Key Takeaways of 2018 MacBook Pro vs. 2017 MacBook Pro

[Music Ambulance]

Between a mid 2012 Maxed-out-book Pro, and the prospect of my next laptop, it seems it used to ‘just work’, whereas now the onus is on me to make it work. I need to place the machine out of the way on with the power cable gaffa taped down on a photo shoot, I need a hub, I can’t use function keys any more, Blah blah blah blah

 

[sog1927]

It is indeed.

View attachment 770348

https://www.statista.com/statistics/263444/sales-of-apple-mac-computers-since-first-quarter-2006/

This graph looks like "flat sales since 2012" to me. Not horrible, but not my own personal definition of "selling very well".

 

[MrUNIMOG]

If someone is in the market for a “pro” laptop that runs macOS, what option do their have? If someone does not like the keyboard Gen 1,2 or 3, what option do they have? Carry around a Bluetooth keyboard.

TrueTone is fine, SuperRetina and ProMotion would have been great. T2 chip only reaffirms that Apples in-house SOC will eventually power its own entry level laptop in the near future. Faster Flash, I have yet to see a significant difference on a daily basis compared to my 2014 MBP. The increase in RAM and DDR4 was way overdue by a year if not longer. Battery efficiency is not quite where the industry should be, nothing major to see here. Quad-core on 13” model and Six-cores on 15” models, if a program you use does not take advantage of it, you are not going to notice a significant difference. More VRAM, yeah no biggy.

A Standard USB port, SDXC slot, HDMI ports would have been great considering there is ample of room for its placement.

Not a complainer when someone is considering spending “THEIR hard earned money” to purchase a perceived “Pro” Apple laptop. Your comments resemble those that come across as, “We should be so lucky for company/government XYZ to offer/provide us with anything.”

Oliver Twist: “Please Sir, may I have some more.” - Charles Dickens.

The other way round, if Apple reverted to the old keyboard design, what you apparently want; If someone doesn't like that one anymore, because he's experienced how precise and easy the new design is, what option would they have? None, not even the Bluetooth keyboard!

My main point though was that I don't see what people would've expected. Two years after a huge redesign isn't the time to expect yet another redesign, never has been. Late 2013, 2014, 2015 15" MBP all had basically the same processors, did you complain back then? Did you complain about the 2017 refresh, which was tiny compared to this year's? Did you complain in early 2013 about the least significant refresh you could think of?

 

[luvbug]

I am really trying to understand what people have against the Touch Bar so maybe you can help. By default, the Touch Bar essentially emulates the additional controls that Function Keys provided (volume, brightness, etc) except that the Touch Bar is context sensitive and thus can do a lot more. If, in the default set-up, you want to use the Touch Bar as Function Keys just hold the Function button (fn bottom left of the keyboard). If, however, you always want to access to the Function Keys you can change the default setting in System Preferences > Keyboard (check out this Apple Document). Then to access the Touch Bar instead of the now default Function Keys you use the Function button (fn).

This is EXACTLY how a Mac without a Touch Bar behaves. By default the Function Keys act as volume, brightness, etc, unless you hold down the Function key (fn) or you change the default behaviour in System Preferences. Except that the Touch Bar is capable of so much more than the Function Key Macs given it is context sensitive in different Apps. As well, you can set up your Mac to use Touch Bar in some apps but Function Keys in others which I don't believe you can do on a standard keyboard.

So why do I care? Because I am a keyboard junkie in the apps that I use everyday (mostly NLEs like Media Composer, FCP X, Premiere Pro, etc) and for those apps I like having the Function Keys up. But for apps I do not use often and therefore don't know the keyboard shortcuts as well I use the Touch Bar because, well, then it is helpful having context sensitive functions right there in front of me that I don't have to search a menu for.

Conclusion: the Touch Bar / Function Key switching is exactly the same as the standard function key keyboard but offers far more versatility. So what is there to hate?

At the end of the day, I'd bet it has more to do with the Touch Bar being associated with the jump in baseline Apple laptop prices than anything else.

 

[notabadname]

I agree with you on exactly one thing, namely your last sentence. Lightning is way superior to USB Type C, for mobile devices that is. For Macs, the capabilities of the USB Type C connector make it the only suitable choice.

What I'm saying is, you don't really need MagSafe the way Apple designed the charging cable. It slips out easily while other cables and adapters sit tightly.

Advantages of MagSafe are charging light and simply being MagSafe, while advantage of USB Type C is everything that I mentioned, mostly it's versatility. I don't want MagSafe on my MBP which I can charge (and have done so) everywhere from any USB power supply I find or even my portable battery to extend mobile usage.

Well said! Agree fully. Yeah, I liked Mag Safe. But give me the flexibility of the USB-C or a MagSafe? Not a contest, the USB does the charge, and SO much more. The MagSafe is a 1-Trick Pony - which makes it a poor use of peripheral real estate. It’s deletion wasn’t a “mistake”, it was a well thought out choice. We will live without the little green light.

 

[JimmyHook]

Excellent refresh!!! It’s odd to see people whine about lack of older outdated ports. So many people wishing they could plug in their floppy drive to a serial port...

 

[sog1927]

In reality, you really need only one dongle (with a custom selection of ports geared towards your specific use case).

Then at your desk, use one usb c port for a monitor dock and another for the external GPU. Seems this is really what Apple’s vision of modularity entails. You have a thin and light laptop for productivity on the move outside, yet still be able to turn it into a desktop replacement at home with the right accessories.

I take it you don't have to do presentations at client sites or connect to customer servers on site over ethernet. Not everyone has the same usage model.

 

[Duane Martin]

I can’t use function keys any more, Blah blah blah blah

OH MY GOD, why can't you use function keys??? The function keys work EXACTLY the same way they always have, you either use the default setting where to access Function Keys you hold down the fn button or you change the default setting in System Preferences to make the Touch Bar always show Function Keys. This is how Macs have worked for at least a decade. Why do people have so much trouble with this concept?

Ah, because the majority of people bitching about this wouldn't know a function key if it bit them in their butt. That's why.

 

[longtimelurker]

iPad at $329

Also, they aren’t a charity or something, they are a for profit company, and their profit source isn’t selling user data piece by piece to advertisers.

hahaha. funny.
And we already knew Apple wasn't a charity since 401k organizations don't allow $90 billion to be kept in retained earnings. Maybe Apple could plow some of those earnings -- that BTW customers have contributed to their bottom line -- and invest into MacBookPro's that we would be excited to purchase. Meanwhile I will continue to wait...

 

[kurtster]

So, the 13-inch model still only supports one LG UltraFine 5K display?

 

[OC40]

hahaha. funny.
And we already knew Apple wasn't a charity since 401k organizations don't allow $90 billion to be kept in retained earnings. Maybe Apple could plow some of those earnings -- that BTW customers have contributed to their bottom line -- and invest into MacBookPro's that we would be excited to purchase. Meanwhile I will continue to wait...

*501(c)3 organizations

 

[AAPL_DayTrader]

When is Apple going to release something people can actually afford?

I don't know about Apple but I'm working on a 99-cent app I'd like to call iToiletPaper. I'd sell it to you for only a nickel. Basically, it uses augmented reality to allow you to use your Apple iPhone to creatively visualize that you actually have something in front of you that you really don't have at all, namely toilet paper. It might even offer alternative suggestions that could prove to be helpful in certain circumstances, just in case any old magazines should happen to be nearby. But the best part of all is Siri integration where at the touch of the "Help" button, Siri will promptly ask "Would you like me to check on any local toilet paper suppliers who might be able to speed-deliver either a free-sample or a budget-priced economy roll to the GPS co-ordinates of the modern plumbing device you're currently sitting on?"

 

[Zq7r]

Nope. They didn't. But that only vindicates my recent ThinkPad purchase, so I guess it's OK for me. Still sucks for those that were hoping they'd actually fix the keyboard and remove the touchbar (or at least make it optional).

The keyboard is fine, and IF it breaks within 4 years of purchase they will fix it for free.

 

[Jacoblee23]

Is there any reason for 2017 13" MBP owners to upgrade? My 2017 model is already lightning fast and no issues with the keyboard here.

 

[Abazigal]

I take it you don't have to do presentations at client sites or connect to customer servers on site over ethernet. Not everyone has the same usage model.

I consider it my responsibility to make sure I have the right tools for my job. Even if it means walking around the school with a lightning to vga adaptor in my front shirt pocket at all times.

Who cares about what other people need? You know your job scope, you know which ports you need (and don’t need), it’s simply a matter of finding the right mix of ports in an adaptor to suit your specific needs.

I am sure there is an adaptor out there with vga, hdmi, Ethernet, usb c for charging, a USB port or 2, maybe even sd card support and you are good to go.

As it is, you are likely already carrying adaptors around for vga and Ethernet always. Might as well just consolidate them all while you are at it.

 

[jgbr]

Perspective:

Intel's first 10nm 'Cannon Lake' processor with 32GB LPDDR4 RAM support ships
Thursday, May 17, 2018, 06:53 am PT (09:53 am ET)


Apple Still lagging behind. PC industry moves to new chips fast, you’ll see new intel architectures in a matter of months.

 

[Wags]

The keyboard is fine, and IF it breaks within 4 years of purchase they will fix it for free.

Don’t think they have added hardware to the replacement program that is not in anyone’s hands yet

 

[sog1927]

I am really trying to understand what people have against the Touch Bar so maybe you can help.

<snip>

Conclusion: the Touch Bar / Function Key switching is exactly the same as the standard function key keyboard but offers far more versatility. So what is there to hate?

I don't hate the Touch Bar. I just need a physical ESC key. If they want to put in a Touch Bar that doesn't eliminate the physical ESC key, I'm fine with that. I probably won't use it much but I have no inherent objections to it.

 

[developer13245]

I only have one question:
Where is Harvey Den... Uh no: just two questions:

Is the RAM soldered on?
Can the SSD be upgraded?

 

[pier]

Can I just say that USB-C only ports are STILL a huge pain in the arse even in 2018. That was and still is a terrible idea. Still waiting for the rest of the world to catch up Apple? Oh wait, no one wants to. They are all smarter, and gradually added it ALONG with the ports people actually use today.

AFAIK even Apple's mice, keyboards, and trackpads still come with USB-A cables.

Logitech, probably one of the biggest manufacturers of computer accessories has zero USB-C products.
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So what is there to hate?

The simple fact that you have to look at it since there are no physical keys.

 

[vipergts2207]

The keyboard is fine, and IF it breaks within 4 years of purchase they will fix it for free.

Good to know that my 2016 MBP may potentially be useless in two years. My 2011 MBP was moved to home server duty when I got my new MBP. Guess I shouldn’t expect that same move for my $3400 2016 MBP when I upgrade?

 

[sog1927]

It's kinda chaotic here. One wrong button and a whole chain of replies go off the rails.

I blame the Touch Bar ;-)

 

[JimmyHook]

I refuse to buy anything other than USB-C accessories. I don’t want older USB-A garbage

 

[Derived]

My key take-away is that I have to sell my already over-mortgaged soul to get one and they will drop support in 6 years or less.

What? No...no. Apple does a better job of supporting older hardware than any other manufacturer...

 

[JimmyHook]

hahaha. funny.
And we already knew Apple wasn't a charity since 401k organizations don't allow $90 billion to be kept in retained earnings. Maybe Apple could plow some of those earnings -- that BTW customers have contributed to their bottom line -- and invest into MacBookPro's that we would be excited to purchase. Meanwhile I will continue to wait...

We are excited to purchase these. You are in the severe minority here