Who actually is the 12" MacBook for?

[newellj]

That’s a good point. Perhaps there more microscopic deformation in the Pros due to their much higher heat generation

Or the heat affects the springs in the mechanism?

Or it isn't actually a real difference, just an anomaly in user postings?

But if I were betting, I'd bet that heat is a factor.

Hard to be sure. Apple knows - they just aren't telling us.

 

[Dave245]

Or the heat affects the springs in the mechanism?

Or it isn't actually a real difference, just an anomaly in user postings?

But if I were betting, I'd bet that heat is a factor.

Hard to be sure. Apple knows - they just aren't telling us.

Hopefully Apple have new Mac’s coming that fix these issues. Fingers crossed there will be updates at WWDC.

 

[KPOM]

I’m due to pick one of these up tomorrow. Is now not a good time to buy? Are there any planned updates? I’m in the UK and a store over here (John Lewis) is offering 24 months interest free.

Also, is it worth doubling the memory from 256 to 512 for an extra £300?

Normally I’d say wait until WWDC. However, Intel hasn’t released any updates to the processors that would go into the MacBook since late 2016 (that’s the chip that’s in the 2017 MacBook). If they update the MacBook it might not be until later in the year.

 

[EugW]

Normally I’d say wait until WWDC. However, Intel hasn’t released any updates to the processors that would go into the MacBook since late 2016 (that’s the chip that’s in the 2017 MacBook). If they update the MacBook it might not be until later in the year.

And the rumours may point to later this year too for the MacBook. However, it's always possible Apple could release a new model (eg. 13") now with the same existing CPUs. Or else release an ARM version.

 

[AVBeatMan]

First full day with the 12" MacBook. I love this thing! Great to type on, great to look at, great to hold. It's the perfect machine. Bought this today. I have the same sleeve on my MBP.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0716967S2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Is there any advice about the battery? As I type this it's down to 27%. I don't think Apple advise letting the battery drop to 0% but what's the best advice on this?

 

[EugW]

First full day with the 12" MacBook. I love this thing! Great to type on, great to look at, great to hold. It's the perfect machine. Bought this today. I have the same sleeve on my MBP.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0716967S2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Is there any advice about the battery? As I type this it's down to 27%. I don't think Apple advise letting the battery drop to 0% but what's the best advice on this?

Apple appears to build in a battery charge cushion but nonetheless you’re not supposed to discharge Li based batteries to zero repeatedly.

https://www.apple.com/ca/batteries/maximizing-performance/

 

[Mathias Denichi]

Normally I’d say wait until WWDC. However, Intel hasn’t released any updates to the processors that would go into the MacBook since late 2016 (that’s the chip that’s in the 2017 MacBook). If they update the MacBook it might not be until later in the year.

I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t be able to put the fanless i5 7300/8300 U processor in there if the surface pro can do it. They could put an m3 in the smaller 12”, and make a fanless 13” macbook to replace the no touch bar MacBook Pro.

 

[bluecoast]

I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t be able to put the fanless i5 7300/8300 U processor in there if the surface pro can do it. They could put an m3 in the smaller 12”, and make a fanless 13” macbook to replace the no touch bar MacBook Pro.

I think you’ve called it correctly.

 

[N0na]

I honestly don't know whom this fashion accessory pretending to be a computer is supposed to be for -- maybe Elle Woods types who absolutely have to have an entirely matching Apple ecosystem in rose gold? If you ask me, the MacBook is a downgrade from the MacBook Air, despite the retina display. I mean, it's essentially just an iPad with a keyboard instead of a touchscreen (it has only one port for a USB-C power adapter, FFS).
[doublepost=1527326446][/doublepost]

I'm a high-powered New York executive that commutes by train to Manhattan and travels to Asia and Europe 5x a year and does domestic US travel 10x a year. And for those 75 days I'm away from home I don't want to carry a big, heavy notebook with me.

It must be nice having a disposable income so you can afford the luxury of owning a different Mac for every occasion. Personally, I'd rather just invest in a MacBook Pro that I know I can depend on for all my needs. The 13-inch model is still reasonably portable.

 

[Mathias Denichi]

I'm a high-powered New York executive that commutes by train to Manhattan and travels to Asia and Europe 5x a year and does domestic US travel 10x a year. And for those 75 days I'm away from home I don't want to carry a big, heavy notebook with me. On the road, in the business class lounge, at 30,000 feet, I don't need a lot of horsepower. I need to check email, run Powerpoint, read PDF's, run a few basic spreadsheets, Skype into meetings, the usual EVP stuff.

The 12" RMB is so thin and light and has such amazing battery life I can charge it up overnight, put it in my backpack, and literally forget its even there. And I can run presentations and take notes as I hop from appointment to appointment without having to bring the power adapter with me, the battery truly lasts all day.

My RMB sits in a drawer 200 days a year, but on those 165 days I need it it's a world-class solution for business travel. And combined with my iPad Air 2 I can board a plane with a whopping 20 hours of battery life, 100+ movies and TV shows, and those two devices combined weigh less than one of those Microsoft 2-in-1's and the MacBook Pro with no compromises to the tablet or the full-keyboard or media capacity.

So....you ask me....the target audience for the 12" MacBook is someone who travels a lot, or commutes by train every day, or is a student on a vast campus. It's not for the power user, not for a graphic artist or an HD movie compiler. It's a very portable notebook for a very portable audience.

BJ

Now that’s some good copy pasta. I think it’s also for the person that wants an iPad , but wants to run everything that a full featured Os, like Mac OS, can do.

I think the iPad Pro and the MacBook will converge into a newly made 2 in 1 with a specific iOS feature branch that separates itself even more from the iOS we know on an iPhone X or iPad. That will be the device that interests me most, but I’ll also take a 13” MacBook.

 

[newellj]

I honestly don't know whom this fashion accessory pretending to be a computer is supposed to be for -- maybe Elle Woods types who absolutely have to have an entirely matching Apple ecosystem in rose gold? If you ask me, the MacBook is a downgrade from the MacBook Air, despite the retina display. I mean, it's essentially just an iPad with a keyboard instead of a touchscreen (it has only one port for a USB-C power adapter, FFS).

Downgrade depends on what the task is. Saying the the 12" rMB is "just an iPad with a keyboard" is not necessarily a bad thing, especially since it runs Mac OS rather than iOS. In fact, the rMB I'm currently still evaluating replaced an iPad Pro 10.5" with ASK and Pencil. It does what I need far, far better, weighs only a little more and is roughly the same size.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

I honestly don't know whom this fashion accessory pretending to be a computer is supposed to be for -- maybe Elle Woods types who absolutely have to have an entirely matching Apple ecosystem in rose gold? If you ask me, the MacBook is a downgrade from the MacBook Air, despite the retina display. I mean, it's essentially just an iPad with a keyboard instead of a touchscreen (it has only one port for a USB-C power adapter, FFS).
[doublepost=1527326446][/doublepost]

It must be nice having a disposable income so you can afford the luxury of owning a different Mac for every occasion. Personally, I'd rather just invest in a MacBook Pro that I know I can depend on for all my needs. The 13-inch model is still reasonably portable.

Have you owned one? I run my own sports marketing business and I use the MacBook Retina 24/7 365. I've been using Macs since 1995 and to me, the MacBook is the best Mac of all time. I make a great living, travelling the world, surfing, representing athletes from this little beauty!!! I'm not stuck in a dull, grey office for 8 hours a day tied to a desktop. I'm in bars, in the gym, anywhere with a WiFi connection! I'm being creative by being inspired! Try doing that in a corporate office surrounded by dull people that you really don't want to be with!

The MacBook Air is a true disgrace. I mean, just look at the ugly dated thing. HUGE bezels, silver around the screen - it's year 2000!

I edit 4K 60fps in Final Cut Pro X and the MacBook i5 is a beauty.
It's truly wrong to criticise the MacBook when you haven't lived with it.
Yes, it's chic, it's elegant but it's also a true Mac.
It's my business in one tiny box. It's my central media hub from iTunes & Apple Photos which streams to my Apple TV 4K and syncs to my iPhone X & SE.
Who cares if it has one port? Not me.
If it's not for you - move on. It's like criticising a Porsche Boxster S or Ferrari because it isn't as practical as an ugly SUV!
Seriously!

 

[Dave245]

Have you owned one? I run my own sports marketing business and I use the MacBook Retina 24/7 365. I've been using Macs since 1995 and to me, the MacBook is the best Mac of all time. I make a great living, travelling the world, surfing, representing athletes from this little beauty!!! I'm not stuck in a dull, grey office for 8 hours a day tied to a desktop. I'm in bars, in the gym, anywhere with a WiFi connection! I'm being creative by being inspired! Try doing that in a corporate office surrounded by dull people that you really don't want to be with!

The MacBook Air is a true disgrace. I mean, just look at the ugly dated thing. HUGE bezels, silver around the screen - it's year 2000!

I edit 4K 60fps in Final Cut Pro X and the MacBook i5 is a beauty.
It's truly wrong to criticise the MacBook when you haven't lived with it.
Yes, it's chic, it's elegant but it's also a true Mac. Who cares if it has one port? Not me. If it's not for you - move on. It's like criticising a Porsche Boxster S or Ferrari because it isn't as practical as an ugly SUV!
Seriously!

Well said my friend, I don’t own one yet but I’m planning on buying one at the next update which is hopefully going to be at WWDC.

 

[EugW]

Well said my friend, I don’t own one yet but I’m planning on buying one at the next update which is hopefully going to be at WWDC.

Unlikely but we can always hope.

 

[clarencek]

I can’t wait for the reveal that this has been a troll job the whole time... You know how you know somebody is a high-powered executive? They tell you...

Yea - lol a “high powered exec” that has to schlep on a commuter train like everyone else - carrying a backpack.
Lol!

The “execs” I work with don’t take public transportation carrying a backpack.

 

[Dave245]

Unlikely but we can always hope.

Yea, I’m kind of stuck in limbo really because if they don’t update the MacBook at WWDC are they likely to do it at all this year? If not do I then buy one of the current ones which makes it last years model when at some point they will be updating them? (possibly early next year). The iPad Pro is probably going to be updated at WWDC but not sure about the MacBook or MacBook Pro.

 

[N0na]

Have you owned one?

I have no desire to drop $1,300-$1,600 on a computer that lacks even the basic ports one would reasonably expect in any laptop -- not to mention the additional cost of all the dongles I'd have no choice but to buy.

Who cares if it has one port?

I do, and I'm far from alone. If it weren't for the lack of such a requisite feature, which renders the device useless as far as I'm concerned, I might actually be interested in owning a MacBook.

The MacBook Air is a true disgrace. I mean, just look at the ugly dated thing. HUGE bezels, silver around the screen - it's year 2000!

The MacBook Air is definitely in desperate need of a long-overdue upgrade. That's why it's a "true disgrace" that the MacBook is a downgrade in terms of functionality.

Look, sorry if you were offended by my criticism of the MacBook, but I simply fail to see its value other than looks, which you've basically admitted is the reason why you like it so much.

 

[EugW]

The MacBook is currently my favourite Mac form factor. But yes, it needs another USB-C port. Remove the headphone jack if you must Apple, but it would benefit from that second USB-C port.

The MacBook Air should just be discontinued.

 

[N0na]

The MacBook is currently my favourite Mac form factor. But yes, it needs another USB-C port. Remove the headphone jack if you must Apple, but it would benefit from that second USB-C port.

Like I said, it's essentially just a fashion accessory.

 

[EugW]

Like I said, it's essentially just a fashion accessory.

You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, sorry.

The form factor is what makes the machine. It's not about aesthetics, it's about portability and functionality. BTW, I went from a 13" MacBook Pro to the 12" MacBook, and the 12" MacBook is much, much more pleasant to use in small spaces, such as on small desks or on the plane. Plus its very low weight and small size may it much more pleasant to carry around. It's less awkward to carry around than an iPad with external foldable keyboard (I have both), and it's way more functional for productivity.

 

[LizKat]

The MacBook is currently my favourite Mac form factor. But yes, it needs another USB-C port. Remove the headphone jack if you must Apple, but it would benefit from that second USB-C port.

The MacBook Air should just be discontinued.

I was a huge fan of the sturdy 12" G4 Powerbooks and despite my current and lingering fondness for my (Apple-refurbished in 2016) mid-2012 MBP, could easily go for the MacBook in future if they'd add another USB-C port. I'd prefer they left the headphone jack in for a few more iterations but its omission would bother me less in a laptop than it does in a smartphone. I am not a fan of wireless earbuds yet, and with laptops I'm more likely to use bluetooth streaming to small nearby bt speaker anyway. A 2nd port on a Macbook would let me charge and use wired earbuds with a dongle adapter. I can live with that in my living room. On the go with a smartphone I'd be unhappy which is why I hang onto my SE and may eventually revert to a flip phone. Once in awhile Apple gets too far out in front of the curve for me on hardware minimization. The headphone jack is one of those gigs for me.

So, I hope Apple will keep on keeping options open for those who still see a need for headphone jacks or at least extra USB-C ports for peripherals like headphones or optical drives. At least that way they still get to sell me a laptop even if after my SE dies I end up using some ol' no-name brand cellphone with a headphone jack and room for some music files on it.

 

[N0na]

You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, sorry.

The form factor is what makes the machine. It's not about aesthetics, it's about portability and functionality. BTW, I went from a 13" MacBook Pro to the 12" MacBook, and the 12" MacBook is much, much more pleasant to use in small spaces, such as on small desks or on the plane. Plus its very low weight and small size may it much more pleasant to carry around. It's less awkward to carry around than an iPad with external foldable keyboard (I have both), and it's way more functional for productivity.

Uh-huh. So what color did you get it in? Let me guess: rose gold?

 

[EugW]

I was a huge fan of the sturdy 12" G4 Powerbooks and despite my current and lingering fondness for my (Apple-refurbished in 2016) mid-2012 MBP, could easily go for the MacBook in future if they'd add another USB-C port. I'd prefer they left the headphone jack in for a few more iterations but its omission would bother me less in a laptop than it does in a smartphone. I am not a fan of wireless earbuds yet, and with laptops I'm more likely to use bluetooth streaming to small nearby bt speaker anyway. A 2nd port on a Macbook would let me charge and use wired earbuds with a dongle adapter. I can live with that in my living room. On the go with a smartphone I'd be unhappy which is why I hang onto my SE and may eventually revert to a flip phone. Once in awhile Apple gets too far out in front of the curve for me on hardware minimization. The headphone jack is one of those gigs for me.

So, I hope Apple will keep on keeping options open for those who still see a need for headphone jacks or at least extra USB-C ports for peripherals like headphones or optical drives. At least that way they still get to sell me a laptop even if after my SE dies I end up using some ol' no-name brand cellphone with a headphone jack and room for some music files on it.

Thing is, you can use a dongle to convert a USB-C port to a headphone jack, but you can't use a dongle to convert a headphone jack to a USB-port. And the AirPods are great, just a little pricey. And if you're in places like the US and Canada and a student of teacher, the back to school sale last year for the MacBook included wireless headphones. (I wouldn't want to carry those beats headphones around though either.)

Having 2 USB-C ports and a headphone jack would be best, but if Apple is adamant that only two ports should be there, they both should be USB-C.

Truthfully, I don't need two ports often, and I can work around it with a dongle that allows me to charge the MacBook while using a USB device, but it would be nicer to have the convenience of the extra port built-in for charging.

Uh-huh. So what color did you get it in? Let me guess: rose gold?

Sorry, you're just making yourself look foolish yet again.

If you must know though, it's silver, just like my MacBook Pro. Not that it matters.

 

[Dave245]

Uh-huh. So what color did you get it in? Let me guess: rose gold?

What does the colour have to do with anything? I have to say you are really making yourself look silly, the MacBook isn’t a fashion accessory it’s a very portable and very capable small laptop.

 

[N0na]

Sorry, you're just making yourself look foolish yet again.

Why are you being so rude? All I did was call the MacBook a fashion accessory, and you're making it personal by insulting me. If you disagree with my opinion, fine. You're entitled to your own opinion.