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MacBook Review Roundup: Major Design Appeal, but Too Many Key Compromises

thekeyring said:
I now have more faith in the Apple Watch. The reviewers were negative about that, and they've been negative about this, too, which I actually think is a really great product.
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Once again (just like with the Watch reviewers), these will be the ones Apple CHOSE to get pre-release models so they can have early reviews. Conceptually, these reviewers want to stay on Apple's good side so they are not dropped from such a list in the future.

AND, once again, I'm personally surprised that they have actually offered the negatives offered. I would expect hand-picked reviewers to be biased to the positive with only an innocuous negative or two (to appear "fair & balanced") that wouldn't really be an obstacle for purchases.

Conceptually, there's no agenda here (nor there with the Watch reviewers) against Apple. These were chosen. The more objective reviews will come AFTER the launch when reviewers not on Apple's pre-release list and even consumer reviewers can buy one and write whatever they really think.
 
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It reminds me of the 2009 iPod Shuffle with no buttons…

ipod_shuffle.jpg
 
maflynn said:
Not surprising given the specs, this is not a 1,500 dollar laptop even if it is priced that way.
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And we knew about this right from the start, it was never going to be a speed demon by any stretch; to close the loop, those who fell in love with it will still get one, those who hated its presumed shortcomings will keep hatin'.
 
skiffx said:
Same people who were writing and bitching about MBP losing CDROM are now bitching that this thing isn't convenient when editing movies? Really? What's next, you can't play latest call of duty?
Obviously "picking the right tool for the job" isn't something these braniacs are familiar with.
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So you'd pay $400 more for something that is less capable than an air? Just because you're not going to edit video doesnt mean its a foolish choice to pay more for less.
 
John marts said:
No thanks. It amazes me that for $400 less you can get a MBA that is nearly as thin, nearly as light, has a better keyboard, better battery life, actually has ports that are more than handy, and is substantially more powerful and faster. (I like being able to edit video and photos with little problems)

The only thing it has going for it is its looks and screen.
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I am well documented as not being impressed by this product at all, but to fairly compare, you have to give the airs the same RAM and storage. At which point the 11" is $100 less than the rMB and the 13" is the same price. $400 less is only if you are talking about systems that don't have nearly the same specs.
 
"The stereo speakers in the MacBook are located underneath a grille above the keyboard, and they actually sound better than the ones you get in an Air"
 
Waiting for the Anand review.

That being said, if they made the 13 Air with a retina screen with the dimensions of a 11 Air, (a bit like the XPS 2015) NOW THAT would be the perfect machine.

Who knows, maybe the RMBP 13 gets a redesign next year to be as light as the XPS 13.
 
jabingla2810 said:
Same as Macbook Air in 2008.

This is the future, today.
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I think it's an apt comparison, but like the first gen air ($1800 for very limited ports and a very slow hard drive with ssd a $1200 option), price needs to go down and functionality up in future iterations to make this a mainstream success.
 
QCassidy352 said:
I am well documented as not being impressed by this product at all, but to fairly compare, you have to give the airs the same RAM and storage. At which point the 11" is $100 less than the rMB and the 13" is the same price. $400 less is only if you are talking about systems that don't have nearly the same specs.
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well ok, didnt know that.

So the new macbook which isn't powerful at all and is only made for web browsing and such, gets 8 gigs of ram and 256 gb drive, Yet the air, which is capable of music making, video editing, and photo editing, only has 4 gigs with a 128gb drive.

That makes sense apple.
 
SSD-GUY said:
Waiting for the Anand review.

That being said, if they made the 13 Air with a retina screen with the dimensions of a 11 Air, (a bit like the XPS 2015) NOW THAT would be the perfect machine.

Who knows, maybe the RMBP 13 gets a redesign next year to be as light as the XPS 13.
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this..

It 's what I don't get. I don't think I've seen people begging for a laptop that was .35kg lighter and 1/4 cm smaller, with less performance.

we just wanted a better screen on the existing MBA's. the 11" MBA is a fantastic super portable powerful machine.

Plop a Retina display on it and it would be genuinely one fo the best ultraportables on the market.
 
I think this will completely replace the Air and the price will go down to $999.

MacBook and MacBook Pro.

I want the gold one, but I think I'll wait a bit.
 
All this is preparation for the release of a future MBP using the A9 chipset. Apple will then be able to say "look the new A9 MBP is faster than its predecessor."
 
I see a trend happening with Apple products in the Tim Cook reign...they look nice and all but they lack something significant enough where many people are going to pass on them.

These products statistically will make Apple money even after lower than expected demand and the extra R&D is accounted for to make them as thin as they've become but ultimate I don't feel they live up to the spirit of what Apple says Apple is (and no I don't mean Steve Jobs though he is who gave Apple its spirit)
 
I live in a world where I connect nothing to my computers (iMac and Mac Air), tablets (two iPad Air 2), or phones (5c and 6) other than a power cord. I don't even power my phones/tablets off the computer (well only on occasion when traveling. Really, if you adopt a totally wireless lifestyle with technology a single port for charging is all you need.

Very soon, the need for a headset or even power port will be totally unnecessary.
 
thekeyring said:
I now have more faith in the Apple Watch. The reviewers were negative about that, and they've been negative about this, too, which I actually think is a really great product.

It doesn't matter that it doesn't have ports any more than the iPad suffers for a lack of ports. Some use cases don't require them. If this laptop isn't for you, you can pretend it doesn't exist and get a MacBook Air or Pro.

Obviously though you get idiots saying "How will I plug in my 15 USB accessories while also charging and using an ethernet cable?" but I genuinely believe this laptop is no more radical than the MacBook Air's lack of optical drive.
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I think the number of compromises on the MacBook, combined with its price, go beyond the removal of the optical drive on the original MacBook Air. When you add that to what I suspect many (clearly not everyone) might have been hoping for in a new MacBook Air, I think you get a lot of disappointment.

I am going to quote oneMadRssn, as he succinctly posted almost exactly what I am feeling:

"I suspect the reason there has been so much animosity towards this Macbook (a bit from me as well) is because they were hoping for a different product. Most people were hoping for a redesigned Macbook Air with a Retina display, but same class of CPU, same ports, same battery life.

Instead, Apple releases a dilemma - it's asking people to sacrifice ports and much more cash for a retina display, lower weight, and thinness. Plus, adding insult to injury, Apple has removed an very popular and well regarded feature - magsafe. To say nothing of the lower battery life rating. I don't blame people for being pissed at this dilemma.

Before the choice between MBA and MBP was relatively simple. Now for people with aging MBAs, the choice between rMB and MBA is not only tough, but it's forces a sacrifice: retina or ports - one of those has to go if you want a slim and light mac, can't have both."
 
thekeyring said:
I now have more faith in the Apple Watch. The reviewers were negative about that, and they've been negative about this, too, which I actually think is a really great product.

It doesn't matter that it doesn't have ports any more than the iPad suffers for a lack of ports. Some use cases don't require them. If this laptop isn't for you, you can pretend it doesn't exist and get a MacBook Air or Pro.

Obviously though you get idiots saying "How will I plug in my 15 USB accessories while also charging and using an ethernet cable?" but I genuinely believe this laptop is no more radical than the MacBook Air's lack of optical drive.
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So you think a product is perfect so long as it performs the one trick YOU need it to? People don't need 15 USB accessories, but being plugged into power, an ethernet connection, and having a couple USB devices plugged in at the same time doesn't sound like something only "idiots" would do.
 
thatsfinebut said:
I think the number of compromises on the MacBook, combined with its price, go beyond the removal of the optical drive on the original MacBook Air. When you add that to what I suspect many (clearly not everyone) might have been hoping for in a new MacBook Air, I think you get a lot of disappointment.

I am going to quote oneMadRssn, as he succinctly posted almost exactly what I am feeling:

"I suspect the reason there has been so much animosity towards this Macbook (a bit from me as well) is because they were hoping for a different product. Most people were hoping for a redesigned Macbook Air with a Retina display, but same class of CPU, same ports, same battery life.

Instead, Apple releases a dilemma - it's asking people to sacrifice ports and much more cash for a retina display, lower weight, and thinness. Plus, adding insult to injury, Apple has removed an very popular and well regarded feature - magsafe. To say nothing of the lower battery life rating. I don't blame people for being pissed at this dilemma.

Before the choice between MBA and MBP was relatively simple. Now for people with aging MBAs, the choice between rMB and MBA is not only tough, but it's forces a sacrifice: retina or ports - one of those has to go if you want a slim and light mac, can't have both."
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It's like the decision to get a new Mac Mini or it's predecessor. At least with the new rMB customers would be buying a new current product from Apple not yesterdays leftovers.
 
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