Apple Confirms Retina MacBook Build-to-Order Pricing for 1.3 GHz Processor

[newellj]

The other major rationalization argument supporting THIS laptop vs. Air or MBP is many variations of "light computing", which is often defined as browsing with Safari, checking emails, writing simple documents, etc... all of which can be done pretty easily with an iPad or an iPad with keyboard.

To rationalize the need for OS X will usually meaning needing a bit more power or more powerful apps than what you can do with iOS apps. And as we crank up the need for power, we start cutting into the concept of "underpowered/overpriced". That's why some of us are struggling to "get" this particular offering:

• If you need some OS X horsepower, you can save some money with the Air and get the exact same (full use of) OS X
• If you need more power, you can also buy a rMBP for about the same or less
• If you need thinner & lighter, you can buy an iPad or an iPad with keyboard for about half as thin and half the weight

So then we try to find where this fits in (well). And this is harder to do than normal because all of the good alternatives are all Apple products too.

Is this for some people? Sure. Those who value thinnest & lightest over just about everything else and absolutely want a laptop can get that with this laptop.

I don't know how many people have tried to do real work on Word and Excel docs on an iPad. I did after Superstorm Sandy took out all of our utilities (and yes, I had my Apple BT keyboard). It was a horrible and very unproductive experience. Maybe other people can make it work, but I have actually done it and it didn't work for me or the people I work with.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

See above. For example, Apple relies on outside vendors for CPUs. If Intel had CPUs that offered better performance with no hit on battery life (customer experience), those would have been used. No doubt Intel will have better performing CPUs with lower power dissipation next year and no doubt Apple will use them. There will also likely be a reduction in price as production will have ramped up and development costs recovered.

Apple already produces the Air- better specs in a very thin case, at a much cheaper price. Repackage that hardware in this case, jettisoning the ports (as they have done) and it seems like they could stay around Air pricing.

 

[tivoboy]

version 2.0

Having a second USB port would make these a lot better.

Would it really have taken up that much more space? One on the left side, one on the right.

Apple will release that in v2.0 and get you to buy another one. ;-)

 

[~Shard~]

I agree that from a technical perspective this pricing is a bit ridiculous for the specs, but at the end of the day it's about business and marketing, two things Apple currently has mastery of in the industry. As long as consumers continue to buy their products, they will continue with the same model. This is really nothing new, Apple has been putting form over function for some some time now in many of its offerings, and again, consumers seem to be okay with that - so the market has spoken I guess!

Plus, another important thing to keep in mind is that Apple continues to be innovative. This MacBook is a good example of this - force touch, fanless laptop, etc. Sure, maybe nothing earth-shattering, and perhaps not on par with some of Apple's previous R&D outputs, but innovative nonetheless. If nothing else it's good to see Apple hasn't lost focus on this aspect.

That said, you also do not want to be innovative for the sake of it. I personally find the Apple Watch innovative, yet would never buy one in its current form and at its current price point.

 

[mscice]

rip off ...


anyone know if macbook airs will get a retina upgrade this year ?

 

[Gasu E.]

No point spending 250 bucks for a 0.1Mhz increase

True; but it would be worth 150 bucks to help you get better at math.

$150--> .1 GHz
$250--> .2 GHz

 

[MH01]

Reminds me of the 2008 MBA . Should see a price drop by the time the second gen is released.

 

[TechZeke]

rip-off

Better call it "hipster"-book.

Agreed, of all Apple's overpriced BTOs, this is by far the worst. Why anyone would spend $1500+ on this Macbook is beyond me. At that point, you should just jump for the MacBook Pro.

 

[AlexJake]

This article made me fall over laughing, these specs are horrendous, I can't understand why anyone would want to buy that, clearly it just goes to show that have so much money they don't know what to do with it.


If I had to imagine what went on in the board meeting it might of been something like this...

Person A: "Guys, we need to do something that no one else is doing",
Person B: "I know, let's let people build a custom spec laptop, as long as we stick the logo on it they'll buy it",
Person A: "Hmm, I like your thinking, but it needs to be "different"",
Person B: "I know, we'll use underpowered CPUs, no one else is doing that plus we'll make even more money!"
Person A: "Excellent"

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Sure, when I travel, I'll bring those things <USB 3 adapters>, which will offset the weight a little bit, but not by much.

Relative to the point I was making, if you (or I) have to bring along those adapters, that "little bit" only needs to be .38lbs to nullify the post that said I'd definitely feel the difference. In other words, if I need the adapters to come along with the laptop and they weigh close to .38lbs, the weight savings won't be felt with this laptop, unless one can feel the difference of .38lbs when it's sitting on our laps.

At some point <.38lbs, that "definitely feel the difference" would lose the punch of "definitely". So even if the adapters weigh <.38lbs, it will need to be MUCH less to persist "definitely".

 

[Traverse]

Would what be noticeable?

It really depends on their person and situation. I know every pound I can get rid out of my backpack counts since I move around the right the day.

It would also be easier to carry the computer around the house.

--------

Completely misread your post!

I meant the slight processor jump.

 

[dugbug]

I guess. Then again, in my own case, I'll need the adapter too, as I can't always depend on having access to everything wirelessly. Since the adapter http://store.apple.com/us/product/MJ1K2AM/A/usb-c-digital-av-multiport-adapter?fnode=51 weighs something (anyone know how much?) AND I'd also need USB 3-to-ethernet adapter which would also weigh something (anybody know how much?), I'm not as sure that I'd definitely feel the difference. I know, I know: "this is not for you then."

lol well I DO wish they chucked the headset jack for another usb and promoted bluetooth audio as the 'replacement'

 

[Thelazyone]

'To rationalize the need for OS X will usually meaning needing a bit more power or more powerful apps than what you can do with iOS apps. And as we crank up the need for power, we start cutting into the concept of "underpowered/overpriced". That's why some of us are struggling to "get" this particular offering'

Not about power, just the flexibility of having a full laptop with a full OS.

'If you need some OS X horsepower, you can save some money with the Air and get the exact same (full use of) OS X'

The Air doesn't have a retina display.

'If you need thinner & lighter, you can buy an iPad or an iPad with keyboard for about half as thin and half the weight'

Smaller screen. Less flexible operating system. The base MacBook also has twice the storage of the highest tier iPad.

'Is this for some people? Sure. Those who value thinnest & lightest over just about everything else'

Yeah, that is who it's for.

 

[bobob]

Apple already produces the Air- better specs in a very thin case, at a much cheaper price. Repackage that hardware in this case, jettisoning the ports (as they have done) and it seems like they could stay around Air pricing.

That's brilliant (except for all the technical reasons it's impossible)!

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I don't know how many people have tried to do real work on Word and Excel docs on an iPad. I did after Superstorm Sandy took out all of our utilities (and yes, I had my Apple BT keyboard). It was a horrible and very unproductive experience. Maybe other people can make it work, but I have actually done it and it didn't work for me or the people I work with.

I agree. But again Word and Excel run great on the much cheaper Air. That's the problem here: as we ramp up examples where we need added power or OS X to rule out an iPad or iPad + keyboard, we bump into the dilemma of a much cheaper Air or even the same-sized rMBP. And if we key in on lighter needs as part of rationalizing not needing standard ports, etc, we bump into the lighter-needs utility of the much cheaper iPad or iPad + keyboard.

So we have to try to strike some balance of lighter computing needs but not iPad light, definitely need OS X but not to run anything too powerful in OS X, don't need standard ports and definitely want thinnest & lightest or a bit more battery life... and don't care about the pricing relative to other good options from Apple.

 

[KPOM]

I don't know. Doesn't feel the same. Guess only time will tell. And sales, although I doubt there will be actual numbers to base analysis on...

It seems exactly the same to me. The complaints against that MacBook Air are the same ones being made today against the new MacBook.

 

[Steve121178]

Even for Apple, the pricing is outrageous. I think the best value 12" MacBook will be the standard spec. Adding extra storage & a faster CPU (no real world difference for the Core-M) is bordering on the insane when it comes to cost and what you are actually getting.

I'm happy to pay the going rate for a Retina MacBook Pro as I believe they are worth the premium we pay, but not this.

It also doesn't make any sense ordering a Broadwell based 12" MacBook when the Skylake CPU's are only 6-7 months away and will blow the Broadwell parts out the water with performance and all the many extras Skylake brings to the table.

A second generation Skylake based 12" MacBook with an extra USB-C port and at least a 720p cam may tempt me, but not this! Way overpriced for what you get.

 

[KPOM]

Relative to the point I was making, if you (or I) have to bring along those adapters, that "little bit" only needs to be .38lbs to nullify the post that said I'd definitely feel the difference. In other words, if I need the adapters to come along with the laptop and they weigh close to .38lbs, the weight savings won't be felt with this laptop, unless one can feel the difference of .38lbs when it's sitting on our laps.

At some point <.38lbs, that "definitely feel the difference" would lose the punch of "definitely". So even if the adapters weigh <.38lbs, it will need to be MUCH less to persist "definitely".

If you need all the ports most of the time, then this isn't for you. However, I found that I rarely use the ports on my Mac. I'll get the USB adapter, but at home I print and connect through Wi-Fi.

 

[TechZeke]

When I bought my Mid-2012 15" rMBP, it was $250 to go from 2.6GHz to 2.7GHz.

The Ivy Bridge 2.7 also had a larger cache, which meant it offered the same performance boost as going from the 2.3 to 2.6, IIRC.

 

[redheeler]

lol well I DO wish they chucked the headset jack for another usb and promoted bluetooth audio as the 'replacement'

Plenty of us still use wired headphones.

 

[QCassidy352]

Bzzzzzt, but thanks for playing. Correct me if I missed something, but isn't runtime one of the things that people fixate on when they claim the MBA is a "better" computer than the rMBP?

That's actually not one of the major arguments people have been making in favor of the MBA (focus is on power and ports, usually). But since you bring it up, the 13" air could give up 3 hours of battery life and still last as long as the rMB. Apple also could have upgraded the air's screen without going full retina if they wanted to compromise with respect to the screen and battery life -- some intermediate resolution and just a higher quality panel.

 

[Antares]

good lord, what a outrageous price for a gimped computer. Good looking, but useless.

Useless? Really? It is more powerful, in every way, than my CoreDuo iMac. It has a better screen or more portability to boot. My CoreDuo iMac is still very useful. This new MacBook is definitely useful, too, for the majority of people's computing needs.

 

[brianvictor7]

I don't know how many people have tried to do real work on Word and Excel docs on an iPad. I did after Superstorm Sandy took out all of our utilities (and yes, I had my Apple BT keyboard). It was a horrible and very unproductive experience. Maybe other people can make it work, but I have actually done it and it didn't work for me or the people I work with.

I noticed that Word tends to lag a bit with my typing on my iPhone 5S. I certainly wouldn't want to do any heavy document work on anything less than a full notebook.

 

[rekhyt]

Apple appear to be targeting a very odd market. The pretentious, nouveau-rich crowd.

People must be insane to spend this amount of cash on an underpowered laptop! Pretty it may be, but just like the Apple Watch, they seem to be going for a different market.

You sound like one of those people who prefer Windows laptops.

"Look at those Macs! Overpriced piece of aluminium hunk! My Windows laptop cost a fraction of the price and performs better!"

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

That's brilliant (except for all the technical reasons it's impossible)!

OK. I'm sure Apple couldn't possibly do it if they wanted to do so.

The only way this new laptop could come to market was with only the specific technology involved exactly as Apple utilized it. Meanwhile I remember smaller, lighter "netbooks" from years ago that Apple dismissed as junk back then when they didn't have a directly-competing alternative. They were too underpowered and lacking much utlity to do meaningful computing tasks even if they were cheaper-to-much-cheaper than traditional laptops.

Now they do have such an alternative at a premium price and they- and many of us- can rationalize modest power & reduced utility at a premium price for "light computing" needs... mostly in the name of thinner & lighter. What changed other than who makes the computer?