another take on the new MacBook...

[fisherking]

spent some time at the (upper west side ny) apple store today, torturing the new macbook (my fave: space gray).

it's really a thing of beauty. more than any other macbook, it feels like a solid device, not a set of components in a case. nice.

the screen is lovely (and needs to be this sharp at this small size). the keyboard feels fine; i figure it would take me a few days to adapt (much like moving to my first macbook from a desktop).

some heat, but minimal (seems similar to my current mbp). the trackpad is very trackpad'y.

did some surfing, writing. played some music (speakers are no better or worse than you'd expect from a unit this size). ok for the moment, not for real listening.

my big thing was playing with logic X (my main app). just playing back the included demo (by foster the people) pushed cpu usage to 98-99%. but no skips, stalls (which i am used to on my mac).

my conclusion: for most people (outside of those who do 'pro' audio or video work), this is the macbook to get. for me, am planning a new pro.

but...this is perfect for my GF (who does basic stuff; email, surfing, netflix, minor photoshop stuff, etc).

so will insistently encourage her to get one...so i can admire it from across the room.

i look forward to the rMb tech working it's way into the pro line. am impressed with how apple is moving things forward (and, based on this forum over the last month or so, dragging us kicking & screaming into the future).

 

[newellj]

Nice comments. I'd like to think that even if someone really didn't want to buy one they couldn't help but be impressed by the thoroughness and quality of Apple's design and engineering effort on this machine. But there are a lot of measurebators out there who are completely hung up on the port count and "need" horsepower they will never actually use... :roll eyes:

I do think we'll see some of this tech migrating, which is good. I also think we'll see some signifiant changes in the rMB in the next few years, which is also good. But this is still a very impressive and very capable machine and Apple deserves a lot of credit. Too bad the launch has been so...polite word...disappointing.

 

[redheeler]

But there are a lot of measurebators out there who are completely hung up on the port count and "need" horsepower they will never actually use... :roll eyes:

To be honest, nearly everyone I've talked to about the rMB has laughed at the lack of ports. I can definitely see it as a major inconvenience for myself as well.

Otherwise the Retina MacBook looks like quite a nice machine. The only other downside I can see is from having to run the display in a non-native resolution to get more screen space, although the difference in quality isn't noticeable at a normal viewing distance.

 

[3bs]

To be honest, nearly everyone I've talked to about the rMB has laughed at the lack of ports. I can definitely see it as a major inconvenience for myself as well.

Otherwise the Retina MacBook looks like quite a nice machine. The only other downside I can see is from having to run the display in a non-native resolution to get more screen space, although the difference in quality isn't noticeable at a normal viewing distance.

I'm running my 13" rMBP at non-native resolution and still can't see any degradation 1" away from the screen

 

[terencedriver]

Why do wives and girlfriends always seem to have more basic and minor needs?

Not yours in particular.. Just in general. I see a lot of "I'll pass this info my wife/gf when I get the new model"

Maybe women can induce more efficient power modes in the same.hardware?

 

[SBruv]

my big thing was playing with logic X (my main app). just playing back the included demo (by foster the people) pushed cpu usage to 98-99%. but no skips, stalls (which i am used to on my mac).

Ouch… Given that I'm getting about 25-40% CPU usage with said project on my 3.1/16 2015 rMBP, that's rather disappointing. :-/

Is your measurement being taken in Logic's own CPU meter, Activity Monitor, iStat or whut?

 

[Elise]

Why do wives and girlfriends always seem to have more basic and minor needs?

Not yours in particular.. Just in general. I see a lot of "I'll pass this info my wife/gf when I get the new model"

Maybe women can induce more efficient power modes in the same.hardware?

Lol I see that a lot on here. I wouldn't be putting up with it personally. If he can get the latest and greatest so can I.

 

[JKNorth]

Why do wives and girlfriends always seem to have more basic and minor needs?

Not yours in particular.. Just in general. I see a lot of "I'll pass this info my wife/gf when I get the new model"

Maybe women can induce more efficient power modes in the same.hardware?

Quite the opposite in my house!

I'm a writer, so all I need from my portable machine is Scrivener and Word, plus some browsing for research and iTunes for inspirational music. The Retina MacBook will fit that bill nicely, and being as thin and light as it is (with a proper keyboard) means I can take it anywhere to write.

My wife likes to edit home movies, and she records her own music in Garage Band. So she's taking my current MBPr for the power and the ports (to plug in her mic, load media from a flash card, etc.). She likes to record in different places, wherever she's feeling the groove.

Full disclosure: for all my other computing tasks including photo and video editing that I don't need to be mobile for, I have a nMP with a 4K monitor.

But I like to write all over the place and don't need to carry all that power with me, so the MacBook is still a perfect (second) computer for that.

 

[vanimal]

EVERYTHING is fine with me except....

I would want the same type of engineering but in a 14" version with the "footprint" of the the 13.3" MBPR.

Ultimately the 12" MBPR in its 11" MBA-ish footprint is too small for a bigger guy like me. I don't travel, unless you count going from the bed, to the desk to the kitchen to the couch

I have large hands my bottom of my palms already land where your wrists should rest on the 2015 MBPR. My hands completely almost swallow the 12" MBR. Infact with it closed, i can palm pick it up like a basketball with my fingers wrapped around the side. "Thats what she said!"

I DO... currently use the ports on my 2015 MBPR, i use the HDMI to stream HBO Now, the new $14.99 service on my big 65" on the wall since i don't have a Apple TV currently in that room. So i do currently utilize the HDMI. I would hate to bother a dongle for that $$$$.

For me and my needs. The 2015 MBPR is still light as hell for the power it houses . Even the lady at the Apple store when i brought in my MBPR asked me when i was comparing them side by side. Is that for you? Your GF? "its seems a little small for you" Lol.

I always said a 13.3" MBA with a retina would be perfect for me, that will never happen. So next best and newest? A 14" MBR with the "footprint" of my MBPR but of course slimmer

Lots of people will enjoy the new 12" intact thought about getting my wife one. I NEVER watch movies on my 13" and never will. That is what i bought a 65" TV for I would use it to watch Youtube etc. But if we are talking Netflix or a movie. That is a job for the big TV and the 7.1 Dolby Digital

Still love how sexy it is, and for a first gen product. Its a step in the right direction in a positive way. Not everyone feels the same. But ultimately i think they need to have two different screen sizes. Like the Pro, and the Air give you.

 

[MacManTexas56]

To be honest, nearly everyone I've talked to about the rMB has laughed at the lack of ports. I can definitely see it as a major inconvenience for myself as well.

Otherwise the Retina MacBook looks like quite a nice machine. The only other downside I can see is from having to run the display in a non-native resolution to get more screen space, although the difference in quality isn't noticeable at a normal viewing distance.

then it's not the machine for them or you.

the camera that we barely use now has wireless transfer, i don't connect our phones to our laptop bc we do everything with dropbox or icloud. I have a time capsule we back everything up to. Sure, the ports are there on our MBA, but we seriously don't use any of them.

This machine isn't made to be someone's work horse that plugs into 25 devices.

 

[spaceballl]

Great take on the machine! I can't wait for mine to arrive. For me, it's a work machine. My personal machine is a 15" rMBP. I'm also very excited for all of this tech to make it into the 15" rMBP... I'm still waiting on the original version, maxed out. Other than only have 802.11N and a comparably slow, this thing is still pretty darn fast.

 

[iKrivetko]

EVERYTHING is fine with me except....

I would want the same type of engineering but in a 14" version with the "footprint" of the the 13.3" MBPR.

Ultimately the 12" MBPR in its 11" MBA-ish footprint is too small for a bigger guy like me. I don't travel, unless you count going from the bed, to the desk to the kitchen to the couch

I have large hands my bottom of my palms already land where your wrists should rest on the 2015 MBPR. My hands completely almost swallow the 12" MBR. Infact with it closed, i can palm pick it up like a basketball with my fingers wrapped around the side. "Thats what she said!"

I DO... currently use the ports on my 2015 MBPR, i use the HDMI to stream HBO Now, the new $14.99 service on my big 65" on the wall since i don't have a Apple TV currently in that room. So i do currently utilize the HDMI. I would hate to bother a dongle for that $$$$.

For me and my needs. The 2015 MBPR is still light as hell for the power it houses . Even the lady at the Apple store when i brought in my MBPR asked me when i was comparing them side by side. Is that for you? Your GF? "its seems a little small for you" Lol.

I always said a 13.3" MBA with a retina would be perfect for me, that will never happen. So next best and newest? A 14" MBR with the "footprint" of my MBPR but of course slimmer

Lots of people will enjoy the new 12" intact thought about getting my wife one. I NEVER watch movies on my 13" and never will. That is what i bought a 65" TV for I would use it to watch Youtube etc. But if we are talking Netflix or a movie. That is a job for the big TV and the 7.1 Dolby Digital

Still love how sexy it is, and for a first gen product. Its a step in the right direction in a positive way. Not everyone feels the same. But ultimately i think they need to have two different screen sizes. Like the Pro, and the Air give you.

I am totally with you on that one. Well, I would actually prefer a 15" display, but the idea still stands. I have been waiting for a fanless laptop with a fairly large retina display and an enormous battery for ages.

 

[newellj]

To be honest, nearly everyone I've talked to about the rMB has laughed at the lack of ports. I can definitely see it as a major inconvenience for myself as well.

Otherwise the Retina MacBook looks like quite a nice machine. The only other downside I can see is from having to run the display in a non-native resolution to get more screen space, although the difference in quality isn't noticeable at a normal viewing distance.

Personally, I think opting for the audio out Iin favor of another USB-C port, on a computer that's supposed to be mostly wireless, is inexplicable. I think I will find the single port an inconvenience but not an obstacle, and the trade-offs are looking overall favorable. I do understand that everyone has different needs - and opinions.

 

[lcseds]

Once I get stuff transferred via USB dongle to the C-Port, I doubt I'll have much need for the C-Port afterward other than power. One port is not an issue for me.

 

[clyde2801]

Lol I see that a lot on here. I wouldn't be putting up with it personally. If he can get the latest and greatest so can I.

I think the universal consensus is in most households is that SHE gets the newer car while HE gets the newer computer.

Not really fair, but we put up with it....

 

[fisherking]

Ouch… Given that I'm getting about 25-40% CPU usage with said project on my 3.1/16 2015 rMBP, that's rather disappointing. :-/

Is your measurement being taken in Logic's own CPU meter, Activity Monitor, iStat or whut?

i checked Activity Monitor while Logic was playing back. meanwhile...my GF is in fashion, her needs are more about (surprise!) style and portability (lots of travel).

my 3 year old macbook pro cannot keep up on some logic projects, so am going for the new 13" pro (3.1 dual i7 will be a big step up, and 16ram...). but hoping that, a few years down the line, this will be the look of the 'pro's...

 

[xmichaelp]

spent some time at the (upper west side ny) apple store today, torturing the new macbook (my fave: space gray).

it's really a thing of beauty. more than any other macbook, it feels like a solid device, not a set of components in a case. nice.

the screen is lovely (and needs to be this sharp at this small size). the keyboard feels fine; i figure it would take me a few days to adapt (much like moving to my first macbook from a desktop).

some heat, but minimal (seems similar to my current mbp). the trackpad is very trackpad'y.

did some surfing, writing. played some music (speakers are no better or worse than you'd expect from a unit this size). ok for the moment, not for real listening.

my big thing was playing with logic X (my main app). just playing back the included demo (by foster the people) pushed cpu usage to 98-99%. but no skips, stalls (which i am used to on my mac).

my conclusion: for most people (outside of those who do 'pro' audio or video work), this is the macbook to get. for me, am planning a new pro.

but...this is perfect for my GF (who does basic stuff; email, surfing, netflix, minor photoshop stuff, etc).

so will insistently encourage her to get one...so i can admire it from across the room.

i look forward to the rMb tech working it's way into the pro line. am impressed with how apple is moving things forward (and, based on this forum over the last month or so, dragging us kicking & screaming into the future).

When you say 98-99% CPU do you mean one core or all the cores/threads? Thanks.

 

[fisherking]

When you say 98-99% CPU do you mean one core or all the cores/threads? Thanks.

just under CPU% in activity monitor, showed about 98%... either way, logic regular runs cpu at 100% (or over) on my i5. am def going for a newer pro...

 

[SBruv]

just under CPU% in activity monitor, showed about 98%... either way, logic regular runs cpu at 100% (or over) on my i5. am def going for a newer pro...

How about Logic's own CPU meter? What's that showing, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[fisherking]

How about Logic's own CPU meter? What's that showing, if you don't mind me asking?

did not check it (the top bar was not showing it, i did not customize the toolbar)...

on my macbook pro, it usually slams the peak...then everything stops playing (this is on complex arrangements). ugh...