Actual MBP 2016 users, please tell me the truth!

[raqball]

The problem when trying to shift through these types of threads are:

1. There are haters who do not even have it (identify and disregard these posts)
2. There are over the top ravenous fans who'd like a Apple Rock if one was made (identify and ignore these posts)
3. There are people who have it and think rationally. (identify and listen to these posts)

Best solution is get one for yourself and try it out.. Apple has a 2 week return period so you really have nothing to lose.. Some things like the KB are so user centric that only you can only make a decision after some hands (fingers) on time..

 

[dyn]

The software is another story. Like I said in my previous post above. This yearly OS releases need to end. They bring too much hassle and bugs because of the amount of recompiling and GUI changes to Quartz. In this respect Apple needs to borrow from Windows 10. They should stick to the same OS for a few years or even a decade and keep refining it and adding really good drivers and APIs to it.

You may want to dive into what OS X (now macOS) is because what you are describing here is what Apple has been doing since they introduced OS X We are now at iteration 12 of the same OS they introduced back in 2001. It is the exact same thing Microsoft is now doing with Windows as of version 10 albeit slightly different (and what many people have been wanting Microsoft to copy from others such as Apple). They are releasing the big updates (i.e. something like OS X v10.10, 10.11, 10.12) a bit more frequent than Apple is doing and they have been doing monthly patch rounds (wish Apple would adopt those).

I think Apple can improve the situation by doing the releases a bit more frequent (monthly patch round, "major" update every 6 months or so). The upside to that is that those updates are smaller and thus less complex which means higher quality software (it is something that we have observed with many software using this model). The only downside is that updates are not as satisfactory or exciting as they used to be: no more waiting 2 years and spending an entire weekend discovering the new system, no more going through an enormous list of changes and new stuff.

had my 2016 15mbp for about a month, perfect machine so far (I work in IT), the only "issue" I have is sometimes when I plug it in to charge, it doesnt make the audible noise, it seems like it is on and off

Same here but I noticed it makes the sound when the computer is actively running or just been put to sleep. When it has been sleeping for some time or when it is completely turned off, it won't make the audible noise (but it will charge!). I can totally understand some wanting to have a light on either the cable or charger to see if it is charging or not.

Although this generation have Macbook Pros have fantastic build quality that may last longer then usual (this has yet to be seen though), it being non upgradable with everything soldered on make this laptop technically disposable. In that light, I'm not sure if sustainability is a priority at Apple.

If you can upgrade every component and you can do it cheaply then you are far more likely to upgrade often. That means you are causing a much higher load on the environment because you are spurring the manufacture of new components and you also have the old one which is either chucked in the bin or gets sold (which causes someone else to chuck his old hardware in the bin along the line eventually). This is a good thing for the economy and for companies but not for the environment.

If you need to replace the whole thing and it is going to cost you a lot of money then people start to think and suddenly there is no need to upgrade to the latest and greatest any more. You'll use the computer until it is broken and it needs replacement. Apple has thought of that and offers a program where they recycle your old device. Some countries have a similar system. In the Netherlands you actually pay for recycling the old product when you buy a new one and the seller of the new device is obliged to take your old one and recycle it when you offer it to them. Being environmentally friendly doesn't start and end with what kind of raw materials you use and how many. It is about the entire lifecycle of the product.

However, what we have seen over the course of several years is that more and more hardware is integrated. We first had several chips for I/O but now we hardly need any because almost every I/O port is already built into the CPU. Thunderbolt is a good example, currently it is a separate chip but in the near future it is going to be part of the CPU. That means that we need less components on a PCB which in turn decreases the amount of raw materials we need. The downside of course is not being able to upgrade every single component (and to some extend we've already had that for years; take a look at those old 386 and 486 machines and their I/O boards and compare that to computers from 5 years ago).

More MBP specific: it now has USB-C and if Apple is going to do it like all the other manufactures do by putting it on all of its devices then we have yet another way of reducing our waste. The EU has started this by requiring USB power adapters for mobile devices (although they should and could have done far more by making it mandatory not to include those chargers because only then would they have accomplished what they set out to do with the current regulation). With USB-C this goes even further because not only can you use someone else's charger, you can actually use 1 charger, 1 converter for all of your devices. No more buying a lightning to USB-A AND a USB-C to USB-a, you only need the latter. That to me, is the MBP's biggest strength.

 

[thesaint024]

The problem when trying to shift through these eyes of threads are:

1. There are haters who do not even have it (identify and disregard these posts)
2. There are over the top ravenous fans who'd like a Apple Rock if one was made (identify and ignore these posts)
3. There are people who have it and think rationally. (identify and listen to these posts)

Best solution is get one for yourself and try it out.. Apple has a 2 week return period so you really have nothing to lose.. Some things like the KB are so user centric that only you can only make a decision after some hands (fingers) on time..

While I understand why fanboys exist, hard for me to grasp the motivation of haters. I don't go to forums of products I dislike and spew hate. While it makes sense that people would go over the top on products they love. Regardless, I agree with your grouping of the factions here.

On to the OP's question, I love my touch 13. Your personal enjoyment of this will depend on your expectations and experience. I came from a 09 MBP and a few PC laptops in between. This is next level of design and build. Although PC's have been getting close, they are still missing the refinement of the Macs. People will go on about the specs, but for most people, these have more than enough power. My uses are similar to yours, mostly productivity apps, no demanding editing or anything. If I were you, I would seriously consider one of the 13 inch variants to avoid and dGPU complications. I'm not talking about failure but battery draw. MacOS still kicks in the dGPU at illogical times. I guess it's a question of battery life vs. screen size. I don't know first hand about the 15, I've just spent way too much time on MR.

The keyboard and touchbar are very personal things. The keyboard I can attest is excellent, although strange at first. It is fast and quiet now. The touchbar requires the loss of physical function keys. Certain people here cannot fathom that change. I use function pretty regularly with MS Office, but it hasn't really affected my productivity so far. If you can't deal with either of these than this iteration of the MBP is a no go.

Everything else about this MBP is better than before. The hating on these things is just irrational. If you use this for a couple of days, you will see how it is better in almost every way. To each his own though. Some vocal people hate this so much that they speak of how everyone they know hates this thing. That is just not possible from a rational perspective. It is just a superior machine. If you are a regular person, and the dealbreakers above are not dealbreakers to you, I can't see how you can't love this thing.

 

[raqball]

While I understand why fanboys exist, hard for me to grasp the motivation of haters. I don't go to forums of products I dislike and spew hate. While it makes sense that people would go over the top on products they love. Regardless, I agree with your grouping of the factions here.

I think with the hater label we have a few subsections.

-Trolls who are just here to cause problems
-People who can tell without even using it that it's not for them (ports, RAM ect.)
-People who are long time Mac users who are upset with the direction Apple took and are looking to blow off steam

Trolls are just miserable people looking for attention but the other 2 subsections have a right to voice their opinion.. Can or should they comment on the new KB if they've never used it? Nope.. Can or should they comment on the loss of ports, price ect. without using it? Yup...

In my opinion the over the top and ravenous fans are worse than the haters...

 

[Salaryman Ryan]

While I understand why fanboys exist, hard for me to grasp the motivation of haters. I don't go to forums of products I dislike and spew hate. While it makes sense that people would go over the top on products they love. Regardless, I agree with your grouping of the factions here.

True true so much energy these haters spend. My guess here is many of these folks really wanted an Apple computer but did not get the specs or price that they wanted so they bitch under the guise of "warning others" to vent their frustrations and unrequited love. Perhaps also to find other negative feedback to feed and further justify their frustration.

Oh coooooome on, not you again. That's a big fat slap in the face for any Leica shooter, my self included. Leica cameras are absolute niche products, aimed at a very small group of highly dedicated users that demand absolute perfection in both form and the functions they expect / need.

Leica shooter here. I'm not so sure if absolute perfection can describe Leica these days. The two M9 bodies I owned both suffered the very wide spread sensor corruption issue. My beloved Leica Q has issues with dust polluting the sensor and clicking on the screen. Even my friend's brand new M240's shutter would randomly stop clicking after a hundred or so shots. Repairs took at least three months.

 

[raqball]

True true so much energy these haters spend. My guess here is many of these haters really wanted an Apple computer but did not get the specs or price that they wanted so they bitch under the guise of "warning others"

You realize that putting people down for having an opinion is also being a hater too right?

See that's the problem.. If anyone dares to have a different opinion they are put down, attacked, called names, belittled and called broke bums who can't afford it...

There are, believe it or not, very valid complaints from some about these new machines..

My .02

 

[CaptRB]

While I understand why fanboys exist, hard for me to grasp the motivation of haters. I don't go to forums of products I dislike and spew hate. While it makes sense that people would go over the top on products they love. Regardless, I agree with your grouping of the factions here.

On to the OP's question, I love my touch 13. Your personal enjoyment of this will depend on your expectations and experience. I came from a 09 MBP and a few PC laptops in between. This is next level of design and build. Although PC's have been getting close, they are still missing the refinement of the Macs. People will go on about the specs, but for most people, these have more than enough power. My uses are similar to yours, mostly productivity apps, no demanding editing or anything. If I were you, I would seriously consider one of the 13 inch variants to avoid and dGPU complications. I'm not talking about failure but battery draw. MacOS still kicks in the dGPU at illogical times. I guess it's a question of battery life vs. screen size. I don't know first hand about the 15, I've just spent way too much time on MR.

The keyboard and touchbar are very personal things. The keyboard I can attest is excellent, although strange at first. It is fast and quiet now. The touchbar requires the loss of physical function keys. Certain people here cannot fathom that change. I use function pretty regularly with MS Office, but it hasn't really affected my productivity so far. If you can't deal with either of these than this iteration of the MBP is a no go.

Everything else about this MBP is better than before. The hating on these things is just irrational. If you use this for a couple of days, you will see how it is better in almost every way. To each his own though. Some vocal people hate this so much that they speak of how everyone they know hates this thing. That is just not possible from a rational perspective. It is just a superior machine. If you are a regular person, and the dealbreakers above are not dealbreakers to you, I can't see how you can't love this thing.

This is why

True true so much energy these haters spend. My guess here is many of these folks really wanted an Apple computer but did not get the specs or price that they wanted so they bitch under the guise of "warning others" to vent their frustrations and unrequited love. Perhaps also to find other negative feedback to feed and further justify their frustration.



Leica shooter here. I'm not so sure if absolute perfection can describe Leica these days. The two M9 bodies I owned both suffered the very wide spread sensor corruption issue. My beloved Leica Q has issues with dust polluting the sensor and clicking on the screen. Even my friend's brand new M240's shutter would randomly stop clicking after a hundred or so shots. Repairs took at least three months.

The Leica digital cameras simply cannot compete in any arena beyond build. Mine will up for sale soon. Though it can be used professionally, it's incapable of keeping pace with most pro cameras.

On the other hand, my 13" tMBP keeps pace and exceeds in most respects key to my work.



Robert
[doublepost=1482705272][/doublepost]

You realize that putting people down for having an opinion is also being a hater too right?

See that's the problem.. If anyone dares to have a different opinion they are put down, attacked, called names, belittled and called broke bums who can't afford it...

There are, believe it or not, very valid complaints from some about these new machines..

My .02

He didn't say ALL. He said most. Sadly, I agree with him. Most are not valid, but there's no point in trying to understand the motives.

And most of the "hate" doesn't make a whole lot of sense. When it's sensibly challenged, there's usually anger or no reply at all.



R.

 

[thesaint024]

You realize that putting people down for having an opinion is also being a hater too right?

See that's the problem.. If anyone dares to have a different opinion they are put down, attacked, called names, belittled and called broke bums who can't afford it...

There are, believe it or not, very valid complaints from some about these new machines..

My .02

I don't wish to get into yet another debate about this, but I don't have any problems with fair criticism. It gets out of hand when you knock EVERYTHING about the MBP, even things you don't have any reason to be upset about. I always agree when the MBP doesn't meet needs for some reason. I don't call them haters, they are simply people whom a product doesn't fit their needs for reasons x,y,z. But I read some stupid ass s**t on here. Examples like the KB is exacerbating a prior wrist injury or that the touchbar will cause carpel tunnel or that someone will actually carry around 10 dongles or somehow the premonition that this MBP will fail earlier than past iterations. Ninja please! This is just straight up hating with no real use or a particularly rare situation. People just pile on to this stuff. Someone with one gripe will just repeat all the other criticisms that may be very specific for a specific use. Especially the gripes about price. Somehow the price makes the MBP a completely poorly designed machine? These stretches of reasoning are what I consider hating. I never considered fair criticism or a non-applicable use case as hating. I've done my share of troll bashing, been warned by mods to tone down attacks on these j-asses, but only when it is obvious that they are dumb haters. I don't have issue with fair critics. These sites are all about discussion, good and bad. But I don't tolerate trolls, and admit I waste too much time attacking these losers.

I personally wish for a single usb-a port and a lightning port for ease of headphone sharing with my iPhone, that is fair criticism and not hating. I love everything else about the MBP, and that is completely objective comparing with several PC's I've used. Am I being a fanboy because I actually don't find fault in the other design choices here? Maybe some of the pros that people like are warranted. I would be a fanboy if I said that this MBP was the bargain of the century. But then again, depending on how you're making money with this tool, the money spent is irrelevant. Fanboys will always exist, but I'm not reading a lot of over the top fanboyism. I'm reading people are happy with their new toys, like I am.

 

[raqball]

He didn't say ALL. He said most. Sadly, I agree with him. Most are not valid, but there's no point in trying to understand the motives.

And most of the "hate" doesn't make a whole lot of sense. When it's sensibly challenged, there's usually anger or no reply at all.

You say most of the hate is invalid and that may be true for you and your use case but to others it's valid for whatever their reasons are...

The same can be said for all the praise heaped on the new machine by the overzealous users... That praise is invalid to some and for their use case.

Anyone who has anything negative to say is badgered, belittled and discredited.. Just read the responses in this thread alone!

I don't wish to get into yet another debate about this, but I don't have any problems with fair criticism. It gets out of hand when you knock EVERYTHING about the MBP, even things you don't have any reason to be upset about. I always agree when the MBP doesn't meet needs for some reason. I don't call them haters, they are simply people whom a product doesn't fit their needs for reasons x,y,z. But I read some stupid ass s**t on here. Examples like the KB is exacerbating a prior wrist injury or that the touchbar will cause carpel tunnel or that someone will actually carry around 10 dongles or somehow the premonition that this MBP will fail earlier than past iterations. Ninja please! This is just straight up hating with no real use or a particularly rare situation. People just pile on to this stuff. Someone with one gripe will just repeat all the other criticisms that may be very specific for a specific use. Especially the gripes about price. Somehow the price makes the MBP a completely poorly designed machine? These stretches of reasoning are what I consider hating. I never considered fair criticism or a non-applicable use case as hating. I've done my share of troll bashing, been warned by mods to tone down attacks on these j-asses, but only when it is obvious that they are dumb haters. I don't have issue with fair critics. These sites are all about discussion, good and bad. But I don't tolerate trolls, and admit I waste too much time attacking these losers.

We can agree... Some things should not be criticized without having actual hands on time and by that I don't mean 10 minutes in an Apple Store, but real hands on time. Things like the KB, TB ect require someone to have significant time with the machine before deciding..

Some things can indeed be discounted without ever touching it. Price, ports ect...

I've said it so many times my head spins.. People should try the machines before rendering judgement as they have nothing to loose with Apple return policy...

I like mine well enough but I don't view it with blinders on or while tipsy on the spiked Apple koolaid either..

 

[Salaryman Ryan]

You realize that putting people down for having an opinion is also being a hater too right?

See that's the problem.. If anyone dares to have a different opinion they are put down, attacked, called names, belittled and called broke bums who can't afford it...

There are, believe it or not, very valid complaints from some about these new machines..

My .02

Perhaps I worded it too harshly but take note I'm specifically talking about individuals here who spend an inordinate amount of energy venting their frustration to the annoyance of the community. I never said their grievances are unjustified (however that is still up to debate and discussion), I'm pretty sure they have a reason to be upset but they are like that someone you know that won't stop talking why his life is so awful. You can sympathize with him the first few times but it gets tiring after a while.

 

[dyn]

The Leica digital cameras simply cannot compete in any arena beyond build. Mine will up for sale soon. Though it can be used professionally, it's incapable of keeping pace with most pro cameras.

Completely offtopic but if you make such a statement I think you don't understand Leica's intent with their cameras. Leica cameras have never been about speed but about the exact opposite. The reason why everything is manual and with dials is because they want to give the photographer simplicity and slow them down. A lot of people have noticed that slowing down increases the quality. This has been the case for many things such as writing and photography. If you want the Leica to keep up with most of the pro cameras then you have simply picked the wrong tool for that. Most of the pro cameras are build for speed, the exact opposite Leica is after. Basically this is like comparing a hammer to a screwdriver: different tools for different jobs.

The only thing Leica and Apple have in common are Jony Ive (designed products for both companies) and the fact both companies simply want to build proper products where price is a smaller component than like with many of the other brands. The big difference is that Leica has publicly stated often that they are after the luxury segment whereas Apple has never done so (in fact, they refrained from saying any such thing).

 

[Salaryman Ryan]

If you can upgrade every component and you can do it cheaply then you are far more likely to upgrade often. That means you are causing a much higher load on the environment because you are spurring the manufacture of new components and you also have the old one which is either chucked in the bin or gets sold (which causes someone else to chuck his old hardware in the bin along the line eventually). This is a good thing for the economy and for companies but not for the environment.

Not sure if I totally agree with you but you do have an interesting point (another member also made a similar point as yours a few posts back). My view point is the more conventional: The longer a computer is in service the less of it will be dumped in landfills. I'm of the persuasion that small components that are traditionally upgraded such as RAM and hard disks require a simpler process to recycle then a whole computer unit. That is if these components are immediately thrown in a landfill or for recycling but most of it are repurposed as a spare part, given away, or sold off to be reused. The hard disks are usually placed in a case and used as secondary storage while RAM are used as backup parts. So I'm still skeptical of the claim that an upgradable computer has bigger environmental footprint then one that is not upgradable.

However this is just my conjecture on the matter and would love to see an actual study on this.

 

[BBD90]

Ok so I have owned both the nontouch 13 2.0/16/512 and the base 15 and from my experience I can get around 8-10 hours on my 15 inch MacBook depending on what I am doing. The 13 inch nontouch I can get 10 hours+ easily, honestly I never needed to keep track because it worked so well. In terms of power the 15 inch is a beast, no question about it but the Touchbar is a novelty. I never use it and when I do it's kind of clunky. The Touch ID is freaking amazing, I want it to be integrated system wide and be the default way of entering my password.

 

[aevan]

There are, believe it or not, very valid complaints from some about these new machines..

My .02

There are valid complaints for almost anything. It's what you focus on that matters. Or the conclusions you draw. It is obvious some people don't like these computers, which is fine. But it is also obvious that some people really like them - and it seems like the people who don't - can't get over that fact. And frankly, they are being a bit of an ass to other people. No one is going around and saying "if you don't like the MBPs, you are ignorant and have no taste" but a lot of people are saying "if you get a new MBP, you're drinking koolaid and not a true pro".

Or, let me put it this way - I really don't think the XPS 15" is for me. But I would never go to a Dell forum and say something: "It's obvious this XPS 15 is not a pro machine" - or whatever.

I like mine well enough but I don't view it with blinders on or while tipsy on the spiked Apple koolaid either..

This is exactly the type of reasoning that gets me to respond. You're assuming because I really like mine that I'm viewing it with blinders and drinking koolaid. This is insulting. Perhaps I just don't have issues with it? Perhaps I'm ok with USB-C, perhaps I love the new keyboard, perhaps the battery life is good for me, perhaps I don't care if some other laptop has a GeForce 1060. Does that mean I'm drinking koolaid? Perhaps I just value different things than you.

So, if someone says they love the new MacBook Pro, they are stupid or naive or ignorant. This is what you basically said. And you don't see how that is insulting? And how that provokes people to respond? Even your tone "there are, believe it or not...." - you're being patronizing.

 

[dyn]

I'm of the persuasion that small components that are traditionally upgraded such as RAM and hard disks require a simpler process to recycle then a whole computer unit. That is if these components are immediately thrown in a landfill or for recycling but most of it are repurposed as a spare part, given away, or sold off to be reused.

I think you need to set your mind to the idea that any component, no matter size or cost, will end up as landfill eventually. You may repurpose it but you'll only do so for a certain amount of time. After that you either pass it on (for free or not) or throw it away. If you give or sell it to someone else the same principle applies. Products are like humans: they get born and eventually they die so in both cases there is a lifecycle. Instead of looking at one persons usage of the component you need to look at the component itself and also at its entire lifecycle. So the real question is: what are you going to do with waste? It requires a much broader look at things.

Recycling a hard drive, RAM module, etc. versus a whole computer unit isn't a simpler process, it is only a more convenient process because there is no disassembly of an entire system involved. The recycle process however is still exactly the same because they don't recycle the entire computer unit but just the components. For the recycle companies it is all a matter of amount of components: the more they have, the more profitable and thus attractive it'll be. They are not interested in the components themselves but in the materials that are on/in them. A whole computer simply holds more of those materials than a single component does so whole computers are more attractive.

There is only 1 problem: it isn't profitable to go to a consumer and pick up old stuff; you can only do that with companies because they offer a completely filled container instead of just 1 computer (the more they offer, the more attractive it gets). This you need to solve by making it a lot easier for consumers to hand in their old stuff which is why the Netherlands has legislation for this and why Dutch consumers have to pay a "removal fee" (it covers the cost for the store to take in your old device and have it recycled). There is a nationwide program where you can hand in old stuff like hairdryers, lightbulbs and whatnot in any store that is part of the program for free. A lot of Dutch cities are now also turning to a system where you pay for different types of waste so throwing away the device the normal way is going to cost you whereas handing it in is free.

In short: if you don't make recycling easy and cheap, people will not be so inclined to actually do it. That means more things will end up in landfills than being recycled. The upgradability however is what spurs consumerism which means people will buy more products more often and thus in total generate more waste. The former and the latter accelerate each other.

The hard disks are usually placed in a case and used as secondary storage while RAM are used as backup parts. So I'm still skeptical of the claim that an upgradable computer has bigger environmental footprint then one that is not upgradable.

That highly depends on the user. There will be some who'll upgrade and re-use the older components but make no mistake, most users don't have this much knowledge of computers. They generally use computers for many years until they are fed up with the slowness or the machine breaks down. They end up replacing the entire thing and throwing away the old one. Some re-use it as a computer for their kids, media centre or general internet computer.

However this is just my conjecture on the matter and would love to see an actual study on this.

I think there have already been quite a lot of those in regards to the effects of things like consumerism on something like the environment. There is also some general information from the recycle companies themselves which gives you a good insight on how they (and the recycle business) work. There are also lots of environmental organisation (i.e. Greenpeace) that track waste (or more particular for this case: e-waste), they also have more information.

Btw, there are also companies like iFixit that target the area when a device has defects. Their idea is that by having good reparable devices you can reduce e-waste because less devices get thrown away due to having a defect. Defects are just as much an issue as upgrades.

 

[raqball]

No one is going around and saying "if you don't like the MBPs, you are ignorant and have no taste" but a lot of people are saying "if you get a new MBP, you're drinking koolaid and not a true pro".

110% disagree.. People are without a doubt getting put down because they say they are not happy with the new machines. Granted it's only by a few fanatical's but it's happening in just about every thread..

Or, let me put it this way - I really don't think the XPS 15" is for me. But I would never go to a Dell forum and say something: "It's obvious this XPS 15 is not a pro machine" - or whatever.

Agree but.... People are Apple fans and some have multiple Apple products. Some also waited a long time for this refresh and were bummed out by it.. Dell does not have the same cult like following that Apple does...

 

[aevan]

Agree but.... People are Apple fans and some have multiple Apple products. Some also waited a long time for this refresh and were bummed out by it.. Dell does not have the same cult like following that Apple does...

So you admit it's a 'cult' thing - an emotional response. In fact, it seems that people that are hating on the MBPs are, in fact, more fanboys than those that are not. If I didn't like the new MBP, I just wouldn't buy one. I'm not feeling "betrayed" or anything and I would have the need to call out people who do like them.

 

[raqball]

So you admit it's a 'cult' thing - an emotional response. In fact, it seems that people that are hating on the MBPs are, in fact, more fanboys than those that are not. If I didn't like the new MBP, I just wouldn't buy one. I'm not feeling "betrayed" or anything and I would have the need to call out people who do like them.

Yes I do think many of the responses, both positive and negative, are emotional responses.. If we look at the computer from a rational stand point then the only question is does that machine work for you and your needs? If the answer is yes then cool... If it's no then move along to something that does.. Either route can still have an opinion and to me it matters... Well, it matters to me IF they have used the computer or IF they can explain why it's not an option (ports, price). Someone can't say they hate the KB because they used it for 3 minutes in an Apple Store...

I have a lot of Apple products and none of them are perfect.. I like them all and they all serve a purpose but I am not so blinded that I can't see their shortcoming either..

 

[happyslayer]

I really like mine! 13" TB MBP. The Touch Bar is cool and I am looking forward to more apps supporting it. Touch ID is very useful. The screen is fantastic. The hard drive is stupid fast. The keyboard is as good as the MacBook and I loved that keyboard. I already owned the two dongles I use since I had a MacBook previously and they work fine. I had issues with battery time early on, but since I upgraded to 10.12.2 (and now the betas for 10.12.3) my battery time has been great, averaging 10 hours as advertised. So if you want one, get one. Besides, you have 14 days to return if you're not happy.

 

[hululu]

I really like mine! 13" TB MBP. The Touch Bar is cool and I am looking forward to more apps supporting it. Touch ID is very useful. The screen is fantastic. The hard drive is stupid fast. The keyboard is as good as the MacBook and I loved that keyboard. I already owned the two dongles I use since I had a MacBook previously and they work fine. I had issues with battery time early on, but since I upgraded to 10.12.2 (and now the betas for 10.12.3) my battery time has been great, averaging 10 hours as advertised. So if you want one, get one. Besides, you have 14 days to return if you're not happy.

Thats good to hear!

How are you getting 10 hours!!!??

 

[dilutedq]

The impression I get browsing these (and other) forums is that the 2016 MBP is a complete disaster and I would be better to burn my money in the garden and use the ashes to write on my walls.

I have a use-case for a 15-inch MBP but all the negativity has made me very wary of spending so much money on something that so many people seem to think is a lemon.

What's the truth? What are your real experiences with this thing? Particularly interested in base model 15-inch.

Do you like macs?

Do you like macbook pros?

The 2016 macbook pro (15in from my perspective) is better in every single way. The big possible downgrade is the lack of magsafe but it isn't a game changer and there are some benefits to just using usb-c as the charging port.

Besides that one factor, there are unquestionably no reason to even consider an older macbook over the 2016 version. The 2016 is better in every way and is about the most pro laptop ever released period.

 

[Gaprofitt]

Hi,

Here is my take after a week with the 15 inch 2016 mbp top end model.

Some background, I work as a virtualization engineer and have used Macs and pcs for a long long time. I have experience with almost all Mac stuff as well as windows pc's, surface pro, surface book, Lenovo, etc..

I'll just summarize:

The good..

• The size and machining is top notch, the screen is gorgeous and well done..
• I actually like this type keyboard and find it easy to type on..
• The laptop is lightweight for it's size.
• Speakers sound pretty good
• SSD is class leading
• Screen brightness is very good
• Touch ID is very nice

The bad

• For a machine this nice the graphics performance is underwhelming, final cut, premiere pro, gaming.. Keep in mind I have the high end $2799 model.
• The port thing isn't that big of a deal, the problem is Apple charges 5x the cost of what these items should be..
• Touch bar thing is a joke, I find this mostly useless, it's useful for Spotify, perhaps it grows..

In summary is it any better than a similar spec'd Windows based laptop at say $1800-2000. The answer is no.. I wouldn't have said that 5 years ago, Apple has really stepped back from innovation.. It's nice to be able to use iMessage, FaceTime and a few other Mac items.. I'm not an iCloud fan at all and don't use those services..

When you look at laptops like say the Lenovo Yoga 910.. i7, 512gb ssd, 16 gb ram, 4k screen for say $1399 it's a hard sell for someone to pay $700 more for similar specs on a Mac. A couple hundred more dollars sure, $700-$1000, no way..

 

[Restlesslegs]

My (highly subjective) impression is people upgrading from MBAirs or other 12/13" devices seem to be more happy than others coming from 15" machines... Which might (!) make sense as their usage pattern is maybe different - the new MBPros for sure work well as Air replacements...

(And no, I won't sell my M9 even after almost 7 years)

 

[JCGUY]

The impression I get browsing these (and other) forums is that the 2016 MBP is a complete disaster and I would be better to burn my money in the garden and use the ashes to write on my walls.

I have a use-case for a 15-inch MBP but all the negativity has made me very wary of spending so much money on something that so many people seem to think is a lemon.

What's the truth? What are your real experiences with this thing? Particularly interested in base model 15-inch.

I've had my MBP 2016 15-inch with touch bar for a week and love it. I've had no battery, performance or software issues.

 

[CaptRB]

Completely offtopic but if you make such a statement I think you don't understand Leica's intent with their cameras. Leica cameras have never been about speed but about the exact opposite. The reason why everything is manual and with dials is because they want to give the photographer simplicity and slow them down. A lot of people have noticed that slowing down increases the quality. This has been the case for many things such as writing and photography. If you want the Leica to keep up with most of the pro cameras then you have simply picked the wrong tool for that. Most of the pro cameras are build for speed, the exact opposite Leica is after. Basically this is like comparing a hammer to a screwdriver: different tools for different jobs.

The only thing Leica and Apple have in common are Jony Ive (designed products for both companies) and the fact both companies simply want to build proper products where price is a smaller component than like with many of the other brands. The big difference is that Leica has publicly stated often that they are after the luxury segment whereas Apple has never done so (in fact, they refrained from saying any such thing).

Having owned Leica for years, I believe I do understand this procedure, but once digital came into being, things changed.

Nikon built their own manual style camera. It's slower to operate, and can require more time to get the most out of. But it has one of the best sensors on the planet (Same as in the flagship Nikon D4s in fact). So if you take your time, the effort is supported by a great sensor.

The Leica sensor is not as capable. It has issues and dynamic range limitations. In the days of film we had a more level playing field, but this is no longer the case. Thus no level of build can fix what's wrong with my Leica. It's a special camera without a special sensor to support it.



Robert