It's starting to show its age, but I've been using a 2019 MacBook Pro with the Intel chip and 16GB of memory. Still handles multiple terminal sessions with Claude Code and Codex simultaneously, building in Xcode, running Docker in the background, etc.
(Maybe the fans sometimes sound like they're a jet engine taking off…)
Finally just put an order in for a new 16" MBP M5 Max with 48GB memory only because it looks like they're going to stop supporting the Intel stuff this year and no more software updates. It'll probably be obsolete in six months with the rate things are going, but I've been averaging seven years between upgrades so it should be good!
Oh my. All I have to say is cherish the first week of your M* experience. :D When I got rid of my intel MBP (it was an i7) for my MBA it was astonishing how fast and smooth it was.
So, the m5 with 48gb of ram will be amazing.
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Still using that 2019 MBP (16 inch, 16G memory) as a daily work machine.
Is still handling the load well, though at times, fans get quite loud, especially with all the background processes and VM setups.
Hope to get a new MBP this year, as being on Intel means lots of software that won't run on it (ie, Codex app for example, won't run on Intel Macs)
Well, Claude Cod and Codex should be doing most of their heavy lifting in the cloud?
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I use a 2015 MacBook Pro all the time--like right now. It does have 16GB of memory. It's what sits on my dining room table where I do most of my writing/browsing and which I take for travel. I do have an Apple Silicon MacBook Pro in my office but my downstairs "office" is a lot lighter and airier.
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Try running Teams on it though!
Former employee of mine had the 2019 MBP as well. After a few years he had the same problem with the fans -- if you haven't already, pop it open and clean the fans and vents. You'll probably need a little brush along with compressed air. Lots of stuff comes up on Google. Great machine btw. Good luck!
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