Anyone sad at MBP being bad but there's no alternative?

[Anarchy99]

Even the troubled keyboard now feels much better to type on, I mean it. The tactile feedback has improved a lot and it's quiet to type on.

Ifixit teardown shows they "fixed" the keyboard by adding a thin silicone gasket.
While yes that will help with dust getting underneath causing the damage, it will also help with how quiet it is.
What it definitely doesn't do is make it more tactile.
Rubber is soft it softens the blow making it more quiet and less tactile.
Not to mention the gasket is some thickness, nothing else really changed thus the travel is even less which was already one of the primary complaints with the touchbar models

 

[turbineseaplane]

..a thin silicone gasket.

While yes that will help with dust getting underneath causing the damage

It might also help trap dust & debris that does get in there, thus ensuring damage.
It should be interesting to see how the "fix" does over time.

 

[cfdlab]

You cannot charge magic mouse 2 on 2018 macbook pro without dongles. This is the state of legendary apple design.

 

[pollaxe]

I bought the 2018 Razer 15; I was ready to try something other than the MacBook Pro and I was hoping it would ultimately replace my 2015 self-built Wintendo. I also considered the latest Gigabyte Aero 15 but the reviews I saw made me a bit iffy and I set my heart on the Razer.

The build quality of the latter was good but it was not as responsive as I anticipated and the backlight bleed on the screen was horrendous (it could be seen on everything) so I returned it the next day. I did consider trying another as the backlight bleed is a well known issue with the platform and you can get lucky with them but it made me question Razer’s QA process and, unusually for Amazon, the return was a bit of a rigmarole, too.

So far it’s been the closest to a MacBook Pro that I’ve tried but it was ultimately disappointing, so I am getting the MacBook Pro and will probably build a mini ITX rig to replace the Wintendo at some point in the next 2-6 months.

 

[Ethosik]

compared to our pre-2016 models...

With a full compliment of ports that are used without docks.

With good battery life, not at the whim of some gfx card flareup, and considering the price/performance.

Going through receipts for 2010, 2011, and 2013 MBP15 (hi-res), MBA13, rMBP13 purchases all were ~1500-1800 USD (converted, including 25% sales tax here). I've pulled the trigger on a similar 2018 MBP15 16GB/512GB SSD and it's 3700 USD (TWICE the price) and I need a bunch of dongles for getting my work done.

Come on guys we have had two years of this discussion regarding ports. What Apple has provided is a choice. You can certainly get a USB-C SD card reader. Or HDMI to USB-C. Or Displayport to USB-C. Or a bus-powered USB-C to 4x USB-A hub. On my 2013 rMBP, how could I connect my USB-A keyboard, mouse and thumb drive at the same time? I never used the HDMI port or the SD card port. They should have put in three USB-A ports in those!

Seriously, this got very old when the 2016 models were out. And we are still discussing it? These ports do everything including charging the system, and is adaptable by the user.

How about the Surface Pro that only has one USB-A port?

We got several new Dell computers at my work a couple months ago and they still came with VGA ports!

 

[redheeler]

You cannot charge magic mouse 2 on 2018 macbook pro without dongles. This is the state of legendary apple design.

USB-C to Lightning cable

 

[Anarchy99]

It might also help trap dust & debris that does get in there, thus ensuring damage.
It should be interesting to see how the "fix" does over time.

I agree

 

[cfdlab]

HDMI and SD card are not going anywhere for now. These are needed by "Pro" users. Apple should stop calling them pro laptops when they dont have pro features. If you dont need HDMI or SD Card reader, then you are not a pro user and you should buy the lower end models. Sadly apple has not left any choice for pro users.

 

[ofarlig]

You cannot charge magic mouse 2 on 2018 macbook pro without dongles. This is the state of legendary apple design.

I never understood this talk about dongles, why use dongles for everything? Use the correct cable instead which is USB-C to Lightning.

 

[Anarchy99]

USB-C to Lightning cable

Buying a additional dongle or a different cable is not really different.
You still need something extra that didn't come with the device made by the same manufacturer.
For that to be a legitimate defense Apple should either provide both cables:
USB-a to lightning as well as a usb-c
To lightning with devices requiring lightning or they should provide a USBC to lightning cable as well as the dongle to usb-a

 

[cfdlab]

USB-C to Lightning cable

More cables and dongles. This is is what has become of apple design compatibility to use their own products with one another.

 

[ofarlig]

Buying a additional dongle or a different cable is not really different.
You still need something extra that didn't come with the device made by the same manufacturer.
For that to be a legitimate defense Apple should either provide both cables:
USB-a to lightning as well as a usb-c
To lightning with devices requiring lightning or they should provide a USBC to lightning cable as well as the dongle to usb-a

If I am paying $2k+ for my computer that uses a newer standard port than my old, does it really matter if I have to spend a fraction more to replace my cables? When I got my rMB 12" I just bought some new cables that replaced my old cables. I will now use them for the MBP 13" I am getting.

 

[maflynn]

if I have to spend a fraction more to replace my cables?

You get one of those USB-C hubs like this, and that solves the problem. No dongles. I need a card reader, and so I'd be taking something along with me regardless if I bought a Razer (no SD card) or a MBP USB-C only. I'm probably going with Satechi, this particular model includes a mini displayport which I need to hook up my laptop with my Apple Cinema Display.

 

[ofarlig]

You get one of those USB-C hubs like this, and that solves the problem. No dongles. I need a card reader, and so I'd be taking something along with me regardless if I bought a Razer (no SD card) or a MBP USB-C only. I'm probably going with Satechi, this particular model includes a mini displayport which I need to hook up my laptop with my Apple Cinema Display.

View attachment 770878

I have a dock for when I am at my desk, for when I am on the go I dislike dongles to be honest, although I do carry Apples USB-C to HDMI/USB one on trips where I might need the HDMI. The rest I would rather have cables for.

 

[Anarchy99]

If I am paying $2k+ for my computer that uses a newer standard port than my old, does it really matter if I have to spend a fraction more to replace my cables?

Using that logic, you spent $2,000+ on a laptop would it really hurt them to add an additional cable

 

[Audit13]

I think there are alternatives to the Macbook but many people refuse to leave the Apple nest.

I don't have lots of money to spend on a laptop and I now take the view that the laptop must suit my needs rather than me adapting to suit the laptop's quirks and idiosyncrasies.

 

[ofarlig]

Using that logic, you spent $2,000+ on a laptop would it really hurt them to add an additional cable

Of course they could just send one with the computer but now they decided not to, nothing to complain about in my mind. The move to USB-C is one of the best so far, I want everything to be USB-C as it is a really good interface.

 

[Jethro!]

Sad? Yes. "Miffed" is a better word, because the quandary we're in is due to Apple's intentional stupid and arrogant design choices.
No alternative? Kind of, but not really. After having invested over 20 years into the Apple platform, switching isn't a light chore. Going the PC route is looking more and more inevitable, though I'm trying to delay it a long as possible.

 

[nordique]

I have a 2016 nTB and I'm quite happy, but I also feel like I 'got in' at the perfect time: start of a design, base model, AC, and with KB fiasco I have a 4th year coverage on that so I am good until end of 2020 and end of 2019 for all other parts/problems

I really like a lot of things about my laptop, but I would feel weird hunkering down now not knowing what's around the bend

Most curious about the next full iteration of laptops, ANOTHER redesign, whenever that is (probably not until 2020 at the earliest but..)

Yeah I feel their next design will slim the bezels and bring face id. They may revisit the keyboard
But I don't think it will bring back more ports unfortunately, which some people may be holding out for.

We knew in 2010 retina would make
It's way but that took 2 years and we suspected in 2013 touch id would eventually come to MacBooks but it took 3 years for that

That next design is still a few years out though
You made a good choice of model and timing for sure

Hopefully they keep a model around that meets some middle ground, like the non TB pro not requiring the user to have a tb

 

[Anarchy99]

I think there are alternatives to the Macbook but many people refuse to leave the Apple nest.

It's because regardless of what people think of Apple's hardware the last few years , MacOS is still Superior to it's alternatives and despite hackintoshing becoming more and more popular many are still scared of it or have a out of date opinion of it.

 

[Audit13]

I see lots of criticism about Apple's design choices and I do agree with some of the criticism; however, people continue to buy Apple products in huge numbers despite the perceived flaws which, IMHO, seems counter-intuitive.