What to do with my MacBook Pro 15, 2015 model

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maverick786us

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I bought this MacBook pro 15.6 inch model way back in 2016 few months before the new models were announced.
Its running good, but there are 2 issues with it.

1. Dead Pixels: Yes there are few dead pixel, not noticeable unless you pay close attention.
2. Speakers Burst: I replaced its speakers from apple authorized service centers twice. On both occasion the service center blamed VLC Media player. So i removed VLC player, but it was Netflix that again started creating bursting sound. It sounds like there is something else that's affecting the speakers.

Is it worth spending nearly 300$ or even more to get the screen replaced, and find some permanent solution for the speaker problem, that might cost around 150-200$?
Or should I sell this MacBook and buy a 16 inch with M1? This MacBook still run smooth and I don't have any other issues with it.
 
turn the speakers max volume down in the options? try a linux boot usb or cloudready os or something to rule out the os overdriving the speakers.
screen is up to you if its worth it, i wouldnt.
 
pendragon1 said:
turn the speakers max volume down in the options? try a linux boot usb or cloudready os or something to rule out the os overdriving the speakers.
screen is up to you if its worth it, i wouldnt.
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Thanks, I know its a physical damage, even now I can get the speakers replaced for less than 50$, but I know in few months those speakers will end up with same fate. I think this problem started since 2018 when I updated the OS. I do have wireless bluetooth speakers and Bose QC35 headset to overcome those speaker issues but these accessories I cannot carry everywhere
 
It's all relative and up to you. I don't think it's worth spending $300 on. I'd recommend either living with it or ditching it.
If you decide to live with it, just use Bluetooth headphones and ignore dead pixels.

Otherwise buy an M1 machine or wait until the M1X 16" MBP's drop in November.
 
As others have already mentioned, since you've already replaced the speakers multiple times, it doesn't seem worth replacing them again. And if the dead pixels aren't affecting your ability to use the laptop, I wouldn't spend the money to get the screen replaced. I would save my money and put it towards a new laptop, either one of the current M1's or the new MBP's when they come out. You can either hang on to this one as a spare or try to sell it for a few bucks. I have a Late 2013 MBP that I've been squeezing the last bits of life out of. I'm hoping they release the new MBP's soon, then this will become the wife's laptop...until she breaks it. :)
 
Spectradigm said:
As others have already mentioned, since you've already replaced the speakers multiple times, it doesn't seem worth replacing them again. And if the dead pixels aren't affecting your ability to use the laptop, I wouldn't spend the money to get the screen replaced. I would save my money and put it towards a new laptop, either one of the current M1's or the new MBP's when they come out. You can either hang on to this one as a spare or try to sell it for a few bucks. I have a Late 2013 MBP that I've been squeezing the last bits of life out of. I'm hoping they release the new MBP's soon, then this will become the wife's laptop...until she breaks it. :)
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wow youre really saving your posts eh!? ;)
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another option is to use it as media device connected to a tv. then the screen and speakers arent even needed.
 
+1 for M1. I have a 13" mbp with m1 and its amazing. Runs circles around the maxed out 2018 mini I had. The only think I truly miss is being able to hook up an egpu, but honestly the graphics performance is just fine.

Also, you could turn your old one into a really good HTPC, especially if you have bought into the apple ecosystem.
 
My wife just picked up a m1, she uses it for light work for a few hours a day. college papers and research... she hasnt charged it in over a week or 2 at this point. Its really something else.
 
I use one at work, and aside from performance (which is still great) I can go well over a day or two under hard use without a charge.
 
mischief08a said:
she charges pretty quick also...I usually plug it in during lunch (for an hour) and you'd be surprised how fast it goes.
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Does fast charging reduces the battery life? There is a reason why Apple didn't implement wireless fast charging with the iPhones
 
Im not sure. I can ask IT in an hour when I get to work.

Ill run the battery to completely dead today (or tomorrow) and time how long it takes to fully recharge. On a normal day Ill run the battery down say to 35-45% and plug it in during lunch. Come back around an hour later and she's fully charged. Use it all of the afternoon/that evening. Then the following day use it all day and charge at end of day.
 
mischief08a said:
she charges pretty quick also...I usually plug it in during lunch (for an hour) and you'd be surprised how fast it goes.
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1 hr to 80% is pretty common on usb-c charging pc models too.

maverick786us said:
Does fast charging reduces the battery life? There is a reason why Apple didn't implement wireless fast charging with the iPhones
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yeah it can but youll buy a new one before its really an issue.
 
So I asked the IT guys about the reduction in battery life
they said we keep them 24-30 months and then sell them to some company that we have a contract with (who prob "refurbs" them and tosses on ebay)

either way they said...it wouldnt matter in the time we have them.
 
mischief08a said:
So I asked the IT guys about the reduction in battery life
they said we keep them 24-30 months and then sell them to some company that we have a contract with (who prob "refurbs" them and tosses on ebay)

either way they said...it wouldnt matter in the time we have them.
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Thanks Mischief

It makes sense, though I keep a MacBook for 6-7 years. Unlike iPhones its not something that i would upgrade ever 2-3 years. I have Galaxy Note 10 LIte it has fast charging, it can be disabled in the settings, so i disabled it to extend its battery life. Does your MacBook pro provides a way to disable fast charging?

Don't get me wrong. I like fast charging, but like I don't upgrade MacBooks often, so once the battery health reduces to 90% I will probably replace it. These MacBook once gets older, its hard find a new battery
 
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Another vote for switching to the M1. I got an MBA M1 and its hella fast for the apps on it. I still game on PC but for portable productivity, the Mac has been a upgrade (not to mention crazy good battery life). I used to use a Dell XPS 13 for my office work and those were great but the x86 just can't compete on horsepower with the new M1 chips in the new Macs.

Makes me wonder about the future of windows vs the mac OS from an efficiency standpoint.
 
My experience with the M1 mac is different than most, as my use case for them is very different. Without bringing my opinions into this, I will say that the M1 macs do have significantly more issues with printing compared to the older macbooks (which also have significantly more problems than windows). Most drivers need to be run with Rosetta2 compatibility, and I get a lot of strange postscript errors.

Theres also significant loss of functionality in regards to startup options, if that matters to you.
 
maverick786us said:
How is the speaker quality? I read the review in Engadget. Does the speakers sounds like listening to two small bookshelf speakers, with transparent vocals and punchy bass?
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I wouldn't say the sound resembles a pair of small bookshelf speakers. It's a robust sound for built in laptop speakers. Much better than the audio from my XPS 13 and 15 laptops, to be sure.

The thickness is definitely noticeable especially compared to XPS laptops. I don't like it. As others have stated, it seems that Apple made the conscious decision to build a line of truly professional level laptops and a more consumer/student oriented one with the Air, if the 2022 renders are to be believed.
 
Mad Maxx said:
I wouldn't say the sound resembles a pair of small bookshelf speakers. It's a robust sound for built in laptop speakers. Much better than the audio from my XPS 13 and 15 laptops, to be sure.

The thickness is definitely noticeable especially compared to XPS laptops. I don't like it. As others have stated, it seems that Apple made the conscious decision to build a line of truly professional level laptops and a more consumer/student oriented one with the Air, if the 2022 renders are to be believed.
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I won't have much problem with the thickness.
If i remember correctly some of those common faults in MBP 2016 models were...

1. Buttery keyboard - keys dying
2. Speakers burst.
3. Some cases where the whole MacBook bricked, (I have a known case, where his MBP 13 died mysteriously, he had to spend 900$ to get the motherboard replaced)

must have been caused by making it extremely thin, so i believe by corrected those faults by making it slightly thick.

The issues that i came across with my 2015 MBP, never happened with my any of my other apple devices, )iPhone and my iPaid Air, first generation, which I no longer use but its still good to go for reading and browsing).
Looking into these latest MacBooks, 6 speakers, a sub-woofer, based in my experience it gives bit of a scary feeling, what might happen to them after using it for 3-4 years
 
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