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

[newellj]

Actually i would rather buy an iPad than this.

The main reason you buy an OSX machine is the apps you are likely to use on it. Heavy, desktop quality apps.

If this machine cant run those with any degree of real usability, then its basically a machine for browsing, typing/notes, calendar stuff, reading ebooks, and watching movies. if thats what you want thats great.

But actually the iPad does all that, and probably does it better, and then has apps that go beyond even those abilities. It's also thinner and lighter.

If im buying a laptop id buy the macbook air over this right now. However if its portability and browsing you want, the iPad is the better bang for your buck.

In that way I'm not sure what the new Macbook really is. An iPad for keyboard lovers maybe? A fetish/fashion consumer product?

What I wanted was a Retina Macbook Air, which im sure will come soon.

I'm not buying it.

I think you're very confused. I want to run Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Acrobat Pro. These are hardly programs that this thing won't run just fine. And three of these programs are **** to use on an iOS device, and the fourth isn't even available for iOS. As far as a retina MBA goes, you have a lonnnnnnng wait coming.

 

[mattoligy]

Actually i would rather buy an iPad than this.

The main reason you buy an OSX machine is the apps you are likely to use on it. Heavy, desktop quality apps.

If this machine cant run those with any degree of real usability, then its basically a machine for browsing, typing/notes, calendar stuff, reading ebooks, and watching movies. if thats what you want thats great.

But actually the iPad does all that, and probably does it better, and then has apps that go beyond even those abilities. It's also thinner and lighter.

If im buying a laptop id buy the macbook air over this right now. However if its portability and browsing you want, the iPad is the better bang for your buck.

In that way I'm not sure what the new Macbook really is. An iPad for keyboard lovers maybe? A fetish/fashion consumer product?

What I wanted was a Retina Macbook Air, which im sure will come soon.

I'm not buying it.

Couldn't of said it better.

The future of portability is tablets, Apple should be working on progressing the iPad line (such as the rumoured iPad pro). They took a wrong turn with this crippled netbook with the same power as an iPad, no touchscreen and twice the price...

I think you're very confused. I want to run Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Acrobat Pro. These are hardly programs that this thing won't run just fine. And three of these programs are **** to use on an iOS device, and the fourth isn't even available for iOS. As far as a retina MBA goes, you have a lonnnnnnng wait coming.

Well then rather than waste time on this abysmal excuse of a laptop Apple should have spent more time on iOS, maybe port it to Intel for use on a CoreM iPad pro, and then bring it more in line with OS X in terms of power. Give developers the tools to quickly compile their apps for Intel as well as arm and give users the option to use the already massive catalog of iPad apps and or OS X apps as well, with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.

Something along these lines...

 

[MyMcMac]

My biggest reason against buying it is that the notebook is not rugged at all and might break when falling down from the table

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1863043/

 

[Samuelsan2001]

The same as

My biggest reason against buying it is that the notebook is not rugged at all and might break when falling down from the table

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1863043/

... all macbooks then, if you want a rugged laptop you have to spend a fortune on a poorly specced toughpad or the like.

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Actually i would rather buy an iPad than this.

The main reason you buy an OSX machine is the apps you are likely to use on it. Heavy, desktop quality apps.

If this machine cant run those with any degree of real usability, then its basically a machine for browsing, typing/notes, calendar stuff, reading ebooks, and watching movies. if thats what you want thats great.

But actually the iPad does all that, and probably does it better, and then has apps that go beyond even those abilities. It's also thinner and lighter.

If im buying a laptop id buy the macbook air over this right now. However if its portability and browsing you want, the iPad is the better bang for your buck.

In that way I'm not sure what the new Macbook really is. An iPad for keyboard lovers maybe? A fetish/fashion consumer product?

What I wanted was a Retina Macbook Air, which im sure will come soon.

I'm not buying it.

This is the end of the air, no force touchpad signalled that.

It'll never get a retina and I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last update.

It'll just fade away like the cMBP. Still sold at ludicrous prices for outdated tech for the next couple of years until the rMB and the rMBP are the whole line up in notebooks just like when the air took over from the macbook in 2010.

 

[MyMcMac]

Actually my Thinkpad T440s is kind of rugged. It fell dozens of times to the hard floor and it totally looks like new. There is a small dent (like a few milimeters) at one egde at once it fell directly on that edge from 1.70 meters but the color (rubberized black) is still there so it totally looks classy to bring it to business meetings. That notebook was around 2.000 USD I think it is priced ok as it is equipped FHD + UMTS + Smartcard.

I wonder if the rMB would be an upgrade.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

The screen...

Actually my Thinkpad T440s is kind of rugged. It fell dozens of times to the hard floor and it totally looks like new. There is a small dent (like a few milimeters) at one egde at once it fell directly on that edge from 1.70 meters but the color (rubberized black) is still there so it totally looks classy to bring it to business meetings. That notebook was around 2.000 USD I think it is priced ok as it is equipped FHD + UMTS + Smartcard.

I wonder if the rMB would be an upgrade.

will be slightly nicer.

If you have an SSD in the thinkpad then no It will be slightly worse performance wise.

Of course the Thinkpad is 70% heavier almost 2x as thick, bigger and not fanless.

But performance wise it'll have the edge.

 

[MyMcMac]

Actually I dont care much about performance as most modern computers are more than enough for my needs. Sure all notebooks now are equipped with SSDs as HDDs are very prone to fail when the notebook drops to the floor. I

What I love about the rMB is its absolutely fantastic weight! Currently my Thinkpad is 1,7 kg and I never hear its fan, I put it in my bag without any protection. The rMB might not be that forgiving so at least it needs a hard case bag which might add like 200 grams? I have no idea as I never protected my Thinkpads in any way, they always survived all kinds of crashes, water spillages and other abuses.

 

[sideman]

Rants sell bits, Apple sells solutions!

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.

Finally I can stop carrying my 25# iMac Kbd & mouse around in a backpack!
Wait, 25#? At the end of the day that thing feels like 125#. And no more one-finger typing on the iPad either.

I'm going for the rMB as a perfect (well, great) fit between the iPad and the iMac as mentioned in another post. Adapters? Leave 'em home. External disk? Go iDrive, Dropbox or just wait 'til you get home. Thunderbolt Display? See above (WTYGH). GameGizmo, FireBall TV, WhangDangDoodle sound studio? WTYGH.

This slick little baby is made for the road. Take it anywhere, everywhere, no plugs, no dongles, boxes, extra screens, antennas or linear amplifiers. Cut loose and wail, baby! And most of all have a ball.

"The game of baseball is 90% mental, the other half is physical." - Yogi Berra

 

[Matt Leaf]

I disagree the Macbook Air line is disappearing.

The two lines have reversed their function.

The Macbook Air used to be the the underpowered one - and the Macbook the go-to standard workhouse (I'm talking white and black Macbook days).

The Macbook Air has basically become the new Macbook, the new Macbook itself is actually the Air (not the other way round).

But I don't have any problems with the naming conventions. Air means fast now, not just light.

The new Macbook is completely bare bones. The way I see its best to look at the lines by their chips - Core M, Dual Core, and Quad Core. They are the key defining factors, everything else is secondary to that I think.

I think the Air will definitely get a Retina screen, but it made sense to do it the other way round, introducing the new model with Retina first, rather than putting it in the Air. Otherwise no one would have bought it. It would have seemed like a mute deal, there would have been little to attract customers to the new model. But now it has it, the Air can finally go Retina, probably next year.

And in regards to apps, I wasn't talking about Microsoft Word - more multimedia apps - like Adobe stuff, audio editing and sound production, animation, realtime graphics - the new Macbook will be useless for all this.

The Air is still the ultimate in portability for desktop class apps like that. Of course you go Retina Pro if you want full power, but the Air provides that in the ultimate form factor.

If the Air line does disappear, it's because the Retina 13" Macbook Pro thins out to become it, not the other way round (i.e. Core M going up to become more powerful).

But I don't think that will happen for a while.

The Air is amazing for its power and price. It's the best value Mac laptop.

 

[dexterbell]

This is the end of the air, no force touchpad signalled that.

It'll never get a retina and I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last update.

It'll just fade away like the cMBP. Still sold at ludicrous prices for outdated tech for the next couple of years until the rMB and the rMBP are the whole line up in notebooks just like when the air took over from the macbook in 2010.

Or Apple gives it a 1080p 11 inch display, something like a Core M 5Y10 chip, 4GB of RAM, a 128 SSD and prices it around $799-$899 giving them the true entry level Mac they need and at a price that might make someone looking at a similarly priced Windows laptop buy it instead. $1300 can't be your entry level priced computer, thats just insane. Remember, although the MBA was $1799 in 08-09, Apple still had the MacBook at $999 as the entry level. Once the MacBook went away in 2010, the MBA dropped to $999 for late 2010.

 

[vanimal]

Finally I can stop carrying my 25# iMac Kbd & mouse around in a backpack!
Wait, 25#? At the end of the day that thing feels like 125#. And no more one-finger typing on the iPad either.

I'm going for the rMB as a perfect (well, great) fit between the iPad and the iMac as mentioned in another post. Adapters? Leave 'em home. External disk? Go iDrive, Dropbox or just wait 'til you get home. Thunderbolt Display? See above (WTYGH). GameGizmo, FireBall TV, WhangDangDoodle sound studio? WTYGH.

This slick little baby is made for the road. Take it anywhere, everywhere, no plugs, no dongles, boxes, extra screens, antennas or linear amplifiers. Cut loose and wail, baby! And most of all have a ball.

"The game of baseball is 90% mental, the other half is physical." - Yogi Berra

I FELL YOU 100% on the one finger typing on the iPad. I swear i hate the iPad anymore just because of that lol .

Funny i failed typing class in HS, now i can type 80 plus words a minute.I wish my MILF typing class teacher could see me now lol.But I just love the combo of the trackpad and the keyboard. Plus most of the time, desktop sites are MUCH better than mobile pages. Mobile pages are catching up though.

 

[Cheffy Dave]

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

It's NOT for you, Im mid 60's+, it will do EVERYTHING for me, and do it well with a RETINA SCREEN, which I've been waiting for FOREVER! Now that the MB 12" has one, they will NEVER appear in the 11"&13", which is to damn bad.
The NEW PHOTO'S is awesome, and I can edit my many pix very well with the 1.3, I will be ordering TOMORROW!

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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.

JUNK?? REALLY???, tad harsh for something that doesn't fit YOUR needs, so it must be junk for all??

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People on these forums are port hungry users. They always gripe about (iPhone, iPad, various other Apple products) not having enough ports for the various things that might come up even if their issue/use case rarely if ever comes up.

Then THEY should buy something else, EVERY Apple Item, isn't for everyone,
find what you like/love and buy it

 

[douglasf13]

I disagree the Macbook Air line is disappearing.

The two lines have reversed their function.

The Macbook Air used to be the the underpowered one - and the Macbook the go-to standard workhouse (I'm talking white and black Macbook days).

The Macbook Air has basically become the new Macbook, the new Macbook itself is actually the Air (not the other way round).

But I don't have any problems with the naming conventions. Air means fast now, not just light.

The new Macbook is completely bare bones. The way I see its best to look at the lines by their chips - Core M, Dual Core, and Quad Core. They are the key defining factors, everything else is secondary to that I think.

I think the Air will definitely get a Retina screen, but it made sense to do it the other way round, introducing the new model with Retina first, rather than putting it in the Air. Otherwise no one would have bought it. It would have seemed like a mute deal, there would have been little to attract customers to the new model. But now it has it, the Air can finally go Retina, probably next year.

And in regards to apps, I wasn't talking about Microsoft Word - more multimedia apps - like Adobe stuff, audio editing and sound production, animation, realtime graphics - the new Macbook will be useless for all this.

The Air is still the ultimate in portability for desktop class apps like that. Of course you go Retina Pro if you want full power, but the Air provides that in the ultimate form factor.

If the Air line does disappear, it's because the Retina 13" Macbook Pro thins out to become it, not the other way round (i.e. Core M going up to become more powerful).

But I don't think that will happen for a while.

The Air is amazing for its power and price. It's the best value Mac laptop.

I'm not sure how the MacBook Air will go retina any time soon. The 11" Air and new MacBook have about the same battery capacity and battery life, so they'd have to either decrease the power of the Air with Core M or decrease battery life to power that retina screen. I think that's why we got this new MacBook design, instead.

 

[Cheffy Dave]

I'm an accountant and we would never use something like this at work. Macs just don't have the software able to run our programs. I mean we use i7's at work and sometimes even that can be a little slow.

I can agree with monty saying that Macs today are just used as netbooks. Me and everyone I know that has a Mac for home use could get away with using just an iPad with our daily computer use at home. But I don't like holding the tablet so I like laptops better naturally.

But I don't think the new Macbook sucks or anything. I just don't know whether I should get this or the 256GB Air. The thing that "scares" me about this laptop is not the ports, the only port I use it the USB to charge my phone, but rather the keyboard. It seems kind of "cheap" like an iPad third party keyboard. And I don't really like the way the keyboard takes up the entire space. I like my 13" MBP where there's a little space between the side and the keys. But haven't not seen the actual Macbook this is just my assumption. Also, I don't know how the sound quality will be. And the headphone jack on the right is a little confusing just because I'm used to it on the left. Honestly, if Apple had just put the black bezel on the Air I probably wouldn't even consider the new rMB.

This is from the standpoint of a home/casual user. I really don't have much computer spec knowledge or anything like that. So this is probably worth less than my 2 cents.

no, you made many good points!

 

[Cheffy Dave]

Finally I can stop carrying my 25# iMac Kbd & mouse around in a backpack!
Wait, 25#? At the end of the day that thing feels like 125#. And no more one-finger typing on the iPad either.

I'm going for the rMB as a perfect (well, great) fit between the iPad and the iMac as mentioned in another post. Adapters? Leave 'em home. External disk? Go iDrive, Dropbox or just wait 'til you get home. Thunderbolt Display? See above (WTYGH). GameGizmo, FireBall TV, WhangDangDoodle sound studio? WTYGH.

This slick little baby is made for the road. Take it anywhere, everywhere, no plugs, no dongles, boxes, extra screens, antennas or linear amplifiers. Cut loose and wail, baby! And most of all have a ball.

"The game of baseball is 90% mental, the other half is physical." - Yogi Berra

Probably the most sensible post yet, at least to me.

 

[PracticalMac]

ONE USB-C slot? Seriously?

I agree.

I am getting older Macs that DO have the ports.

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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.

Why should I have to pay $$$ for a SD card reader when prior versions and most PC notebooks have it built in?


I GET that we are going to a wireless world, but having the power port the same as your data-port is asking for trouble.
I have seen a NUMBER of ports damaged by accidental tugs on either (non-mag) power or the USB. This makes repair a more expensive option, much more than an iPad if it cannot be repaired but replaced.