New MacBook Pro Has Better Keyboard Than 12-Inch MacBook, But It's Expensive and Lacking Ports

[bernuli]

USB-C is the norm now in terms of ports that Apple wants to give you. For practical purposes, devices do not exist in USB-C. A few token devices exist at 5-10 times the price as a USB-A version

USB-C, in 2016, serves no purpose other than creating demand for Apple adapters.

And outside the the Apple kool-aid-addict-club, computers sold in 2016 have a nice mix of USB-A and USB-C ports.

It looks to me like the USB-C connectors, are kinda fragile. USB A connectors I think are pretty sturdy and put up with abuse that the standard user unintentionally delivers.

Also you have to try pretty hard to damage a MagSafe connector. That thing is bullet proof.

Better factor in Apple Care before you run out and buy one of these things.
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I don't understand why so many people keep complaining about MagSafe. Yes, it was awesome when it was introduced, when you could barely squeeze 3 hours out of a charge. Now we can get 10 hours out of a charge. I rarely see people plugged in at cafes; I'm one of the only people who has to as I'm still on a 2011 MacBook Pro. I've been working from cafes for the past 4 years, and no one has ever tripped over my cord. Not once.

MagSafe is a niche feature that the average person just doesn't need. But if you're in that niche, you can get the Griffin BreakSafe.

There is literally no reason to complain about it.

The new machine might get 10 hours in the beginning, but that number will only go down.

I think it is the average user that most needs MagSafe. Pros have much better aim I suppose.

 

[SuperCachetes]

My guess is the next iPhone ships with USB-C to Lightning.

My guess is the next iPhone ships with USB-C to USB-C.

The iPhone 7, while a fine device with many improvements, is really an iPhone 6SS - a stop-gap upgrade which happened to have a very controversial port deletion (the 3.5mm jack) but tiptoed around the proprietary Lightning port issue.

Not sure why the new rMBP still has a headphone jack when the iPhone does not, but all I can figure is that Apple believes computers just have to have audio jacks. It really sucks for the Apple fans who have the latest phone AND a Macbook Pro - and I would think this is not a small subset of their consumer base.

 

[Rigby]

I was just at Best Buy and they had a demo unit of the new base 13" MBP. The weight and slightly more compact form factor are really nice. But the keyboard felt just as bad to me as the one of the Macbook next to it. When you have it in your hand, you also realize how much the two USB-C ports will limit everyday usability. Anyway, I just ordered a second 13" 2015 MBP. I figure the higher speced BTO models probably won't be available much longer. Looking forward to receiving the last non-Cookified (Cooked? ) MBP model ...

 

[Mac 128]

My guess is the next iPhone ships with USB-C to USB-C.

The iPhone 7, while a fine device with many improvements, is really an iPhone 6SS - a stop-gap upgrade which happened to have a very controversial port deletion (the 3.5mm jack) but tiptoed around the proprietary Lightning port issue.

Not sure why the new rMBP still has a headphone jack when the iPhone does not, but all I can figure is that Apple believes computers just have to have audio jacks. It really sucks for the Apple fans who have the latest phone AND a Macbook Pro - and I would think this is not a small subset of their consumer base.

Apple wants you to buy a pair of AirPods to use with both ... Oh wait, you can't, and nobody knows when you can. Well there's always the Beats earbuds with the W1 chip ... Oh wait, those aren't available either. Well you could just buy some basic BT headphones that won't be as easy to use, and one of the reasons people probably haven't been using them already.

Might I suggest the method Apple seems to be encouraging?

Put those new Lightning EarPods in a drawer you never use. Take the free 3.5mm adapter in the box, and an old set of EarPods, and you'll always have a pair of headphones for your iPhone and Laptop, not to mention any other audio device on the planet. Just don't lose the adapter (but if you do they're only $9, a price even the Chinese haven't been able to crack by much). Of course you'll still have to figure out how to charge it and listen at the same time, or buy a $50 adapter for that.

But for $9, even if you lose the 3.5mm adapter a lot, you'll be able to use cheaper and more compatible 3.5mm technology for years to come, for far less than it would cost to pay for Lightning or wireless technology during that same period (including the charger/signal splitter). Doesn't really make a lot of sense does it?

The only explanation I have, is that just like the unforgivable delay in having AirPods available for the iPhone 7 release, and now the MBP, Apple isn't ready to add Lightning to the Macs just yet. Who knows what problems are going to infest these new MBPs once they hit the streets. If Apple can't get their AirPods to market without issue, how are they gonna get something as sophisticated as this?

 

[Greymacuser]

You're forgetting that Europe and possibly other countries include their sales tax (or VAT) in the prices while the U.S. does not, and that makes a bigger difference than you'd think. Try subtracting sales tax before you put it through the exchange rate. I haven't checked in a while, but last time I checked, it came out even with U.S. prices.

What's definitely wrong is that it's more expensive everywhere now, U.S. or not, for similar hardware.
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IDK if this is a good bet to make, if that's what they're doing. People choosing between a Mac or an "other" laptop for school or a new job aren't married to Mac yet, and they'll fall either inside or outside Apple's ecosystem, depending on whether the Mac satisfies their needs. I don't know anyone who actually wants to use Windows unless their tasks require it, but they use it because they can't stand Apple hardware.

Its almost as if Apple is so full of themselves that they don't even realize the damage they are doing to their own bottom line. Who would want a gelded computer?

 

[SuperCachetes]

Put those new Lightning EarPods in a drawer you never use. Take the free 3.5mm adapter in the box, and an old set of EarPods, and you'll always have a pair of headphones for your iPhone and Laptop, not to mention any other audio device on the planet. Just don't lose the adapter (but if you do they're only $9, a price even the Chinese haven't been able to crack by much). Of course you'll still have to figure out how to charge it and listen at the same time, or buy a $50 adapter for that.

But for $9, even if you lose the 3.5mm adapter a lot, you'll be able to use cheaper and more compatible 3.5mm technology for years to come, for far less than it would cost to pay for Lightning or wireless technology during that same period (including the charger/signal splitter). Doesn't really make a lot of sense does it?

The only explanation I have, is that just like the unforgivable delay in having AirPods available for the iPhone 7 release, and now the MBP, Apple isn't ready to add Lightning to the Macs just yet. Who knows what problems are going to infest these new MBPs once they hit the streets. If Apple can't get their AirPods to market without issue, how are they gonna get something as sophisticated as this?

I like your idea about using old EarPods and adapters, but my point was that Lightning is going away. I'll put money on Apple never putting it on any laptops. USB-C will do everything most people need, and most importantly, it's not proprietary. Apple is clearly behind it; they just didn't go whole-hog just yet.

By the time the super-special iPhone 8 (or whatever it's called) comes out with USB-C next year, the MBP line will have gotten its spec bump to Kaby Lake, all its' USB-C ports will be full bandwidth, and maybe the headphone jack will be gone from the laptops too.

 

[Mac 128]

I like your idea about using old EarPods and adapters, but my point was that Lightning is going away. I'll put money on Apple never putting it on any laptops. USB-C will do everything most people need, and most importantly, it's not proprietary. Apple is clearly behind it; they just didn't go whole-hog just yet.

By the time the super-special iPhone 8 (or whatever it's called) comes out with USB-C next year, the MBP line will have gotten its spec bump to Kaby Lake, all its' USB-C ports will be full bandwidth, and maybe the headphone jack will be gone from the laptops too.

I still doubt Apple is ready to depreciate Lightning only 5 years after they introduced it, especially after doubling down on it this past year with the Pencil, Apple TV Remote, and Magic peripherals for the Mac. But I guess we'll see. If the Retina MacBook doesn't replace the headphone jack with Lightning in the annual Spring update then I guess we'll know. On the other hand, if it doesn't replace it with USB-C either, then I doubt Lightning will be dropped from the iPhone either.

 

[HurryKayne]

Seriously i think Schiller,Ive,Cook, must leave, i heard they weren't thinking about prices while building the new ones.
We started to "Think different" to "please, just think" ,from "One more thing" to " One less thin-g"( but pricer ).
I can't believe i'm looking at the Surface Studio spec to see if can accept external video inputs.So to say,i could agree with the hdmi removal but please don't tell me the sd card AND MAG SAFE were a real problem to be included .

 

[Skylitfly]

I still don't see whats so bad about this new MacBook. I think it's awesome upgrade to the previous model.

The port problem is easily solved. You just have to change your mindset about technology. I've personally used cloud services and bluetooth accessories for years now and I've never had any problems. In fact I'm supper happy about the fact that I've managed to cut almost all the cords in my life.

I don't see why you make this so big deal. Get bluetooth accessories. Honestly... they are as good if not better than their wired siblings. Once you go wireless there is no looking back.

 

[kyykesko]

USB-C is the norm now. More Powerful and efficient in every way compared to the other ports. I have no problem making the jump.
I don't buy dongles, I buy devices and there are a lot of old hardware and traditional hard drives in my room that will get dropped. The only thing old that I will keep will be the Macs I patch.

How is it norm when 95% of the devices you can buy at the moment DO NOT SUPPORT IT? Let's get back to this when there's at least some other support other than a few crappy memory sticks and one or two external drives. Oh, and a handful of extremely expensive but small displays.
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I still don't see whats so bad about this new MacBook. I think it's awesome upgrade to the previous model.

The port problem is easily solved. You just have to change your mindset about technology. I've personally used cloud services and bluetooth accessories for years now and I've never had any problems. In fact I'm supper happy about the fact that I've managed to cut almost all the cords in my life.

I don't see why you make this so big deal. Get bluetooth accessories. Honestly... they are as good if not better than their wired siblings. Once you go wireless there is no looking back.

I'm glad it works for you. Now stop and think about things from other people's point of view. There are so many situations where your happy-go-lucky cloud/bluetooth option isn't an option. I do use cloud. I use bluetooth headphones when convenience is more important to me than sound quality. None of that means I would be able to cut the cords completely. I work with dozens of different companies and I need to be able to interact with them. Some of them have very strict policies against cloud services. Some have network hardware I need to access directly. Some need to transfer data directly to me / get it from me. Some have no WiFi, wired ethernet is the only accepted solution. Most conference rooms have different systems for connecting to the projectors but the only one that REALLY works is VGA/HDMI. Sure, half of them offer different wireless solutions but can I work if I can connect to them only half of the time? Take a wild guess.

I could keep on forever. Wireless is nice. It's just not a viable solution for everything and especially for everyone. Not at this point of time. The all-USB-C even less so. I do love USB-C and I want to see wider adoption for it but dropping everything else from the Macbook Pro is a stupid choice. They should have added 2+ USB-C ports in addition to what it had - or replacing only some of the ports. Especially USB-A should've been a must. The HDMI was very useful for me. The SD card slot even more so (Transcend JetDrive, because the 512GB storage space in my current top-of-the-line model wasn't nearly enough for everything I need available regardless of location) - but of course now I can shell out $1200 more to get the 2TB option. That's only about twice the price it should be. Or 50% too expensive if you consider their "new" "ultrafast" ssd so much better you should pay almost double for it.

Doesn't matter. The crappy keyboard and lousy battery did it for me. The dongle hell was just an additional annoyance.
[doublepost=1477820942][/doublepost]It's so cute how the reviewers are so hard trying to like the keyboard.. "marks a step in the right direction". Oh well, let me know when they've taken enough steps to actually make it there. "I actually like that a bit better". Aww, a bit? That's cute. Too bad I like the previous keyboard A LOT better.

It was one of the things that separated Macs from all the mediocre Windows laptops - it had an excellent keyboard.

Macbook 12" had a keyboard that was only made look good by Zenbooks. Anyone want to buy a Zenbook? Used it for a week and after that it's been sitting on the shelf because the keyboard is totally useless. Forgot to return it. Bought Macbook 12", used it a week and sent it back. No way in hell I'm torturing myself with such a lousy keyboard.

 

[skitidetdu]

So really one more adapter, then, right? That doesn't sound like a terrible inconvenience, but maybe I'm being naive. FYI - there's an adapter that I have that goes from USB-C to HDMI which also allows USB-C power and an "old" USB connection.

Yes, well actually three new since none of the old will be of any use anymore.

 

[G725]

I still don't see whats so bad about this new MacBook. I think it's awesome upgrade to the previous model.

The port problem is easily solved. You just have to change your mindset about technology. I've personally used cloud services and bluetooth accessories for years now and I've never had any problems. In fact I'm supper happy about the fact that I've managed to cut almost all the cords in my life.

I don't see why you make this so big deal. Get bluetooth accessories. Honestly... they are as good if not better than their wired siblings. Once you go wireless there is no looking back.

I also think that it is a great product. With USB 3.1 and a few adapters (which are very cheap if you buy 3rd party products) you can connect everything to everything. Yeah, you'll need adapters now because the old standards are everywhere established but you only need adapters to USB3.1 on the one side. Without USB3.1 you need adapters to USB3.0/2.0, HDMI, TB etc.
The only problem I have with the new MacBook Pro 15" is the price. It is very expensive and you only get a budget GPU. I mean that GPU is very new and it might be fine for most uses today but the price is not fair and you don't get a good upgrade option. If you compare the current prices for the desktop equivalents of the graphics cards in the new 15inch and in the first retina MacBook from over 4 years ago you'll see that the old GTX 650 still sells more expensive than the Radeon Pro 450. I know the new MacBook will perform much better and the GPU Chip is super thin but I would expect something more than a budget GPU for what you have to pay for the new MacBook Pro. They didn't even even put more storage in the default configuration yet they increased the price since then.
Before the presentation I planned to buy the new MacBook Pro but with that GPU for that price I will stick with my old rMBP for one more year. If they had offered a reasonable price OR a good upgrade option for the graphics I would have ordered one. I feel like they made a 15" MacBook Air instead of a MPB.

 

[Scrivener]

I was about to hit the BUY button - but I won't now, not with that keyboard. I've got a 12" MacBook and I only use it to write on in bed at night for an hour so to edit my day's work and then it's closed for another day. I would use it all the time but the keyboard makes it feel like you are typing on a marble block. It is truly RSI inducing. I'll stick to my trusty old 15" MacBook Pro with its beautiful keyboard and my near perfect and glorious keyboard on my MacBook Air. Why couldn't apple do a MacBook Air with a higher resolution screen like everyone wanted and not fiddle with the keyboard?

Right, got it all sorted for another year and zero spent on Apple products.

Silly Apple. Stupid keyboard to offer professional writers and journalists.


Article Link: New MacBook Pro Has Better Keyboard Than 12-Inch MacBook, But It's Expensive and Lacking Ports[/QUOTE]

 

[melendezest]

Glad to be the best at something.

Customers are in the position to tell Apple where to go if they don't like what Apple has to offer.

The dongles in question don't cost $50 each, and if you pay that much you're not really looking. Since USB-C is not a proprietary Apple port, you'll be able to get them from other sellers and you don't have to wash your hands after handing more money over to Apple.

I agree that USB-A will be around for years. I'm glad that it won't be around for decades to come.

I don't agree with you about Ethernet (the RJ-45 port) I've used it less and less over the years. I remember when ethernet over coax was the standard. Back in 2004, I built a home, and to future-proof it I installed two separate ethernet networks with wires to every room in both buildings. Never used it. We got WiFi and didn't need ethernet.

I also don't agree about SD cards. My five-year-old Sony mirrorless camera doesn't have any wireless capability, so I do use the SD reader. But I think most new cameras have built-in wifi or some other way of wirelessly transmitting photos. A dongle would suit me, but those with newer cameras won't need it.

HDMI? There are other ways to send video to your TV than putting your computer within cable's reach of it. If you absolutely must use a cable, I expect the emergence of USB-C monitors will mean that USB-C ports on TVs will also start to appear.

MagSafe? I think I heard about someone coming out with a magnetic breakaway USB-C power cable. Now the benefits of MagSafe can be enjoyed by people running Windows machines, too.

All of these posts are certainly from a consumer perspective. There are plenty of pros here angry at the loss of what you mention.

Apple is and always has been a forward-thinking company.

But my point is that this time they jumped way too far ahead. In the past, they offered "transitional" machines with a combination of ports. No longer. Instead, they literally cripple the machine by forcing upon the user some kind of infrastructure change.

Now, let me be fair: all the problems Apple created here can be solved somewhat elegantly (except MagSafe--not as elegant), thanks to third-party companies like OWC.

And this is so if the machine is going to be used in relatively stable environments you control, like your home or office. But if you are doing anything in the field, and need to integrate to other environments, Apple just made the most incompatible machine they've ever made. Now then you, the customer, have to carry a bunch of cables because you don't know what you're going to need. Which negates the weight savings accomplished by making the device thinner.

It is troubling that Apple is once again demonstrating that it puts itself first before the customer.

And that they're putting themselves in a position where the competition can provide what the Apple customer wants.

That's how Android took over.

This is the MacPro all over again. Those who needed a real Pro machine left Apple. Those who stayed, got the shaft.

This is just one more piece of evidence that pros need to start looking for an alternative.

Apple just doesn't learn, and their hubris is huge.

 

[cube]

I started complaining about Apple removing stuff in 2009.

 

[zmunkz]

The title of this thread is a little silly. I can't think of an example when Apple launched a new product, put the price on the keynote screen, and I thought to myself, "wow, what a reasonable and affordable price!"

Of course it's expensive.

And as we are fresh out of the iPhone launch where Apple ditched the headphone jack of all things, the lack of common sense ports here is hardly surprising either. The last two macs I bought each required me to redo half of my peripherals. Par for the course, in my submission.

There are enough cheap adapters to make that moot, so the question--as it always is--is if using the machine itself makes for a good experience. I am curious to see how intuitive finding controls on the touch bar is, for example. Things like that.

Seems like a nice machine on the whole.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

My guess is the next iPhone ships with USB-C to Lightning.

It would be pretty tragic if it didn't.
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I think that the price hikes by Apple (and others) are in part to do with the longevity of today's computers. People just don't upgrade as often as they used to, so the manufacturers need bigger profits on the kit that they sell to compensate for the shortfall in repeat sales.

Vicious cycle I guess. The consumer has to hold on to their laptop longer in order to justify the higher prices as well. You can put a self destruct switch in it that goes off in two years in mine if you cut the price in half.

 

[Mac 128]

All of these posts are certainly from a consumer perspective. There are plenty of pros here angry at the loss of what you mention.

Apple is and always has been a forward-thinking company.

But my point is that this time they jumped way too far ahead. In the past, they offered "transitional" machines with a combination of ports. No longer. Instead, they literally cripple the machine by forcing upon the user some kind of infrastructure change.

Now, let me be fair: all the problems Apple created here can be solved somewhat elegantly (except MagSafe--not as elegant), thanks to third-party companies like OWC.

And this is so if the machine is going to be used in relatively stable environments you control, like your home or office. But if you are doing anything in the field, and need to integrate to other environments, Apple just made the most incompatible machine they've ever made. Now then you, the customer, have to carry a bunch of cables because you don't know what you're going to need. Which negates the weight savings accomplished by making the device thinner.

It is troubling that Apple is once again demonstrating that it puts itself first before the customer.

And that they're putting themselves in a position where the competition can provide what the Apple customer wants.

That's how Android took over.

This is the MacPro all over again. Those who needed a real Pro machine left Apple. Those who stayed, got the shaft.

This is just one more piece of evidence that pros need to start looking for an alternative.

Apple just doesn't learn, and their hubris is huge.

I'm sorry, what we're all of these transitional machines of which you speak?

From my recollection, Macs have always included the mostly single function/purpose ports required for existing equipment, and when the new single function port came along that offered more versitility or performance the old port was removed. Apple had to offer several ports because there wasn't one that did it all -- until now.

 

[theSeb]

"For example, the cable that lets you charge your iPhone in the MacBook Pro will cost you $25. Yikes."

I've just bought a $1500+ computer. $25 is yikes? Seriously. Get a grip.

 

[veneto1900]

Apple provided the media with demo units of the new MacBook Pro sans Touch Bar, and a handful of websites have now published their early thoughts and first impressions about the 13-inch notebook. The articles reveal some interesting tidbits beyond yesterday's Touch Bar model hands-on and first impressions roundups.

While the new MacBook Pro's keyboard is a controversial topic, with some users preferring Apple's traditional scissor design, most reviews said Apple's second-generation butterfly mechanism offers an improved typing experience compared to the 12-inch MacBook's first-generation butterfly keyboard.

Brian Heater of TechCrunch said the keyboard "feels more natural" and that individual keys have "better give":Jim Dalrymple at The Loop echoed that sentiment, noting there is "a little more travel distance when you press down on a key":

Stuart Miles of Pocket-lint said the new keyboard is sandwiched between "louder, clearer, and cleaner" speakers with bass-heavier sound:Likewise, Heater said the speakers deliver richer sound than before, noting that "things get loud. Really, really loud."Dan Ackerman at CNET said the new non-Touch Bar MacBook Pro might be "the new default MacBook for most people," although its price is disappointing:

Meanwhile, Andrew Cunningham at Ars Technica highlighted the new MacBook Pro's brighter display and wider DCI-P3 color gamut:Cunningham added that the new MacBook Pro scales to 1,440×900 pixels out of the box, which makes it look like it has a higher screen resolution:Cunningham said making comparisons between the new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air is "understandable but flawed." He argued "it's only really a comparison that works when all else is equal," which is not the case given the new MacBook Pro is upwards of $500 more expensive than the remaining 13-inch MacBook Air.

Dana Wollman at Engadget applauded the new MacBook Pro's smaller footprint, particularly compared to the MacBook Air:One aspect of the new MacBook Pro often criticized is its lack of ports. The non-Touch Bar model has only two Thunderbolt 3 ports, which carry power, USB, DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA for video out over a single port. As with the 12-inch MacBook, customers will have to purchase adapters to connect certain devices and accessories.

Steve Kovach at Business Insider said the need for "a lot of dongles" is "the most frustrating thing" about the new MacBook Pro:The new MacBook Pro is also expensive, although the non-Touch Bar model is slightly more affordable at $1,499. The non-Touch Bar model is currently available for pre-order and ships in 1 business day. Touch Bar models start at $1,799 and $2,399 for the 13-inch and 15-inch models respectively and ship in 4-5 weeks.

Article Link: New MacBook Pro Has Better Keyboard Than 12-Inch MacBook, But It's Expensive and Lacking Ports

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I don't understand the fuss about the pricing. It seems to be mostly in line with the previous (and earlier) generations?

OK. Let me see if I understand what apple is offering in their new MacBook Pros. 1) A "touch bar" that replaces the standard function keys and looks cute but is not really necessary and is apparently Apples's limp response to so called "convertible" laptops with touch screens (don't get me wrong though, I would never use a laptop or desktop with a touch screen). 2) Improved performance which is certainly welcome and long, long overdue but which still lags behind most Windows laptops in the high end category. 3) A "butterfly" keyboard that nearly everyone who has purchased or tried a Macbook detests which now replaces what has been probably the best, most comfortable, most attractive and most imitated keyboard of all time (chiclet). 4) Replacing standard USB ports with USB-C requiring users to purchase a bunch of adapters and dongles---yet more junk to have to carry around when traveling or on the go around town which compromises the "portability" of the thinner and lighter design. 5) Removal of the mag safe connection which has probably over the years prevented thousands of Mac laptops from being yanked to the pavement and seriously damaged when someone trips over the power cord. And--to add insult to injury---the base line price for the lower end touch bar Macbook Pro is a whopping, unbelievable $1800.00. No thanks. I have been a Mac user for many years and am a long time admirer of the elegance and quality of most of their devices but recently it seems that Apple has become the embodiment of that old phrase from the 80's which goes, "you can't be too rich or too thin." In Apple's case, keep sacrificing usability for thinness while charging prices that one has to be rich in order to afford.

 

[doelcm82]

All of these posts are certainly from a consumer perspective. There are plenty of pros here angry at the loss of what you mention.

Apple is and always has been a forward-thinking company.

But my point is that this time they jumped way too far ahead. In the past, they offered "transitional" machines with a combination of ports. No longer. Instead, they literally cripple the machine by forcing upon the user some kind of infrastructure change.

Now, let me be fair: all the problems Apple created here can be solved somewhat elegantly (except MagSafe--not as elegant), thanks to third-party companies like OWC.

And this is so if the machine is going to be used in relatively stable environments you control, like your home or office. But if you are doing anything in the field, and need to integrate to other environments, Apple just made the most incompatible machine they've ever made. Now then you, the customer, have to carry a bunch of cables because you don't know what you're going to need. Which negates the weight savings accomplished by making the device thinner.

It is troubling that Apple is once again demonstrating that it puts itself first before the customer.

And that they're putting themselves in a position where the competition can provide what the Apple customer wants.

That's how Android took over.

This is the MacPro all over again. Those who needed a real Pro machine left Apple. Those who stayed, got the shaft.

This is just one more piece of evidence that pros need to start looking for an alternative.

Apple just doesn't learn, and their hubris is huge.

I am a Pro (for one more week), and I see nothing about the new MBP that would keep me from getting the job done, and I would not need a lot of dongles to do it.

Some will need adapters for various tasks, but I expect very few will need more than a couple. As for those adapters negating the weight and slimness savings, when you pull out your MacBook Pro on an airplane, or when you take it to a meeting, or when you work in your hotel room, you probably won't need to use the adapters at all.

 

[recoil80]

I don't like the rMB keyboard, if the one in the new rMBP has more travel it is a good news

 

[szw-mapple fan]

Been on a mac for 13+ years now and have owned every iPhone since the original. I was due for an iPhone 7 and a new notebook this year and have been mind-numbingly underwhelmed by both keynotes so far this season.

I know it's been beat to death, but the biggest issue for me is the lack of ports and need for dongles on both devices. It's impractical and I can't help but feel I just happened to land in the beginning stages of a shift in the industry and everything I buy now will be looked back on as a mediocre hybrid of the past and future in terms of tech.

Still not sold on Windows or Android devices though. Kind of at a stand still and will most likely wait it out with my 128 gb base level 2013 MBA and my iPhone 6...which blows.

I wanted to spend my money Apple, just not that much for so little.

To be honest I'm not too worried. This is just another one of those transition years where Apple just changes everything and hope for the best. It happened back in 2012 with the lightning port and MagSafe 2 and the removal of the superdrive from MacBooks and iMacs. The dust will settle in one or two years and everything will be back to normal. Prices on the actual products will drop and accessories for the new standards will be common and much cheaper. People stops moaning until, well, the next rumored change.

 

[TallManNY]

Strange. I plug mine in every few days.
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Why? Do you sync with your computer for a local backup? I charge my phone in a charger by my bed, so no need to plug into my Mac for charging purposes. I just don't see a need to plug an iPhone into a MacBook Pro very often. But even if there was, then buy the $10 cable or the $5 adapter. Today's MacBook Pros should last 6 years, minimum. Is there any reason to use the old ports two years from now? I really don't think so.
[doublepost=1477866800][/doublepost]

This sums up everything wrong with this new macbook.

And yet, at drinks today someone in my group brought up "Who is going to buy the new Macbook Pro". And sure enough one person is definitely buying it and two of us are considering it.

These types of reviewers do not get it. We are buying it for the OS, the specs that matter (i.e., screen quality) and for the durability. Folks buy Macs because they get five years out of them. They buy PCs and then have to toss them in three years. So there is no savings.

 

[apusateri]

Yes, well actually three new since none of the old will be of any use anymore.

Sorry, thought you were talking about the inconvenience of carrying them around, not buying them, in your original post. That's what I took from "jerking around with" in your post here:

I would say it is a macbook semi pro, even with the touch bar thingy. I own the 2015 macbook pro and it is thin enough. I don't wanna jerk around with adapters when I'm on the go and giving lectures at different places, some with dvi, some with hdmi and some with vga just to have a even thinner laptop.