Macbook 12" - Anyone getting one?

[ShortWarning]

The airs screen is ghastly.

the rMBP screen isn't.

Air - Very functional device, average screen.
MB - Barely functional device (comparatively), great screen.
rMBP - Very functional, great screen, slightly bigger.

The Macbook is basically an ipad with a OSX.

I suppose the screen would be important for some but 1k important?

 

[tom_e]

I use a rMBP for most of my day to day home use and love it, but I picked up a MS Surface Pro the other day for when I've got to deal with work problems and I'm not at home because the rMBP is just a bit too heavy to throw in my backpack when I'm on the bike.

I can't see why you'd go for one of these new MB over something like a Surface, half the price, just as powerful, stunning screen which pretty much rivals my rMBP, full desktop OS and a touch screen. Along with the type cover it's got everything covered for just over £500.

 

[Minstadave]

I'll add to my post. These are built and look stunning (that's to be expected). Anyone thinking of buying should test the keyboard as it has very little tactile feedback, and IMO lets it down.

Also, these are screaming touch screen to be added - come on Apple!!

Adding touch would mean a complete redesign of OSX. It didn't work well with windows, ended up with a bodge that wasn't great as a desktop OS or tablet style OS.

 

[ricky1981]

We got two of these at the office today and two 13" new rMBPs, I'd recommend the rMBP unless size/weight is very important as once you get over the impressive design you are paying a heck of a lot for an (admittedly very pretty) netbook with a nice screen and I agree with others than just one USB-C port is very limiting.

The keyboard is odd at first, I think if it was the only keyboard you used then it would be fine but I imagine swapping between it and a regular keyboard would take quite a bit of adjustment.

If the MB was 25% cheaper it would make more sense but when you can get a 13" rMBP for the same price it really ought to pack a bit more punch.

 

[konicky]

The airs screen is ghastly.

No it isn't !

 

[MagicBoy]

No it isn't !

It is compared to the retina IPS screens. Poor colours, bad viewing angles ... just like 95% of the laptop market. I had laptops 15 years ago with better screens.

 

[Spit]

No it isn't !

It's a horrible screen. Take it you have never used a retina IPS screen.

 

[Caged]

Why not get one of the many much cheaper Windows or ChromeOS machines if all you're doing is web, email and office?

Literally the only reason to buy the new MacBook is for the Apple logo.

That or the person uses OS X apps that they don't want to have to ditch, or they are huge users of the iPhone integration that OS X does, or they want a good trackpad, or a good display, or they need to be able to walk into any Apple store anywhere in the world and get their machine serviced if required.

There's loads of reasons why someone would pick a MacBook over the alternatives, none of them have anything to do with the logo.

 

[lamboman]

It's a horrible screen. Take it you have never used a retina IPS screen.

I've used both and don't think it's horrible...sure, it isn't as good, however it's a darn sight better than the horrible TNs you get on cheap HP/Dell/etc. notebooks. It's a decent notebook TN panel.

Of course, the majority of competition at a similar price point use 1080/1440 or higher IPS panels now.

The Air is probably your best bet if you want Mac notebook with a decent scissor switch keyboard to type on. The taper makes it nicer than the rMBP in this regard. However, there's now a £120 difference between rMBP 256GB/8GB model and a similar Air. Aside from the form factor, there's little reason to get an Air now, even I will concede to that.

 

[ShortWarning]

Passed an Apple store at the weekend so had a quick mess around on one of these.

The keyboard is horrible. It feels like one of those roll out tablet keyboards.

Not sure about force touch "click". I like the more solid click on the older rmbp/airs but I don't think it would take very long to get used to.

 

[wingman]

Also managed to get a chance to play on one of these the weekend.

Initial impressions were, wow, how can something make the 13" Air feel comparatively heavy? It's stupidly light, and if I were a Uni student or similar, I'd not even know I was carrying it around in a rucksack. In some ways, it's a frightening thought!

Also, I instantly felt the keyboard was absolutely fine. It doesn't look like it should be, but I was happily typing away, even at the dodgy angle I was standing at.

The force click... eh, I don't know yet. I went over to the Air immediately after and the physical click is just so much nicer. Perhaps it's something I'd get used to.

The pick of the bunch, of the entire Mac line up, has to be the 13" Pro for me. Seems to be the perfect combination of performance, portability and quality screen.

 

[David Bisset]

Utter madness to get this when for the same price you can get the 13" rMBP which is a versatile and generally awesome all-rounder.

Form over function at its worst IMO.

Absolutely this for me.

Edit: On ports I really just wish Apple would get their finger out and get display port chaining working - the hardware handles it fine, just OSX falls on it's face. Install *nix on windows on any recent mac and their thunderbolt ports handle chained displays just fine, but with OSX on they can only handle it if it's a thunderbolt display, rather than any chainable DP monitor. Which makes having more ports rather more important. I'm on a 13" rMBP anyway so have two ports, but can't go to anything with less ports if I want to still have a productive setup.

 

[lamboman]

Passed by local Apple Store a couple of days back and decided to sneak a look at the new MacBook and the Apple Watch.

For what it is, I don't think there is a huge amount you can fault about the new MacBook really. For its intended demographic, the performance is adequate, the size is good, and the connectivity is probably adequate for those who are using sync services exclusively (myself included in this). The keyboard I didn't like at all, and the Force Touch trackpad's tactile feedback was pretty incredible when you press it more lightly. Press it harder and it becomes less convincing. Still impressive though.

Maybe it is just me, but the big deal that is made about the Air not having a hi-DPI display I just don't get. I do of course notice the difference, however coming back to my Air I don't even think about that difference. Likely because unlike the transition from 3GS to the 4 (where small text was extremely difficult to read on the former), on the Air the pixel density is high enough to be sufficient for any realistic text size you'd use.

As for the Apple Watch, awesome bit of technology, however it wasn't as snappy as I'd like and truth be told it's something I'd struggle to find any genuinely utility in.

 

[Spit]

Mines arrived today, wow its a thing of beauty

Really like the keyboard and performance seems fine so far.

 

[Spit]

Space grey + Dark theme + Dark contemporary wallpaper = Dream machine

 

[Feek]

Has the trackpad got even bigger? I use a trackpad on my iMac and if they bring out the new technology to the standalone trackpads, I think I may have to get one.

 

[hendrix]

Ah, I can't wait! Really does look beautiful. I don't need anything running intensively and I've been dragging around a 15" Macbook Pro for 6 years on airplanes etc. Made the use of my University discount while I can. I had a play with the keyboard and new trackpad and was a little nervous at first, but I imagine it won't take long to get used to. Got at least another 3 weeks to wait

 

[rIcK]

Mine has just been shipped, I wait in anticipation. Coming from China though says 18th for delivery!

 

[ninja2000]

I ordered one on the 4th of may and have to wait until mid June......I am so impatient

 

[rIcK]

Ordered mine on release day the moment it was available to order and I have still yet to receive it!