I like the 12 inch rMB but its a wee bit small. It doesnt look like they want to give the air line a high resolution display but would they consider a rMB big brother. a 14 inch with edge to edge glass and high resolution display with the space gray available. would anyone be interested in that.
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Would you buy a 14 inch MacBook?
- Thread starter wetcanvas
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If they gave the Air the retina treatment, no one would buy a MacBook. I still don't get the MB line. I mean it's pretty but I would have went with a bezel-less Air.
The RMB is all about portability which apparently doesn't matter to you and is why you don't get it. The Air is thick and heavy, is not right for our needs as we travel through airports, backpack on large campuses, commute daily by train.
I think I speak for most RMB owners when I say we would gladly take a 14" model as long as the weight and thickness does not increase.
BJ
No matter what comes out it seems like a vast majority here either want something different or are waiting for the next release, then when it does come out they just complain........then wait for the next release all over again. 
Me, I have a late 2015 iMac 27" retina & 2016 MacBook.........I'm a very happy camper with both and desire nothing else at this point.
Completely disagree...
Me, I have a late 2015 iMac 27" retina & 2016 MacBook.........I'm a very happy camper with both and desire nothing else at this point.
Completely disagree...
You just contradicted yourself and agreed with me. If they made the Air bezel-less and a bit lighter it would be the same weight as the MacBook. There's nothing to disagree with, Apple just hasn't touched the Air for obvious reasons. If you care so much about portability then 14" is too big. What you're saying doesn't make sense. For portability, 12 inches is great not 14.
Boltjames.. it's more fruitful to stick to the discussion at hand rather than making comments like "The RMB is all about portability which apparently doesn't matter to you and is why you don't get it". There's just no need to make assumptions which in this case (and most times) is not true. We're discussing opinions on tech - no need for that stuff.
No matter what comes out it seems like a vast majority here either want something different or are waiting for the next release, then when it does come out they just complain........then wait for the next release all over again.
Exactly
I always surprised by the amount of bleating, What do Apple users expect from a company that produces only 3 or 4 footprints of which some are 3-8 years old that are focused on form at a premium price.
They want everything that Apple is or was but with the array of options or permutations offered globally in the windows world, but almost on a bespoke basis. Accept what Apple is or move on
The unique/boutique model of Apple that appealed to many has been declining since Apple is more of a phone/mobile company than a computer, brand loyalty is not always rewarded how you may think or like unfortunately.
I stopped buying the MBA in 2012 after owning 4 of them, my sons stopped wanting the 13" MBP and have not had a new one for over 3 years, my eldest has my old 2015 rMB and my middle son as of today got a SP4 and his MBP is just a side laptop for occasional synch use, only my youngest still has a 15" MBP, none of them really use there Ipads all use IPhone (latest models) still. My wife hated her MBP after owning 11" MBA's, she now has a rMB 2015 running bootcamp. None of them want a 14" footprint even if it was light.
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I contradicted nothing and disagree with you completely.
I said that owners "would gladly take a 14" model as long as the weight and thickness does not increase" and you left out the thickness part of the equation. Typical user, typical business or casual backpack, plenty of room for a notebook to grow a bit north and south for a larger screen, makes no difference. But thickness and weight are huge detriments, no RMB user will want to accept a thicker and heavier machine just to get a bigger screen.
The Air is an archaic design from 10 years ago and is too thick for the RMB users needs. We don't want ports we don't use, we don't want processing power we don't use, we don't want fans that those processors bring, we don't want noise that the fans bring, we don't want awkward chicklet keyboards, we don't want batteries compromised by all of the above.
So, again, if Apple could figure out a way to keep the weight and thickness the same and just make a larger screen version that would be very appealing to many RMB owners.
Savvy?
BJ
My 2 cents worth:
IMHO the air will be discontinued this June. The Macbook is the air replacement.
The 12inch MB is a lovely machine and at its maximum scaled resolution has fairly generous screen space.
I get the same space as with my 15 inch MBP (2010, high res matte screen). If you don't mind reading from a distance you'll be fine.
It is definitely not the same though. The 15inch MBP screen is huge compared to the MB. Although I suspect it is possible to design the MB to be 15inches in size, I suspect the larger screen would suck up too much power.
Also as the laptop gets bigger people tend to demand more powerful specs and so apple will not be using the low TDP mobile processors and will also need bigger batteries. Still very intrigued to see what they release in June.
IMHO the air will be discontinued this June. The Macbook is the air replacement.
The 12inch MB is a lovely machine and at its maximum scaled resolution has fairly generous screen space.
I get the same space as with my 15 inch MBP (2010, high res matte screen). If you don't mind reading from a distance you'll be fine.
It is definitely not the same though. The 15inch MBP screen is huge compared to the MB. Although I suspect it is possible to design the MB to be 15inches in size, I suspect the larger screen would suck up too much power.
Also as the laptop gets bigger people tend to demand more powerful specs and so apple will not be using the low TDP mobile processors and will also need bigger batteries. Still very intrigued to see what they release in June.
I'm thinking the same thing.
Can they make a passively cooled 14" MacBook?
Bigger screen means more pixels; more horsepower needed to push those pixels into your eyeholes.
More horsepower equals greater power drain.
More horsepower equals more heat.
Sure you can fit a bigger battery but there isn't much they can do about the heat.
I'd love a 14" MacBook though!
-but it needs to be passively cooled, for me that is the biggest draw.
More surface area also means that more heat can be dissipated. I don't think 14" MB is realistic in the near future, but I wouldn't be surprised if the MacBook replaces MBA in the next 2-3 years.
After having had my rMB for 10 days, I must say no. A 13" model yes, 14" no, that would be too much.
I don't see any gains to be had from a much larger screen, since it lacks the power to do stuff where a large screen would come in handy. Portability is the key here.
And turning up the light on the rMB really drains the battery, so an even larger screen would gobble up so much battery that it wouldn't be worth it I would guess.
I don't see any gains to be had from a much larger screen, since it lacks the power to do stuff where a large screen would come in handy. Portability is the key here.
And turning up the light on the rMB really drains the battery, so an even larger screen would gobble up so much battery that it wouldn't be worth it I would guess.
Yes, as I expect that the 13" machines will become 14" in the same form factor (or so) by virtue of having smaller bezels.
I think this sort of size is the ideal size for a portable, IMHO.
If they're bigger than the current 13" machines though... probably not.
I think this sort of size is the ideal size for a portable, IMHO.
If they're bigger than the current 13" machines though... probably not.
I think it already has. I really think the lineup will be 12" MacBook, 13" and 15" Macbook Pro. The Macbook Pros will most likely get refreshed this year and be thinner and lighter than previous models to make the 13" Pro closer to the old 13" Air. Maybe selling the current Air as an entry level computer. I don't think the Air will get much refreshing, the MacBook is filling the market they wanted to fill with the Air.
Even if the 13" MBP gets thinner it will still be a lot thicker and heavier than the MBA. Apple simply can't fit a CPU with twice the TDP inside the MBA chassis, and even if they could the battery life would be abysmal. It's likely that MBPs will get a facelift this year that makes them a bit thinner, but it won't replace the MBA.
As for the MacBook, right now it's too expensive to replace the MBA. In 2-3 years I can see the price of MacBook dropping down to the level where it can replace the MBA.
Bingo.
The Air isn't going anywhere just yet. It is Apple's biggest unit producer and the only choice that IT managers have for Fortune 500 companies and their executives who do not want a Windows machine.
When given a choice between a MacBook Air and an HP or Dell, my wife chose a MacBook Air because it was comparable in thickness and weight and she preferred the operating system. She rejected the Pro outright due to its heft. Her and her IT manager would have rejected the RMB outright due to its lack of ports but it wasn't even an option as a result.
These things are notebooks, people. They are portables used by millions of people who commute and need to lug these things around all day. The Air hits the marks of portability and legacy compatibility at a very affordable price. If the RMB is to get a larger screen it is only to cater to it's a small niche and those of us who are getting older and need larger screen real estate for our fading eyesight
BJ
Exactly
I always surprised by the amount of bleating, What do Apple users expect from a company that produces only 3 or 4 footprints of which some are 3-8 years old that are focused on form at a premium price.
They want everything that Apple is or was but with the array of options or permutations offered globally in the windows world, but almost on a bespoke basis. Accept what Apple is or move on
The unique/boutique model of Apple that appealed to many has been declining since Apple is more of a phone/mobile company than a computer, brand loyalty is not always rewarded how you may think or like unfortunately.
I stopped buying the MBA in 2012 after owning 4 of them, my sons stopped wanting the 13" MBP and have not had a new one for over 3 years, my eldest has my old 2015 rMB and my middle son as of today got a SP4 and his MBP is just a side laptop for occasional synch use, only my youngest still has a 15" MBP, none of them really use there Ipads all use IPhone (latest models) still. My wife hated her MBP after owning 11" MBA's, she now has a rMB 2015 running bootcamp. None of them want a 14" footprint even if it was light.
Is very true, like or loath it, the Mac is very much second fiddle to IOS devices, potentially even lower in the order of things. This results in the Mac being placed in a territory that does not threaten IOS & related devices, hence Apple`s diverged computing lines. Therefore we are extremely unlikely to see any revolutionary change to the current Mac line up, barring the obvious thinner & lighter approach to the portables, which will remain in the classic clamshell format.
Apple are moving ever closer to the mass consumer with the Mac, as that`s where the sales numbers are. As SteveJUAE states "brand loyalty is not always rewarded how you may think or like" Apple will look to stimulate sales in the face of falling mobile demand, no doubt the Mac will play it`s part, equally, it may very well not be what you want or hope for...
Q-6
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The spec says the MBPr13 is 230g heavier than the MBa13 and smaller in all dimensions but thichness, where it is just 1mm thicker at the thicker point.
IMHO improved unibody + thinner keyboard + terraced battery could shrink the difference.
In theory yes, but switching from 28W to 15W would mean that the 2016 13" rMBP would be slower than the 2015 model. It also wouldn't make much sense to kill the MBA and use 15W CPUs in rMBP, because that would effectively be an MBA with a retina screen.
Absolutely if it were nearly as light. Weight is my primary concern - my laptops go with me on my motorcycle every day in the summer months. My backpack is heavy enough as it is.
Otherwise I love the 14-15" screen size as it's a good compromise between portability and usability. I don't feel like I miss an external monitor at that size.
But unless it's a surprise at WWDC in the coming weeks I'll be content with the 12"
Otherwise I love the 14-15" screen size as it's a good compromise between portability and usability. I don't feel like I miss an external monitor at that size.
But unless it's a surprise at WWDC in the coming weeks I'll be content with the 12"