Consumer Reports sucks and ruined its reputation years ago. They rate several superb products on tests that don't make sense. It's like measuring how a fish climbs a tree with a lot of their stuff.
Long ago Road & Track ran a cartoon showing cars going over a cliff into the ocean. The caption? "Oh, look. Consumer Reports is testing cars again"
Understand that Consumer Reports is all about advertising money. You cant believe anything.
You surely must be thinking of Consumer's Digest, which is paid by companies to give products good ratings. Consumer Reports on the other hand takes no money from any companies and regardless of what Internet haters say, has an excellent reputation. The car magazines in particular have fueled a legion of haters in the automotive world by offering baseless criticism of CR.
I don't understand your comment. Because you say it isn't so, that is reality?? It might be YOUR reality. But it is clear that you are not familiar with Consumer Reports in the slightest. They have never, ever, ever had advertisements in their magazine since it started EIGHTY YEARS AGO. But hey, you know everything, right?
Kind of like NPR doesn't have advertisers... just underwriters, sponsors, etc. I used to believe that about CR as well, but more recently, it seems they've 'partnered' with all sorts of services and organizations. There might not be traditional ads in the magazines, but I'm not sure that matters in the end.
Also, the thing about CR, is that when you're looking at ratings and reviews, you have to have YOUR values in mind, vs THEIR values, which might not always align. I sometimes look at their recommendations and try to get a sense of reliability from them, but I find that in many product categories (that I know well) their ranking is pretty bad (compared to what I value in a product). Heck, they used to highly prefer Windows systems over Macs, back when Macs really were quite excellent.
Or, manufacturers have now made so many odd model lines that it's sometimes quite hard to find the model number they test. The last few products I've purchased, trying to base the decisions off of CR, the results have been a disaster (like our Kenmore microwave that lasted about 1year and a month).
Cars are probably the one thing I do put some weight on, at least in terms of reliability, but again, they have criteria that doesn't necessarily match mine overall.
In addition to battery issues, the latest MacBooks have the
WORST keyboards of any laptops available today. There is hardly any key travel
- it is like typing on a virtual screen on an iPad. Imagine, if Yamaha Pianos
reduced the travel of their piano keys - there would be an outrage. Creative
people - including writers using a keyboard - need to feel and touch the keys
to connect with their work. Apple's obsession withy thin-ness is making their
machines unusable. Don't get me started on their removal of the physical home
button on the iPhone. Apple is waging war on tactility - and will lose millions
of customers as a result. People love to touch, feel and experience things. It
is core to being a human being.
They deserve it. The current MBP is a failure.
1. Terrible battery life.
2. Touch Bar is a gimmick.
3. Terrible graphics (worse than last gen)
4. macOS is buggier than before.
5. Overpriced as hell.
Was thinking of getting a 15 inch. Not worth it. Will keep using my 2012 13 inch with SSD.
Have you actually tried one? I'm loving the keyboard and touch bar and the Touch ID sort of has me asking how I ever did things without it before. I'm replacing a spec'd out Late 2013 13" rMBP so there's not a huge performance leap in terms of benchmarks (about 25% faster single core and 50% faster multi-core). But I can can say this thing is pretty dang quick. It's a slick machine. I think the combination of a super fast SSD and the faster clock speed on the RAM is making a big difference.
I'm seeing better graphics performance than my 2013" but there's more to making a great laptop than specs. I had actually bought a Late 2015 15" rMBP (Core i7 2.8 Ghz with max RAM and 1 TB SSD) and after using it for a day, I wanted to return it. It was so big and so heavy (I was going from a 13") that it felt clunky to me. The fan noise was ridiculous. I decided I needed to stick with the 13" form factor. After I played with a 13" tMBP, I loved it.
I can guarantee a 2016 model would be much faster and a lot nicer than your 2012 MBP. The one thing that was bothering me was the lack of port variety, but I grabbed myself by the dongle and decided to give it a whirl. I also backed a Kickstarter that will add those ports back in a convenient unit. But I'm usually either docked, or I'm mobile and just need a Lightning cable (iOS developer)
I am trying to drain the battery now and it's taking some time. I want to run it dry and then charge it all the way and see how long I get on the battery. So far it seems to be lasting longer than my old machine but I never got anywhere near the "up to" number on that either.
Kind of like NPR doesn't have advertisers... just underwriters, sponsors, etc. I used to believe that about CR as well, but more recently, it seems they've 'partnered' with all sorts of services and organizations. There might not be traditional ads in the magazines, but I'm not sure that matters in the end.
Also, the thing about CR, is that when you're looking at ratings and reviews, you have to have YOUR values in mind, vs THEIR values, which might not always align. I sometimes look at their recommendations and try to get a sense of reliability from them, but I find that in many product categories (that I know well) their ranking is pretty bad (compared to what I value in a product). Heck, they used to highly prefer Windows systems over Macs, back when Macs really were quite excellent.
Or, manufacturers have now made so many odd model lines that it's sometimes quite hard to find the model number they test. The last few products I've purchased, trying to base the decisions off of CR, the results have been a disaster (like our Kenmore microwave that lasted about 1year and a month).
Cars are probably the one thing I do put some weight on, at least in terms of reliability, but again, they have criteria that doesn't necessarily match mine overall.
I've had the same experience. In the product categories I know well I wouldn't pick their recommendations. It really made me wonder about their recommendations in areas I didn't know well.
I like wirecutter because reviewers tends to value the same things I value and even when I disagree with the recommendation I can at least understand the thinking behind the recommendation.
I am glad to see Consumer Reports and the Bloomberg report confirming what many people already knew. Also glad to see most people on this thread agree that Apple needs to do better. I love Apple, but there is nothing wrong with demanding more from a company that demands more from its consumers (see PRICE). The latest MBP release is a failure. I don't care what Apple *claims* its sales to be. When have you seen up to $350 off new models so soon in to their lifespan?? Apple may be trying to play it cool in public but I bet heads are rolling behind closed doors. I just hope my 2010 15" MBP with upgraded SSD and 8GB ram can hold out another year+ until the next release.
I'm loving my new 2016 tMBP 13". Sorry. I don't think this is a failure aside from those that want to find fault in it. I just opened it today at about 2:30 PM and have been setting it up and haven't plugged it in for long (just long enough to check out the USB-C power cord. It's now 11 PM at night and the battery isn't dead yet. I also had to transfer 65 GB of data from iCloud and install apps and of course Spotlight was running too. I've been doing some compiling in Xcode and terminal too so not light work, but not video encoding either. Now I haven't been using it continuously that whole time, but so far it's holding it's own. I want to run the battery down and then charge it fully (it had about 88% charge new) and then give it a fair battery life test.
The main reason MacBook Pro is failing by consumers because Apple Store service is sucks. When you take your laptop for repair they treat like your are doing favor. They act like we are idiot. First thing they will tell you, you will loose your data if they send for any repair and even for just replacing screen/display which is nothing to do with motherboard or hard disk. If you ask pull the hard disk due to important data they will tell you your warranty will be voided. List goes on if I start writing. If they don't change themselves how they treat customers apple wont be selling single mac. It's very frustrating. Apple needs to hire 10-20+ years of experience people. Folks they are Apple Store they don't know how to spell bash or motherboard.
Backup to Time Machine. It's pretty simple. Just had my wife's rMBP services and we backed it up in about 15 minutes before going. Wiped the SSD and then put back some things from Time Machine to troubleshoot. Sent it away for repair and it was back in two days with no data loss. They just ask you to do that since they won't be responsible for data loss.
Also, you can't just pull the HD out in these laptops so yes, that is an idiotic request. Again, just plug in an external HD and time machine to it. They'll even do it for you while you wait. It's not that difficult. In fact, it's pretty dang easy. Try doing that a GeekSquad counter.
I have to note, Apple taking the hours left on battery out of Mac or might be alluding to this, if battery life carries that much. I am noting that the 13 inch models seemed to average at 10 hours while the 15 inch averaged even higher.
Years ago I venerated Consumer Reports reviews when I made big buying decisions, but then was deeply disappointed when I bought a set of replacement tires they rated as "best buys" that turned out to be crap. After 10,000 miles, I scrapped CR's recommended set and went back to a trusted tire brand that costs more but never disappointed me in the 30 years I've been buying them. i still check CR's ratings, but take into account numerous other factors as much or more when buying bigger ticket items. Their numerical ratings are useful in guiding consumer decisions toward better quality products and away from worse ones - particularly autos, appliances and some home electronics. Their indexes of used car reliability are very helpful, because they go beyond testing to collecting the repair experiences of different years and models by many thousands of owners. By and large, CR can point shoppers in the right direction, but consumers need to do more research than that on their own. Like everything else they test, today I take their computer reviews with a grain of salt.
Apple removing the "battery time remaining" indicator is hiding the symptom, not treating the cause. It's like Microsoft replacing determinant progress indicators with perpetually flashing/spinning animations.
We all know how the iPhone 4 turned out and what it achieved
This strikes me as another iPhone 4 moment.
You mean one where the tech press run hysterical but the actual carrier data showed no issue with dropped calls at all? Where Jobs got on stage and showed that any phone with an internal antenna also loss signal when surrounded by a water bag death grip? Where he provided the carrier dsta confirming it? Where they continued to sell the same exact model unchanged for years to come and somehow the issue went away by itself?
Interesting that the 15" model seems to have greatly exceeded the listed battery life at best, and come in about normal at worst. (8 hours vs 10 hours in Apple's idealised tests seems about right.)
The 3 hour mark in the 13" is cause for concern, but I'd want more information before making a judgment. If people are genuinely seeing consistent results like that, then there's definitely something wrong. What it is requires a lot more information, and probably further testing from Apple. If you have a notebook that is consistently behaving like that, I'd get it to Apple. I've heard they will replace it so they can run tests of the faulty unit. Of course, they should anyway since you haven't had it that long.
I'm not sure how to take Consumer Reports these days, anyway. They seem to be rather fickle, given past actions around removing recommendations for things based on what I see as rather petty complaints. (I don't class this instance as petty, but I seem to recall them pulling a recommendation they had previously given for an iPhone model for something minor.)
the problem is not CR in this case..... this battery issue has been observed from day one of the release.
Even Phill alluded to it when he tried to explain away the reason for 16 gig ram limit.
Bullshit. The reason for the 16 GB RAM limit is technical, and your dismissiveness of it comes only because you are technicalogically illiterate.
Consumer Reports has had a political agenda against Apple for several years and they have no creditability.... at least with people who understand what the LP in LPDDR mean.
Comments
Also, the thing about CR, is that when you're looking at ratings and reviews, you have to have YOUR values in mind, vs THEIR values, which might not always align. I sometimes look at their recommendations and try to get a sense of reliability from them, but I find that in many product categories (that I know well) their ranking is pretty bad (compared to what I value in a product). Heck, they used to highly prefer Windows systems over Macs, back when Macs really were quite excellent.
Or, manufacturers have now made so many odd model lines that it's sometimes quite hard to find the model number they test. The last few products I've purchased, trying to base the decisions off of CR, the results have been a disaster (like our Kenmore microwave that lasted about 1year and a month).
Cars are probably the one thing I do put some weight on, at least in terms of reliability, but again, they have criteria that doesn't necessarily match mine overall.
https://www.cnet.com/news/consumer-reports-says-it-cant-recommend-the-iphone-4/
We all know how the iPhone 4 turned out and what it achieved
In addition to battery issues, the latest MacBooks have the WORST keyboards of any laptops available today. There is hardly any key travel - it is like typing on a virtual screen on an iPad. Imagine, if Yamaha Pianos reduced the travel of their piano keys - there would be an outrage. Creative people - including writers using a keyboard - need to feel and touch the keys to connect with their work. Apple's obsession withy thin-ness is making their machines unusable. Don't get me started on their removal of the physical home button on the iPhone. Apple is waging war on tactility - and will lose millions of customers as a result. People love to touch, feel and experience things. It is core to being a human being.
I'm seeing better graphics performance than my 2013" but there's more to making a great laptop than specs. I had actually bought a Late 2015 15" rMBP (Core i7 2.8 Ghz with max RAM and 1 TB SSD) and after using it for a day, I wanted to return it. It was so big and so heavy (I was going from a 13") that it felt clunky to me. The fan noise was ridiculous. I decided I needed to stick with the 13" form factor. After I played with a 13" tMBP, I loved it.
I can guarantee a 2016 model would be much faster and a lot nicer than your 2012 MBP. The one thing that was bothering me was the lack of port variety, but I grabbed myself by the dongle and decided to give it a whirl. I also backed a Kickstarter that will add those ports back in a convenient unit. But I'm usually either docked, or I'm mobile and just need a Lightning cable (iOS developer)
I am trying to drain the battery now and it's taking some time. I want to run it dry and then charge it all the way and see how long I get on the battery. So far it seems to be lasting longer than my old machine but I never got anywhere near the "up to" number on that either.
I like wirecutter because reviewers tends to value the same things I value and even when I disagree with the recommendation I can at least understand the thinking behind the recommendation.
CR not so much.
I'm loving my new 2016 tMBP 13". Sorry. I don't think this is a failure aside from those that want to find fault in it. I just opened it today at about 2:30 PM and have been setting it up and haven't plugged it in for long (just long enough to check out the USB-C power cord. It's now 11 PM at night and the battery isn't dead yet. I also had to transfer 65 GB of data from iCloud and install apps and of course Spotlight was running too. I've been doing some compiling in Xcode and terminal too so not light work, but not video encoding either. Now I haven't been using it continuously that whole time, but so far it's holding it's own. I want to run the battery down and then charge it fully (it had about 88% charge new) and then give it a fair battery life test.
Also, you can't just pull the HD out in these laptops so yes, that is an idiotic request. Again, just plug in an external HD and time machine to it. They'll even do it for you while you wait. It's not that difficult. In fact, it's pretty dang easy. Try doing that a GeekSquad counter.
Does your computer use a larger font whenever you type harder?
Consumer Reports has had a political agenda against Apple for several years and they have no creditability.... at least with people who understand what the LP in LPDDR mean.