Got my new 2017 Gold MacBook... really impressed!

[happyslayer]

Hey all,

Just got my new 2017 Gold 12" MacBook with i7(really an m7, we all know this ), 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD. FedEx guy dropped it off 90 minutes ago. I've managed to upgrade the OS to latest Dev build of High Sierra, install many of my Apps, and it's synching my iCloud Drive and DropBox as I type this. My first impressions after using it for the last hour is that it is really fast. Even with all that going on in the background, it is still snappy and fast.

I previously had the 13" Pro with TB and I was worried that I would notice a slow down--which would have been okay since I got this more for the small size since it goes everywhere I go. But other than missing the Touch ID to log in, this feels no different performance-wise. The 16GB RAM is a nice upgrade and the i7/m7 CPU appears to be doing all it should.

I was just a little worried, but think I made the right choice in the end. Also, the gold color is pretty nice. I've been a silver MacBook and MacBook Pro purist for life and this is my first foray into the land of color. We will see how I feel in a year.

Anyway, just wanted to share my (so far) positive experience. A bit pricey, but I'd definitely recommend it.

 

[Clix Pix]

Glad to hear you're enjoying your new gold MacBook! It IS snappy and fast, isn't it? I've been delighted with mine.......

 

[happyslayer]

Yes, I spend a good chunk of my time setting up new Windows laptops lately. (I'm a computer consultant.) And the out of box Windows 10 setup and the subsequent Windows Update process is just plain horrible. Also, trying to install multiple apps while doing updates just never works. Gotta mostly go one at a time. Or you get some random 0x000888 error. And god forbid you try installing apps while copying data over USB from a backup drive. Dramatically slow. And we won't even comment about what antivirus software does to that process. But this little MacBook with a slower processor and no fans, does sooooo much better.

Of course, that's why I'm a Mac guy with my personal machines, tablets and phones.

 

[Dave245]

I'm still yet to decide if i should go for a MacBook Pro or the 12" MacBook, my 2011 MacBook Pro has served me well but it's slowing down now. The MacBook has certainly got more powerful with the last update, the price point tho with 16GB Ram it's approaching MacBook Pro prices and there is an even bigger jump (if i'm not mistaken) to the 13" MacBook Pro.

I wonder if next year (2018) update will have an even bigger jump in specs and maybe even a redesign or enhancements to the screen technology. Everything seems to be going HDR and OLED i wonder if Mac's will end up going that way too.

 

[EugW]

I like my 2017 MacBook too but I chose the m3.

It can’t hurt to get the i7 if you have the extra cash since it is indeed faster than the m3 and i5, but it turns out that for real world sustained CPU load, there may not be a big difference between the i7 vs even the m3 in the MacBook because of thermal constraints.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-i7-behave-during-sustained-cpu-load.2073415/

Data on this is still limited though, so feel free to add your results.

I'm still yet to decide if i should go for a MacBook Pro or the 12" MacBook, my 2011 MacBook Pro has served me well but it's slowing down now. The MacBook has certainly got more powerful with the last update, the price point tho with 16GB Ram it's approaching MacBook Pro prices and there is an even bigger jump (if i'm not mistaken) to the 13" MacBook Pro.

I wonder if next year (2018) update will have an even bigger jump in specs and maybe even a redesign or enhancements to the screen technology. Everything seems to be going HDR and OLED i wonder if Mac's will end up going that way too.

No OLED in 2018. The chance of that happening in the 12” MacBook is roughly nil.

 

[Dave245]

I like my 2017 MacBook too but I chose the m3.

It can’t hurt to get the i7 if you have the extra cash since it is indeed faster than the m3 and i5, but it turns out that for real world sustained CPU load, there may not be a big difference between the i7 vs even the m3 in the MacBook because of thermal constraints.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-i7-behave-during-sustained-cpu-load.2073415/

Data on this is still limited though, so feel free to add your results.


No OLED in 2018. The chance of that happening in the 12” MacBook is roughly nil.

Which would still be faster than my current 2011 MacBook Pro? It has a HDD so not even a SSD. OLED will probably appear on the iPad before Mac’s, it would be nice to have a higher res screen that matches the 5K iMac but on either the MacBook or MacBook Pro range.

 

[EugW]

it would be nice to have a higher res screen that matches the 5K iMac but on either the MacBook or MacBook Pro range.

The 12” MacBook already has a higher pixel density than the 5K iMac. The MacBook Pros also are higher pixel density than the 5K iMac.

 

[Dave245]

The 12” MacBook already has a higher pixel density than the 5K iMac. The MacBook Pros also are higher pixel density than the 5K iMac.

Really? I didn’t know that I thought the 5K iMac was the best so far. I suppose it’s difficult to tell when looking in the Apple store or even at a friends MacBook Pro than it is when owning one. It’s another thing that would probably be a big jump from my 2011 none Retina MacBook Pro.

 

[EugW]

Really? I didn’t know that I thought the 5K iMac was the best so far. I suppose it’s difficult to tell when looking in the Apple store or even at a friends MacBook Pro than it is when owning one. It’s another thing that would probably be a big jump from my 2011 none Retina MacBook Pro.

Yes, really. The iMac 5K has the lowest pixel density of all the Retina Macs. But that makes sense, since one generally sits a little be further from an iMac than a Mac laptop.

However, the lowest overall is the MacBook Air, by a long shot. It's not even in the same league.

 

[Dave245]

Yes, really. The iMac 5K has the lowest pixel density of all the Retina Macs. But that makes sense, since one generally sits a little be further from an iMac than a Mac laptop.

However, the lowest overall is the MacBook Air, by a long shot. It's not even in the same league.

I honestly didn’t know that, because it’s a 5K iMac I assumed it had the best screen out of all the Mac’s. In store the MacBook does have a nice screen and the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (from what I saw of a friends) also has a nice looking screen. I guess over time they will get even better.

 

[Clix Pix]

Yes, I spend a good chunk of my time setting up new Windows laptops lately. (I'm a computer consultant.) And the out of box Windows 10 setup and the subsequent Windows Update process is just plain horrible. Also, trying to install multiple apps while doing updates just never works. Gotta mostly go one at a time. Or you get some random 0x000888 error. And god forbid you try installing apps while copying data over USB from a backup drive. Dramatically slow. And we won't even comment about what antivirus software does to that process. But this little MacBook with a slower processor and no fans, does sooooo much better.

Of course, that's why I'm a Mac guy with my personal machines, tablets and phones.

The evening I brought home my first Mac (G5 rev B iMac) back in 2005 I anticipated that I'd be spending hours and hours setting the machine up and wrestling with first getting the thing on my wireless network, and then struggling with configuration issues and conflicts and so on.....I fully expected not to really be able to enjoy the machine for a day or two. Was I surprised when the machine joined my network seamlessly and effortlessly and I was up and running in no time -- so instead of spending hours doing the setup, I was able to spend hours just playing with her and learning to use my new Mac. Since then I have been a Mac user all the way..... This last time, setting up my new little 12" MacBook took no time at all -- a real joy!
[doublepost=1508859723][/doublepost]

I like my 2017 MacBook too but I chose the m3.

It can’t hurt to get the i7 if you have the extra cash since it is indeed faster than the m3 and i5, but it turns out that for real world sustained CPU load, there may not be a big difference between the i7 vs even the m3 in the MacBook because of thermal constraints.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-i7-behave-during-sustained-cpu-load.2073415/

Data on this is still limited though, so feel free to add your results.


No OLED in 2018. The chance of that happening in the 12” MacBook is roughly nil.

I am really enjoying the noticeable difference in speed between the 2016 m7 with 8 GB RAM and the 2017 i7 with 16 GB RAM! I don't usually put heavy loads on the cpu, don't push the machine into trying to do something for which it is really not designed, and so that is why I chose a 12" again this time rather than going with a MBP. In a couple of years or so once the current line of MBPs has stabilized a bit, I will probably replace my current 15" 2015 MBP with one of them, keeping the smaller MacBook for travel and such, which is what I do now.

 

[EugW]

I am really enjoying the noticeable difference in speed between the 2016 m7 with 8 GB RAM and the 2017 i7 with 16 GB RAM! I don't usually put heavy loads on the cpu, don't push the machine into trying to do something for which it is really not designed, and so that is why I chose a 12" again this time rather than going with a MBP. In a couple of years or so once the current line of MBPs has stabilized a bit, I will probably replace my current 15" 2015 MBP with one of them, keeping the smaller MacBook for travel and such, which is what I do now.

The noticeable speed difference between your 2016 and 2017 may have more to do with the doubled RAM in the 2017 than the CPU, but it should be noted that notebookcheck's 2016 m7 throttled quite a bit, so that it was slower than even the m5 from the same 2016 model year, and slower than my 2017 m3 as well.

I honestly didn’t know that, because it’s a 5K iMac I assumed it had the best screen out of all the Mac’s. In store the MacBook does have a nice screen and the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (from what I saw of a friends) also has a nice looking screen. I guess over time they will get even better.

Well, the iMac and MacBook Pro have wide colour gamut screens. The MacBook does not.

 

[Clix Pix]

I agree; the doubled RAM in the 2017 easily accounts for most of the noticeable speed difference! That's one reason I wanted it -- I have 16 GB in my other machines and had always felt that the 2016 rMB was less perky than it could be; when I got the new one, I was very pleased with the difference. I had seen the various charts and comparisons and had read that the the 2016 m7 throttled when pushed, but that never really concerned me because I don't use the rMB for extensive tasks which would put a load on the cpu over a sustained period of time. I think the improvement in the SSD and in the cpu in the 2017 also has made a difference as well. Aside from that, there's also the improved keyboard, too! 2017 12" MacBook is a winner all the way around!

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

I'm still yet to decide if i should go for a MacBook Pro or the 12" MacBook, my 2011 MacBook Pro has served me well but it's slowing down now. The MacBook has certainly got more powerful with the last update, the price point tho with 16GB Ram it's approaching MacBook Pro prices and there is an even bigger jump (if i'm not mistaken) to the 13" MacBook Pro.

I wonder if next year (2018) update will have an even bigger jump in specs and maybe even a redesign or enhancements to the screen technology. Everything seems to be going HDR and OLED i wonder if Mac's will end up going that way too.

I'm thinking this too. I guess 2019 will be the completely new, redesigned MacBook. Will we see ProMotion (I hope so), TrueTone and even OLED??? Could 2019 be the year of OLED in Macs?

 

[happyslayer]

For those deciding between the Pro and the 12" MacBook, I had the 2016 13" Pro TB before this for a bit over a year. And it was a very nice machine. And before that I had the 2015 12" MacBook. Ultimately, for me, the size and weight became the most annoying thing for me to deal with when using the Pro. An extra pound or two (including power adapter) may not seem like much but carrying it with me every day, all day, it did become a bit of a burden. When I suddenly had a buyer for the Pro, I jumped at the chance to move back to the 12" MacBook form factor again.

Also, my daily work load doesn't involve much heavy lifting app-wise so I didn't need the power offered by the higher wattage CPUs in the Pros. And while it was occasionally convenient to have more than one USB-C port, I didn't really need it. The only thing I ever plug in besides the power connector is my USB-C to ethernet adapter and that is only to do router setups which doesn't take long. Also, I have a few USB-C/A combo sticks to transfer files and such, but again, I don't need to have power plugged in at the same time. Finally, the Touch Bar was kind of neat, but ultimately I didn't use it as much as I thought I would. Mostly just to change from Bold to italics to regular text when typing. Otherwise, for me, not too necessary.

One thing I do miss though... the Touch ID power button. I have, more than once now, pressed the power button on this little MacBook trying to log back in after sleep. Oh well, logging in with the ancient practice of actually typing in one's password or using the Apple Watch will have to do for now.

Still, 48 hours after getting it, I really love this snappy little device. One of Apple's best products for sure.

Oh, and the gold color really is nice.

 

[zblomstrom]

In the past couple weeks I have really missed my gold MacBook that I sold a little over a year ago to get a 15" MacBook Pro. After reading all of the positive feedback on the 2017 MacBook, especially happyslayer's comments, I think I might make the switch back to the MacBook.

I've purchased and sold many Apple products over the years but ever since I bought that gold MacBook I've been completely hooked into the Apple ecosystem. That MacBook really was the best laptop I have ever owned. The 15" MacBook is huge and heavy compared to the 12" MacBook and is probably a little overkill for the tasks I do on a daily basis.

 

[xqtr]

You and me both!

I replaced my 2015 13" Pro with a 2017 i5/16/512 rMB and I could not be happier. I use SPSS and R for heavy statistical analyses, and the rMB handles it with zero issues. It also handles Photoshop CC like a champ. The fanless design is awesome, and I definitely appreciate how light it is. I have it docked to a USB-C monitor at home, very convenient.

 

[LotusLord]

Really strongly considering picking up a maxed out 2017, or 2018 when they release. I'm on an incredibly heavy 15 inch machine for work right now and everything I run is fairly low power. Only concern is ports since I use a dock when at work with 2 HD displays and want wired networking. I'd want to try it for a month or so though to test.

 

[zblomstrom]

I ordered a 2017/i7/16/256 rMB late Friday night to replace my 2017 15" MBP. The 2016 rMB I had was quite literally the perfect computer for what I do on a daily basis. Very excited to get back into a laptop that should fit my daily needs better than the overkill and heavy MBP. Hoping to get it by the end of the week!

 

[wantantofu]

just bought a 2017/1.2/8g/256 gold rmb today , so excited to add on my gold collection - iphone gold n ipad gold , been using super heavy chunky macbook white unibody for ages since in college , gonna change to lightweight one as i applied for master program this yer , cant wait to get it in 2-4 days( est delivery)
hopefully it'll be my lucky charm for upcoming years

 

[Retrostarscream]

In the past couple weeks I have really missed my gold MacBook that I sold a little over a year ago to get a 15" MacBook Pro. After reading all of the positive feedback on the 2017 MacBook, especially happyslayer's comments, I think I might make the switch back to the MacBook.

I've purchased and sold many Apple products over the years but ever since I bought that gold MacBook I've been completely hooked into the Apple ecosystem. That MacBook really was the best laptop I have ever owned. The 15" MacBook is huge and heavy compared to the 12" MacBook and is probably a little overkill for the tasks I do on a daily basis.

Weight aside, the quiet/fanless operation is what drew me into the rMB camp over a MBP. All the pro machines will be audible to a certain degree.