Apple Unveils New 13-Inch Entry-Level MacBook Pro

[dhuff]

Heh, heh. No, they won't notice. That's fine, and I'm not grumpy. Slightly disappointed, but Apple doesn't exist to cater to the sort of Mac user I am anymore (be nice if they would include us, but they're Apple - they do what they want even more so than most companies).

Like I've been telling folks, if I don't see a reasonable Mac to upgrade from my old Mac Mini to by 1Q 2017 or so, then I'm perfectly capable of building a Hackintosh. I'd rather give Apple a sensible amount of money and not have to do that, but they aren't beholden to me.

 

[NaughtOne]

Building a hackintosh is an option, for sure.

Especially because the huge appeal of Apple is the tight integration of hardware and OS. It provides the knowledge that as a work tool, a MBP is (was) a known, reliable quantity.

But adding adapters, or dongles, or a bulky dock to a machine that used to be fully capable on its own, just introduces a layer of unreliability and randomness. It undermines the advantage of the whole, integrated platform.

If I proposed using the new MBP's as field video editing machines to the engineers at work, the idea would be shot down right away. Adapters, external card readers, USB-C hubs, or a separate dock, adding all this random gear to an editor's field kit? No way, it's just asking for missed deadlines, and angry management.

 

[TC03]

Only one person has posted prior to you. He made no mention of the Air.... so who exactly are you criticizing... ROTFL

The article had a different headline before. It said that the new MBP would replace the Air.

 

[mafaky]

To be more than than 2 TB ports, the skylake motherboard requires an extra controller. This model doesn't get it.

Well adding that extra Skylake Controller and another two (or at the least, just one more) USB-C poorts would not cost Apple a fortunate, particularly at that price tag...

 

[obsidyen]

I ordered one... Compared to other subnotebooks such as HP Spectre, Dell XPS 13, the price isn't higher in Turkey where I live. New speakers and screen are great, it's very portable and light. I'll only need a multiport adapter for use at home.

 

[bbbb4b]

The iBook had a swappable battery and if you took it to any ole' computer shop they could dismantle the thing and put in more ram and a bigger hard drive for a fraction of Apple's pricing.

So what's your point? You just listed two things that nobody needs to do anymore (yay). And now, among the hundreds of other improvements you get, and still the price is $1499.

 

[gavroche]

The article had a different headline before. It said that the new MBP would replace the Air.

ah.. i suspected that might be the case after I posted my comment. makes more sense...

 

[HurtinMinorKey]

For anyone who wants to jump ship now, the Surface Book is waiting for you. I made the switch a couple months ago when i gave up waiting for a new MBA. I couldn't be happier.

 

[ApplNat]

The problem with the Surface and all the other hardware options is mainly this: they don't (easily/simply) run Mac OS. Period, full stop. I've been a Wintel user since 1991. I have a MBA 13" (since 2013) but really want that Retina screen. I realize there are tons of hardware choices available. It's my Mac I want by my side.

I deal with Win 10 at work (hate it). I'm well-versed in both OS. My preference every time is for the Mac, because I love the OS and the smooth integration and user experience.

I'm feeling so lost without an option that fits my needs. The Macbook is intriguing for the form factor & screen & portability, but 1 port...gahhhh and that 480 camera...gahhhh and less battery life...gahhh. Or MBP at the huge price jump? Gahhhh.

If the Macbook had another port without needing adapters and a battery that could get up to 12 hrs consistently, and a camera that was 720p it would be a no-brainer.

Gahhhhh.

 

[MacGuffin]

For anyone who wants to jump ship now, the Surface Book is waiting for you. I made the switch a couple months ago when i gave up waiting for a new MBA. I couldn't be happier.

It's been ages since I escaped Micro$oft. But times change. MS has improved dramatically while Cook is a klutz seemingly bent on undoing what made Apple great.

When my MBA dies, I'll definitely be looking at alternatives.

 

[PaulWog]

The 2015 Macbook Pro was an awesome buy. If they do a price drop, it will be an amazing buy.

I prefer the buttons OVER the touchbar. The touchbar creates extra distracting flash. Part of why I like Macbooks is because they manage full-screen well (it's easy to multitask but primarily operate in full-screen mode with no taskbars in the way). A bar at the edge of the screen is just annoying. By adding a bar at the edge of the keyboard, near the screen, they're just making the screen bigger, detaching part of it, and throwing it on the keyboard. That's not what I want. Did I mention the touchbar is distracting? I think I did already!

The only thing out of the 2016 Macbook Pro I am interested in is the brighter screen (the 2015 MBP screen is a tad bit dim at full brightness, almost as if maxed out brightness is a notch or two from what max should be). But what do you trade off for a brighter screen? Oh... I don't know... how about:
- a huge price hike
- smaller battery (if you ever charge your phone or do other things with your macbook, the smaller battery will show)
- adapters galore required & ONLY 2 non-USB ports... if you're charging, only 1 port available?
- no magsafe? and no light-up Apple logo?

The Apple laptop line is starting to look a lot like what Dell offered back in 2006, with their XPS line. Apple has too many models (Air, regular Macbook which is thinner than the Air, and Pro), and then too many options from there: 11" Air, 13" Air, variations of both sizes, regular Macbook and variations of that, 2015 13" Macbook Pro and entry-level 2016 13" Macbook Pro, then the full-featured Macbook Pro 2016 and the upgraded version of that, and also the 15" entry-level Macbook Pro, and 2015 Macbook Pro 15", and the full-featured 2016 Macbook Pro 15", and then the upgraded version of the 2016 Macbook Pro. I probably missed something.

This isn't Apple. This is a too-big-to-fail company following the footsteps of Dell.

 

[Feenician]

decent?

Its sitting at the same price it has been for years, it was 'updated' in 2015 with a broadwell chip, almost two generations old.

Screen resolution of a 2000's netbook

Minuscule SSD

and the same amount of RAM as my 2010 macbook unibody

Real decent pricing.

/s

Where are these 2560-by-1600 "netbooks"?