Same here, having lived with a 13" MBA for 5 years I have no desire to go back to a 3lb. laptop. I also don't need the Pro's extra performance. If Apple makes a 13" version of the rMB and keeps it under 2.5lbs. I would consider it. I got the 2015 base refurb rMB with the intention of replacing it in 2 years with either a new rMB or whatever Apples replaces the 13" MBA with as long as has a retina screen.
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Did Macbook pro announcement yesterday solidify a rMB for anyone?
- Thread starter thadoggfather
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Same here, having lived with a 13" MBA for 5 years I have no desire to go back to a 3lb. laptop. I also don't need the Pro's extra performance. If Apple makes a 13" version of the rMB and keeps it under 2.5lbs. I would consider it. I got the 2015 base refurb rMB with the intention of replacing it in 2 years with either a new rMB or whatever Apples replaces the 13" MBA with as long as has a retina screen.
It solidified it for me. I pulled the trigger and ordered a 2016 m7. Will receive it on Thursday evening.
I bought a 2015 rMB earlier this year and I was somewhat dreading this keynote because I was anticipating buyers remorse for not waiting. But that did not happen at all.
I don't see the need for Touch Bar at this point in my life but I wouldn't buy the lower 13" model knowing it's missing the Touch Bar and extra 2 TB3 ports. It's too much of an investment to skimp out on a few hundred dollars when I might want that in the future. The new pricing is also messed up in my opinion.
At the same time, I've been fine with the single USB-C port on my rMB so I probably don't need 3 more.
Mine has been very capable for everything I use it for and I have not ran into any throttling. I do a lot of work in PS CS6 with some other programs open for web development on side projects. No issues at all and the machine is insnanely portable.
I have a 15" rMBP provided from work and that's a monster (used to have a 2011 for personal). I like having the smaller model for personal use so it's more of a break from work. The rMB easily plugs into my HooToo hub for a 26" display, keyboard, external drive and whatever else I need.
Very happy with my 12" rMB after the keynote.
I don't see the need for Touch Bar at this point in my life but I wouldn't buy the lower 13" model knowing it's missing the Touch Bar and extra 2 TB3 ports. It's too much of an investment to skimp out on a few hundred dollars when I might want that in the future. The new pricing is also messed up in my opinion.
At the same time, I've been fine with the single USB-C port on my rMB so I probably don't need 3 more.
Mine has been very capable for everything I use it for and I have not ran into any throttling. I do a lot of work in PS CS6 with some other programs open for web development on side projects. No issues at all and the machine is insnanely portable.
I have a 15" rMBP provided from work and that's a monster (used to have a 2011 for personal). I like having the smaller model for personal use so it's more of a break from work. The rMB easily plugs into my HooToo hub for a 26" display, keyboard, external drive and whatever else I need.
Very happy with my 12" rMB after the keynote.
Just wanted to chime in here in case anyone was looking for help in a decision. I was waiting for the new Pro announcement, but had always had an eye on the MacBook. My use case is very light, some web browsing, music, photos, media consumption, nothing too intensive, really only a couple apps at a time. I went ahead and bought an m3 MacBook considering the Pro's are way overpriced and I couldn't be happier so far. Really quick, much faster than I expected from what I read. I feel like this is the perfect machine for a light user like myself. Will be happy with steady improvements over time, but I love this machine.
It just has for me. I had ordered a 13" MBP with Touch Bar, but reflecting on it, no way can I justify the £2000 price tag, especially when I'd be looking for a nice big monitor to go with it.
I'm now replacing my 11" MBA with a RMB and I think I'll then look for a refurb iMac to go with it. Just need to decide which RMB to go for.
I'm now replacing my 11" MBA with a RMB and I think I'll then look for a refurb iMac to go with it. Just need to decide which RMB to go for.
I am in the same boat.
I want to actually hold and test out the rMBP and compare it to the rMB.
If I were to get the rMBP, I would get the 13" with touch bar. If I decide against it, it will be the m3 rMB 2016. Basically a $500 difference but, I tend to keep my laptops for 5 or so years so I may just opt for the extra of the rMBP this time around.
However, having tried the rMB in stores I absolutely love the design and for my uses it would be perfect. I also considered a dock set up with screen and touch pad that I could afford much more if I went the rMB route.
It is tough because I waited all summer for this only to get let down by the price hike. I also am beginning to take up light photography as a hobby and want to make sure the rMB will be able to handle light photo tasks and most people seem to be fine with it.
I also would like the extra screen real estate, touch bar, and brighter screen, but I will again have to see when they arrive in stores.
I want to actually hold and test out the rMBP and compare it to the rMB.
If I were to get the rMBP, I would get the 13" with touch bar. If I decide against it, it will be the m3 rMB 2016. Basically a $500 difference but, I tend to keep my laptops for 5 or so years so I may just opt for the extra of the rMBP this time around.
However, having tried the rMB in stores I absolutely love the design and for my uses it would be perfect. I also considered a dock set up with screen and touch pad that I could afford much more if I went the rMB route.
It is tough because I waited all summer for this only to get let down by the price hike. I also am beginning to take up light photography as a hobby and want to make sure the rMB will be able to handle light photo tasks and most people seem to be fine with it.
I also would like the extra screen real estate, touch bar, and brighter screen, but I will again have to see when they arrive in stores.
If anything, the announcement has made me want to wait for revision 3 of the 12" rMB. If the new rMBP's are any indications, the new 12" rMB will be getting
- The improved P3 screen which uses 30% less energy. This will either mean that you will get quite a significant boost in battery life, or they will make the laptop even smaller/thinner
- Improved keyboard (butterfly version 2, it doesn't require any further travel, just feels like it, so might be suitable for the upgrade)
- Larger trackpad
- Possibly a better web cam
- Of course, the kabylake update
- Even faster SSD's, perhaps more storage options.
Not expecting a 2nd USB-C but I think they are worthwhile updates personally, but YMMV.
- The improved P3 screen which uses 30% less energy. This will either mean that you will get quite a significant boost in battery life, or they will make the laptop even smaller/thinner
- Improved keyboard (butterfly version 2, it doesn't require any further travel, just feels like it, so might be suitable for the upgrade)
- Larger trackpad
- Possibly a better web cam
- Of course, the kabylake update
- Even faster SSD's, perhaps more storage options.
Not expecting a 2nd USB-C but I think they are worthwhile updates personally, but YMMV.
If you can find an open box or refurbished model I'd say go for the M5 rMB! I've purchased base model MacBooks, and for once I finally went with the mid-tier and it truly seems to be the best bang for the buck option.
Other than the retina screen, I'm still to be convinced the rMB M5 I got at the weekend is any better than my top spec 2013 MBA. If anything, the MBA feels quicker!
It's powering a low res screen so it's possible
Weak how little difference there is in any Mac laptop for the past few years
In some ways I'm delighted with the MBP announcement: it's so far out of my price range that there's absolutely no question of me buying one.
When my 2015 MBP dies I may look at the regular rMB or I may give up on laptops altogether. I have an iPad Pro and an iMac: the MBP is a bit of a luxury, really. I use it for three things: typing is much easier than on the iPad, Excel is much better than on the iPad, and I still do a bit of torrenting, which you can't do on an iPad. All this is when I'm watching tv. If I'm in the office, the iMac satisfies all my needs.
Actually, now that I've typed out that list maybe I can live without the MBP altogether -- and now might be a good time to sell . . .
Where Apple has gone wrong is that if the pricing hadn't been insane, I would have upgraded. If I learn what it's like to not upgrade every time there's a new product, maybe I'll save myself thousands, and cost Apple lost profits.
When my 2015 MBP dies I may look at the regular rMB or I may give up on laptops altogether. I have an iPad Pro and an iMac: the MBP is a bit of a luxury, really. I use it for three things: typing is much easier than on the iPad, Excel is much better than on the iPad, and I still do a bit of torrenting, which you can't do on an iPad. All this is when I'm watching tv. If I'm in the office, the iMac satisfies all my needs.
Actually, now that I've typed out that list maybe I can live without the MBP altogether -- and now might be a good time to sell . . .
Where Apple has gone wrong is that if the pricing hadn't been insane, I would have upgraded. If I learn what it's like to not upgrade every time there's a new product, maybe I'll save myself thousands, and cost Apple lost profits.
I too was waiting on the MB Pro announcements, and was disappointed with the pricing. The rMB didn't appeal to me much at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. I just ended up ordering a MB Air though, with the upgraded 2.2 processor. I couldn't quite get over the small processor in the rMB. Then again, I'm no expert, I'm sure there's other variables I missed, but it just seems crazy that the Macbook I am replacing from 2006 (white plastic, which just finally died), had a 2.16 GHz processor, and the modern is only 1.1? And to upgrade to the m5 or m7, you're right back in the price range of the MBP, which is what I was trying to avoid.
I know the Air is being discontinued and the technology is a little older, but is still looked like the best bang 4 buck.
Also really liked my MagSafe, I almost convinced myself I could live without it, but it was a big deal to me. Still going to have to get an HDMI adapter for the TV, but the single port thing seems silly to me. I want to be able to torrent and stream NFL games to the TV, and I just wasn't sure the rMB could handle it. I was probably wrong though.
I know the Air is being discontinued and the technology is a little older, but is still looked like the best bang 4 buck.
Also really liked my MagSafe, I almost convinced myself I could live without it, but it was a big deal to me. Still going to have to get an HDMI adapter for the TV, but the single port thing seems silly to me. I want to be able to torrent and stream NFL games to the TV, and I just wasn't sure the rMB could handle it. I was probably wrong though.
I have been lately, but only some of the streams are configured for mobile browsers, so it does limit how much you can watch. Also had some issues with Safari on the iPad just randomly shutting down or crashing, so I don't think it's as reliable as a real computer.
You can try long-pressing on the page reload button, and choosing "Request Desktop Site".
LOL. I'll let the trolling "real computer" comment slide. But yes, there is a Safari bug in iOS 10 that occasionally causes a white screen. You just have to close Safari and reopen it, and hopefully Apple will fix it quickly. I'm guessing there are occasional bugs in OSX too?
Wasn't trying to troll at all, not really sure what you mean. When Safari crashes in this case, it just closes, and after I unlock the screen of the iPad, I reopen it's fine, just annoying because it interrupts the stream and I miss part of the game lol.
My mistake, apologies. It's possible you don't know what a computer actually is. I shouldn't assume everyone here has technical knowledge.
Sorry we're not all experts like you. Of course an iPad (or smartphone) is a computer in a technical sense, and no doubt the line is thinner than ever before. But when I say "real" computer, I'm just probably using slang for my own arbitrary definition. I want something that makes file management/downloading easy, I just don't see a mobile OS providing that yet. And enough HD/storage to have the ability to be my central device.
Ignore M. Gustave. The guy apparently sold his house to afford his iPad and feels a need to insist on it being the only way to do things.
I'm not insisting on anything. I'm reading a thread about people buying $1300 MacBooks to watch Netflix, and thinking... why?
Alright, anyways...
My main question was, since the MBP announcement effectively steered me away from going that route, is the Air still competitive against the rMB? Does the smaller processor of the rMB hold it back in areas where the Air might be better? Just wondering if some of you who know way more than I do have any insights.
My main question was, since the MBP announcement effectively steered me away from going that route, is the Air still competitive against the rMB? Does the smaller processor of the rMB hold it back in areas where the Air might be better? Just wondering if some of you who know way more than I do have any insights.
Just curious
I am going to get a rMB refurb from Apple my 2012 13" MBP is not worth it anymore and it is way too heavy, Apple is NUTZ with the price on the new rMBP, I like the Gold and love the screen and portability, battery life is good as well. I know the rMB fits my needs but getting the 2016 Gold 1.3, 8GB, 512GB model. Should last me another 4 years, will also get AppleCare due to the retina screen just in case.