a few minutes of Lightroom usage. I get around 3h LR usage from the new one when it’s on battery.
The new one is also slower to start from sleeping.
There is acctually only two things that I like better with the new one and that is its smaller size and weight.
/ Peter
The 13” MacBook Air is basically still sold so Apple have a sub $1000/£1000 option. The 13” MacBook Pro (non touchbar) is essentially it’s replacement – if you can live with only USB-C ports and it’s really not hard to live with only USB-C.
Okay the MacBook Pro is thicker than the thinnest part of the MacBook Air though thinner than the thickest part and you have to learn to live without a built in SD Card reader.
One thing everybody should keep in mind is that Nasim has apparently never used the MacBook with Lightroom and his thoughts on the matter are pure extrapolation of his experience with MacBook Pro based on hardware specs. I have used the 2016 m7 version for quite some time now, and I would definitely highly recommended it for travel photography and I would say it is much better than what one would expect from an ultra portable. The last year’s version of this article filled me with doubts, but I went with my decision anyway and bought a MacBook with m7 processor when it was released. I was shocked to find out that it felt as snappy in rendering the changes in Develop mode in Lightroom as my almost brand new 32GB top of the line i7 Skylake desktop build. The only thing it was really slow at was exporting (3- to 4 time slower). That didn’t bother me at all, because 98% of my time spent in Lightroom is editing, and I’m rarely even in front of the screen while the mass export is taking place. I can understand that a professional like Nasim needs to mass process, import and export huge amounts of images during his trips, but I doubt any of his readers actually need the same. Given that the prime reason for buying an ultra portable laptop is portability rather than absolute productivity, the MacBook is actually an excellent option. And this year’s MacBook will be even faster and therefore even better option for photo processing on the go.
A couple of things I forgot to mention – I use it to process RAW files from Nikon D810, which are quite big in size. No problem. The only actual shortcoming of the MacBook (which probably should have bene mentioned in this article, instead of other not so valid points) is the size of its screen – with Lightroom you always wish for more screen space, but because of its very high resolution, zooming in compensates for that. And the fact that I can’t actually tell if it’s in my backpack or not – priceless!
What would be your MacBook choice if you didnt need it for post processing? I prefer to do my editing on my huge iMac screen. However, I can’t always sit at my desk and would love to be able to remote into my desktop and cull sessions…even just from my couch. Also to work on marketing, blogging, content creation, etc as I have time.
I was just about to buy a MacBook Pro, and I found this Article from Nasin. Thank you Nasin :) … or may not ? because now -i am totally confused.
I have only one question. I am working in Photoshop a lot and sometimes I open 5-7 PSD file and the PSD size is 500-700M but in the same time
I use a lot of tabs in Chrome. So my question is: Late 2016 or Mid 2017? (Graphic card is both 4GB GGDR5) Do I need a better GPU??Thank You for Your answer.
Thanks for the article! I’m currently in the market from updating my Mid 2010 MAC Pro (cheese grader) to a 2017 Fully Loaded MacPro. Talk about a massive update! I Run a fulltime wedding photography studio and will be using my MacBook as my main Machine. This article helped me solidify my decision. Thanks.
Yes, your article is really good. Just in case you want to decide that you want to go for a MacBook, MacBook Pro, or for a MacBook Air. It gives you full information about the series of Laptops Of MacBook series from Apple.
Hi Nasim
thanks for the article.
This tends more towards the top line of laptops Apple has to offer which will always be better. What would have made more sense is to have laptop recommended based on activities like if somebody uses a basic Photo editing tool like Picasa etc what will be most suitable money and performance wise macbook? Of course for Lightroom and Photoshop you have recommended but its top of the line and again does not mention what you can get away with if not being able to afford the budget for top models. Its more of if you have money buy this rather than suggestions for all round.
I look forward to your comments and perhaps if you feel correct more insight into this article.
cheers.
Wow, you aptly rendered these queries as i would have loved to do it. I guess he needs to give us insights to how we can use other lines of these machines that aren’t necessarily expensive. I actually am an entry-level photographer and i would most likely use the Photos native app on the MB to do my edits.
Nice comment bruh!
If I buy a new 15 MBP – 2018 version – to use with LR CC and PS CC – is it worth getting the faster optional graphics card?
Hi Nasim and great piece of information you have gathered here. I want to know, as an entry-level photographer in Africa, i like nature images and also take some smiling faces around, i want to make my migration form using Windows PC to MacBook Pro, I am on a very slim budget, is it a maximum compulsion to get a retina version or i can make do with a good SSD space and large RAM like (8gb or 16gb). Though i used – briefly, the MacBook Air at my former employment and i immediately fell in love with the machine.
I searching to get one online pretty soon, and i have seen some very good offers for an late 2011/2012 version; apparently the late 2012 comes with a Retina.
And for anyone on MBP or MBA, have you tried editing with the native Photos App on the MBP and what was the result and also RAW conversion.
Your response will be greatly appreciated!