2015 Macbook is Super Thin, Light, and Handsome But It's Not Without Limitations
Apple has just introduced an all-new redesigned Macbook -- and I think it's the most gorgeous of all notebooks that the Cupertino company has released so far. However, it is hardly without chinks on its sleek armor.
“Apple has reinvented the notebook with the new MacBook, and at just two pounds and 13.1 mm, it’s the thinnest and lightest Mac ever. Every component of the MacBook reveals a new innovation. From its fanless design, ultra-thin Retina display and full-size keyboard that’s 34 percent thinner, to its all-new Force Touch trackpad, versatile USB-C port and breakthrough terraced battery design, the new MacBook is the future of the notebook," shared Mr. Philip Schiller, Apple’s Senior Vice President for Worldwide Marketing.
Measuring just 13.1 mm at its thickest point and featuring a 12-inch 2304 x 1440 pixels Retina Display, an all-new Force Touch TrackPad, and a redesigned Keyboard, the new MacBook is an amazing 24 percent thinner than the 11-inch MacBook Air. With a new precision-milled unibody enclosure featuring integrated Wi-Fi antennas and a top case with polished stainless steel Apple logo, MacBook is available in three elegant finishes - namely, Gold, Silver and Space Gray - and is the first MacBook with an all-metal enclosure.
If you're merely looking at the device's design and construction, it's really hard to ask for more from this new release. But the thing is, aesthetics is not the only consideration you should make when purchasing a notebook - be it for work or home use - and that said, we'd all do well to note that the 2015 Macbook has two notable limitations.
First, it only has one port and it's not even a common one. The new Macbook's USB-C supports higher wattage charging, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps) data transfer and DisplayPort 1.2 all in a single connector that’s one-third the size of a traditional USB port. However, if you have devices that you need to connect to your Macbook using HDMI cable or even just a simple USB cord, you'd have to get a separate dongles from Apple, which each cost around - get this - $80.
Second, 2015 Macbook is under-powered compared to similarly priced Macbook Pro with Retina Display variants. This new model comes with a 1.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.4 GHz, 8GB of memory, 256GB of flash storage and Intel HD Graphics 5300 starting at $1,299 USD; and with a 1.2 GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.6GHz, 8GB of memory, 512GB of flash storage and Intel HD Graphics 5300 starting at $1,599 USD. For similar amounts, you can already get other Apple notebooks with more powerful processor or bigger flash storage. For example, for $1,299, you can already buy a 13-inch Macbook Pro with Retina Display that features a 2.7 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz, 8GB 1866MHz LPDDR3 memory, and 128GB PCIe-based flash storage.
With the 2015 Macbook, you'll be trading power and flexibility for attractiveness and novelty. I understand that many Apple fans won't have issues making that jump. But for me, I think I'm still happy with my powerhouse 2013 Macbook Pro; Heck, I still need that DVD/RW drive for CDs that some PR companies continue to issue.
“Apple has reinvented the notebook with the new MacBook, and at just two pounds and 13.1 mm, it’s the thinnest and lightest Mac ever. Every component of the MacBook reveals a new innovation. From its fanless design, ultra-thin Retina display and full-size keyboard that’s 34 percent thinner, to its all-new Force Touch trackpad, versatile USB-C port and breakthrough terraced battery design, the new MacBook is the future of the notebook," shared Mr. Philip Schiller, Apple’s Senior Vice President for Worldwide Marketing.
Measuring just 13.1 mm at its thickest point and featuring a 12-inch 2304 x 1440 pixels Retina Display, an all-new Force Touch TrackPad, and a redesigned Keyboard, the new MacBook is an amazing 24 percent thinner than the 11-inch MacBook Air. With a new precision-milled unibody enclosure featuring integrated Wi-Fi antennas and a top case with polished stainless steel Apple logo, MacBook is available in three elegant finishes - namely, Gold, Silver and Space Gray - and is the first MacBook with an all-metal enclosure.
If you're merely looking at the device's design and construction, it's really hard to ask for more from this new release. But the thing is, aesthetics is not the only consideration you should make when purchasing a notebook - be it for work or home use - and that said, we'd all do well to note that the 2015 Macbook has two notable limitations.
First, it only has one port and it's not even a common one. The new Macbook's USB-C supports higher wattage charging, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps) data transfer and DisplayPort 1.2 all in a single connector that’s one-third the size of a traditional USB port. However, if you have devices that you need to connect to your Macbook using HDMI cable or even just a simple USB cord, you'd have to get a separate dongles from Apple, which each cost around - get this - $80.
Second, 2015 Macbook is under-powered compared to similarly priced Macbook Pro with Retina Display variants. This new model comes with a 1.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.4 GHz, 8GB of memory, 256GB of flash storage and Intel HD Graphics 5300 starting at $1,299 USD; and with a 1.2 GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.6GHz, 8GB of memory, 512GB of flash storage and Intel HD Graphics 5300 starting at $1,599 USD. For similar amounts, you can already get other Apple notebooks with more powerful processor or bigger flash storage. For example, for $1,299, you can already buy a 13-inch Macbook Pro with Retina Display that features a 2.7 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz, 8GB 1866MHz LPDDR3 memory, and 128GB PCIe-based flash storage.
With the 2015 Macbook, you'll be trading power and flexibility for attractiveness and novelty. I understand that many Apple fans won't have issues making that jump. But for me, I think I'm still happy with my powerhouse 2013 Macbook Pro; Heck, I still need that DVD/RW drive for CDs that some PR companies continue to issue.
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