What is the best replacement/upgrade for the 2015 MacBook Pro 15’?

A few notes:

• The closest match for an Intel MacBook Pro with a 15" or 16" screen would be a 14" or 16" MacBook Pro that has a {M1/M2/M3} Pro or {M1/M2/M3} Max chip. In Intel days, the 15" and 16" models got the best CPUs and GPUs – probably partly because they were higher-end models, and partly for thermal/cooling reasons. Now it is the Macs with Pro and Max chips that have the best CPUs and GPUs. (Short of a few very expensive Macs with Ultra chips that consist of two Max chips joined back-to-back, and that are overkill for most people.)

• In the Intel days, there was a definite difference between the amount of computing power you could get in the 13" line, and the amount you could get in the 15"/16" lines. Not so much in the Apple Silicon days. High-end 13" Intel MBPs gave way to 14" Apple Silicon MBPs based on Pro and Max chips, and with those, just about anything that you can get on the 16" models, you can also get in the 14" models. Apple Silicon is generally more efficient – in terms of energy consumption and waste heat – which makes it more practical to put "the good stuff" in a smaller chassis.

• Low-end 13" Intel MBPs with only two USB-C (Thunderbolt) ports gave way to the 13" M1 and M2 MacBook Pros (which were very much like MacBook Airs) and 14" MacBook Pros with base M3 chips (a sort of "half and half"). None of the M1/M2/M3 MacBook Airs, 13" M1/M2 MacBook Pros, or 14" (base) M3 MacBook Pros support using two external monitors when the lid is open. (In many cases, the limit is one even when the lid is closed.)

• Single-core CPU performance is very similar between 'base', Pro, and Max chips within the same generation. So often the reason to choose the higher-end Pro/Max processors and the machines containing them comes down to other things: more GPU cores, more expansion ports, support for more displays, the ability to take more RAM.

• RAM is not expandable on any Apple Silicon Mac. (But then it wasn't expandable on Intel-based Retina MBPs.)

• Internal SSD space is not expandable on any Apple Silicon Mac notebook. There are options for adding external storage, including high-speed storage, but don't count on internal upgrade kits becoming available (they won't).

• 14" and 16" Apple Silicon MacBook Pros have screens with somewhat higher PPIs than other Retina notebooks.

If you want to stick with the MacBook Pro line, you can choose either the 14" or 16" MacBook Pros. I don't recommend the base model, as it lacks too many features the M3 Pro and M3 Max processors have. I also don't recommend 8GB RAM...go with at least 16GB RAM. And internal SSD storage as large as you can afford.

If you want to stick with the 15" screen size, then you'd shift your gaze to the MacBook Air. Again, go with at least 16GB RAM and as much internal SSD as possible.

But really, it boils down to what apps you use....and you didn't provide many details on that. Along with the apps, you'll want to know how many external monitors you'll want to connect. The MacBook Air is limited to 2 external monitors, or 1 external monitor plus the MacBook Air's display. Last, but not least, consider what you'll be connecting to your Mac, as the MacBook Pro offers more connections than the MacBook Air.

Jake1998J wrote:

My 2015 MacBook 15 Pro has been damaged beyond repair since it’s obsolete so what are the best upgrade/replacement from this model?

Take your pick, what suits you best—

ref: https://www.apple.com/mac/