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New MacBook: 5 Things I Learned on the First Day

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The new MacBook is insanely thin and light with a beautiful display, and it is finally in my hands. After a lengthy wait I started using the 2015 MacBook with a 12-inch display instead of a 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina. Here’s what I learned in a day of using the new ultra-portable and super light MacBook 12-inch.

Apple announced the new MacBook in early 2015, and it is finally readily available in Apple Stores in three colors and several configuration options. There is no way to upgrade the notebook after you buy it, so make sure you plan ahead or you may find yourself short on storage later in the game.

I’ve been using the MacBook Retina 12-inch with a 1.2Ghz Intel Core M processor 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. This is the more expensive model, at $1,599. The base MacBook Retina is $1,299 and includes less storage and a slower processor.

At just over 2 pounds, the MacBook is much lighter than my MacBook Pro Retina with a 13-inch screen. Removing a pound and a half from your backpack does make a bigger difference than you would expect. The thin and light design alone is not enough to justify the new notebook, but the display and early impressions of performance and the keyboard help round out the package.

[contextly_sidebar id=”QFp8RScreZIsnekoufSbISA9ezocEDZx”]I’m not a huge fan of the single USB C port and lack of any included adapters. There’s no way to use the MacBook long-term without at least buying one adapter to connect an iPhone or SD card reader and it is frustrating to see Apple charging for the first adapter, but at least cheaper USB C options exist.

After a day using the new MacBook with a 12-inch Retina display, here’s what I learned. We’ll share a full MacBook review after extended use and testing, but this is what stands out immediately.

MacBook Retina Display

MacBook Retina Display

 My ideal notebook is thin and light, with a reasonable display that lets me see a lot of information on it at the same time. The MacBook delivers on this completely. 

After using the MacBook Air and the 2,304 x 1,440 usable space allows me to place two documents or pages next to each other for great mobile. I don't miss the inch of screen space I lose from leaving a 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina at home, and this is a vastly superior experience to using the 11-inch MacBook Air. 

The screen also looks very nice, though I have yet to use it outdoors in harsh lighting. None of the current crop of Apple notebooks offer a matte display option so there shouldn't be a major change from my Macbook Pro Retina or MacBook Air. 

4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. spaff843

    08/05/2015 at 6:48 pm

    Nice article. Helpful. I was waiting for an decent upgrade to my 2013 Macbook Air and it didn’t happen. Very disappointed. I didn’t want a smaller screen and didn’t like the what Apple was giving us in the New Macbook for the startup price, and that’s before I started loading it up. I went to a 2015 retina Macbook Pro. Brilliant machine, and dollar for dollar, after looking at what I would upgrade on the New Macbook (hate that name) and what that would cost, I feel I got a LOT more for my cash in the Pro than the new machine was offering. Truth be told, though, my dream machine is a Macbook Pro Retina 13.3 that morphs itself into the Macbook Air 13.3 case. Probably not ever going to happen. Don’t see myself ever buying the New Macbook either.

  2. Richbary

    09/01/2015 at 5:09 am

    Its been a week since my new Macbook 12 arrived. So far I can only describe my experience as PERFECT. Retina display is gorgeous, performance is awesome, keyboard & trackpad were mastered in a matter of hours and are totally responsive, battery life exceeded expectation and portability is amazing. Admittedly, I am not a power user and simply use my device for typical operations like email, essay writing, texting, calendar functions, video watching, music etc.
    This is my first Apple computer after always using Microsoft lap tops…..and I doubt that I will ever go back. Lots of pros and no cons from me.

  3. Vinay B. Sujan

    12/12/2015 at 11:16 pm

    I think the MacBook is a sensible choice for people who need a laptop for day-to-day tasks, such as email and word processing. I feel the notebook suffices nicely whether at home or on the go. If you do a lot of paper writing, I genuinely believe you can do it as well on this laptop as you would on a MacBook Pro 15. I do plan on getting one, but thought I’d wait for the next version, in the hope that Apple adds an extra USB port.

  4. Ed

    12/19/2015 at 7:10 pm

    The new MacBook is AWESOME! Originally, I purchased the new iPad Pro … thinking it would be a replacement for my 2010 MacBook Pro. However, though touted as a desktop replacement tool, the iPad Pro is still a generation or two from being a complete desktop (or laptop) replacement tool. So, I returned the iPad for this MacBook. All I can say is … I’m very impressed. This computer weighs a hair over two pounds, the retina screen is impressive, and the new keys on the keyboard are very comfortable and responsive. The processor is lightning fast. I like the USB-C plug … but the adapters are pricy. I’m a high school teacher. I use my Mac every day. I just began using this MacBook at school … leaving my MacBook Pro at home. Generally, I have 8-10 tabs open at a time, I have a video … or video(s) cued on YouTube, and I run several applications … each and every day. This is no challenge for my MacBook … it completely handles these tasks. In sum, I am very impressed with this MacBook, and I can see myself using it for years … just as I did with my MacBook Pro. A word of wisdom, since there is no upgrade option, I’d advise buying the 512G version; glad I did. Thank you Apple for creating the perfect laptop!

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