Anyone using the 12" MacBook as his/her primary machine? How is the overall experience?

I would NEVER buy a rMB over buying a newer iMac. You just cannot beat the iMac 27 5K as a desktop machine. Period!
I have both. rMB is used when I am on the go. But at home I want to use the iMac.
 
My rMB is currently my primary machine. I (foolishly) bought a base model 4K iMac to complement it. The slow hard drive drove me nuts. I know I could have used an external SSD but decided to give it to my mom instead. It was a big upgrade from her PC. I'll eventually get a new iMac after I move but surprisingly have enjoyed the MB as a primary machine. It handled everything from work I throw at it (light stuff, I'm an English professor). I can't speak to games. I still play World of Warcraft and got a message it didn't meet the requirements, so I decided not to install it. The screen is small but manageable (much moreso than my previous laptop, an 11 inch Air).
 
On my second week of using a 1.2/512 as my primary machine. So far so good! My needs have changed over the past 6 months and I'm no longer really in need of a "Pro" machine.

I've been using my rMacBook for the following and haven't run into any issues or throttling:
  • Safari with 2-8 tabs plus other stuff opening
  • Multiple office 2011 apps open
  • Working on 2k x 2k pixel canvas in Photoshop CS6 and other canvases open for a design project
  • Converted an .mkv bluray rip to itunes format to airplay
All of this was done working directly on the rMB's screen and not while also driving an external display, as I still need to pick up a hub to do that. Love the machine overall.

Also as a side note, I'm coming from a 15" MBP and not minding the difference in screen size. Although when I work on my work 15" MBP, it feels MASSIVE.
 
I'm a web developer who has been using the 12" MacBook as his primary computer since it was released.

I started with a MacBook Air in 2012, hoping it would be powerful enough for my needs. It was. When the 12" came out, I was pretty worried that it wouldn't work for what I needed it to do. But I've had 0 problems with it. In fact, I love it. I just got a job at a Big Tech Company in the valley, and they insisted I get a 13" Pro. I agreed, but after seeing my work load I'm pretty much certain that a 12" could handle the load. When the new 12" comes out, I'm going to ask to switch.

I'm mostly a front end developer, but I'm often running the apps in a Ubuntu VM as I develop them.

For most casual users, the MacBook should be great. For certain developers, it will also be great. If you do heavy video editing, photo editing, 3D video editing, or even if you play some 3D games, it probably won't be a good fit.

Also, running full Windows in a VM is pretty sluggish. Boot camp is probably a better choice if you need to do a lot in Windows on the machine.

Note that I actively manage the apps and tabs that I have open to preserve battery life. If I don't plan to use something in the next ~10 minutes I usually close it rather than minimize it. This might make it less annoying for me to use :p
 
Also I have to add that it charges super fast! This morning I plugged it in at 9% and went to the gym. Came back in about an hour and twenty minutes and it's fully charged. Love the fast charing and I get a solid 9 hours out of it.
 
I have mine connected to my external display. That is when I notice the most slow down. Periodically my Apple Bluetooth mouse and Apple last gen keyboard will disconnect and I will have to restart my machine to get Bluetooth to work again. I have left multiple tabs open in Safari somewhere between 2 to 4 tabs watching Netflix and editing photos with Capture One and I don't get very much slow down and that is all while connected to an Apple 27 inch LED Cinema Display. The slow down seems to happen when 6-8 tabs in Safari are open and I leave Capture One open too. Then Bluetooth disconnects and the pinwheel starts.
 
applesith said:
On my second week of using a 1.2/512 as my primary machine. So far so good! My needs have changed over the past 6 months and I'm no longer really in need of a "Pro" machine.

I've been using my rMacBook for the following and haven't run into any issues or throttling:
  • Safari with 2-8 tabs plus other stuff opening
  • Multiple office 2011 apps open
  • Working on 2k x 2k pixel canvas in Photoshop CS6 and other canvases open for a design project
  • Converted an .mkv bluray rip to itunes format to airplay
All of this was done working directly on the rMB's screen and not while also driving an external display, as I still need to pick up a hub to do that. Love the machine overall.

Also as a side note, I'm coming from a 15" MBP and not minding the difference in screen size. Although when I work on my work 15" MBP, it feels MASSIVE.
Click to expand...

I use wondershare video converter to convert the mkv to iTunes and my 12" MacBook struggles.

Which software do you use for conversion?
 
iKaushal said:
I use wondershare video converter to convert the mkv to iTunes and my 12" MacBook struggles.

Which software do you use for conversion?
Click to expand...

Smart Converter from the App Store. Took about 10-12 minutes at most from what I remember. I was pleasantly surprised.
 
Smileyboy said:
I have mine connected to my external display. That is when I notice the most slow down. Periodically my Apple Bluetooth mouse and Apple last gen keyboard will disconnect and I will have to restart my machine to get Bluetooth to work again. I have left multiple tabs open in Safari somewhere between 2 to 4 tabs watching Netflix and editing photos with Capture One and I don't get very much slow down and that is all while connected to an Apple 27 inch LED Cinema Display. The slow down seems to happen when 6-8 tabs in Safari are open and I leave Capture One open too. Then Bluetooth disconnects and the pinwheel starts.
Click to expand...
How you connect the rMB to the Cinema Display? Thanks
 
ZipZap said:
I would NEVER buy a rMB over buying a newer iMac. You just cannot beat the iMac 27 5K as a desktop machine. Period!
I have both. rMB is used when I am on the go. But at home I want to use the iMac.
Click to expand...

I see pictures of people with both an iMac and a MacBook. Why would one do this when it would be less expensive to get a MacBook Pro and a Thunderbolt Display?
[doublepost=1459538340][/doublepost]For what it's worth, I used a friend's 2015 MacBook and I was a little shocked how much lag and pinwheel action I was getting on a 4 day old machine. I must be spoiled by my late-2013 27" iMac (quad-core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M), but figured the Core-M in the MacBook wouldn't factor in much with light usage considering the MacBook also has 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. I was wrong. Must be the dedicated graphics chip that makes the iMac such a clean experience.

Due to this, I'd have to hold out for a MacBook Pro with MacBook inspired design unless the 2016 MacBook gets quite a big performance boost. I know the Skylake Core-M is supposed to have much improved integrated graphics so guessing that will help.
 
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I've been using my Macbook 2015 1.2ghz model as my main machine since it arrived early last June. I find it perfect for my uses. Here's what I typically have running.
  • Safari with 3-12 tabs at any given time, sometimes up to 25.
  • 2 mail clients, Outlook and Mail
  • Calendar
  • Messages
  • Tasks
  • Sonos Control App for my Play5
  • Microsoft OneNote
  • Apple Notes
  • Frequently Word, Excel or Both
  • Oracle OpenBox running Bodhi Linux as a VM with 1G ram allocated.
  • A few Terminal sessions, one with vi and another for executing Python programs I'm writing/debugging.
The Macbook handles all of these with style and grace. I also sometimes play games on this, though I have plenty of consoles (Playstation, etc), for most gaming. I just finished a couple of Missions in StarCraft 2, with medium graphics settings. I do shut down those other apps when I'm going to game, just to make sure the game gets most of the system resources. The Macbook does get a little warm running StarCraft, but I don't see a lot of throttling. Except last night when the cat decided to sit in my lap and serve as a laptop rest. The cat's presence impacted airflow, though I expect he enjoyed the heat. I also occasionally play Morrowind under Wine.
 
PatriotInvasion said:
I see pictures of people with both an iMac and a MacBook. Why would one do this when it would be less expensive to get a MacBook Pro and a Thunderbolt Display?
Click to expand...

1. Thunderbolt displays are crap compared to 5k iMac display.
2. I absolutely hate connecting and disconnecting a laptop to a display.
3. I don't want a MacBook Pro, I want a MacBook.
 
kylera said:
So while I wait for the 2016 iteration of the 12" MB to finally appear, I've been thinking about whether this would be a suitable primary machine or not.

My 2011 27" iMac is my primary machine right now, but it's close to 5 years old, and since it's stock, it has a spinning HDD inside. I was thinking of getting a 512GB version of the MB because of the possibility of my iMac's HDD dying suddenly.

I don't do anything that would severely tax a Mac. Most of the time, I have a bunch of Safari tabs along with Word or Nisus Writer open doing translations. I have an external drive for my music needs. As far as entertainment is concerned, I play games, but they're all really old games; my current obsession is Diablo II, followed up by emulation of 8 and 16-bit consoles.

Other than a much smaller screen size, would the MB be a suitable-enough primary machine?
Click to expand...


I think you will be fine with a MB. Maybe wait for the refresh or if you can save money, you can get the 1.3 version after the refresh.
The MB was transformed my computer usage. I carry it all over the house. It is my main entertainment device second to my iPhone. I use it for netflix, youtube, iTunes videos, managing my iTunes account... Downloading, etc... SlingTV as well. The stereo is great too. I watch videos while cooking, working on the car, and in bed or on the couch. My TV is second to my macbook, just cause you can use hulu and CBS.com. Its a cord-cutter's machine!
 
xmichaelp said:
1. Thunderbolt displays are crap compared to 5k iMac display.
2. I absolutely hate connecting and disconnecting a laptop to a display.
3. I don't want a MacBook Pro, I want a MacBook.
Click to expand...

On point 1.) 100% true currently, so fair enough
On point 2.) Ok, but many single-port solutions that make this a 2 second job
On point 3.) Ok, thin and light must be more important to you than almost as thin and almost as light

Lastly, and this is a question from someone that owns an iMac and would much prefer a MacBook for portability than an iPad...What is it like managing multiple Macs? I'd guess iCloud Drive, AirDrop, and Handoff have made it easier over the years, but I feel like I'd always be wondering if the files were in-sync. It would bug me to open up my MacBook and realize that file I wanted was actually on my iMac? Interested in your perspective here.
 
PatriotInvasion said:
Lastly, and this is a question from someone that owns an iMac and would much prefer a MacBook for portability than an iPad...What is it like managing multiple Macs? I'd guess iCloud Drive, AirDrop, and Handoff have made it easier over the years, but I feel like I'd always be wondering if the files were in-sync. It would bug me to open up my MacBook and realize that file I wanted was actually on my iMac? Interested in your perspective here.
Click to expand...

Preface: I have all three - a 2011 iMac, a 2012 MacBook Air and an iPad 4.

Syncing files can be tricky or smooth depending on which solution you go for. I've been using Dropbox ever since I was introduced to it back in around 2009 or so, and the only times I've had issues with Dropbox is when I forget to close a document I was working on on one Mac and open it again on another Mac; what happens is that a second copy is created, and then I need to make sure I'm not erasing the wrong version. I've made it a habit to always make sure any documents are closed on Word or other productivity apps, as I save almost all of my work on Dropbox. Other than that, things have been very stable and reliable, at least for me. Then again, I don't have any large files in my Dropbox; 90% of all files are documents.

On the other hand, I've had mixed results with iCloud. I use Keynote very extensively, along with Numbers. Keynote's iCloud syncing has worked very well, but I've never had any luck getting Numbers to sync spreadsheets I've made. I can't say about other apps, because those two are the only apps I use iCloud with.

I've never used Handoff and AirDrop to date; almost exclusively Dropbox with the exception of Keynote.

As a "Plan B," if you will, I also have TeamViewer installed on all my devices, so in case I didn't save a document in Dropbox, or I need to fish out a document I put away elsewhere because I didn't think it was relevant anymore, I remote access my iMac at home and make the file accessible.
 
PatriotInvasion said:
On point 1.) 100% true currently, so fair enough
On point 2.) Ok, but many single-port solutions that make this a 2 second job
On point 3.) Ok, thin and light must be more important to you than almost as thin and almost as light

Lastly, and this is a question from someone that owns an iMac and would much prefer a MacBook for portability than an iPad...What is it like managing multiple Macs? I'd guess iCloud Drive, AirDrop, and Handoff have made it easier over the years, but I feel like I'd always be wondering if the files were in-sync. It would bug me to open up my MacBook and realize that file I wanted was actually on my iMac? Interested in your perspective here.
Click to expand...

I have a 12", a 15" used as a desktop, iPhone 6s and iPad Air 2.

Check out DeskConnect. It's like airdrop but much, much better. If I'm working on a file and need it on another device (even from iOS to OS), you just drag it to DeskConnect, and select the device (or send it to all).

I use Dropbox more for general files, like PDFs, etc.

But really - I'm more so using my 12" or the iPad (PDFs).
 
I'm very tempted to go for the 512 gb MacBook. I've been using a mid 2014 15" MBP (the higher end one with 512 gb and the i7) for a few years. I love it, but I love the portability of my wife's 12". 90% of my use is just browsing and iTunes library management. The other 10% is Lightroom with RAW files from a Canon 5D3. I seriously doubt I would have any problems, but I'm just having a hard time taking the plunge. I'm also curious what new machines are in store this year. I think that more than anything is why I haven't taken the plunge.
 
randy98mtu said:
I'm very tempted to go for the 512 gb MacBook. I've been using a mid 2014 15" MBP (the higher end one with 512 gb and the i7) for a few years. I love it, but I love the portability of my wife's 12". 90% of my use is just browsing and iTunes library management. The other 10% is Lightroom with RAW files from a Canon 5D3. I seriously doubt I would have any problems, but I'm just having a hard time taking the plunge. I'm also curious what new machines are in store this year. I think that more than anything is why I haven't taken the plunge.
Click to expand...

Worse comes to worst, you can always get a full refund if you don't like it :)
 
Moved from a 2012 15"MBP i7 to a 2015 Macbook 1.2.
Typically connected to a 22" monitor.
Very happy with the switch, no performance issues.
 
kylera said:
Worse comes to worst, you can always get a full refund if you don't like it :)
Click to expand...
But not if your order now, and they announce a really nice 13" MBP at WWDC.

I've been tempted by the 12" since the launch, but didn't want to pull the trigger on a first gen device. Now it's too close to new hardware, so even though it might be more than enough for my needs (pretty sure it is), I'm still going to wait to either get the latest version, or to go for the MBP once they're both refreshed and can be properly compared. Only flaw in this logic is that the new MBP will be a first gen as well, so I should then wait for another refresh. But if I really want it I'll think of something to talk myself into buying one :D
[doublepost=1460142852][/doublepost]
unwise said:
Moved from a 2012 15"MBP i7 to a 2015 Macbook 1.2.
Typically connected to a 22" monitor.
Very happy with the switch, no performance issues.
Click to expand...
Do you connect the monitor directly, or through an adapter/dock so you can charge at the same time?
 
C64 said:
But not if your order now, and they announce a really nice 13" MBP at WWDC.

I've been tempted by the 12" since the launch, but didn't want to pull the trigger on a first gen device. Now it's too close to new hardware, so even though it might be more than enough for my needs (pretty sure it is), I'm still going to wait to either get the latest version, or to go for the MBP once they're both refreshed and can be properly compared. Only flaw in this logic is that the new MBP will be a first gen as well, so I should then wait for another refresh. But if I really want it I'll think of something to talk myself into buying one :D
Click to expand...

That is true. We are getting close to a refresh now..if only it'd happen already!
 
Now I'm stuck on iPad Pro's. I used the wife's 12" MB for a bit tonight and the keyboard and trackpad were a bit annoying. I think I'm too used to my 15" MBP and honestly the size and weight are not that bad. Especially now that I got a great Timbuk2 bag that holds it perfectly. :) I still love the 12" MB though and I'm sure I'll upgrade when they do the thin 15".
 
One question regarding the performance of the MB12: Is the scrolling in Chrome 100% fluid? I'm on a late 2013" MBP and is see just a little bit of stuttering (many people wouldn't even notice, but i'm a bit OCD about it). I guess the GPU is comparable. Safari is 100% smooth so far, but i still like Chrome..
 
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