LIKE many longtime Mac users, I was at first intrigued, then appalled by the new 12-inch MacBook.
If you’ve walked into an Apple store recently, you’ll know what I’m talking about. It’s the sleek and lightweight model – usually with a gold finish – that’s positioned right next to the 11-inch MacBook Air, probably for the sake of comparison. By some feat of engineering, Apple has made the MacBook even lighter than Air (sorry, I couldn’t resist). The new MacBook weighs in at only two pounds, while the MacBook Air 11-inch model I use is 2.38 pounds. At 1.31 centimeters at its thickest point, the MacBook is even thinner than the MacBook Air (1.7 cm). Although both computers are almost the same size, the MacBook squeezes in a larger 12-inch diagonal Retina display with an impressive 2,304 x 1,440 resolution, as opposed to the MacBook Air’s 11.6-inch diagonal display with a maximum resolution of 1,366 x 768.
The Macbook retails here for P64,990—still a hefty chunk of change in comparison to the P44,990 SRP for the 11-inch MacBook Air.
Now before anything else, I need to state that the only time I got to play with the new MacBook was at the store—so I haven’t actually used it for any significant amount of time. I have not run any benchmarks. Nor have I put the new MacBook through the paces of everyday use.
In short, what follows is not a review, but just a few observations about the direction Apple has taken with its new laptop—and a prayer that the company will not apply the same design philosophy to its other laptop line—including my favorite MacBook Air.
Having said that, let’s look at a few more key differences.
While both feature 512GB of flash storage, the MacBook Air has a more powerful processor, a 1.6GHz Intel Core i5, as against the MacBook’s Intel 1.3Ghz dual-core Intel Core M processor.
That’s not the most compelling reason to stick with the MacBook Air, however, and to give the new MacBook a pass.
That reason can be deduced by examining the left side of the unit where you’d expect the MagSafe power port and a USB port to be—but aren’t. In their place is one that looks like a micro USB connector—but isn’t.
This is the USB-C port, which is used for charging, external USB storage and VGA and HDMI output. All this sounds fine—except that to gain all the extra functionality, you’ll need to buy an adapter separately. Apple’s Philippine website lists the USB-C to USB adapter at P990—but that’s just good enough for one USB device. The website lists the USB-C multiport adapter—which lets you connect your MacBook to an HDMI display, a USB device and a USB-C charging cable—at a whopping P3,990. A multiport adapter for VGA—in case you want to connect your MacBook to an LCD projector—costs just as much.
Of course, since USB-C is an industry standard, less expensive third-party adapters will most likely come to market eventually, but it still seems unreasonable to pay extra for basic functionality (USB expansion storage) that is built into most computers.
Andrew Liszewski, writing for Gizmodo, notes that one of the less publicized themes of CES 2016 appears to be “ways to fix the 12-inch MacBook.”
“Not only does it come with just a single USB-C port, there’s also no memory card slot,” he writes, before going into specifics of a new USB-C card reader.
The problem is that Apple has a habit of eschewing widely used technology standards in favor of cutting-edge platforms, whether their customers are ready for it or not. The company did it with floppy drives and VGA ports on its computers some time ago, and ditched USB ports on its iPad more recently.
Will it take the same “one port to rule them all” approach to its MacBook Air and other laptop models? I hope not. I would hate to lose the built-in functionality of having USB ports, and the protection that the MagSafe power connector offers against accidentally yanking my laptop to the ground.
Technology journalist and author Dan Gilmore recently wrote about his decision to shut down his MacBook Air for good in 2012 and switch to a Linux laptop to retain his independence in computing.
“A few months ago, when Apple introduced its iPad Pro, a large tablet with a keyboard, CEO Tim Cook called it the ‘clearest expression of our vision of the future of personal computing.’ That was an uh-oh moment for me. Among other things, in the iOS ecosystem users are obliged to get all their software from Apple’s store, and developers are obliged to sell it in the company store. This may be Apple’s definition of personal computing, but it’s not mine.”
The one-port approach on the new MacBook may well be the uh-oh moment for me, when it comes time to replace my MacBook Air. Chin Wong
Column archives and blog at: http://www.chinwong.com