The CAN'T-List of the new MacBook. Reasons not to buy

[ParanoidDroid]

I still can't get over the presentation of the new MacBook. ONE USB-C slot? Seriously? I'm already very concerned about all upcoming MacBook Pros, Airs and what else will follow. The design is so perversely radical, it gives me creeps!

That one, heavy obsolescence plagued, USB-C is pure nightmare. Why not two? Why isn't there a SD-Card slot? How am I supposed to download pictures/videos from my DSLR camera FAST? Oh yeah... I actually do own a WiFi SD-Card but it's SLOW, so don't bother telling me of 'modern' possibilities. I'm afraid that Jonny Ive and his team are completely out of touch with reality. I could rant on and on... so I'll rather summarize all my reasons/use cases why I hate the new MacBook design in a quick list:

1. One (1) USB-C port <- I call that usability sadism 'Designed in California'
2. product is designed with focus on obsolescence (USB-C port breaks -> dead laptop)
3. you, your pet/kid/colleague trip over the cable -> dead laptop, because no MagSafe
4. can't run an external HDD and charge simultaneously -> battery dies during file transfer, files are f*
5. can't use an ergonomic/precise 7-8 button gaming mouse, because there are no USB-C models available yet (for Photoshop/Illustrator, duh)
6. can't download pictures/HD videos from your DSLR, because no SD-card slot
7. have to carry bazillion adapters with you (with total weight as heavy as the new MacBook itself) to get through the day/meetings on a business trip
8. can't charge your iPhone and/or iPad via the MacBook while it is charging itself (without relying on the above mentioned big ugly adapters)
9. the HDMI/USB-A/USB-C port replicator dongle is not shipped with the new Mac ( pay $80 extra for today's common standards -> blatant scam)
10. can't run an external display without a big/fat/expensive adapter (and charge battery)
11. can't connect a graphics tablet (e.g. Wacom) directly
12. can't have a nice FaceTime/Skype call, because your front camera is 480p
13. can't have a shiny apple logo glowing in the dark on the back of your screen (hey, this is important too )
14. can't plug in any common USB stick directly, so can't share files without a WiFi network (e.g from your friends/colleagues/Windows PC )
15. can't use your over-expensive Thunderbolt display
16. can't use any of your Thunderbolt peripherals (e.g. for file storage)
17. can't run two displays
18. can't satisfy you with port comfort out of the box

So if there are lots of CAN'Ts, then the question is; what this crippled but expensive machine CAN DO for you?

It's basically an iPad running OS X on an Intel CPU.


I'm so MAD at Apple design team....

By the way, this old advertisement deserves a revival:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hnOCUkbix0

 

[sonicrobby]

I was reading through your list and agreeing with you all the way down, then I read 'its basically an iPad running OSX', now i want it

 

[PDFierro]

It's your lucky day...Apple sells other laptops that can do those things.

 

[Clix Pix]

I guess you've never heard of memory card readers......that's all you need as far as photos go. Plug USB3 memory card reader into the machine's USB-C port and download all the images off your card on to the computer, and boom, you're done.

 

[ByteTheBooty]

This is just not for you...just like it's not for most people on this forum...calm down

 

[zhenya]

God I miss the down-vote.

 

[ParanoidDroid]

I guess you've never heard of memory card readers......that's all you need as far as photos go. Plug USB3 memory card reader into the machine's USB-C port and download all the images off your card on to the computer, and boom, you're done.

Oh yes! Another clunky box, which I have to carry around. But what if you don't want to plug in anything additional... what if you just want to have your laptop and the camera with you. CAN you do that, no you CAN'T. Besides, show me an USB-C memory card reader, which I can order right now! CAN you please provide a shop link?

 

[Torq]

Oh yes! Another clunky box, which I have to carry around. But what if you don't want to plug in anything additional... what if you just want to have your laptop and the camera with you. CAN you do that, no you CAN'T. Besides, show me an USB-C memory card reader, which I can order right now! CAN you please provide a shop link?

So buy something else.

Not every product addresses every need.

A typical MacBook PRO charger plus a portable USB hub AND dongle is still smaller than just the charger for most competing laptops/ultra-portables.

...

Edit: As a fairly serious photographer, it's interesting to me that every camera I own, from DSLR to compact, going back about three years, excepting my two Leica's, can transfer over WiFi natively - and at speeds that make the transfer rate of the SD card the limiting factor.

 

[aristobrat]

what if you just want to have your laptop and the camera with you. CAN you do that, no you CAN'T.

You've been able to do that for years now. You act like all laptops out there have SD-card readers built-in. They don't.

http://www.eyefi.com

 

[ParanoidDroid]

You've been able to do that for years now. You act like all laptops out there have SD-card readers built-in. They don't.

http://www.eyefi.com

I have that one! I mentioned it above, it's too slow for RAW! HD videos with that? Forget it!
I'm not talking about all laptops... but who is the primary target customer group of Apple products? Creative folks!

Hell yes! We need a card reader, especially in such a lightweight laptop. Shoot and edit in Lightroom on the go with your MBA... but now you CAN'T. The MacBook Air is perfect, minus the awful display! And I'm very worried about future revisions of Air/rMBP. Air will likely phase-out soon. Then you stuck with a razor blade thin laptop in 2016 without any ports.... that gives me creeps.

 

[pasadena]

Oh yes! Another clunky box, which I have to carry around. But what if you don't want to plug in anything additional... what if you just want to have your laptop and the camera with you. CAN you do that, no you CAN'T. Besides, show me an USB-C memory card reader, which I can order right now! CAN you please provide a shop link?

Both my cameras have a micro-usb port.

 

[aristobrat]

I could rant on and on... so I'll rather summarize all my reasons/use cases why I hate the new MacBook design in a quick list:

Do you want to do a rant about the Mac Pro? Or how about the mac mini?

Neither of those designs meet your use cases, either.

 

[Rachel Faith]

Agree with you.

They also KILLED their best invention: Mag safe power. One port and dongles means people WILL break it off. Buy insurance if you get this junk.

 

[sorryiwasdreami]

The title post is rich; it's so negative, as though the OP is emotionally hurt by this machine.

The biggest sellers for Apple are devices that can't do any of those things either. Furthermore, within a couple years all laptops will be mimicking this one.

The recently updated MBP is probably more for you, OP.

 

[AleXXXa]

Oh yes! Another clunky box, which I have to carry around. But what if you don't want to plug in anything additional... what if you just want to have your laptop and the camera with you. CAN you do that, no you CAN'T. Besides, show me an USB-C memory card reader, which I can order right now! CAN you please provide a shop link?

Buy a regular card reader and a usb-c to usb adapter. It's just $20.
Apple logic ftw!

 

[Traverse]

Except for basic users who might already be using a tablet as their primary device, the MacBook isn't designed or marketed to be your sole machine. It's marketed toward casual users and users who need a highly portable device.

I am extremely interested in it and it may be my first Mac purchase since 2011* (I think it's overpriced, but I am mulling it over).

I have a late 2013 15" Retina MacBook Pro with 750M and 16GB of RAM that machine is a powerhouse and stays docked at my desk with monitors and an Apple bluetooth mouse and keyboard. I have an iPad 3 with a Logitec Ultrathin keyboard cover that i take to school to take notes on. I also use it for casual browsing and some games. I am very curious about the rMB as an iPad replacement for my casual and on-the-go productivity needs. I am about to start grad school, and even now, I've been having the need to take my MacBook Pro to class because we're working on some collaboration projects that can't be done on the iPad (or are incredibly irksome to do). This light, fan less, motionless, silent system may be what I'm looking for. An iPad-esque device with a keyboard and OS X.

The only thing I'll miss out on are iOS games and a few iPad apps, but i think could manage . I would keep files in sync with Dropbox, OneDrive, and iCloud. I'd still have my MBP at home for my LR work, heaving lifting, full media library, and Virtual machine work.

Really, the BIGGEST thing is, do I want to give up that slate form factor? That's a huge plus at times.

-----
You know, I used to think it extremely superfluous when I'd see users on these forums with multiple Macs, mainly MacBooks. Some on this forum claim to have an iMac, MacBook Pro, and Macbook air and have use cases for all of them (I still think that's a bit much). I could understand a heavy duty iMac and a lightweight MBA for travel, but multiple MacBooks seemed crazy. Now I'm thinking of becoming one of them! I understand the "best tool for the job" idea now. I have a fully functioning MBP, but it's a pain to take everywhere. A MB and a MBP may both be laptops, but they're very different classes of devices.


*To clarify, the reason I have a 2013 MBP was because my 2011 model died and Apple gave me a rMBP as a replacement. Otherwise, I would not have upgraded my 2011 model.

 

[Robstevo]

The thing that pissed me off is the price, this thing is a glorified net book, albeit with nice exterior features. However in Australia its 1800 dollars!

Its the same price as a 13th inch retina , yet lacks so much. And I'm guessing the components cost less in the MacBook that the pro?
Less metals, less expensive chips (core m vs i5 Intel iris graphics etc), lack of the expensive thunderbolt , all the other ports etc worse camera.

Yet its exactly the same price. If anything they should have simply replaced this with the 11 inch MacBook air

 

[Swampthing]

The thing that pissed me off is the price, this thing is a glorified net book, albeit with nice exterior features. However in Australia its 1800 dollars!

Is that $1,800 Australian Dollars or US Dollars... big difference.

 

[Robstevo]

Is that $1,800 Australian Dollars or US Dollars... big difference.

Australian Dollars.

 

[mtneer]

Australian Dollars.

$1800 AUD ~ $1380 USD today. So, not much a difference. The AUD is worth only about $0.77 USD.

 

[cfedu]

I think Apple missed the boat with the rMB, but you are just making stuff up!!!

The only point you have is 1 USB port

 

[Mr. Buzzcut]

I have that one! I mentioned it above, it's too slow for RAW! HD videos with that? Forget it!
I'm not talking about all laptops... but who is the primary target customer group of Apple products? Creative folks!

Hell yes! We need a card reader, especially in such a lightweight laptop. Shoot and edit in Lightroom on the go with your MBA... but now you CAN'T. The MacBook Air is perfect, minus the awful display! And I'm very worried about future revisions of Air/rMBP. Air will likely phase-out soon. Then you stuck with a razor blade thin laptop in 2016 without any ports.... that gives me creeps.

Primary target of Apple products? Folks! All you have to do is read these boards to know Apple customers as a whole aren't very creative / can't overcome simple problems.

If you look at the design of this thing, there can't be ports up and down the side. Most of the folks complaining want a desktop and just don't realize it. So sell your monitor, buy an iMac, AND buy this and you have the best of all worlds. For Desktop replacement with portability the MBPs aren't exactly a size or weight burden.

 

[comda]

Alright. Ive read what some of you have to say and im going to provide my input as its all criticism which is good but there are some good and bad things on this system.

Firstly, lets start with the pros,

I think the trackpad design is amazing. I personally own a Macbook 3,1 and i like having having a separate button from the trackpad. I hate the current ones where i click it down shifting the cursor. The fact that the new trackpad doesnt click but gives me that feeling in my opinion is neat. i cannot wait to try it out.

The new keyboard. If this design really does reduce the shift of keys I believe its amazing.

The layout of the motherboard- Coming from my standpoint where i launch a simple youtube video or get on facebook and my fans blast because of flash, i know how annoying fans and batteries can get. For Intel to come out with a CPU that creates little to no heat eliminating the need for a heat sink is in my opinion astonishing. Back in the 90's most CPus had a small heat sink of nothing at all. My parents first 386 had a tiny heatsink and to the touch it was warm but not burning. So for Intel to do this and apple to take this and create it i think it amazing.

Finally the weight and dimensions. For machines to get this small and yet just as powerful is something of amazement. We complain now about 5 pound laptops yet the first portables where 20 pounds if not more.

HOWEVER, as a few of you pointed out it does have some things we do not like, so the Cons-

USB C- As an owner of a few Imac G3's and my Macbook 3,1 ive always hated that apple only has 2 USB plugs on these systems. As my main apple and windows Machine i do a lot with External hard drives, internal hard drives connected to a SATA TO USB when servicing computers and i found i had to switch to a bluetooth mouse because i needed the USB. Being a computer technician ive seen many USB plugs on both Laptops and desktops damaged due to wear and tear or even trying to plug a USB incorrectly into it. So having one USB i think to apple is a little sad.

The adapters- we had the same issues when the iphone 5 was released. All our gadgets became obsolete and many claimed apple should have given us the $35 dollar adapter free for anyone who upgraded. I find apple is veering away from simplicity from the customers side to simplicity to their side in making $$. Anyone who buys this computer for more then just a browsing machine to replace their netbook will need this. Not only did apple only provide one usb for everything but they wont even provide the adapter with the purchase.

The new Intel M chip. As ive mentioned i still use a macbook 3,1 running an Intel Core 2 Duo @ 2.2Ghz with a 4Mb L2 Cache. For a Core 2 Duo thats a decently fast chip. Now im not entirely sure what exact model Of Intel M the macbook will have but ive read up that it features a L3 2mb Cache. Although its a higher cache its half of my old timer and runs at a clock speed at 1.3 Ghz i believe. In the terms of speed the INtel M is situated between the intel ATom and Pentium series in performance. To me thats sad that apple would use such a chip. Its a slower chip. Steve jobs had high prices for decent specked machines. But a machine thats lower on the scale then a PENTIUM?

FINALLY- The price. When my macbook was new in December 2007, I paid $1499 for it. It had almost the same CPU chip as the next model Macbook pro just a smaller MUCH smaller video card and only 1gb of ram versus 2. This model Ships starting at $1549. WOW and you still have to haul out another $79 for the adapter. The macbooks where always the lower end machines. Then why is it priced $500 more then the Macbook air? Because of its design. But at least with the Air you get an i5, 2 USBs and a SEPERATE power jack.

So i say to apple. Give us 2 USBs plus a power jack offer a better CPU and lower the price! like come on. Let me know what you think of my opinion.

 

[fisherking]

good news everyone! you don't have to buy the new macbook if it doesn't suit your needs. there's still the airs, and the pros.

all these whiny rants, as if apple should have designed this the way each of us wanted it. meanwhile, apple moves in the direction it chooses (just like most corporations). we go with them now, or...have the option to catch up later.

or move to a pc.

 

[driftless]

I want one, too! For those seeking portability it will be awesome. I have other tools for the heavy lifting.

I do wish that all the hater's threads could be lumped together. Every time there is a new Apple product the haters appear, mostly whining about how Apple has left behind old technologies.