Otherwise there's 4GB of 1600MHz DDR3L memory as standard – double that of the 2011 model – with 8GB a $100 upgrade. For most mobile users that's probably an acceptable compromise in the name of portability and battery life, though if you plan on doing any HD video editing – or, indeed, gaming – then the limitations of the HD Graphics 4000 chipset will soon make themselves clear. Unlike the larger MacBook Pro there's no discrete graphics option, and you can only drive one external display, not two. However, I will never again own a computing device that will work as hard, as reliably, for such a long time as my trusty mid 2012 15' MBP.Each model uses Intel HD Graphics 4000, the onboard GPU paired with Ivy Bridge processors. The new M series processors are a harbinger that the time for such a change is approaching sooner than later. I am aware that eventually, I will have to break down and buy a new MBP. While the new MBPs are lighter and have longer battery life, they hold little performance edge over this machine in my day to day use of the machine as INTEL has done little to really advance processors in a meaningful way over the years since this machine was designed. This machine is fast, reliable and delight to use. The logic board nor the display on this machine have ever faltered. I upgraded the machine to Big Sur using a popular patching program along with an upgrade to the latest Broadcom WiFi/BT card (thanks to an enterprising young man) and am running 11.2 currently with no issues outside the ones that are plaguing even the newest MBPs. Both fans have been replaced and most recently I replaced the right side speakers as the woofer section had started to rattle. I have replaced the keyboard only ONCE in that entire time. The 1TB HDD is still used as an in-machine Time Machine drive for Big Sur. I upgraded to 1TB SSD and a 1TB HDD and moved to APFS once Catalina came along using the HDD as an in-machine daily clone backup drive (used SuperDuper until Big Sur negated the ability to easily create a bootable clone).

I upgraded the SSD to a larger one and rolled the SSD and HDD into a FUSION drive using the tools apple made available to anyone comfortable with the command line, which I ran with zero issues for several years. I swapped out the super drive (CD/DVD burner) for an SSD (initially a relatively small one to just hold the OS). I upgraded the HDD several times (started life as a 256MB HDD). This machine has a full compliment of ports with NO dongles needed! I upgraded the ram over time to its max 16GB. This machine was the last of the totally user repairable notebooks Apple made.

Without question, a fine example of solid engineering.

My daughter gave me this machine as a christmas present in late 2012. I am among those still using a mid 2012 non-retina 15' MBP.

Apple macbook pro 13 inch mid 2012