The New Macbook

[audi321]

How bad is the performance of these things likely to be? 1.3ghz seems to be the top spec, but it's a M Core? Has anyone experienced this processor before?

Do I remember Tim Cook saying they'll be on display in the Apple Stores before the launch day? Anyone know when I can go and 'try' one out in the stores?

Cheers all

[audi321]

I think it was the watch that was getting into the stores before the launch date now I think back.

[audi321]

Yep, it's official, as powerful as a 2011 Air!! ridiculous for £1200!!!

http://www.macrumors.com/2015/04/01/retina-macbook...

[audi321]

CAFEDEAD said:

Blown2CV said:

audi321 said:

Yep, it's official, as powerful as a 2011 Air!! ridiculous for £1200!!!

http://www.macrumors.com/2015/04/01/retina-macbook...

There have been quite a lot of advances in 4 years though. Not sure it's that amazing.

The least of those advances being single core processing power, it's not that far behind and for target users of this device single core processing just doesn't matter that much. There's no point in just looking at that statistic without comparing power consumption, I/O performance, etc.

Yes but it's ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED POUNDS!!!

[audi321]

Is it just me or have they reduced the price? I see the basic spec is £1,049? I thought it was more?

[audi321]

The battery life on the 13" Air is actually better than the new Macbook! It's virtually the same weight and size (ok it's slightly heavier, but then the screen is an inch bigger to counter this). There's almost no difference in price. They have the same RAM and SSD. They are very similar in all these aspects.

For me, it simply comes down to whether you want a 1440 screen vs the Air's 900 screen (HD is 1080) OR if you want a much faster and more capable processor.

For me, the resolution in the screen isn't that big a jump to warrant having such a basic processor. If it were 1800 like the MBP retina screens then this may be different, but at 900 it's still good and not that far from HD at 1080 (I'm assuming this is how you compare them?)

[audi321]

New Macbook Battery life = 9 hours
Macbook Air 13" Battery life = 12 hours

33% Better in the Air

[audi321]

leglessAlex said:

It's also (nearly) 33% heavier! Some people want the lightest thing possible and don't want an extra 300g of weight in their bag even if it does mean longer battery.

But it's an inch bigger screen. If you took the weight per sq/cm I reckon they'll be very very similar.

Also technically the Air is actually THINNER at one end!

ETA - I've just done the calcs and I think the Air is actually 9% LIGHTER per cubic/cm!

Edited by audi321 on Wednesday 15th April 09:46

[audi321]

I had a play with one today at the Apple Store. They certainly look flimsy. Especially the screen. Looks like it would crack with a strong wind.

But it's the usual high class finish you would expect from Apple. I didn't have time to test it out with anything stressful for it but it's small and light which I guess is their target market. The space grey one looks the best imo

Edited by audi321 on Saturday 25th April 18:04

[audi321]

So I don't get it........how are people selling these at less than Apple are selling them for. There was supposed to be a lengthy wait for them, yet I can buy one immediately for under a grand from a fair few places.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Apple-Macbook-1-1GHz...

Are they the flop we all predicted then? Has anyone on here actually bought one yet? What are they really like at playing HD stuff, Excel spreadsheets, dare I even mention video editing on one?

Edited by audi321 on Sunday 31st May 11:08

[audi321]

Troubleatmill said:

audi321 said:

So I don't get it........how are people selling these at less than Apple are selling them for. There was supposed to be a lengthy wait for them, yet I can buy one immediately for under a grand from a fair few places.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Apple-Macbook-1-1GHz...

Are they the flop we all predicted then? Has anyone on here actually bought one yet? What are they really like at playing HD stuff, Excel spreadsheets, dare I even mention video editing on one?

Edited by audi321 on Sunday 31st May 11:08

I can walk into my local Costco and buy a brand new Apple cheaper than I can get it at my local Apple store.

They are perfectly good machines.
Even my old 2011 Mac mini is still fine playing HD movies ( great media server )

If you are keen on video editing - this isn't the model for you.

Yes but my point is that almost every 'new' product Apple has brought out has been in such demand that you can't get one for months (every iphone release, watch, etc) and they command such a premium above the RRP, yet this macbook has been available virtually instantly at a discount.

[audi321]

K12beano said:

Really?

Not my experience.

I've had two new-model iPhones, straight after launch (well a few weeks, but not months), and last year watched Costco stocking the 5K Mac for several weeks before I jumped on one.

I agree that sometimes the demand is (hyped?) higher than supply...... and plenty of people seem to order two and put one on Fleabay if there's a sniff of that happening. But it's not a "real" problem.

Every iphone I can remember has been unavailable for weeks, the watch was months wait.

[audi321]

Has anyone who has got one of these machines used it for video editing at all? Just wondering how bad they are? I mean are they totally unusable or just slow or not too bad at all?

Video editing must be the most processor intensive work that a machine can be asked to do?

[audi321]

bimjim said:

audi321 said:

Has anyone who has got one of these machines used it for video editing at all? Just wondering how bad they are? I mean are they totally unusable or just slow or not too bad at all?

Video editing must be the most processor intensive work that a machine can be asked to do?

I had one for a few months and used it for graphic work with Adobe CC, nothing as taxing as video though... Performance was actually pretty good, better than I expected anyway.

Well, to try it out I've bought one from ebay today for £850. That's not the basic one either, but the 512gb SSD and 1.2ghz processor in pristine new condition apparently (£1300 new last month!). So I'll test it out next week and report back with my tests. If it's ste it can go on gumtree for the same money.

[audi321]

bimjim said:

Mine was the base spec one. Running the Cinebench graphics benchmark I got 18fps vs 24fps from a 2014 13" MBP Retina.

They are nice but I didn't get on with the overall size, which is personal preference, or the keyboard with almost zero travel. The lack of ports could sometimes be a pain too.

I'd not seen that Cinebench thing before......so ran it on my 2011 MBP and got 39fps! Seems a bit odd that it got so much more than your 2014 MBP?

[audi321]

Right, mine turned up today and whilst I've not given it a proper test out yet, here's the initial thoughts.

Keyboard - Really strange to type on initially, but after a couple of hours you get used to it. Feels like you've got to hit the keys hard to get the press.

Screen - I really feel like Apple have pulled the wool over my eyes here. Boasting 2403x1440 resolution which I was looking forward to. Only to find out that that resolution is only available via the thunderbolt port and an external monitor. The highest resolution on the screen is only 1440x900 (NOT EVEN HD!) - BIG CON in my eyes. How can they call this Retina????

Nice and snappy with Chrome installed, web browsing fast.

I'll report back with video editing speeds and usability with photo editing later

[audi321]

Well, a bit more testing and it can handle Final Cut Pro ok, nothing spectacular, but not too bad. Certainly not as bad as I was expecting. Battery life is amazing, and despite there being no fans, it doesn't get hot at all.

I've decided I'm not keeping it, so if anyone fancies an immaculate 1.2ghz 512gb SSD 8gb RAM for £850 + p&p at cost then send me a PM.

[audi321]

Slate grey. I've just replied to your pm.