15-Inch MacBook Pro With Touch Bar Has Non-Removable SSD

[cmaier]

Perhaps because most computer users never upgrade their computers. And i mean, its not even close. This is a non-issue for most people.

They also didn't mention the nickel concentration in the mainboard traces, which is equally as important to the average customer 🙂

 

[gavroche]

Then you pay $310 for an apple depot flat rate repair.

You should have let him despair that his world would come to an end for a little while longer, before suggesting this simple solution. 😀

 

[tubeexperience]

Exactly. Who in their right mind would want to try and prise open their $3,000 laptop to replace an impossibly fast SSD with some generic part?

This is a complete non-issue again.

Who in their right mind would even think about upgrading a $3000 disposable laptop?

Just throw it away and get another one.

Completely non-issue.

 

[rgarjr]

the bad news on these machines just keep getting bad'er

 

[MH01]

I really can't agree with your characterization as "throwaway computers." The simple truth is that the vast majority of computer users do NOT upgrade their computers.
As for upgrade... aren't you not better off just upgrading the whole computer? Unlike PC's... Macs hold great resale value. I would venture to say that you can resell your current computer, and buy the newer model (with increased space) for not too much more than buying the components to upgrade your machine. Problem solved.

It's a case of which is it? Is it or is it not a pro computer? If anyone , it's pros who invest in gear that is upgradable , consumers do not.

Looks like a consumer device with marketing working overtime , "pro" in apple means a price hike these days sadly 🙁

 

[DerRolf]

Hi
Thanks for your reply. So out of interest if you were to get a 2016 rMBP would you stick with 256GB? that is okay future proofed etc

You're welcome!

Yes - I am currently thinking about buying the 13" Non-Touchbar version with Core i7, 16 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD. However this machine costs 2299 Euro here in Germany (including Tax and stuff) which equals 2465 USD. But that is quite a lot money - especially because my old one actually still works fine... 🙂

 

[Chupa Chupa]

There are lots of good reasons to do so, including reducing contact impedance, improved reliability, etc.

Maybe so but that doesn't really explain why Apple did it here b/c they left the removable SSD on the more compact 13" w/o TB. So not buying the reasons you state. My belief is that Apple did this to simply manufacturing and shave off a few $. I'm betting they are trying to fatten the margins to compensate for lower unit sales similar to the iPad Pro 9.7. That model had lower sales but higher revenue because it cost more and has better margins than the Air 2 did when first released. It's all about revenue at Apple these days.

 

[msh]

I's all my fault. I have an early '08 MacBook Pro upgraded over the years to 6GB ram and a 500GB Samsung SSD and still going strong; better than ever, in fact. Apple hates customers like me.

(Oh, and I don't need no stinkin' dongles; i got ethernet, express card, FW 800 & 400, USB and magsafe)

 

[weckart]

I really can't agree with your characterization as "throwaway computers." The simple truth is that the vast majority of computer users do NOT upgrade their computers.
As for upgrade... aren't you not better off just upgrading the whole computer? Unlike PC's... Macs hold great resale value. I would venture to say that you can resell your current computer, and buy the newer model (with increased space) for not too much more than buying the components to upgrade your machine. Problem solved.

The point is that Pro users DO upgrade whenever they feel there is a cost/benefit advantage to do so. Look at the Mac Pro forums for example and compare the wailing and gnashing of teeth there with what is happening here. This notebook has all the upgradability of a netbook, which is fine if you are targeting that market sector. With the price rises, is that really what Apple is aiming for?

As for resale values, who would buy one? Not only are you going to have to hope that the battery hasn't been abused but also that the hard drive hasn't been thrashed because there is no way you are going to be able to replace it. This isn't a MacBook and the potential buyers are fussier about reliability if their income depends upon it.

 

[tubeexperience]

I only keep my machines for a maximum of 2-3 years so it isn't a concern to me and if it failed out of warranty in that time period, I'd buy a new one.

I'm probably not a typical user as I run my own business and any time without my computer would cost me a lot of money (which is why I also have multiple computers)

As I run a VAT registered limited company, I also get the VAT back and can offset the cost against my profits saving me corporation tax so things are a bit cheaper for me and I can understand peoples' concerns

However, at the end of the day, complaining about it will be about as effective as king Canute trying to stop the sea so it's not worth the stress 😉

Well, most of us don't get to buy new MBPs every 2-3 years.

We also don't get to throwaway one after it broke and get a new one.

 

[Duane Martin]

Complete tosh.

You can configure custom Laptops with a Samsung 960 Pro M.2 SSD already which destroys this last-year tech joke of a Machine.

Get your facts straight.

Whoa, you go ahead and post where the Samsung 960 Pro, which anywhere on the web costs almost twice what Apple is charging, is shown to be faster than what Apple has in this machine. Even Samsung says the read speed is the same but the write speed is not as fast as in the new MacBook Pro. Samsung vs. Apple

Get your own facts straight and next time post links to your BS claims; don't trump the forum and think you won't get called out.

 

[tubeexperience]

So what happens if the SSD fails or something else on the mobo fails? You lose all your data? You throwaway your computer. This seems very short sighted for consumers.

You throwaway your computer and buy a new one.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Whoa, you go ahead and post where the Samsung 960 Pro, which anywhere on the web costs almost twice what Apple is charging, is shown to be faster than what Apple has in this machine. Even Samsung says the read speed is the same but the write speed is not as fast as in the new MacBook Pro. Samsung vs. Apple

Get your own facts straight and next time post links to your BS claims; don't trump the forum and think you won't get called out.

960 Evo. Cheaper. Upgradablility. Priceless.

 

[trifid]

Next step in the evolution of greedgate, battery soldering?

 

[Jetson]

Think different!

 

[trifid]

Think different!

Best campaign in the history of Apple, I miss those days 🙁

 

[tubeexperience]

what difference does it make that you have to replace the logic board? Costs you the same amount either way ($310). And apple takes the old circuit board and breaks it down appropriately.

The $310 flat rate repair is only offered at Apple's discretion.

 

[Mudcrutch]

what a badly designed product. 99% aesthetics, 1% usefulness.

What people just don't understand year after year. It is all about the design. It always has been. Always will.

The public is worried about ports? Expanding? Apple is worried about design.

 

[a.gomez]

Of course there is point to it, copying files between systems can happen in seconds not minutes the faster it gets - what a silly thing to say.

And what system you are copying from/to is a variable in the activity. Unless you can control the entire work flow the speed of just one end is irrelevant. If a photographer shows up with a drive made around a 960Pro your write speed can't outstrip its read speed. If your backup system is made on a 560/250 SSD it wont matter either. There is no camera SD card that can read at those speeds either.

Again, it depends on what your work flow environment looks like. Because every other system's read/write will become a bottle neck.

So now all you have is native system speed. Have you seen photoshop load RAW files from a 960pro with a 3,500MB/sec read on an i7 6700K? We already at seconds right now. This is just PC faster is better spec mentality.

 

[gavroche]

It's a case of which is it? Is it or is it not a pro computer? If anyone , it's pros who invest in gear that is upgradable , consumers do not.

Looks like a consumer device with marketing working overtime , "pro" in apple means a price hike these days sadly 🙁

I humbly disagree. Many people on here seem to have a crazy (to me) notion that a "pro" user is someone that has to have 200 Terabytes of storage, and upgrade their computer every two months.
In its simplest sense, a professional user is anyone that uses the computer for their job or in a business setting. You could even change that to say it should only refer to people who's livelihood is dependent on using that computer. But even if you do that, you still end up with a very large group of users, most of whom simply do not upgrade their computers. They go buy a new one every handful of years.
I think the closest group of users that meets the demands/needs of what people on here are tying to ascribe to "Pro" users would be gamers. They do indeed upgrade constantly.

 

[yaxomoxay]

Why would this be ok for the average hipster, and not a "pro".. however you define that term? You order one with the amount of SSD storage that you anticipate that you need. Simple enough. Are you suggesting that "pro" users are less capable of anticipating/choosing the storage that they need than are the "average hipster?" Or is it that "Pro" users need for storage space is more important than the "average hipster?"

No, I am suggesting the fact that a Pro can't have the "oh **** I forgot my dongle" while visiting with a customer.

 

[magbarn]

Whoa, you go ahead and post where the Samsung 960 Pro, which anywhere on the web costs almost twice what Apple is charging, is shown to be faster than what Apple has in this machine. Even Samsung says the read speed is the same but the write speed is not as fast as in the new MacBook Pro. Samsung vs. Apple

Get your own facts straight and next time post links to your BS claims; don't trump the forum and think you won't get called out.

Oh you mean how Apple charges $600 to go from a 256 to 1TB, while a 1TB 960 Pro goes for $630? So I guess Apple isn't giving you a credit for the 256gb drive they took out? That's not double....
BTW the 960 Pro 512gb is readily available for around $300. The 1TB 960 pro is just backordered.
Ebay scalper prices don't count

EDIT: Forgot you're from Canada so maybe your prices up there are messed up...

 

[aeshaettr_]

I thought Mac "just works"?

If I have to carry an external drive around with me, then it doesn't "just works".

Of course it does with the storage you bought ;-)

 

[ouimetnick]

No you'd order a new logic board - likely Apple main service centre can solder new parts on. You could ask the same question about the GPU, the ram, the CPU, the wifi and everything else soldered onto the logic board.

And if any storage device fails without you keeping a backup, yes you lose all your data.

Apple's service depot isn't going to be soldering anything. They replace the defective assembly (logic board) and send the defective assembly to china where it is repaired and refurbished, then sent back to use as a replacement component. They would put black tape over the serial number sticker on the ram slot on the 2009-2012 MacBook Pro. Carefully peel it off, look up the original serial number and see why it was replaced

 

[gavroche]

The point is that Pro users DO upgrade whenever they feel there is a cost/benefit advantage to do so. Look at the Mac Pro forums for example and compare the wailing and gnashing of teeth there with what is happening here. This notebook has all the upgradability of a netbook, which is fine if you are targeting that market sector. With the price rises, is that really what Apple is aiming for?

As for resale values, who would buy one? Not only are you going to have to hope that the battery hasn't been abused but also that the hard drive hasn't been thrashed because there is no way you are going to be able to replace it. This isn't a MacBook and the potential buyers are fussier about reliability if their income depends upon it.

As i've already said, people on here have strange ideas of what the world "Pro" means. And please don't compare the people here on Macrumors with the average computer user, or even average "Pro" user. We are not comparable. Those of us on this site are enthusiasts. Please don't kid yourself into thinking that even 5% of average users ever come to a site like this.

Who would you resale a used Mac to? Go to eBay. I have owned many many many Macs. And i have sold every single one i have ever owned, when i upgraded. And i rarely sold it for very much less. And stop thinking that these machines would be dead or unrepairable. As one user already pointed out, you go to apple and you pay a modest flat fee to replace. They ARE replaceable/repairable. Just not by you in your house.