Who actually is the 12" MacBook for?

[boltjames]

Since it's my work machine and my efficiency depends on speed, I guess I'm spoiled.

The bottom line is this, which we agree: The MacBook is not a performance monster. It might be in the future, but argument founded on conjecture is baseless and useless.

No, we do not agree.

"Performance" is entirely subjective and based upon one's own use case. For me, a typical business executive, I am web browsing, word processing, presenting Powerpoints, reading PDF's, sending email, and using Skype. Hardly requires a performance monster. That is all I have ever needed in a work machine, and the MacBook is an outstanding 'performer' for those tasks.

The 12 inch MacBook is not underpowered. The MacBook Pro is overpowered. That's the proper perspective for 95% of notebook computer owners.

BJ

 

[spriter]

I have a 2016 m5 and find it a great device, in all aspects, for my needs. I say this as an iPP 12.9 owner who tried to make the Pro as my main workhorse and also having had the 9.7 Pro as well. I'm an Office user and occasional Photoshop and Python enthusiast.

Although I could get by using a Pro with Smart keyboard and Pencil, things are just so much easier and quicker with a full blown computer. This is despite jailbreak the iPP to use the Magic Mouse. From the track pad to the OS and managing files, the iPad cannot touch the MacBook in terms of efficiency. Cloud storage certainly works but moving files between machines and people becomes a chore.

The MacBook might only have one port but it's essential. I dock to an external monitor with USB hub built in using one cable which makes things quick and easy. Other small things like typing on your lap on the go is not so easy with a Pro given the top heavy iPads and single angle keyboards. Or the unfriendly method of choosing split screen apps. Lots of small things that hinder output.

Compared to my old MBA I welcome the refinements in portability. I jumped on the first gen MBA so don't mind the lack of ports. At home I'm docked to a monitor/hub and on the go a USB stick is the most I'll need. I used to run Photoshop and office on the MBA without issue. The rMB does all this, with seemingly lots left in the tank, without making a sound. Even when outputting to a 4K external screen. Portable charging from a battery pack is a nice emergency option but as yet not required.

Perhaps the best feature is size and weight for the performance. 920 grams is exceptional given the all metal body. It weighs less than the 12.9 Pro + ASK combo (1,063 grams) although obviously not the cramped experience of the 9.7 + ASK (665 grams). It feels like a design that's going to last another 5 years easily.

So who is it for? Almost everyone... power using gamers and those who spend the day in FC should look elsewhere but you knew that already.

 

[Admiral]

I'd say mostly no, I am often even closing down the bookmarks bar in Safari to get a good view of a webpage on a 12 " screen
Except, For a basic user like me, having small apps open like reminders, notes, messages with safari, numbers or mail is handy for moving information around either cutting or pasting, or writing new notes.

F3 is your friend.

 

[Silvestru Hosszu]

Its excellent for those who travel a lot. My usage scenario is somehow similar to BJ's, I travel even more and being extremely portable is the major plus.
I don't know how well it does the heavy lifting because I have a maxed out iMac and 15'' MBP for those tasks but for word processing, pdf viewing and even editing and mail/web browsing is excellent and it is able to cover my usually very long working day (I leave home at 7 am and getting back at 8pm or later) without the need to carry the charger.

 

[Mw0103]

I'm an attorney. I use my MacBook daily as a main computer. I have a dual screen windows desktop in my office provided by the firm, but some stuff just runs better on my MacBook (in fact, there's nothing I do that the MacBook can't handle). And, of course, it is perfect for travel, as others have said. Just adding my two cents as someone who loves the MacBook and doesn't also rely on an iMac and souped up MacBook Pro to get work done.

 

[Silvestru Hosszu]

I`m an attorney also. Yes, I rely on my iMac for my photo work (enthusiast hobbyist here). Trust me, its much nicer to work with those 36mp d810 raw files on the iMac.

 

[Melrose]

I`m an attorney also. Yes, I rely on my iMac for my photo work (enthusiast hobbyist here). Trust me, its much nicer to work with those 36mp d810 raw files on the iMac.

Thank you. Apparently wanting more performance than a MacBook offers makes you wrong with some posters in here.

 

[fisherking]

Thank you. Apparently wanting more performance than a MacBook offers makes you wrong with some posters in here.

if you need serious power, and want portability (and the mac os), a pro is the only option. not sure why anyone would argue that...

 

[Melrose]

if you need serious power, and want portability (and the mac os), a pro is the only option. not sure why anyone would argue that...

We have different opinions; I know what my workload is and use my ideal machine, as do you. Let it go already.

 

[fisherking]

We have different opinions; I know what my workload is and use my ideal machine, as do you. Let it go already.

am not arguing with you, but anyone who thinks the macbook is a replacement for a pro. i love the macbook, but i have both, and use the pro for the work that requires it (logic X, final cut).

 

[Mw0103]

Thank you. Apparently wanting more performance than a MacBook offers makes you wrong with some posters in here.

No; I think this is where you got sideways with some people:

The MacBook is the fashionable one; if you're doing email, browsing, making basic changes in Preview or something, it's great. The Air and Pro are the practical ones.

You may not have intended it, but some people clearly took that statement to mean that the MacBook is not a practical choice. And saying something is not practical has the negative connotation equaling "you made a poor choice." Perhaps you meant that the MacBook is simply more attractive than the other two, even though all three are, at bottom, tools for being productive.

For me (and those with use cases like me), the MacBook is more practical than the Air or the MBP because it is noticeably lighter, has a smaller footprint, and can be used comfortably on an airline coach tray table. I retired my much-loved 13" MBA for my MacBook and note those benefits from my personal experience. And if I do need to do some light photo editing, the MacBook will do it, though, admittedly, not as smoothly or as quickly as a MBP or an iMac.

For someone with more demanding horsepower needs that outweigh the portability of the MacBook, he/she may choose the MBA (trading screen quality for price and some performance gain) or a MBP (trading price for a well-rounded package).

Too often we mistakenly think of everything as a zero-sum game (again; you may not have intended your comments to reflect that, but some regarded them as such).

 

[boltjames]

I'm an attorney. I use my MacBook daily as a main computer. I have a dual screen windows desktop in my office provided by the firm, but some stuff just runs better on my MacBook (in fact, there's nothing I do that the MacBook can't handle). And, of course, it is perfect for travel, as others have said. Just adding my two cents as someone who loves the MacBook and doesn't also rely on an iMac and souped up MacBook Pro to get work done.

People own Minivan's to transport a large family. People own SUV's for ski trips and off roading. People own pickup trucks for hauling. They all have wheels and engines, very different form factors for situational use-cases.

I'm not sure why so many people think that they only need 1 computer in their lives and why it has to be so loaded with processing power, screen size, fans, aluminum, and weighty batteries that only a fraction of the userbase actually utilizes or requires.

The 12" MacBook is your weekend Sportscar. Completely acceptable to own it in addition to your primary work computer and your primary home computer. Never had anyone make the argument that my BMW Roadster isn't as good at hauling lumber as a Ford F-150 so I don't understand why someone would tell me my Retina MacBook isn't a MacBook Pro when that's the precise reason I bought it.

BJ

 

[Mw0103]

With an iPad Pro 12.9" and the 9.7" on the market, do you guys think that Apple has made the MacBook to sit along side it and for the 2 to work well together? what are your thoughts and opinions? is the MacBook 12" too low powered or is it a nice in-between machine?

To get back to the original question: I believe the iPads and the MacBook are intended to compliment each other.

As an example: I used to carry a 14" firm-issued Dell Latitude, a yellow legal pad, and whatever file I was working on. The Latitude itself clocked in at a shoulder-breaking 4.5 lbs., and it was too tall to get a comfortable viewing angle on a plane. When given the opportunity for BYOD, I swapped the Dell for a 2013 13" MBA, which lightened my load by 1.5 lbs and left a lot more room in my bag. The MBA still didn't fit very well on an airline tray table, and I still had the legal pad and paper files.

Now, I have the MacBook, (which lightens the load another pound), and a 9.7" iPad Pro. I use the MacBook for drafting briefs and other documents, research, and other computer tasks. The iPad has replaced my legal pad and paper files, so I can take handwritten notes on it while researching on my MacBook, or while in court, or in a deposition. I can have case documents on the iPad and refer to them while drafting something on the MacBook or have them with me on the go. In that way, the iPad is my 21st century replacement for paper. But I can also research, email, and do other administrative tasks on the iPad, which, obviously, I couldn't do with a legal pad.

So I have some flexibility in that there is some overlap of abilities in the two devices, but they are also very well suited to compliment each other since they have unique strengths at the margins and allow multi-screen workflow.

And I could see adding a 12.9" iPad to the mix for added ability to have file documents, handwritten notes, and draft document in-progress all viewable at the same time on the three devices, though that is, admittedly, a little extravagant and would be a luxury. Whereas the MacBook and iPad compliment each other pretty clearly, comparing only between the 9.7" and 12.9" iPad gets a little trickier since they are both, ultimately, the same device in different sizes.

 

[SteveJUAE]

To get back to the original question: I believe the iPads and the MacBook are intended to compliment each other.

As an example: I used to carry a 14" firm-issued Dell Latitude, a yellow legal pad, and whatever file I was working on. The Latitude itself clocked in at a shoulder-breaking 4.5 lbs., and it was too tall to get a comfortable viewing angle on a plane. When given the opportunity for BYOD, I swapped the Dell for a 2013 13" MBA, which lightened my load by 1.5 lbs and left a lot more room in my bag. The MBA still didn't fit very well on an airline tray table, and I still had the legal pad and paper files.

Now, I have the MacBook, (which lightens the load another pound), and a 9.7" iPad Pro. I use the MacBook for drafting briefs and other documents, research, and other computer tasks. The iPad has replaced my legal pad and paper files, so I can take handwritten notes on it while researching on my MacBook, or while in court, or in a deposition. I can have case documents on the iPad and refer to them while drafting something on the MacBook or have them with me on the go. In that way, the iPad is my 21st century replacement for paper. But I can also research, email, and do other administrative tasks on the iPad, which, obviously, I couldn't do with a legal pad.

So I have some flexibility in that there is some overlap of abilities in the two devices, but they are also very well suited to compliment each other since they have unique strengths at the margins and allow multi-screen workflow.

And I could see adding a 12.9" iPad to the mix for added ability to have file documents, handwritten notes, and draft document in-progress all viewable at the same time on the three devices, though that is, admittedly, a little extravagant and would be a luxury. Whereas the MacBook and iPad compliment each other pretty clearly, comparing only between the 9.7" and 12.9" iPad gets a little trickier since they are both, ultimately, the same device in different sizes.

I think the complimentary for you is simply OS choice driven

For someone who seems weight and space conscious (re airplane table) a Win10 2 in 1 /tablet could have been better fit

However as I have noted previously it's far easier to be a Mac user and find use for an Ipad be it as entertainment or drawing and casual use etc.

There is no natural progression IMO for an IPad only user to go up to a Mac without significant change in OS functionality and software. An Ipad will not teach you how to use a MAC

In this respect the complimentary is one sided in favour of a Mac user IMO

 

[Mw0103]

For someone who seems weight and space conscious (re airplane table) a Win10 2 in 1 /tablet could have been better fit

I disagree. Because then for non-airplane use, one is limited to one screen with a 2-in-1. Its hard to take handwritten notes on the 2-in-1 while also typing up a document. And the ease of shuttling files between iPad and MacBook (and vise versa) with airdrop makes them compliment each other much more than an iPad would compliment a windows machine.

Besides, the question was whether the MacBook was made to work well with iPads or whether the devices are redundant. They unquestionably were made to compliment one another. And, although they have some overlapping strengths, each does something well that the other doesn't.

 

[Dave245]

I disagree. Because then for non-airplane use, one is limited to one screen with a 2-in-1. Its hard to take handwritten notes on the 2-in-1 while also typing up a document. And the ease of shuttling files between iPad and MacBook (and vise versa) with airdrop makes them compliment each other much more than an iPad would compliment a windows machine.

Besides, the question was whether the MacBook was made to work well with iPads or whether the devices are redundant. They unquestionably were made to compliment one another. And, although they have some overlapping strengths, each does something well that the other doesn't.

I do think that Apple products often compliment each other, the deeper you get into the Apple ecosystem the simpler it becomes i think, for example owning an iPhone and an iPad let's you use things like Airdrop and iCloud with apps like Photos and so on. The same can be said for the Mac, however with Apple saying that the iPad Pro can replace a laptop i think they are pushing most people (who don't need the power) towards an iPad Pro rather than a Mac. However there is then the 12" MacBook which seems to sit between the two, i think it probably comes down to the OS.

 

[SteveJUAE]

I disagree. Because then for non-airplane use, one is limited to one screen with a 2-in-1. Its hard to take handwritten notes on the 2-in-1 while also typing up a document. And the ease of shuttling files between iPad and MacBook (and vise versa) with airdrop makes them compliment each other much more than an iPad would compliment a windows machine.

Besides, the question was whether the MacBook was made to work well with iPads or whether the devices are redundant. They unquestionably were made to compliment one another. And, although they have some overlapping strengths, each does something well that the other doesn't.

Sorry your whole basis is for having 2 screen use which is not unique or a major feature that cannot be achieved by many other combinations and scenarios across all platforms

I reiterate the complimentary relationship is more one sided in favour of a Mac IMO. Built in Eco apps are more suited to doing some task that is eventually finished on your Mac in most cases and not the reverse. Mac owners find more uses for Ipads than the reverse. With a 12" MB high portability the relationship is strained further

There are always exceptions of course and scenarios we can dream up but I would say for example one of the biggest user groups of Ipads (eg Young Kids and elder generation) have no use or need for the complimentary possibilities

Apple do tend to make somethings between their devices easier or natively but most are relatively trivial and have equivalents other than call answering. If you add an IPhone into the already duo combination then the Ipad position is lessened further

Complementary is stretching it a bit IMO outside of niche cases

 

[boltjames]

Sorry your whole basis is for having 2 screen use which is not unique or a major feature that cannot be achieved by many other combinations and scenarios across all platforms

I reiterate the complimentary relationship is more one sided in favour of a Mac IMO. Built in Eco apps are more suited to doing some task that is eventually finished on your Mac in most cases and not the reverse. Mac owners find more uses for Ipads than the reverse. With a 12" MB high portability the relationship is strained further

There are always exceptions of course and scenarios we can dream up but I would say for example one of the biggest user groups of Ipads (eg Young Kids and elder generation) have no use or need for the complimentary possibilities

Apple do tend to make somethings between their devices easier or natively but most are relatively trivial and have equivalents other than call answering. If you add an IPhone into the already duo combination then the Ipad position is lessened further

Complementary is stretching it a bit IMO outside of niche cases

I think it's best to go back to Steve Jobs original explanation of the iPad's existence, that it merely is a device that is far better for photos, reading, browsing, and media viewing while disregarding the distraction of Tim Cook's recent attempt to make it into a weak notebook as a survival strategy.

When you step back from the hardcore Mac world, the biggest group of iPad users are Windows users. We use a Windows machine for work, an iPhone for text, and and iPad for play so we carry all on our business trips. So in that use case (which I believe is very popular based on what I see in airport lounges and on aircraft) having a very light 12" MacBook and a very light iPad Air becomes a great choice not because of compatibility of operating systems or ability to bridge files but because each device is best-in-class for what it's intended to be without any compromises.

The Microsoft convertibles are heavy and have lousy battery life. The iPad Pro is unwieldy and has a substandard keyboard. The 12" MacBook + iPad Air combo weighs less than a MacBook Pro, gives nearly 20 hours of battery life, has tremendous storage for media and documents, provides a full PC keyboard experience, provides a great media viewing experience, lets you use a mouse on a desk, lets you watch movies in bed. So what that it occurs on two separate devices? The experience is far better.

BJ

 

[Mw0103]

Sorry your whole basis is for having 2 screen use which is not unique or a major feature that cannot be achieved by many other combinations and scenarios across all platforms

What does your argument have to do with the original question in the OP? Are you saying someone who has an iPad doesn't have a use for a 12" MacBook. For any MacBook at all? For any computer at all? Or are you saying someone with a Mac doesn't have a use for an iPad?

Who said anything about unique? The OP said nothing about unique. I said nothing about unique. The OP asked about where the 12" MacBook fits in the lineup given the existence of the iPad Pro offerings. So I gave an example of how they fit together in my experience and workflow.

What major feature can be achieved by other combinations? What combinations? What scenarios? General rejection of the premise is unhelpful for anyone looking to this thread for answers.

I reiterate the complimentary relationship is more one sided in favour of a Mac IMO. Built in Eco apps are more suited to doing some task that is eventually finished on your Mac in most cases and not the reverse. Mac owners find more uses for Ipads than the reverse. With a 12" MB high portability the relationship is strained further

This paragraph seems contradictory. I'm not sure what an Eco app is. Regardless, you seem to be making the point initially that someone with an iPad benefits more from adding a Mac to the mix than someone who has a Mac adding an iPad (by suggesting you need a Mac to finish tasks started on an iPad). This seems to suggest that the answer to the OP is that the MacBook fits in the lineup to compliment the iPad because a Mac can do things that an iPad cannot (the OP presupposes the existence of the iPad Pro). But then you say that someone with a Mac finds more uses for an iPad than the reverse and that the portability of the 12" MacBook strains the relationship further. What do you mean? Are you saying someone with a Mac finds an iPad useful (suggesting that you agree that there are things that an iPad can do better than a Mac) but someone with an iPad won't find a Mac useful (how so if the Mac does things the iPad can't)? And how is the relationship strained by portability? Are you saying one doesn't need a lightweight portable iPad if one has a MacBook because the MacBook is also lightweight and portable? If so, what about the statement that Mac users find more use for an iPad than iPad users find for a Mac? Also, how does this answer the OP (which presupposes the existence of the iPad Pro and asks about the 12" MacBook's place in the lineup)?

There are always exceptions of course and scenarios we can dream up but I would say for example one of the biggest user groups of Ipads (eg Young Kids and elder generation) have no use or need for the complimentary possibilities

This paragraph suggests that someone with an iPad doesn't need a Mac. Is that your ultimate answer to the OP's question? But you are not saying that the 12" MacBook does nothing better than an iPad Pro, right? So the 12" MacBook does have a place in the lineup, right? And even if a majority of iPad users don't need a Mac in addition; some people benefit from using the two devices together, right?

Apple do tend to make somethings between their devices easier or natively but most are relatively trivial and have equivalents other than call answering. If you add an IPhone into the already duo combination then the Ipad position is lessened further

Complementary is stretching it a bit IMO outside of niche cases

Are you saying here that the iPad is unnecessary if you have an iPhone and a Mac? How does this answer the OP's question? In response to this, I'll say that you can't write or draw on a MacBook or an iPhone yet, so there is clearly a use for an iPad Pro in the lineup. And of course, the MacBook and iPad can't make cellular telephone calls and don't fit in pockets very well, so the iPhone has a place. Are we back to the 12" MacBook has no place in the lineup (you say "the iPad position is lessened further")? But the full OS, keyboard, and mouse/trackpad are useful to some in need of a portable workstation, right? You must agree since the premise of this paragraph is that some people have a Mac and an iPhone and thus have less need of an iPad.

So, again, I can't tell what position you are taking in response to the OP's question asking how the 12" MacBook fits into apple's product lineup in relation to the iPad Pro devices.

Given that the iPad Pro does some things the MacBook can't and that the MacBook does things that the iPad Pro can't, it seems to me that each has a place in the lineup and compliments the other for those who have need for at least some of the capabilities exclusive to each device.
[doublepost=1489593504][/doublepost]

. . . with Apple saying that the iPad Pro can replace a laptop i think they are pushing most people (who don't need the power) towards an iPad Pro rather than a Mac. However there is then the 12" MacBook which seems to sit between the two, i think it probably comes down to the OS.

I think Apple's position is actually that the iPad Pro should replace a windows laptop (those "sad" people whose primary machine is a 5+ year old windows machine they use only for email, online banking, and web browsing who Phil Schiller mentioned in the keynote--my mother and grandmother are in this category of people). If you need a file system or a mouse in Apple's world, you need a MacBook.

 

[SteveJUAE]

What does your argument have to do with the original question in the OP? Are you saying someone who has an iPad doesn't have a use for a 12" MacBook. For any MacBook at all? For any computer at all? Or are you saying someone with a Mac doesn't have a use for an iPad?

Who said anything about unique? The OP said nothing about unique. I said nothing about unique. The OP asked about where the 12" MacBook fits in the lineup given the existence of the iPad Pro offerings. So I gave an example of how they fit together in my experience and workflow.

What major feature can be achieved by other combinations? What combinations? What scenarios? General rejection of the premise is unhelpful for anyone looking to this thread for answers.



This paragraph seems contradictory. I'm not sure what an Eco app is. Regardless, you seem to be making the point initially that someone with an iPad benefits more from adding a Mac to the mix than someone who has a Mac adding an iPad (by suggesting you need a Mac to finish tasks started on an iPad). This seems to suggest that the answer to the OP is that the MacBook fits in the lineup to compliment the iPad because a Mac can do things that an iPad cannot (the OP presupposes the existence of the iPad Pro). But then you say that someone with a Mac finds more uses for an iPad than the reverse and that the portability of the 12" MacBook strains the relationship further. What do you mean? Are you saying someone with a Mac finds an iPad useful (suggesting that you agree that there are things that an iPad can do better than a Mac) but someone with an iPad won't find a Mac useful (how so if the Mac does things the iPad can't)? And how is the relationship strained by portability? Are you saying one doesn't need a lightweight portable iPad if one has a MacBook because the MacBook is also lightweight and portable? If so, what about the statement that Mac users find more use for an iPad than iPad users find for a Mac? Also, how does this answer the OP (which presupposes the existence of the iPad Pro and asks about the 12" MacBook's place in the lineup)?



This paragraph suggests that someone with an iPad doesn't need a Mac. Is that your ultimate answer to the OP's question? But you are not saying that the 12" MacBook does nothing better than an iPad Pro, right? So the 12" MacBook does have a place in the lineup, right? And even if a majority of iPad users don't need a Mac in addition; some people benefit from using the two devices together, right?



Are you saying here that the iPad is unnecessary if you have an iPhone and a Mac? How does this answer the OP's question? In response to this, I'll say that you can't write or draw on a MacBook or an iPhone yet, so there is clearly a use for an iPad Pro in the lineup. And of course, the MacBook and iPad can't make cellular telephone calls and don't fit in pockets very well, so the iPhone has a place. Are we back to the 12" MacBook has no place in the lineup (you say "the iPad position is lessened further")? But the full OS, keyboard, and mouse/trackpad are useful to some in need of a portable workstation, right? You must agree since the premise of this paragraph is that some people have a Mac and an iPhone and thus have less need of an iPad.

So, again, I can't tell what position you are taking in response to the OP's question asking how the 12" MacBook fits into apple's product lineup in relation to the iPad Pro devices.

Given that the iPad Pro does some things the MacBook can't and that the MacBook does things that the iPad Pro can't, it seems to me that each has a place in the lineup and compliments the other for those who have need for at least some of the capabilities exclusive to each device.

Sorry I don't think we are gaining anything out of this exchange, my applos if you found it confusing and did not understand

 

[boltjames]

I think Apple's position is actually that the iPad Pro should replace a windows laptop (those "sad" people whose primary machine is a 5+ year old windows machine they use only for email, online banking, and web browsing who Phil Schiller mentioned in the keynote--my mother and grandmother are in this category of people). If you need a file system or a mouse in Apple's world, you need a MacBook.

I feel sorry for Apple if they view the iPad Pro as a Windows notebook replacement, it's of no use to us.

Where Apple is sitting on a goldmine that eventually they'll realize and tap into is the 12" MacBook as a great Windows 10 machine, I use mine that way exclusively. All they have to do is install Windows on it natively, slap a "MacBook For Windows" sticker on the box, and welcome millions of Microsoft users into their friendly stores to experience the legendary customer service and high build quality Windows hardware lacks.

If you need a file system or a mouse in Microsoft's world, you can use a MacBook. More should.

BJ

 

[Dave245]

I feel sorry for Apple if they view the iPad Pro as a Windows notebook replacement, it's of no use to us.

Where Apple is sitting on a goldmine that eventually they'll realize and tap into is the 12" MacBook as a great Windows 10 machine, I use mine that way exclusively. All they have to do is install Windows on it natively, slap a "MacBook For Windows" sticker on the box, and welcome millions of Microsoft users into their friendly stores to experience the legendary customer service and high build quality Windows hardware lacks.

If you need a file system or a mouse in Microsoft's world, you can use a MacBook. More should.

BJ

I'm not a fan of Windows and I'm deep in the Apple ecosystem, I have an iPad Pro, iPhone, iMac, MacBook Pro and Apple Watch so everything I use is Apple oriented. But with my devices getting old (MacBook Pro 2011 15" and iMac 2012) I thought about replacing the MacBook Pro with the 12" hence why I set up this thread, that and I want to hear people's experience's it helps when deciding what to do.

 

[boltjames]

I'm not a fan of Windows and I'm deep in the Apple ecosystem, I have an iPad Pro, iPhone, iMac, MacBook Pro and Apple Watch so everything I use is Apple oriented. But with my devices getting old (MacBook Pro 2011 15" and iMac 2012) I thought about replacing the MacBook Pro with the 12" hence why I set up this thread, that and I want to hear people's experience's it helps when deciding what to do.

That's great, and you've gotten a lot of feedback, from myself as well as others. From the uses you describe as your day-to-day, sounds like the 12" is a great choice based on portability.

So what do you intend to do?

BJ

 

[Dave245]

That's great, and you've gotten a lot of feedback, from myself as well as others. From the uses you describe as your day-to-day, sounds like the 12" is a great choice based on portability.

So what do you intend to do?

BJ

I have indeed it's been great feedback, based on what I've heard I'm going to go test out the 12" MacBook when I go to the Apple Store in early April, if I like the keyboard and the screen size I'm going to purchase one for taking with me on trips and to my writing partners when we have a writing session.

 

[boltjames]

I have indeed it's been great feedback, based on what I've heard I'm going to go test out the 12" MacBook when I go to the Apple Store in early April, if I like the keyboard and the screen size I'm going to purchase one for taking with me on trips and to my writing partners when we have a writing session.

Great choice, hope it works out for you. Portability is it's reason for being. When I put it in my backpack or messenger bag, I swear, I often think it's not there, have to look inside and double-check to make sure I didn't forget it.

The other takeaway that some struggle with is that there isn't a need to have 1 notebook computer to do everything anymore. It's perfectly fine to have a workhorse older MacBook Pro for the times you have to have the horsepower and a newer 12" MacBook when you'd rather travel with something light for tasks that aren't so labor intensive. I struggled with the one-notebook-solution for a long time and then realized I could have a heavy machine at work and a 12" MacBook in a drawer for those 100 days a year I need it when traveling.

BJ