MacBooks always have been at the pinnacle of the computer market. The powerful, fast, durable, and stylish laptops from Apple seem to have not downsides, except from maybe the high prices. But we think that the user experience and the longevity of the MacBooks completely justify the higher prices.
MacBooks are the first choice for people who want professional-grade laptops that can easily handle the workload. The ultra-powerful and super-fast MacBooks make the perfect work partner, no matter what field you belong to. The hardware, the build quality, and the abilities help them perform the best in any sort of user environment.
Whether you are into coding, programming, editing, graphics design, web design, accounting, or any field for that matter, a MacBook can run every program you need and provide high-level performance.
In this article, we are going to compare two powerhouse models of the MacBook Pro. The i5 vs i7 MacBook Pro comparison will help you decide which one suits your needs better and which one you should buy. First, we will compare the hardware specifications of the i5 vs. i7 MacBook Pro and then move towards their detailed reviews.
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i5 Vs i7 MacBook Pro
The main difference between i5 Vs i7 MacBook Pro is CPU, Storage options, and Battery performance. It isn’t surprising that the more expensive mode i7 MacBook Pro has a better processor and offers a longer battery life. However, there are plenty of other factors to consider before buying a laptop aside from the hardware specifications. So, we are going to give you a review of both these MacBook Pro models so you can decide which one you should buy. So, let’s get into it.
[amazon table=”928″]MacBook Pro i5 Review
With new models rolling out every year, Apple’s limited laptop series is getting bigger and better than ever before. The MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro laptops are getting stronger and stronger each year to match the demands of the users.
Even if Apple doesn’t make too many changes to the design of their MacBooks every year, they do make significant changes to the hardware. Constantly innovating and trying to make better, faster, and more powerful workhorses, Apple takes a lot of pride in their MacBooks. One such highly rated MacBook is the MacBook Pro i5.
Let’s take a look at what makes the MacBook Pro so good and whether the i5 model is worth your money or not.
[amazon box=”B08821TJLG”]Performance
Apple always boasts about their high-performing MacBooks, especially the MacBook Pro models, so we decided to put them to the test. We tested the CPU performance, the GPU performance, and the battery life as well. And we weren’t really surprised that the MacBook Pro i5 gave above-average results.
The Dual-Core Intel i5-5257U processor provided fast and seamless processing speeds. The 2.7 GHz frequency, which reaches 3.1 GHz with its TurboBoost, easily beats the competition with power to spare. Using performance measuring tools like Geekbench, the i5 MacBook Pro’s results were significantly better than similar range i5 laptops from the likes of Samsung, Dell, and HP.
To give you an idea in terms of real-time processing, the MacBook Pro was able to process and sort up to 40,000 Excel entries in less than 5 minutes 40 seconds. The closest any other laptop came to this time was 7 minutes, and the laptop was the MacBook Air. Similar i5 laptops from Dell and Samsung took over 9 minutes for the same processing.
The fact that the i5 MacBook Pro has 8GB of RAM and uses an SSD hard drive certainly adds to the overall performance as well. Processing documents, surfing the internet, and enjoying multimedia in the background is a smooth process with the i5 MacBook Pro. If you are a MacBook user and are using the previous model at the moment, we assure you this is a worthy upgrade.
The one limitation is the gaming. Even though the i5 MacBook Pro gets an upgraded GPU, it still isn’t powerful enough to run games with ultra-HD graphics. It has the Intel IRIS Graphics 6100 GPU but lacks any dedicated graphics card to run intense games like GTA V or Fortnite. However, you can still enjoy games like Call Of Duty: Black Ops II/III, Minecraft, and other games with similar graphics and hardware requirements.
The battery performance is what impressed us the most. Apple says that the MacBook Pro i5 lasts up to 8 hours. However, we were very surprised when it lasted for more than 10 hours under intense multitasking. We were browsing the internet, running multiple HD videos in the background, and making important documents at the same time. So, if you like laptops with long-lasting batteries, there aren’t many better than the i5 MacBook Pro at the moment.
Another high-performing aspect is the display screen. The newer Retina display provides better picture quality and improves the aesthetics of the latest macOS X with Yosemite. The screen is bright, produces more robust and vivid colors, and offers great contrast. Overall, it’s one of the best displays on MacBooks yet.
Design
Apple’s devices usually have the best design and build quality. Maybe that’s why they don’t tweak the outer design of their devices too much. Whether it’s mobile phones, tablets, or laptops, Apple likes to continue the same design for as long as it can. The same applies to the MacBook Pro i5.
The aluminum chassis and body of the MacBook Pro stay the same as its predecessor. Even the screen size, the overall dimensions, and the weight are the same. It weighs almost three and a half pounds. The size and the weight make it easy to carry around, and the aluminum build makes it sturdy enough to handle travels.
They say that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and Apple totally believes in this saying. We wouldn’t be surprised if they continue with the same design for the next MacBook as well.
Keyboard &TouchPad
Another thing that stays the same is the keyboard. It is backlit and just as comfortable to type on as the previous MacBook models. The keys are bouncy, which offers a great response. The keyboard itself feels spacious and very comfortable to type on. There is still no space for a separate Numpad, though.
The touchpad is where Apple has made some real advancements. The so-called Force Touchpad is much different from your typical touchpad. Instead of buttons, the clicks of the touchpad happen with the amount of force you apply. With the Force Touchpad, you get extra functionalities like accessing certain areas in any given app just by pressing and holding the touchpad.
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MacBook Pro i7 Review
We saw the MacBook Pro i5, also called the base model, and now we are going to review the upgraded model, which is the MacBook Pro i7. As you would expect about any upgraded model, the MacBook Pro i7 also gets mostly hardware upgrades. There are no changes to the laptop design itself. The size and the features are the same as the i5 MacBook Pro.
The only real difference, which is quite important for most people, is the performance. The MacBook Pro i7 brings more power, more speed, and more stability than the base i5 model. That makes it the perfect choice for people who are in the market for a heavy-duty high-performing workhorse laptop.
In our i7 model review, we will talk about the differences and also mention some of the features that we couldn’t in the review of the base model. So, let’s get into it.
[amazon box=”B08DTPQ9XB”]Performance
The biggest difference between the base model and the upgraded model of the Macbook Pro is the performance. When comparing the i5 vs. i7 MacBook Pro, there is only one winner; the i7 MacBook Pro, and it is completely understandable. The powerful Dual-Core Intel i7-5557U 3.1 GHz processor, which goes up to 3.4 GHz with TurboBoost, provides snappy and stable performance.
Another big upgrade in the i7 MacBook Pro is the RAM. the i5 base model only has 8GB of RAM, but the i7 upgraded model supports 16GB of RAM. Analyzing the different performance measuring tool results, the performance of the i7 was not only better than the i5 model but also its competition in every manner as well.
It handles entertainment and works in an equally good manner. The HD screen with 2560 x 1600 resolution and 300 nits brightness level provides bright and HD picture quality. The SIX stereo speakers provide loud audio for movies and music. All that run by the new and smoother macOS version makes the i7 MacBook Pro is the perfect mixture of a workhorse and an entertainment unit.
One thing we were expecting an upgrade of but let us down was the GPU. We were expecting an upgrade to the GPU, so we could finally enjoy the games that the i5 base model couldn’t run. But the i7 model also has the same Intel IRIS Graphics 6100. So, if you were expecting a GPU upgrade, sorry to tell you, it’s not coming.
The battery life does get another boost, though. The i5 model has up to 10 hours of battery backup, but the i7 model provides up to 12 hours of battery life with a single charge. When you consider the hardware upgrades, the i7 model gets a better processor, a bigger RAM, and a bigger battery. All these things vastly improve an already powerful MacBook Pro.
We would say that if you are looking for high performance, comparing the i5 vs. i7 MacBook Pro isn’t fair. Because definitely the upgraded model will have more power and provide better performance than the base model.
Design
Both the base MacBook Pro model (i5) and the upgraded model (i7) have the same design. They weigh exactly the same, have the same screen size as well as the same overall dimensions.
One flaw that we didn’t mention in the base model review is the SD card slot problem. When you insert an SD card into the MacBook Pro, it doesn’t go all the way in; it just sticks out a little bit. It’s not a major problem, but it can cause damage to the SD card if you put the laptop in your bag with the SD card still sticking out.
It’s not a manufacturing fault; it’s by design. Why? Nobody knows. But if it was a manufacturing fault, Apple would have fixed it by now because it is prevalent in previous models too.
Sound & Webcam
We talked about the keyboard and the touchpad of the Macbook Pro in the above review. The i7 model has the same backlit keyboard and the same force touchpad as well. Now we are going to tell you about the webcam and the speakers of this MacBook Pro.
Webcams on laptops are one of the most ignored pieces of hardware. Even the biggest brands often undermine the importance of a good webcam and use low-quality webcams that barely show the face during video calls. However, the webcam of the MacBook Pro i7 is far from those low-quality and grainy webcams. The HD Facetime webcam produces a clear picture. Video calls feel much better, and the other person can actually see your face.
The speakers of the MacBook Pro are of fine quality as well. The exhaust vents on the bottom also act as the speaker outlet. The six speakers, three on either side, produce relatively loud and clear audio with considerable bass. You can definitely enjoy movies and music with the mix of HD Retina Display and SIX stereo speakers.
Conclusion
If you only consider performance, the winner between i5 vs. i7 MacBook Pro is the upgraded model, i.e., i7 MacBook Pro. However, some people don’t need that much power and don’t want to spend the extra money as well. And it’s not like the base power is a low-tier laptop. The i5 model is a high-performing device as well. So, in the end, it all comes down to your needs. You need to have a clear idea of your needs before buying any laptop.
For us, both the i5 and the i7 models are equally good, and we suggest only one to you. We will only say that if you want the best performance, the i7 MacBook Pro is the better choice for i5 vs. i7 MacBook Pro comparison.
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