WWDC June 2016 - Macbook Refresh

silvagti · 9 Apr 2016 at 12:59

I need a new laptop and due to work moving increasingly towards Apple products I'm thinking that it would make sense for me to buy a Macbook to use at home.

Right now it's noticeable that Apple have still to roll out any Skykale based products and most of their laptop line is looking fairly dated with the overall design unchanged for a couple of years now. Because of this I really want to wait to see if anything is unveiled over the summer. I'm finding myself moving away from using Microsoft products/platforms in the main and generally use Google (Android phone/Chrome on PC) or Apple (iPad) most of the time. Plus with a Macbook I can always bootcamp it if I need to run Windows for any reason. I don't really see a future for Windows 10 and the direction MS is going in so I'd have no worries about ditching it really.

I'm not sure right now whether I'd go for a 12" Macbook model or a ~13" Macbook Pro. The current Air range doesn't really interest me because of the low resolution display's in them. I kind of expect 1080p as a minimum in a laptop these days and really expect higher in a device costing what Apple charges.

Has anyone heard any news on what's coming out this year from Apple laptop wise?

Spit · 10 Apr 2016 at 06:46

No news but all of them are due an imminent refresh. It's Intel they are waiting for with the 15" MBP with the 45w quad core sky lake chips. I would expect June WWDC for the announcement.

glenimp617 · 11 Apr 2016 at 11:00

My favourite laptop out of all is the air. However, I have a horrible feeling it's days are numbered. Hope not, but they may push forward with just the new skinny one, and the pro

Combat squirrel · 11 Apr 2016 at 12:00

glen8 said:
My favourite laptop out of all is the air. However, I have a horrible feeling it's days are numbered. Hope not, but they may push forward with just the new skinny one, and the pro

Same, I really want the air with Retina display, its just the right amount of power/portability

MacRS4 · 11 Apr 2016 at 15:28

Be careful with the 12" Macbook - it's not nearly powerful enough to compare to an Air/MBP.

uchuff · 12 Apr 2016 at 14:20

Odd thing with screens is the 13" Air has a fairly high native resolution for a 13" Apple laptop, so (unless things have changed since I looked) you can fit more on a 13" Air at native resolution than a 12" Macbook or 13" Pro at 2x, even if not as sharp.

It does seem like the 12" Macbook at 13" Pro will move towards each other in terms of specs & form, the former down in price, negating the Air.

hartgeh3 · 12 Apr 2016 at 17:38

Doubt the fresh will be anything major. I had the 12" Retina 1.3ghz and it did everything I threw at it, not had the Macbook Air, but once you goto a retina display anything else looks horrible lol. Also I had mine running 1680x1050 with a tweak. Depends what you will use it for really, Macbook Pro isnt that much more expensive but you cant pick up older model even cheaper these days.

Rooky007 · 12 Apr 2016 at 17:47

Wishes the refresh was in March. I need somthing very soon but hoping I can hold off till June

fez · 13 Apr 2016 at 08:39

The current line of macbook pro retinas are fantastic machines so if you can't wait it wouldn't be the end of the world. There are rumours that they are changing the design of it in june but I doubt it will be that drastic.

Rooky007 · 13 Apr 2016 at 14:23

Well if the new ones are same price better specs it daft go buy a 1 year old model if new one round corner. But no one knows for sure if it be June it could be September.

silvagti · 15 Apr 2016 at 21:04

Some more rumours about Macbook hinges suggesting that a refresh is due soon

http://appleinsider.com/articles/16...nd-half-of-2016-will-feature-redesigned-hinge

The_Abyss · 15 Apr 2016 at 22:17

Slightly upgraded hardware specs from the MacBook Pro in the MacBook Air chassis with a retina display and Apple can take my money.

Surely a refresh of the MacBook is too soon? I still don't see how that product fits into the range.

Somnambulist · 18 Apr 2016 at 15:47

The_Abyss said:
Slightly upgraded hardware specs from the MacBook Pro in the MacBook Air chassis with a retina display and Apple can take my money.

Surely a refresh of the MacBook is too soon? I still don't see how that product fits into the range.

The hardware for a refresh is already available, plus there's references to it already - http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/retina-macbook-air/ - probably won't even be given any fanfare other than the store going down for a bit.

As said in the roundup, the MacBook is thinner and lighter than the Air so other than being a cheap entry point into the Mac line-up, the Air has less of a reason to exist with each new iteration of this new model.

The_Abyss · 18 Apr 2016 at 16:41

The MacBook is too small though and underpowered. If they could get the power of the Pro into the chassis of the Air with a retina screen then I'd consider it.

Somnambulist · 18 Apr 2016 at 20:37

The Air was underpowered and expensive when it came out as well. It's on it's last legs and the MB is the ultraportable model going forward - give it time and it'll only get more powerful (within reason, given it's intended market's needs). As for the MBP - it's due a redesign which will undoubtedly shave grams and millimetres off the existing design.

Alpherah · 19 Apr 2016 at 13:46

MacBook just got updated this second with some very modest upgrades - don't expect anything significant anytime soon

Emlyn_Dewar · 19 Apr 2016 at 13:53

Such a let down, for that Macbook, but it's what I've come to expect from them.
Get a better webcam, and another USB C port on it, and I'd genuinely want one.

The rose gold colour... *shudder*

Rooky007 · 19 Apr 2016 at 14:18

So is there going be a MBP update in June

Somnambulist · 19 Apr 2016 at 15:47

Emlyn_Dewar said:
Such a let down, for that Macbook, but it's what I've come to expect from them.
Get a better webcam, and another USB C port on it, and I'd genuinely want one.

The rose gold colour... *shudder*

The webcam is still laughable but at the same time I can't remember the last time I used the Logitech one I got for my Mac Mini since all my video calls are FaceTime on my iPhone/iPad, so it wouldn't really affect my purchasing decision if I wanted one and I expect a lot of people don't think about it either for the same reason.

It was predicted to get a silent refresh with some modest bumps to it's guts and that's exactly what happened, they were never going to redesign it or do anything major when it's barely been out a year and it'll probably be the same same for a while too since wholesale changes to their computer line don't follow a regular tick/tock pattern (and with Intel's roadmap no longer following that pattern either) - they're quite happy to stick with a design for a few years at a time because most people aren't updating their computers nearly as regularly as their phones.

glenimp617 · 19 Apr 2016 at 16:10

I have absolutely no use for it, but I really want a gold macbook