Apple MacBook Pro 13.3" Core i5 2.7GHz 2015 Review
An old Intel MacBook Pro for $205 sounds like a steal, but its slow CPU and tiny 8GB of RAM make it a tough sell in 2024.
Overview
This is an older MacBook Pro, and it shows. It's got an Intel Core i5 from a few generations back, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. That's the kind of spec sheet you'd expect from a budget machine today, not a Pro laptop.
But it's still a MacBook Pro. The build quality is solid, it runs macOS, and it's incredibly reliable. That 96th percentile reliability score is no joke. This thing was built to last.
Performance
Performance is where this MacBook shows its age. The CPU lands in the 23rd percentile, so it's going to feel slow for anything demanding. The integrated graphics are even weaker, sitting in the 18th percentile. It's fine for web browsing and basic office work, but don't even think about gaming or video editing. The 8GB of RAM and small 256GB storage are also major bottlenecks in 2024.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Legendary Apple build quality and reliability. 95th
- Excellent macOS experience. 86th
- Compact and portable 13.3-inch design.
- Great for basic, everyday computing tasks.
Cons
- The Intel i5 CPU is slow by modern standards. 9th
- Only 8GB of RAM is a severe limitation. 17th
- The 256GB SSD fills up incredibly fast. 21th
- Integrated graphics are useless for any kind of gaming. 22th
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Intel Core i5 |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 8 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB |
Display
| Size | 13.3" |
Connectivity
| Bluetooth | Yes |
Physical
| OS | macOS |
Value & Pricing
At $205, the value proposition is weird. It's cheap for a MacBook Pro, but you're getting very old, limited hardware. You could spend a bit more on a used M1 MacBook Air and get a machine that's lightyears faster, with better battery life and a better screen. This only makes sense if your budget is absolutely capped and you need macOS.
Price History
vs Competition
Compared to a used M1 MacBook Air, this Intel MacBook Pro loses badly. The M1 is faster, more efficient, and has a better screen. Against a modern Windows ultrabook like the ASUS Zenbook Duo, you're trading macOS for vastly more powerful and versatile hardware. Even a business laptop like the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s offers better specs for productivity. This MacBook's main advantage is its rock-bottom price for the Apple ecosystem.
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 13.3" Core i5 2.7GHz | Lenovo Yoga Lenovo - Yoga 7i 2-in-1 - Copilot+ PC - 14" 2K | ASUS ZenBook ASUS - Zenbook A14 14" FHD+ OLED Laptop - Copilot+ | HP OmniBook X Flip HP - OmniBook X Flip 2-in-1 - Copilot+ PC - 14" 2K | Dell Plus Dell - Plus - Copilot+ PC - 14" 2K 2-in-1 | Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge Samsung - Galaxy Book4 Edge - Copilot+ PC - 16" AMOLED Touch-Screen Laptop - Snapdragon X Elite 3.8Ghz- 16GB Memory- 1TB Storage - Sapphire Blue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i5 | Intel Core Ultra 7 256V | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 | Intel Core Ultra 5 226V | AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 | Snapdragon X Elite |
| RAM (GB) | 8 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Storage (GB) | 256 | 1000 | 512 | 512 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Screen | 13.3" | 14" 1920x1200 | 14" 1920x1200 | 14" 1920x1200 | 14" 1920x1200 | 16" 2880x1800 |
| GPU | - | Intel Arc Graphics | Qualcomm X1 | Intel Arc Graphics | AMD Radeon 840 | Snapdragon Qualcomm Adreno |
| OS | macOS | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
| Weight (kg) | - | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.5 |
| Battery (Wh) | - | 70 | - | - | - | - |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Cpu | Gpu | Ram | Port | Screen | Compact | Storage | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple MacBook Pro 13.3" Core i5 2.7GHz | 31.6 | 20.6 | 17.4 | 9.3 | 27.3 | 85.8 | 21.7 | 94.8 |
| Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 14" 2K Compare | 69 | 66.6 | 72.4 | 93.6 | 76.1 | 80 | 72.3 | 75.6 |
| ASUS ZenBook A14 14" Compare | 91.1 | 42 | 72.4 | 97.2 | 76.1 | 88.2 | 49.1 | 55.8 |
| HP OmniBook X Flip OmniBook X Flip 2-in-1 14" 2K Touch-Screen Compare | 62.6 | 66.6 | 72.4 | 96.8 | 66.4 | 80.5 | 49.1 | 30.5 |
| Dell Plus Plus 14" 2K 2-in-1 Compare | 76.6 | 61.8 | 71.7 | 97.9 | 52.1 | 74.5 | 72.3 | 30.5 |
| Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge Samsung - Galaxy Book4 Edge - Copilot+ PC - 16" AMOLED Touch-Screen Laptop - Snapdragon X Elite 3.8Ghz- 16GB Memory- 1TB Storage - Sapphire Blue Compare | 99.3 | 42 | 60.9 | 99.4 | 92.2 | 44.5 | 64.5 | 75.6 |
Verdict
Only buy this if you're on an extreme budget and absolutely need a Mac for the simplest tasks. It's a decent web browsing and email machine, but that's about it. Students or business users who need to run more than a few browser tabs should look elsewhere. For everyone else, saving up for an M-series Mac or a modern Windows laptop is a much smarter investment.