12-Inch Retina MacBook Receives Mixed Reviews From Early Adopters

[apolloa]

And if Apple thought it would they would have replaced the MBP. They didn't.

I'm not quite sure though what it compromises. You could say port or CPU...but not everyone needs that. I can't use the MB as my primary machine but I hate unplugging my rMBP from 2x27 Thunderbolt displays because my screen layouts all get screwed up. So, MB is zero compromise for my use case.

Your first sentence makes no sense? The new MacBook doesn't compromise anything, for the target market it has been designed for, as I stated, it is not designed for the MacBook Pro market because it compromises way too much for that market, a big lack of power and ports etc.

You have compromised by accepting your rMB Pro will now forever stay on your desk, and you will use the new MacBook for portability. But you cannot replace your rMB Pro with the new MacBook.

And why do your screens screw up? Sounds odd?

 

[TEBnewyork]

Should've just added retina to the MBA and they'd have sold a boatload. Reminds me of the first MBA, you avoid it till 2nd or 3rd generation when they've fleshed out the kinks.

I've said this earlier and on another thread the current 13" MBP is SMALLER than the current 13" MBA. It just weighs 1/2 lb more.

Height: 0.11-0.68 inch (0.3-1.7 cm)
Width: 12.8 inches (32.5 cm)
Depth: 8.94 inches (22.7 cm)
Weight: 2.96 pounds (1.35 kg)3


Height: 0.71 inch (1.8 cm)
Width: 12.35 inches (31.4 cm)
Depth: 8.62 inches (21.9 cm)
Weight: 3.48 pounds (1.58 kg)2

 

[HVDynamo]

At a minimum one port for charging and 1 others USB port.

But I'm more in the port galore camp, I rather have tons of port and not have to carry adapter along

Same, that's exactly why I bought the mid 2012 cMBP before they disappeared. Maybe by the time that laptop needs to be replaced I will not need as many ports. But then again I would rather have one thing to carry around (laptop) that just has what I need with it rather than have to carry multiple adapters to enable functionality.

 

[Seanthesheep]

I can actually imagine myself being a fan of the Macbook in a few years as the only USB port I use is a mouse (I don't get along with the trackpad) and even then I could buy a wireless mouse.

This just leaves the other factor of speed and a lousy webcam, I've not tried the keyboard so I can't comment on that. So for now I absolutely prefer the Air over the macbook, btw as someone else said - please make a retina macbook air!!

 

[nagromme]

Good to know I'm not really doing Photoshop and 3D work all day on a Mac that's slower than this one (CPU, GPU but especially SSD) with a far inferior screen and far inferior trackpad.

I mean, it sure seems that way, but I must be mistaken, if there are any returns of the new MB. Has anyone ever returned any other laptop before? No. Because all laptops get 100% good reviews--until this one. The first one ever to get some people saying it's not for them. Apple really screwed up.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to remember then I last connected anything to my MBAir with a physical cable. Was it 2013 or 2014? Not sure. But I know what it was: a USB dongle product key for a product that doesn't use a dongle anymore--I just haven't cared to update. We pros have a hard life...

As for those who wanted EXACTLY a current Air +Retina Display... go complain to physical reality, not Apple. Retina burns battery. You can either stay thin and light (new MacBook) OR go fast and heavy (MacBook Pro) OR give up retina (MacBook Air). Apple offers all 3 options, but you physically CANNOT combine them without compromise. Plastic case? More weight? Plastic AND more weight like the nearest Dell? Smaller trackpad? Body flex? What do you want to give up? I want to give up speed--since my old Mac is still not feeling slow, and spec numbers on paper don't matter in the end.

 

[pragmatous]

I agree with this. I also don't like the keyboard. I tried it at the Apple Store. It's not comfortable to me at all.

Here is my opinion on why I don't wanna buy this Macbook:

1) Not enough ports. Yes I do understand what Apple is trying to do, but I like multiple ports.

2) Way too pricey for the kind of performance it delivers. My iPhone probably has a similar processing speed as this guy.

3) There is no glowing Apple logo at the back. A deal-breaker for me

 

[tentales]

There already is one. It's called the 13" MacBook Pro with Retina Display.

The new MacBook is definitely the right direction. People made the very same complaints about the original MacBook Air. Within a few years, Apple dropped the price, added a USB port, and took it mainstream. I'm guessing they will do the same with the MacBook in a year or two.

The MBP is heavier, pricier and not quite a svelte as the MBA.
Never thought Dell would upstage Apple in this department:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/8983/dell-xps-13-review
It's 1.18kg, QHD (ie. retina display), and has a decent Core i5 processor and still gets 11hrs. All in the form factor of an 11" MBA.

Apple's ultrabook has beautiful physical design and runs OS X, but they're short changing us in the price/performance ratio.

I thought we were past the era of dongles! Really?

 

[HVDynamo]

I need a normal USB port for flash drives, wireless mouse/keyboards, and other EVERYDAY items. For those that use this as a big tablet and never plug anything in...great. Apple should have made the iPad 12 with a single port, but I think most people really DO need to be able to easily plug things in NOW (not in 2 years when USB-C finally catches on).

Agreed, this should have been a transition product with both style of USB ports on it, even if just one of each.

 

[nelsonammo]

Everyone is forgetting that they will inevitably do a re-design of the MBPs that is smaller and lighter than they are now. Probably when Skylake and the smaller Thunderbolt 3 connector comes out and they add in lots of the new tech from the MBs into the MBPs. Later this year or next year at the very latest.

 

[topmounter]

I stopped by my local Apple Store to check out the 12" rMB and liked it quite a bit. The keyboard was better than I expected, the screen looks great and the size/weight is impressive. The port thing is annoying though, I could stomach the USB-c thing, but the lack of a TB port is a bit disconcerting.

I gave my 2010 13" MBA to my wife to replace her POS Dell Laptop and I probably would have bought a 12" rMB if I hadn't just gotten a 2015 13" MBA.

It would be nice to shave a full pound off my laptop bag, but the 13" MBA is already pretty svelte so I expect that I'll hold off and see what Apple brings for the next iteration.

 

[QuiteSure]

Craving a new Apple product due to the deliverus interruptus of my pre-ordered Watch and frustrated that my 2011 Macbook Air couldn't hold the signal to my conference room's AppleTV, I was in the market for a new notebook computer. Over the weekend I trekked to the Apple Store and bought myself a sweet new Macbook Pro 13" Retina. For $1499 only $200 more than this new Macbook and a screaming machine with plenty of ports. Twice as heavy? At least, but I'm thrilled with my new purchase. Pages load instantaneously, I can edit video and it's got power to beat the band.

 

[Michael Scrip]

75% heavier yet weighs hardly anything. It'd pop in anyone's man bag with no fuss.

Oh sure.

I was just saying how Apple values light and thin... and they price accordingly.

They made a thinner lighter laptop and it's more expensive. That's Apple!

 

[bpfesq]

My new macbook arrived yesterday. So far, i love it. It's the right size, super light, screen is beautiful, completely silent, love the keyboard, trackpad with the force touch is slick... It's quick for what i use it for. Don't usually need the ports--but i purchased the 3 in 1 adapter for when i need to use at my office out of town.

This computer is exactly what i was looking for.

 

[QCassidy352]

The screen is super sharp and makes my late 2013 13" rMBP screen look fuzzy

This is the kind of comment that makes me think there's a bias on the part of the reviewer. MacBook has 226 ppi, MacBook Pro has 227. To say either looks "fuzzy" suggests an agenda to me.

 

[KPOM]

The MBP is heavier, pricier and not quite a svelte as the MBA.
Never thought Dell would upstage Apple in this department:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/8983/dell-xps-13-review
It's 1.18kg, QHD (ie. retina display), and has a decent Core i5 processor and still gets 11hrs. All in the form factor of an 11" MBA.

Apple's ultrabook has beautiful physical design and runs OS X, but they're short changing us in the price/performance ratio.

I thought we were past the era of dongles! Really?

The Dell is a nice machine, but it's also significantly heavier. The version with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD is $1400, and is 2.8lbs since you are forced to get a touch screen. It's also 16:9, which I find limiting.

The idea with the MacBook is that you won't be using it with lots of peripherals.

 

[HenryDJP]

But you're right, in a few years, Apple will have brainwashed everyone into getting used to needing a pricey adapter to connect anything.

No one can be brainwashed unless they allow it.

 

[Popeye206]

Although I'm sure Apple would like this machine to be successful, it does not need to be in the long-run.

It's the first of a new breed and in two years the speed will be there, the price will be in-line, and USB-C will be the norm all Apple products and many others.

There is some really cool innovations with this machine that will migrate to other devices quickly I'm sure.

 

[HenryDJP]

Have people forgetten that the MBA was $1799 when it first launched? Did anyone really expect this to launch at $999? In what universe?

Actually it was $3099 for the model anyone cared about, especially since it used an SSD. The new Macbook is more inline with that model since it uses flash storage.

 

[BCWorld]

I like the look of the new macbook, but I really wish it had just 1 more port and Lte. I mean seriously, why can't just give the people what they want for once In life#. I guess I will just have to stick to my iPad Air 2. #

 

[Popeye206]

My hubby ordered the 512GB version the day they went on sale to replace his 2 year old MBA (I think he just wanted a gold laptop).

He used it for a few days and asked me to check if something was wrong with it. He said it seemed slow for a new computer. I did a little work with it and he's right.

Suspecting some sort of misconfiguration I reinstalled the OS and it was still slow. Ran Geekbench3 on the thing and it has pretty much the same numbers as our iPad Air 2s. Which is a shame at $1600.

He went back to his old MBA and listed the shiny gold MB on Craigslist yesterday.

This new Macbook may be a miss for Apple if it can't outperform a tablet.

This story makes no sense. Why list it on Craigslist? Why not return it for a full refund or for $1600 trade for a MacBook Pro that would be very fast?

 

[mikehoward]

then again....

I'm not surprised that the reviews are mixed. It seems like an incredible little machine. It's powerful and it's sexy. But they really compromised on a lot of important features.

I'm looking at it differently: I think Apple optimized the Retina Macbook for a set of features which are important to a lot of their customers, but (as usual) the customers are not aware of it.

I originally thought the lack of ports were a problem until I realized I rarely use any of my MBP 15's ports. I used to use the T-bolt port for backup - but I'm now doing that wirelessly. All my current drives support USB-3, so I can still access archived data. I connect to my Apple TV wirelessly and email photos from my phone.

My primary use for USB, SDcard, and T-Bold were for photography & video. If I were doing still doing a lot of high pixel count photography, I would keep the MBP, but I'm not.

I've been using the Retina Macbook about 2 weeks now and will put the MBP on ebay this week. This machine is all I need for what I'm doing. I have an adobe master collection and everything runs - although slowly. Not being in a hurry, that's fine. For people w/o heavy video processing needs, this machine is pretty much all one needs. Opinions will vary, of course, as does milage.

I initially had issues with the keyboard - the feel is different and I have often hit the space bar w/o noticing it. As with any keyboard-touch change, I'm getting used to it and typing more accurately. It's definitely a different feel, however I think my issues were exacerbated by the feel being very to my MBP. The key throw is much shallower and the location of the keyboard is different from the MBP - leading to finger misalignment before consciously adjusting to the change. [my kbcovers keyboard membranes are too thick for the shallow keys and shallow key throw. They have told me they've created a new mould for the RM]

I think my current scope of work fits nicely into what the RM is optimized for.

I'm very happy with mine.

I expect the next version to consume the MBAir market and complement the MBP.

 

[tentales]

The 13"rMBP is essentially the Retina MacBook Air. It actually has a smaller footprint than the 13" MBA. Why is this so hard to grasp? Apple couldn't add a Retina display to the Air without making the battery thicker, in which case they'd have ended up pretty much where the 13" rMBP is today.

I shared your opinion at first, but then why could Dell achieve this ? Of all companies! Dell!?!

Remember when the iPad Mini with Retina Display came out, it was only 0.3mm thicker and kept the same battery performance as the previous iPad Mini.
I'd be happy with a 0.3mm thicker MBA with Retina while maintaining Core i5/i7 options.

 

[kustardking]

I need a normal USB port for flash drives, wireless mouse/keyboards, and other EVERYDAY items. For those that use this as a big tablet and never plug anything in...great. Apple should have made the iPad 12 with a single port, but I think most people really DO need to be able to easily plug things in NOW (not in 2 years when USB-C finally catches on).

How about the people that absolutely do not want/cannot use a "big tablet", but also don't need ports? They get this item, at 50% the weight.

I think the new Macbook is for two groups of people, both of which want lightweight and are fine with wireless data

1) Those with a strong main computer who want something very light for travel, and where "field work" is not CPU intensive
2) Those whose work requires medium duty general computing (office and productivity software)

In both those cases, you do NOT need peripherals hanging off the laptop. I for one use a Mac Pro at my desk, and currently have a rMBP 15 i7 as my portable. I program, but rarely need to do triage in the field. For me, losing 2.5lbs is of greater benefit than the power I've shaved off. The only thing I ever plug into my laptop, other than electric, is the USB to Lightning cable.

So, if you want peripherals, horsepower, and "lightness", the closest you come right now is the rMBP 13. And, no, they couldn't add a retina screen to the Air, because then it would overlap the rMBP in price, form and function.

 

[bombrider]

The MacBook machine itself is fine - good luck to Apple with it - it's the fact they didn't put a retina display in the MacBook Air that really stings. I guess they knew if they did that, it'd make the MacBook look like a less attractive offering (why buy a low powered, ultra light device with no ports when you can buy a decently powered ultra light device with plenty of ports for the same price?) THEY HAD THE PANELS RIGHT THERE!

After waiting a year for a retina MBA, I swapped to a 13" retina MacBook pro the week after they announced this line-up. Very happy with it, and Apple still wins as they get my money, but jesus, what a frustrating move. What next - "release" a new product with 0 stock supply?

 

[doelcm82]

I like the look of the new macbook, but I really wish it had just 1 more port and Lte. I mean seriously, why can't just give the people what they want for once In life#. I guess I will just have to stick to my iPad Air 2. #

I think they did give "the people" what they wanted once, so your wish is satisfied.