I'm not anyone important, just thought I'd share my thoughts. At first, I was really disappointed in the update. Not because it wasn't "pro" enough or because Apple didn't improve it enough, but because of the price. I've been considering a new laptop since my late 2011 MacBook Pro is just so slow sometimes, and I could really use some more power. Seeing Apple increase the price for hundreds of dollars, just for a touch bar and what seemed like an incremental update was very disappointing.
So I started checking out a few Windows laptops at my local store. I enjoyed the Surface Book quite a bit and was impressed by the features. Enjoyed the touch screen, surface pen, and quality of the product. Checked out Dell XPS line. The screen and form factor were impressive. Tried out some other Windows 2-in-1s and laptops that I don't remember the names of also for a bit. There was also one of the new 13-in MacBook Pros without the touch bar there. I came back to the store multiple times, spending quite a bit of time seeing how I really felt about all the products.
Every time, I kept coming back to the new MacBook Pro. I honestly still don't like Windows (I know this is personal preference). I thought maybe I would like it better since I switched to Macs in 2010, but I don't. I just don't enjoy the feel of it. There were some problems and bugs on some of the computers I was testing out, and it just didn't feel as great of an experience to me as macOS does.
But it wasn't just Windows. None of the computers I looked at felt as premium and high quality to me as a MacBook. The Dell XPS is raved about for its build quality, but it still felt somewhat cheap to me. The Surface Book and Surface Pro came closest to Apple's build quality in my opinion, but it still just didn't feel as high quality to me.
The new MacBook Pro's screen was brighter and had more vibrant colors than any other screen that I saw. I love the new keyboard. The huge trackpad is a big upgrade. Not only does the MBP look better than any of the other computers, it just feels better. Also, I know you guys love to hate on Apple for choosing thin and light over insane performance, but wow, that computer is thin and light! It's impressive. For the performance it's going to be packing in that small of a form factor, it's crazy. The fact that I could get a new 15" MBP that is half a pound lighter, and that much thinner and smaller than my current 13" MBP, it's pretty mind-blowing. I honestly would appreciate the "thin and lightness" very much, as I'm constantly on-the-go with my current MBP. Not to mention, the MacBook Pro is supposed to have the best battery life out of the Surface Pro, Surface Book, and Dell XPS which would also be greatly appreciated.
In conclusion, although the new MacBook Pro seems way overpriced and disappointing at first, no other computers seem to be able to compare to the experience the MBP offers. Whether it's the build quality, screen, battery life, trackpad, form factor, or whatever, the MBP seems to offer a better experience in every category. And I haven't even had the chance to try out the new touch bar yet.
If you don't mind Windows, don't care as much about how the product feels, just need a computer to get the job done, need a touch screen, or want to save money, then by all means, go for a Windows computer. But if you're willing to spend the extra money and deal with dongles, the new MacBook Pro offers a far better experience than any other portable computer in my opinion.
So I started checking out a few Windows laptops at my local store. I enjoyed the Surface Book quite a bit and was impressed by the features. Enjoyed the touch screen, surface pen, and quality of the product. Checked out Dell XPS line. The screen and form factor were impressive. Tried out some other Windows 2-in-1s and laptops that I don't remember the names of also for a bit. There was also one of the new 13-in MacBook Pros without the touch bar there. I came back to the store multiple times, spending quite a bit of time seeing how I really felt about all the products.
Every time, I kept coming back to the new MacBook Pro. I honestly still don't like Windows (I know this is personal preference). I thought maybe I would like it better since I switched to Macs in 2010, but I don't. I just don't enjoy the feel of it. There were some problems and bugs on some of the computers I was testing out, and it just didn't feel as great of an experience to me as macOS does.
But it wasn't just Windows. None of the computers I looked at felt as premium and high quality to me as a MacBook. The Dell XPS is raved about for its build quality, but it still felt somewhat cheap to me. The Surface Book and Surface Pro came closest to Apple's build quality in my opinion, but it still just didn't feel as high quality to me.
The new MacBook Pro's screen was brighter and had more vibrant colors than any other screen that I saw. I love the new keyboard. The huge trackpad is a big upgrade. Not only does the MBP look better than any of the other computers, it just feels better. Also, I know you guys love to hate on Apple for choosing thin and light over insane performance, but wow, that computer is thin and light! It's impressive. For the performance it's going to be packing in that small of a form factor, it's crazy. The fact that I could get a new 15" MBP that is half a pound lighter, and that much thinner and smaller than my current 13" MBP, it's pretty mind-blowing. I honestly would appreciate the "thin and lightness" very much, as I'm constantly on-the-go with my current MBP. Not to mention, the MacBook Pro is supposed to have the best battery life out of the Surface Pro, Surface Book, and Dell XPS which would also be greatly appreciated.
In conclusion, although the new MacBook Pro seems way overpriced and disappointing at first, no other computers seem to be able to compare to the experience the MBP offers. Whether it's the build quality, screen, battery life, trackpad, form factor, or whatever, the MBP seems to offer a better experience in every category. And I haven't even had the chance to try out the new touch bar yet.
If you don't mind Windows, don't care as much about how the product feels, just need a computer to get the job done, need a touch screen, or want to save money, then by all means, go for a Windows computer. But if you're willing to spend the extra money and deal with dongles, the new MacBook Pro offers a far better experience than any other portable computer in my opinion.
