Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

MacBook Pro? No

shahidkamal.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

101–110 of 239 posts

Re: MacBook Pro? No

#101

Post by 314 »

latch wrote: post #23

I'm in the same boat with a broken keyboard. Was like that new. Got it repaired (which involved flying to a different country). Better, but still happens. Very frustrated. I was going to get the new XPS 13, but: - Isn't available in my country (online store doesn't ship in my country anyways) - Doesn't seem available in Singapore or Malaysia - Only 8GB option in Taiwan - 16GB option only available with UHD and 1TB SS…

I went the same way. Used to have a MBP that lasted for years (from ~2008). When it finally imploded I got a MBA. Amazung battery life for my work pattern (mostly terminals and vim). It would routinely get 12-14hr, although that would drop to 8-9 if I opened a web-browser and watched video or did anything js heavy.

Sadly I had to get rid of the MBA and did not like the look pf this year’s macs, so I got a XPS13. It is a nice machine, but it has issues.

- Network adaptor is shit. Flakey, loses connection, incompatible with our cisco routers, power draw is completely unstable.

- Keyboard is really nice.

- Screen is a bit dim.

- Touchopad registers phantom touches constantly, driver support for elimination doesn’t work.

I’ve still got it running ubuntu 16.04. Everything on it mostly works, but to be a nice machine:

- network adaptor needs a complete replacement.

- get used to disabling the touchpad.

Re: MacBook Pro? No

#102

Post by donjoe »

latch wrote: post #91
lettergram wrote: post #78

I recently (well a year ago), switched from using and recommending a MBP to a Lenovo with Linux. Buy a $500 ThinkPad T450s - off eBay, replaced it with new internals. I get 20Gb of RAM, 2x1Tb SSDs, a nice keyboard, a decent track pad, 10 hours of battery life - total cost: $1300-$1800. I've done this for myself and three family members and we all couldn't be happier. I fly a lot and having that battery life is so hel…

Lenovo has a pretty awful history of security / privacy issues. For me, it feels like giving them money [1], is saying that I'm ok with that behaviour (which I'm not) [1] I know you said you bought off ebay, but I don't think that distinction matters

Is Apple any better regarding security issues? No doubt they try regarding privacy - but security? Just to leave a reminder: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208315

Re: MacBook Pro? No

#103

Post by chrisbennet »

a_c wrote: post #15

I'm on an early 2015 MBP. Probably my last MBP. What recommendations have we?

I switched to a Dell XPS-15 after 2 MBP’s. It’s been pretty decent.

I don’t use the keyboard or trackpad so I can’t comment on that.

There is no real dock for it. The $200 one they sell as a docking station is really more of a port expander; it doesn’t charge your laptop and didn’t work with my monitors so I gave it away.

Re: MacBook Pro? No

#104

Post by jackvalentine »

lower wrote: post #90
jackvalentine wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Half in what terms?

I looked at the wrong rows in the table of capacities. So it's not a reduction by half. I corrected my message. But it's still a reduction in capacity (from 99.5 watt-hours to 76).

You know what, I was under the impression the 15" had a 99.5wh battery. My mistake.

Re: MacBook Pro? No

#105

Post by emptybits »

If Apple wants to cling to the now-inappropriate "Pro" brand for these MacBooks then may I suggest they add a new line: maybe, MacBook Ultimate or MacBook Power or MacBook Unlimited or MacBook Retrogrouch or something. Please make those units thicker for larger battery and replaceable RAM/SSD, with headphone and SD ports and MagSafe.

Comments here suggest many of us would pay a premium for something like this.

Re: MacBook Pro? No

#106

Post by YetAnotherNick »

pavlov wrote: post #25
plasma wrote: post #13

I've been considering buying a new MacBook Pro, but the advice I hear is to just wait for the next model (in a few months?) and hope that it doesn't have all its USB ports removed or broken keyboard.

The next model won’t change the port layout or the keyboard. Apple just doesn’t work like that. A redesign of the MBP isn’t due for years, and no amount of negative feedback will change that. (Look at the Mac Pro for a concrete example of this.)

I get what you are saying, buy Mac Pro is a bad example in this case. I think it's the only bad example here.

Re: MacBook Pro? No

#107

Post by cjsuk »

I managed to break my 2013 15” retina MacBook Pro a couple of days ago. It slid off my lap and down my legs and gently hit the floor from about 6 inches up. This managed to critically deform the lid and pop the screen. This in itself is a big WTF.

However, I spent the entire hour following this event being annoyed not because of what I had done to it but because I wasn’t actually annoyed. I was annoyed at myself for not being annoyed.

The I realised why: I know there was no path forwards because the current line is crap. I’ve been putting off thinking about it and dealing with the “what happens next” question.

What happened next was dragging an old i5 Thinkpad T440 out of the cupboard and firing windows 10 up on it.

Got to be honest. The keyboard is better, the thing is a ton more productive, it’s faster (!) to get anywhere and I had forgotten how much stuff I have in muscle memory which doesn’t require hypermobile fingers doing twisted fucked up devils chords on different meta keys to run the entire machine off the keyboard. Plus if you drop it, it still works. The trackpad is crap though (meh, use a mouse) and the screen is crap (meh).

Turns out the only good bits on the MBP were the screen and the trackpad. The screen is extremely fragile though.

The whole machine cost less than a recycled screen for a 2013 MBP and gets in the way less.

Re: MacBook Pro? No

#108

Post by latch »

donjoe wrote: post #102
latch wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lenovo has a pretty awful history of security / privacy issues. For me, it feels like giving them money [1], is saying that I'm ok with that behaviour (which I'm not) [1] I know you said you bought off ebay, but I don't think that distinction matters

Is Apple any better regarding security issues? No doubt they try regarding privacy - but security? Just to leave a reminder: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208315

A security vulnerability seems like a different ballgame than intentionally compromising security (aka, installing backdoors). Just one of the Lenovo incidents: https://thehackernews.com/2015/02/lenovo-superfish-malware.h...

Re: MacBook Pro? No

#109

Post by Viper007Bond »

I recently switched from a MacBook Pro running Boot Camp to a Surface Laptop (not the Pro aka tablet) and I'm absolutely in love. The battery life is ridiculous -- a claimed 14 of video playback but even in my real world heavy usage, I still get about 8. I also never thought I'd find a touchpad as good as Apple's but I'm actually liking Microsoft's more.

It's a really, really good proper laptop. I think my only complaint is that it only has one USB port (A-type), but seeing as the only thing I use USB for anymore is charging my phone, it's not a deal breaker.

Re: MacBook Pro? No

#110

Post by mosselman »

a. Why do people have a need to write blog posts about why they won't buy a macbook? What do we care? I won't buy most things I see offers for: certain soda drinks, instant coffee, etc, etc, etc, etc

b. Why do these posts get so high on the HN main page? What is the value? Is it just nerdy conversation and, in this case, Apple shaming just like we do with celebrity gossip? Do we feel like giddy children telling stories around the campfire of fallen giants. That is fine, but why do we need to upvote this over other, worthwhile, articles? Relax people, a Macbook is just a product you don't have to buy.

Post reply on HN