Except for the update to the MacBook Pro last month, Apple has been woeful with updates to the Mac lineup. Most of their lineup is featuring 2-3 year old technologies. While this isn't really going to kill performance all that much, Apple is still selling these devices as premium priced products. Comparing to the competition, who regularly update internals to keep up to date, and then discount previous technologies.
This makes it appear that Apple is just milking things. putting no money or effort into ensuring the Mac lineup is kept up to date.
This also conflicts with the lsat updates to many of their products which followed the Apple "thinner = better" mentality which saw many of the updates back in 2014/2015 actually take away, rather than add.
For Example: The 2012 Mac Mini was a beloved Mini computer by just about anyone who really wanted a nice, slick SFF. It also came with the 45w quad core CPU's (similar to the MacBook Pro's). Was also fairly easy to upgrade the hard drive and RAM.
in 2014, the "refresh" saw Apple downgrade the CPU to a dual core ULV (same in the MacBook Air), solder in the RAM, and make the hard drive nearly impossible to upgrade without pulling everything apart. Without a change to the devices shape / size. There was literally no reason for this "downgrade" other than planned obsolescence and profit margins.
Similar could jbe said for previous iMac. Thinned the chassis and started using lower thermal tolerance parts. Who was asking for a desktop computer that was 4mm thinner on the side? this has dramatic thermal issues. Look at the i7 model, which came with Intel's highest end CPU, that downclocked and thermal throttled itself.
the new Mac Pro saw it's last design Also go this route. it became smaller, lower thermal tolerances, and heavily restricted adaptability and upgrade path. A pro machine that you cannot upgrade the GPU's. Hard drive and other components without external boxes, with less actual choice in internal options than ever before.
The MacBook air that saw nothing but an internal update, while leaving all that was wrong, such as terrible quality screen (same screen since 2010 essentially) and horrible front facing camera.
And UNfortunately the new MacBook Pro seems to be following the same route. Soldered in components. 3mm thinner, but with significant tradeoffs in performance (some users report throttling), the "dongle life", bad GPUs in some, drivers that physically broke the device included in bootcamp(Sound).
None of these are BAD devices. they're all quality built. clear that there current direction is Form over function for sure. But when you ask for a high premium price, these things come under much higher scrutiny. If you're going to charge a good chunk more than the competition, there has to be something you're offering in value that is above and beyond the competition. Instead in the last few years, we've seen less offered in return for those higher prices.
And thats what I see wrong with the current Mac lineup
