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Apple Introduced Its Most Controversial MacBook 10 Years Ago Today
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Yeah, this might seem an actual reason, if they launch an 12” MacBook, they risk cannibalizing many iPad Pro and iPad Air sales…
I still have my early 2016 Gold M3, my first ever laptop. Loved it when I bought it and love it even more now (can't believe it's been almost 8 years and still no issues at all!).
I bought it because I was taking a career break and was about to go travelling for half a year so wanted something really portable. It was perfect for that as it's super light and I could use it anywhere due to it's size so I took it with me everywhere.
I think the combination of it's size and wedge design makes it look amazing. Normally I don't buy gold coloured things but this looks fab. I don't think larger laptops could pull off the same style in that colour. Even used it exclusively with Windows 10 for a while and, whilst performance and battery life was a little worse than using MacOS, it was flawless, never crashed. Put a lot of other Windows machines to shame in terms of stability.
The build quality is just insanely good. It feels great, solid with no gaps or creaking parts or flex anywhere and materials are premium. I bought my wife an M2 Air which is great but I think the 12" retina feels better. Not sure why, maybe the quality of the metal used. Also, the touchpad haptic click is better, more satisfying. The M2 feels/sounds a little bit "tinnier" maybe.
Yes, performance wasn't the best but was perfectly fine for most daily tasks. I have since re-installed the OS a couple of times to fix any sluggishness. Also, the display was and still is really good. Retina and glossy looked really nice compared to the crappy 1080p displays for a lot of Windows laptops at the time. Somehow it's not over reflective either. Even now a lot of ultra portables have really reflective displays (maybe because of MS and/or manufacturers shoving touchscreens on everything) that makes it difficult to use on the go.
I have considered replacing it with a newer MacBook or a Windows laptop (to replace it and my ageing Windows desktop) but I just cannot let it go. Although it's not my main machine, I still use it daily and always take it with me on my holidays. I'm gonna keep it until it dies (or I die)
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I bought it because I was taking a career break and was about to go travelling for half a year so wanted something really portable. It was perfect for that as it's super light and I could use it anywhere due to it's size so I took it with me everywhere.
I think the combination of it's size and wedge design makes it look amazing. Normally I don't buy gold coloured things but this looks fab. I don't think larger laptops could pull off the same style in that colour. Even used it exclusively with Windows 10 for a while and, whilst performance and battery life was a little worse than using MacOS, it was flawless, never crashed. Put a lot of other Windows machines to shame in terms of stability.
The build quality is just insanely good. It feels great, solid with no gaps or creaking parts or flex anywhere and materials are premium. I bought my wife an M2 Air which is great but I think the 12" retina feels better. Not sure why, maybe the quality of the metal used. Also, the touchpad haptic click is better, more satisfying. The M2 feels/sounds a little bit "tinnier" maybe.
Yes, performance wasn't the best but was perfectly fine for most daily tasks. I have since re-installed the OS a couple of times to fix any sluggishness. Also, the display was and still is really good. Retina and glossy looked really nice compared to the crappy 1080p displays for a lot of Windows laptops at the time. Somehow it's not over reflective either. Even now a lot of ultra portables have really reflective displays (maybe because of MS and/or manufacturers shoving touchscreens on everything) that makes it difficult to use on the go.
I have considered replacing it with a newer MacBook or a Windows laptop (to replace it and my ageing Windows desktop) but I just cannot let it go. Although it's not my main machine, I still use it daily and always take it with me on my holidays. I'm gonna keep it until it dies (or I die)
.Did you even read Macrumors back then? The horror of only one port including for charging, high price, no fan, low performance CPU, and a keyboard many people didn't like.
Read the thread of the original article:
Apple Announces 12-Inch Retina MacBook With Revamped Trackpad, Starting at $1,299
At today's "Spring Forward" media event, Apple announced its much-anticipated ultra thin 12-inch MacBook, with prices starting at...www.macrumors.com
Oh I remember those thread so well! And those were non-issues for an ultra-portable. It was meant to be used on the road and for that it was perfect. No fan means one less thing that can break, one port was more than enough as all I ever did was charge it (or connect it to a dock with an external screen which would also charge it), and for some light office work the CPU was more than enough. Also I was likely the only person in the world who absolutely loved that keyboard - still the fastest I ever typed on (and I'm a very fast typer).
I think the difference ultimately came down to the compromises that each company decide to make.
With netbooks, manufacturers skimped on the screen, the build quality and the specs. The end result was a cheap laptop which really wasn't good for anything. Companies barely made any money out of them, and they would quickly end up as e-waste. Apple elected to not go down that route, and instead released the iPad as an answer to the netbook. Yes, it ran iOS, which would suffice for the majority of what people used a netbook for anyways.
Meanwhile, with the MBA, Apple instead chose to prioritise the screen, trackpad, keyboard, while sacrificing everything else. In the end, you still got a thin and light device, with sufficiently horsepower to run light to moderate tasks, while preserving the user experience (because you had a decent display). And because the experience was better, customers were willing to pay more for it (upwards to $2k).
With the Macbook, Apple doubled down on the screen (giving it a Retina display), while ensuring that users could still edit 4k video on it courtesy of Final Cut Pro.
That to me was the difference. Apple somehow managing to have a better read on what consumers wanted (and were willing to give up) than everyone else.
Purchased one and then returned it the next day because it had a measly 256GB of storage, I’m glad those days of 256 are over, oh wait, never mind.
Yes I have been here for decades now, loved all the dramas. Of course I know of the constant diss the 12" rMB got, but conversely the touch bar era I'd consider it more "controversial" since we really got defenders for the touch bar / butterfly keyboards, a lot of them. Wheras with the rMB it felt more like a one sided dissing.Did you even read Macrumors back then? The horror of only one port including for charging, high price, no fan, low performance CPU, and a keyboard many people didn't like.
Read the thread of the original article:
Apple Announces 12-Inch Retina MacBook With Revamped Trackpad, Starting at $1,299
At today's "Spring Forward" media event, Apple announced its much-anticipated ultra thin 12-inch MacBook, with prices starting at...
I know some people (frequent flyers) who owned it and really loved the form factor. It was ahead of its time and was let down by the processor and keyboard. Nice that the Airs sort of adopted this design!
Strangely, a great windows machine lol
Mine still runs great on the windows bootcamp partition. A bit too underpowered on macOS.
Mine still runs great on the windows bootcamp partition. A bit too underpowered on macOS.
I’ve had a lot of MacBooks and, for all its faults, somehow I still loved this one.
It was so slow that it struggled, at times, to play 4K streaming video and still scroll web pages smoothly. Its single USB-C port could be inconvenient at times too. Yet, it was still a beautiful machine to use.
Currently I have a fully maxed-out MacBook Pro and it’s is undoubtedly a great computer, yet somehow I just don’t like it like I loved my 12” MacBook.
Strange, the relationship we sometimes have with our technology.
It was so slow that it struggled, at times, to play 4K streaming video and still scroll web pages smoothly. Its single USB-C port could be inconvenient at times too. Yet, it was still a beautiful machine to use.
Currently I have a fully maxed-out MacBook Pro and it’s is undoubtedly a great computer, yet somehow I just don’t like it like I loved my 12” MacBook.
Strange, the relationship we sometimes have with our technology.
Loved the rose gold. Would’ve been a massive hit if it released with Apple silicon originally, possibly even with a higher end iPad processor.
I loved my Macbook 11”. It was the first Mac i really carried everywhere with me. The portability of an iPad, but capable of running real Mac applications ( most of them never had fully featured iOS versions )
The single USB-C port wasn’t an issue, i had a small portable dock that gave me all the ports needed, and the Macbook 12 was never intended as a main Mac anyway.
That butterfly keyboard was the main source of problems, it would have cost me an arm and a leg to repair it outside of warranty. I gave up on it sadly.
It’s the perfect candidate for an Mx processor. I wish Apple bring it back , with maybe an additional USB-C port.
The single USB-C port wasn’t an issue, i had a small portable dock that gave me all the ports needed, and the Macbook 12 was never intended as a main Mac anyway.
That butterfly keyboard was the main source of problems, it would have cost me an arm and a leg to repair it outside of warranty. I gave up on it sadly.
It’s the perfect candidate for an Mx processor. I wish Apple bring it back , with maybe an additional USB-C port.
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IDK, old Apple know how to differentiate the customer base, they know when to stop. The difference between the 2008 MacBook Air and this turd is that the kept the 2008 Macbook Pro kept the disc drive and added MORE ports.
The 2016 MacBook Pro did none of of this. It's basically the 12" MacBook blown up, turns out nobody wants USB-C only. Even in 2025, no manufacture besides Apple has USB-C only ports, even Microsoft readded USB-A ports.
I'm sorry, but I'm just going to say it...these things were trash and depreciated very quickly.
It should be what the MacBook looks like NOW in 2025, rather than ten years ago. It had a sleek and futuristic aesthetic, not the boring , bulky and finger-print smudged designs of the present day. Why are Apple going backwards?
Apple announced the infamous 12-inch Retina MacBook a decade ago today, an experimental new Mac that was as controversial as it was revolutionary.
Apple unveiled the 12-inch MacBook on March 9, 2015, at the "Spring Forward" event in San Francisco, California. The event was primarily focused on the Apple Watch, which was being fully detailed ahead of its launch the following month, so the debut of the brand-new MacBook line took many by surprise. Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced the new MacBook as a "reinvention" of the notebook.
The device was extremely controversial due to its underpowered performance, single USB-C port for both charging and data transfer, short battery life, unreliable butterfly keyboard, and high price point ($1,299 starting price in 2015—the same as a MacBook Pro at the time).
However, the 12-inch MacBook offered a glimpse at what was to come in the Mac lineup. It was the first Apple device with a USB-C port, terraced battery, butterfly keyboard, and haptic trackpad. It was also the first MacBook with a design focused on efficiency, a Retina display in a non-Pro model, multiple color options, and without a fan or an illuminated Apple logo.
In 2016, Apple refreshed the 12-inch MacBook to add Intel Skylake Core m3, m5, and m7 processors, improved battery life and faster PCIe storage, and a Rose Gold color option. In 2017, it introduced Intel Kaby Lake Core m3, i5, and i7 processors, and a second-generation butterfly keyboard for slightly better reliability.
It was discontinued upon the introduction of the 2019 MacBook Air. The 12-inch MacBook was functionally replaced by the 2018 MacBook Air, which effectively adopted its design, but with an additional USB-C port, a single fan for active cooling, and a larger display.
What do you think about the 12-inch MacBook a whole decade later? Let us know in the comments.
Article Link: Apple Introduced Its Most Controversial MacBook 10 Years Ago Today
It's only a risk if they keep to their stupid smaller=cheaper pricing scheme. Cue the Air, with every other manufacturer the 15" are the basic cheap ones, but Apple had to price the 15" Air higher, then they are surprised it doesn't deliver the expected numbers.
As an 11” MBA owner, I really wanted to get one of these because of the size, but just couldn’t get over that awful butterfly keyboard.
I hope that 12” MB rumoured from a while back is released at some point.
I hope that 12” MB rumoured from a while back is released at some point.
I think they could now fix everything that was wrong with the OG (starting with keyboard, under powered, single port, battery life and even price). That said with the 13 MBA moving lower in price I'm not quite sure there is a place for it as I don't know if others (I would) would be willing to pay a premium for it.
It was almost as awful as the last of the Intel MBPs.
Apple announced the infamous 12-inch Retina MacBook a decade ago today, an experimental new Mac that was as controversial as it was revolutionary.
Apple unveiled the 12-inch MacBook on March 9, 2015, at the "Spring Forward" event in San Francisco, California. The event was primarily focused on the Apple Watch, which was being fully detailed ahead of its launch the following month, so the debut of the brand-new MacBook line took many by surprise. Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced the new MacBook as a "reinvention" of the notebook.
The device was extremely controversial due to its underpowered performance, single USB-C port for both charging and data transfer, short battery life, unreliable butterfly keyboard, and high price point ($1,299 starting price in 2015—the same as a MacBook Pro at the time).
However, the 12-inch MacBook offered a glimpse at what was to come in the Mac lineup. It was the first Apple device with a USB-C port, terraced battery, butterfly keyboard, and haptic trackpad. It was also the first MacBook with a design focused on efficiency, a Retina display in a non-Pro model, multiple color options, and without a fan or an illuminated Apple logo.
In 2016, Apple refreshed the 12-inch MacBook to add Intel Skylake Core m3, m5, and m7 processors, improved battery life and faster PCIe storage, and a Rose Gold color option. In 2017, it introduced Intel Kaby Lake Core m3, i5, and i7 processors, and a second-generation butterfly keyboard for slightly better reliability.
It was discontinued upon the introduction of the 2019 MacBook Air. The 12-inch MacBook was functionally replaced by the 2018 MacBook Air, which effectively adopted its design, but with an additional USB-C port, a single fan for active cooling, and a larger display.
What do you think about the 12-inch MacBook a whole decade later? Let us know in the comments.
Article Link: Apple Introduced Its Most Controversial MacBook 10 Years Ago Today
This is because their lineup is bloated and there is too much blurring between the different offerings
Not releasing a new device because it will canabalize sales of another in the lineup means they have problems. Because they are less likely to release something new and innovative.
They will just play it safe.
No one ever acknowledges that the iPad lineup has so much in common with the surface lineup from 2012. The form factor is almost identical. They resisted for so long before finally releasing a Magic Keyboard with trackpad 5 years ago, and now say look, trackpad is even bigger. Look how good it is!
But before that the argument was why would anyone need a trackpad on iPad.
It seems other companies have started to push them to release new accessories and devices
As a user of Apple and Microsoft devices you can tell where they have influenced each other. Both make premium devices. The surface lineup is like the Apple lineup for windows.
I thought Apple would highlight the efficiency of Apple Silicon by producing a laptop with massive battery life, and another as light as possible with battery life that matched an Intel era Apple laptop. This could have differentiated the Pro and Air more. But as they haven’t done that with the Air, there is room for the return of the MacBook.
Truly a shame. If I had my way, the MacBook Pros would continue to sport only usb-c ports, but then again, what do I know about running a trillion-dollar company?
Aw man I loved mine. Loved the keyboard and especially the form factor. I occasionally had to open my bag on the way home from work just to check I hadn’t forgotten to pack it:- that thing was so damn light.
A 12” MacBook Air would be an instant buy for me. All it need be is a shrunk down MBA under a kilo.
A 12” MacBook Air would be an instant buy for me. All it need be is a shrunk down MBA under a kilo.