Last month, Apple dazzled us with the unveiling of its thinnest, most beautiful MacBook yet, called … MacBook.
Yep,
it’s thinner, lighter, and boasts a larger screen than the latest
entry-level MacBook Air. It also comes in a gold version. (Finally?) But
even with all of that, is it good enough to drop your current laptop
for?
Here’s our roundup of what expert reviewers across the Internet are saying about Apple’s new MacBook.
MacBook (2015)
“Apple’s
design of the new MacBook’s full-sized and backlit keyboard, Force
Touch trackpad and integration of a Retina display and an Intel Core M
processor make the experience ‘feel’ more like a much larger notebook. I
think you’ll be surprised at just how many things you’ll be able to do
with it versus larger devices and maybe even smaller devices like an
iPad.
“…I
highly recommend the new MacBook for anyone looking for a premium
experience, premium priced, ultra-thin notebook experience who dislikes
the downsides that come with most reduced form factor devices.”
“This
new MacBook is the future. All laptops are going to be like this
someday: with ridiculously good screens, no fans, lasting all day. Just
like the original MacBook Air defined a generation of competitors, this
new MacBook will do the same. It, or something inspired by it, is what
you’ll be using in two or three years. It’s that good.
“…You
see, the problem with the future is that it isn’t here yet. Instead we
live in the now, and the now doesn’t have the ecosystem of adapters and
wireless peripherals I need to use this laptop with its single port. The
now doesn’t have the right processor to power through the apps I need
without ruining battery life. And right now, this laptop is far from
cheap at $1,299.”
“As
a longtime user of the MacBook Air line, I look at the MacBook with a
mix of excitement and trepidation. This is the future of Apple’s thin
and light laptop line, as well as a warning that we’re about to enter a
transition period for devices as Apple begins to embrace USB-C. And
ultimately that’s the trade-off here: To get the cutting edge
technology, you’ve got to deal with the incompatibilities and
limitations that go with it.
“People
who are willing to deal with the pains in order to get their hands on a
product like this, you know who you are. It’s waiting for you. The rest
of the world will catch up, in time.”
“Much
like that first Air, the new MacBook is for the future. It’s a vision
of our next computer, the one we’ll buy when our Airs or ThinkPads can’t
keep up anymore. The MacBook is a work in progress: The processor and
the battery will improve, and the price will drop. It won’t take long.
The future’s getting here faster than you think.“
“The
Apple MacBook is certainly an excellent choice if you travel frequently
and want to run desktop apps instead of settling for mobile versions.
It’s lighter and much slimmer than the latest Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch,
and its battery lasts longer. However, the latter holds on as our
Editors’ Choice high-end ultraportable laptop because at the same price
as the 12-inch MacBook, it is still faster at most tasks, and it has
much more versatile connectivity options. That said, the new MacBook is
still one of the slimmest and most powerful ultraportables we’ve
tested.”
“If
money is no issue for you, you want a significantly smaller laptop and
you don’t mind being limited by a lack of ports, then maybe upgrading to
the new MacBook makes sense for you.
“But
if you rely on USB ports and SD card slots, this MacBook’s single port
for charging, storage transfers and other functionality will really bug
you.”
“It’s
nearly impossible not to be seduced by this MacBook’s beauty, its
dazzling screen and perfect trackpad. But don’t give in. Like the original MacBook Air, introduced in 2008, there are too many key compromises — in battery life, speed and port access — for the early-adopter price.
“I
expect the new MacBook to follow the same path as the Air. Over the
next few years, it will improve, and become an affordable, indispensable
tool for life in the future. But here, now, in the present day, there
are more practical slim, everyday laptop choices. The MacBook Air is the
best option all around, the MacBook Pro Retina 13 is a great step up,
and PC users can do no better than Dell’s latest XPS 13.”
“Much
like the original Air, the new MacBook is expensive, and it’s not for
everyone. In particular, it’s for well-heeled shoppers who demand the
most portable machine possible, and who also don’t want to compromise on
screen quality. That might not be persuasive to would-be Windows users,
who have several compelling alternatives, many with equally sharp
screens and a bigger selection of ports. But for loyal Mac fans who
wouldn’t dream of switching, the new MacBook is by far the
lightest-weight machine in Apple’s lineup, especially with this caliber
of screen. It’s not for everyone, especially not right now, but if it’s
anything like the Air, it might one day become the standard.”
“It’s
undoubtedly cutting edge, and not everyone is there yet. Those with a
bag full of peripherals will find the single USB-C port restrictive, and
anybody with more ambitious plans than browsing, writing, watching
videos, and a little multimedia processing will probably find the
processor and graphics a bottleneck. Fair enough: the MacBook Pro fits
that niche with aplomb.
“As
someone who spends half his life — or more — on the road, however, the
2015 MacBook has been an eye-opener. Incredible design that’s also
highly usable; lengthy battery life and enough speed to deal with most
of the challenges I encounter; and all at a price that, when you take
into account the breadth specifications, sounds more and more
reasonable. It’s a traveller’s dream, and that’s why it’s become an
essential in my bag.”
“With
the new keyboard and trackpad innovations, lust-inducing industrial
design, and impressive downsizing of internal components, the MacBook
feels like an important next step in the evolution of portable
computers. But this machine isn’t for everyone, particularly those who
expect extremes from their devices. Still, if you prioritize style, need
something ultraportable, and don’t mind trading power for a crisp and
clear Retina display, then the perfect computer may have arrived.“
“It’s
true that for users who treat their notebooks as their sole computers,
and who like to plug a lot of things into those computers as a result,
this probably isn’t the best option. But for people looking for a mobile
Mac to complement their desktop machine, and for those who aren’t
spending their whole day on their Macs for work (meaning likely the vast
majority of general consumers), this is a future-oriented notebook that
is just as effective in the present, too.”
“My
dream machine would have everything the new MacBook has but in a
slightly larger size with one more port. But if you’re ready for an
all-wireless future, the MacBook’s sheer portability and utility per
square inch make it worth the splurge.“
“The
most important thing about the new MacBook, to me, isn’t necessarily
what it is now, but what it represents. In five years, the sea of
MacBook Airs and MacBook Air-style machines we see now at Starbucks will
be replaced by machines that look more like the new MacBook.
“Ultimately
the new MacBook feels like a first-generation product — a very good
first-generation product, but a first-generation product nevertheless.
It’s got some promise and a couple of major shortcomings and you don’t
need to be the first person who takes the leap into the Brave New Future
it represents. I use an iMac as my primary computer and a 13-inch
MacBook Air when I’m sitting on the couch or in a café or on a plane,
and perhaps 90 percent of the time this MacBook can replace the Air
without issue. If this is going to be your main computer or only
computer or if you’re one of the bare handful of people who use
Thunderbolt for something, it’s hard to recommend.”
“This
is the 2008 MacBook Air. Today, the MacBook Air is frequently cited as
the best laptop on the market — but the first model, in 2008, was also
called overpriced, underpowered, and amazing-looking. In the same way,
the 12-inch MacBooks of 2016 and 2017 will lose their flaws, enter a new
era of USB-C compatibility, and seem much more at home in a more
wireless world.
“Even Apple is allowed to start with a 1.0 version. But you don’t have to buy it.”
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