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New MacBook Pro feels like iPad

M

Mufasa804

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 6, 2009
232
78
After using this new 13" MacBook Pro (no Touch Bar) for about 80 hours (not continuously of course!) I will be returning it. I wanted to love this new machine I feel this machine is a step in a direction that I am not ready to play along with.

Keyboard

It’s actually not bad! Perhaps typing on the 15” model will be more comfortable (spacing) but I’ve come to enjoy the hard feedback while typing. It definitely took some time to get used to. On this keyboard I tend to input typos when typing fast and sometimes at log-in. I used one of those web wpm tests and found that I make more errors on this MacBook than on a regular keyboard.

Trackpad

The larger trackpad does not inhibit use via palm touches while typing or other use but its core functions don’t always work. Three finger drag is unreliable and I’ve experienced many issues with normal clicking and dragging. I hope Apple addresses this issue via a firmware update.


New Ports & Everyday Use

Aside from a few issues, this performs and feels like a quality Mac should. It does all the tasks my iMac workstation does with the added (amazing) portability and battery life. However, once you unplug the dongles/dock to use it on it's own, that’s where the bells and whistles turn into inconveniences. I really missed having USB ports available, dongles become a mess very quickly. In the future when cameras and other devices have USB-C onboard or if I were to upgrade everything to USB-C this will not be a problem. For now, this machine feels more like an iPad. It can perform and handle tasks but it requires different dongles to make it happen.
 
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Same pish about "dongles" to attach devices, why not replace the cables with USB c variants or use the tiny adaptors from anker which add very little to the size of the cable and are a couple of quid each.

You know that you needed dongles before this MacBook to connect to displays etc so nothing here is new, it's just whining for the sake of whining tbh.

What did you buy it to replace, do you have an existing MacBook or laptop?
 
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Marshall73 said:
Same pish about "dongles" to attach devices, why not replace the cables with USB c variants or use the tiny adaptors from anker which add very little to the size of the cable and are a couple of quid each.

You know that you needed dongles before this MacBook to connect to displays etc so nothing here is new, it's just whining for the sake of whining tbh.

What did you buy it to replace, do you have an existing MacBook or laptop?
Click to expand...

Bought it to replace an existing retina MacBook Pro. You're right, dongles are nothing new but (Thunderbolt to Ethernet/Display Port to HDMI/VGA) what I'm trying to say is that in order to make this very expensive machine connect to your existing equipment, it's a pain that I'm not willing to "fix" by replacing cables. I can't imagine recommending this machine to students either. What happens when your teacher hands out (or classmates) a file on a flash drive? I don't see USB-C flash drives (or USB 3/C hybrids) becoming very popular anytime soon. Forgot your dongle? Too bad.
 
Mufasa804 said:
Bought it to replace an existing retina MacBook Pro. You're right, dongles are nothing new but (Thunderbolt to Ethernet/Display Port to HDMI/VGA) what I'm trying to say is that in order to make this very expensive machine connect to your existing equipment, it's a pain that I'm not willing to "fix" by replacing cables. I can't imagine recommending this machine to students either. What happens when your teacher hands out (or classmates) a file on a flash drive? I don't see USB-C flash drives (or USB 3/C hybrids) becoming very popular anytime soon. Forgot your dongle? Too bad.
Click to expand...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0...c+to+usb+a&dpPl=1&dpID=41pBbr5r0CL&ref=plSrch

Very small and cheap as hell.

Also, these are cheap and plentiful now from various manufacturers.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01EZ0X23W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
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Mufasa804 said:
Bought it to replace an existing retina MacBook Pro. You're right, dongles are nothing new but (Thunderbolt to Ethernet/Display Port to HDMI/VGA) what I'm trying to say is that in order to make this very expensive machine connect to your existing equipment, it's a pain that I'm not willing to "fix" by replacing cables. I can't imagine recommending this machine to students either. What happens when your teacher hands out (or classmates) a file on a flash drive? I don't see USB-C flash drives (or USB 3/C hybrids) becoming very popular anytime soon. Forgot your dongle? Too bad.
Click to expand...

My wife (finishing her phd) has been using a 12" retina without issue for awhile.

She just has an adaptor when needed...

She's actually coming from a giant old hp laptop and never mentions the ports, just that it's much easier to carry and loves the size.
 
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Mufasa804 said:
I don't see USB-C flash drives (or USB 3/C hybrids) becoming very popular anytime soon. Forgot your dongle? Too bad.
Click to expand...

Interesting how people create scenarios. I don't remember when I last used a USB drive. At work and at university all data comes in over the air. Either by FTP, AirDrop or some web service to share huge files like wetransfer.

This really is coming to an end with flash drives.

But surely there are still people using them. They better don't forget their dongle.... or computer at home ;)
 
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"Three finger drag is unreliable and I’ve experienced many issues with normal clicking and dragging. I hope Apple addresses this issue via a firmware update."

And so Apple manages to make the trackpad windows like or basically clunky like most windows laptops.
 
cardfan said:
And so Apple manages to make the trackpad windows like or basically clunky like most windows laptops.
Click to expand...
Nah, it's a known firmware bug probably due to updated palm rejection on 2016 rMBP.

the trackpad is still miles ahead. Some high end windows machines now have comparable surface finish, but software/firmware is still far from being perfect
 
How's it still miles ahead? Many issues with clicking and dragging? Perhaps they shouldn't have made it a palmrest for typing. Bad design all around. Smaller battery. Thinner that no one was crying for. A worse kb. And an unwanted oversized trackpad that responds much worse than previous MacBooks.

Steve wouldn't have allowed this to see daylight.
 
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cardfan said:
How's it still miles ahead? Many issues with clicking and dragging? Perhaps they shouldn't have made it a palmrest for typing. Bad design all around. Smaller battery. Thinner that no one was crying for. A worse kb. And an unwanted oversized trackpad that responds much worse than previous MacBooks.

Steve wouldn't have allowed this to see daylight.
Click to expand...

Said the man who has clearly not used one, just go and use one and you will see for yourself.
 
Marshall73 said:
You are a glass is half empty kind of guy aren't you.
Click to expand...
Why be insulting to the OP? He went in with his eyes wide open, but he didn't enjoy the experience. He took the time to share his thoughts with us. He ought to be able to do so without people like you making accusations against him.

To the OP: I for one am grateful you took the time to get acquainted with the machine and to fill us in on what you thought and felt. Thank you.
 
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cardfan said:
How's it still miles ahead? Many issues with clicking and dragging? Perhaps they shouldn't have made it a palmrest for typing. Bad design all around. Smaller battery. Thinner that no one was crying for. A worse kb. And an unwanted oversized trackpad that responds much worse than previous MacBooks.
Click to expand...
Keyboard is great. Granted, like/dislike of a keyboard is a personal thing, not an objective measurement, but I personally absolutely love the new keyboard (not just fanboying - I can type much faster and more comfortably with the shallow keypresses).

Battery, at least on my 13" nontouchbar model, is tons better.

Thinner & lighter is fine with me, especially since the battery is great and the screen is beautiful.

While there seems to be some issue for some with three-finger dragging, it's pretty clear this is a software issue and I don't doubt it'll be addressed. And personally, it doesn't affect me since I have that option off.

And as for dongles, I actually haven't used one yet with the exception of the TB2-TB3 adapter for my Apple Thunderbolt Display at home. At some point I know I'll need the USB-C to VGA adapter for work, but this is no different than the mDP to VGA adapter I was using before.

Yes, someone could hand me a standard USB flash drive, but I personally prefer someone to either link or email files to me. And in a pinch, I have a USB-C/USB adapter in my laptop bag. Can't forget the adapter if I have the laptop with me....
 
I also realized - my wife has a dual USB-C/USB-A 32GB flash drive - so it works on all computers.
 
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