First look: Hands-on with Apple's all new 12" MacBook with Retina display

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Comments

  • Reply 61 of 101
    I have to say it looks great, but in 2000 when Apple came out with the smallest notebook in the titanium, remember that one which turned into the MacBook Air. I bought the titanium and it was a painful experience because the technology was new and frankly the computer never worked that great. Wasn't able to use Photoshop and the computer had issues in which it would slow down after a lot of use.
    The moral of the story, be very careful on buying new technology.
    I say this and I bought in 2012 the Retina 15 inch Macbook pro and it's the best computer I have ever had.
  • Reply 62 of 101
    bluefire1bluefire1 Posts: 1,301member
    I think the new MacBook will be a big hit. The size, the weight, the thinness and the battery life will more than suffice for the average computer user. It is likely to steal sales from the iPad just as the iPhone 6 Plus has. And still no Retina Display for the MacBook Air! Maybe Apple is trying to tell us something.
  • Reply 63 of 101
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    dunks wrote: »
    They absolutely nailed this product. Apple are really pushing the design envelope hard with this one. Who'd have thought even ten years ago that the 3.5 mm auxiliary audio port would be considered a constraint on computer chassis design?

    If I had a time machine I'd love to sneak back to 2008 and secretly substitute this with the original MacBook Air in Steve's on-stage manila envelope. I think even he'd fall off the stage.

    This machine is getting the love on Instagram that's for sure. Especially the gold version. When Tim brought it out on stage it reminded me of Steve's 2008 MacBook Air intro. I thought it was so cool when he closed the lid one-handed.

    I hate it when people are blasé about thin and light as if it's super easy to do and not innovative. BS. Everything about this laptop is incredibly innovative and took an enormous amount of engineering talent to pull off. It's not just some designer waving a magic wand and it miraculously becomes thin and light. Even Marques Brownlee (certainly not an Apple fanboy) was suitably impressed with the new trackpad. I can't wait to try one out.
  • Reply 64 of 101
    webweaselwebweasel Posts: 135member
    It's a great looking machine, no doubt, but the minimalism with the ports is too much. Could they not have put two USB C ports on the right and kept the magsafe point on the left? If that one USB C port gets damaged you are stuffed.
  • Reply 65 of 101
    frantisekfrantisek Posts: 756member

    Will there be new Air version? Even lighter thinner, audio jack and wireless charger? Or Lightning port? Otherwise I do not understand line ups names.

  • Reply 66 of 101
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    No one else noticed that the Apple logo is no longer backlit?

     

    Sad to see it go; it was more than iconic.

  • Reply 67 of 101
    herbivoreherbivore Posts: 132member
    I just can't get excited about the MacBook. If Apple had inserted the A9 processor, I would be in line to purchase the machine. I am desperately looking to replace my first generation iPad and my MacBook Air.

    Intel Core M processors are a fail. I'll wait for the iPad pro with the A9 processor. Will cost much less than the MacBook, should have better performance, especially the GPU and an even lighter form factor. $1399 for an entry level underpowered laptop? Not for me.
  • Reply 68 of 101
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member
    ds92jz wrote: »
    Single USB-C port ($80 for an adapter LOL) and Intel M processor is a fail.

    a fail, eh? I bet that means Apple is DOOOMED, and you're very "concerned".
  • Reply 69 of 101
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member
    ds92jz wrote: »
    Intel M isn't that great of a processor.

    Honestly, you'd be better off with the 13" retina Macbook Pro now that it's been updated with the newer trackpad. 

    But if your heart is set on the new Macbook down the road, wait until sept-oct when it starts to pop up on the refurb site.

    if someone is in the market for an ultr portable, why on earth would you recommend a beefier, heavier pro? you're not making any sense.
  • Reply 70 of 101
    solipsismysolipsismy Posts: 5,099member
    [SIZE=22px]No one else noticed that the Apple logo is no longer backlit?[/SIZE]

    Sad to see it go; it was more than iconic.

    Yes, iconic and great advertising on the cheap. But why did it go? My hypothesis is not because it has a battery or something else behind it, but because the new ultra thin casing and display components simply allow no room for the cutout and frost plastic insert (at least at a cost that makes sense for the MacBook).

    herbivore wrote: »
    I just can't get excited about the MacBook. If Apple had inserted the A9 processor, I would be in line to purchase the machine. I am desperately looking to replace my first generation iPad and my MacBook Air.

    I've been keen on the idea of Apple using their A-series chip in a notebook for years now, but I'm sure the A9 is ready for that. Perhaps another generation and we'll see something. Since Apple has just removed TB from the MB we know that TB isn't a requirement for at least their entry-level notebook. If you tried to argue that as a possibility on Sunday you would have been called a fool (as I can attest).
  • Reply 71 of 101
    frank777frank777 Posts: 5,839member

    The Thunderbolt 2 thing is definitely a bit weird.

     

    The (non-Retina) Airs have it, which means that the 13" Air will compete directly against the new MacBook in terms of performance for many people. And the Air is significantly cheaper.

     

    It's not a major deal, but usually Apple is more careful not to have this kind of overlap in their product matrix.

  • Reply 72 of 101
    This looks like the perfect laptop for a road warrior. I use a 27" retina iMac when I work locally and switch to an 11" MBA when I am on the road (about 50% of my work days involve air travel).

    Dropping the power brick alone is enough to get me to upgrade. I normally wait until the laptops hit the refurbished store or 1 gen behind on laptops but I am not in a rush to replace the MBA.

    Being able to run Excel, Power Point and stay on top of emails when traveling covers 90% of my needs.

    My biggest upgrade to an otherwise great machine would be a 4G antenna with an Apple SIM card so I would have data redundancy when my iPhone battery is dead with whichever carrier had the best data only plan at the moment.
  • Reply 73 of 101
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by frantisek View Post

     

    Will there be new Air version? Even lighter thinner, audio jack and wireless charger? Or Lightning port? Otherwise I do not understand line ups names.


     

    Apple is revisiting the form over function principle of the original Air. The more I look at it, the more the new Macbook seems like an expensive netbook. Woohoo, a 480p webcam... If that's what someone wants, go for it.

     

    But the Air got its own quiet update yesterday too. It's a modest update to Broadwell chips, but that's more functionally interesting to me.

  • Reply 74 of 101
    solipsismysolipsismy Posts: 5,099member
    nowayout11 wrote: »
    Woohoo, a 480p webcam... If that's what someone wants, go for it.

    I'm glad I don't live in a world where the webcam is a deal breaker. I guess those that want to have high-quality dick pics on Chat Roulette should get a different machine, but I'm more than happy to have a reduced webcam for the much improved function of everything else.
  • Reply 75 of 101
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismY View Post





    I'm glad I don't live in a world where the webcam is a deal breaker. I guess those that want to have high-quality dick pics on Chat Roulette should get a different machine, but I'm more than happy to have a reduced webcam for the much improved function of everything else.

    What are you comparing it to, to determine improved function of everything else? Certainly nothing in the existing lineup, so I'm assuming some other line.

  • Reply 76 of 101
    ash471ash471 Posts: 705member
    melgross wrote: »
    It's a good question, really. I wonder if this is in part in response to shrinking iPad sales. Supposedly, the iPad Pro is for that, but assuming that will come out, this could be another angle to attack that from.

    Otherwise, I would say that's it's a way to get into the Apple ecosystem, but it's really too expensive to be a feeder product, that's the $899 Macbook Air. But for school work and executives, it could be a perfect machine.
    Price is good for work executives. I really wanted to buy this, but my primary monitor is a Thunderbolt Display and I have no way to connect sub-c to thunderbolt. Would I really go buy a POS monitor and throw away my Thunderbolt Display to use the new MacBook? I thought about buying a Mac mini to run the monitor, but then I have to duplicate all my software. I really wanted to get this, but the rMBpro is probably what I'll have to do.
  • Reply 77 of 101
    solipsismysolipsismy Posts: 5,099member
    sog35 wrote: »
    wow.  The quality of troll here is lacking.

    I mean did you even go to troll school?  Weak effort my friend.  Very weak.  You are not ready for the bigs.  I'm sending you back to the minors. Go back to Verge.com and increase your skills.

    If he went to troll school it wasn't one of the poison ivy league troll colleges. Probably just a troll trade school, like DeTry.


    (I blame [@]digitalclips[/@]'s reference to a pun earlier today for the abhorent post above)
  • Reply 78 of 101
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,310moderator
    Did anyone predict this prior to my July/August 2014 posts or do I have the honors of having predicted the return of the long-discontinued MacBook (with a 12" Retina display)?

    March 2014:

    http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/162571/rumor-apple-to-phase-out-last-non-retina-macbooks-with-cd-dvd-drive-this-year#post_2481805

    "I could see them scrapping the 11" and 13" Air for a single 12". If they make it a Retina model, that would be interesting but to maintain the price, I'd guess it will be a TN panel. I'd like to see it with a black bezel and laminated glass but that might add to the weight. 15" option would be good too.

    The 'Air' moniker is a bit redundant now so maybe they'll go with Retina Macbook next."

    Fortunately they stuck with IPS and didn't just do a Retina TN panel like some other manufacturers.

    I mocked up a slimmer model here:

    http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/181878/questionable-leaks-raise-hopes-that-apple-will-release-new-lightning-cable-with-reversible-usb-connector#post_2581357

    1000

    I estimated 20-30% thinner, they managed 24%. I had magsafe plus 2x USB C but the issue there is the internal battery:

    1000

    http://www.vox.com/2015/3/9/8178213/apple-macbook-all-batteries

    The ports have to be connected to the motherboard in the middle.

    It's not too badly priced. The 13" non-Retina, non-IPS Air with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD is $1299. The Macbook is $1299 with a Retina display and starts at 8GB, 256GB.

    The single USB port should be able to connect to a USB hub to allow more ports but two ports would have been easier and they probably could have managed one on either side with the 3.5mm jack slightly offset. Two ports allows copying between two external drives, one means copying to the internal and then back to the other, which is annoying and not possible if you need to copy more than the internal space. I can understand the lack of TB as it's 4.5mm tall same as USB-A, headphone is 3.5mm, USB-C is 1.8mm.

    Having to plug in an $80 adaptor to run a display while powering it isn't great but I suppose they'll redesign their display to power the laptop and support video at the same time and then you can use the display's other ports (they'll remove FW but you'd get ethernet and other powered USB ports).

    It's good to see them manage a metal hinge, hopefully it won't affect wireless performance much as that's where the antenna goes but it should be more durable. I'll miss the lit up logo but shiny looks ok too.

    I'm not sure how they'll get the price down to the $899 levels eventually, I don't think the RAM and SSD prices will drop much. We should really expect prices to rise because of inflation so this may be their way of doing that - introduce a new model at a higher price and don't drop it so much e.g 5K iMac, Mac Pro, Retina Macbook Pro. It's harder to raise prices on an existing line.

    They should have kept the 11" Air for price but dropped the rest because the 12" Macbook matches the 13" Air for price with the same spec and the Retina display would drive sales to people who would have bought the entry 13".
  • Reply 79 of 101
    solipsismysolipsismy Posts: 5,099member
    Marvin wrote: »
    The ports have to be connected to the motherboard in the middle.

    They do, but I don't see if they can do USB-C that far from the logic board they couldn't do other ports, or more USB-C ports that same way.
    It's not too badly priced. The 13" non-Retina, non-IPS Air with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD is $1299. The Macbook is $1299 with a Retina display and starts at 8GB, 256GB.

    That does help put it into perspective, especially when you then consider the weight to the MBAs.

    The single USB port should be able to connect to a USB hub to allow more ports but two ports would have been easier and they probably could have managed one on either side with the 3.5mm jack slightly offset. Two ports allows copying between two external drives, one means copying to the internal and then back to the other, which is annoying and not possible if you need to copy more than the internal space. I can understand the lack of TB as it's 4.5mm tall same as USB-A, headphone is 3.5mm, USB-C is 1.8mm.

    If I have one niggle about this new design is that they are still using the 3.5mm jack. I would have rather they used another USB-3 port (perhaps with an internal hub so you can power from either or both without issue) and then included a USB-C-to-3.5mm-jack adapter in the box (or even not at all — these are standards and will cheap enough to buy on Monoprice if Apple did that).
    Having to plug in an $80 adaptor to run a display while powering it isn't great but I suppose they'll redesign their display to power the laptop and support video at the same time and then you can use the display's other ports (they'll remove FW but you'd get ethernet and other powered USB ports).

    There is some HW in there that make the price higher but expect good 3rd-party adapters to be available since there is nothing that requires jumping to Apple hoops to build. You really only need hub that supports USB 3.0 power and data.
    It's good to see them manage a metal hinge, hopefully it won't affect wireless performance much as that's where the antenna goes but it should be more durable. I'll miss the lit up logo but shiny looks ok too.

    This will be interesting. I'd guess it will be worse than the current Macs, but not an issue since 802.11ac @ 5GHz and MIMO over the old 802.11g has gotten so much better than it can afford a slight hit to the range.
    I'm not sure how they'll get the price down to the $899 levels eventually...

    ARM would be a good start.
  • Reply 80 of 101
    hoganhogan Posts: 94member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    I'm sure Apple will get crap for only one port but I'm seeing a lot of 'drool I'm getting one' posts on Twitter. Jason Snell said the keyboard is great. And Ben Thompson says the trackpad is "crazy" and "plays tricks on your mind". My impression from the event today is Apple is doubling down on high quality and charging for it. And knowing people will pay for quality.



    I thought it was interesting though that we didn't see Dan Riccio or Craig Federighi at all. Jony Ive in all the videos and Jeff Williams on stage. I get sense that in terms of importance Jeff, Jony and Eddy are Tim's top guys and it wouldn't surprise me if Jeff or Eddy are being groomed as Tim's eventual successor.

     

    High quality?  With that processor?   I'd love a MacBook Air that supported a Retina display but find myself increasingly pining for more horsepower on my existing MacBook Air.  This doesn't do it for me, it's underpowered.  So, I'm disappointed

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