We’d heard rumblings and observed omens and portents about the imminent release of new 12-inch MacBooks, and now they are here. And that’s pretty cool, I guess.
Longer battery life is always a plus, as are faster Skylake processors and speedier memory. The new Rose Gold option is pretty, too.
But despite the fact that I’m still rocking a 2011 MacBook Pro, I’m not reaching for my wallet to grab one of the new Retina MacBook models. I can’t even explain why that is — I simply don’t care.
I’ve read Apple’s press release about the new MacBooks several times, and while everything listed is an objective improvement, I haven’t found the sentence that makes me think, “OK, this belongs on my desk.”
Has Apple so spoiled me with crazy, slightly esoteric features like 3D Touch and Retina Flash that I can’t get excited about new gear without a new gimmick? Is it not enough that the company has built new MacBooks that are simply better than the old ones? Apparently not.
Actually, you know what excited me about the new 12-inch MacBooks?
I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I perked up a little when I read about them not having fans. Or even vents. I’m just curious what that’s even like. Probably quiet. It’s the sort of thing you don’t even notice normally, kind of like more RAM and a faster processor. My editor tells me last year’s Retina MacBook models didn’t have fans, either, so this still isn’t anything to get too worked up about. Neither is the 8GB of RAM that Apple is now making standard on the MacBook Air.
However, I’m thinking this is more a problem with me than anything Apple has done or failed to do. We shouldn’t expect Apple to come up with crazy new features on every iteration of every device.
Don’t get me wrong here. I’m not opposed to the new MacBooks. I don’t even dislike them — I think they’re pretty cool. I just don’t care.
Evan Killham is a freelance writer who lives in Nebraska and isn’t interested in football, so he has plenty of time to play and think about video games. He has written for Bitmob and GamesBeat and sometimes, he even goes outside. But not too often because he’s heard there are bees out there. Occasionally, companies send free units for review. Evan subscribes to Cult of Mac’s Reviews Policy and also does not keep the items he receives for possible coverage.
42 responses to “The new MacBooks are out, and I don’t care [Opinions]”
agreed, at the cost and the almost yearly implementation it really needs to knock my socks off.
“Actually, you know what excited me about the new ones? I’m embarrassed
to admit it, but I perked up a little when I read about them not having
fan”
I thought that the previous model (2015 MacBook) also didn’t had fans…. I don’t think this is a new “feature”.
From the article:
“My editor tells me he’s pretty sure the old ones didn’t have fans, either, so this still might not be anything to get too worked up aboit [sic]”
So this guy, who writes for Cult of Mac, didn’t know that? No wonder he “doesn’t care about the new Macbook”…
I have the first model that came out last year and it doesn’t have a fan and I love working with this Macbook. Cheers!
Can we all just grow up and call it pink? Its pink, right?
Why do you have to grow up to call it pink? Why does this matter? Have you ever bought a car, or bought paint at a hardware store? My Lowes has probably 50 different colors you would call pink. There isn’t anything wrong with marketing your specific shade of pink.
No retina screen on the Air? No Macbook pro update? The Macbook is really cool. I love the weight, the slimness and the keyboard…don’t like that there is only one input. On my Macbook I often need to charge my phone, use a plugged in USB headset, attach an external hard drive, etc. Would like to see updates and a thinner/lighter body for the MBP.
Macbook pro and air updates, assuming Air updates happen, are in June.
Your comment is very matter-of-fact but what are you basing that on?
Last year the Macbook Air update was March 9, 2015 (perhaps the 8GB is the only upgrade it gets this year) and the Macbook Pro 13″ update was on March 9, 2015 and the 15″ upgrade in May.
I was hoping for a MBP upgrade announcement as well (as I desperately need a new machine, my 2011 Air is on its last days), so I googled it. And found several sites saying that it was likely that MBP upgrades would get announced at the developer conference in June. Prior news stories suggested that Apple was waiting for the availability of new processors, and thus there was nothing about mac in the March event. I don’t think there is any rocket science about prior release dates, except for the iPhone (every September) and new iOS and OS X betas (in June). Believe me, I am desperate for new MBP upgrades. Don’t want to spend $2K on last year’s model!!
Would like to see the Touch ID technology on new MacBooks.
Or, wait until they are announced and get a great deal on a 2015 MBP.
Boring article, not the Macbook.
Ahahah
I’ve already seen you somewhere XD
i love reading articles from people who “just don’t care” so informative, and worth while… why even post it?
Apple seems to be releasing boring updates. Nothing to really wow us lately.
Having just purchased a new MacBook Pro as my Xmas present last December and a new iPad Pro two weeks ago, I simply can’t justified a new MacBook even in rose gold, (sorry it’s not pink), I am more interested on a refresh of the Mac mini, been thinking about running Mac OS server just because…
well they keep hobbling the Mini. There isn’t even a quad core version anymore.
I really like my 12″ MacBook for frequent travel, but …
My biggest issue is at home where I cannot connect the 24″ Apple Display which uses mini display port.
With Apple’s adapter, I can output 4K on HDMI to a Dell or Samsung monitor, but NOT any Apple monitor.
I would buy the Thunderbolt monitor, but that format is not compatible with USB-C.
This is completely shameful. I hope Apple updates their monitor at WWDC16.
I’ve been waiting for a new Mac monitor since the 2013 Mac Pro came out.
I’d be more interested if they didn’t have Intel core m processors. Besides its the newly redesigned MacBook Pro with TB 3/USB 3.1 that we all want to see.
MacBook Pro retina 13 is way better at the same price, this MacBook is the base Model of all the Macbook lineup, it has to start from 1000$ or 1300€ (in Europe all MacBook cost 300/400$ more than US, the MacBook 12 starting price in Italy is 1691$ or 1499€, the same of MacBook Pro retina 13, too expensive)
“I can’t even explain why that is — I simply don’t care.”
With respect, Evan, I’m just not sure why you wrote this article. You admit we shouldn’t expect whiz-bang with every iteration of Apple products, and I •completely• agree. Endless whiz-bang is what the less mature (and more jaded) users complain about, wishing for new, new, new with every model. I find that thinking silly, as apparently, so do you. It also puts unreasonable expectations on Apple… and the stock.
You say the new MacBooks are a bump in speed, ram and even color, but that you can’t exactly explain why you’re not wowed… or why you don’t even care. Given your love of Apple (which I certainly share), I can’t imagine why you even articulate these things.
I believe in that old adage, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” I think there’s also a case for, “If you can’t say something negative…” Otherwise, what’s the point, other than just thinking out loud? In any case, I think the MacBooks deserve a closer look by all portable users. They’re gast, elegant, have great battery life, are powerful, and they’re the computer everyone tries to imitate, but can’t. Those are qualities that wow •me•.
Again, with respect.
Well said.. kudos to you..
I think it’s perfectly legitimate from a journalist perspective to write an essay about why something Apple is trumpeting as new, better and different isn’t really much of any of that.
Apple neither describes the bumped-up MacBooks as “new”, nor “better” nor “faster”, except in comparison to portables from the competition. In fact, Apple is not even “trumpeting” them. In their usual style, they barely mention the differences.
That said, I certainly do not question the legitimacy of the article. I merely suggested it serves no real purpose to muse out loud why one can’t explain why he’s not excited about something he agrees is a good product.
the 4th estate is supposed to be critical of government business and society. If it stuck to the “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” rule it would not be doing it’s job.
The author makes a good point. The Macbook line is in need of some pep. This spec bump did nothing to address the shortcomings of the model, and nothing to create excitement aside from a new tacky (IMHO) color option.
Your assessment of the previous MacBook and the bumped-up model is silly. It has absolutely no appreciable shortcomings, unless, of course, you compare it to a Prp model with more I/O and power. But then, it was designed to fill a niche, and to my knowledge (and the informed press, including Cult of Mac), it does that perfectly. Your criticism that either model need more “pep” is specious. It has more than adequate power, ram, battery power and everything else for its intended purpose. As far as a “new, tacky color option”, that’s the silliest of your observations. Don’t like the color, don’t buy the color.
I spend a ton of time on my Mac every day. I am often out and about as part of my work. I’d be all over the Space Gray MB if it just had a single USB port and an SD card slot. Ive’s obsession with ‘clean’ appearance undercuts functionality.
It is not a big deal. I’ll just get an Air or a rMBP. But I’d really like to see the numbers on how many of these sold.
As far as the color. It is an obvious design by market research decision.
Beyond diluting the reputation of the Apple brand as design-centric and classic, it impacts supply chain, stocking, and manufacturing. For every color they add, that is a new SKU X the number of configurations.
IF you go back to the ‘rebirth of Apple’ era when Jobs came back, the first thing he did was axe the superfluous SKUs.
I’m with you on most of that. But for the elegance and lightness of the MacBook, why not just get the SD/USB dongle? I’ve been using a mid-2009 MBP since new, and although I use the USB ports and the SD slot, it’s only occasional use. I like the Airs my friends own (11″ and 13″), and their non-retina screens are quite good, but neither compares to the MB in my opinion. Of course, that’s all it is, just an opinion. :)
As for the colors, I don’t think it’s that big a deal. People want what they want, and Apple just fills those needs, as well as driving new technology. Jobs axed a lot of things, and conversely introduced a lot of things, visionary and technological entrepreneur that he was. But that was then, and this is now. Incidentally, if you haven’t ever read “Revolution in the Valley”, grab a good used copy from Amazon. Amazing stories and anecdotes about how the Macintosh was born, not only by Jobs, but sometimes in spite of him. Cheers.
For what they are they are also just super unjustifiably expensive.
Its lack of expandability and the weenie of a CPU make it an ideal starter machine, sadly it’s overpriced by $1000. People complain that Apple’s laptop line is a confused mess. It wouldn’t be if they renamed the MB to the MB Mini (and priced it realistically), left the MB Airs alone, dropped the Pro from the 13″ MBPs (dual core machines are NOT Pro material) and left the 15″ MBP as is. No more confusion.
Shouldn’t a writer on Cult Of Mac know that the original Retina MacBooks didn’t have fans?…
“crazy new features,” no. but how about just adding some standard, old features, like Thunderbolt over USB-C? That’s not crazy new nor is it a luxury. I have several Thunderbolt devices that I would love to use with my 2015 Macbook, but can’t. Is that asking too much?
I’m also still rocking a 2011 MBP, and its eons faster than these new Macbooks, so I can imagine “upgrading” to a maybe prettier, but definitely slower machine. I don’t care definitely sums it up. Skylake new MBP is the machine I’ve been waiting for ages now.
Apple’s lineup is currently in limbo.
I’m expecting them to can the Macbook Air line and make the MacBook Pros thinner. I don’t anticipate a bump up in screen resolution, because that would be awful on battery life, even with the new Skylake processors. The new Dell XPS models are great, but they have awful battery life with the 4K screens.
Hopefully the 2015 MacBook Pros drop in price soon too.
I’m sure I am not the only person who has considered Apple to be a design lodestone for many years. And is disgusted by the gold and now ‘rosegold’ esthetic. It’s like a certain spray tanned demagogue has taken a majority stake in the company. And now everything must be ‘the classiest, just SUPER classy with hYuge amounts of classy gold’.
I actually kind of like the MacBook in Space Gray, but the lack of SD card reader and no USB is a bigger negative than the meager performance.
I’ll be getting another 13″ rMbP later this year. Thank god that only comes in one color!
Only come in one colour, CURRENTLY. Personally I would not mind a Space Grey Pro
i’m not into powerbooks since I personally have no use for them. Saying that, it looks like Apple is putting too much time into portables, watches and phones when they should be putting more time into the wayward mac pro, cleaning up the Finder and their own software.
Just an opinion for my situation.
I have an iMac, so I don’t care either. You’re not required to care. Move on.
My New MBP retina has me wishing I saved my money and bought Windows……Outlook constantly crashes with WORD and EXCEL not to mention the unresponsive track pad……Had the machine replaced 3 weeks ago….and now have ALL the exact same Faults as before…….Spinning ball upto 10 times a day….guess thats why its now called EL CRAPitano…!!!!How long is it going to take for updates to actually work…????
For a laugh try to use the dictaphone….see if you can get a half page of legible language……