Apple has removed a lot from the new Mac Book Pro.

[Glmnet1]

More hyperbole...

Evidently, this statement was exaggerated... It was not meant to be taken litterally but to express my point of view on why those type of changes are necessary. Let me rephrase.

If computer manufacturers were unable to let go of features they no longer deem necessary, especially on portable devices, progress would be hindered.

less ergonomic keyboard which is not only prone to failure, but also scratches the screen when the lid is shut and slight pressure is applied.

The design of the recent MBPs are not perfect and I hope they fix these issues asap. This is not related to the removal of the drive and the ports.

So there are uses. Maybe not for and others but there are still people who need one for whatever reason.
--- Post Merged, 41 minutes ago ---

Of course there are some uses. I just don't think it's necessary for everyone to carry it around for those edge cases.

 

[burgman]

Just today I needed a DVD drive to burn a disc for a friend. I took photos of some things for her back in 2005 and she lost her copy. Without the external unit I bought, in anticipation of a MBP, I would not be able to help her.

So there are uses. Maybe not for and others but there are still people who need one for whatever reason.
/QUOTE]
So you handled it, and for the next x number of days,weeks,months that you don’t need that drive it’s still available for when you do.

 

[raqball]

Somethings I don't mind the removal of and others I do.

I don't mind removing the CD/DVD drive nor do I mind the removal of HDMI. What I do not like is the removal of the SD Card slot and the reduction in the number of ports. I don't really care about USB C only but there is really no reason whatsoever for a Pro labeled machine to have only 2 ports, one of which is needed for charging.

 

[bcave098]

Just buy a cable. No need for an adaptor.

View attachment 750659

The problem is we keep getting told this is the industry standard (like thunderbolt). Then it's dropped.
USB 2/3 as well as being backward capable was around for a long time. That's why we all have many devices that use it.

I remember buying my iMac without a CD drive and thinking I'd add a SuperDrive at the time of purchase. I forgot and found I didn't really need it.
I acquired one from work as it was getting binned and I've used it a couple of times in the two years I've had it.

Things move on. If Macs still fit your needs buy one. If not, move on.
If you'd rather buy a Mac, an adaptor and skip Widows altogether then I'm with you.

My 2012 iMac will be replaced this year or next. Just have to decide what Mac to buy.

Thunderbolt is industry standard and hasn’t been dropped. Intel chose to change the port to a more common one (USB-C vs Mini-DisplayPort). USB-C is becoming popular and TB3 will too thanks to Intel letting it go royalty-free. Dell’s new XPS 13 is only TB3 and USB-C.

When I changed the optical drive out for an SSD in my old 2010 13” MBP, I got an external CD drive. I think the only time I actually used it was to install Windows 7.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Thunderbolt is industry standard and hasn’t been dropped. Intel chose to change the port to a more common one (USB-C vs Mini-DisplayPort). USB-C is becoming popular and TB3 will too thanks to Intel letting it go royalty-free. Dell’s new XPS 13 is only TB3 and USB-C.

When I changed the optical drive out for an SSD in my old 2010 13” MBP, I got an external CD drive. I think the only time I actually used it was to install Windows 7.

I appreciate the thunderbolt has evolved, but that doesn't help all those people who purchased a thunderbolt (Mini DisplayPort) peripheral.
Just as USB c will be dropped in favour of the latest and greatest just after we update everything.

 

[cambookpro]

I appreciate the thunderbolt has evolved, but that doesn't help all those people who purchased a thunderbolt (Mini DisplayPort) peripheral.
Just as USB c will be dropped in favour of the latest and greatest just after we update everything.

I know it's somewhat of a cliché, but you can just replace the cable or buy an adapter. I've just got a TB2 to TB3 adapter permanently attached to my Thunderbolt Display and it all works fine.

I'd much rather they adapt Thunderbolt relatively early on as opposed to leaving it to be gradually dropped by more and more machines and becoming the next FireWire. Making it royalty-free and use a more common connector can only be good for its future.

As to USB-C being dropped - USB-A had great staying power, so we can only hope USB-C follows suit. I think it's got a much better chance than other self-proclaimed 'ports to rule them all'. Although...

 

[EgGKeith]

They also removed the quality from MacBook Pro

 

[macdudesir]

They also removed the quality from MacBook Pro

To me feels like one of the most quality products I own.

 

[Apple Fritter]

To me feels like one of the most quality products I own.

Exactly, they feel like it. Years ago they truly were, beyond physical appearance.

 

[afir93]

Exactly, they feel like it. Years ago they truly were, beyond physical appearance.

What is it in your opinion about the MBPs that feels like it's high build-quality but actually isn't? The high keyboard failure rates might be one such issue but outside of that, what other parts of the MBP "look"/"feel" high-quality when first getting the MacBook but turn out not to be over longer periods of use?

Not just a rhetorical question; I'm curious if people have actually made experiences like that.

 

[Apple Fritter]

In this case, especially the keyboard comes to mind. Looks great, feels great (to me at least). But the quality. It's such a basic, yet important user interface that you'd think they got it down pat. I've yet to hear keyboards dying at that rate from other manufacturers, however flat or cheap they might be. That's just ridiculous. And there are ways to extensively test new technology like that before it's implemented.

This is also why it maddens me so much. If it were some elusive quirk showing after years of use, I'd be more forgiving. Some things you just can't anticipate. Take the recent Meltdown/Spectre thing. Sad, but well, I can deal with it. Something basic, like a keyboard, hinge or port giving out regularly after mild use I cannot.

 

[Foxknowsbest]

Just today I needed a DVD drive to burn a disc for a friend. I took photos of some things for her back in 2005 and she lost her copy. Without the external unit I bought, in anticipation of a MBP, I would not be able to help her.

So there are uses. Maybe not for and others but there are still people who need one for whatever reason.
[doublepost=1518271352][/doublepost]

Well let us see. Arthritis in both shoulders and a bad disc in my back. Carrying too much weight is physically painful for me. So yes, that much weight reduction is noticeable and appreciated, especially on longer trips.

1.58 lbs makes that big of a difference? That's almost 6 sticks of butter.

 

[hallux]

USB 2/3 as well as being backward capable was around for a long time. That's why we all have many devices that use it.

To be fair, the new ports ARE still USB 3.0 (or maybe 3.1), which is the protocol. The difference is the connector. Working in IT support, I'm seeing more and more laptops coming with these connectors, it's the accessory manufacturers that are slow to adopt it simply because the old connectors still work for more people than they won't work for.

 

[Apple fanboy]

To be fair, the new ports ARE still USB 3.0 (or maybe 3.1), which is the protocol. The difference is the connector. Working in IT support, I'm seeing more and more laptops coming with these connectors, it's the accessory manufacturers that are slow to adopt it simply because the old connectors still work for more people than they won't work for.

This is true, but add up how many USB2/3 devices in your house. Yes you might not use them everyday, but when you do it's convenient.

 

[hallux]

I appreciate the thunderbolt has evolved, but that doesn't help all those people who purchased a thunderbolt (Mini DisplayPort) peripheral.
Just as USB c will be dropped in favour of the latest and greatest just after we update everything.

If standard didn't evolve, we'd still be using serial and parallel ports. Sure, this is happening faster than it did in the days of those connection types, but it still happens.
[doublepost=1518391812][/doublepost]

This is true, but add up how many USB2/3 devices in your house. Yes you might not use them everyday, but when you do it's convenient.

EVERY device in my house is USB 2/3, including my Nexus 6p, Pixel 2 XL and Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 - all of which use a USB-C connector. USB 2/3 is the PROTOCOL, not the connector!

 

[Apple fanboy]

If standard didn't evolve, we'd still be using serial and parallel ports. Sure, this is happening faster than it did in the days of those connection types, but it still happens.
[doublepost=1518391812][/doublepost]

EVERY device in my house is USB 2/3, including my Nexus 6p, Pixel 2 XL and Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 - all of which use a USB-C connector. USB 2/3 is the PROTOCOL, not the connector!

Well you can't connect the protocol without a connector

 

[hallux]

Well you can't connect the protocol without a connector

You're right, but USB-C is still USB 2/3 (my Nexus 6p with a USB-C connector is USB 2), there is nothing different about the USB protocols it uses. The biggest difference was introduced when laptop makers (I think Apple was the first) started using it for TB3 connectivity.

Sure, it's semantics but it's important to understand the difference.

 

[bensisko]

I just received my new MacBook Pro on Friday, and I have to say I'm absolutely loving it (keyboard and all!).

The optical drive? I stopped using an optical drive before I bought my 2012 Retina MacBook Pro. Once or twice a year someone tries to hand me something on an optical disk - and I either ask them to put it in drop box, or I find and borrow an external optical drive. I don't miss the optical drive.

Dongle life-style? I bought exactly ONE dongle - it includes HDMI, USB-C and USB-3 - and it will probably never leave home. Honestly, so much of what I do can (or does) transfer over WiFi. My digital camera has a WiFI SD card. I bought an external WiFi SSD drive with a built-in card reader. I can transfer drone footage directly to the external drive, then access the video via WiFi. There's so little need for cables anymore.

Personally, I think the current crop of MacBooks are amazing! I was pretty annoyed that they didn't have any 16 GB RAM models in stock in the store - Apple's online purchasing experience is pretty bad and I hate when I have to do it. Other than that, I'm loving my new MacBook Pro!

 

[cambookpro]

1.58 lbs makes that big of a difference? That's almost 6 sticks of butter.

Genuine question - at which marginal stick of butter do you draw the line between it being a significant weight difference and not...

 

[artfossil]

More hyperbole...

I suppose the 28% reduction in weight could be welcomed by weaker individuals, and the new model is thinner, but this all comes at a price: Less features (optical drive, ports), less battery capacity, and a less ergonomic keyboard which is not only prone to failure, but also scratches the screen when the lid is shut and slight pressure is applied.

My "relic" has never been crippled by a speck of dust, and the screen has never been damaged by the very comfortable keyboard, although I lug it around with me in a backpack full of books on a daily basis.

Yes, there are many of us "weaker individuals" who, for many reasons, welcome lighter laptops and iPads.

 

[richinaus]

Exactly, they feel like it. Years ago they truly were, beyond physical appearance.

No they weren’t. I am getting pretty tired of this romanticising of the quality of the build.

How many years ago is this exactly, as I have been using macs for 20 years and the manufacturing has improved immensely over this time. This is due to mass manufacturing and the ability to prototype quickly and iron out the issues.

My original MacBook [the first white plastic one] yellowed
My titanium MacBook Pro was like a banana at the DVD drive
My Original iPod had a plastic screen so scratched to bits [I think it was plastic, may be wrong]
My original MacBook Air - basically useless.
My MacBook Pro from 2010 crashed all the time and the fans blasted out

My 2016 MacBookpro [and my partners] - zero issues
My 10.5 iPad - zero issues
My iPhone X - zero issues
My iMac pro - zero issues.

Have a good look at the build quality and compare an iPhone to the original ipod. Or compare a 2017 MacBookpro to a titanium MacBook.

Ok there maybe some issues with the current keyboards [I haven’t experienced them].
But these comments on how great Apple was in the past are unfounded.

They make vastly more computers, phones and iPads these days to 15 years ago even. There are going to be more complaints, more things going wrong etc simply due to numbers.

 

[bruinsrme]

1.58 lbs makes that big of a difference? That's almost 6 sticks of butter.

Stick of butter 4 ounces so 1.58 pounds is a little more than 6 sticks of butter

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

Not everyone is a 6' Nordic hulk... Notebooks are fundamentally designed to be portable computers, not plugged in and sat at the desk all day and never moved. Whilst a lot of people use them as desktop replacements, they will always be lesser powered due to the form factor. So making them lighter/more portable is and always has been the objective. Some companies do make powerful workstation grade laptops (Which are still inferior to a desktop), however Apple has never been in that game. So whilst year on year the improvements are minimal, over time they reflect a significant saving whilst still offering acceptable performance.

Some people absolutely need a CD drive, just as I'm sure there are people still using floppies and tape drives out there. But to make a notebook computer around these things is ludicrous. You're better to design a product that works for the majority yet has the flexibility to work for the minority. This is why having 4 USB ports instead of 2 is better, allowing people to use any port for anything rather than requiring a dedicated single solution (For instance requiring the use of a HDMI for one display, and a mDP for the other on previous MBP's - more cables and more chances to loose something).

You may hate having 4 multi-functional ports over a single dedicated port, which is fine, but the current design is an evolution of the form factor. It was the USB association who changes the port to a USB-C connector, which finally allows for going without expensive proprietary cables/chargers in favour of a truly universal connection - so complain to them if you must. Apple/Dell/MicroSoft, all manufacturers, are just putting the latest and most capable connection interface into their computers - which if you plan on keeping the machine for several years is a good thing, you wouldn't want a USB-A port on a computer in 5 years time that you can't use for anything.

Maybe we should have just called it 'perfect' when these came out and stopped right here?

 

[MyMacintosh]

Apple has a way of removing something they've had on their device for a while, getting me angry initially, only to realize later than I most likely never really used the removed port in a while. I remember when the retina MacBook Pro came out and I thought it was a bad idea they removed the disc drive. Then I realized I hadn't used the disk drive in at least 2 years at that point, but it just "felt wrong" that they were taking away something that I had and charging me more. I remember when these newer MacBook pros came out and they got rid of the thunderbolt ports, USB 2.0. Difference being this time I immediately realized I have never used a single thunderbolt port on my retina MBP. I just got the 2016 Touch Bar model and have to admit that not having USB 2.0 has been a bit of a shock, and buying a bunch of dongles hasn't really set in with me but what i've realized is that 1 dongle multi-port can cover the vast majority of things they have moved, all while only using one USB C port. This leaves you with 3 other ports open to charge, etc. Removing the headphone jack on the iPhone was just a trash decision though.

 

[djnigelchung]

I adapted and moved on. I bought an external DVD players three years ago and used it once, total. Same thing with the drive on my iMac, never used.

When apple left the cd slot behind, I panicked and bought an external drive. How else was I going to burn my mp3 cd's for my car, or bootleg dvd's... barely touched it. In came Bluetooth/plugged in streaming, and plex/apple tv lol