2018 15-inch MacBook Pro with Omarchy
Eight release-specific owner accounts establish a usable Linux path, but suspend, graphics power, audio and fan control still demand T2-specific work.
MacBookPro15,1 is not enough to identify the year. The 2018 release uses 8th-generation Core i7-8750H, i7-8850H or i9-8950HK processors and Apple part-number families MR932, MR942, MR952, MR962, MR972 and MUQH2. Apple reused MacBookPro15,1 for the 2019 15-inch model.
Bottom line
This Mac can run Omarchy, and exact owners have working reports for the internal display, keyboard, trackpad, Wi-Fi, Touch Bar and USB-C video. The difficult parts are connected: Radeon power state, T2 audio, Thunderbolt and the Apple BCE input stack can all change what happens at suspend. Current owners have found working configurations, failed second sleep cycles and fallbacks that only mimic sleep. The upstream hybrid-graphics patch is promising, but it was still under review on the date of this profile.
Should you use or buy it?
If you already own this Mac, keep macOS recovery available, start with Omarchy's supported T2 path and test several lid-close cycles with the GPU mode, audio and peripherals you actually use. If you are shopping, the used price must compensate for soldered memory and storage, the butterfly keyboard and more Linux maintenance than a conventional PC requires.
- Screen size
- 15.4 inchesSource
- Dimensions (W × D × H)
- 13.75 × 9.48 × 0.61 inchesSource
- Weight
- 4.02 poundsApple says weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process.Source
- Release
- Available July 12, 2018Source
- Launch price
- $2,399Base configurationApple updates the MacBook Pro
- Used asking price
- $249–$559Mixed Core i7 and i9 configurations; median ask $299 · used and refurbished · observed Sept. 2, 2026 · 7 listings2018 15-inch MacBook Pro asking-price sample
Current figures are dated asking prices, not completed sales or appraisals.
Compatibility
- Working reports
- Problems reported
- Mixed results
- Evidence, no verdict
Before you buy
Match the seller's exact model and configuration to the findings above. Check the return period, condition, included charger and delivered price before ordering.
- Check listings at ebay.com · price source checked Sept. 2, 2026
These are the sources behind the dated asking prices, not a live stock check. Searches and catalogs may include other configurations. We have not tested or endorsed individual listings.
These links are untagged; Omarchy Hardware earns no referral commission from them. How we handle commercial links.
Detailed findings
Install and boot
Exact owners have reached Omarchy, Arch, CachyOS, Fedora, Linux Mint and Debian desktops on this release. In 2019, an Arch install required a custom kernel, an external keyboard and copied Apple wireless firmware. Omarchy's current Intel Mac path now installs the T2 kernel, audio configuration, wireless firmware, fan service and basic Touch Bar support.
In practice The installation path has improved substantially, but Omarchy's supported route still requires disabling Apple's Secure Boot and erases the drive. Preserve macOS recovery and any Apple firmware you may need before installation.
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro Arch installation guide, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro sleep on Omarchy, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro on T2 Linux Mint, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro lid resume on CachyOS, Omarchy Intel Mac installation support
Desktop and graphics
Linux normally starts this Mac on its Radeon GPU. Exact owners have run Radeon-driven desktops, forced the internal panel onto Intel graphics and used Intel as the Omarchy compositor GPU. The Intel path cuts idle power, but the published T2 guide still lacks normal runtime Radeon power switching.
In practice Choose between the released stack's stronger discrete-graphics access and a lower-power Intel-only setup. The upstream hybrid patch restored Radeon offload and power cycling in project testing, but it was still under review.
Hybrid graphics passed upstream testing. The patch series restored Radeon power cycling, DRI_PRIME offload, suspend and external displays on both 2018 and 2019 revisions; it was still under review. Project source
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro sleep on Omarchy, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro on T2 Linux Mint, 2018 MacBook Pro Debian suspend configuration, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro lid resume on CachyOS, T2 Linux feature state, T2 Linux hybrid graphics guide, MacBookPro15,1 hybrid-graphics patch series
Internal display and brightness
Owners report the internal panel working with Radeon graphics and after switching the panel to Intel through gmux. One Linux Mint owner noticed no display-quality change after the switch.
In practice The panel works in both reported graphics modes. Brightness keys, True Tone and automatic color handling are separate features and are not established across every Omarchy configuration.
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro on T2 Linux Mint, 2018 MacBook Pro Debian suspend configuration, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro lid resume on CachyOS, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro specifications, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro Core i7 measured review
Keyboard, hotkeys and backlight
Exact Arch and current T2 reports establish the built-in keyboard and basic Touch Bar keyboard mode. A Linux Mint owner could use the Touch Bar but not its backlight control, and current suspend logs show the entire BCE-backed input stack can fail after wake.
In practice Normal typing is available after the T2 drivers load. Treat Touch Bar lighting and post-resume input recovery as separate checks.
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro Arch installation guide, MacBookPro15,1 Arch suspend and wake log, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro on T2 Linux Mint, T2 Linux feature state, Omarchy Intel Mac installation support, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro specifications
Touchpad and pointing
An exact Arch owner used the built-in trackpad after loading the T2 drivers, and newer owners report ordinary desktop use. Force Touch and palm rejection remain below macOS behavior, while some suspend paths return with the trackpad dead or require gesture software to rebind.
In practice The trackpad works for basic pointing. If gestures or suspend matter, test them after several wake cycles rather than assuming a fresh-boot result will hold.
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro Arch installation guide, MacBookPro15,1 Arch suspend and wake log, 2018 MacBook Pro Debian suspend configuration, T2 Linux feature state, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro specifications
Fingerprint and biometrics
Apple built Touch ID into the Touch Bar, but the T2 project lists the Secure Enclave as unsupported. The exact Linux Mint owner likewise reported no fingerprint login.
In practice Treat Touch ID as unavailable in Linux. The basic Touch Bar working does not imply access to its fingerprint sensor.
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro on T2 Linux Mint, T2 Linux feature state, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro specifications
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
An exact 2019 Arch guide got Wi-Fi working after copying Apple firmware and using NetworkManager with iwd. Current Omarchy automates the firmware path, and exact Linux Mint and CachyOS owners report working Wi-Fi. Other exact suspend work required reloading brcmfmac or keeping PCIe compatibility mode.
In practice Wi-Fi is achievable, but its firmware and power state are part of the T2 setup. Keep wired networking or phone tethering available during installation and after kernel changes.
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro Arch installation guide, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro on T2 Linux Mint, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro lid resume on CachyOS, 2018 MacBook Pro Debian suspend configuration, MacBookPro15,1 Wi-Fi firmware result, Omarchy Intel Mac installation support, T2 Linux feature state, T2 Linux Wi-Fi and Bluetooth guide
Speakers, microphone and audio
An early Arch setup had to choose between audio and suspend. A current Fedora owner recorded repeated hard freezes near T2 audio warnings, while a Linux Mint owner had working but poor-sounding speakers and improved them with an EasyEffects profile. Another Arch owner traced wake failures through the Apple BCE audio path.
In practice Sound output can work without being stable or well tuned. Test speakers, microphone, ordinary idle use and repeated suspend together before relying on the machine for calls.
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro Arch installation guide, MacBookPro15,1 Arch suspend and wake log, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro T2 audio freezes, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro on T2 Linux Mint, 2018 MacBook Pro Debian suspend configuration, T2 Linux feature state, Omarchy Intel Mac installation support
Camera
Apple specifies a 720p FaceTime HD camera, and the current T2 matrix lists cameras as working through the out-of-tree T2 stack. A current exact-model CachyOS inventory shows the built-in camera bound to uvcvideo, but none of the retained 2018 owner reports documents a video-call test.
In practice Project support is positive but not a release-specific camera result. Test the camera in the actual application and after suspend.
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro specifications, T2 Linux feature state, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro lid resume on CachyOS
Suspend and resume
The reports span a working Intel-only Omarchy setup, a complex Debian workaround, repeated Arch failures tied to graphics, audio and BCE state, an Omarchy second-cycle hang and one successful five-minute CachyOS retest. One Arch fallback passed repeated cycles by suspending devices and immediately resuming instead of entering the normal sleep state, with higher battery drain.
In practice A screen that wakes once is not enough. Test several cycles with audio active, the intended GPU mode and the same docks you will use; until that passes, shut down before putting the Mac in a bag.
A model-tested graphics fix is under review. Patch authors report repeated suspend, resume and GPU wake tests on both MacBookPro15,1 revisions. Project source
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro Arch installation guide, 2018 MacBook Pro Debian suspend configuration, MacBookPro15,1 Arch suspend and wake log, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro sleep on Omarchy, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro lid resume on CachyOS, MacBookPro15,1 hybrid-graphics patch series, T2 Linux feature state
External displays and docks
An exact Arch owner reported DisplayPort over USB-C working with a compatible adapter, and a current CachyOS inventory showed a 3840-by-2160 display at 60 Hz on Radeon. A shared-identifier report froze with one dual-HDMI dock. Newer project testing covered several Thunderbolt and USB-C monitors across Radeon power transitions.
In practice Video output works in reported setups, but a working USB-C adapter does not establish every dock. Test the complete adapter, cable, display, GPU mode and lid state you intend to use.
External displays worked in current patch testing. The Radeon GPU powered up for attached monitors and powered down after disconnection on both 15,1 revisions. Project source
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro Arch installation guide, MacBookPro15,1 dual-HDMI dock freeze, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro lid resume on CachyOS, MacBookPro15,1 hybrid-graphics patch series, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro specifications
Battery, power and thermals
One exact owner measured about one hour of light use on a new battery with Radeon active and about five hours after forcing Intel graphics. Another found that t2fanrd could not identify either fan. Patch authors measured about 24 watts at idle before their hybrid work, roughly half attributable to the unused Radeon GPU.
In practice GPU mode dominates the Linux battery experience, while fan control and low-drain sleep are separate risks. One repeated-cycle Arch fallback avoids real sleep and reports two to three times its normal sleep drain.
The patch removes the idle Radeon penalty in testing. With Intel graphics primary, the Radeon GPU entered DynOff and returned for offloaded work or external displays. Project source
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro on T2 Linux Mint, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro fan detection, MacBookPro15,1 Arch suspend and wake log, MacBookPro15,1 hybrid-graphics patch series, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro Core i7 measured review
Daily use
Check the processor or part number before buying
MacBookPro15,1 covers both the 2018 and 2019 15-inch releases
The 2018 processors stop at the Core i9-8950HK, and its Apple part numbers begin MR932, MR942, MR952, MR962, MR972 or MUQH2. A Core i9-9880H or i9-9980HK belongs to the 2019 release.
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro specifications, MacBook Pro model identification, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro lid resume on CachyOS, 2019 15-inch MacBook Pro Bluetooth audio on Omarchy, 2019 15-inch MacBook Pro Radeon suspend failure
The graphics mode changes the whole laptop
One owner moved from about one hour to about five hours by disabling the Radeon GPU
That workaround improved light-use runtime on a new replacement battery but removed discrete-graphics access. The upstream hybrid patch targets the real compromise: keep Intel graphics primary, wake Radeon for offload or displays and turn it back off afterward.
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro on T2 Linux Mint, MacBookPro15,1 hybrid-graphics patch series
Suspend is a stack, not a switch
Graphics, audio, Thunderbolt and BCE-backed input have each changed the wake result
The same model has resumed once and failed on a second cycle, woken without input and required a custom path that never enters normal sleep. Test the complete working configuration instead of changing one sleep setting in isolation.
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro sleep on Omarchy, MacBookPro15,1 Arch suspend and wake log, 2018 MacBook Pro Debian suspend configuration, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro T2 audio freezes, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro lid resume on CachyOS
Four USB-C ports still mean carrying adapters
Charging, storage, networking and video all share the Thunderbolt 3 ports
There is no built-in USB-A, HDMI, Ethernet or card reader. Exact owners have working DisplayPort and 4K results, but a shared-identifier dock report froze with a dual-HDMI adapter.
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro specifications, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro Arch installation guide, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro lid resume on CachyOS, MacBookPro15,1 dual-HDMI dock freeze
Performance
Development and general productivity
One public Ubuntu run scored 1,346 single-core and 4,824 multicore in Geekbench 6
That exact Core i9-8950HK machine had 32 GB of memory and Ubuntu 24.04.1. It is a single uploaded Linux result, not an Omarchy average, but it is more relevant to current Linux capacity than the launch-era Windows PCMark score.
Sources Core i9 MacBookPro15,1 Geekbench 6 result on Ubuntu, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro specifications
Sustained CPU work
Fast bursts, followed by a meaningful cooling limit
The Core i7-8850H review unit scored 953 in its first Cinebench R15 multicore run and settled near 820 to 830 before Apple's launch-era updates. Its processor repeatedly approached 100 C. Later software improved stability, but the review still found that the chassis could not sustain the processor's full 45-watt design power.
Graphics work and older games
The Radeon Pro 560X scored 1,775 in 3DMark Time Spy and 40 frames per second in Fortnite at the review's high setting
Those Windows and macOS results show the optional GPU's hardware ceiling, not Linux performance. The released T2 stack makes discrete graphics costly at idle, and turning the GPU off for battery life removes it from workloads until the new hybrid path ships.
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro Core i7 measured review, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro on T2 Linux Mint, MacBookPro15,1 hybrid-graphics patch series
Travel and battery use
About 10.2 hours in the original macOS Wi-Fi test; about five hours in one current Intel-only Linux report
The exact Linux owner used a new replacement battery and moved from about one hour to five by disabling Radeon graphics. A separate Arch fallback passed repeated lid cycles only by skipping normal sleep, with two to three times the usual sleep drain. Neither establishes an Omarchy travel baseline.
Sources 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro Core i7 measured review, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro on T2 Linux Mint, MacBookPro15,1 Arch suspend and wake log, 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro sleep on Omarchy, MacBookPro15,1 hybrid-graphics patch series
Changes over time
-
Manual Arch path reaches working input, Wi-Fi and DisplayPort
An exact owner used a custom kernel and external keyboard for installation, then enabled the built-in keyboard and trackpad, copied Apple Wi-Fi firmware and connected a DisplayPort monitor over USB-C.
-
Intel-only graphics enables sleep, with desktop-specific work
One owner reported reliable suspend on an earlier Intel-driven Omarchy setup. Moving the same Mac to Debian with X11 required gmux routing and module handling around Radeon, Wi-Fi and T2 audio to recover the result.
-
T2 audio warnings precede hard freezes
An exact 2018 Fedora owner recorded repeated full-system freezes during ordinary use and another crash in the T2 audio suspend path.
-
Repeated Arch cycles expose a second-wake boundary
An exact Arch owner traced separate failures with Apple BCE loaded and force-unloaded. A custom patched module plus a device-suspend fallback passed multiple cycles, but the fallback immediately resumes instead of entering normal sleep and uses more battery.
-
Fan service cannot identify either fan
On an exact 2018 Radeon Pro 560X machine, t2fanrd stopped because the firmware did not expose the identification keys it expected.
-
Hybrid-graphics patch enters upstream review
The proposed kernel changes passed three weeks of GPU power, suspend and external-display testing on both MacBookPro15,1 revisions. They were not yet released-kernel support.
-
Both available sleep modes fail in an Omarchy report
Deep sleep never resumed; s2idle survived one cycle before Thunderbolt and USB failures made the second suspend hang.
-
Current CachyOS lid wake leaves the screen blank
An exact 2018 Core i9-8950HK owner closed and reopened the lid on CachyOS, but the screen stayed blank and the desktop did not visibly resume.
-
Release-candidate kernel passes one short resume retest
After installing linux-cachyos-rc, the same owner closed the lid for five minutes and resumed successfully once. The report does not establish repeated reliability.
-
Intel-only mode extends one owner's battery life
A Linux Mint owner with a new battery reported moving from about one hour of light use to about five hours after disabling the Radeon GPU.
Sources
Omarchy reports are direct results. Arch, Arch-based and other Linux reports are labeled separately and used only as evidence of hardware or driver behavior that may carry over. Shared-identifier and related-model reports are context and do not enter the exact-model count.
- 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro sleep on OmarchyOpen source
Field report on GitHub · Omarchy · Aug. 14, 2026
The report explicitly identifies the 2018 release and documents separate deep-sleep and s2idle failures on the T2 kernel.
- 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro fan detectionOpen source
Field report on GitHub · Arch-based · July 22, 2026
The report explicitly identifies a 2018 Radeon Pro 560X machine and the firmware keys missing from t2fanrd's control path.
- 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro lid resume on CachyOSOpen source
Field report on CachyOS Forum · Arch-based · Aug. 22, 2026
The Core i9-8950HK identifies the 2018 release. The owner supplied a full CachyOS inventory, an initial blank-screen lid-resume failure and one successful five-minute retest after installing the release-candidate kernel.
- 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro T2 audio freezesOpen source
Field report on GitHub · other Linux · April 12, 2026
The Core i7-8750H and Radeon Pro 555X establish the 2018 release; the owner supplies repeated ordinary-use and suspend failure logs.
- 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro on T2 Linux MintOpen source
Field report on Reddit · other Linux · Aug. 30, 2026
An exact-release owner reports continued daily use, measured battery change after disabling Radeon graphics, audio quality, Touch Bar lighting and thermals.
- 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro Arch installation guideOpen source
Field report on GitHub · Arch Linux · Sept. 20, 2019
An exact-release owner documents the 2019 custom-kernel install, built-in input setup, working Wi-Fi, Touch Bar, suspend trade-off and DisplayPort-over-USB-C result.
- MacBookPro15,1 Arch suspend and wake logOpen source
Field report on GitHub · Arch Linux · June 7, 2026
An exact 2018 Arch owner records repeated-cycle failures involving T2 audio and input, several disproven fixes and a custom fallback that suspends devices without entering the normal sleep state.
- 2018 MacBook Pro Debian suspend configurationOpen source
Field report on GitHub · other Linux · March 29, 2026
An exact-release owner reports a working Intel-driven Omarchy suspend setup and documents a more involved Debian X11 path around Radeon, Apple BCE audio, Wi-Fi and gestures.
- MacBookPro15,1 Wi-Fi firmware resultOpen source
Shared-identifier field report on GitHub · Sept. 23, 2021
The owner identifies MacBookPro15,1 but no year or processor, so this is a possible 2018 warning and excluded from the exact-release count.
- MacBookPro15,1 dual-HDMI dock freezeOpen source
Shared-identifier field report on GitHub · June 10, 2023
The Arch report identifies MacBookPro15,1 but not the 2018 or 2019 release; it remains relevant dock context and does not enter the count.
- MacBookPro15,1 slow lid wake on OmarchyOpen source
Shared-identifier field report on GitHub · Aug. 27, 2026
The report labels its hardware as the shared 2018-or-2019 identifier and does not supply a release-specific processor.
- 2019 15-inch MacBook Pro Bluetooth audio on OmarchyOpen source
Related-model field report on GitHub · Aug. 13, 2026
The Core i9-9980HK establishes the 2019 release. This report previously inflated the 2018 count and is retained only to make the boundary inspectable.
- 2019 15-inch MacBook Pro Radeon suspend failureOpen source
Related-model field report on GitHub · April 6, 2026
The owner explicitly identifies the 2019 release. It is excluded from 2018 findings even though Apple reused MacBookPro15,1.
- MacBookPro15,1 hybrid-graphics patch seriesOpen source
Project code on Linux kernel mailing list · Aug. 12, 2026
Patch authors report three weeks of GPU, suspend and external-display testing on both the 2018 and 2019 revisions. The result is current project verification, not released support or an owner report.
- Omarchy Intel Mac installation supportOpen source
Project documentation on GitHub
Current project documentation for secure-boot preparation, destructive installation and automatic T2 kernel, audio, wireless, fan and Touch Bar setup.
- T2 Linux feature stateOpen source
Hardware support project on T2 Linux
Current project-wide matrix for storage, screen, input, wireless, camera, Touch Bar, audio, suspend, graphics and Secure Enclave support. Model-specific caveats still require field evidence.
- T2 Linux hybrid graphics guideOpen source
Project documentation on T2 Linux
The published project path for Intel-primary graphics and reboot-bound Radeon control. It still describes runtime power management as unavailable and is not an exact owner result.
- T2 Linux Wi-Fi and Bluetooth guideOpen source
Hardware support project on T2 Linux
Current firmware paths, the required brcmfmac driver and an active wpa_supplicant regression note for Arch-family systems.
- 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro specificationsOpen source
Manufacturer specification on Apple · July 12, 2018
Apple's original processor, graphics, memory, storage, display, input, camera, audio, battery, size and port configurations; not Linux evidence.
- MacBook Pro model identificationOpen source
Manufacturer specification on Apple · Sept. 2, 2026
Apple's official release and part-number mapping distinguishes the 2018 A1990 configurations from 2019 models that reuse MacBookPro15,1.
- Core i9 MacBookPro15,1 Geekbench 6 result on UbuntuOpen source
Machine diagnostic on Geekbench · Feb. 4, 2025
One public Ubuntu 24.04.1 run on an exact MacBookPro15,1 with a Core i9-8950HK and 32 GB of memory; useful as a Linux capacity point, not an Omarchy average or owner report.
- 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro Core i7 measured reviewOpen source
Original measured review on Notebookcheck · July 20, 2018
Original retail-unit measurements for the Core i7-8850H, Radeon Pro 560X, display, storage, sustained performance, gaming, thermals, noise and battery; not an Omarchy result.
- Apple updates the MacBook ProOpen source
Manufacturer specification on Apple · July 12, 2018
Official availability date, base launch price and exact-generation product image.
- 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro asking-price sampleOpen source
Dated market snapshot on eBay · Sept. 2, 2026
Seven exact-generation asks spanning several configurations and condition caveats; the median ask was $299.