2010 macbook pro 13" maxed out with ram and 1TB SSD here.... I'm waiting for the next line of MBP and then it will be hard not to take the plunge. I've managed to get this far but I can't see the machine going much longer into the future. It's hard not enjoying the retina experience on the laptop I have on my iPhone or iPad.
I had a quick look at that Dell XPS 15 mentioned here and it's clear Apple may be somewhat the victim of it's own success, such Dell laptops and the like would not exist if it wasn't for the trailblazing Apple pioneered with applying great design to products.
Every laptop I see now is hawking the Apple look from keyboard button layout and style to the whole material spiel. They are not innovating there. Personally I always understood that Apple didn't follow the same component upgrade cycles as other manufactures, which if you only shop on price seems like a bad deal. Once I got over this simple hang up and got one I realised it was a bit mistake on my part and an easy trap to fall into. I began to enjoy my computers again now I have too many Apple products!
I do agree Apple may have lost the way a bit but I really like the new macbook, I love the keyboard on tests and also I love the new iPad pro and the keyboard too. It's fantastic. It's the first keyboard I've ever been able to comfortable type while standing, that's usual a tough angle.
I really hope that new keyboard is in the new Mac Pro models, then I won't feel so bad about not getting a Macbook. If that happens and they get thinner, the Air may disappear.
However here is the rub and it's been mentioned in earlier posts, but there are other products now you might want to buy from Apple and i know my budget has no increased to match the product line up, when I first entered the Apple realm in 2008. It was do I get a Macbook or iMac... now it's which iPad, which iPhone, which iPod, which Macbook etc. etc.
There are a lot of functional overlap in terms of what these devices have to offer, combine that with waiting for longer timed release with current hardware that keep on running year after year (I'd never have got 5-7 years out of any PC hardware I had as I have with macs) and as you wait more then more options appear resulting in I would say some buyer caution, confusion and so forth. They'll have to address the clarity issue and complimentary timing of releases but there is a lot going on.
I also think many who post on this forum are more tech savvy. See the rest of the world ain't like you. That's the truth. You are the early adopter. You want great kit but you also want to be able to hack it.
That is not the requirement of the majority of people and if you don't understand this well it's clear Jobs understood thin impoclity for a long time.
I do wish they would focus on the pro side more and consumer and make it clear delineation and cater for both but expect it proportionally, as one leads the other and yo need less leaders than followers right!
I don't have any intention of returning to the world of Windows and the Mac Os X experience is still good and iOS has improved. Overall it's been a stable 8 years of computing with my Apple platforms.
Updating old Machine to El Captain and finding old software was stable where I thought it would be inoperable has somewhat restored my faith for the moment.
