New Features Not Useful With Docked MBP

[jordii]

I mostly use my laptop plugged into home monitor, keyboard, and mouse. And MBP seems less and less geared toward someone in my situation - i.e. no access to touch ID, Apple Pay, TouchBar, plus wasted expense of retina screen. I unfortunately can't downgrade to a cheaper laptop, as I definitely need full 15" when I do leave home.

Only compromise I could imagine would be to have MBP perpetually opened and used as a second screen (leaving easier access to the new goodies, plus put that screen to some use). But that's weak.

How are other people in my boat deciding what to buy?

 

[Puonti]

You have an external screen and you don't already use your Macbook as a secondary display? I'm not going to judge you, but I will say that you have your solution right there. Two screens are great for both increased and decreased productivity, whichever happens to be needed at any given time.

That smaller screen, lifted higher with a nice laptop stand (for ergonomy's sake, but you can of course skip it if the Touch Bar is easier to use at desktop level), is a great place for things like a web browser, Slack or your favorite arrangement of Terminal, TextEdit and Finder windows, supporting or undermining whatever work or play you're getting or not getting done on your primary display.

I wouldn't call it a weak option at all.

 

[jordii]

Thanks, Puonti

I get it if you're a web designer and want to have source code on one screen and browser result on another, or if you constantly monitor multiple windows, but that doesn't apply to me. My multitasking is serial, not parallel.

I zoom between s/w environments using keyboard shortcut app launchers (via Alfred), using Isolator to clean up background clutter. This lets me focus intensely on the immediate task. A second screen would help me monitor stock ticker, Twitter or FB feeds, etc, but I'm looking for less distraction, not more!

So either my workflow's different, or I'm missing the obvious!

 

[spacebro]

I'm using a 43" display so it does not make sense to keep the macbook open for even more display space. I have a loaded 2015 rmbp so it is disappointing that my next laptop will have to be a pc. 16gb ram still after so many years, this is funny and sad.

 

[jordii]

I need to stay in Apple environment, alas.

Maybe will get a Mac Mini (when new ones come out), plus an old, cheap MBP for outings. At least there's good s/w now to keep the two in synch....

 

[wegster]

Yep, in similar boat, although as someone else mentioned, I do also use my (pre-retina, 1680x1050 2011CTO) MBP screen, including when alongside a pair of 27" or alongside a 34" UW QHD 3440x1440 at home. + split keyboard + Logitech Trackman.

Except when presenting in meetings in the local office, I'm in docked mode and don't touch the MBP keyboard.
It would have been better for me if they baked the touchID into the lower corner of the trackpad.
As it is, it's doubtful I'd pay $$ for a 'special snowflake w/OLED' Apple external keyboard.

I don't begrudge anyone who may find use for the OLED strip, but I don't expect many 'pro' photographers, video editors, developers, engineers, architects, ... to be running solely on the MBP with built-in display and KB only except for on-site shoots/photo or video review and 'quick work' or in meetings. For others, it may be a neat and worthwhile addition, but I'd much prefer a pro-ish convertible like the new Surface...running OS X.

I also do frequently get into swapping to disk while running VMs + native apps with 16GB of RAM, so was hoping for at least a 32GB RAM option.

For the $, I'm seriously considering waiting for a deal to come up on a used, refereed or old stock 2014 or 2015 MBP and then seeing what the next round(s) of upgrades bring.

 

[killawat]

Well it is possible that a external keyboard with oled strip + touchID is released. In that case, its likely that only systems with the t1 chip already baked in could use the touchID functionality.

 

[jordii]

I'm thinking about building a cheap Hackintosh for home, and buying a previous generation MBP for laptop.

 

[jerryk]

I use two external monitors, keyboard, mouse, and other peripherals, and the new USB-C/TB-3 will be a godsend for me.

I want to be able to plug the single USB-C cable into the MacBook Pro and into a dock which connects to two monitors (1080 now, 4k soon), local peripherals, network, and charges that macbook pro all with the one cable. Then when I leave for the day I can disconnect, through the MacBook Pro and put it in my backpack, and use it at home for work and whatever else.