Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

The new MacBook: a 24hr review

profmatt said:
Well, I've decided how I feel about the screen.

It's too small. The MacBook is going back.

Which is a pity, because I really loved that keyboard.
Click to expand...
I'm surprised it made such a big difference to you. I went from the 13" Air to the 11.6" Air to the 13" rMBP and the 12" rMB. I think the 12" screen is the best one.

MrXiro said:
It is but some people don't like to sacrifice the larger screen size. They should have made the Macbook an inch bigger so the screen equaled to 13 inches but still had a smaller chassis. (Though I believe the MBP and MBA are 13.3 inches)

At 12 inches the MB is actually only .4 inch larger than the MBA 11, which is actually 11.6 inches.

As I have learned the MBr should only be compared to the MBA 11 and not the MBA/MBP 13 cause it's a different class of computing due to the size.
Click to expand...

That's not entirely true. the MBA has a 16:9 screen while the rMB has a 16:10 screen. So there is more vertical space on the rMB.
 
  • Like
Reactions: xDKP and palpatine
KPOM said:
That's not entirely true. the MBA has a 16:9 screen while the rMB has a 16:10 screen. So there is more vertical space on the rMB.
Click to expand...

That's essentially where the extra .4 inch comes in. Only it's vertical inches... but it's still just .4 of an inch. The width of both laptops is relatively the same.

My point is that it shouldn't be compared to a 13 inch laptop/MBA because it's really more of MBA 11 with a taller screen (and yes all the other obvious updated features). Saying it's a 12 inch laptop makes the buyer think that it should have the battery power inbetween the 11 inch and the 13 inch... and that definitely isn't the case here.
[doublepost=1452126123][/doublepost]
Z3man said:
That 16:10 ratio makes a big difference, the 12" MB's screen seems a lot bigger than the Air's 11.6" screen.
Click to expand...
It's not much less cramped as the 11.6 inch screen feels though. It's relatively the same width but taller due to the aspect ratio change. But if you jump from the 12 inch MBr to the 13.3 inch MBA you feel a HUGE size difference despite the difference being only 1.3 inches.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Benjamin Frost
MrXiro said:
That's essentially where the extra .4 inch comes in. Only it's vertical inches... but it's still just .4 of an inch. The width of both laptops is relatively the same.

My point is that it shouldn't be compared to a 13 inch laptop/MBA because it's really more of MBA 11 with a taller screen (and yes all the other obvious updated features). Saying it's a 12 inch laptop makes the buyer think that it should have the battery power inbetween the 11 inch and the 13 inch... and that definitely isn't the case here.
[doublepost=1452126123][/doublepost]
It's not much less cramped as the 11.6 inch screen feels though. It's relatively the same width but taller due to the aspect ratio change. But if you jump from the 12 inch MBr to the 13.3 inch MBA you feel a HUGE size difference despite the difference being only 1.3 inches.
Click to expand...
First of all, since when does screen size correlate to battery life? Second, the MacBook Air has an 11.6" screen and is described as such. No one should expect a significantly different size between 11.6" and 12". That said, the 16:10 ratio gives it somewhat more vertical room. I've owned the 13.3" MBA, 11.6" MBA, 13.3" rMBP and 12" rMB. The rMB is by far my favorite device.
 
KPOM said:
First of all, since when does screen size correlate to battery life? Second, the MacBook Air has an 11.6" screen and is described as such. No one should expect a significantly different size between 11.6" and 12". That said, the 16:10 ratio gives it somewhat more vertical room. I've owned the 13.3" MBA, 11.6" MBA, 13.3" rMBP and 12" rMB. The rMB is by far my favorite device.
Click to expand...

My god, I hate this site sometimes...

it correlates because previously a 12 inch laptop would sit at a physical footprint size between an 11 inch and a 13 inch, which would give it the actual physical space for a battery between an 11 inch and a 13 inch laptop. The MBr's physical size is more akin to that of the 11 inch MBA, hence a smaller physical battery (not to mention that it is also thinner) and has only the 9 hour battery life quoted instead of of a 10.5 hour battery life had then made it with a bigger chassis.

I'm not belittling your precious MBr. I have one myself. The POINT if I need to spell it out yet again; is that the 12 inch MBr can't be compared to a 13 inch MBP or MBA because they are physically larger and thus have a larger battery while the MBr is the roughly the same size as the 11 inch MBA and can only really be compared to that computer, down to the lack of an SD card slot.
 
MrXiro said:
I'm not belittling your precious MBr. I have one myself. The POINT if I need to spell it out yet again; is that the 12 inch MBr can't be compared to a 13 inch MBP or MBA because they are physically larger and thus have a larger battery while the MBr is the roughly the same size as the 11 inch MBA and can only really be compared to that computer, down to the lack of an SD card slot.
Click to expand...

Having both - I don't think the 12" can be compared to the 11" at all...

The fanless design makes the 12" completely different, more iPad Air like than 11" air like, at least physically..
 
navaira said:
Congrats on your new purchase!

I went to play with a RMB again in Apple Store yesterday. I hate the keyboard less than before. (It feels like it has changed a bit since last time I played with one, is that possible?! Like travel has slightly increased... Or maybe it's just the particular computer I used...) The screen, well, amazing. The thinness, incredible. Sound actually didn't blow me away, maybe in a smaller room it would but my Air seems pretty much the same. The trackpad is so amazing that after using it twice I still keep on forgetting that it does not have a mechanical click, because it feels so... realistic. And, damn it, it's thin and I love that, in a laptop it makes much more sense than in a phone.

If not for the battery threads I would be quite upset about having chosen an Air over the rMB. But I think I'll have a rMB when the 2017 revision comes out. I'd like a 14" version though because the current 12" is just too small. I like the thinness but not the small palm rest areas. My Air does everything I want it to, it's just not so... cute.
Click to expand...
It was likely as you said. Comparing my current rMB to my previous late '13 13" rMBP, the rMB speakers win hands down. The sound is a lot richer and louder in comparison, likely due to how they position the speakers under the grill in the rMB versus the speakers being under the keyboard in the 13" rMBP.

I haven't yet played with an iPad Pro so I can't put it in for comparison, but in my opinion the rMB has the best speakers of any Apple device I have used so far.
 
MrXiro said:
My god, I hate this site sometimes...

it correlates because previously a 12 inch laptop would sit at a physical footprint size between an 11 inch and a 13 inch, which would give it the actual physical space for a battery between an 11 inch and a 13 inch laptop. The MBr's physical size is more akin to that of the 11 inch MBA, hence a smaller physical battery (not to mention that it is also thinner) and has only the 9 hour battery life quoted instead of of a 10.5 hour battery life had then made it with a bigger chassis.
Click to expand...

But it should be pretty obvious that a device as thin as the MacBook won't have as big a battery, no matter what size the screen. By your standard, the Dell XPS 13 isn't a "proper" 13" notebook since it fits into a similar chassis as the 11.6" MacBook Air (though it is a bit heavier).
 
MrXiro said:
It's not much less cramped as the 11.6 inch screen feels though. It's relatively the same width but taller due to the aspect ratio change. But if you jump from the 12 inch MBr to the 13.3 inch MBA you feel a HUGE size difference despite the difference being only 1.3 inches.
Click to expand...
True, i own both the 12" and 13.3" and yes the 13.3" does seem huge after using the 12".

But i still think the 12" 16:10 feels a quite a bit bigger than the 11.6 16:9 screen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MrXiro and Craigy Boy
Z3man said:
True, i own both the 12" and 13.3" and yes the 13.3" does seem huge after using the 12".

But i still think the 12" 16:10 feels a quite a bit bigger than the 11.6 16:9 screen.
Click to expand...

This... Along with the size of the bezel. The bezel on the MBA is too massive and makes the screen feel incredibly small compared to the rMB. Again this is just my opinion.
 
Z3man said:
True, i own both the 12" and 13.3" and yes the 13.3" does seem huge after using the 12".

But i still think the 12" 16:10 feels a quite a bit bigger than the 11.6 16:9 screen.
Click to expand...

how much larger is the bezel on the 13 mbp vs 12 rmb?
 
David58117 said:
:rolleyes:

The "Oh no! Someone else who owns both has come to a different conclusion than I have!" response.
Click to expand...

nope... double ugh.
[doublepost=1452229073][/doublepost]
Z3man said:
True, i own both the 12" and 13.3" and yes the 13.3" does seem huge after using the 12".

But i still think the 12" 16:10 feels a quite a bit bigger than the 11.6 16:9 screen.
Click to expand...

My point is that it's more LIKE the 11 inch and can be compared to it but it's not comparable to the 13 inch because it's so much more massive.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Benjamin Frost
MrXiro said:
My point is that it's more LIKE the 11 inch and can be compared to it but it's not comparable to the 13 inch because it's so much more massive.
Click to expand...
I agree it is closer to the 11", but is definitely still comparable to both because a lot of people like i have will be going from the 13.3' to the 12".
[doublepost=1452276675][/doublepost]
tim1000 said:
how much larger is the bezel on the 13 mbp vs 12 rmb?
Click to expand...
My rMBP is boxed up ready for sale at the moment, but i will get it out later and let you know. I don't think there will be a lot of difference as the rMBP has quite a small bezel, unlike the Air.
 
I thought this pic was interesting from another forum

screensizes.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: dk001, Queen6, east85 and 8 others
tim1000 said:
how much larger is the bezel on the 13 mbp vs 12 rmb?
Click to expand...
rMBP - side = 11mm, top = 15mm

rMB - side = 9mm, top = 12mm

Haven't measured the bottom as i only have a steel tape measure and don't want to risk scratching the screen.
 
For some inexplicable reason, I love the size of the 12 inch rMb screen. It feels just about the right size. I have also grown to love the keyboard, which although lacks travel; the keys are about the right size for typing. I am not a touch typist...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jetcat3
OP it's a machine where portability is key. I have been loving it ever since getting it but might buy a 24" screen and dock it in the office down the line - would be a sweet combo
 
profmatt said:
Well, I've decided how I feel about the screen.

It's too small. The MacBook is going back.

Which is a pity, because I really loved that keyboard.
Click to expand...
If you are who I think you are...cough lsumatt cough...are you afraid you will not be able to do your fancy BCS college football projections on the small screen? You could always connect it to a larger screen you know when you are at home.
 
saintforlife said:
You could always connect it to a larger screen you know when you are at home.
Click to expand...

This. Exactly what I do. I have an Acer 24" monitor and the Apple USB-C display adapter. So an HDMI monitor, paired with some software like better snap tool makes this a sweet machine. Portable for classes, meetings, whatever you want when you want, and when I need to sit down to work on some spreadsheets, multiple documents, whatever it may be, I have the added real estate. It's a great machine. And I'm really glad that I picked it up.
 
saintforlife said:
If you are who I think you are...cough lsumatt cough...are you afraid you will not be able to do your fancy BCS college football projections on the small screen? You could always connect it to a larger screen you know when you are at home.
Click to expand...

I'm not him, but I'm rejecting that plan anyway. It costs more than what I've finally decided to do, which is use my iPad Pro as a laptop and buy an iMac. Plus I could never buy something that wasn't made by Apple :rolleyes:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back