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TheWasmer

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 3, 2020
12
27
Just saw the keynote in full. I noticed one big change: Apple did not mention a word about the new industrial design of the MacBook Pro models. It was rather only about the internal specs, performance. Even the “Learn more” page doesn’t mention the new design with a word.
maybe I didn’t notice it, but in the past Apple was more focused on the design part.

I miss the design focus.
 

skaertus

macrumors 601
Feb 23, 2009
4,243
1,398
Brazil
Just saw the keynote in full. I noticed one big change: Apple did not mention a word about the new industrial design of the MacBook Pro models. It was rather only about the internal specs, performance. Even the “Learn more” page doesn’t mention the new design with a word.
maybe I didn’t notice it, but in the past Apple was more focused on the design part.

I miss the design focus.
The design of the new MacBook Pro is not particularly inspiring. It resembles the old model, which is already 5 years old, but the bottom part is much thicker, which kind of breaks the balance. I was hoping for a better design, but this one works.
 

Dwalls90

macrumors 603
Feb 5, 2009
5,505
4,568
The last model was design focused, but ended up being impractical. Everyone wanted more ports, better battery life, more power, ProMotion, the list goes on an on, but Apple gave it with the version.
 
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Sowelu

macrumors 6502a
Aug 15, 2008
813
1,012
New York City
I am still getting used to this new design. The new flat top/lid is cool, but it doesn't really match the bottom - which resembles MacBook Pro's of the past. I am surprised that these MacBooks appear to be thicker and a bit heavier, but the battery life isn't as amazing as you'd think compared to last gen given the size. Then again, these are more powerful M1s, so it's all relative. I guess I am the Mac user that would rather have a thin and light and cool running MacBook with larger displays and with just Thunderbolt ports. I'd say the next gen Airs will offer this, but if they come in those happy-fun colors and white bezels, they will not be an option for me.
 

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,183
13,230
There's nothing particularly wrong with the design.
I'm hoping "the notch" doesn't get in the way of the menu bar.

It's "what inside that counts".
It looks like the new "Ninotchka" MBP's will excel on this point.
And it's nice to see more ports as well.
 
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Sowelu

macrumors 6502a
Aug 15, 2008
813
1,012
New York City
I am okay with the notch as it gave us thinner bezels (and I am happy about the 1080p camera). Not sure how I feel about the black keyboard well/base. I loved the unibody design with the individual key cutouts in the aluminum. This looks like an inset keyboard found in HPs from a few years ago.
 
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HughRR

macrumors member
Oct 17, 2021
60
201
I like it. It’s a computer again. But I don’t need a laptop so I’m going to sit here and cry like a baby until they kick out a new mini with more cores and RAM
 

TheRdungeon

macrumors 6502a
Jul 21, 2011
546
93
It's definitely a strange design, kinda like the 24 inch iMac. The weirdest part may be this obsession with such thin bezels but giving the base such a chunky look. Apple really nailed that sloping effect to give the impression of thinness so it's interesting that they went with straight sides again. Apple has historically absolutely nailed the emotion of using these machines, will be interesting if you get the same feeling from these. Having said that, it is a bit of a relief to finally just tick all the boxes instead of having them absurdly missing some feature
 

TheWasmer

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 3, 2020
12
27
Just saw the keynote in full. I noticed one big change: Apple did not mention a word about the new industrial design of the MacBook Pro models. It was rather only about the internal specs, performance. Even the “Learn more” page doesn’t mention the new design with a word.
maybe I didn’t notice it, but in the past Apple was more focused on the design part.

I miss the design focus.
To be more specific regarding my initial post.
The new design is kind of okay. These machines are made to be desktop replacements that you can travel around with.

My main concern was about my feeling that Apple seems to be shifting more and more from a company that had a very strict focus on the design of its products towards engineering and marketing. Also, the keynotes and presentations were standing out from the rest of the industry. That certainly was a huge part of the Steve Jobs / Jonathan Ives era.

Tim Cook and his team seem to focus more and more on shareholder value, introducing features and functions (useful or not), and Marketing numbers (pixels, performance, bla bla bla). There’s simply no goosebumps factor anymore. Even the most recent Microsoft Surface event was more emotional than all Apple events combined this year.

Last but not least: pricing is ridiculous. I bought a top of the line 13” MacBook (Pro) aluminum 12 years ago for 1300€ (MagSafe, and a plethora of ports included). Fast forward the machine in the same category has put on almost 1000 € / $

Then this crazy product portfolio and diversification.
 

Bodhitree

macrumors 68020
Apr 5, 2021
2,069
2,200
Netherlands
That was my reaction as well. But there is a balance to be struck, between engineering features and classic design, and I think the pendulum had swung too far towards a design-led development focus. If you ask people what they wanted, it was mini-LED screens, more ports, more performance, more memory, more battery.

This MBP is the result of Apple listening to its customers, which is not a bad thing.

But I do agree the prices are ridiculous.
 

EnderTW

macrumors 6502a
Jun 30, 2007
727
279
The last time Apple led with design, we got:

  • Butterfly keyboard
  • Touch bar
  • Dongles galore
  • Stage light effect
I'm happy that design wasn't prioritized this time around.
Exactly to me this is a homage to apple of the old. Great design matched with finally great hardware.
 

Puonti

macrumors 68000
Mar 14, 2011
1,567
1,187
...but the bottom part is much thicker
I'm not sure I follow. Are you sure you're not confusing how thick it looks visually with how thick it actually is?

Current-gen 14" and 16" Apple Silicon MacBook Pros are 16,8 mm thick (including the feet I presume, as Apple's spec page states a height of 15,5 mm)

Previous-gen 16" Intel MacBook Pro was 16,2 mm thick.
Previous-gen 13" Intel MacBook Pro was 15,6 14,9 mm thick.

The new 16" is 0,6 mm and the new 14" 1,2 1,9 mm thicker than the old comparable notebook.

Edit: Fixed incorrect 13" four-port Intel MacBook Pro height and added comment about current-gen height
 
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ian87w

macrumors G3
Feb 22, 2020
8,704
12,638
Indonesia
To be more specific regarding my initial post.
The new design is kind of okay. These machines are made to be desktop replacements that you can travel around with.

My main concern was about my feeling that Apple seems to be shifting more and more from a company that had a very strict focus on the design of its products towards engineering and marketing. Also, the keynotes and presentations were standing out from the rest of the industry. That certainly was a huge part of the Steve Jobs / Jonathan Ives era.

Tim Cook and his team seem to focus more and more on shareholder value, introducing features and functions (useful or not), and Marketing numbers (pixels, performance, bla bla bla). There’s simply no goosebumps factor anymore. Even the most recent Microsoft Surface event was more emotional than all Apple events combined this year.

Last but not least: pricing is ridiculous. I bought a top of the line 13” MacBook (Pro) aluminum 12 years ago for 1300€ (MagSafe, and a plethora of ports included). Fast forward the machine in the same category has put on almost 1000 € / $

Then this crazy product portfolio and diversification.
Apple is focused on shareholder's value, yes. In fact, that's the main purpose of a publicly traded company. Who wanted to own part of a company that is decreasing in value? This is not new, it's just that Tim is pushing it a bit more (who would've thought someone could make record revenues with a $1000 phone in a middle of a pandemic?)

Jobs/Ives are not the panacea. They are more form over function, and that's not sustainable on a tool (a computer is a tool in the end). Form over function only works indefinitely on fashion (thus Ives with his $10000 gold Apple Watch).

There has to be a balance. I like thinner gadgets, but I don't want it to be so thin that it sacrifices other things like battery life and structural integrity, which are essential in a portable gadget. I'm glad that Apple is moving towards thicker iPhones and put more battery, as an example. If Jobs/Ives were still around, this won't happen, and all we would have would be an iPhone mini with poor battery life. "But it's so small and thin, and look you can put it inside your skinny jean pocket... /s" Who cares, battery life is more important for such a mobile device.

Pricing is ridiculous, but not that ridiculous. It seems ridiculous because Apple is playing on the high end. However, there are even Windows laptops with poorer battery life and efficiency are also priced that much on the high end. And Apple still sells the Macbook Air.

Your "top of the line" macbook pro would've been ~1500€ today (adjusting for inflation). The price of the 14" Macbook Pro seems reasonable, considering it has 120Hz screen and 512GB SSD, and even a gen11 i7 cannot match it (which is already high end from intel).
 

sevoneone

macrumors 6502a
May 16, 2010
952
1,292
To be more specific regarding my initial post.
The new design is kind of okay. These machines are made to be desktop replacements that you can travel around with.

My main concern was about my feeling that Apple seems to be shifting more and more from a company that had a very strict focus on the design of its products towards engineering and marketing. Also, the keynotes and presentations were standing out from the rest of the industry. That certainly was a huge part of the Steve Jobs / Jonathan Ives era.

Tim Cook and his team seem to focus more and more on shareholder value, introducing features and functions (useful or not), and Marketing numbers (pixels, performance, bla bla bla). There’s simply no goosebumps factor anymore. Even the most recent Microsoft Surface event was more emotional than all Apple events combined this year.

Last but not least: pricing is ridiculous. I bought a top of the line 13” MacBook (Pro) aluminum 12 years ago for 1300€ (MagSafe, and a plethora of ports included). Fast forward the machine in the same category has put on almost 1000 € / $

Then this crazy product portfolio and diversification.
If you look back there is a definite oscillation between engineering and design in Apple's Mac presentations. When Steve first returned, there was a big focus on specs. Getting G3 processors in as much of the product line as possible. In the same beige box designs that Apple had been selling for years. The first PowerBook G3 was an internals refresh of the PowerBook 3400. The public perception at the time was that Macs were slow and hopelessly behind Intel PCs. Step one in Steve's return was putting the G3 processor center stage and focusing on specs. After that there was a major design sprint where the entire product line was revamped and a lot of innovation and magic followed.

Fast forward to the Intel transition. Same thing, focus was 100% on Macs now running on Intel and the specs boosts that brought. Design was largely unchanged or iterative from the last generation PPC systems until the magic kicked in again and we got the move from plastic to aluminum, the MacBook Air, Magic Mice and force touch trackpads.

We're in one of those times now. The focus is on the technical leaps and not on design. Apple needs to reassure everyone they care about Mac performance and function over form. The result is a laptop design that is brutally unapologetic about essentially being a nice 140W aluminum heat sink and some mostly unchanged other models. And that's ok, because Apple would rather everyone "see" the performance right now. Trust me, it's very on purpose and innovation will come over the next year or two.

----

The 13" MBP you bought 12 years ago was not the same category though. That category is currently filled by the 13" M1 MBP. The 14" and 16" are more like the 15" and 17" of the time: better processors, better graphics, better screens, premium price. I sympathize, two USB/TB 4 ports is a poor excuse for IO for any category. After today, it is clear Apple is correcting their mistakes though.
 
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k2k koos

macrumors 6502a
I can see that the design of these new Macbooks is a little underwhelming, they don't really offer anything new on the outside. However what they are doing on the inside is nothing short of amazing, and to realise this is still only just the first generation of their in house chip designs (after all, it's all M1 xxxx) has me excited for the future. I've got one of the new M1 iMacs which for my use is powerful enough, it's a great Logic machine running plenty plug ins for a home recording environment and the screen is large enough for me. I look forward in a few years from now (say 2-4 years) when I'm going to trade it in on the next gen, and what kind of powerhouse chip it will have by then, probably some M2 or perhaps M3 iteration?....
 

Falhófnir

macrumors 603
Aug 19, 2017
6,146
7,001
I disagree, everything about this design looks like it’s deliberately controversial. This isn’t a utilitarian box, they’ve actively gone after a ‘bold and controversial’ look (it seems to be flavour of the era judging by the new iMac and the rumoured MacBook Air replacement).
 

laptech

macrumors 601
Apr 26, 2013
4,097
4,423
Earth
i can see by the thread title that your extremely biased towards Apple design. Apple macbooks has not lead by design for many many years, that accolade went to PC laptop makers years ago. Some of their designs are fantastic and the array of ports on offer is oustanding too. Macbook owners have had to suffer the same macbook design year in year out with it's internal hardware being the one that gets the changes with less and less ports on offer each time.
 

skaertus

macrumors 601
Feb 23, 2009
4,243
1,398
Brazil
I'm not sure I follow. Are you sure you're not confusing how thick it looks visually with how thick it actually is?

Current-gen 14" and 16" Apple Silicon MacBook Pros are 16,8 mm thick.

Previous-gen 16" Intel MacBook Pro was 16,2 mm thick.
Previous-gen 13" Intel MacBook Pro was 15,6 mm thick.

The new 16" is 0,6 mm and the new 14" 1,2 mm thicker than the old comparable notebook.

What I meant is that the bottom part of the new MacBook Pro is much thicker than the top part, which kind of breaks the balance. This is something than can be easily seen visually.

I have no idea how the new model compares to the old one.
 
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skaertus

macrumors 601
Feb 23, 2009
4,243
1,398
Brazil
Just saw the keynote in full. I noticed one big change: Apple did not mention a word about the new industrial design of the MacBook Pro models. It was rather only about the internal specs, performance. Even the “Learn more” page doesn’t mention the new design with a word.
maybe I didn’t notice it, but in the past Apple was more focused on the design part.

I miss the design focus.
I suppose this kind of reflects the company's philosophy and the direction taken by its leadership.

Steve Jobs was the design master, and he drove Apple to delivering the ultimate products in terms of design. But many of Apple's products during Steve Jobs era fell short of high-end competitors in terms of performance. Apple did not have the fastest computers or smartphones, but it stood out because of its unique design and usability.

Tim Cook is the personification of efficiency. He is not the design guy (just look at the suits the guy wears; one should not be allowed to use those tie knots). However, all the efficiency in the supply chain is showing: Apple is being able to deliver top-notch products in terms of performance as it takes advantage of the economies of scale brought by huge iPhone sales. Design takes a back seat, although it is forever embedded into Apple's culture.
 

AbhiAchShan

macrumors member
Nov 7, 2021
87
60
I want Steve and Jonny back. Period.
Me Too, I Too want them Really Back
To me, Apple is a Company Driven with both Form and Function Preferred Equally, than One over another. Sir Jonathan Ive's Designs were way better and aesthetic to Look. If we ask for more Ports yet we can Have those ports over some better design and Form than the Arrangement in Current MacBook Pro. The Current MacBook Pro has not that Good Design compared to Previous Generation of MacBook Pro, we may say that 14 Inch MBP is thinner but it is not about thinness. Like Apple was Dedicated also to Design as well as it's Performance and I Don't Know why but I Feel this is not too much like Apple. May Be I Need Time to get adjusted to the New Design and Rethink these Thoughts. Like see, the Same Performance can also be Talked Over Such a Design like the Previous Year Than the Design Below this Image
51alfoEZdaL._AC_SL1200_.jpg
ports_14_inch__r5y6iul60wa6_large.jpg

Its Just my Opinion
 
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