Id say the only thing wrong with all the new models are the prices. It is just too steep, especially when topping up configurations in terms of memory and SSD. And no 2 TB option for the 13 inches.
I totally agree. The new models are great. I'd just expect them to start at at less than 300% the price of a half-decent Windows laptop. For merely twice as much, I would have been ecstatic. Honestly, $1300-$1400 would be much more reasonable for the starter machine with Touch Bar. $180 to go from 8gb to 16gb? FFS!! $300 to go from 256gb to 512gb? This is what we get after waiting forever for an update? I'm going to have to look again at the Macbook, but concerned about the sucky CPU.
Hate to say it again: This is Tim Cook's Apple
Only concerned about short-term Margins and profits.
No you don't when it concerns Tim Cook. It's like a broken record.
Removing the SD card slot is worse than removing the analog headset jack. Does anyone even sell a USB C SD card adapter? All the new dongles you'll need probably weigh a half pound.
I agreed. For mobile devices, people are mostly ok without SD slot, but computers. I'm glad that I'll be sticking with mt 2015 MBP for a while since I can simply add 200GB SD card for less than $60 to work seamlessly with my BaseQi adaptor.
Wanna know what I'd love more than the 13" entry-level MBA with no Touch Bar? A 15" version starting at $1699 / $1799. I'd jump on that in a heartbeat.
With Apple as dedicated to radical simplicity as they obviously are, people are out of their minds to suggest a Lightning port dedicated to shit-tier headphones like the EarPods. Wireless is clearly the future.
I don't have a problem with the move to USB-C ports, they are actually multi-functional, including moving power in both directions. Here's a cool dock for USB-C Macs: https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/usb-c/owc/usb-c-dock
Ah yes, welcome to Tim Cooks Apple!
Where the laptops not only get pricier, but also less capable than the ones they replace.
What was that? You actually NEED some of the old ports? No problem!
For only $149, you'll get a dock to permanently place on your desk, and you'll regain the functionality lost when you upgraded to the new model!
Oh, you may also need to bring the 1 lb dock with you everywhere you bring your MBP but hey look at the bright side... Your MacBook weighs 100 grams less!
Where the laptops not only get pricier, but also less capable than the ones they replace.
What was that? You actually NEED some of the old ports? No problem!
For only $149, you'll get a dock to permanently place on your desk, and you'll regain the functionality lost when you upgraded to the new model!
Oh, you may also need to bring the 1 lb dock with you everywhere you bring your MBP but hey look at the bright side... Your MacBook weighs 100 grams less!
I have been studying at Uni for the last 3 years and the increased adoption rate Apple laptops specifically MBA has been impressive. But with this new higher priced models I expect that adoption rate to reverse. around NZD $1600 for MBA was a good student option NZD $2499 is not. When the MBA arrived you could experience all the features the OS had to offer. Now, the base unit can not deliver on this. The user has to stump up $2999NZD to experience the touch bar.
I understand that exports etc with currency variance can make a difference for overseas buyers but prior to the price increase by apple in New Zealand I purchased the base 15" model for less (and direct from Apple) than the new 13" model launched today.
It would appear Apple no longer wants to appeal to all sections of its user base.
You are looking at the past through rose-tinted glasses.
Go back and read the shrieking about all the missing features of the original MBA. Notice the complaints beginning in comment #2 at the AI article linked in the prior sentence.
You will likely find complaints about price in there as well.
Hmmm... A MBP that's over 500$ more expensive than the Air, AND which they also functionally crippled, by getting rid of all the old ports/connections?
And what's the upside here? Instead you get 2 (useless) USB C ports, except one of them also has to be used for charging?
LOL! I think I'll pass, and so will most other customers. Wake me up when you make a laptop, Apple, instead of a crippled, 1 port, glorified iPad...
You get 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports. Which are adaptable to be ANY port that was in the MBA.
Sooner rather than later we will remember the days when there was more than one plug on a Mac as the dark ages.
I'm happy that they have settled on one port to rule them all.
I have been studying at Uni for the last 3 years and the increased adoption rate Apple laptops specifically MBA has been impressive. But with this new higher priced models I expect that adoption rate to reverse. around NZD $1600 for MBA was a good student option NZD $2499 is not. When the MBA arrived you could experience all the features the OS had to offer. Now, the base unit can not deliver on this. The user has to stump up $2999NZD to experience the touch bar.
I understand that exports etc with currency variance can make a difference for overseas buyers but prior to the price increase by apple in New Zealand I purchased the base 15" model for less (and direct from Apple) than the new 13" model launched today.
It would appear Apple no longer wants to appeal to all sections of its user base.
You are looking at the past through rose-tinted glasses.
Go back and read the shrieking about all the missing features of the original MBA. Notice the complaints beginning in comment #2 at the AI article linked in the prior sentence.
You will likely find complaints about price in there as well.
The original MBA was a weak, but stylish joke. Much like the first of the new MacBooks. The MBA became a mini 'Pro" (with faster CPUs and usable ports) and the new MBs took the place of the MBA, but with a Retina display. The latest MBs are getting better CPUs, but are still "cafe " computers.
Entry price for a non-cafe laptop just went up several hundred dollars.
People were whining that there were no macs with USBc ports in them, now they are whining that they have to buy adapters for their OLD USB ports?
Apple just can't win.
This is a solid laptop with solid specs. Within a year, this laptop will get Samsunged by everyone else and it will be the norm. Watch.
They should have replaced the USB 3 ports with USB-C ports, but they should have left the hdmi port and SD card reader. Most offices have hdmi connections in the conference rooms and most cameras use SD cards and that is not likely to change even if Apple would like that. You can use a dongle, but I never have one with me when I need one. I bought a MBP instead of an air or MacBook, just for the hdmi port.
Samsung and HP will copy the design, but they will likely add some ports.
Also, no Lightning port on the new MBP? Your saying I need to use a dongle to connect the headphones that shipped with iPhone 7? Why? Apple make both products. Either add a Lightning port and a headphone port to MBP or kill the blooming' headphone port they called archaic and give us Lightning. Might seem like a small detail, but I know for certain this would cause me annoyance that would not retreat. Frankly kind of puts me off the computer. I'm not joking.
They cannot give you Lightning on the Mac because Lightning is actually Thunderbolt, tailored for iOS.
I have been studying at Uni for the last 3 years and the increased adoption rate Apple laptops specifically MBA has been impressive. But with this new higher priced models I expect that adoption rate to reverse. around NZD $1600 for MBA was a good student option NZD $2499 is not. When the MBA arrived you could experience all the features the OS had to offer. Now, the base unit can not deliver on this. The user has to stump up $2999NZD to experience the touch bar.
I understand that exports etc with currency variance can make a difference for overseas buyers but prior to the price increase by apple in New Zealand I purchased the base 15" model for less (and direct from Apple) than the new 13" model launched today.
It would appear Apple no longer wants to appeal to all sections of its user base.
You are looking at the past through rose-tinted glasses.
Go back and read the shrieking about all the missing features of the original MBA. Notice the complaints beginning in comment #2 at the AI article linked in the prior sentence.
You will likely find complaints about price in there as well.
The original MBA was a weak, but stylish joke. Much like the first of the new MacBooks. The MBA became a mini 'Pro" (with faster CPUs and usable ports) and the new MBs took the place of the MBA, but with a Retina display. The latest MBs are getting better CPUs, but are still "cafe " computers.
Entry price for a non-cafe laptop just went up several hundred dollars.
I'm trying to understand which laptops are non-cafe computers. If not the new MBPs, perhaps you refer to the last generation MBP? If so, I disagree. The new MBPs are certainly the non-cafe computers in Apple's lineup. The new ones are way faster, better GPUs, faster interconnect, capable of driving high bit depth displays, etc.
Looking past the cafe versus non-cafe issue, I think you are missing a long-term pattern that is playing out again:
When Apple does a big redesign, the new models are always more expensive than the outgoing design. As the new design moves through the lineup, the price slowly drifts down. We are just exiting that stage as of today. This happened with Retina a few years ago. It happened with the MBA a few years before that.
Its just the way Apple works.
If the price is too high, just sit tight. It will come down and the new design features will move down-market with time.
People were whining that there were no macs with USBc ports in them, now they are whining that they have to buy adapters for their OLD USB ports?
Apple just can't win.
This is a solid laptop with solid specs. Within a year, this laptop will get Samsunged by everyone else and it will be the norm. Watch.
They should have replaced the USB 3 ports with USB-C ports, but they should have left the hdmi port and SD card reader. Most offices have hdmi connections in the conference rooms and most cameras use SD cards and that is not likely to change even if Apple would like that. You can use a dongle, but I never have one with me when I need one. I bought a MBP instead of an air or MacBook, just for the hdmi port.
Samsung and HP will copy the design, but they will likely add some ports.
I can probably count on two hands the number of times I've needed to connect to a conference room video system.
Most cameras are iPhones.
I'd say for the typical, daily use patterns of users, its okay to drop these dedicated ports. Seeing the the two plugs you mention are the largest holes in the side of a modern MacBook Pro, they made the right call from where I sit.
Comments
very disappointed.
according to the intel web site. graphics 550 is associated with i7 skylake. the new chip now rolling out kaby lake, uses the 600 series of graphics.
also i use my laptop on my desk, with external keyboard and mouse. no external keyboard with touch id. no 802.11ac wave 2
i can deal with only usb-c (in general).
in essence this laptop is one year beyond the technology curve.
These processors have been available since Q1 2016. This are not new processors any longer. These computers are already 6 months late.
Welcome to Tim Cooks Apple!
Where the laptops not only get pricier, but also less capable than the ones they replace.
What was that? You actually NEED some of the old ports? No problem!
For only $149, you'll get a dock to permanently place on your desk, and you'll regain the functionality lost when you upgraded to the new model!
Oh, you may also need to bring the 1 lb dock with you everywhere you bring your MBP but hey look at the bright side... Your MacBook weighs 100 grams less!
https://griffintechnology.com/us/breaksafe-magnetic-usb-c-power-cable
Goes for $34.99 on Amazon.
Also - Lots of USB-C SDXC (and others) card readers are available:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Dcomputers&field-keywords=usb-c+SDXC
Go back and read the shrieking about all the missing features of the original MBA. Notice the complaints beginning in comment #2 at the AI article linked in the prior sentence.
You will likely find complaints about price in there as well.
Sooner rather than later we will remember the days when there was more than one plug on a Mac as the dark ages.
I'm happy that they have settled on one port to rule them all.
Entry price for a non-cafe laptop just went up several hundred dollars.
Samsung and HP will copy the design, but they will likely add some ports.
Looking past the cafe versus non-cafe issue, I think you are missing a long-term pattern that is playing out again:
When Apple does a big redesign, the new models are always more expensive than the outgoing design. As the new design moves through the lineup, the price slowly drifts down. We are just exiting that stage as of today. This happened with Retina a few years ago. It happened with the MBA a few years before that.
Its just the way Apple works.
If the price is too high, just sit tight. It will come down and the new design features will move down-market with time.
Most cameras are iPhones.
I'd say for the typical, daily use patterns of users, its okay to drop these dedicated ports. Seeing the the two plugs you mention are the largest holes in the side of a modern MacBook Pro, they made the right call from where I sit.