Is the mid 2015 15 inch MacBook Pro still king in 2023?

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For a good 6 years at least, the Mid 2015 15 inch MacBook Pro has been the king of used Macs. It's been a fan favorite since it launched 8 years ago, and carried many people through the troubled Touch Bar MacBook Pro generation for years. But now, with Apple Silicon here and pricing that can be very strange at times, let's examine the state of the 2015 MacBook Pro: is it still the king of best value used MacBooks in 2023?
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[@lukemiani]

Is the mid 2015 still king? Which used Mac would you buy for under $500? And don't forget, Your browser is holding you back. Level up with Opera: opr.as/Opera-One-LukeMiani

[@stephenvalente3296]

This is the best machine Apple ever made laptop wise, apart from the 2007 MacBook Pro 17" which was a proper Pro machine before Apples Industrial Design Department got obsessed with thin machines. Mine is perfect. Upgraded SSD to 2Tb and cleaned it out. Need to redo the thermal paste though.

[@93Volvo240]

Even without you telling me, I run Opera on all my PCs, (and Macs) XD It is a great browser. I am currently using it on El Capitan and it is fast and good on battery life...

[@joshhhab]

Is a1398 still a king from 2013

[@joshhhab]

And what if you swap apple silicon hardware into it?

[@93Volvo240]

@@joshhhab TBH, you could get away wth basic web browsing and stuff like that with a laptop from 2006. In the past 15 years or so, CPUs have gotten fast enough that they can still do basic tasks even today. As for swapping in Apple silicon, I don't know if that would work, since you would need some way of connecting a 10 year old laptop LCD to a modern M-series board, among other things like the keyboard and IO. People have done it though, so definitely look into it! That would awesome, a 2013 chassis with an M2 CPU...

[@Oberaichen1]

I switched from a Mid 2014 15“ to a 14“ M1Pro MacBook Pro. The performance, battery life and the new high refresh rate screen are so incredible :D The switch was really worth it. Although the Mid 2014 now serves my mum and she still is quite happy with it.

[@Siri_Duffa]

Exactly the same scenario here. I also gifted the Mid 2014 to my mum (but hers is collecting dust).

[@micosstar]

it's a dream to be typing this comment on an M1 Pro MacBook Pro!

[@cheng2006]

Same, I just bought a 16 M1 Pro to replace the 2014 15 MBP. definitely a great upgrade path that avoided all the problems of the touchbar era.

[@Bakanelli]

While I’m Embedded Software Engineer doing my job on a late 2013 MBP…. Why? Because it ticks all the boxes for me; -we compile our code remotely anyway so it doesn’t matter of what kind of computer you originally actually type it -once a month I want to play 2008 Call of Duty World at War

[@mikefamm5712]

@@cheng2006I recently got a 16” m2 pro and I’ve been going back and forth over whether I would’ve benefited from the touch bar. But with the additional liability of it breaking. Considering the issues vs capability, I think longevity is more valuable to me than a slightly-more intuitive input system, which, is basically just a cool feature and more operating system software.

[@billstratton3790]

Still using my 2015 and I can honestly say it is still the best investment I have ever made. Still runs like new and is more reliable then my newer work 2022 macbook.

[@Alex.Hilman]

May I ask you what's your OS version? And also do you have overheating problems or sudden shut down when on the battery? What about FPS when switching between apps? Because mine was like chop chop and not smooth so I returned it owing to these problems.

[@jamesmelwani6000]

​@@Alex.Hilmandid u try changing the thermal paste? maybe there was an issue with the fan

[@Alex.Hilman]

@@jamesmelwani6000 I never did and I return that. Apple and Samsung and some other companies follow plan obsolescence so it would be risky to buy an old second hand product of them.

[@Alex.Hilman]

@@jamesmelwani6000 and I just wonder how some people said that they were able to edit 4K videos in this laptop

[@lphonehacks]

picked up a late 2013 MBP last week for an easy snipe, and it honestly outperforms my spec’d out iMac 2017 in the context of 4k editing, photoshop, and browsing.

[@tomwagner9980]

I have a 2015 15" with max specs/ dual graphics and a M1 Air. I go back and forth with both for my work. I love the 2015, the screen and keyboard are great, and I usually go back to it after a few hours on the M1 Air. The 2015 is still a very capable machine for 99% of users. Awesome video, thanks.

[@prayhe]

Why would you constantly switch between them?

[@iPhoneneto]

@@prayhefor work like he said, probably separate machines for personal use and work content/use.

[@Mvendrel]

Me too except my 2015 has 2TB OWC spilt 50/50 MACOS and Win 10 and my M1 is a 13” MAcBook Pro - yeah I know the Air is the more hip but I like mine just fine and it’s top spec.

[@SkylarLux]

My Macbook Pro mid-2015 15'' agrees with you. ;-)

[@WikiPeoples]

Can you explain why you go back to the 2015? I'm considering picking up an M2 Air, because my 2015 is getting slow, fans churn, etc. Maybe I just need to wipe it and start over?

[@karlstephens5812]

Four years ago, I watched your video praising this MacBook. I was convinced and purchased one for 900$. To this day, it remains incredibly reliable and has served me exceptionally well. Your recommendation was spot on! It was my introduction to Apple products, and its all I ever use now! I'm not sure when I'll upgrade, but this machine still has plenty of life left in it. Thanks Luke!!

[@loneshogun2504]

Same here man, though not my 1st Apple product, I was looking for a good one amongst all the butterfly key crap I kept hearing about. Luke Miani and 2015 MBP FTW

[@TTG01111]

Is it still good?

[@KennDee]

any update? are you still using it without any issues?

[@drkns]

The situation on the laptop market is changing. It's great to see your recent videos with critical opinions on some outdated Macbooks

[@frankg9083]

I still use mine for music production, recording/mixing and mastering, even edit 4k videos and still runs pretty smoothly.

[@murshed12]

How about video editing?

[@chinito20fam]

What a about crazy editing on 1 hr 2 hr vlogs and cutting it down to our liking sound effect slowmo b roll. Music lighting. Audio... Is it stable able to do all this.. if not from his recommendation I'll see the 2019 mac

[@MrFullbladder]

I bought one of these yesterday for $250 AUD. The cheapest M1 air was $900 AUD. Wasn't a hard choice at all. I mostly use it for writing and some light work. I'm still impressed with how comfortable the keyboard is and how nice the system runs and looks.

[@william_SMMA]

How is the battery life now?

[@MrFullbladder]

I have considered picking up a new battery off of ebay as they are easy to switch out. But I get around 3 or 4 hours depending on what I'm doing with it.@@william_SMMA

[@user-qi3hf8ko3q]

how's the battery life?

[@MrFullbladder]

I use it mostly for writing and general use. Apple health says I should have my battery replaced. I get about 3-4 hours out of it and charge it at night when I sleep. My partner has a newer 13 inch MBP and it gets better battery life on average than hers. @@user-qi3hf8ko3q

[@SergSpace]

What OS X do you use on it?

[@rodrigo4379]

I had a 15 inch 2014 macbook pro (it has the best cpu upgrade and 16gb of ram) until last year when i bought a maxed out 16 inch macbook pro. I used that laptop in various amount of conditons from extreme cold and extreme heat (photo and video editing daily with loads of word processing too). That laptop handled every task and never let me down. But the time has come, when we upgraded to 4k 60fps video and 47mpx+ photos the computer couldn’t handle them as well. Nowadays the computer has been "retired" from professional use and now its just chilling in the living room as a netflix and youtube machine :D. Btw, I always too good care of it, thermal paste replacement every year with dust cleaning on the fans. I upgraded the ssd to a 2tb nvme too. The pc never needed parts replacement even with the amount of use it had. For sure apple made a great reliable machine. Hope my 16 inch pro handles the same :DD Great video luke!

[@Ashleyyyyy666]

I'm using a 13" 2015 as my main laptop, it's still so good. the dual-core is a bit oof nowadays but it runs Ventura pretty well, and it's perfect for my use (web browsing, basic coding, basic photo edits). I upgraded the SSD in mine from 120gb to 500gb, my display is still in mint condition (no delimitation at all), it's still basically perfect for my use.

[@jamiltanelamparo1733]

I am really obsessed with this gen of macbook. I have the 2.5 IG, 2.8 IG and 2.5 DG with all 512gb. My daily use for work since 2018. Best intel macbook ever. Great video Luke!

[@officialdarkcompass]

I moved only recently from a 13" 2015 MBP (with updated SSD) to an M1 Air. I've loved the change, and I'm happy with my new M1. The 2015 MBP went to my youngest daughter who is going to Uni this September to do Equine Management. It'll be good for everything she needs.

[@driehoogachter5729]

What did you love about the change? Just the speed or also other things? (I also have the 13" 2015 MBP and am debating whether I should buy the M1 Air.)

[@hisoka9478]

I had a 2015 Macbook Pro 15" for 8 years and I just got a Macbook Pro M1 Max 16". They are both incredible. From one king to another beast of a laptop. An amazing jump in performance!

[@tylerbeach4727]

I just purchased a mint condition 2015 MacBook Pro from eBay and couldn't be happier with it. Its my first MacBook. Ive wanted one for years.

[@epifaniocarter]

Is it still usable? I would only use it for Microsoft office and emails. Please update me lol

[@jaimev840]

@@epifaniocarterdefinitely usable if your doing music production or video editing even just general use it’s a beast! It’s just a very reliable MacBook Pro!

[@indrawilliams1882]

Is it good for doing on serato

[@LuvJoeyy]

Bought one in great condition for $149 , this video makes me not sure if it was good or not 😂

[@aironwhite6533]

@@LuvJoeyy Keep in mind that he is putting it against the m1 and its speeds. Most times you are not needing to run the computer full out all the time. There is still much life in the 2015 and will still be trucking along past when the m1 mac unit has died from the nands/hard drive goes out from ware and not removeable. Which is a known issue. Not to mention the keyboards on some models and the usb c ports warring out from normal use. Or the batteries dieing even when not used. I work in the depo and several mbp models. Its sad.

[@RadOpsTV]

Your videos were a godsend at the right time. I’ve had a 2011 8GB MacBook Pro for about 8 years that still going strong. I was looking to upgrade and I decided to get the 2015 8GB model with 500 GB. It’s crazy because all of those listings that you showed I looked at, I looked at all of the MacBook airs for 2015 and 17, and all of the 2012 MacBook Pro’s. Literally the same listings lol and I found the same result, I was going to have to spend $300 for a decent one with a decent battery. Luckily, I posted some questions about this on Reddit, I was actually looking for an iPad mini 5, which I bought as a phone replacement. And somebody they mentioned that they had a 2015 MacBook Pro for sale, after a few messages back-and-forth I negotiated $200. It’s an excellent condition, and I wouldn’t have found this offer anywhere else. I truly got lucky. To answer your question about the M1 air on eBay for a decent price and decent condition. Yeah 500 -600 is what you’re gonna pay. .

[@jamesjennings-yd2bc]

I bought my 13" MacBook pro in 2015 and even after being involved in a motorbike accident and the screen not working (thanks for the tip on using an external monitor) it still works and runs as well as it did when first purchased. Love it.

[@Slurkz]

I really enjoyed my 2018 MPB 13". It has 4 cores, and the revised butterfly keyboard which never gave me any issues . I turned the touchbar into an "regular" function key bar (with the help from the app "Haptic Touch Bar"), and remaped the escape key to some other key using Karabiner. Great system!

[@wboweng10]

I bought one of these back in 2015 when my 2011 15" MBP conked out (bad GPU). I've used the 2015 MBP pretty much daily since I bought it and loved it. I recently upgraded to a 2021 16" MBP, but may keep the 2015 awhile longer. I just want to see how long I can keep it running the latest macOS releases with Open Core Legacy Patcher. Just can't bring myself to retire it yet!

[@paigeme886]

May I ask- how does it run on openCore? And the exact same thing happened with me ( I think)… my 2011 MacBook Pro had issues…

[@wboweng10]

Works fine. I am running macOS 14.1 Sonoma on it with OCLP 1.1.0. No issues with the install. Mac models from 2011 and earlier may have some issues. You may want to check out recent videos by MrMacintosh and Jesse's Flying (and possibly some others) for information on how to get Sonoma 14.1 installation to complete on the older machines. There is workaround, but it may be less of a hassle to just keep it on 14.0 for the time being. A future version of OCLP will likely have a fix for the older Macs that are having trouble installing 14.1 with OCLP 1.1.0.

[@paigeme886]

@@wboweng10 gosh! Thank you so incredibly much! Greatly appreciate your experience. It is a mid 2015 15 inch :) just need the courage to do it 😆.may I ask, did you do a clean install?

[@wboweng10]

@@paigeme886 I believe I just ran it as an update since the computer was already on 14.0.

[@InstantLuc]

I still have one of these kicking around in my living room, connected to my TV. Its a nice backup laptop for when I can't use my 14" MacBook Pro

[@loloi]

This is the video I’ve been wishing for! Thank you!

[@gavinitka5759]

Yes! I am SO happy you made this video because about two months ago, I bought one of these for $200. Instead of using my 13inch base model 2019 MacBook Pro, I have been using this. The fact that the performance is near the same is pathetic to the 2019 but really shows how good this is. This has been my daily for like a month and a half and it is my favorite computer. Luke, I love your videos!

[@BobbyWoody429]

To be fair the 15-inch models were always the more powerful models so that might explain why it is better than your 2019 13” mbp

[@gavinitka5759]

@@BobbyWoody429 right but its a four year gap and my 2015 is the lower spec 15". that's why it doesn't make sense to me.

[@jeffjfjf6034]

@@gavinitka5759did you test the performance? Or is it based on feel?

[@jeffjfjf6034]

@@gavinitka5759if it’s based on feel I would just sell the 2019 and when the 2015 eventually slows down I’d buy a m2 or even m3 if it’s out then.

[@cosettapessa6417]

@@BobbyWoody429to be fair 4 years

[@justinwolfe9]

My two daily drivers are a mid 2015 retina 15” and M1 16”. The day to day experience is marginal at best unless you care about processing power. The 2015 is such a good machine.

[@aironwhite6533]

Thanks for saying this. Unless you are using and needed all that speed for heavy tasks the day to day is not much different. The price to enter is hugely different though.

[@keithposter5543]

I had one of these, bought new/open box. The fan came on as soon you opened a window. I was informed that "they all do that sir". I sold it after about 6 weeks

[@snailduck]

This was perfectly descriptive, thank you.

[@abhinav_wadhwa]

Back in 2016, I bought a 2015 13" MBP even when the 2016 ones were out and everybody called me out on it that I am making a terrible decision. My main reasons were the ports & apple logo backlight. Time passed and almost everyone around me had to retire their 2016-17 MBPs for reasons like keyboard failure or screen issues but my 2015 one is still going strong, to this date. I upgraded to the 2022 16" M1 Pro MBP this year even after the M2 Pro ones were out. I think I am in the Goldilocks once again.

[@christosbinos8467]

You really are.

[@NFStopsnuf]

I still use the base model 2017 function keys and the butterfly keyboard is still going strong

[@abhinav_wadhwa]

Good for you. I used a 2019 15" MBP as well for 1.5 years in between. It was issued to me by the company I used to work for. I never enjoyed that machine@@NFStopsnuf

[@kevinzapata1755]

Dw I’m on the same boat. Just ordered a MacBook m1 after having my 2015 for a while

[@aironwhite6533]

The 2022 16 in has boot/power issues. Also with integrated hard drives if you are not able to fully boot you have lost your data with no way to recover. They have made some updates to the usb c ports were they don't ware out as quickly but still has issues. The usb a ports on older models are still trucking along.

[@michaelthomas1726]

I'm a HUGE fan of the M1 MacBook Air! I don't see swapping mine out for a new unit in the foreseeable future.

[@bejaekay7133]

Another informative and well explained video, 👏Well Done Luke👏

[@willudallmusic]

thanks for this video!

[@RodrigoAReyes95]

I found one for $220 in excellent condition with 1tb ssd, quad core i7 (it's the 2.5, not the 2.8 but it's ok) and dual graphics, I think it was a good deal

[@Alex.Hilman]

Is there any major difference between 2.5 and 2.8 ones? I mean is that core i7 the 4980 much faster than the 4870?

[@NehemYah810]

I bought one today, and its been fantastic. You got a better deal than me forsure! Mine was 350.

[@Alex.Hilman]

@@NehemYah810 350$ ? It's too much for this machine. I bought one with a discrete graphic card for 250 $ but rapidly returned it due to issues. I bought a Dell xps 15 for 600$ and now I'm fine.

[@Nas_Allie]

I brought one of these on Facebook for £180 was thankfully in mint condition & is still going strong

[@albuslee4831]

Bringing around my 2.2kg 2014 Macbook Pro 15 everywhere I go was such a torture for last 9 years but it's still kickin aside my Macbook Air and PC as a work horse. It works so well after one battery replacement in 2021 (also a re-thermal paste). It was so expensive back in the time of purchase, but it definately payed off its price after over 9 years of use and still going.

[@6806goats1]

Another great video of the mighty 2015 15" MBP. Until Oct 2022 I really didn't feel the need to move beyond the 2015 MBP. But reviews of the M1 Air prompted me too look further into purchasing one. I tend to enjoy Apple's refurbished computer/item policy and purchased a Gold M1 Air w/ 16GB ram and a 2TB SSD, full cores. All I can saw is wow, what a machine. Performance, battery life, just everything is better than my 2015 except the ports. There are work arounds but the ports of the 2015 are awesome and allow it to perform various tasks easier. I have 2 of the 2015 MBP's but my fiancee's daughter now has the newer but lower spec'd version to use in Thailand for her business. The best use case I can think of for my 2015 is to use it with my software designed ham radio from 2008 that uses the Firewire connection. It should perform this function admirably and allow me to use the MBP display plus another monitor. No need to sell off my older but fully functional older 2015's. But the M1 performance pushed me even further into insanity with the purchase of a refurbished M1 Studio Ultra base model. No reason at all for an Ultra other than...I wanted one. And a refurb'd Studio display. When you jump, jump far. Student/military discounts along with refurb'd prices helped a lot. VESA mounted displays rock, happy to have found one with the nanocoating for a great price. Probably good computer wise for the next 10 years but since I'm 65 and retiring in a year or 2, we'll see how far I can make them last. Wow, another novel from the mind of someone working overseas and limited access to friends. Oh woah is me. d;^)> Cheers

[@KC-bi9jw]

After using these new MacBook pros for a while, especially the 16”, when you pick up the 2015 model it hits you how perfect the form factor of the 2015 is. Same ports but way lighter

[@topkek7003]

smaller battery compared to my 16 inch

[@KC-bi9jw]

@@topkek7003 no shit, your comment added nothing.

[@topkek7003]

@@KC-bi9jw then why are you bitching about the 16" being heavier

[@KC-bi9jw]

@@topkek7003 unsubscribe

[@Moiisty]

used it from 2015 to 2019 with mac and windows on it, such a good piece of hardware

[@HarrisKhan1990]

Great info thank you.

[@jayrtrapsi]

still using 2012 Dell XPS for work updated it with current Windows 11 OS and the upgrade actually slightly improved the battery life. i love this laptop bc of the keyboard

[@Mbro-dq2do]

I own three of these dual boot with Linux. Kali Linux runs great. Still very usable for the basic users in the world today without a doubt. Actually I run 5 different Linux distros and they all work fantastically. 64-bit distress too

[@MrUnique27]

Omg, who made the MUSIC you’re playing in the background, it’s freaking INSANE to me man, I LOVE IT, ugh 🤦🏾‍♂️👊🏾💯❤️. Great video by he way, I’m actually thinking about buying one of these just for recording music alone.

[@ilovehotmoms7877]

I’ve been waiting for this exact video for so long 😭

[@shahphone]

I can replace the battery. I can replace the SSD. I can make this 2015 last until 2030. Performance of the m1 is more than just about anybody needs. 2015 is still a great machine

[@walterhartwellwhite6788]

Can it last till 2026 bcoz I’m planning to buy a used one or should i go for 2017 mb air 13’

[@JoseHernandez-gz2um]

I just got a refurbished one and I liked your comment. How much would a battery replacement cost?for when I do need one

[@patricklaundra3286]

good to know I can replace the battery. thanks

[@artistnyc123]

I got one on Back market about six months ago and it doesn't have a mark on it. It looks as if it was brand new. 2.5 quad 15 inch and I'll probably use it for at least five years maybe longer it's everything I need. @@walterhartwellwhite6788

[@aironwhite6533]

@@walterhartwellwhite6788 I would say yes. The hard ware is very reliable. And with the ability to upgrade or replace the hard drive makes it last even longer. I have had no issues with mine I bought a couple of months ago. Just get the max ram.

[@wisdomouswanderer]

Would definitely love a video on the cheapest M1 macbook air considering it is still the best value offering from Apple right now.

[@bt7348]

literally the best tech purchase ever. Especially If you can get a clean, lightly used one around 500-600$

[@canturkcivelek4896]

Great Video! Thank You! I am looking forward to similar videos in the future like 2016, 2017, 2108, 2019 Macbook Pros..

[@AsherIsbrucker]

I bought my 2015 15" MBP refurbished in 2016, and just sold it today (upgraded to M1 Max). It's an absolute workhorse. Used it for motion graphics and video production the whole time and it always held its own (though fans got LOUD when rendering anything). The speakers started to go on mine, but besides that it's still in excellent condition 7 years later and will now be put to use by somebody else. On top of that, battery was replaced in 2022 due to a recall, extending its life even more. It obviously can't compare to the M1 Max, and the upgrade is remarkable (16GB RAM started to feel cramped) but seems like the best value pre-Silicon MBP IMO.

[@kohakkanuva3224]

Hold up, did you just call Opera “Oprah”?

[@rayadamick8245]

I'm disabled, 66, just a regular guy! This is my first laptop ever! Got it off of Amazon. It's a 2.5 Ghz quad core i7, 16 GB, and a 512 SSD. I know the flaws, but it meets my needs. I wanted everyone to know that there was an update, yesterday July 24, 2023 to Monterey 12.6.8. have a good day. Oh I paid about 500 bucks for it.

[@aironwhite6533]

Congrats! For the same specs you are looking at about $250 now.

[@BrokenDonkey]

Would you choose a mid 2015 macbook pro or a 2019 iMac and why?

[@aironwhite6533]

@@BrokenDonkey It would depend on if you want to be mobile or not for one. Second I think the imac somewhat are able to have 2 hard drives with one on the mlb and the other a sata hard drive with cable. If I was using as a desktop I would get the imac 27in with 2 hard drives. One for os and a much bigger one for storage. Seems really awesome. Not to mention upgradeable ram and I think cpu. At this point I will not be using any mac that can't remove the hard drive. If the machine dies you have no way to recover your data. I have been looking at the 2013 mac pro lately with the drop in price. would rather like 2 hard drives but still workable. While the m1 is great if using for normal stuff do you really need that speed boost? I have not really noticed a lag for what i do so don't want to spend the extra many $100s-1000s for it. Also native windows if needed.

[@BrokenDonkey]

Exactly. I don’t need anything terribly fast by any means. Nothing slow either. I don’t mind being mobile or stationary. I just want to choose the one that’ll get my editing done and last the longest. Which of the two should I do with in that case?

[@aironwhite6533]

@@BrokenDonkey Really the imac 2019 would be best and has the best specs. Its also newer and will likely support the newest os longer. Just make sure it has the second hard drive port on the mlb. I think some do not. It will cost more though. Get the 27in and you should be happy. I plan to eventually.

[@Medic396845]

I have one that was fully spec'd out at the time - and used it as my main home computer until this week where I ordered a new Macbook Pro with the M3 Max. While not as fast as it once was, it remains useable for average day to day tasks.

[@adrianomaksoud8759]

I love your videos you are one of my favorite tech youtubers

[@blackcoffeegarage]

Our max specced 2015 MBP is still a workhorse over here. Got it last year near mint for $425. Heck of a machine, 16GB/1TB, and it had a warranty-replaced flawless display! As much as I love my quiet little M1 MBA (also 16GB/1TB) the Pro has a better keyboard, a bigger display, and SD card slot for convenience. I don't like dongles. I had a 16" M1 Pro MBP,, and it was going nearly unused as the Intel 15" filled the Boot Camp & desktop void and the M1 Air is so portable. With the M2 Pro/Max here and the M3 around the cormer, yeah I'll upgrade... but try and pry this 15" Retina from my cold dead hands. Eight years old and still a pleasure to use, and can boot into High Sierra to use still-darn-functional (and have never been replaced, such as Dragon 6) apps that were left behind in the 64 bit & subsequent Apple Silicon transitions. Of course, I've got over 30 Apple portables spanning back to the 1400c, so... it's a problem. Luke, if you came to play with this collection you'd never leave LOL

[@Mvendrel]

I too use the 2015 15” for BootCamp - 2TB OWC split 50/50 MacOS & Win 10.

[@wesleyhoward5599]

So long as Apple tries to make their laptops disposable, this will continue to be the best.

[@vipertt100]

I have a maxed out 2014 15" in perfect condition no delamantion . New battery. Patched to ventura. Still works great

[@MotesBro]

I have one of these as my school computer. I didn't want to buy a whole new laptop for something I'd only use part of the time, so I cleared out a bunch of junk files, patched it up to Ventura from El Capitan, and it works great now honestly. It's kinda slow with boot times and some other simple tasks like maximizing windows, but it still works great honestly.

[@AwesumIndustrys]

I rescued a 2015 from recycling and I loved it, especially since after reinstalling macOS there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s been a wonderful machine for me. I still wanna get an Apple Silicon MBP sometime soon.

[@emilsecker7881]

It’ll be unsupported next year. It’s already unsupported with major macOS releases

[@LaimisMatas]

Same here. I got it in winter, and I feel its great. And you can update the OS nonoficially.

[@garyd2717]

Open Core Legacy Patcher. Ventura runs great on the 2015 rMBPs.

[@bigdickjohnson1444]

@@emilsecker7881 Nobody cares because you can update the OS yourself. Ultimately, the 2015 is still good enough to use today, the only problem is the value proposition if you don't already own one.

[@Shaggy12321]

I purchased a 2015 15" with AMD Graphics and 1TB back when it was new in July 2015. I used it almost every day until November 2021 when I purchased a new 16" M1 Pro model. If I wanted to I could still use it for my work, the screen, keyboard, trackpad, build quality, battery etc is still fantastic, and better than most new high-end windows laptops. The only thing I don't like much is the tinny speakers. I've still got the original box and the 15" is in immaculate condition, so i'll be keeping onto it for a long time, maybe it'll be worth a fair bit in 10 years or so?

[@Zebra_Paw]

It won't be worth anything if you let the battery age without use and basically die, and in the worst case scenario destroy the computer housing by expanding!

[@yash4o4]

Man comparing his Mac to windows lmao

[@abednego8304]

you could sell it to me if you dont want it anymore. I could use it to repair mine. I dont have money to buy better for now

[@alienrefugee51]

Yeah, the speakers on these retina models pretty much suck. I think my 2011 model speakers sounded better... before I blew out one of them.

[@Zebra_Paw]

@@alienrefugee51 Retina speakers in my opinion are better than those on the unibodies

[@petermikus2363]

Great video Luke, i always luke your videos reviewing older machines or fixing them and regarding that i wanted to ask something. Would it make sense to buy a 2009 15inch macbook pro? For around 120€ i just want a machine to mess around with macOS mainly.

[@darthkielbasa]

I watched your previous videos about “best MBP” and eventually picked up a 2015. I’m still using my 2015 MBP. It was acquired used on BackMarket a few years ago. Works well. Good battery, etc. OCLP allowed me to run Venture quite well. I’m in the market for a laptop for my daughter. I’ll probably follow Luke’s lead and going with a M1 MBA.

[@robertotirso2933]

I'm using the 2015 15" MBP dual graphics and still works, I run parallels for windows and runs civil 3D without any problems. I normally use SIG and CAD software natively in macOS and the MacBook's performance is pretty solid, compare with i9 2018 MBP's friend we can't notice a significant difference. Definitely the best MacBook Pro ever made

[@RD168__]

hi, my i know your RAM, SSD & Processor? i wondering to buy it for as I am an interior designer.. thank you

[@robertotirso2933]

@@RD168__ right now I have 1TB of storage, 16GB of ram and core i7 I guess 4980HQ and Radeon R9 M370X, it works really good actually

[@JRomeSr.]

Definitely do that video! I recently bought a basically brand new m1 MacBook Air for $560 that only had 20 cycles on the battery. You can DEFINITIVELY find one under $500 if you try. Keep up the great vids!

[@LennertMP]

I can't believe it's been with me 7 years! I've done a lot of work with it, it traveled around the world with me and it has never let me down. Amazing laptop. I will be kinda sad when I upgrade to a desktop next year...

[@chrismak4859]

Just replaced my mid 2015 MBP battery (myself) and it's like a new beast! Still love it, and until it literally busts into flames I'll continue to use it!

[@Alex.Hilman]

How many hours does it give you now in average?

[@chrismak4859]

@@Alex.Hilman around 3.5 hours now. Old battery was maybe 40 minutes. Much better.

[@Alex.Hilman]

@@chrismak4859 It's really not good. So why did Apple mention that the 15 inch 2015 models with core i7 provide 9 hours battery?

[@sitifatimah-on6lx]

How about the fan? Noisy?

[@FULLSENDFC]

we want more 5,1 mac pro videos

[@finaljenemba]

I think the thing you are missing here is the screen. Not everyone wants to settle on a 13" screen. The closer I get to 40 the more and more I appreciate 15" laptops lol. If someone really wants the bigger screen what other used options do they have? I think that's why these haven't totally cratered in price yet, that and the fact that clean ones are rarer every day. Once M3 comes out and we start seeing the M2 15" Air showing up on ebay cheaper that will be the thing that gets these to finally get properly cheap.

[@GOLDENEYEAL]

exactly. i totally disagree on his take about the m1 macbook air. the best thing now, is the 15 inch macbook air m2. only problem is, it starts with 8gb ram, if you want more its going to get expensive

[@timrault2105]

I would look into an 8-core i9 16 inch MacBook Pro from 2020. You get similar performance as M1 with a 16-inch screen and a slim design

[@joen3992]

In Canada at a computer shop. These go for $749.99. The cheapest refurbished M1 Macbook Air from Apple Canada is $1399.99. Do the math! Never mind the fact that a new Macbook Pro is over $2300. Not all of us have sponsors to get $$$ to buy new stuff. We poor folks would rather use the 2015 instead...heck, I'm rocking a 2013 Mabook Pro that I bought this year for $250 and running Big Sir. And I LOVE IT!

[@kwangya_king]

love your videos.

[@dennissit1770]

I am still using macbook pro 13" late 2012 but it is on Linux Mint. Whether the metal is going to retire or not very much depends on how you use it and what OS it is on.

[@yerielzamora]

It also works surprisingly well with OCLP-patched Ventura or Monterrey. I upgraded and set up my old one for my Mom and it's been performing really well for her.

[@emilsecker7881]

Eww, time to upgrade that crap

[@emilsecker7881]

@@yerielzamoratime for her to upgrade. If it’s that old it’s crap

[@andrewsampson9065]

I have plenty of old laptops (mainly thinkpads) from 2006-2010 and they all connect to the internet, web browsing, light tasks perfectly fine. Old =/= crap

[@dennissit1770]

I think this old metal is still very usable. I installed Linux Mint on it, which allows this old chap to run on the latest version OS. This means that all the latest features, including the latest security features, can be used. It is still fast enough to do PS and light video editing.

[@dexopaw]

0:35 Today's video is sponsored by Oprah?? YOU get a MacBook, and YOU get a MacBook, EVERYBODY GETS A MACBOOK!!

[@CS-ep3ku]

Came to the comments section looking for this 😂 I was like Luke, bro that's not how you pronounce opera

[@dexopaw]

@@CS-ep3ku He said it both ways multiple times!

[@CS-ep3ku]

@@dexopaw Haha no way did he really? I usually skip through most of the ad but I caught the beginning of this one and I was like wtf Luke haha

[@maxpower5680]

Still using my mid-2014 15” MacBook Pro. For my uses, still works amazingly well.

[@Kuhfladensammler]

Mine is also working as my windows 11 pc. I love that my TB3 Dock is downwards compatible with my TB2 Macbook. It remains versatile.

[@alyssakays367]

I traded mine in when the M1 came out. It wasn’t in bad shape but I could tell it wouldn’t be long before it wasn’t strong enough to handle heavier tasks such as Photoshop (which I use). If you only need a computer for browsing the web or using Word I think the 2015 is still a good computer.

[@kyle8952]

What? Photoshop isn't a task that requires a more powerful computer over time. I still run photoshop on Core 2 Duos and even G4s. "Upgrading your computer for photoshop" is such a 1990s idea lmao.

[@alyssakays367]

@@kyle8952 I upgraded my 2010 MacBook Pro to the 2015 because it couldn’t handle it anymore (the computer literally said it needed more ram) and I was starting to notice the symptoms on my 2015. Now with the constant upgrades the program is becoming bigger faster. I also use Indesign and Illustrator (usually at the same time as photoshop) Plus I have my email and the internet opened all at the same time. So yes. I did need to upgrade it because of Photoshop.

[@kyle8952]

@@alyssakays367 I hate to break it to you but what you're describing is NOT that your 2015 "couldn't handle it anymore". The real problem is that you subscribed to Adobe CC, where you pay a regular subscription fee to adobe for the rest of your life, and in exchange they fuck everything up and make it worse all the time. (frankly, anyone computer literate pirates photoshop anyway...) Ditch the bloatware as a service and go back to CS6. There you go, your 2015 will be more than good enough until the day you die. Like I said earlier, image editing has not been taxing on hardware since the 90s.

[@kalinkomalinko]

@@kyle8952 new photoshop has new features that requires good specs

[@Rafael-ly7hr]

Mine is starting to have some slight battery issues, would you recommend I do the replacement myself or get it done at a authorized repair shop? I ask because I’ve heard aftermarket batteries are almost always lacking in quality for this MacBook

[@Olav3D]

Still using my 13" version of this. Has been with me for 8 years and has been amazing, but now it is becoming slow even for sofa surfing the web and KZbin, so I will upgrade to the M3 Macbook Pro 14" next year. Anything really heavy is done on my Windows desktop computer anyways, so I can wait a bit longer.

[@ceelarsjr.6795]

I’ve had mine brand new since attending full sail in 2016. A younger family member broke the screen back in 2017. Has been working strong thru HDMI every since then( some extended months of none use also). Recently discovered I can play Series X version of games thru Xbox cloud gaming on it and it’s beautiful! Runs without issue. Definitely about to be back to daily use now! May even repair the screen myself since they are finally affordable. So thankful I got one of the best MacBooks made! One day I’ll have a silicone too!

[@dennisud]

It's good you went back and reviewed the 2015 15' MacBook, because I FINALLY got my M1 MacBook Air and LOVE it. Thanks to your previous videos on that MacBook I now am watching this video on that one. AND, I got it for $100.00 less due to buying this at Best Buy AND we have a 'No Tax' Week in my state, which guess what, the M1 MacBook Air qualified for. That's my $100.00 saving I got. 💻 Thanks again as both my M1's came from your recommendations! And, as a non Pro user they will serve me well for 8-10 years! 😃

[@gmcanal4teleaire]

As always, great video, super informative. I remember seeing one of your videos showing a 2015 Macbook Pro and due to that I decided to look for one, and I bought for $109.00 a 2015 13 inches MacbookPro with 16gb and personally I LOVE IT. I do have to at some point change the battery, but so far I have 3 hours and a half of battery use, upgrade the SSD do, I only have 256gb but still is an amazing machine. I am impressed with it specially when I do minor video editing, is still faster than my pc.

[@dylanpaterson7612]

I had a 2015 13" base Mac Book Pro, loved it. Unfortunately after 7 years it was just really slow. Upgraded to the base M1 Air and it's night and day

[@pdahandyman]

I got seven years out of my Pismo through various upgrades. Best machine I ever had. Gifted it to someone in need. Ten years is fantastic ;) Of course, I still have a G4 Mini on my desk so I could be biased ;)

[@Mk-Man]

Great vid.

[@ConnorSeals]

I had the mid 2014 15" for quite a while and switch to m1 MacBook Air last year. Huge upgrade. Only gripe is needing a dongle for ports

[@MrSamsuriwahid]

I’m still using my MBP 2015 13”. I have just upgraded the OS to Sonoma, thanks to the many youtube videos as my guides.

[@fruitpunk]

still have my 2015 :) it served me faithfully for years,.. now its just a youtube/netflix machine and has a spot firmly on my bed lol

[@meng747]

Great Video Luke. Although my a 2015 MBP is still working perfectly, I am concerned Apple will probably stop sending security updates some time in 2024. Do you have any practical advice on that? Thanks!

[@skinner12yt]

I use my 2015 MacBook Pro to play my VST and basic tasks. It’s definitely doing the job for me. I’ll wait a little longer before moving to an M1 based MacBook Pro.

[@kode4food]

I loved my Mid 2015 15" until a few weeks ago when I switched to a MacBook Air 15" -- which is, in my opinion, the only worthy successor

[@d9nmatt]

Please do you recommended this MacBook for graphics and video editing?

[@monbec1737]

I still have mine. Bought it brand new in 2015 used it A LOT through undergrad and grad school. Used a lot of different programs like SSPS and Editing software. It’s 2024 and it runs incredible. Only thing is that the battery doesn’t last much anymore so just need to replace it.

[@JasonTech96]

A couple years back, I bought a Mid 2009 MacBook Pro for $100 (including shipping) it was a fairly decent MacBook for school until I got an Asus.I have always admired the Retina models because of the thinness and the display. Now, I use my iMac Retina 4K as main computer.

[@elfensky]

I still love my mid 2014 15", but having used the 16" M2 (got it from work) the difference is night and day. The battery life is just absurd. It's insane to me that I'm able to take a laptop with me to work, and not worry about bringing a power cable.

[@alienrefugee51]

I recently picked up a mid-2014 rMBP for $150. I put a 2TB WD SN570 in it, took off the de-laminated anti-glare coating and it's running Monterey well so far. It's a solid machine and a big step up from my 2011 model with failed dGPU. I do wish I did more research though because the 2015 models use PCIe 3.0, instead of 2.0 with it's predecessors. That, with the force-touch trackpad and better graphics would be well worth spending a bit more.

[@Vricrolatious]

I just snagged a Mid 2015 for that $300 price point. Yes, it was more than I wanted to spend, but just needing a personal laptop that I know runs and is in excellent condition (seriously, it looks barely used,) I was cool with the price point. I will say that 24 hours after it was delivered, it was running Debian 12 and Gnome and it runs fantastic. Even the MacOS build that was on the drive with it ran great, but I'm not invested in the Apple Ecosystem. I may not be a huge fan of the MacOS these days, but the older hardware still seems to be fantastic and I will continue to look for "new" items.

[@andacalsina]

I own a Macbook pro mid 2015. At first screen film peeled off. I removed all of the film and applied an anti glare screen protector. Then charging cable was broken and i changed the cable myself. Battery was dead and i replaced it. Left speaker was dead a few months ago and i used only right speaker for a while but now right one is also crackling. I ordered two speakers and a thermal paste. A new replacement coming soon. All of these repairs costed me around 170 dollars. I am still very happy with my mac.

[@BenTiredson]

I still used it as my daily driver since 2017 and upgraded it to 2tb nvme ssd just last year. But times changing it's time to retire them in the second hand market since there are a lot of better options nowadays and the compromises are not worth it anymore. In my opinion, it is just one of the best macbook apple ever created back on 2015. It wasn't new "macbook design or advancements per say" but the refinements and quality of life really plays a big role on keeping this macbook alive for years.

[@MrFiddler1959]

Your budget-conscious videos are very helpful! My current laptop is a 2016 MacBook Pro (not the Touch Bar one) - for the most part it’s been… okay. The keyboard had to be replaced twice and due to a spill the motherboard was replaced. Because of all the repairs after three years it was essentially a new machine, and since then for me has been just fine. Until the pandemic, when I needed to find ways to use multiple cameras for piano lessons. Overheating, throttling, it couldn’t keep up. At that point I bought an M1 Mac Mini which handles things just fine, but then needed monitors, cameras, mics (some of which I already had)… in hindsight I’m not sure it was a great savings. For day-to-day use my old MacBook Pro is okay so long as I’m not doing anything with prolonged or intense video. Lately I wonder about trading in both the laptop (apparently I can still get about $100 for it) and the Mini for one of the newer machines. Of course I find the news of an M3 chip tantalizing, but then there are other options that would still be a step up from what I have now - which is why I appreciate the “slow down and think about this” nature of your videos. The jury is still out on how I’ll proceed from here; fortunately there’s no immediate rush and there’s time to ponder.

[@mr.selfdestruct2917]

Still flawlessly recording music with it.

[@thelateraledge]

I'm still using mine to this day, upgraded to 2Tb NVME. Still praying that Apple someday will release a new model that we can upgrade ourselves.

[@timrault]

I'm still using one of those for music production, it works well for beatmaking. I just installed macOS Sonoma on it, it works like a charm

[@exboisv]

I have a 2015 MacBook Pro with the max that was available and it (with exception of battery life) works fantastic. I'd probably get the MacBook Air if I have to get another Mac.

[@asyourlipslounge]

Just watched this on my mid 2015 15" MBP, my daily driver since I bought it new. This thing just works, no gimmicks. Only problem I've ever had was blowing out speakers, which were a pain to replace. Just recently blew out speakers again and need new battery. When macOS doesn't support anymore, I'll install Linux. Those Mac Studios are looking very tempting though.

[@EddietheHouserocker]

I bought the i7 w/Radeon and 16GB ram new and I finally retired it after many years of service, from the boring stuff to DJ events and everything in between across many states and 2 countries. This is the most attached I've been to any machine and the longest I've had a laptop! It was like saying goodbye to a friend leaving forever! Replaced by a 16 inch MacBook Pro M1 and if it lasts half as long I'll be very happy!

[@Danko88]

still have my 2015 Mac Pro loaded , it sounds like a jet engine when surfing and I even replaced the heat sink compound on the processor. runs fine just loud. unlike my 15 inch air :)

[@diegovzga123]

Hey Luke! Regarding connectivity and integration through Apple ecosystem and performance, and ease of use is opera better than safari?

[@FLTech]

Before Apple Silicon came out but after the 16 inch MBPro was released, when even the unibody, or later, at least the 2013 retina MBPro, still got software support, really were great times for finding, upgrading and using old MacBooks. I cant believe it's been 3 years since those times came to an end!