Macbook Pro (2016)
Discussion
GCH said:
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I am not a spec w
ker, don't really care what brand chip is in it, and I couldn't care less about the (rumoured) touch strip - I just want it to be practical (ie, no dongles required for simple daily usage stuff) , have exceptional battery life, be light, and be reliable.
I initially considered this, but the prices are still steep and the competition really had caught up IMO (17yrs Mac exclusively when spending my own money).I am not a spec w
ker, don't really care what brand chip is in it, and I couldn't care less about the (rumoured) touch strip - I just want it to be practical (ie, no dongles required for simple daily usage stuff) , have exceptional battery life, be light, and be reliable.If refurb prices drop significantly then maybe.
Murph7355 said:
Thanks.
I tried a matte screen version about 6mths ago and was underwhelmed by the machine generally, especially the screen. Possibly because the Macs I was comparing it to and that I've been using for years have gloss screens.
Matte screens have less contrast and look a bit more dull in general, but on a laptop I prefer them for reflections.I tried a matte screen version about 6mths ago and was underwhelmed by the machine generally, especially the screen. Possibly because the Macs I was comparing it to and that I've been using for years have gloss screens.
The gloss 4K had a huge wow factor when I first saw it, especially with those minimal bezels and the glass plate running over the entire front. The matte looks quite normal in comparison
.Digitalize said:
A big part of the issue has been Intel, there just hasn't been the chips needed, which is why the last 'update' was so small. They've changed their Tic Toc cycle to a Tic Toc Toc which means things are progressing much slower than they used to.
Except that ignores the fact Apple have skipped the Skylake chips. The Iris 550 28W GT3e based parts would be quite a nice graphical improvement in performance for the 13", and the Iris Pro 580 35/45W GT4e parts would make the non-discrete graphics 15W a lot quicker too.If they're hanging on for the refreshed Kaby Lake parts then the wait will be a while longer, as I'm not sure the quad-core parts are ready yet - if they are then the MBP 15 will be the first thing using them.
I'd like o see the upgrade too, but I can't get excited. I'm exclusively Mac but with some Bootcamp/VM into windows for specialist only software.
My ideal spec would be a step away from mobile phones, but it seems Apple just want to bring them together. I'd rather have more USBs not less (because I already use too many converters as it is for the mountain of USB dongles I have to use), a number pad (because laptops have had them for years and guess what I don't to carry around another peripheral! 
), etc.
The LED strip bar has some usefulness if it changes buttons per application. Wasn't that what the original f keys were supposed to do anyway?) But well it's been 30-odd years without this, so I don't think it's a deal breaker. Couldn't give a st about Siri on my laptop when spotlight is already perfectly acceptable.
My ideal spec would be a step away from mobile phones, but it seems Apple just want to bring them together. I'd rather have more USBs not less (because I already use too many
converters as it is for the mountain of USB dongles I have to use), a number pad (because laptops have had them for years and guess what I don't to carry around another peripheral! ), etc. The LED strip bar has some usefulness if it changes buttons per application. Wasn't that what the original f keys were supposed to do anyway?) But well it's been 30-odd years without this, so I don't think it's a deal breaker. Couldn't give a s
t about Siri on my laptop when spotlight is already perfectly acceptable.Buffalo said:
My ideal spec would be a step away from mobile phones, but it seems Apple just want to bring them together. I'd rather have more USBs not less (because I already use too many converters as it is for the mountain of USB dongles I have to use), a number pad (because laptops have had them for years and guess what I don't to carry around another peripheral! ), etc.
Hmm not much slim, nice 15" laptops with a numpad (Asus springs to mind?) though. converters as it is for the mountain of USB dongles I have to use), a number pad (because laptops have had them for years and guess what I don't to carry around another peripheral! ), etc. As for dongles, hate them with a passion. My MBP only needed them for some screens, my Samsung Series 9 was unbelievably thin and light, but had to use a dongle for any screen and network.
The XPS has a full size HDMI port and I seldom need something else these days, but even then I miss the network port from time to time. But I can imagine that a number of people really don't need them. I do hope that this 1 USB port fashion isn't going to go through the rest of the range though.
I'm really really hoping Apple don't somehow lose the plot and remember that this is a Pro machine. Having to carry around a dongle for Ethernet is a bit annoying, but I want several USB ports on the new one, not just one and an arbitrary Lightning port instead of 3.5mm "just because".
Apple have changed the date of their "earnings call" due to a "scheduling clash", I wonder if that means a Mac announcement on the 27th?
FWIW I was concerned about going down to one USB port on my MacBook, but 10 months in it hasn't been the problem I was expecting it to be. I think I'd now actually prefer for it to have a Lightning port, rather than the 3.5mm headphone jack.
FWIW I was concerned about going down to one USB port on my MacBook, but 10 months in it hasn't been the problem I was expecting it to be. I think I'd now actually prefer for it to have a Lightning port, rather than the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Craikeybaby said:
Apple have changed the date of their "earnings call" due to a "scheduling clash", I wonder if that means a Mac announcement on the 27th?
FWIW I was concerned about going down to one USB port on my MacBook, but 10 months in it hasn't been the problem I was expecting it to be. I think I'd now actually prefer for it to have a Lightning port, rather than the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Lightning or USB-C?FWIW I was concerned about going down to one USB port on my MacBook, but 10 months in it hasn't been the problem I was expecting it to be. I think I'd now actually prefer for it to have a Lightning port, rather than the 3.5mm headphone jack.
I've been holding off on buying a replacement for my MacBook Pro for a while now and the longer Apple take to bring out a replacement, the more I find myself looking at other options.
The Dell XPS looks to be a good bit of kit and seems to do well in reviews. I'm also quite taken by the Surface Pro but they do seem a bit on the pricey side for what I'm after.
I wonder how much Apple's policy of keeping everything under wraps until the launch actually harms them and how much it affects their sales?
The Dell XPS looks to be a good bit of kit and seems to do well in reviews. I'm also quite taken by the Surface Pro but they do seem a bit on the pricey side for what I'm after.
I wonder how much Apple's policy of keeping everything under wraps until the launch actually harms them and how much it affects their sales?
ZesPak said:
Buffalo said:
My ideal spec would be a step away from mobile phones, but it seems Apple just want to bring them together. I'd rather have more USBs not less (because I already use too many converters as it is for the mountain of USB dongles I have to use), a number pad (because laptops have had them for years and guess what I don't to carry around another peripheral! ), etc.
Hmm not much slim, nice 15" laptops with a numpad (Asus springs to mind?) though. converters as it is for the mountain of USB dongles I have to use), a number pad (because laptops have had them for years and guess what I don't to carry around another peripheral! ), etc. As for dongles, hate them with a passion. My MBP only needed them for some screens, my Samsung Series 9 was unbelievably thin and light, but had to use a dongle for any screen and network.
The XPS has a full size HDMI port and I seldom need something else these days, but even then I miss the network port from time to time. But I can imagine that a number of people really don't need them. I do hope that this 1 USB port fashion isn't going to go through the rest of the range though.
I hate dongles too - but I can't not use them, when that is what the software I use dictates. Some are moving to network licences, but I spend a lot of time in the back end of nowhere, so internet coverage back to base can be hit and miss. In general software follows Apple's lead, but it can take a long time. Especially with overpriced (in the first place) proprietary/ niche software. It can be rough when a company like Apple just decides to drop a staple equipment piece.
I agree that network port and HDMI is very useful. The thunderbolt stuff is fine, but when you have to carry converters its a PITA. If it hasn't caught on by now,is it ever going to? They should just revert to original port type IMO... <sigh>
I also use a MacBook, which I like (I even like the keyboard) but I am constantly getting caught up having to swap out the USB drive for the power. Two sockets would simply be easier. In a few years time, these first world problems will all probably be ancient history but at the moment FML!
Edited by Buffalo on Tuesday 4th October 21:28
neenaw said:
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The Dell XPS looks to be a good bit of kit and seems to do well in reviews. I'm also quite taken by the Surface Pro but they do seem a bit on the pricey side for what I'm after.
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My step to the dark side continues The Dell XPS looks to be a good bit of kit and seems to do well in reviews. I'm also quite taken by the Surface Pro but they do seem a bit on the pricey side for what I'm after.
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Just looking at costs, a like for like (as close as you can get) retina Macbook is currently about £400 more than a touch screen XPS 13. And that with the older architecture on the rMBP...
Not much in the refurb store at the moment.
As a poster stated above, they seem to be obsessed with thin and light at the expense of everything else. Apple already have a slew of thin, light laptops, the Pro should be the bigger more powerful cousin for those that want it.
Even then the current Macbook pro is still thinner and lighter than most of it's competition so it's more than good enough in that department. They need to stop obsessing over the ergonomics so much and give it some real horsepower to compete with the top end Windows laptops, especially at the premium they charge for them.
Thin, light and powerful are still hard to do with current tech due to heat management issue so on the Macbook Pro at least they need to start prioritising. I'm not saying turn it into some beastly gaming rig, you can still keep it slick and classy looking but just not obsess over every last millimetre at the expense of grunt.
Even then the current Macbook pro is still thinner and lighter than most of it's competition so it's more than good enough in that department. They need to stop obsessing over the ergonomics so much and give it some real horsepower to compete with the top end Windows laptops, especially at the premium they charge for them.
Thin, light and powerful are still hard to do with current tech due to heat management issue so on the Macbook Pro at least they need to start prioritising. I'm not saying turn it into some beastly gaming rig, you can still keep it slick and classy looking but just not obsess over every last millimetre at the expense of grunt.
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