Who actually is the 12" MacBook for?

[AxiomaticRubric]

Does anyone have any problems with getting their Apple Watch to unlock the MacBook? Mine only works around 50% of the time. When it doesn't work it says "enter password to enable Apple Watch to unlock this MacBook".

If you leave your Mac unattended past a certain set amount of time, you have to use your password to unlock it. My guess is that it may have something to do with the T1 / T2 Secure Enclave chips Apple is using in newer Macs. But it's definitely a security feature even if it can be annoying sometimes.

Anyway back on topic.... I'm interested to see if the next MacBook arrives this year. If so I'm wondering if it could fully replace an iPad, since many iPad apps will be ported over to macOS this Fall.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

@Dave245 given yesterdays news, I truly believe that you made the right decision to go for the MacBook Pro.

 

[Elwe]

Yeah—I guess the answer turned out to be “not enough people to keep around”. I find it a little sad because regardless of size, I like silent personal computers. Maybe an ARM laptop will still come one day that allows for this, but right now it does appear that iPadOS with modern iPads are Apples answer for this (relatively small) market.

 

[Dave245]

@Dave245 given yesterdays news, I truly believe that you made the right decision to go for the MacBook Pro.

I think so as well, I couldn't keep waiting and so I brought the MacBook Pro 2019. I have to say that so far I'm really happy with, especially after the failed experiment that was a Surface Pro 6. I think this 13" MacBook Pro will serve me well for a few years at least.

 

[KPOM]

I think so as well, I couldn't keep waiting and so I brought the MacBook Pro 2019. I have to say that so far I'm really happy with, especially after the failed experiment that was a Surface Pro 6. I think this 13" MacBook Pro will serve me well for a few years at least.

The new MacBook Pro is really nice. Now that the MacBook is gone, the 1.4GHz MacBook Pro is the one I’d recommend to most people. If you are going to carry around a 3lb notebook, the Pro gets you much more power for only $200 more than the Air.

 

[Elwe]

The new MacBook Pro is really nice. Now that the MacBook is gone, the 1.4GHz MacBook Pro is the one I’d recommend to most people. If you are going to carry around a 3lb notebook, the Pro gets you much more power for only $200 more than the Air.

Maybe. Just have to understand the person’s likely needs. That is an initial (before tax and AppleCare) 18% added cost. If the person has an added $200 and that is about it, the 256GB storage may be a better bet for many. I’ve long wondered what the breakdown of storage purchase and usage is for most people. Even without lots of media or VMs or many other things, do 50% find 128GB enough? The OS, a handful of apps, and some docs and PDFs? Ample usage of cloud storage? When in 2015, Apple introduced the 12” MacBook with 256GB, I thought that would be the floor from then out. Nope. MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini—all start with 128GB in 2019. I wonder if all these models have half or more salsa at that baseline storage amount.

 

[glhiii]

The MacBook is the most beautiful computer ever made. It's no coincidence that it is discontinued the same month that Ives leaves Apple.

 

[EugW]

Regarding screen space...

I somehow find it amusing that a 12" MacBook paired with a 11" iPad Pro as an external screen using Sidecar, weighs a total of 3.06 lbs, or just 11% heavier than a MacBook Air.

 

[psych.professor]

Maybe. Just have to understand the person’s likely needs. That is an initial (before tax and AppleCare) 18% added cost. If the person has an added $200 and that is about it, the 256GB storage may be a better bet for many. I’ve long wondered what the breakdown of storage purchase and usage is for most people. Even without lots of media or VMs or many other things, do 50% find 128GB enough? The OS, a handful of apps, and some docs and PDFs? Ample usage of cloud storage? When in 2015, Apple introduced the 12” MacBook with 256GB, I thought that would be the floor from then out. Nope. MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini—all start with 128GB in 2019. I wonder if all these models have half or more salsa at that baseline storage amount.

With Dropbox's Smart Sync, I'm down to using about 100 GB of hard drive space. Still, I don't think I would want to go less than 256 personally. I like having the option to carry a few more files, a big video, etc.

 

[AVBeatMan]

With Dropbox's Smart Sync, I'm down to using about 100 GB of hard drive space. Still, I don't think I would want to go less than 256 personally. I like having the option to carry a few more files, a big video, etc.

I’ve looked at using Dropbox but isn’t it expensive?

 

[KPOM]

Regarding screen space...

I somehow find it amusing that a 12" MacBook paired with a 11" iPad Pro as an external screen using Sidecar, weighs a total of 3.06 lbs, or just 11% heavier than a MacBook Air.

With an iPad mini it’s actually almost exactly the same weight. 2.72 lbs vs 2.75.
[doublepost=1563052510][/doublepost]

Maybe. Just have to understand the person’s likely needs. That is an initial (before tax and AppleCare) 18% added cost. If the person has an added $200 and that is about it, the 256GB storage may be a better bet for many. I’ve long wondered what the breakdown of storage purchase and usage is for most people. Even without lots of media or VMs or many other things, do 50% find 128GB enough? The OS, a handful of apps, and some docs and PDFs? Ample usage of cloud storage? When in 2015, Apple introduced the 12” MacBook with 256GB, I thought that would be the floor from then out. Nope. MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini—all start with 128GB in 2019. I wonder if all these models have half or more salsa at that baseline storage amount.

Apple should have released a 128GB MacBook for $1099 last year, or kept a single 12” model with the m3 for $999 this year. There is really not much an Air can do that the MacBook couldn’t, except connect to Thunderbolt devices. But if someone needs Thunderbolt chances are the 13” base Pro is a much better value.

 

[psych.professor]

I’ve looked at using Dropbox but isn’t it expensive?

Yeah, and they're going up to $129 per year next year. It's the center of my personal and work life though, so I spring for it. I also share a lot of folders with committees and work groups, and it works well for that. We have OneDrive for free, but IT has it locked down so you can't share anything outside the college.

 

[Boardiesboi]

There is really not much an Air can do that the MacBook couldn’t, except connect to Thunderbolt devices.

I was wondering about that about the 12" MP - It has USB-C but no thunderbolt - What do people use thunderbolt for (that USB-C can't do)?

 

[KPOM]

I was wondering about that about the 12" MP - It has USB-C but no thunderbolt - What do people use thunderbolt for (that USB-C can't do)?

Other than connect to a Thunderbolt Display (most 5K and up screens are Thunderbolt), not much that would potentially be relevant to the average buyer of a MacBook or Air. Sure, you theoretically could connect to an external GPU or a super fast external backup drive, but those buyers are probably in the market for the 13” MacBook Pro.

 

[EugW]

I was wondering about that about the 12" MP - It has USB-C but no thunderbolt - What do people use thunderbolt for (that USB-C can't do)?

Other than connect to a Thunderbolt Display (most 5K and up screens are Thunderbolt), not much that would potentially be relevant to the average buyer of a MacBook or Air. Sure, you theoretically could connect to an external GPU or a super fast external backup drive, but those buyers are probably in the market for the 13” MacBook Pro.

USB-C currently can only do 4Kp30 with USB 3 simultaneously, or else 4Kp60 with USB 2 simultaneously. It cannot do 4Kp60 with USB 3 simultaneously. This is a pretty big limitation for some people.

 

[Elwe]

USB-C currently can only do 4Kp30 with USB 3 simultaneously, or else 4Kp60 with USB 2 simultaneously. It cannot do 4Kp60 with USB 3 simultaneously. This is a pretty big limitation for some people.

Yeah. I use one (2017 MacBook with 16gb ram) as a daily driver. It is not my only system, though. I use a dock with it sometimes, and you can really tell the difference then if you really use multiple downstream connections at the same time. I use a 1440p 60hz monitor, a fast USB3 external ssd, a 1080p webcam (the included 480p one does suck a bit), and a couple USB2.0 peripherals. Sometimes wired gig Ethernet. I can definitely tell there is saturation at times, but generally it works fine. TB3 would have been great, but Intel is kids now building it into cpus. And Apple clearly did not want to spend the batter space and power budget in this smaller form factor. Same with then iPads Pro, I guess.

 

[EugW]

Yeah. I use one (2017 MacBook with 16gb ram) as a daily driver. It is not my only system, though. I use a dock with it sometimes, and you can really tell the difference then if you really use multiple downstream connections at the same time. I use a 1440p 60hz monitor, a fast USB3 external ssd, a 1080p webcam (the included 480p one does suck a bit), and a couple USB2.0 peripherals. Sometimes wired gig Ethernet. I can definitely tell there is saturation at times, but generally it works fine. TB3 would have been great, but Intel is kids now building it into cpus. And Apple clearly did not want to spend the batter space and power budget in this smaller form factor. Same with then iPads Pro, I guess.

1440p60 with USB 3 works just fine.

However, 4K 2160p60 with USB 3 is simply not supported. As in you can never get USB 3 speeds if you want a 4Kp60 screen plugged in at the same time, not even with just a single USB 3 drive. Such USB-C hubs don't even exist, because it can't work.

You'll see USB-C hubs out there that indicate they are 4K compatible with USB 3. However, what they put in the fine print is that they only support up to 4Kp30. (So yeah, 1440p60 is fine.)

OTOH, there are a few USB-C hubs out there that are 4Kp60 compatible with USB, but what you'll see in the fine print is that they only support USB 2.

If you buy a 4K screen to use with your MacBook 12", you definitely don't want to limit it to 30 Hz. But if you want to connect a USB 3 drive in that setup, you actually have to unplug the 4K screen to get USB 3 speeds. Obviously, that is not an ideal setup.

In my case it doesn't matter, because like for you, the MacBook is not my primary machine. I have a dual 27" iMac setup with both Thunderbolt and USB-C support. The only time I need to connect 4Kp60 screens is for presentations, and most of the time there even just 1080p is fine.

 

[AVBeatMan]

Hi folks. Can anyone help me fix this? I get the message “cannot send message using the server hotmail.co.uk”. It happens when I try to send a message with my “me.com” Apple email. It sure why it says the hotmail server as I can send mail with this account no problem? See the pic and thanks.

 

[Elwe]

Hi folks. Can anyone help me fix this? I get the message “cannot send message using the server hotmail.co.uk”. It happens when I try to send a message with my “me.com” Apple email. It sure why it says the hotmail server as I can send mail with this account no problem? See the pic and thanks.

Not sure this is the exact best place to ask for assistance with this particular issue, nor do I know you have given us enough information (I would want to see your configuration settings, if I was investigating this). But am initial guess is that you are using incorrect credential, and/or sending through a mail that strictly requires from: to be something specific. Are you trying to use a hotmail relay a from: based mail message? Do you have both a hotmail and me address setup, and your default account is Hotmail—and your me@ configuration is using Hotmail’s gateway?

 

[AVBeatMan]

Not sure this is the exact best place to ask for assistance with this particular issue, nor do I know you have given us enough information (I would want to see your configuration settings, if I was investigating this). But am initial guess is that you are using incorrect credential, and/or sending through a mail that strictly requires from: to be something specific. Are you trying to use a hotmail relay a from: based mail message? Do you have both a hotmail and me address setup, and your default account is Hotmail—and your me@ configuration is using Hotmail’s gateway?

I have both hotmail and an Apple email (me.com) set up. The Apple email does work around 75% of the time but when I get the message I posted I can't get rid of it. I might give Apple a call tomorrow. Thanks.

 

[subjonas]

I’ve always been enamored by the MacBook since its introduction. It’s beautiful, silent, and the most portable Mac ever. Simply ideal for writing and light work on the go. Unfortunately, I also needed pen input for drawing, so that portable need was instead filled by a 12.9 iPad Pro, Pencil, and Smart Keyboard. It’s a great device in itself but I often long for the clamshell form factor, better keyboard, trackpad, and macOS.