You’re looking at that sleek aluminum slab. It’s thin. It’s light. It has that iconic glowing—wait, no, the 2017 model doesn't have the glowing logo. It has the polished chrome one. Honestly, the MacBook Pro 13.3 2017 is a bit of a polarizing figure in the history of Apple's portable lineup. Some people call it the "dark ages" of the Mac. Others see it as a budget-friendly entry point into the ecosystem.
Buying one today isn't as simple as checking a box.
It was a transitional year. Apple was doubling down on the "USB-C only" lifestyle and that controversial butterfly keyboard. If you're scouring eBay or Back Market for a deal, you've probably seen these floating around for remarkably low prices. There is a reason for that. But there is also a reason they are still selling.
Let's get into the weeds of what this machine actually is, minus the marketing fluff.
The Butterfly in the Room: Keyboard Realities
We have to talk about the keyboard. If we don't, I'm doing you a disservice. The 2017 13-inch model uses the second-generation butterfly mechanism. It’s clicky. It’s loud. It has almost zero travel. Some people actually love the tactile "snap" it provides, but the reliability is the real headline here.
Small bits of dust or crumbs could—and often did—render a key useless.
Apple eventually launched a massive service program for these. Most of those programs have expired by now because we are well past the four-year coverage window from the original purchase date. If you buy a MacBook Pro 13.3 2017 now and the "G" key starts double-typing, you’re likely looking at a full top-case replacement. That isn't cheap. It's basically a total teardown of the laptop.
Two Ports vs. Four Ports: The Great Divide
The 2017 13.3-inch model came in two distinct flavors. This is where most buyers get confused.
First, there’s the model without the Touch Bar. It has two Thunderbolt 3 ports on the left side and a physical row of Function keys. Think of this as the "Pro-lite" or the spiritual successor to the MacBook Air of that era. It used a 15W dual-core processor.
Then you have the Touch Bar version.
This one has four Thunderbolt 3 ports (two on each side) and a slightly more powerful 28W processor. It also has better cooling with two fans instead of one. If you’re doing anything beyond browsing Chrome—like some light 1080p video editing in Final Cut or heavy spreadsheet work—the four-port model is significantly better at sustained workloads. The two-port version tends to throttle its speed pretty quickly when things get hot.
Screen Quality and the "Flexgate" Concern
The display on the MacBook Pro 13.3 2017 is actually beautiful. It’s a Retina display with 500 nits of brightness and P3 wide color gamut support. Even by today's standards, it wipes the floor with most mid-range Windows laptops. The colors are accurate. The text is sharp.
But there’s a catch.
You might have heard of "Flexgate." This is a known issue where the flexible ribbon cable connecting the controller board to the display starts to fray over time. This happens because the cable is literally wrapped around the hinge. When it fails, you get a "stage light" effect at the bottom of the screen, or the backlight just dies entirely when the lid is opened past a certain angle.
While the 2016 model was the primary victim, the 2017 units weren't totally immune. It’s something to keep an eye on when buying used. Look for any flickering or uneven lighting at the bottom of the panel before handing over your cash.
Performance in the Modern Era
Software moves fast. In 2017, a dual-core Intel Core i5 or i7 was standard. Today? It’s a dinosaur.
Apple’s transition to M-series silicon (M1, M2, M3) changed the baseline for what we expect from a laptop. A 2017 MacBook Pro is going to feel "fine" for basic tasks. Writing a paper? Great. Checking email? Perfect. Streaming Netflix? Excellent.
Try to open 40 Chrome tabs while running a Zoom call and Spotify in the background, though. You will hear the fans. They will spin up to a high-pitched whine. The bottom of the chassis will get warm—sometimes uncomfortably so.
- RAM: Most of these units shipped with 8GB. Since it’s soldered to the board, you can’t upgrade it. In 2026, 8GB is the bare minimum. If you can find a rare 16GB configuration, jump on it.
- Storage: The non-Touch Bar model actually has a removable SSD, which is a rarity for Apple. You can use an adapter to put a standard M.2 NVMe drive in there. The Touch Bar model, however, has the SSD soldered down. You’re stuck with whatever it came with.
- Battery Life: Don't expect the 10 hours Apple originally promised. Most of these batteries have hundreds of cycles on them by now. You're likely looking at 3 to 5 hours of real-world use unless the previous owner had the battery replaced recently.
macOS Support: The Looming Cutoff
This is the big one. Apple is notoriously aggressive about dropping support for older Intel hardware. The MacBook Pro 13.3 2017 is already on the chopping block for the latest macOS versions. While you can use tools like OpenCore Legacy Patcher to force newer versions of macOS onto the machine, it’s not a seamless experience for a casual user.
Security updates usually persist for a couple of years after the main OS support ends, but you’re essentially buying a machine that is reaching the end of its official life cycle.
✨ Don't miss: Who Is Phone Number Reverse Lookup: How It Actually Works and Why Most Tools Fail
If you need the latest features like Universal Control or the newest Safari optimizations, this might not be the droid you’re looking for. However, for someone who just needs a "browser box" that looks professional, it still holds up.
Real World Usage: My Friend’s Experience
A colleague of mine, Sarah, still uses her 2017 13-inch for her freelance writing business. She refuses to upgrade. Why? She loves the form factor. It’s incredibly thin. To her, the keyboard feels "precise," and she’s one of the lucky few who hasn't had a single key fail.
She did, however, have to buy a dongle for everything.
The transition to USB-C was rough in 2017. Today, it’s easier because most peripherals have caught up. But if you have an old USB-A thumb drive or a HDMI monitor, you’re going to be living that #DongleLife. It’s an extra $30 to $50 for a decent hub that you have to carry everywhere.
Is the Price Right?
You should not be paying premium prices for this laptop. Seriously.
If you see a MacBook Pro 13.3 2017 for more than $300, you are likely overpaying. At that price point, you are dangerously close to the price of a used MacBook Air M1, which is a vastly superior machine in every measurable way—battery life, speed, heat management, and keyboard reliability.
The only reason to choose the 2017 Pro over an M1 Air is if your budget is strictly under $200 and you absolutely need a Mac for specific software.
Technical Breakdown (The Boring But Necessary Stuff)
To understand what you're buying, you need to look at the chips. The non-Touch Bar model (A1708) uses Kaby Lake processors like the i5-7360U. It’s a 15W part. The Touch Bar version (A1706) uses the i5-7267U, which draws 28W.
The difference isn't just power consumption.
The 28W chip has Iris Plus 650 graphics, while the 15W chip has Iris Plus 640. Neither is a gaming powerhouse. You can play Minecraft or maybe some very light indie titles, but don't expect to run modern AAA games. This is a productivity machine, through and through.
The cooling system is also a major factor. The A1708 (no Touch Bar) has a single fan and a shorter heat pipe. It gets loud under pressure. The A1706 has two fans and a more robust thermal design, making it slightly more tolerable during intensive tasks.
Why Some People Still Buy Them
There is a niche for everything.
Some people buy these specifically to run Windows via Boot Camp. Since this is an Intel Mac, it runs Windows 10 or 11 natively and quite well. Apple's newer M-series chips have to use virtualization (like Parallels), which isn't always perfect. If you’re a developer who needs a native Windows environment on a high-quality screen for cheap, the 2017 Pro is an interesting candidate.
Others just like the aesthetics. There's no denying that Apple's 2016-2019 design language was the peak of "thin and light" obsession. It looks stunning on a coffee shop table.
Actionable Steps Before You Buy
If you’ve decided that the 2017 model fits your budget and needs, don't just click "buy" on the first listing you see. You need to do some detective work.
- Check the Cycle Count: Ask the seller for the battery cycle count. If it’s over 500, factor in the cost of a replacement (roughly $100-$150 at a shop).
- The "Space Bar" Test: Ask the seller specifically if any keys stick or repeat. The space bar and the "E" key are usually the first to go on the butterfly keyboard.
- Inspect the Screen: Ask for a photo of the screen on a pure white background at high brightness. Look for the "stage light" shadows at the bottom.
- Check the Ports: USB-C ports on these can get "loose" over time. Ensure the charger doesn't fall out if you wiggle it slightly.
- Look for the 16GB Model: If you find a 16GB RAM version, it will extend the usable life of the machine by at least two years. 8GB is already struggling with modern web bloat.
The MacBook Pro 13.3 2017 isn't a "bad" computer, but it is a "risky" one. It represents an era where Apple pushed the envelope on design at the expense of durability. If you can find one for a steal, and you're aware of the keyboard and screen quirks, it can still be a workhorse. Just don't expect it to keep up with the silent, cool, and incredibly fast M-series Macs that followed it.
If you’re a student on a shoestring budget or someone who just needs a second "beater" laptop for the road, this might be your best bet for getting a Retina screen under $250. Just keep a compressed air can handy for those keys. You might need it.
Next Steps for Potential Buyers:
- Verify the Model: Ensure you know if you are getting the Function Key model (A1708) or the Touch Bar model (A1706) as their internal cooling and performance differ wildly.
- Budget for a Hub: Since you only have USB-C ports, look for a "7-in-1" USB-C hub that includes HDMI and USB-A to make the laptop actually usable with your existing gear.
- Check Trade-In Values: Sometimes, buying a broken 2017 model and trading it into a site like Gazelle or back to Apple (if they have a promo) can actually net you a profit toward a newer M1 or M2 model.