Apple's laptop is ahead of its time - in a few years all laptops will only have USB-C ports. The tech community should applaud Apple for moving the masses off of slow, clunky legacy & analog ports. Windows and monitor manufacturers please, please abolish the VGA port! Ironically if Apple added the slower & older USB3 port on the new laptops, they could have avoided most of the 'outrage'. Also, for those in the market for a laptop - go to your local electronics store that sells both Windows & Macs (Best Buy, etc.) and compare firsthand the typical awful & cheap plastic build quality and poor displays on 98% of the Windows offerings. The other 2% that aren't garbage are priced like Apple's offerings.
So should I spend the money now to buy a laptop that won't be useful to me for a few years?
In the 2017 list of the publication's Best & Worst Laptop Brands, Lenovo rose three places to take first place, the position Apple has occupied on the chart since the list debuted in 2010.
Apple managed to move 5.4 million units of their "overpriced" "dongleriffic" Macs last quarter. That's on the historically high end for Mac sales. People keep buying what Apple is making.
Apple rules in PC profits and the upper end of the retail pyramid. Industry analysts and various metrics can punish them all they want, but CONSUMERS are ground zero for tech viabillty.
Looks like the only thing you can trust these days are Apple's quarterly reports, along with knowing how to read them correctly.
This isn't a surprise. The current crop of laptops from Apple are great, but the competition has caught up and overtook them in a lot of areas.
Maybe one day the people that cheer so loudly for Apple being the most profitable company will wonder what that means, and then realize that they are paying top prices for non-current technology. In the past you were paying for CPUs and other things that other providers didn't have access to, these days not so.
Into the 4th year on my MacBook Pro. Never made it past 2.5 years on any windows laptop. Thinking I will get 6 years or more out of this one.
too bad Apple laptops outlast Apple's support for them: they become legacy after 5 years, and you have to find your own batteries and parts for them. I have a laptop like that, still kicking, but have to use non-Apple replaceable parts. Apple doesn't support your point that they last longer. You're on your own. I also have a desktop that's still kicking ass, 11 years on, but that one is also crippled by Apple (cannot sync my Iphone 6s Plus to it, not sure why that would not be possible but it isn't). So, while I love Macs because they are solid, Apple itself undermines this quality of their hardware by crippling the software with planned obsolescence.
To the other point made, that people prefer simple over the ability to upgrade: bullshit! the only people who prefer that are Apple investors. People prefer to upgrade RAM and hard drives, without getting gauged by Apple, and without having to pay such high prices each 5 years.
As for Laptop's rankings, some (not all) of the criteria seems spurious and deliberately designed to punish Apple/ensure they don't win. You can argue the point about "variety of price points" a bit, but essentially Apple is being punished for not making junk models for the cheapskates, and that's the truth.
Are so many commenters missing the fact that for the past several years the same Laptop Mag rankings put Apple at the top? Quote: "Apple has lost its place at the top of Laptop Mag's annual ranking of the best notebook brands after six years"
I hardly think they've all of a sudden decided to treat Apple unfairly with no sign of of it in past rankings.
This isn't a surprise. The current crop of laptops from Apple are great, but the competition has caught up and overtook them in a lot of areas.
Maybe one day the people that cheer so loudly for Apple being the most profitable company will wonder what that means, and then realize that they are paying top prices for non-current technology. In the past you were paying for CPUs and other things that other providers didn't have access to, these days not so.
No macOS, no sale.
Ecosystem. Apple's is without peer. It's not just the hardware.
Let's talk when Mac sales barely crack a million units/quarter. As long as Apple can sustain between 3.5 - 5 million + units per quarter, then the rest doesn't matter.
This isn't a surprise. The current crop of laptops from Apple are great, but the competition has caught up and overtook them in a lot of areas.
Maybe one day the people that cheer so loudly for Apple being the most profitable company will wonder what that means, and then realize that they are paying top prices for non-current technology. In the past you were paying for CPUs and other things that other providers didn't have access to, these days not so.
Considering I just bought 2 of the new MBP's with Touch Bar and took a long hard look at the competition I can tell you that while price is important, I bought what I did as it offers a total value that is more than the sum of its parts. The size and weight when flying is great, the screen is beautiful and easy on the eyes when working for long periods of time, the trackpad is great, the OS is trouble free (for me), my last MBP's I bought 4 years ago look and work almost as good as then did when we got them but I needed more HP for some large video projects (as I mentioned before, I would like to be able to upgrade the ram and HD but it is not a deal breaker for me). Yes I pay more and the price they charge for the larger RAM seemed a little excessive but overall it all just works and that is worth a lot more to me. Never had a virus on any of my Macs (I know there are some out there but it has never affected me), Apple switched out a video card that went bad in one of our machines and the rest has just been great. I think Apple deserves the profit they made from me on these machines. Want a PC then no hard feelings from me - have at it.
I bet Apple knows what it's doing. Besides the vast majority of owners don't upgrade a damn thing, component wise. Should Apple appease the < 20% (more likely 10%) at the cost of simplicity for the > 80%?
In what way does the addition of a feature not being used “complicate” the 70%? I guess Apple should remove network access from Finder since most people don’t use it. They should remove the ability to calibrate your display since most people don’t do that. I bet the vast majority don’t use parental controls. Get rid of those, too! Most people don’t change their keyboard shortcuts; don’t need those…
This has nothing to do with simplicity and everything to do with making computers disposable and artificially reducing lifespans.
it is claimed there is not as much "value and variety" as other vendors, offering "only a handful of laptops, and most start at $1,299."
And that somehow damages the brand?
"If you're looking for an affordable laptop, don't look at Apple,”
Just ignore that every study done in the last 20 years shows that they’re more affordable than PCs for what they offer (as a platform as a whole).
The report goes on to note that the MacBook Air hasn't received a refresh in "over two years," and that it "wouldn't be surprised if the company phased it out soon.”
Which… hurts the brand?
Apple is also criticized for not offering a 2-in-1 notebook or one with a touchscreen
No, no. You don’t get to downrank a company for what it doesn’t offer. If you do that, you have to downrank all PCs for lacking security, ease of use, and platform integration.
Editor in chief Mark Spoonauer suggests the decision to discontinue the 11-inch MacBook Air as the smallest notebook was poor
So buy a netbook from 2009, dipshit. Do you want a pocketable laptop or something?
"There's no touchpad on this machine's optional keyboard,"
No shit; it’s a tablet, dumbass. You whine about not having a touchscreen laptop and then whine when you CAN touch the screen that there’s no touchpad? Fuck yourself.
On the subject of USB Type-C, it is suggested on the scorecard that users need a “bagful of dongles” to use the newer MacBooks in the summary.
Oh, so just like the idiots whining in 1996, then.
For the 13 out of 15 score for design, Apple has been declared the “rose-gold standard,” due to the 12-inch MacBook's rose gold variant's existence, though the lack of other color options is noted.
Was Apple voted down when they only offered one color? If not, they need to be fucking sued.
Apple's support is also praised as the standard bearer for the industry, with easy-to-navigate support pages and helpful support agents, though with a lack of support via FaceBook.
This is a joke post, right? It’s just 9 days late, right? FUCKING RIGHT?!
I wish I could up vote this 100x!!! When I read this "ranking" I damn near pissed myself laughing at the incredible stupidity and ignorance of it, which ignores ALL studies performed about the ROI of Mac's over junker PC's, not to mention all the other topics you nailed on the head in your reply!
Is this what it's come down to? Have we as a society become THIS FUCKING STUPID??????
Though I dont care as much about the ports, the Pro model needs them. Dongs work better and are more acceptable on machines with smaller screens (Air versions).
The Air / 12" and below models really need to move to the Ax ARM chip, and the Pro versions with larger screens have (more powerful) Intel processors.
A transformer sub 12" model would be useful as long as it's OS X (which would be complicated).
Apple has done a poor job pricing laptops... (agreed)
I currently have an Android phone + IPad + cheep PC
I'd rather have a transformer 10.5 - 12" + large screen IPhone.
So you are a commodity buyer who doesn't value a product with long-term ROI like a Mac, and instead goes for environmentally-unfriendly, cheap shit Android and PC junk, and claim that everything Apple is doing, which has lead them to be the #1 company in the world, doesn't know what they're doing in pricing their products, and has bad models out, even though they are best-in-class?
I'm sorry, I have to agree. You look at the current MBP with 512SSD and 16GB and compare to a Dell XPS with the same stats but a (faster) Kaby processor & the Mac costs a grand more. If I were replacing my MBP today (I don't plan to replace it at all) I would consider getting the XPS and a a thousand-dollar iPhone 7. Apple was shocked at fewer people buying the new computer, but adding a keyboard wondorama that half the people think is ok and the other half hate is not the right kind of magic sauce. Put in more slots and ports than anyone else (like Dell), and the world will beat a path to your door.
Apple's laptop is ahead of its time - in a few years all laptops will only have USB-C ports. The tech community should applaud Apple for moving the masses off of slow, clunky legacy & analog ports. Windows and monitor manufacturers please, please abolish the VGA port! Ironically if Apple added the slower & older USB3 port on the new laptops, they could have avoided most of the 'outrage'. Also, for those in the market for a laptop - go to your local electronics store that sells both Windows & Macs (Best Buy, etc.) and compare firsthand the typical awful & cheap plastic build quality and poor displays on 98% of the Windows offerings. The other 2% that aren't garbage are priced like Apple's offerings.
So should I spend the money now to buy a laptop that won't be useful to me for a few years?
Kennedy, You can either skate to the puck or skate to where the puck will be - your choice.
PS. In fact USB-C (3.1) is starting to see wide adoption in the PC world. They are however, deeply conservative over there so they include micro-USB ports and USB-A ports still. That's why their notebooks are thick as bricks.
Apple has gotten greedy with pricing and that will impact sales. They did the same thing a couple of years after the original Mac came out. I never upgraded my Mac Plus until 2008 when the cost factor was more acceptable. Spent years in Linux hell simply because of Apple pricing structure. In many cases it wasnt about profit for Apple but rather seeing how much they could get away with. Gouging if you will.
Interestingly the post Mac Plus years sort of mirror what is happening today. Apple couldnnt get improved computers out the door even when chips existed. At the same time they became obsessed with closed un upgradable hard ware. Hardware that was frankly grossly over priced and very low performance.
Honestly i think LaptopMag hit the bulls eye in many respects here. No article is perfect but all the support for Apple in this ggread is non sense. Key here is value which Apple engineered out of its machines. Mac Book is a perfect example, a grossly overpriced netbook.
Apple use to make professional laptops suitable for real work. You could expect long run times on battery power running demanding apps. Now you are lucky if you get a couple if hours out of a battery. When it comes to things pros care about the new MBP's suck. I suspect this has a lot too do with Apple getting wrapped up in its own testing for marketing purposes. The testing is honest but unfortunately diesnt reflect how people actually use their machines. In otherwords Apple lost sight of its customers and their needs. Out of touch and out of mind.
Apple has gotten greedy with pricing and that will impact sales. They did the same thing a couple of years after the original Mac came out. I never upgraded my Mac Plus until 2008 when the cost factor was more acceptable. Spent years in Linux hell simply because of Apple pricing structure. In many cases it wasnt about profit for Apple but rather seeing how much they could get away with. Gouging if you will.
Interestingly the post Mac Plus years sort of mirror what is happening today. Apple couldnnt get improved computers out the door even when chips existed. At the same time they became obsessed with closed un upgradable hard ware. Hardware that was frankly grossly over priced and very low performance.
Honestly i think LaptopMag hit the bulls eye in many respects here. No article is perfect but all the support for Apple in this ggread is non sense. Key here is value which Apple engineered out of its machines. Mac Book is a perfect example, a grossly overpriced netbook.
Apple use to make professional laptops suitable for real work. You could expect long run times on battery power running demanding apps. Now you are lucky if you get a couple if hours out of a battery. When it comes to things pros care about the new MBP's suck. I suspect this has a lot too do with Apple getting wrapped up in its own testing for marketing purposes. The testing is honest but unfortunately diesnt reflect how people actually use their machines. In otherwords Apple lost sight of its customers and their needs. Out of touch and out of mind.
Or, one could say Apple is at its best as an underdog... rather than as an overdog...
Into the 4th year on my MacBook Pro. Never made it past 2.5 years on any windows laptop. Thinking I will get 6 years or more out of this one.
Just about to start year 6 with my retina MBP - still runs brilliantly & the trackpad is a joy to use (unlike the Lenovo 750s work provided me with last year).
PS. In fact USB-C (3.1) is starting to see wide adoption in the PC world. They are however, deeply conservative over there so they include micro-USB ports and USB-A ports still. That's why their notebooks are thick as bricks.
My big problem with the latest MBPs is not USB-C by itself but rather the other missing ports. Tthe lack of an SD port is perplexing to say the leats and frankly i still see a need for Ethernet. Now i understand that an Ethernet jack is bulky but what is the excuse fir the SD slot? More so what is with the SD slot causing the card to stick out the side if the machine?
I look at the SD slot as a versatile way to handle bulk files. It is still the standard for cameras which justifies the slot right there. Beyond that SD is a good expansion option when you run out of space on your main storage. It is highly suitable when fast isnt needed. Allso i use SD for critical backups that i dont want to only have on Time machine. Somethings must be backed up in multiple places.
If Apple gas any sense at all they will bring back SD and design it in properly. That means a design that doesnt leave the card hanging in air.
As for the soldered in SSD i dont have a huge problem with that. I know it means a more reliable machine. That diesnt mean that you ignore the need for expansion though. An SSD slot would be nice but frankly an SD slot is a passable substitute.
It comes back to the idea that Apple has lost touch with its users. Stirage expansion and management is a real issue fir most users. Why Apple punted here us beyond me.
Comments
Apple rules in PC profits and the upper end of the retail pyramid. Industry analysts and various metrics can punish them all they want, but CONSUMERS are ground zero for tech viabillty.
Looks like the only thing you can trust these days are Apple's quarterly reports, along with knowing how to read them correctly.
Maybe one day the people that cheer so loudly for Apple being the most profitable company will wonder what that means, and then realize that they are paying top prices for non-current technology. In the past you were paying for CPUs and other things that other providers didn't have access to, these days not so.
To the other point made, that people prefer simple over the ability to upgrade: bullshit! the only people who prefer that are Apple investors. People prefer to upgrade RAM and hard drives, without getting gauged by Apple, and without having to pay such high prices each 5 years.
Quote: "Apple has lost its place at the top of Laptop Mag's annual ranking of the best notebook brands after six years"
I hardly think they've all of a sudden decided to treat Apple unfairly with no sign of of it in past rankings.
No macOS, no sale.
Ecosystem. Apple's is without peer. It's not just the hardware.
Let's talk when Mac sales barely crack a million units/quarter. As long as Apple can sustain between 3.5 - 5 million + units per quarter, then the rest doesn't matter.
This has nothing to do with simplicity and everything to do with making computers disposable and artificially reducing lifespans.
Is this what it's come down to? Have we as a society become THIS FUCKING STUPID??????
So you are a commodity buyer who doesn't value a product with long-term ROI like a Mac, and instead goes for environmentally-unfriendly, cheap shit Android and PC junk, and claim that everything Apple is doing, which has lead them to be the #1 company in the world, doesn't know what they're doing in pricing their products, and has bad models out, even though they are best-in-class?
Thank god idiots like you don't work for Apple!
Apple has gotten greedy with pricing and that will impact sales. They did the same thing a couple of years after the original Mac came out. I never upgraded my Mac Plus until 2008 when the cost factor was more acceptable. Spent years in Linux hell simply because of Apple pricing structure. In many cases it wasnt about profit for Apple but rather seeing how much they could get away with. Gouging if you will.
Interestingly the post Mac Plus years sort of mirror what is happening today. Apple couldnnt get improved computers out the door even when chips existed. At the same time they became obsessed with closed un upgradable hard ware. Hardware that was frankly grossly over priced and very low performance.
Honestly i think LaptopMag hit the bulls eye in many respects here. No article is perfect but all the support for Apple in this ggread is non sense. Key here is value which Apple engineered out of its machines. Mac Book is a perfect example, a grossly overpriced netbook.
Apple use to make professional laptops suitable for real work. You could expect long run times on battery power running demanding apps. Now you are lucky if you get a couple if hours out of a battery. When it comes to things pros care about the new MBP's suck. I suspect this has a lot too do with Apple getting wrapped up in its own testing for marketing purposes. The testing is honest but unfortunately diesnt reflect how people actually use their machines. In otherwords Apple lost sight of its customers and their needs. Out of touch and out of mind.
Or, one could say Apple is at its best as an underdog... rather than as an overdog...
Just about to start year 6 with my retina MBP - still runs brilliantly & the trackpad is a joy to use (unlike the Lenovo 750s work provided me with last year).
I look at the SD slot as a versatile way to handle bulk files. It is still the standard for cameras which justifies the slot right there. Beyond that SD is a good expansion option when you run out of space on your main storage. It is highly suitable when fast isnt needed. Allso i use SD for critical backups that i dont want to only have on Time machine. Somethings must be backed up in multiple places.
If Apple gas any sense at all they will bring back SD and design it in properly. That means a design that doesnt leave the card hanging in air.
As for the soldered in SSD i dont have a huge problem with that. I know it means a more reliable machine. That diesnt mean that you ignore the need for expansion though. An SSD slot would be nice but frankly an SD slot is a passable substitute.
It comes back to the idea that Apple has lost touch with its users. Stirage expansion and management is a real issue fir most users. Why Apple punted here us beyond me.