For the last month, I’ve been using Apple’s new 12-inch Retina MacBook almost exclusively. There’s no denying that’s it’s underpowered when compared to other models on the market, but is its portability worth the performance sacrifice? Can you really get anything done with a relatively small display, an Intel Core M processor, and more importantly, zero traditional USB ports?
This won’t be an in-depth review of features and performance (check out Zac’s take on the MacBook for an in-depth look), but instead, I’ve mainly focused on my personal experiences over the month I’ve been using it. Does the Retina MacBook live up to the hype? Let’s go ahead and find out…
I don’t normally review computers, but I’ve grown very fond of this MacBook. Other than one thing that I happen to do regularly for professional reasons, all of my other tasks have been done on Apple’s smallest laptop. The only time I switched to another computer was during video editing sessions, because this little machine unfortunately isn’t powerful enough to handle them.
The 12″ MacBook is lightweight, thin, and super portable, but what makes the case for buying a compact $1,300 laptop? That’s the real question here. Honestly, thanks to its Core M processor, this is Apple’s netbook, though whether or not you’d like to perceive it in that way is up to you. But since I managed my expectations going into it, I’m perfectly fine with that.
Design
Apple’s latest design is as slick as it gets. This computer is so damn thin, Apple had to redesign major components to make them fit. First off, this is a fan-less MacBook: it doesn’t make a peep, as there are no moving parts inside. Apple also redesigned the keyboard specifically for this MacBook, using new “butterfly switches” that provide a 40% thinner keyboard assembly and 17% larger keys. Although it’s certainly not a keyboard for everyone, it’s actually a pretty easy keyboard to get used to, believe it or not. It took me a little while to feel this way, but I now prefer typing on this keyboard over my 15-inch MacBook Pro.
Watch our 12-inch MacBook review video below:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aI4lpXTop8]
Along with the keyboard, Apple introduced a new Force Touch trackpad that provides a handful of new features that I rarely use. Most of these features were accessible on prior MacBooks using three-finger taps. If you’d like to check out some of those features, check out this article. Over time, Force Touch may well become better, and even though it’s thinner, the trackpad does feel just like using prior Apple trackpads.
In addition to being beautifully thin, the new MacBook is available in a few different colors as well. I chose the Space Gray version, but honestly prefer the executive-style look you get with a black leather skin; it’s a stunning combination. For productivity, this is an iPad killer: it’s not much larger than an iPad with a keyboard case attached, has a larger, beautiful screen, and runs OS X.
I’m a big fan of the Retina display; it’s awesome. If there’s any main selling point for this computer, it’s the size and quality of the screen. Apple’s display comes in at 12-inches diagonally with a 2304 x 1440 resolution, packing 226 pixels per inch and a 16:10 aspect ratio. It’s a great looking screen. At the center of the display’s top bezel you’ll find a 640×480 FaceTime camera. It’s not that great, but will get the job done for video calls.
Along the top edge of the keyboard, you’ll find a large speaker grille. Despite the machine’s small size, these are without a doubt the best sounding speakers I’ve heard on a MacBook. They are pretty loud with nice warmth and treble. I was genuinely shocked by the sound quality here.
From a peripherals standpoint, there’s only one USB-C port and a headphone jack on this MacBook. This will create a problem for most people, but I really don’t have an issue with it. I rarely use USB ports as it is, and most of my files are stored in the cloud. Apple offers several adapters you can lug around if that’s what you need, but I haven’t been bothered by the lack of ports, as I managed my expectations long before this MacBook shipped. Sure, another port or two would be excellent, and we’ll probably see that on the next model.
Performance vs Portability & Battery life
Sadly, the size of this MacBook is only possible by compromising performance; it doesn’t do well with CPU or GPU intensive apps, such as video rendering tasks. The major benefit here is portability, and I love that about this MacBook. Unfortunately, my professional work is difficult to do on this computer, but I can do everything else.
There’s really not much else to say about performance. It’s not the fastest computer on earth, but it’s not the slowest, either; it’s still a Mac, just not a screamer. If you’re looking for a higher performer, you may want to consider Apple’s 13-inch or even 15-inch MacBook offerings. If you’re interested in benchmarks from the 12-inch MacBook, check out our unboxing and overview article here.
As for battery life, this is another area where you’ll need to manage your expectations. It’s a small computer loaded up with batteries, but it’s not going to get you anywhere near Apple’s claimed 9 to 10 hours. I usually get around 4.5 hours of continuous usage out of a full charge with the brightness set at around 50%. I’d normally have Firefox (10-15 tabs), TweetDeck, Excel, iTunes (playing music), Messages, Notes, and HipChat running simultaneously. Fortunately, it charges in around 2.5 hours from 0 to 100%. You can even charge it with a portable battery pack and the proper adapter when on-the-go.
Bottom line
Do you need this MacBook? Nope. In fact, there are several other choices from Apple and other manufacturers that offer more performance and screen real estate for the money. But is it a very cool piece of tech to own? Yep.
The 12-inch MacBook is certainly a beautiful piece of engineering and design, but not a must-have. I love everything about its design, but unless you’re using this under a certain set of expectations, it won’t satisfy all of your needs. This is the perfect size for traveling via plane and train, but lacks the performance to become my main computer. That being said, it’s the perfect sidekick to accompany my Mac Pro.
This computer is nearly perfect for the average consumer, but far from a win for the traveling creative professional. It’s also a damn good looking computer, but you should look elsewhere if you need a computer for a lot more than its design and portability. So even though it doesn’t satisfy 100% of my needs, it will work for the majority of users across the types of things most people are doing with their Macs today.
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Helpful review thnx
I am thinking of replacing my iPad Air 2 with this… I do wish it had built in 4G LTE… MacBooks would do well with this for a few users.
I’d love LTE built-in. Would make it much better for on-the-go use. Tethering is pretty simple though.
Considering tethering to your iPhone is now automatic / on-demand by simply selecting it under the WiFi icon…its hard to justify additional built in LTE (that you would have to pay more for).
Literally the ONLY downside is additional battery drain on the iPhone. But I’d rather that, than paying even more money for the same bucket of LTE.
Is this the 1.1 ghz processor or higher? If I get, not sure which one to get…
Yes it is.
Thanks for clarifying…I was about to ask the same thing. :D
I wonder how the 1.3 ghz one would do with video editing… Anyone know?
Anyone with beyond retardedness, How the hell are you supposed to edit videos with such a slowest processor?
I got the 1.3 Ghz version 2 days ago and I gotta say iMovie is snappy. Rendering to files is slower than on my MBP, but defenitly workable. I don’t think you should run FCP on the MacBook. The overall feel of the MacBook is, although it’s not the fastest machine I have, it’s certainly not ‘slow’. Keyboard is awesome when you get used to it, display is immaculate and the trackpad is a mindf*ck 😊…I love it so far!
Great video, with a fair perspective.
My only question is, what’s up your battery life being HALF that Apple claims? I find their battery estimates to be spot on these days. Are multiple Chrome tabs sucking its battery, or just everyday use didn’t live up to the claimed 9-10 hours?
Everyday use just didn’t live up to the claims. :/ I’m mostly running FireFox, Safari, TweetDeck, Excel , iTunes, and HipChat on here at once.
What is the biggest energy consumer out of the above mentioned apps (You can find that under activity monitor). Also, IMO Wrike is better solution of ‘collaboration and sharing thoughts/files than HipChat.
Yeah, all the other reviewers say that the battery life is very close to Apple’s claims also. If you’re going to post a review with such a different result from everyone else, you should at least try to explain it. You probably should have done testing with other users or with a different mix of apps etc.
Great review! It confirmed a lot of what I had thought about it and it’s helped with my decision not to get one. I need something a bit more powerful.
On a complete side note…I noticed you had a gmail icon on your dock. Is that a gmail desktop app or something else? Also, what is that USB hub you have under the desktop?
Gmail icon is a Chrome app. Basically a shortcut to the website haha. USB hub is a Satedhi 4-port hub from Amazon.
Awesome…did you create the chrome app yourself? And thanks for the info on the hub…
looks like the chrome app he’s using is Gmail GUI from the chrome store.
What’s up with the ‘do you need it’ questions in product reviews these days? Like the Ars Technica headline for their Apple Watch review calling it “absolutely optional”. Really? If that’s the criteria we’re using now couldn’t one say just about every tech product is “absolutely optional”? Or just products in general. If people only bought things based on needs instead of wants the world would be a pretty boring and drab place.
Agreed. I SO don’t need this…no one even needs an Apple laptop…if they NEED to get online it can be with a basic cheap windows laptop. I think these reviews are more about whether the Apple-loving community as a whole would consider these new product launches to be worthwhile upgrades.
I hate the question though because most things people have they don’t really need. if this is the criteria now then I guess the MBP must be a huge failure because it has way more processing power and ports than most people would ever need. And I guess all these UHD phone displays and 4K TVs are huge failures because nobody needs them either. Oh and same with Xbox, Playstation, VR/AR etc. Nobody *needs* them either.
I think the “do you need it” question makes perfect sense, especially considering the higher prices of today’s technology and Apple’s in particular.
Also, your “Do we really need anything at all?” musing is a classic “reductio ad absurdum.”
Sure, let’s all go back to using rocks for hammers and eating shit we find on the ground. Makes sense.
Great review.
I almost picked this up for my wife’s upcoming birthday, but on account of reviews like this I learned that would have been a terrible mistake. It’s slick design is a money magnet, but it’s performance, being what it is, puts it significantly below what my wife needs.
Looks like we’ll both be rocking MBPs for the foreseeable future.
I really enjoyed this review because it helped me finalize my decision not to get one. I was surprised at myself for even considering it; but, the form factor, portability, and desire for another computer did have me on the fence for a little while.
The reason I wouldn’t get it is because it is essentially a $1,300 netbook, as stated in the review. I’ve had a $500 netbook before with similar specs (but three USB ports) and I can’t justify spending that much on a downgrade (performance-wise) from my MBP 13 2011. If the Macbook were closer to $800 (yes, I know this is Apple) I would probably sell my iPad Air 2 and get it. If it had two more ports and better real-world battery life I’d still be on the fence for $1,300. But, as it is right now I can’t justify that amount of money on this.
Someone would have to be a true road-warrior or frequent flier to appreciate this, but why choose this over the current Macbook Air?
Thanks for the review.
I think the main reason people really want this over the air is that the air’s screen isn’t great…non-retina. :/
Which begs the question, why not upgrade the airs with retina displays? Everything else about the airs how they are right now is perfect IMHO except for the displays — they SUCK; I really don’t want or need a thinner device and I could care less about it being fanless.
I’m wondering if the Air will be discontinued now that the Macbook is the new king (or queen) of thinness? I don’t see the point in Apple selling both, especially now that the entire line is Retina for the exception of the Air. If Apple can improve the battery life and add two ports it’s a wrap for the Air.
I think the Airs will be gone in a couple years. Remember Apple was still selling the plastic MacBook in 2011. But I think the rMBP will replace them not the rMB. Maybe the rMB will get another port if the feedback to Apple is overwhelming for it. But my guess is Skylake will allow Apple to produce a thinner and lighter Pro. And this way Apple will be able to keep a real differentiation between the consumer and prosumer lines. Once the rMB gets cheaper there’s no reason to keep the Air around.
Windows Vista was great if you managed your expectations accordingly.
Haha
Lmao, remember those windows Mohave ads? They were so desperate :p
Great review, although I don’t agree one should have to manage their expectations for $1300 USD. 4.5 hours of battery life on 50% display brightness? 480p camera? No thunderbolt ports, not even ONE? Come on…you can’t tell me this is too thin one tiny thunderbolt port…and given how we heard Apple tell us thunderbolt was the port of the future multiple times…this is just sad.
The MacBook airs are better in every single aspect – including price, except for the display. I don’t understand why they don’t upgrade the airs to have retina displays; that’s what I really want. I guess I’m stuck with my MBAir until they either get thunderbolt 3 or retinas. But anyway, aren’t the airs portable enough? Does a few mm in thickness gone really justify the loss of everything else? IMHO, no, not even close. BTW, I can edit 1080p30 just fine on my MBAir connected to my thunderbolt storage and display.
Everyone is free to their own opinion. But you are reaching in every category trying to make this seem horrible but no aspect is. Price? It’s not that expensive. Lack of thunderbolt 3? I own a mac pro and edit 6k raw footage and I don’t even use tb 2. 480p? Who cares? Like yeah it’s not HD but I don’t use Photo Booth or FaceTime enough to care. Battery is pretty good. I get like 8 hours on full brightness.
BTW, 30p isn’t a framerate you should edit in. 24/23.976 is the standard. And I’m sorry I don’t edit films in starbucks.
So why not get rid of the Mac Pro and just use one of these for photo editing?
Adding a retina display to the MBA would esentially make it too much like the 13″ rMBP. I think it’s obvious the Airs will go away once the rMB comes down in price and the rMBP gets lighter. In a year or two you’ll esentially have your rMBA it will just be called rMBP.
I’ve been using mine (1.1) a lot in the past month as well. I love it. I got that huge adaptor the other day. I’ve only had to used it once to transfer a bunch of films. I have a mac pro at home that I use for video editing but I’m between projects so I haven’t touched it recently. But the point is I’ve been creating 1080p presentation slides in photoshop with no problems. Yes you have to have a certain workflow to not need a port but I minimized plugging stuff into laptops years ago. And the performance… sorry but I think most of population will be okay with this laptop. And if you aren’t, or you think you’re too good for it, then buy another laptop and stop complaining.
For me it’s all about the retina display…so I’m more about deciding whether a rMBP or rMB is the best use of money. My husband just got the rMBP and it’s definitely not that light compared to my 2011 Air.
Yeah I love the retina screen. the new MB is just efficient. It’s the size of the 11″ air but with a 12″ screen that is retina so it shows the real-estate of the 13″.
The rMB is actually significantly smaller than the 11″ MBA, the keyboard and trackpad are miles better, the display is bigger/retina and the performance is comparable.
“And if you aren’t, or you think you’re too good for it, then buy another laptop and stop complaining.”
This is a forum where people are encouraged to comment, which involves voicing their opinions on all things Apple. If people feel like discussing why they would or wouldn’t get a particular Apple product that is their perogative and contibutes to the discussion.
Your comments here come across as a person who’s offended that someone doesn’t find practical or valuable the product that you chose to buy. Finally, just because you don’t use FaceTime a lot, Thunderbolt 3, or care for more battery life doesn’t mean there aren’t other people who consider those things as dealbreakers.
Just chill out and don’t take everyone’s comments personally. We are just discussing tech here, not politics or sports.
And by the way, Scott, I wasn’t trying to come at you harsh or anything. I just think comments like yours are what change the ‘atmopshere’ of forums like this one. Dismissing someone by telling them to stop complaining because they don’t like your choice of computer really is messed up.
I think Scott’s point is more to the effect that people are commenting that this laptop serves no purpose because it doesn’t do X or doesn’t have Y. In that light, using the same logic you employ below, then, those comments are as useless and dismissive as what you point out.
I agree with your assertion that forums should be places of idea exchange, but that’s probably old-fashioned and naive. Nowadays, forums are places to blindly insist that our own ideas are superior to anything anyone else has to say.
. . . F- it. Do you really not see the inherent irony in the following: “I just think comments like yours are what change the ‘atmopshere’ of forums like this one. Dismissing someone by telling them to stop complaining because they don’t like your choice of computer really is messed up.”
Dom,
Great review. Where did you get that leather cover?
Love mine. As a professional photographer, it does everything I need to do on the road. I still do video editing at home, but never needed a laptop for it. The 1.2ghz model is equivalent to a 2014 Air in terms of speed, so that works fine for me. The keyboard is amazing and I hope Apple adopts it for the desktop wireless version. Wouldn’t go back to a bulky Pro after having such a light and portable machine.
Yes, people spending $1300 should have to manage their expectations. Ridiculous.
I purchased this laptop because quite frankly – it is gorgeous. I don’t mind paying for quality. But then I decided to use it – and it went downhill from there.
I know experiences are variable – but for me – no way would i pluck down 1200+ for a laptop that at the end of day was horrible. Sure opening windows , browsing were ok. But when it came down to actually working with excel, word, email our in-house mac business software at the company i work for started to make it crawl. That twas enough for me to say hell with it and returned it.
When i am on my business mode – running salesforce, all apps needed to make money are open this computer was worth 100 bucks. It is literally a netbook experience wrapped in apple. Slow.
I put the funds from that purchase towards a new 2015 macbook retina and I am back pleasantville.
By the way, I ran windows 10 on it. And that thing flew. Microsoft really did optimize windows. Funny thing about it it ran beautifully on this mac but on my surface pro 3 windows 10 lags a lot.
Well, I don’t know what your “in-house mac business software” is but I an using Outlook and all the Office apps on the 1.3GHz machine with no issues at all. Plus I’m getting more like 8-hour battery life (I don’t usually have seven apps and 15 browser windows open simultaneously though – I don’t know anybody that does that). Photoshop works nicely, Xcode, too.
But it’s the size, weight and display that really are amazing on this machine (compared to the 13″ MBA I was using previously). I was able to downsize to a smaller briefcase, and believe me, that really makes a difference.
Alfred, your use is more aligned to what I do for my work at a consulting company. Most of the work I do as a consultant is in the cloud. Nowadays I find that most of the Fortune 500 companies crackdown on security limits the use of USB drives and whatnot, so the one port, compact, retina display solution would work for someone who travels and works mostly in the cloud and Microsoft Office.
Do you still get 8 hours with Outlook open and online? That app alone kills the battery life of my 2012 15″ retina.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
I have had the Macbook for 2 weeks. It is great for travel and runs all my software well, including “legacy” Windows and DOS apps (via Parallels and DOSBOX).
and to protect it in my backpack I am using a padded pouch that I bought for an iPad. There are a screenshot of the Macbook running Windows and DOS here:
http://users.tpg.com.au/aoaug/rMB_win_dos.jpg
Hey Michael,
How would you rate the speed of the Windows operating system you are using on your 2015 Macbook. I have been considering buying one for the past month, but haven’t because I cannot find any information on people’s experience with parallels on it.
Apparently it’s really good!
http://9to5mac.com/2015/05/15/retina-macbook-windows-10/
Well XP is running better than it did on my last Windows computer in 2003! I only use it occasionally for legacy software.I installed Win8 out of interest but have not experimented with it.
I have come across a limitation of the slower processor. I have been using Synk for several years to keep data (files) on an iMac and Macbook Pro synchronised. I thought Synk was not working when opened on the rMB until I displayed all activity. Then I realised it was taking a very long time to check the files on each folder. I ran the same app on the iMac (late 2012) and it runs at least 10 times faster. That is OK for me but other users who have no choice to use Synk on the rMB may find it frustrating.
Yet another in a series of misleading reviews about the new Macbook, which all follow a similar pattern: the author criticizes it for being “underpowered” and/or offering “compromised performance,” and then fails to offer any real-world examples in which this is true. Actually, in this review, there was one: if video rendering is part of what you do for a living–which I’m assuming is true for the author, who seems to do pro editing work–then this is not the laptop for you. No kidding. This is as irrelevant as having an Indy race driver review a stock Mustang GT and criticize it for being underpowered for his line of work.
Here’s the truth about the new Macbook: unless you’re a pro using power-hungry software all day long to earn your living–video editors, pro photographers and graphic designers, I’m talkng to you–it will easily handle any task that you’re likely to throw at it. And it’s not that you can’t run power-hungry software on the new Macbook–you can, and I’ve been using the Adobe CS6 suite of apps just fine, thank you–it’s just that it will take longer. That’s an issue for pros, but not for mainstream users. Senior Macworld editor Glenn Fleishman just wrote about his month-long experience using the new Macbook, in which–among many other tasks–he has been laying out a new 2,000 page book using Adobe InDesign with no problems whatsoever.
Bottom line: for creative professionals who use power-hungry software to earn their living, this review tells them what they already knew: this new Macbook isn’t going to become your main computer. But for the 99.99% of us who don’t fall into that group, the new Macbook feels as fast and capable in real-world tasks as you’re likely to need, all in the lightest, smallest Macbook design ever.
Voila @Charles thats exactly how it is. Also a previuous comment. I do not edit FCP X in Starbucks or any other but place but home
@Charles, I agree completely. I don’t think there have been many reviewers (including this one) that are “typical” users. Really? Seven apps running at once? Plus fifteen browser windows open? Who does that? Give me a machine that runs Outlook, Office, Photoshop and Xcode in a fair snappy manner with a retina display, give it the footprint of a piece of paper and an 8-hour battery and I’m good. If people want to call that a “netbook”, fine.
I agree also, “performance” is actually subjective and it’s about response time.
I used to see this all the time when I repaired Macs for a living. People would come in with what everyone who worked there would think of as the slowest piece of shit possible. We would find some way to politely tell the customer that maybe they should upgrade or give them tips for increasing performance by closing background apps etc. and they would be shocked at the suggestion that their computer was “slow.” To them, it had perfectly acceptable performance.
For those in the industry, anything you have to wait for is a “problem,” but not so much for end users.
What Gmail app are you using? I’m very curious!
Fairly sick of seeing sweeping generalizations like the following, regarding this computer: “…there’s only one USB-C port and a headphone jack on this MacBook. This will create a problem for most people…” I’m frankly quite surprised your editors let a comment like that through when reviewing the article. Do you have any research or reasoning to back up that statement? I’d be willing to bet that most of the people at which this laptop is aimed are in the same boat as you — most of their data storage needs are meet by the cloud (I’m sure Apple is hoping it’s iCloud that’s meeting those needs).
Let’s agree not to perpetuate the myth that one USB-C port cripples the Macbook for “most people”, until we’ve established what the true wired connectivity needs are for “most people”.
I am a Mac Fan, love their products, but will pass on this one… I absolutely need two USB ports on all my laptops, I connect a 500GB external drive and a Rane controller to do my DJing.
I have a need for extreme portability and moderate to heavy Excel and SPSS “Data Science” calculations. No need for video editing.
I am trying to decide between a loaded up Macbook Air 11″ or this.
I noticed the author uses Excel. Wondering if he has a point of view for my needs. Thanks!
have you ever try to have 8 different tabs up on your internet pages and still running other program like microsoft word or itunes? does it work fast?
I’ve gone and ordered myself one of these (the 1.3GHz model) I’m scared of losing the power compared to my current i7 3GHz 13″ Macbook Pro (Early 2013). BUT I decided to go for this as I offload all my intensive tasks to a server anyway. Hoping I won’t be displeased with the performance for everything else. Only gripe so far is I have to wait 3 weeks for it to turn up :(
My new Space grey Macbook may look gorgeous but it has the quality of a $200 computer. I’ve been experiencing so many problems with it, the FaceTime camera not working, the screen flickering, the computer turning on and off as it pleases, battery getting unusually hot and etc… I took it to Apple and they sent it out to get repaired. When I got it back from the Apple Store in Manhasset I played around with it for 40 minutes while they where replacing the isight camera on my defected iPhone 6 plus. Everything appeared to be fine so I thought nothing of it. They changed the entire screen and the bottom part that contains the battery and put all new wiring in. As soon as I got home all the issues that I had before sending it out to get repaired with Apple started to re-occur, and new problems started to present them selves as well. When I went to pick up the computer I felt and heard a component on the inside of the computer move(which is odd because the computer has no moving parts). Which made me infuriated because I got the computer back in worser conditions then before I originally sent it out. I called Apple care because a brand new computer should not be having these issues, its unacceptable. When I was on the phone with Apple care I demanded a new computer because I am a freshman in college and that is my main computer to do all school work on, my text books and basically my entire school life runs off of it. I can not afford to have the computer out of my hands for two weeks in a row. It is spending more time in the shop then it is with me. I said to them why can’t I just walk into an Apple store and say take this junky PC and give me a new computer. Then they said there no one can take care of something like that. Then I told Apple care theres always someone who can do something and demanded that they connect me to someone who could, and they refused to. Then they go on about how it takes longer to go through that process then it would to be repaired. Can someone please help me with this major issue? I would be so grateful. Apple should not take care of customers the way they did with me, and i’m sure this is not the first time Apple Care has treated someone like this.
I am an Appleholic! I love all my products. I was in the market for an upgrade to my Ipad (second generation). I have a 2009 17 inch MBP that is a beast, and now seriously outdated. My work laptop is a 13 inch MBP which although much smaller than my personal 17 inch is still a bit big for outings when I don’t need the size, hence my desire for a new Ipad. Before purchasing my new gold Macbook, I put serious thought into a Surface Pro 3. I tried it out, and although it is very good, I just don’t like the Microsoft operating system for my personal user. This put me back into making the decision for a new Ipad (waiting for the November release of the Ipad Pro) or the 12 inch Macbook.
I made the purchase Friday night and have to say I am thrilled. I had read so many reviews both positive and negative and thought I would post my thoughts as I have used it exclusely the past few days.
1. Keyboard – had no problem adapting to the new design, very comfortable. I read so many comments that people have had to adjust, for me it was natural from the first key stroke.
2. Performance – I am not a gamer and don’t do any video editing. I do edit photos and immediately installed Creative Cloud with Lightroom and Photoshop. (Having the OSX operating system was a big decision factor, I can only use Lightroom mobile on my Ipad and really wanted the full software). I do not do any crazy editing of pics, so for basic stuff, contrast, white balance, crop, etc. the performance is really good on the Macbook. The screen is a little small but a welcome trade off for the ease of mobility of this computer. I can slip it into my camera bag and hardly notice it is there.
3. Single Port – for me this was not a deal breaker. I hardly plug anything into my laptops, the only thing I needed is a SD card reader, which of course I also need a USB-C to USB dongle to be able to attach it to the computer. My camera also includes wi-fi connectibity so it is not 100% required, but I like the speed of transferring photos using a card reader. Since I don’t have to do this daily, not a big deal to have to attach something to the Macbook.
4. Retina Display – whats to say, it is AWESOME! Really could not justify the MBA 11 inch model without the retina display.
5. Camera – I hardly ever use it on my other laptops. So I hear it is not good, not a concern to me.
All in all for my usage this is an outstanding computer. I love it! It definitely is the computer for me. I look forward to not having to take my other MBP and ipad when traveling.
Just my thoughts, Apple makes a computer for every user type. There is no one stop option, you have to weigh out how you use the item and then select the model that best works for you.
Dianne
Thanks for the review. Good to see other people enjoying this awesome product!
This is crazy. I mean I still do not know the thinking behind it. I could never get used to the keyboard It is ridiculous. it has no utility at all who needs something that portable for a laptop, when you have to sacrifice performance and keyboard with almost no travel, Just ridiculous. I have a MacBook pro mid 2014. It had enough power for everyday tasks and considerable more, I can play a reasonable number of games, do video editing smoothly and enjoy portability at the same time. The keyboard is still great for typing. Apple made it considerably thinner without compromising performance. The 2015 MacBook pro is as far as I will go, then I am through with Mac, with their slimmer ports and a bunch of dangles and lousy keyboards.