The new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar might be Apple’s fastest-selling Pro machine to date, but a lot of fans are far from happy with it.
It’s thinner and lighter than its predecessors, and it boasts the fastest storage we’ve ever seen on a Mac. But it’s also a lot more expensive, and it’s missing traditional USB-A ports that the vast majority of us still rely on every day. The SD card slot is gone, too.
But, does it really deserve all this criticism? Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we debate the new MacBook Pro and whether Apple messed up this year’s refresh.
Luke Dormehl: So the biggest news this week (aside from some presidential thing I’ve heard some murmuring about in the background) is the backlash against the new MacBook Pro.
Detractors are saying it’s overpriced and underpowered, and that Apple should never have ditched USB-A and the SD card slot. Frankly, I’m a bit baffled by the response — and I’m not alone. The reality is that, while people are framing this as a major backlash, it isn’t. It’s more like the backlash that accompanied Apple ditching the clone Macs back in the late 1990s: a storm in a teacup that, while it’s making a lot of noise, isn’t really telling the story for a large percentage of people. (Hmmm… maybe there’s an election tie-in here after all.)
The fact is that the new MacBook Pro has been astonishingly successful. According to analysis this week, it’s already broken Apple’s previous pro notebook records and generated more revenue than any other notebook released in 2016. It’s actually generated roughly 78 percent of the revenue the 12-inch MacBook has generated since April 10, 2015.
Do I sympathize with pro customers who would like a true pro-level notebook from Apple? Absolutely: I was sad when there was no new Mac Pro announced at the company’s recent event as well. Given Apple’s history with gaming (mainly from the Apple II era), I wouldn’t be opposed to a high-end Apple games computer, either.
But Apple’s in the business of making money, and — from the sound of things — the new MacBook Pro is a smash hit with consumers. It’s facing a backlash in the same way Hollywood blockbusters do: because it’s been so successful and there are a niche group of fans looking for something else. Apple’s been headed in this direction for years, though, and I’m puzzled that anyone would be surprised that they’re continuing this trend in 2016.
There are certainly aspects of what Apple is doing today that one can criticize. But it’s hard to say they’ve made a terrible mistake here, given that this is a computer that could well be the company’s most successful in years.
Killian Bell: I know the new MacBook Pro is already a success for Apple, and I know that criticism of the laptop isn’t going to make a lot of difference right now. But I do believe it’s warranted, and I don’t think it’s something Apple will want to see so commonly (there were plenty of complaints about iPhone 7, too).
I’ve previously defended the MacBook Pro’s new Touch Bar, and I stand by that — I think it’s super-exciting. But when it comes to the overall upgrade, I think fans have a right to be unhappy with what Apple has offered up. There are a few reasons why.
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First, it’s overpriced. An entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is a full $500 more than last year’s entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro. Apple clearly feels the Touch Bar is worth that $500, but when you consider you can get an iPad Air 2 for less than that, or even a Mac mini, the premium just doesn’t make sense.
I’m delighted with the graphics improvements this year, and it’s nice to see we finally get Intel Skylake processors, but a maximum of 16GB of RAM isn’t enough for some pro users. I know adding more would mean losing some battery life, since these Skylake processors don’t support low-power RAM above 16GB. But why can’t Apple offer more and let the consumer decide whether they want all-day battery life or more RAM?
Then there’s the sacrifices you must make when you get one. Like the 12-inch MacBook, the new MacBook Pro uses USB-C exclusively. Traditional USB-A ports are no more, and there’s no SD card slot for photographers, either. Almost no one is going to be able to use one of these machines without buying an adapter for something.
Yes, Apple likes to kill off aging technologies in favor of newer, better standards. And I get that. But when it killed off the floppy drive, the optical disk drive and FireWire, it chose a better time to do it. USB-A and SD cards aren’t ready to die yet. They’re nowhere near the end of their lifespans, and they aren’t holding us back. Why not give us just one USB-A port?
I wonder whether Apple feels forced into making changes like this because of the pressure it is under from fans and investors. The company hasn’t delivered anything truly revolutionary in years, and everyone’s calling for something big. I think Apple is worried that if it doesn’t make controversial moves — like ditching the headphone jack — it will be criticized for not doing enough.
Luke: I don’t think you and I are worlds apart on this, but I still think you’re not looking at the big picture. For one thing, yes, it’s expensive — but preorders suggest that it’s not prohibitively so. As a customer, I obviously want to pay as little as possible for my devices, but market forces dictate the amount that’s acceptable to consumers. If Apple had offered a machine that was genuinely too expensive for the market to bear, it wouldn’t sell — simple as that.
The problem is that the complainers — while long-standing Apple customers and therefore more than entitled to make their voices heard — represent a level of professional consumer that has represented a shrinking minority for Apple over the years. These users simply don’t represent what the bulk of customers are looking for, for better or worse.
We live in an outrage culture, where people can easily whip up noise online, but Apple shouldn’t necessarily deviate to please those customers just because they’re making noise. The company’s in a “damned if they do, damned if they don’t” situation where it’s at once being simultaneously criticized for not innovating fast enough and for pushing forward too quickly.
Again, I don’t think these customers are necessarily wrong to be upset. I’d love to see Apple bring out a new Mac Pro to show it’s still interested in courting pro-level customers. But it’s hard to say that Apple’s wrong when all the numbers suggest otherwise.
Let me put it to you this way: Do you think most people are going to fall away from Apple if it continues on this course? If we revisit this conversation five years from now, are we going to view this as the moment Apple lost touch with its audience’s wishes? Because I don’t think so.
Killian: I disagree that the new MacBook Pro is a good fit for “the bulk of consumers.” What happened to “it just works”? The new MacBook Pro doesn’t just work when you need to plug in your iPhone, an external hard drive, a display or an SD card. You have to buy an expensive adapter first — you might even need more than one if you want to connect a display and an SD card — and then it might just work. Is that the Apple experience we all grew to love?
I do agree that whatever Apple does right now, it’s going to be criticized. But so long as the company is doing the right things, it doesn’t matter. I just don’t think sacrificing something like USB-A was the right thing to do just yet. The new MacBook Pro is the perfect example of form over function, but I don’t think that should be Apple’s approach with a pro machine.
Yes, I think Apple could start to lose fans if it continues on this course. That’s what I was suggesting earlier when I said the criticism might not make a lot of difference right now — it could in the future.
I’ve seen photographers and video editors and other creatives on Facebook and Twitter who are switching to Windows machines that are more powerful and have additional features (like touchscreens) because they cost a lot less and require fewer sacrifices. It might not be a lot of people right now, but it could be in years to come.
Many believe Apple is too successful to fail now, but companies like BlackBerry have proven that’s never true.
Luke: The BlackBerry comparison is completely fatuous. That’s a company that fell from prominence because it stopped innovating sufficiently — not because it tried new things. As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I don’t think pro-level consumers are wrong to be upset, but maybe they should just decide that the MacBook isn’t for them. Apple’s got a larger Mac user base than ever, and appealing to all of them is going to be impossible. Do I sympathize with pro customers who have been Apple fans for years? Of course. Can I honestly say this is a mistake when Apple has a massive hit on its hands? No, I can’t.
But let’s turn this over to the readers. Has Apple made a terrible error with its new MacBook Pro that will come back to bite it in the years to come? Are you personally disappointed by the new MacBook Pro, or is this another Bendgate-style controversy? And can you really side with my Cult of Mac brother Killian, who once wrote an article on the features Apple should steal from Samsung’s disastrous Note 7? Leave your comments below. And have a good weekend!
Friday Night Fights is a series of weekly death matches between two no-mercy brawlers who will fight to the death — or at least agree to disagree — about which is better: Apple or Google, iOS or Android?
Killian Bell is a freelance writer based in the U.K. He has an interest in all things tech and also covers Android over at CultofAndroid.com. You can follow him on Twitter via @killianbell.
60 responses to “Does the new MacBook Pro deserve the criticism? [Friday Night Fights]”
The need for 1 usb-c hub is causing an apocalypse.
Steve Jobs and “It Just Works!” RIP
Not an Apple fan boy but someone who, over the years, has transitioned to Apple products mostly because I got tired of incompatible drivers and all of the other headaches that were normal in the Windows world back in the 1990’s.
About a year ago my MBP (my 3rd or 4th on at this point) gave out. I decided not to replace it because Apple hadn’t updated the MBP line in so long it seemed inevitable that something new was coming. I ended up making due with my iMac and an iPad (for travel).
I was excited when rumors started to appear that Apple was refreshing the MBP line and waited to hear of something amazing as I watched the live blogging. But noting amazing was offered.
I understand that for the more hardcore Apple people they have very specific gripes about power and such but to me I felt like I waited a year for nothing. I could care less about the Touch Bar. Seeing what PC makers had been doing over the last few years and the relative lack of innovation in the MBP line I guess my expectations were inflated.
I looked at this new MBP and had to ask myself whether or not it even made sense to stay in the Apple ecosystem if this was the best they could do after years of not refreshing the product line. The innovation that I had come to appreciate about Apple products sort of left me underwhelmed, and to be honest, somewhat cheated that I had given them the benefit of the doubt.
It doesn’t surprise me that it is selling well. I’m sure I’m not the only one who held off making a purchase because they didn’t want to be stuck with yesterday’s technology.
But I’m not buying it. I’ll continue to use my iMac and iPad Pro while I consider whether or not it’s worth the investment to switch back to Windows. Heck, for the price of what it costs me in dongles for the new MBP I could upgrade most of my paid applications.
Then again, part of my disappointment is that over the last several years it seems as if Apple has increasingly wanted credit for innovation when they are simply incrementing and that, as someone who invested in their products specifically because they always pushed the envelope, feels like they’re starting to take my product loyalty for granted.
Whether it be the iPhone 7 which was basically the iPhone 6S with a better camera to their fascination with making things smaller and thinner at the expense of utility, it feels like Apple has forgotten how to get people to say, “WOW!!!”
The MBP certainly didn’t make me say “WOW!!!” and offering it at such an inflated price has me considering buying a PC for the first time in 15 years. Sorry, but you don’t get to take 2 years and throw a Touch Pad on there. I expect more for having to wait that long.
What I see as the biggest problem is that the only model they are shipping is their lowest end model and some people THINK that that’s what the MacBookPro is, it’s just a low end model and it’s a transition spec for those that would want a step up from the MacBook Air 13inch. It’s a Pro because of the screen resolution, the case style, the faster SSD. For a “professional business user” it’s fine and I think their Enterprise customers like IBM might offer that entry level model as a standard model to their users. It’s plenty powerful for business apps. But for some reason, reviewers and customers are forgetting that the entry level model doesn’t have to run NLE at blazing fast speeds. It’s not confgured of that, and there is such a thing as business professionals. When I bought my 13inch MBPR 2. years ago, all I wanted was a high res screen unit and the Air didn’t have that. I wish this entry level model was around 2 years ago, I would have bought one and been perfectly fine.
I like the TouchBar, but since we already knew what it looked like, etc. The product announcement gets subdued.
Yes, Apple’s getting predictable, but that’s because of the rumor sites. I’m not impressed by the Android phones and I’m not impressed by the Windows products.
I think Apple users are just getting a little spoiled and used to reading the rumor sites and it makes for less than outrageous product announcements.
I haven’t seen a Windows laptop I’d rather have, even if it ran macOS.
I think you may be missing what people are upset about the current MBP. I don’t think it’s the average office worker who is going to care about the state of the Macbook Pro. Their needs can be met with the new Pro, or even the Air. It is rather the designers, photo and movie editors, and others that take advantage of the discrete graphics cards, processing power, and a large array of ports. There is no longer that higher-end option for users who want these features, even if it means sacrificing thinness.
The 13″ Pro since it came out really was the successor to the unibody (pre-single port) and white Macbooks, and the iBooks before them. The previous retina 15″ models were more of the actual earlier successors to the 15″/17″ Macbook Pro and Powerbook lines. The new 15″ Pros with the touch bar are now mostly like the 13″ Macbook Pro models, just with a bigger screen.
I suggest you actually try one out before you completely discount it. My initial reaction to them wasn’t far behind yours but I do like the space gray color (yeah small thing) and the internal storage is crazy fast
wait for the next one then
The only model that I’ve touched is the entry level model, and for what it is and what it’s trying to do. It’s fine. Sure, it’s a step up from a 13inch Air, but so what? Apple wanted to have a high res screen with the ablity to connect to Thunderbolt 3, and have fast SSD’s. I think the entry level model will be just fine for an Enterprise Business laptop. It’s light as hell, it’s got a great screen and it’s just fine for the BUSINESS USER and general purpose laptop that would like to connect to other things via the versatile USB-C ports that support the latest and greatest peripherals. As far as what else? I personally would have done this. I would have had the following ports.
1. Magsafe (but redesigned the brick so the cable was detachable.)
2. I would have just put in 1 USB-C with Thunderbolt 3 support.
3. 1 USB-A port
4. 1 HDMI port
Does it need the MicroSD card reader? I really don’t think this does. Most other companies that are making thin laptops are pulling the MicroSD card because in this day and age. if you have a camera with MicroSD, just connect an actual. cable between devices or if your camera has WiFI, then. just use that and quit your whining.
As far as the other models? I can’t’ say because I haven’t tried them, but I would have just had the following ports.
1. MagSafe (But redesigned the brick so the cable was detachable.)
2. Keep 4 USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports
3. MAYBE add a USB-A
4. 1 HDMI port
But also remind people that this is going to be a transitional model as the USB-A port might be removed for the future since USB-C is the future
I would have liked to see if Apple will come out with Xeon based laptops, but for some reason, I don’t think they will because there’s not enough demand for them.
I do like the keyboard with the limited amount of time, but I would like to see them make it waterproof so it won’t die if we spill water on it.
Apple obviously gets feedback from OS X / MacOS on the use of ports and obviously media consumers greatly outnumber those who create – but that may bite them in the end – if they don’t come up with the MacBook Pro Developers editions?
Apples to raisins comparison “An entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is a full $500 more than last year’s entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro” While true, that entry level device did not have a retina display. So that $500 gets you a much improved retina display, touchbar and night/day faster internal storage. I do agree that pricing is generally too high.
Last year’s entry level had a retina display, they all have since 2012. See my later post down below. I made a similar point. Double the SSD space (and as you mentioned, 2x as fast), the Touch Bar, and a smaller footprint (on a machine who’s whole purpose at the end of the day is to be a portable workstation) and you have easily $500 worth of improvements.
Edited to add: if you mean the non-retina 2012 models they were offering up until recently, those were around $1000 or less I believe. Truly the “entry level” model.
“But Apple’s in the business of making money…”
“Do you think most people are going to fall away from Apple if it continues on this course? If we revisit this conversation five years from now, are we going to view this as the moment Apple lost touch with its audience’s wishes? Because I don’t think so.” – Luke Dormehl
This is arrogance, that Apple can do no wrong. In the quest for making money, Apple does what it wants, not what their users want. I’m a long time user and even I’m getting fed up. Users matter and what we say matters. And apparently, users are being loud enough that Apple had to listen. Why else would they slash prices on their cables and adapters until the end of the year? Of course they’re telling you it’s the most successful MacBook Pros ever. Would they say otherwise? The fact that people are buying the new machines doesn’t mean we are all rich and can afford it and like paying high prices. For many, it’s a necessity for our businesses and livelihoods and we’ve been waiting a long time for an update. If you prefer Mac OS, you don’t have a choice. So yes, they are selling very well. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a growing anger amongst their users. You piss people off enough times, I guarantee you they WILL leave. I’m getting there. FYI, I’ve stopped using Apple Music, iTunes, Photos, iCloud. Instead I use Spotify, Audirvana Plus, Adobe Lightroom, Box and Dropbox. I could end up using a different computer altogether.
This isn’t a new business model. There has always been an “Apple tax” on their products. Budget conscious people have never been their core market. The new models are selling well so good luck trying to convince them their too expensive.
Well, maybe the “Apple Tax” is not the value it once was. Just my opinion of course. Maybe I’m just getting old and frugal. I am fortunate that I can afford to buy one. But this is the first time I’ve had to ask my self, “do I really need it?”. Again, I’m sure they’re selling. Because if you really need a new MacBook Pro and these are your choices, what else are you going to buy that runs Mac OS?
I think that’s what is doing it for me. The Apple Tax used to be worth it. Now I look at this new MBP and what’s available in the PC world and I’m seeing that the gap isn’t what it used to be. So why are they still charging the Apple Tax when Apple isn’t delivering?
It’s very easy to look at the general backlash on the MBP in isolation but I think it’s more of an overall pattern that’s been emerging. Sort of like if someone is poking you, it’s not that last poke that makes you react but the 20 that came before it.
I mean, Apple releases the iPhone 7 with very minor incremental improvements and a month and a half later leaks start coming out that the iPhone 8 will actually be a revolutionary advancement with many of the features that most of us had been hoping for in the iPhone 7. The iPhone 7 was Apple’s attempt to milk a little extra out of the faithful because they weren’t ready to deliver the features rumored to be in the 8.
The MBP feels the same way. They took two years to release a Touch Bar and some upgraded hardware. Two years? It feels like next year they will release a MBP that is actually the MBP I’ve been waiting for but they wanted to milk all of that pent up demand in 2016 to help earnings.
I’m tired of seeing Tim Cook get up there and have a room full of fools drooling over the fact that they’re offering their product in a new color. Oooooooooooooh. Revolutionary.
Quit rolling out these new products with full fanfare that should have been footnoted improvements in a real product refresh. They seem to have even quit doing the “One more thing . . . ” because they had to list every minute change just to make the presentation 15 minutes long as it is. There’s nothing left to save as the “One more thing.”
Buy a PC. Enjoy
HP – anything remotely high spec has crap cooling and will burn within 6 months
Yes get a PC and you’ll never need to look back.
One more thing you have done a great job convincing macusers not to buy the latest MacBook Pro, give yourself a pat on the back.
There never has been an Apple Tax. Their products cost the same as similarly spec’d and designed machines from other OEMS, and they always have. The difference is that Apple does not play around in the low end of the market. Same goes in the mobile/tablet space. And increasingly, as Windows/Android OEMs have watched Apple take all of the profit share for over a decade, they have started to put more thought into the design for their premium products.
While I’d agree that this does narrow the gap between them and their competitors, there was never a tax. Windows OEMs just got tired of watching Apple play around in the premium space by themselves.
Still, I love the way their devices operate with one another. I like that I can pick up iMessages on whatever device happens to be handy. Other companies have some of these features, but in my experience no other company has the whole package.
Microsoft has some nice computer-y stuff out there now, but their mobile offerings are a joke. Samsung makes some nice phones these days, but they don’t integrate with say, a Samsung Windows PC in the same interesting ways my Mac does with my iPhone. Google is in a space now where they make a bit of everything, but I actively dislike giving them my data and try to refrain from it wherever possible.
Basically, I’ve pondered the same thing sometimes, but good luck finding another company that’s the whole package. I think it’d have to be a new player that disrupts all the stalwarts at this point, including Apple. Some new tech like Magic Leap that ushers us in to a whole new era and renders all of this stuff utterly obsolete.
I would disagree on the tax. Because the tax also included paying for Apple “innovations” that you may not even want or use like the Touch Bar. They intentionally price their products so if I want a machine that has enough power to run the apps I want then I have to buy one with a Touch Bar.
While I detested the experience with older PCs where every piece of hardware seemed to cause some sort of conflict or required finding the right drivers, you pretty much had infinite choice in configuration.
So, yes, part of the Apple Tax is being forced into paying for things you don’t want or need.
Additionally, you don’t think there’s an Apple Tax when you upgrade a base config? Nearly all the major hardware components you can upgrade from RAM to SSDs are 30% – 50% more than retail cost at your local BestBuy. Back when you could crack open a MBP I used to do exactly that. I would buy the base unit and then go to BestBuy and upgrade RAM and the hard drive. Now Apple is welding that stuff into the units so you have to pay for their overpriced upgrades.
And on the iPhone, the 7 model, base config, to be exact, teardown cost is $225 vs a retail price of $649. Now, I know there’s R&D, marketing, etc. but Apple still boasts 38% gross margins on each unit (more on units with higher specs like more storage). Most hardware manufacturers would love to have 38% margins.
So yes, you’re paying the Apple Tax on hardware as well. When Apple is only making incremental enhancements like between the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6s or even the iPhone 7 (how much R&D did it take to remove an audio jack and add a dual lens camera – which you’re paying the hardware costs for?) the margins are pretty huge.
Granted Apple supplies a free OS which isn’t factored into the cost but even on the OS side we constantly get second tier features promoted as if they were revolutionary. Wow, iCloud can store stuff at a higher cost than Google Drive and with less functionality than DropBox? Ooooooooooooooh. I can tag a note like I’ve been doing in Evernote for 3 years already? Ooooooooooooooh.
There used to be a time when on both the hardware and software side, Apple was really offering something users found compelling. I bought every iPhone from the 3 until current but this last round (the iPhone 7 – though I had serious issues with the lack of functionality in the iPhone 6s too) made me look at what I was getting and ask whether or not they just played me for a fool. This new MBP has me asking the same question.
You used to watch the Apple unveil events and be sitting there saying, “Wow, take my money. I have to have that!” Now it’s like, “Meh, do I really need a Touch Bar? What would I do with it? And I’m looking at another $100+ in dongles to use any of my stuff. Nah, I’ll wait or maybe in the meantime I’ll look at a PC.”
And you say that now competitors are putting more money into design? Yes they are. The Surface Studio is a beautiful machine that I would gladly pay a premium for and wish that Apple had introduced a year ago. I may buy one rather than upgrade my iMac depending on what Apple can come up with before my iMac dies.
Another aspect of the Apple Tax is . . . dongles. Dongles that people will need to use thousands of dollars worth of peripherals that users have already invested in. I mean, the ultimate F-U you could do is to launch an iPhone and right out of the box it can’t connect with the new MBP. What happened to “It just works”? I guess nowadays it’s “It just works as long as you pony up.”
The dongles were discounted until the end of the year which suspiciously corresponds with the heaviest buying season and when investors have their eyes closely on sales. After that you get the middle-finger again but Apple doesn’t seem to care because they’ll post some wonderful sales figures for 2016 and analysts will see that Apple is moving units. Then they can blame slow sales on trends in the PC marketplace and talk about some other shiny new object which will take attention away from the fact that they built up 2+ years of demand and were able to boost sales for 3 months.
The processors they are using are the most recent processors they CAN use. The 7th gen processors that would be in the MBPR simply aren’t shipping. They didn’t want to destroy battery life by adding a 32GBB model, because it hits the battery life. That XPS 15inch that has 32GB, it only has 5 hour battery life. The SSD’s in the new MBPR are amongst the fastest in the industry, which IS a big deal. Yes, the TouchBar took two years, that sounds about right. I think for those that haven’t used it yet shouldn’t dump on it. I think it’s going to be a useful addition and I think once people get used to it, they won’t go back to a regular keyboard and I honestly think PCs won’t have that type of functionality any time in the near future.
Touchscreen in a laptop? Sorry, I know people with Touchscreen laptops and they don’t use it. So, what use is that? To me, it’s more of a gimmick.
Yes, I do think that next year’s version will be the one you really want because it’s using later technology that they didn’t have ready for this release. Some people are ripe for an upgrade and some can wait. But the 15inch models are quite powerful and the other models are better than the one they replaced and the nonTouchBar entry level model is meant as a model for people that would want a step up from an Air and it’s only a few hundred more than the most expensive Air.
Yeah, there has. Come on. Apple’s have always been a little more expensive for a similar configuration, but it’s difficult to get the EXACT same configuration between PCs and Macs.
Many times the Mac gave you something the PC didn’t, but the PC users didn’t see a need for those differences. Most PC users typically don’t use Thunderbolt because they are stuck on using USB drives and peripherals, either because they simply don’t need it or they don’t realize the benefits from Thunderbolt technology or because Windows didn’t support the full Thunderbolt spec.
Audirvana doesn’t work on Windows. :-)
What? They took a year from their last update? Wow? You upgrade your laptops yearly? Most people are hanging on to their desktops and laptops longer than they used to. It’s typical for people to use a laptop for 4 or even 5 years. Obviously the TouchBar was part of the delay and I think once people get it and get used to it, they will find it very useful.
Arrogance? No, it’s just what they decided to do and they have to keep their margins and I’m sure these new models cost more, hence a slightly higher price for certain configurations. And? you are still getting a far more powerful computer for less than what Apple would sell their older laptops that they sold 15 years ago.
Yes, I’m aware Audirvana is Mac only. That’s why I also use Foobar2000 and JRiver on my Windows 10 Laptop I have for work. ;-)
And no, I don’t update my MacBook Pro yearly. I have a 2012 model and I was looking forward to getting a new one.
OK, that’s a whole lot of excuses you’re making there for Apple; they can do no wrong? So you know how much to build these new models and their margins?When did they publish that information?
You said it again for me. “THEY decided”, “THEY have to keep their margins”. It’s they, they, they and less and less of us, the users. That’s all I’m saying.
I’ve been using Macs since the Mac Classic. I still have it as I do my Mac IIci. That was then, this is now. The base prices of the new MBPs are more expensive than previous. I’m talking base price, not “certain configurations”. Plus, you gotta spend additional $$ just to be able to use your current peripherals. While it may be a cool feature, the TouchBar doesn’t really excite me. I just don’t think the value is there. But that’s just me. So, I’ll stick with my 2012 MBP 15″ even though I was wanting a better display.
My comment about arrogance was to disagree with Luke’s assertion that it was somehow not possible that Mac users could leave Apple if they felt they were no longer being served well by their offerings. Yes, it is arrogant for ANY company to think that.
BTW, Apple has discounted prices on certain cables and adapters for the rest of the year in response to negative feedback. How’s about that for their margins?
First a little about me: I’ve been with Apple since the mid- late- eighties and programmed for an Apple developer for a number of years. Even when I left I have always used Apple products, they are easy to use and just work. When Apple has made changes they are changes that improved the line.
My disappointment began when they ditched the optical drive from the MacBooks. I stuck with Apple even though it means carrying around an external drive.
In my opinion, and for my needs, the new changes do not improve the line or meet my needs. I am not interested in carrying around a tangle of dongles just to connect the peripherals I typically use, and ditching the Magsafe connector is not a step in the right direction.
If it is not a pro machine then don’t call it a pro machine. And if this is the direction Apple is going, I am going to have to look to other platforms, whether it is Windows or Linux.
Why is it NOT a pro machine ? Where you here complaining about last years entry level 13″ MBP ? Talk about not being a PRO model . . BTW the new models are still easy to use and just work ;)
They “just work” if you don’t need to connect anything to it. But if you do, they “just work” with an adapter/dongle. ;-)
Apple still sells the previous gen 13″ and 15″ retina models ;-)
Yes, thats an option for some I guess. But if you waited two years for their latest and greatest, only to realize it’s the previous gen? What does that tell you?
It’s Friday. I’m heading home. This was a nice chat. Happy weekend to ya.
yep, if it wasn’t a “Pro” machine it would only have 1 port for the power supply… and you would need to juggle dongles – not happy, wait for next years
Go back dude… it’s now or never.
They are cheaper and more cool than a Mac.
Four freaking thunderbolt 3 ports!!!
Fastest hard drive in any notebook.
FCPX 10.3
I’ve been a fan of Apple products & have a bunch of their products. I’ve had most of the iPhone since 3GS, Mac Mini, Apple TV & couple of iPads. But all came after my first iPhone. Why? Cause they just work. What I noticed, which has been noted in the article is Apple is damned if they do, damned if they don’t. But despite all the doom & gloom & projections of Apples decline & they are still going strong. Now I ordered my 1st MBP, in fact 1st MacBook. Would I have preferred USB-A, sure but I also realized that
1). Most of my files rest on OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox.
2) I connect at home & at work wirelessly (My Mac Mini is connected wireless). So it really doesn’t matter what kind of connector it has because I won’t need them, except for charging, if I do just buy a $10 Cdn dongle. Wireless connection is good for all my other products, last time I looked my iPhone & iPad don’t have USB connectors. We are headed to a world where connecting via wire is going the way of phones with physical keyboard.
I’m paying the $ for the MBP because I know like all my products it will last a long time.
For me it’s just a bunch of people looking for views & likes by bashing Apple. In the end Apple keeps raking in the $$$ & proving them wrong.
Bring on the future most of us are already there we just don’t realize it. Apple is opening our eyes to that.
Consider this, you (hypothetically) decide to upgrade all your Apple devices and purchase a 15″ MBP, 9.7″ Pad Pro, and iPhone 7+. The headphones that came with the iPhone work with both the iPhone and iPad, but not the MBP without the Lightning to 3.5mm audio adapter. The iPhone can charge from either the iPhone or iPad charger, but neither can charge from the MBP charger without an adapter. Neither the iPhone nor iPad can connect to the MBP without buying, you guessed it, an adapter. The Apple Pencil works with the iPad Pro, but not the iPhone 7+ or MBP.
I’m sad to see the MagSafe go. I still love this feature!
I just wanted to address Killian’s first point about it being $500 more than the base model from last year, and all of that price premium falling on the Touch Bar. Not true. Spec out a 2015 model with a 256GB SSD and you are nearly to the price difference already. Throw in the fact that it’s nearly twice as fast? I’d say the drive itself is worth the price difference. They essentially just eliminated the cheaper, 128GB model from the lineup. The premium you’re paying is for more, faster storage, the touch bar, and the smaller footprint. I just bought a MBP back in February, so I’m not itching to upgrade any time soon. But if I was looking at both today, the $500 price difference makes absolute sense to me.
I think the problem is simple: the line is a now a complete mess, which is the antithesis of the discipline Steve Jobs brought to the company. The MacBook Air, which was conceived as an absolute minimalist, minimum weight laptop, now has more ports than any other MacBook! The MacBook ‘nothing’ is a restatement of the original MBA vision, which is fine in itself. But now the Pro is almost as port limited as their minimalist laptop! I’ve got no problem with a port limited laptop (in fact I still own and love one of the original MBAs), but why can’t pro users have a laptop that suits them too? It’s not an either/or proposition.
Agreed! ‘MacBook Air’ the lightest and most limited in ports. The ‘MacBook’ your baseline average/advanced home/business user with just the basic ports (use of dongles). The MacBook Pro (not these systems) for the ‘Real Pro’s’ full collection of what they need for ports and advanced memory & storage options (removable for both). The least use of dongles.
All should have MagSafe which was the best port Apple designed! OK, maybe they need an improved version but hold the idea of a quit disconnect for the power cord. My friend with a new MacBook has already kill his system by tripping over the cord, got him a used MacBook couldn’t be happer!
Apple are you listening here?? Function over Form!!
Think what the user is for that model and what they need. Stagger the line to meet the different kinds of users.
Also don’t muddy the naming! You’ve already did that with the iPad Pro’s now which is which? You had the right idea with ‘Mini’ you should have come out with ‘Grandi’ or some other name to identify the larger version ‘iPad Pro’ This is not rocket science! Naming clarifies! You don’t need to jettison the convention!
Did you reverse the Air and the Pro in your comment?!
“‘MacBook Air’ the lightest and most limited in ports.”
The post you responded was making the savvy point that the lowest end laptop– the MBA (with the worst screen) has the most ports–that is, the most currently functional, diverse array of ports while the MBP is nearly as limited as the new minimalist MacBook! (Of course, that applies only to the MBP w/o Touch Bar. It has but 2 ports, but that is one important extra one!)
We’d likely buy a MacBook if it had 2 ports rather than one.
I was talking about moving forward, not what Apple had already shipped.
To put this into perspective: The New MacBook should have been the replacement of the MacBook Air. Then the new MacBook Pro (we just got) would fall into the MacBook position and the MacBook Pro systems is what the ‘Pro’s’ need is MIA!
There are external gpu’s, raid ssd drives, and more coming down the pipes… Thunderbolt three is a the right choice…
Final cut pro x runs circles around much better spec’d machines so I am struggling to see why all the complaining… Although I’m glad people did complain about the transition costs and Apple listened and dropped prices on dongles and monitors to help… but really, I think I am going to be very happy with my purchase. Time to stop complaining, and move forward.
I don’t have enough baggage to carry all of this junk when I’m on the road. Thats why these systems fail.
Enjoyed the article. I actually just purchased my first Mac laptop.
I started off a PC user back in the day, but got into video editing at the height of Final Cut’s popularity. (At the time Adobe was scoffed and Sony Vegas just wasn’t comparable). So I moved to an iMac and have used one since. My only laptops were used solely for writing and internet, so I stuck with PC.
About two months ago I decided to move everything to a laptop. Knowing that the new MacBook Pro was rumored to drop in October, I waited it out. My initial reaction was disappointment. No Kaby Lake, no selection of ports, too much emphasis on being thin, all with a massive price hike. But after really weighing my decision, I made the purchase. This was not an impetuous buy – I waited for the reviews of the base model, listened to all the criticisms and really weighed my options. I likely won’t get my MacBook Pro until Christmas.
Here’s the thing: Mac specs have always been misleading – the integration between hardware and software improves perfmormance dramatically unlike any PC. The lack of ports is not *that* big of a deal – and yes I will need an external drive, connection to my camera / SD card, a second monitor and power.
This is not unlike Apple’s decision to rebuild Final Cut. Yes it was alienating for many. Yes, they lost many professionals. But no, it was not indicative of their future doom. Final Cut has once again returned to a top competitive force (albeit in a new way). I stuck with Apple then and I believe strongly enough in them to stick with them again. The only difference – I didn’t make the jump to FCPX until about two years ago when I thought it was ready; I continued to work on the old Final Cut Suite. With the new MacBook Pro, I made the leap now – fully assured that it will meet my needs for the next few years and fully supportive of Apple’s decisions as they stand.
Consumers are a tough bunch – always wanting innovation, but never wanting change. (Which is, by the way, a paradox) I believe in Apple’s foresight and I don’t think they made the jump too soon. It was always going to be too soon.
At some point leaders just have to jump out from the rest of the crowd and say, “Okay. I’m leading the way forward. You can either join or stay behind. But I’m going this way and I’m going now.”
The perception that PCs are cheaper is that they are heavily discounting PCs because sales are low and they have too much inventory. Apple just released these things and they can’t build them fast enough, so why discount something that’s selling?
Hi. Long time user (1989). Not that give these words anymore credit than others… But I have lost confidence in Apple’s design direction (mostly) based on these product releases/ changes. No more server options, the closed architecture, internal components and price of the Mac Pro, the design over function of the 2015 iMac iPhone 7, the MacBook and the MacBook Pro (price points included). To me, there is a great deal of time and energy being used to make these products ‘thinner’ but by doing so the functions has become ‘diluted and polluted’. Johnny’s team has too much of the attention of Tim and others… Some have said that Apple is getting out of the computer business… The continued lack of attention to the above products is recognized and experienced by many… Lastly… for those that like the MacBook/ Pro… why did not Apple take in account and released a “design by Apple DOCK to support those in this ‘port’ transition? iPhone 7 being released without WORKING bluetooth ear buds? Again a big transition for some but without a key component for the end user/ buyer? Would Steve allowed these examples to occur on his tenure? Maybe not… But Apple what are you now, who do you work for and for who do you service?
I love the criticism of a machine – the 15″ MacBook Pro – that hasn’t even shipped yet. Maybe hold off until you’ve actually used one. Apple has never been a “spec” company yet their user experience and performance has been top of the line.
Maybe all the armchair critics should wait until they actually use an unreleased machine before complaining about it. It’s like complaining about the food at a restaurant that you’ve never eaten at.
Fine and dandy but you’ll still need new cables and adapters. That won’t change.
And? I have purchased one adapter at the cost of $30. Something tells me if you can’t buy a $30 adapter then you probably shouldn’t buy a $2000 laptop.
My God you argue like a child. It’s not about ONE adapter. I am fortunate I can afford a $2500 laptop. Doesn’t mean I have to agree with everything Apple does; doesn’t mean people can’t speak up about it either.
LOL. Whoa. Someone is taking this way too seriously. “Argue like a child”? You need to get out more, dude. Relax.
LOL. Yeah and you need have a better way to get your point across besides saying things like “if you can’t buy a $30 adapter then you probably shouldn’t buy a $2000 laptop.” Yes, it’s a childish argument.
Apple doesn’t do a good job communicating that the zippy experience of using a Mac is not attached to the speed of the processes but rather a combination of software/OS, SSD speed, processors, and memory speed. It used to be that Windows 10 always felt sluggish on similar hardware compared to OSX/macOS, which is why the industry focuses so much on hardware specs when it’s really about the software. But these new “pro” models I don’t think will benchmark favorably with newer Windows 10 machines. That should be worrisome to Apple. I’d like to have seen the price point $200 lower on each new model, and the $4200+ model should have been limited to $3800, because it feels greedy instead of opulent (cf. the high-priced Edition watches). So the pricing is not dramatically off, but it is slightly off from a consumer experience/PR perspective.
The Touch Bar is nice with some interesting user-experience prospects, but it’s a gimmick, just like touch-screen laptops. Anyone who used Windows 8 understands how pointless touch-screen laptops are. I think it’s foolish to go for a Touch Bar model right now. If you need touch, I think the iPad Pro is the right choice.
There are two main shortcomings in the new Mac Pro line, as I see it, and I see them as DESIGN shortcomings, not as hardware shortcomings per se.
First, the MagSafe. It is already the very best power adapter in use, and the USB-C replacement is a definite step-down in experience. Ditching it is an uncharacteristic and un-Apple-like decision. They went for something perfect to something merely adequate from the user experience just because they like the formal simplicity of uniform ports. That smacks of the very worst of Modernist design. The inhumanity of Modernism is why housing blocks like Pruitt Igoe were demolished in increasing numbers in the 1970s onward and why we don’t build residential space for people that way anymore. As a design decision, the loss of the MagSafe very much feels like a regression to old-style Modernism, not a progression to something new, and Apple’s designers should know better and feel embarrassed for the step back. Is this a deal breaker? No, but it’s not a decision worthy of the price tag.
Second, the “Pro” moniker is misleading. In reality, Apple should have two rational lines: MacBook and MacBook Pro. All should have Retina displays at Apple’s price points. The MacBooks should be clear steps up from iPad Pros, with some needed ports but limited hardware for the sake of long battery life. The Pros should be hardware trailblazers and meet the needs of developers, creatives, etc., and be highly configurable.
But that’s not what we have. Instead we have three muddled lines. The new MacBook Pros are minimally dressed-up MacBooks, and the current MacBook Airs are overall preferable to the current MacBooks for most people, given the pricing. There is nothing “Pro” about the new line-up. The new MacBook Pros are not what we needed. They are iterative and not progressive machines design-wise, too similar to the MacBooks and even MacBook Airs to justify their existence or pricing.
The point missing in this article is that it’s discussing the ‘Pro’. Professionals have a right to be upset that’s it’s not been designed with their needs in mind. Saying that the majority of consumers are happy misses the point that there are other MacBooks for everyone else. The Pro was always the top of the range with no compromises for Pros to get everything they need on the move.
+1 Simple and to the point. What does the “Pro” moniker mean anymore?
it looks fine for consumers – the MacBook for the iPhone user – ideal for sending emoji filled emails – browsing the web and cramming MOAR emoji’s! into their Twitter and Farcebook pages
The new 15’inch mac pro with touch bar has not come out yet. So to criticize what is lacking and trying what it has already is not fair. How do we know that ubs-c with a adapter for sd card might outperform the fix sd card reader on the laptop if we having try it yet. Until it comes and I try it first hand I will keep my option to myself. In the past sometimes specs doesn’t always match actual performance.
“… there’s the sacrifices …”. That’s awkward!
I’ve been waiting for this laptop only to buy last years model instead. I’ve only ever worked on a Mac and I’ve been using them since 1989. As a designer this new Mac does not meet my requirements next upgrade I’m afraid will be a hackingtosh, it’s it’s very upsetting.
Here’s the way I see it…remember when people were complaining that they needed more USB ports? Well now they have 4 and if USB Type-C is the connection of the future then you’re on track to have more than enough ports. I think the tough part is the transitional period. I do feel the price is a bit of a shocker but what do you do about it? They’re still selling these things like crazy. I suspect a month from now after everyone has their laptops then all this will die off.
The Problem with the ‘It’s a massive hit!’ mantra is that Apple already has a whole range of producs for casual consumers. The pro line exists for a reason. To satisfy pro consumers. It’s in the name.
The current Macbook pro doesn’t do that though.
Sympathetically dissmissing pro consumers and herding them toward other companies wont help Apple much in the long run either.
The creative professionals are part of he reason apple is as heralded as it is today. They are the ones who occupy key influencer positions more often than not. They are the ones that are responsible whenever you see an apple product in a TV-show or movie instead of a diffrent product, they are the ones creating gorgeous fashion blogposts that imply that a mac is just part of the lifestyle, they are the ones recommending these computers to average consumers. Alienating your influencers is never a smart move, even if it results in short term profit.
The real answer here is that apple should be able to do both, offer a lineup for the casual consumer, while still offering pro range products at the top of the line. Instead they’ve decided to shift the pro line towards the average consumer line in functionality while maintaining, even raising the premium price point. That is a real problem. Profit or not.