I love the new MBP - the thread for the rest of us.

[aevan]

Since there are numerous threads here where people are "done with the Mac", etc. I just wanted to add to the other group and say that I love what I saw. The new MacBook Pro looks amazing.

Can't wait to see the GPU reviews, but either way, the laptop seems to be glowing with quality and precision. I saw someone here mentioned how "he can get the same specs from Dell for $1600". Well, I buy Apple because I buy quality. I have faith in Apple that every part will be built with highest quality in mind, and from the early first impressions, the new MBP has an amazing fit and finish, it packs the best components - from the insane 3.1 Gbps drives and the new cooling system to the wide-gamut screen and improved butterfly mechanism on the keys. I simply trust Apple enough that I know when I open that box, every touch will feel like a million bucks.

I'm not saying everyone should feel this way, but for me, a $3000 laptop that is built with utmost care and attention to detail has better value than a $1500 laptop that squeeks, has a bad trackpad and leaves you unsatisfied while you work. I work on my computer for the better part of the day. Tiring work. At the end of that day, I don't care if it has this or that spec. It better ****ing FEEL good. I want it to say to me: "look, I know you have a loooong, exhausting distance to travel, but I will give you the best ride in the world."

I just don't think anything else on the market has this attention to detail. Except the Surface line, perhaps, but that one too is very, very pricey. It's like with the iPhone: while you may find certain competitors that beat it in spec X, there isn't a product as a whole that can compete.

So yes, you can get a Razer with a faster GPU. But it will have worse battery life. Yes, you can get a Dell with the same i7 for a $1000 less. But it won't have that Flash storage. Etc.

It depends what matters to you. There's nothing wrong with needing just raw specs. Or just looking for the best deal. Or needing a laptop to game on, no matter the cost to the battery life. I don't think people who need those kind of laptops are wrong. I don't think they somehow failed to comprehend some beautiful Apple vision, because they have no taste. No. I think they are lucky to know what they want, and I am glad they can get the laptop they want.

But if you need the best all around laptop in a luxurious package - the new MacBook Pro is on the top of the bunch. For me, it most likely is the best laptop ever made.

 

[caelius]

It's pretty amazing, imo. I still prefer the 12" MacBook for my needs (as it's quite a bit lighter and thinner), but damn, if I had an old MBP, that would be an instant buy...

 

[aevan]

It's pretty amazing, imo. I still prefer the 12" MacBook for my needs (as it's quite a bit lighter and thinner), but damn, if I had an old MBP, that would be an instant buy...

The 12" MacBook is a beauty. If I didn't use my Macs for some very demanding workflows, that's the Mac I'd enjoy most. It's simply stunning.

 

[motime]

No, this isn't even about mac vs pc anymore so we shouldn't be focusing on build quality and battery life. The whole point is why on earth should you be getting the new macs over the previous gen? When the previous gen has the same battery life, better keyboard and relatively similar performance for a much much lower price.

 

[aevan]

No, this isn't even about mac vs pc anymore so we shouldn't be focusing on build quality and battery life. The whole point is why on earth should you be getting the new macs over the previous gen? When the previous gen has the same battery life, better keyboard and relatively similar performance for a much much lower price.

Everyone has their own reasons, and no one said you should be getting one if you're happy with the old one. Seriously. But that goes for every computer out there. If you just boutht a nice MBP last year, you probably don't need a new one. If you've been waiting for years - it's a different story.

To be honest, the only reason I'm getting one is because I really like it and really want to. It will make my work more pleasant. That's good enough for me. For you? Only you know that, and I wish you well.

 

[redheeler]

If a 13" with a Touch Bar + 16 GB RAM didn't cost $2K, not including the price of adapters just to get back the same ports on my late 2013 13" MBP, I might've been tempted to upgrade. But with the current prices, I'm going to pass while my current one is adequate for my needs. Maybe next year.

 

[jerryk]

No, this isn't even about mac vs pc anymore so we shouldn't be focusing on build quality and battery life. The whole point is why on earth should you be getting the new macs over the previous gen? When the previous gen has the same battery life, better keyboard and relatively similar performance for a much much lower price.

Agreed. Maybe when people start getting them there will turn out to be some killer feature that makes it worth the price. But so far I don't see it.

I just got a new 15" rMBP with dGPU for $2200 in June and was kind of kicking myself for not waiting. But these prices are $600 more for a 1/2 lighter and faster SSD. I do not see the value.

 

[ISRMafia]

I love the new Macbooks so much as well.But i cant afford them so neither Apple or i can enjoy the benefits of making that lineup available....
and i live in Israel it will cost me around 6,700$ cause we dont have an official Apple Shop but an official reseller

 

[aevan]

If a 13" with a Touch Bar + 16 GB RAM didn't cost $2K, not including the price of adapters just to get back the same ports on my late 2013 13" MBP, I might've been tempted to upgrade. But with the current prices, I'm going to pass while my current one is adequate for my needs. Maybe next year.

No! You're wrong! You're not thinking this through!

But seriously, that sounds like a reasonable decision. Nothing wrong with that. I just wanted to say to those that DO want to get it that, even in this dark place of Apple haters that is Macrumors forums, you're not alone.

 

[motime]

Everyone has their own reasons, and no one said you should be getting one if you're happy with the old one. Seriously. But that goes for every computer out there. If you just boutht a nice MBP last year, you probably don't need a new one. If you've been waiting for years - it's a different story.

To be honest, the only reason I'm getting one is because I really like it and really want to. It will make my work more pleasant. That's good enough for me. For you? Only you know that, and I wish you well.

Yes we all have our own reasons, but these reasons can be evaluated by some common sense measures.

I am also talking about people who have not bought a macbook in years. The question is, even for these people, why on earth would you dish out so much extra cash when you can just upgrade to the 2015 or 14 model?? There is no major compelling reason to upgrade to the new one, unless you are desperately dependent on powering multiple 5k displays or something. So yeah, people will still be purchasing these new machines, but it is totally reasonable to suggest that it is an absurd and emotional decision, unless you have a lot of money to throw around.

 

[cap7ainclu7ch]

Yeah man honestly these new models are some of the worst they have ever released. I hope people vote with their wallets and wait it out. This is a blatant cash grab for what I consider a worthless gimmick (touch bar). The advantages to the previous model are huge compared to these new ones.

Give me a real pro laptop with the same size as the old, better battery life, 4K, useful ports, 32gb ram, and some halfway decent graphics. How am I ever supposed to drop over 3000 on a laptop so clearly compromised. This is more air than pro.

Oh and that new keyboard? No thanks.

 

[myscrnnm]

I just got a new 15" rMBP with dGPU for $2200 in June and was kind of kicking myself for not waiting. But these prices are $600 more for a 1/2 lighter and faster SSD. I do not see the value.

The common denominator I'm seeing among derisive posts about the new MacBook Pros is that people only select the new features that they think they will benefit from. In this case, you're highlighting the faster SSD and lighter body. But that ignores the brighter display with wider colour gamut, slimmer form factor, OLED Touch Bar, Touch ID, improved speaker design, 2x larger trackpad, greater key stability due to butterfly mechanism, ThunderBolt 3, et cetera.

Yes, you don't see the value and you didn't highlight these features because they don't matter to you; and that's perfectly fine, no one can fault you for preferring the 2015 MacBook Pro. But that doesn't mean the new models don't have good value. There are people for whom these features matter, and a $600 premium is worth it.

 

[ISRMafia]

Agreed. Maybe when people start getting them there will turn out to be some killer feature that makes it worth the price. But so far I don't see it.

I just got a new 15" rMBP with dGPU for $2200 in June and was kind of kicking myself for not waiting. But these prices are $600 more for a 1/2 lighter and faster SSD. I do not see the value.

The sexy Touch bar and touch ID,Next gen speakers and Display Quiet next gen fans for another 600$ is pretty nice deal sorry for saying thhat now that you bought the older Mac xD

 

[aevan]

Yes we all have our own reasons, but these reasons can be evaluated by some common sense measures.

And who gets do decide what is common sense? Because, for me, it's totally illogical to buy any kind of jewlery. Any. Also most cars, expensive shoes, expensive watches, etc. I also find it silly to own more than 5Gb of Music. And I find it ridiculous to spend money to go to any sports event, and getting the most expensive seats is just plain crazy to me.

I'm not kidding. I honestly feel this way about every thing I just said. Really. And I can explain why it feels like common sense to me.

Fortunately, I'm aware that what feels like common sense to me is just wrong for someone else, so I do not presume that rationale is somehow on my side.

 

[Bryan Bowler]

aevan,

I totally agree with you. I absolutely love the new design and I think the new features are nothing short of incredible. My only serious show-stopper is the inability to have more than 16 GB of RAM, ever. I just opened up Capture One Pro (photography) and Final Cut Pro (video) and worked on a full-frame 4K 60 FPS file and I instantly used 14.85 GB of RAM. And on the Capture One Pro side, I wasn't even working on my ultra-high resolution photos which come in at 65 mb's a pop. I just can't justify spending $3,700 (after taxes and AppleCare) on a laptop that cannot meet the RAM needs of a pro-level user.

I'm sorry man. I know there's enough ranting going on elsewhere and you created this thread to shed some positive light. There's a lot of super awesome things about the new MacBook Pro, but I guess this creative pro just needs to head off and sulk on his own and wait another year or two for Apple to release a MacBook Pro that can handle his workflow.

Bryan

 

[aevan]

aevan,


I'm sorry man. I know there's enough ranting going on elsewhere and you created this thread to shed some positive light. There's a lot of super awesome things about the new MacBook Pro, but I guess this creative pro just needs to head off and sulk on his own and wait another year or two for Apple to release a MacBook Pro that can handle his workflow.

Bryan

Bryan, there is nothing I can add or subtract from what you said. If you feel like you need more RAM than this new MBP has, this new MBP is just not good enough for you. End of story. Thanks for the nice reply.

 

[Ryan1524]

Based on Engadget's hands-on, it looks insanely thin. Visibly thinner, even through a tiny phone screen, and definitely makes the previous gen bulkier.

The fact that they maintained battery life and bumped the power this much is quite impressive.

If you're concerned about RAM, as soon as the RAM chip packages double in capacity, such an option will be available from Apple. Most likely next year.

 

[Krafty]

No thread is safe.

 

[cambookpro]

I think the Touch Bar looks pretty awesome. People can brush it off as a gimmick if they want or complain that they don't have a set of standard function keys, but I for one am looking forward to mapping my own system keys, changing font colour on the fly, scrolling through photos, and even having a small visual preview of my Photoshop undo history. I think it's the first step to a fully dynamic keyboard, and it looks great.

Coming from a 15" cMBP to a 13" 2016 MBP, I also can't wait for a thinner, lighter and retina laptop which lasts for more than two hours on a charge, and also gaining all the features from the past 5 years like Continuity, Handoff, all the benefits BT4 brings, ac WiFi, Power Nap (if that's still a thing from Mountain Lion?!), etc!

The ports don't bother me as USB-C should become the standard over the next few years, and plus with a TB3 to TB2 adapter I can connect my Thunderbolt Display with all the legacy ports on, and will probably pick up an Anker hub for the interim too.

I hope everyone else does hate the new MBP - maybe mine will arrive quicker if nobody else orders one

 

[motime]

They are facts, at this point it would help if consumers were more critical so hopefully Apple wouldn't charge us a fortune for the next mbp, but instead we have people still totally captivated by a new product which is insanely over priced even by Apple's standards.

 

[jerryk]

The common denominator I'm seeing among derisive posts about the new MacBook Pros is that people only select the new features that they think they will benefit from. In this case, you're highlighting the faster SSD and lighter body. But that ignores the brighter display with wider colour gamut, slimmer form factor, OLED Touch Bar, Touch ID, improved speaker design, 2x larger trackpad, greater key stability due to butterfly mechanism, ThunderBolt 3, et cetera.

Yes, you don't see the value and you didn't highlight these features because they don't matter to you; and that's perfectly fine, no one can fault you for preferring the 2015 MacBook Pro. But that doesn't mean the new models don't have good value. There are people for whom these features matter, and a $600 premium is worth it.

Some of these are good, some are bad. The new keyboard is in IMHO a step in the wrong direction. The rMBP had a nice keyboard, the one on the rMB is not. Hopefully the new keyboard is not as flat. The faster SSD is useless. My 2015 rMBP SSD does 1.5GB/sec. The difference in real life from the 2014 rMBP that does 0.5 GB.sec is negligible. And I do video scrubbing where it should matter.

The killer feature to me is the USB-C connectivity. This is something every computer should have and the iPhone 7/7+ should have had.

The other features are nice, but remains to be seen if they are ground breaking.

 

[bounou]

I ordered the 2.9 with 512GB and the 460. It looks amazing but the price is very wow. 4100$ after tax.

The problem is I really can't think of another good option other then the MBP, I am/was planning on getting a razer core eGPU with a GTX 1080 with this thing.

I considered the surface book (no TB 3) and the razer blade pro but those only run windows are actually more expensive if you can believe it although the razer would not require me to get a eGPU so about the same money.

If I am not blown away I don't know what I'll do really, return the MBP and get what?

Nothing else feels like Apple products quality wise and I am really not a big fan of windows.

 

[driftless]

I think that they are nice looking machines. I use FCPX and the 15" rMBP looks very appealing.

I think that new product introductions on this forum are sad. Lots of hate initially which resolves into people making making bold, negative claims without actually owning the iMac/MBP/iPad Pro, etc. It seems that it is only after that enough units are out in the wild that the negative posts and threads quiet down. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing them in my Apple store.

 

[Floris]

I really like it too. And it's in wonderful space grey, my gripe is the price going up with 700 euro for me. Pushing it away as an option to buy. It looks fantastic. My negativity is only the price. Plus, as a person with really bad eyes, I can't say I am excited about tiny hard to distinguish things on a touch pad in the back, rather than physical keys.

 

[craig1410]

Wow, you people just sound like a bunch of Apple fan boys, no offence. I definitely get the sentiment, you will definitely love the new MBPs, not because they are all that incredible but because well its the new shiny thing Apple released for an insane rip off price.

It's always a bit sad when someone has to resort to name-calling rather than present a reasoned argument as many have done, both for and against the new machines.