Gorgeous laptop. Not for me though. I've always been a cheap and functional giant Eastpak backpack type of guy, and this new Macbook is clearly targeting the Louis Vuitton svelte form over function crowd.
I am happy to see 16x10 screen. I really hope we see PCs copy that. I'd be impressed if audio doesn't totally suck.
I'm confused how the web browsing battery life is shorter than video playback. Both numbers are good. Better than my iPad 4.
Fanless! The next Surface Pro must be fanless. I don't know why people were knocking the processor. It would be the same people praising it in a PC. It is not Atom.
Think it mainly comes down to most of the process of watching a movie is done at the hardware level now. The iGPU can decode and run the display while the CPU sleeps and no wifi radio traffic (or very little, depending on background apps and services). While most of the things you use while web browsing rely on using the wifi radio, which is much less efficient, and the cpu has to work a little more.
"While most of the things you use while web browsing rely on using the wifi radio, which is much less efficient, and the cpu has to work a little more."
Actually all depends on the OS and how it partitions requests. In the case of Windows 8.1, web (without flash ads all over the place) is just as efficient if not more efficient than video because any normal program (with than Chrome) will do a "hurry up and wait" method, allowing the CPU to be asleep most of the time. With Intel graphics and an eDP1.4 display, it's taken one step further by allowing the GPU to sleep until something changes, and even then it'll only redraw what has changed rather than the whole screen. Video also gets the same treatment, but you're only really trading some CPU for ASIC time, so the only real impact is WiFi. But for most cases WiFi shouldn't be too much of an issue, perhaps they had to boost the signal strength due to the chassis design (like iPhones, which had short talk times because of it)
Still, for many a task (not all) a Bay Trail CPU will performance quite well compared to Core M. Not faster, but not far behind either. Bay Trail is no longer the N270 of yesteryear.
Nobody has praised Core M in PCs. It's been pretty universally panned as significantly less powerful than Haswell ULVs, largely due to low clock speeds and significant throttling in the power and thermally constrained devices it's being used in. I'm curious to see if Apple has managed to prevent throttling issues given the lack of a fan and being stuffed into such a thin device packed to the brim with battery. I would bet not.
That said, I would expect to see Core M in a Surface Pro refresh, but I hope they keep the fans to prevent throttling. It's not like they can't be kept off when they're not needed.
Dell's new Venue 11 Pro is Core M-based and fanless too...
Still, I don't really 'get' it to be honest. I have the previous Venue 11 Pro with a Y-series haswell chip, and the fan only comes on when running a game for a substantial amount of time. I would have thought it would be better to have a "99%" fanless device that can deliver the goods when needed than something that's just going to throttle harder the more you push it...
It depends on the browsing test. Intel is quite optimized for race-to-sleep, active idle etc, so the CPU spends most of the time in a sleep state for web browsing. For video playback, that hardware is always running.
Overall, the runtime tests for these 5 W SoC with bigger displays are really just tests of how efficient the display is. It's biggest power user. Saving power on the SoC side is hitting diminishing returns with the aforementioned race-to-sleep stuff.
It is great looking. But does "too thin" make any sense? I think it's too thin for me. The practicality factor is down the drain as well with that huge number of ports.
To me the Dell XPS 13 beats the Macbook hands down... the Dell gets the Eastpak backpack (laptop) entry price point at ~$700 w/coupons and a better (for do it all types) feature set than the Apple.
I just hope Dell extends the infinity display concept all the way up, i.e. they have 13.3" LCD in 11.6" form factor, so add ~15.6" LCD in ~13.3" form factor, and ~17" LCD in ~15.6" form factor. That would be spectacular.
Having used the Dell in person I can say that is a truly beautiful piece of technology. If portability is a large factor but you still need a full out laptop that is the best option on the market by a large margin IMO. It truly works fantastic and looks amazing. Everyone in my office (none of whom are techies like I am) was jealous of the person who would be getting it. Everyone wanted to hold it and touch it.
The XPS 13 feels like a laptop from the future, today. It is my new go to machine for all tasks other than hardcore work, where a desktop or 17" display is still a boon.
QUESTION: Does anyone know if there is a 1TB m.2 SSD that will fit the XPS 13? There are plenty of 512GB options but I have yet to find a 1TB :-(
I think he meant Windows in general. :) That's one thing that's often omitted when comparing Apple laptops with others brands. You can (easily) run OS X on a Mac. If it's of no value to you, fine. But to some it's worth quite a lot.
Sorry, I think you misunderstood. I did not mean the adapter was literally fancy or complex in any way, just that it needed a peripheral to actually... use peripherals. If I want two usb devices I now have to either buy a second adapter to convert to USB-c, or buy a USB hub to plug in multiple devices. Call me old fashioned, but I'd much prefer having multiple/various ports directly integrated on my device. I mean, who wants to plug in that huge adapter to plug in a miniature USB receiver for a mouse/keyboard, for example? (e.g. something I personally do literally all the time)
I guess maybe in 5 years when all new peripherals are USB-c...
USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort, microSD and dock/charger port in addition to 3.5mm audio. That's three ports more than the new macbook, two of which are industry standard.
Err, are they? I assume you don't own a digital camera then. Because for the most part, they use SD cards these days and aren't showing any signs of changing. I'd already given up on floppies before the first iMac came out, they were unreliable, big and easy to accidentally wipe. SD cards are a crappy industrial design (the plastic dividers by the contacts are soooo easily broken) but not showing any signs of disappearing soon.
And having one port for everything is all very well, but then I have to carry around a whole hunk of crap to plug in more than one device, or charge and use a device at the same time. USB-C is great, but as the ONLY port on a laptop? No thanks. Not if there's just one. Google have the right idea on the new Pixel.
What is it about USB 3 spec C that makes it not an "actual port". Is it the fact that its reversible and thus feels significantly better when it comes to plugging things in and out of it?
Because there's one. And you currently can't do anything with it except charge the thing without a really pricey Apple adapter.
It's not about it being USB-C per se. I'm a fan of the USB-C connector. It's just too early for that be to be the *only* connectivity option. And only having one is just baffling.
Doesn't someone have to go first with USB-C? I thought that's how technology works: Early adopters go first with an improved solution then eventually the ecosystem catches up and everyone abandons the outdated ports. There's no way to avoid that chicken-and-egg scenario when it comes to a new port.
i wouldn't call the sp3 lousy, but i also don't know why we are comparing a tablet which can be converted to a makeshift laptop to a macbook with the classic laptop form factor.
Wait, you're wrong. The MacBook's screen is 2304x1440, while the Surface Pro's is 2160x1440. 3.3 megapixel vs. 3.1 megapixel.
One detail they didn't mention was if there were USB ports in the charger. It would make a lot of sense to build a hub into it, and it'll harm the experience if they don't.
(I've got a Windows tablet that charges through the USB port, and it's a little annoying not being able to plug anything else in while it's charging.)
Or wait for monitors with all of this built-in. USB Type-C is a standard and you will see more and more devices using and supporting it. And even with a hub: Just connecting one cable for charging, monitor etc. isn't that bad.
With a keyboard attached the Surface Pro 3 weighs more, is thicker, still can't really be used on a lap, and has a fan. Is it better at some things? Sure, you can't use the MacBook as a tablet at all, but just objectively better? That is a much more nuanced discussion.
8.1x is FAR better than what 8x was, & Win10 seems to be progressing solidly... Still a long way to go, but def. by the end of 2015 all the major issues that started with 8x should be resolved.
For now my rMBP remains as my main workstation, but Microsoft does deserve kudos, for FINALLY starting to offer some truly compelling competition.
I actually own one. It's not heavier with the TypeCover & is about the same thickness, it can be used on the lap, it's not as good as a good clamshell, but it most def. can be used. But how often do you honestly use an UP on your lap, especially a decently powered one like the SP3, you're asking for a lot of discomfort if you do. The fan is barely noticeable most of the time, only when you're pushing it with heavy-duty stuff (that core-m based devices will struggle with), or if you hit an app/sw bug, will it become very noticeable.
While it certainly looks pretty and is absolutely a well designed notebook, I think they might have slightly overshot with how many compromises a thin device can make. If they'd fit a second USB Type C in there, things would be greatly improved.
There's also the problem that if you want more ports I.e. the regular MBA, you get stuck with a crappy display. Battery life on the new macbook is also a slight step back.
Standard 8GB ram is nice, but when the device starts at $1299, it better be.
if they implemented one sole additional usb type a port, it would make so much more sense. it's early 2015, the macbook will be the first widely available product with usb type c, it's simply too early to completely ditch type a yet.
Apple has done this in the past, except they're doing it this time with a spec that is likely to become industry standard, remember mini and micro DVI?
I wasn't aware that liking IPS displays and good battery life, or IPS displays and good performance (Core M), or IPS displays and thunderbolt, or, hell, IPS displays and using two peripherals, were mutually exclusive.
I'm not saying it's a bad device. I simply think they lost a little bit too much in the pursuit of the ever shrinking height of their devices.
When the original rMBP was released in tandem with the plain refreshed MBPs, the difference was obvious. It cost more, but you didn't really give anything up in return, except an optical drive and I think some legacy ports, which was necessitated by the benefits given, because the original MBP wasn't already very thin.
With the new Macbook, the downsides from the new Airs are relatively (compared to the rMBP vs MBP for example) huge, and noticeable, and purely in my opinion detract from the device that Apple could have made. It's unlikely that they would have paid much in the z-direction for adding a second USB type-C even, but not doing so brought some fairly large compromises.
Yeah, I too feel that they've lost too much in this new device.
I still remembered the segregation from MB and MBP's, from low cost to performance, with generally no compromises. Once they merged those lines to the singular MBP I feel as if their laptops have compromised more and more for form factor.
Hm. I guess I don't feel bad about my current Air then, which I was a bit unsure about when I got it in early October last year, knowing that a new generation should come out soon. I was curious about the Core M, but that price. Damn. Yeah, my current Air will do for quite a while.
So that 90 dollar adaptor they proposed as a solution for ports, doesn't have power in. So you have zero ports while charging the thing. I guess this isn't for me and more for people who want an iPad with a keyboard basically, but that's incredibly limiting just to shave a few millimetres off. Plus lower performing than before, as we've see with 5W Core M vs 15W Haswell.
Incorrect, the $79 adapter (not $90) provides power input (charging), full size USB input, and HDMI output (or VGA output, if you'd prefer to buy that version).
The adapter on apple's site does in fact have power in (USB-C), HDMI and a 'regular' USB 3.1 port. Having to have an adapter for that isn't exactly ideal but then again you need an adapter for using regular USB or HDMI on this anyways, charging or not. It sucks for a while as pretty much nothing uses USB-C now but in time they will come. Of course even when they do an adapter/splitter will still be needed to charge and access something at the same time. I was really hoping for 2 USB-C ports on this, or even a special charger that had a male and female USB-C plug, for a sort of pass through for another USB-C device to use the data pin on the one port while the charger is using the power delivery circuitry. I imagine this will come in the future once there are more USB-C devices. But still I am over all happy with it as it will push the industry forward on USB-C and since I wasn't planning on getting a new laptop since I have a top end 13 inch mid 2013 macbook air the draw backs on this particular model don't really matter to me. I see it like the first MacBook Air, had some drawbacks but pushed the industry in a good direction which in the end I benefited from greatly
wait what? so the rMBP's that did all this prior to this new macbook are selling like crazy? Or was it because of the size/weight limitations that the rMBP didn't sell like crazy, and people are willing to compromise on performance for size weight? :/
USB 3.1 is supposed to be able to stream power in multiple directions - plug a compliant power adapter into a USB 3.1 hub and any devices requiring power will draw power (e.g. the MacBook, provided Apple didn't do anything funky...).
This is basically announcing a new Macbook Air. When the Macbook is thinner than the Air it is by design announcing something new there. I don't think it leave s much opportunity for anything but an ARM processor version; Apple could cancel the Air altogether but it has a good perception in the market.
If it is not ARM, then we are going to see a Macbook Air tablet - a definite response to all MS's Surface commercials. I'd expect a tear away keyboard.
Only port being USB 3.1 is interesting and I expected to see the port. I didn't expect to see so many other ports disappear. Clearly it will be in the market for gouging users for dongle adapters. Projector connectivity? Do explain Apple. I want to see all the planned peripherals. It will say a lot.
and one or two others. As far as projector connectivity, their general assumption is that you'll just have an Apple TV connected to the projector / tv and wireless broadcast the presentation through AirPlay, which seems to work well enough for that purpose. Using HDMI output would work too, through the adapter, and would especially be good for low-latency stuff like gaming.
It's better to use ATV. It's now cheaper at $69 and no wires is obviously far superior. Now that it supports direct connect, they removed the last hurdle of needing to be on the same WiFi.
I wouldn't be so sure -- Intel got full blown Broadwell to fit onto a tablet-sized system board. Little incentive for Apple to take the appcompat headache at this point.
did you guys even watch the video on it? it's supposed to be geared to the wireless crowd. Sharing is done all wirelessly. Video to a TV?: Apple TV; Document sharing?: Air Drop. etc, etc.
What are you talking about? It works like a charm! I can embed photos or videos I took with my iPhone into my MS Word document in my MacBook Pro in seconds instead of fumbling around with upload/download transfers.
Almost seems like they should have turned this into the Air, and then made a more powerful and thicker version for the MacBook. Like, this is thinner and has less battery life and only one port. This is the trade-off product, while the current Air is comfortable where it is. Unless they've got even more extreme plans for the next Air?
This was the highlight of the event. The Apple Watch...not so much. This looks like an amazing laptop. I can see myself getting one in the future (and running Windows on it)
The Asus UX305 ist available since january, is not thicker than 12mm, weights just 1.2kg at 13.3 inch (3200x1800 IPS) and also has Core M as well as an aluminium unibody. It costs 999€ with 8GB/256GB. The new MacBook seems just like a smaller and lighter version of that notebook. It's still impressive, but nothing new in general. But still, everyone gets a boner, cuz it's Apple.
The new Dell XPS 13 is also superior to this in just about every conceivable way. It has a smaller footprint for a larger screen. Smaller footprint is notable. Simply being thinner (and throwing out every port so it has less connectivity options than a lot of tablets) doesn't really have much advantage in this form factor. Still, you know people will buy it just because Apple.
I'd definitely prefer a XPS 13 over this (the "no ports" is a compromise I wouldn't be willing to accept) the footprint of the XPS 13 is however still larger, in both dimensions that matter (by 2 and 1 cm, respectively), though indeed the screen size / chassis ratio is better with the XPS 13. And obviously performance wise the XPS 13 is in a whole different class, under full load it will easily be twice as fast though for web surfing the difference will be minimal (turbo clock is somewhat similar). Of course, the XPS is also quite a bit more heavy, making it more of a MBA 13 competitor (except that this has a crappy screen with larger bezels and hence larger chassis size). Honestly I don't quite get the MacBook and MBA split. Choose between reasonably fast cpu or good display. Granted fanless super thin may sound nice but I don't really have any need for a tablet with a built-in keyboard.
Yeah sorry, obviously the XPS is actually a little larger but you're getting an inch more screen, much better performance, and roughly equal battery life out of it. Size to screen ratio, like you said.
It's also rather baffling why they didn't refresh the Air with a "retina" display. The only thing I can think of is that they're planning to phase out the Air soon. Or perhaps it's going to be their "budget" laptop range and sticking in a higher-res display would have raised the cost too much.
"I naturally want to feel skeptical about it, but the MacBook Air was an equally dramatic shift from the norm when it was first introduced, and it eventually replaced the original MacBook line entirely."
Well, Apple also added another USB-port and later on Thunderbolt as compared to the first generation. So clearly they had to make some concessions as well.
Core M is just the Broadwell equivalent of the Haswell Y line. Its bad reputation is due to the first pc that used it, the yoga 3 pro, that had a very low TDP and is not necessarily representative of Core M. Core M can have a higher TDP. I don't think fanless is necessarily better. My Surface pro 3 I3, that has the Y processor and a TDP of 11W is virtually fanless. There are only 2 things that make the fin kick in: synthetic benchmarks that take the CPU load to 100% and games that stress the GPU, otherwise it's impossible to have the fan on. But I am happy when the fun turns on while gaming, as my Surface never throttles, contrary to the i5 and i7 and also contrary to Core M. Still Core M with higher TDP and a fan can be an excellent solution, and according to benchmarks it's already between Haswell I3 and I5 (e.g. Lenovo Helix), which is more than enough for a lot of uses (provided there is enough RAM). And do not compare to Bay trail, Bay Trail is still far behind my I3, let alone Core M.
Whatever but this is brilliant. The average Joe wouldn't need the ports in a traditional notebook. External display could be done on the USB type C port. A USB hub might be sold separately. Better if it has a memory card reader for photography users.
WiFi AC will be sufficient for almost all networking and data a user needs. Even I don't use more than one USB port of notebooks these days.
Hells to the yes, I couldn't care less about the MacBook but it's fantastic to see them bet everything on Type C, this should push the adoption rate pretty aggressively.
Will they start packaging phones with Lighting to Type C cables tho? That'll be kind of odd, but somehow I don't see them adopting Type C on phones/tablets...
So while you are charging you can't use a memory stick or anything else like an mouse? Common, that is just crappy idea unless it has some built-in functionality for wireless mice.
OK. I never have used a Mac extensively and maybe their trackpads are actually usable compared to the stuff used on in PC Laptops. Still, what about external storage? Or like when I'm preparing for a trip and want to upload new files to it and charge it at the same time? It doesn't even have an Ethernet port. Transferring 500 GB of data over WiFi? Sure...Not to mention that you probably have to spend another $200 on adapters.
If you don't like the laptop features, get a MacBook Pro. If you want the portability but want the ports, get MacBook Air.
MacBook is targeting that niche where the user simply don't want to be bothered with plugging in ANYTHING. In the lightest possible weight and a keyboard can you can type without resorting to cutting 1/2 the width of your finger off. With the fanless design, assuming the thermals are reasonable, will simply make the laptop much more reliable. No dust particles will get into the laptop because its nicely sealed.
On Wikipedia it states that the 5Y70 and 5Y71 which are found in this Macbook can run at 2.6 and 2.9 Ghz when on Turbo but in 1-core mode, does this mean they are simply not able to run both cores at the full turbo speed?? in which case Apple are being quite misleading by simply stating a Turbo speed of 2.6 and 2.9 which would be understood as both cores simultaneously
"The starting configuration at $1299 uses Core M-5Y70 which has a base frequency of 1.1GHz and a turbo frequency of 2.9GHz. The 1.2GHz Core M-5Y71 is available in the $1599 model, and a 1.3GHz version is available as a build to order option on Apple's online store."
This is wrong. The cpus in these MacBooks should be M-5Y31 & M-5Y51 that are up configured to 6w.
Core-M is new product line for Intel, and this MacBook is a first Mac using the technology. Intel will improve Core-M processors over the next half decade and the MacBook will improve likewise.
Apple is aiming for the future with this product, where ports and cables are no longer needed as devices share everything though cloud services. It's a bold vision, and could pay off for Apple if they can make it all work...any they probably can.
I never buy first generation Apple technology...it's a rule that has served me well over the years. But the next version of this product armed with a Second generation Core-M processors will be very interesting to me.
This is an Air. Simply a 12" Air, retina, 1 port. So the old Air can go now. 12" for air, and 13.3/15.6 for Pro. Should have had 2 ports instead of 1. One for power, one for hub.
I guess part of the reason for limited ports is the fact that now the front and sides are surrounded by battery and there may be issues with cutting through those batteries to reach the sides with wire? They still have the back where a hub port would actually be nice, hiding all the cables from view
The fact that Apple can afford to develop and manufacture "new" machines like these goes to show how technologically illiterate people remain to this day.
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artemicion - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Gorgeous laptop. Not for me though. I've always been a cheap and functional giant Eastpak backpack type of guy, and this new Macbook is clearly targeting the Louis Vuitton svelte form over function crowd.eanazag - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
I am happy to see 16x10 screen. I really hope we see PCs copy that. I'd be impressed if audio doesn't totally suck.I'm confused how the web browsing battery life is shorter than video playback. Both numbers are good. Better than my iPad 4.
Fanless! The next Surface Pro must be fanless. I don't know why people were knocking the processor. It would be the same people praising it in a PC. It is not Atom.
Aidic06 - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Think it mainly comes down to most of the process of watching a movie is done at the hardware level now. The iGPU can decode and run the display while the CPU sleeps and no wifi radio traffic (or very little, depending on background apps and services). While most of the things you use while web browsing rely on using the wifi radio, which is much less efficient, and the cpu has to work a little more.basroil - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
"While most of the things you use while web browsing rely on using the wifi radio, which is much less efficient, and the cpu has to work a little more."Actually all depends on the OS and how it partitions requests. In the case of Windows 8.1, web (without flash ads all over the place) is just as efficient if not more efficient than video because any normal program (with than Chrome) will do a "hurry up and wait" method, allowing the CPU to be asleep most of the time. With Intel graphics and an eDP1.4 display, it's taken one step further by allowing the GPU to sleep until something changes, and even then it'll only redraw what has changed rather than the whole screen. Video also gets the same treatment, but you're only really trading some CPU for ASIC time, so the only real impact is WiFi. But for most cases WiFi shouldn't be too much of an issue, perhaps they had to boost the signal strength due to the chassis design (like iPhones, which had short talk times because of it)
Calista - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Still, for many a task (not all) a Bay Trail CPU will performance quite well compared to Core M. Not faster, but not far behind either. Bay Trail is no longer the N270 of yesteryear.kyuu - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Nobody has praised Core M in PCs. It's been pretty universally panned as significantly less powerful than Haswell ULVs, largely due to low clock speeds and significant throttling in the power and thermally constrained devices it's being used in. I'm curious to see if Apple has managed to prevent throttling issues given the lack of a fan and being stuffed into such a thin device packed to the brim with battery. I would bet not.That said, I would expect to see Core M in a Surface Pro refresh, but I hope they keep the fans to prevent throttling. It's not like they can't be kept off when they're not needed.
fokka - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
i think you can bet your ass a core m surface pro will be fanless.Azurael - Thursday, March 12, 2015 - link
Dell's new Venue 11 Pro is Core M-based and fanless too...Still, I don't really 'get' it to be honest. I have the previous Venue 11 Pro with a Y-series haswell chip, and the fan only comes on when running a game for a substantial amount of time. I would have thought it would be better to have a "99%" fanless device that can deliver the goods when needed than something that's just going to throttle harder the more you push it...
Aenean144 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
It depends on the browsing test. Intel is quite optimized for race-to-sleep, active idle etc, so the CPU spends most of the time in a sleep state for web browsing. For video playback, that hardware is always running.Overall, the runtime tests for these 5 W SoC with bigger displays are really just tests of how efficient the display is. It's biggest power user. Saving power on the SoC side is hitting diminishing returns with the aforementioned race-to-sleep stuff.
lilmoe - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
It is great looking. But does "too thin" make any sense? I think it's too thin for me. The practicality factor is down the drain as well with that huge number of ports.coolhardware - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
To me the Dell XPS 13 beats the Macbook hands down... the Dell gets the Eastpak backpack (laptop) entry price point at ~$700 w/coupons and a better (for do it all types) feature set than the Apple.Pros/Cons:
http://www.jdhodges.com/blog/new-2015-macbook-vs-d...
I just hope Dell extends the infinity display concept all the way up, i.e. they have 13.3" LCD in 11.6" form factor, so add ~15.6" LCD in ~13.3" form factor, and ~17" LCD in ~15.6" form factor. That would be spectacular.
shadarlo - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Having used the Dell in person I can say that is a truly beautiful piece of technology. If portability is a large factor but you still need a full out laptop that is the best option on the market by a large margin IMO. It truly works fantastic and looks amazing. Everyone in my office (none of whom are techies like I am) was jealous of the person who would be getting it. Everyone wanted to hold it and touch it.coolhardware - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Agreed 100%.The XPS 13 feels like a laptop from the future, today. It is my new go to machine for all tasks other than hardcore work, where a desktop or 17" display is still a boon.
QUESTION: Does anyone know if there is a 1TB m.2 SSD that will fit the XPS 13? There are plenty of 512GB options but I have yet to find a 1TB :-(
steven75 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
The biggest con of the Dell being Windows 8. It's basically eliminated for that alone, and double that reason if you are in an Apple ecosystem.coolhardware - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Windows 7 installs nicely, or Windows 10 preview if that is more your style.star-affinity - Thursday, March 12, 2015 - link
I think he meant Windows in general. :)That's one thing that's often omitted when comparing Apple laptops with others brands. You can (easily) run OS X on a Mac. If it's of no value to you, fine. But to some it's worth quite a lot.
tuxRoller - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
You can always install Linux if you need to do real work:)danbob999 - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
SurfacePro 3 is still better. Higher-res display, faster CPU and real ports.paradeigmas - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
"real port" - FIFYshadvich - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Don't forget MiniDP.inighthawki - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
And having a dedicated power port that doesn't require a fancy hub/cable to use other peripherals.darwinosx - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Fancy? A plug on one end and three ports on the other?gdansk - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
At $79 I'd expect fancy, but you're right. It's simple.willis936 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
I don't think you realize how fancy that really is.willis936 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Wait nvm I thought you were referring to the xps 13 breakout which has3 several specs in it.inighthawki - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Sorry, I think you misunderstood. I did not mean the adapter was literally fancy or complex in any way, just that it needed a peripheral to actually... use peripherals. If I want two usb devices I now have to either buy a second adapter to convert to USB-c, or buy a USB hub to plug in multiple devices. Call me old fashioned, but I'd much prefer having multiple/various ports directly integrated on my device. I mean, who wants to plug in that huge adapter to plug in a miniature USB receiver for a mouse/keyboard, for example? (e.g. something I personally do literally all the time)I guess maybe in 5 years when all new peripherals are USB-c...
basroil - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
""real port" - FIFY"USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort, microSD and dock/charger port in addition to 3.5mm audio. That's three ports more than the new macbook, two of which are industry standard.
steven75 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
The USB-C *is* a dock port. All of those things go through it.And SD readers are the floppy drives of 2015.
Azurael - Thursday, March 12, 2015 - link
Err, are they? I assume you don't own a digital camera then. Because for the most part, they use SD cards these days and aren't showing any signs of changing. I'd already given up on floppies before the first iMac came out, they were unreliable, big and easy to accidentally wipe. SD cards are a crappy industrial design (the plastic dividers by the contacts are soooo easily broken) but not showing any signs of disappearing soon.And having one port for everything is all very well, but then I have to carry around a whole hunk of crap to plug in more than one device, or charge and use a device at the same time. USB-C is great, but as the ONLY port on a laptop? No thanks. Not if there's just one. Google have the right idea on the new Pixel.
darwinosx - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Said one of the three people who actually bought a Surface Pro 3 which is both a lousy tablet and a lousy laptop.kyuu - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Surface Pro at least has actual ports, unlike this thing.tpoccu - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
What is it about USB 3 spec C that makes it not an "actual port". Is it the fact that its reversible and thus feels significantly better when it comes to plugging things in and out of it?kyuu - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Because there's one. And you currently can't do anything with it except charge the thing without a really pricey Apple adapter.It's not about it being USB-C per se. I'm a fan of the USB-C connector. It's just too early for that be to be the *only* connectivity option. And only having one is just baffling.
steven75 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Doesn't someone have to go first with USB-C? I thought that's how technology works: Early adopters go first with an improved solution then eventually the ecosystem catches up and everyone abandons the outdated ports. There's no way to avoid that chicken-and-egg scenario when it comes to a new port.steven75 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
I guess you could avoid it like the PC world does with laptops that still ship in 2015 with a VGA connector. :)Ktracho - Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - link
It's fine to go first with USB-C. Just provide *one* USB 3.0 port so you don't have to lug around an adapter everywhere you go.erikiksaz - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Said someone who has obviously never used one for more than 5 secs.fokka - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
i wouldn't call the sp3 lousy, but i also don't know why we are comparing a tablet which can be converted to a makeshift laptop to a macbook with the classic laptop form factor.nerd1 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
It has much better ULV processor (not this fanless junk), priced better, weighs less, has more input and ports - should I elaborate more?mkozakewich - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Wait, you're wrong. The MacBook's screen is 2304x1440, while the Surface Pro's is 2160x1440. 3.3 megapixel vs. 3.1 megapixel.One detail they didn't mention was if there were USB ports in the charger. It would make a lot of sense to build a hub into it, and it'll harm the experience if they don't.
(I've got a Windows tablet that charges through the USB port, and it's a little annoying not being able to plug anything else in while it's charging.)
phoenix_rizzen - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
The Apple pages for the peripherals doesn't show any pics of the charger.But all of the other peripherals include a Type-C port for power and a standard Type-A USB port for plugging in other devices.
It's not pretty, but you can plug in an adapter, a monitor, the charger, and a USB 2.x hub all through the one Type-C port.
uhuznaa - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Or wait for monitors with all of this built-in. USB Type-C is a standard and you will see more and more devices using and supporting it. And even with a hub: Just connecting one cable for charging, monitor etc. isn't that bad.steven75 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Yep, expect future monitors to handle this nicely. It'll be a little bumpy until then (unless you never use an external monitor--many don't).tpoccu - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
With a keyboard attached the Surface Pro 3 weighs more, is thicker, still can't really be used on a lap, and has a fan. Is it better at some things? Sure, you can't use the MacBook as a tablet at all, but just objectively better? That is a much more nuanced discussion.steven75 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Don't forget you have to use Windows 8.jed22281 - Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - link
8.1x is FAR better than what 8x was, & Win10 seems to be progressing solidly...Still a long way to go, but def. by the end of 2015 all the major issues that started with 8x should be resolved.
For now my rMBP remains as my main workstation, but Microsoft does deserve kudos, for FINALLY starting to offer some truly compelling competition.
jed22281 - Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - link
I actually own one. It's not heavier with the TypeCover & is about the same thickness, it can be used on the lap, it's not as good as a good clamshell, but it most def. can be used. But how often do you honestly use an UP on your lap, especially a decently powered one like the SP3, you're asking for a lot of discomfort if you do. The fan is barely noticeable most of the time, only when you're pushing it with heavy-duty stuff (that core-m based devices will struggle with), or if you hit an app/sw bug, will it become very noticeable.Drumsticks - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
While it certainly looks pretty and is absolutely a well designed notebook, I think they might have slightly overshot with how many compromises a thin device can make. If they'd fit a second USB Type C in there, things would be greatly improved.There's also a problem.
Drumsticks - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Freaking edit button.There's also the problem that if you want more ports I.e. the regular MBA, you get stuck with a crappy display. Battery life on the new macbook is also a slight step back.
Standard 8GB ram is nice, but when the device starts at $1299, it better be.
darwinosx - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
I'd like a 16GB option but 8 will be fine with most and actually should be 8 minimum on everything.Murloc - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
16GB is overkill with this level of performance.easp - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Especially with a competent SSDfokka - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
if they implemented one sole additional usb type a port, it would make so much more sense. it's early 2015, the macbook will be the first widely available product with usb type c, it's simply too early to completely ditch type a yet.tpoccu - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Apple has done this in the past, except they're doing it this time with a spec that is likely to become industry standard, remember mini and micro DVI?tipoo - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Yup. Just having two of those ports would make it much better immediately, you wouldn't have zero ports left while charging for instance.huzzyz - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
The port does allow you to charge while being connected to an external display.fokka - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
if the display supports that, which no current display does.darwinosx - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
The idea is that you buy the Apple laptop that best fits your needs which is why they have other models. Pretty obvious really.Drumsticks - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
I wasn't aware that liking IPS displays and good battery life, or IPS displays and good performance (Core M), or IPS displays and thunderbolt, or, hell, IPS displays and using two peripherals, were mutually exclusive.I'm not saying it's a bad device. I simply think they lost a little bit too much in the pursuit of the ever shrinking height of their devices.
Drumsticks - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
GAH. EDIT.When the original rMBP was released in tandem with the plain refreshed MBPs, the difference was obvious. It cost more, but you didn't really give anything up in return, except an optical drive and I think some legacy ports, which was necessitated by the benefits given, because the original MBP wasn't already very thin.
With the new Macbook, the downsides from the new Airs are relatively (compared to the rMBP vs MBP for example) huge, and noticeable, and purely in my opinion detract from the device that Apple could have made. It's unlikely that they would have paid much in the z-direction for adding a second USB type-C even, but not doing so brought some fairly large compromises.
Sushisamurai - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Yeah, I too feel that they've lost too much in this new device.I still remembered the segregation from MB and MBP's, from low cost to performance, with generally no compromises. Once they merged those lines to the singular MBP I feel as if their laptops have compromised more and more for form factor.
hammer256 - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Hm. I guess I don't feel bad about my current Air then, which I was a bit unsure about when I got it in early October last year, knowing that a new generation should come out soon. I was curious about the Core M, but that price. Damn.Yeah, my current Air will do for quite a while.
tipoo - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
The Core M is a downgrade from what you have.tipoo - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
So that 90 dollar adaptor they proposed as a solution for ports, doesn't have power in. So you have zero ports while charging the thing. I guess this isn't for me and more for people who want an iPad with a keyboard basically, but that's incredibly limiting just to shave a few millimetres off. Plus lower performing than before, as we've see with 5W Core M vs 15W Haswell.MScrip - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
It looks to have a power input:http://store.storeimages.cdn-apple.com/4431/as-ima...
coder543 - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Incorrect, the $79 adapter (not $90) provides power input (charging), full size USB input, and HDMI output (or VGA output, if you'd prefer to buy that version).hawler - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
The adapter on apple's site does in fact have power in (USB-C), HDMI and a 'regular' USB 3.1 port. Having to have an adapter for that isn't exactly ideal but then again you need an adapter for using regular USB or HDMI on this anyways, charging or not. It sucks for a while as pretty much nothing uses USB-C now but in time they will come. Of course even when they do an adapter/splitter will still be needed to charge and access something at the same time. I was really hoping for 2 USB-C ports on this, or even a special charger that had a male and female USB-C plug, for a sort of pass through for another USB-C device to use the data pin on the one port while the charger is using the power delivery circuitry. I imagine this will come in the future once there are more USB-C devices. But still I am over all happy with it as it will push the industry forward on USB-C and since I wasn't planning on getting a new laptop since I have a top end 13 inch mid 2013 macbook air the draw backs on this particular model don't really matter to me. I see it like the first MacBook Air, had some drawbacks but pushed the industry in a good direction which in the end I benefited from greatlyhawler - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
damn lack of an 'Edit' button....i meant data pinS...i know there are more than one before someone points out how I know nothing of how USB worksdarwinosx - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
"I guess this isn't for me and more for people who want an iPad with a keyboard basically"Yes and no. Its an actual laptop with a full os cable of running non-iOS apps. This thing will sell like crazy.
Sushisamurai - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
wait what? so the rMBP's that did all this prior to this new macbook are selling like crazy? Or was it because of the size/weight limitations that the rMBP didn't sell like crazy, and people are willing to compromise on performance for size weight? :/steven75 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
It's half the price of the rMBP.Jumangi - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
MacBooks are a tiny part of Apple's business. iPad and iPhone make the vast majority of the money for them.evilspoons - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
USB 3.1 is supposed to be able to stream power in multiple directions - plug a compliant power adapter into a USB 3.1 hub and any devices requiring power will draw power (e.g. the MacBook, provided Apple didn't do anything funky...).eanazag - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
This is basically announcing a new Macbook Air. When the Macbook is thinner than the Air it is by design announcing something new there. I don't think it leave s much opportunity for anything but an ARM processor version; Apple could cancel the Air altogether but it has a good perception in the market.If it is not ARM, then we are going to see a Macbook Air tablet - a definite response to all MS's Surface commercials. I'd expect a tear away keyboard.
Only port being USB 3.1 is interesting and I expected to see the port. I didn't expect to see so many other ports disappear. Clearly it will be in the market for gouging users for dongle adapters. Projector connectivity? Do explain Apple. I want to see all the planned peripherals. It will say a lot.
coder543 - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
They've already released the adapters.The $79 one: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MJ1K2AM/A/usb-c-...
The $19 one: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MJ1M2AM/A/usb-c-...
and one or two others. As far as projector connectivity, their general assumption is that you'll just have an Apple TV connected to the projector / tv and wireless broadcast the presentation through AirPlay, which seems to work well enough for that purpose. Using HDMI output would work too, through the adapter, and would especially be good for low-latency stuff like gaming.
maecenas - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Apple's adapter pricing has always been outrageous, but $79 for an adapter takes it to a new level....BillyONeal - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
It's less money than the current dual link DVI adapter (at $99).steven75 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
It's better to use ATV. It's now cheaper at $69 and no wires is obviously far superior. Now that it supports direct connect, they removed the last hurdle of needing to be on the same WiFi.BillyONeal - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
I wouldn't be so sure -- Intel got full blown Broadwell to fit onto a tablet-sized system board. Little incentive for Apple to take the appcompat headache at this point.huzzyz - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
What I want to know is will I be able to use photoshop + Chrome + word processor at the same time without having any significant issues.Stuka87 - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
You are seriously wanting to use photoshop on a 12" screen?!terminalrecluse - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
did you guys even watch the video on it? it's supposed to be geared to the wireless crowd. Sharing is done all wirelessly. Video to a TV?: Apple TV; Document sharing?: Air Drop. etc, etc.huzzyz - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Yes but not everyone wants or has an apple tv and lets face it. Air drop still sucks.terminalrecluse - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Granted it's not the most open platform (give it a native Plex app, and it'd be perfect) but it's worked without flaw for me.web2dot0 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
What are you talking about? It works like a charm! I can embed photos or videos I took with my iPhone into my MS Word document in my MacBook Pro in seconds instead of fumbling around with upload/download transfers.steven75 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Not sure when AirDrop ever sucked? It's pretty fantastic to use.mkozakewich - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Almost seems like they should have turned this into the Air, and then made a more powerful and thicker version for the MacBook. Like, this is thinner and has less battery life and only one port. This is the trade-off product, while the current Air is comfortable where it is. Unless they've got even more extreme plans for the next Air?wallalon - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Don't worry, the next Macbook 2016 will have 2 ports, so an upgrade will be a must have...WaltFrench - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
AnandTech readers might like to think of this as a $1399-and-up machine that comes with two opt-out $50 adaptors bundled.Your choice of connectivity, including saving money, a new first for an Apple box.
Samus - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
This was the highlight of the event. The Apple Watch...not so much. This looks like an amazing laptop. I can see myself getting one in the future (and running Windows on it)Novacius - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
The Asus UX305 ist available since january, is not thicker than 12mm, weights just 1.2kg at 13.3 inch (3200x1800 IPS) and also has Core M as well as an aluminium unibody. It costs 999€ with 8GB/256GB. The new MacBook seems just like a smaller and lighter version of that notebook. It's still impressive, but nothing new in general. But still, everyone gets a boner, cuz it's Apple.kyuu - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
The new Dell XPS 13 is also superior to this in just about every conceivable way. It has a smaller footprint for a larger screen. Smaller footprint is notable. Simply being thinner (and throwing out every port so it has less connectivity options than a lot of tablets) doesn't really have much advantage in this form factor. Still, you know people will buy it just because Apple.mczak - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
I'd definitely prefer a XPS 13 over this (the "no ports" is a compromise I wouldn't be willing to accept) the footprint of the XPS 13 is however still larger, in both dimensions that matter (by 2 and 1 cm, respectively), though indeed the screen size / chassis ratio is better with the XPS 13.And obviously performance wise the XPS 13 is in a whole different class, under full load it will easily be twice as fast though for web surfing the difference will be minimal (turbo clock is somewhat similar). Of course, the XPS is also quite a bit more heavy, making it more of a MBA 13 competitor (except that this has a crappy screen with larger bezels and hence larger chassis size).
Honestly I don't quite get the MacBook and MBA split. Choose between reasonably fast cpu or good display. Granted fanless super thin may sound nice but I don't really have any need for a tablet with a built-in keyboard.
kyuu - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Yeah sorry, obviously the XPS is actually a little larger but you're getting an inch more screen, much better performance, and roughly equal battery life out of it. Size to screen ratio, like you said.It's also rather baffling why they didn't refresh the Air with a "retina" display. The only thing I can think of is that they're planning to phase out the Air soon. Or perhaps it's going to be their "budget" laptop range and sticking in a higher-res display would have raised the cost too much.
Laxaa - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
I agree. The Air is already thin and portable enough and a retnina display would be a welcome upgrade for sure.Calista - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
"I naturally want to feel skeptical about it, but the MacBook Air was an equally dramatic shift from the norm when it was first introduced, and it eventually replaced the original MacBook line entirely."Well, Apple also added another USB-port and later on Thunderbolt as compared to the first generation. So clearly they had to make some concessions as well.
Thermogenic - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Seems incredibly reminiscent of the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro, doesn't it? Sans touch screen and that cool hinge, of course.digiguy - Monday, March 9, 2015 - link
Core M is just the Broadwell equivalent of the Haswell Y line. Its bad reputation is due to the first pc that used it, the yoga 3 pro, that had a very low TDP and is not necessarily representative of Core M. Core M can have a higher TDP. I don't think fanless is necessarily better. My Surface pro 3 I3, that has the Y processor and a TDP of 11W is virtually fanless. There are only 2 things that make the fin kick in: synthetic benchmarks that take the CPU load to 100% and games that stress the GPU, otherwise it's impossible to have the fan on. But I am happy when the fun turns on while gaming, as my Surface never throttles, contrary to the i5 and i7 and also contrary to Core M. Still Core M with higher TDP and a fan can be an excellent solution, and according to benchmarks it's already between Haswell I3 and I5 (e.g. Lenovo Helix), which is more than enough for a lot of uses (provided there is enough RAM). And do not compare to Bay trail, Bay Trail is still far behind my I3, let alone Core M.zodiacfml - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Whatever but this is brilliant. The average Joe wouldn't need the ports in a traditional notebook. External display could be done on the USB type C port. A USB hub might be sold separately. Better if it has a memory card reader for photography users.WiFi AC will be sufficient for almost all networking and data a user needs.
Even I don't use more than one USB port of notebooks these days.
Impulses - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Hells to the yes, I couldn't care less about the MacBook but it's fantastic to see them bet everything on Type C, this should push the adoption rate pretty aggressively.Impulses - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Will they start packaging phones with Lighting to Type C cables tho? That'll be kind of odd, but somehow I don't see them adopting Type C on phones/tablets...steven75 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
This is a good point.beginner99 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
So while you are charging you can't use a memory stick or anything else like an mouse? Common, that is just crappy idea unless it has some built-in functionality for wireless mice.steven75 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
It does: bluetooth. But why downgrade form a haptic/force touch/gesture supporting trackpad to a "ye olde" mouse?steven75 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Thought of one: FPS style games. Yeah I'd use a BT mouse for that.beginner99 - Thursday, March 12, 2015 - link
OK. I never have used a Mac extensively and maybe their trackpads are actually usable compared to the stuff used on in PC Laptops. Still, what about external storage? Or like when I'm preparing for a trip and want to upload new files to it and charge it at the same time? It doesn't even have an Ethernet port. Transferring 500 GB of data over WiFi? Sure...Not to mention that you probably have to spend another $200 on adapters.web2dot0 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
If you don't like the laptop features, get a MacBook Pro. If you want the portability but want the ports, get MacBook Air.MacBook is targeting that niche where the user simply don't want to be bothered with plugging in ANYTHING. In the lightest possible weight and a keyboard can you can type without resorting to cutting 1/2 the width of your finger off. With the fanless design, assuming the thermals are reasonable, will simply make the laptop much more reliable. No dust particles will get into the laptop because its nicely sealed.
jabjab - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
On Wikipedia it states that the 5Y70 and 5Y71 which are found in this Macbook can run at 2.6 and 2.9 Ghz when on Turbo but in 1-core mode, does this mean they are simply not able to run both cores at the full turbo speed?? in which case Apple are being quite misleading by simply stating a Turbo speed of 2.6 and 2.9 which would be understood as both cores simultaneouslynerd1 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Forget about full turbo speed, this thing is fanless laptop with 5W TDP. It will throttle down in seconds.nerd1 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Samsung already released core M fanless laptop with 16:10 2560*1600 display, and it comes with two USB ports and micro HDMI without any extra dongles.lchlch - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
"The starting configuration at $1299 uses Core M-5Y70 which has a base frequency of 1.1GHz and a turbo frequency of 2.9GHz. The 1.2GHz Core M-5Y71 is available in the $1599 model, and a 1.3GHz version is available as a build to order option on Apple's online store."This is wrong. The cpus in these MacBooks should be M-5Y31 & M-5Y51 that are up configured to 6w.
The broadwell-m should be able to turbo longer as they produce less heat despite the lower tdp. [SOURCE: http://www.techradar.com/news/computing-components...]
amrs - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Still fails on connectivity. I guess I'll be getting another Thinkpad... With integrated lte.steven75 - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
You still trust Lenovo?TEAMSWITCHER - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Core-M is new product line for Intel, and this MacBook is a first Mac using the technology. Intel will improve Core-M processors over the next half decade and the MacBook will improve likewise.Apple is aiming for the future with this product, where ports and cables are no longer needed as devices share everything though cloud services. It's a bold vision, and could pay off for Apple if they can make it all work...any they probably can.
I never buy first generation Apple technology...it's a rule that has served me well over the years. But the next version of this product armed with a Second generation Core-M processors will be very interesting to me.
RDO CA - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 - link
Why is Apple putting a USB 3.1 (C port) but with a 3.0 speed (5Gbps) instead of the 10Gbps spec of USB 3.1?flyingpants1 - Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - link
This is an Air. Simply a 12" Air, retina, 1 port. So the old Air can go now. 12" for air, and 13.3/15.6 for Pro. Should have had 2 ports instead of 1. One for power, one for hub.jabjab - Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - link
I guess part of the reason for limited ports is the fact that now the front and sides are surrounded by battery and there may be issues with cutting through those batteries to reach the sides with wire? They still have the back where a hub port would actually be nice, hiding all the cables from viewskikitt - Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - link
Guess there is more than meets the eye herehttps://www.linkedin.com/pulse/core-m-macbook-manu...
Antronman - Thursday, March 12, 2015 - link
The fact that Apple can afford to develop and manufacture "new" machines like these goes to show how technologically illiterate people remain to this day.