2015 Model. Just need to sort out what size, 13 or 15 inch, 8-16Gb. I have both so I didn't have to make that decision. Check Apples refurbished units. 2015 Models do get put up there but need to be quick as they go in a matter of minutes due to the popularity. The 2012 models I wouldn't recommend, more so due to the display. Harvey Norman do have limited supply (clearance) 13inch 2015 models, 128Gb but you can purchase a Transcend SD card that will finish near flush with the side of the MacBook. That's what I got and did.
You can get the bottom of the range 13" current model Macbook Pro without the silly touch bar. As someone who uses Vim with some frequency on a new Macbook Pro 15" (with touch bar), the lack of an escape gives me the proper shits. I almost always use it in a dock with a proper mechanical keyboard though.
2015 keyboard is a lot better then the current Mac Pro's. There is some rumours that the 2018 Mac Pro 15inch will come with the option of a non touch bar which should have been the case originally. I would contemplate the move to the newer model then. Current have the 2015 model in the 13 and 15 inch. Can't bet them, I have taken back countless 2016-2017 models. Literally around 10 using the 14 day return policy.
Aint that the truth. I had the displeasure of using a new keyboard recently, and it was terrible. Admittedly my desktop keyboard is a TADA68 with Gat Browns, but I am more than happy with my 11" MBA keyboard on the road.
Your best bet is a second-hand current generation MBP without the touchbar. I disagree about the keyboard being terrible. It's quite nice actually and the older generation feels rubbery in comparison (to me anyway; I switched 10 months back). Preach!
It took me all of 15 minutes to get used to tapping the escape key on the touchbar. I can't comprehend how people are having an issue with this. It no different taping the touchbar than tapping an escape key. Otherwise, love the TouchBar, use it for lots of stuff (even for changing volume and brightness it's better) and it's a huge improvement over largely useless function keys. I'd kinda like to see the whole keyboard get replaced with a big touch area. Would bring tons of flexibility to the Mac.
Will be interesting what Apple will bring out in 2018. Rumour mill and all. A MacBook in a 13inch? I would be interested in that. Will they bring out the 15 inch with the option of a non touch bar? 32Gb RAM? MacBook Air lineup discontinued or a refresh of the 13in MacBook Air with a Retina display? Hopefully will know in the coming months.
as in, a thinner/lighter 13" with the 4.5 watt processors? I suspect that its not all that likely- it would take the 1.36KG 13" down to say... 1kg? 1.1?, but half the CPU & GPU power. As soon as that's supported by Intel for LP ram That's the 2 thunderbolt port version of the 13" pro- its the retina air.
I'd go this. Once you get used to the new keyboard it actually types really well. Also the models without the touch bar get a larger battery (and longer battery life).
I generally re-map it to `jj`, but I don't want to have to do that to every host I run vim on. The touchbar is sometimes useful, and if they brought back a physical `esc` with touchbar for F1-Print Screen I'd probably be content. A few times I've even had the touchbar bug out / crash and be completely blank, with a reboot of MacOS the only solution. But mostly the touchbar is just a gimmick to get people to pay more money. I would have preferred a bigger battery to the touch bar, and for the love of all things, a pair of USB-A ports would be very appreciated.
CPU/GPU power isn't always at the top of the list for everyone, portability and battery life are instead. Agree, the 2 thunderbolt port could be the new "retina air" though I'm hearing it will be a less expensive display to make it more student friendly on the pocket. The MacBook Pro line up need to have a non touch bar though for the 13/15inch. Personally, I don't like the touch bar and think that people haven't embraced it as well as Apple would have hoped for.
