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2018 MacBook Pro Review

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Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#171

Post by sleet »

drewg123 wrote: post #160
stupidcar wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's almost as if Apple aren't even basing their hardware strategy on what developers are complaining about on Hacker News.

Or even a lot of other people, like professors. My wife, the professor, is finally going to replace her 2011 Macbook Air. She was excited to check out the new 13" MBP. Then she saw the touch bar (without a real escape), hated the keyboard after typing on it in the Apple Store, and realized she'd have to replace the dongles she uses to present to her classes (VGA and HDMI). What really killed it was when she realized…

I've had the 5th Gen X1 Carbon for a while now, its served me well I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#172

Post by TheSpiceIsLife »

godzillabrennus wrote: post #155
ambulancechaser wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

you're extolling the benefits of USB-C not the lack of USB-A. The presence of a USB-A would not affect your listed benefits in the least.

It would increase the thickness of the laptop. Apple is design driven. I also hate the new keyboard but couldn’t care less about using dongles if I get a thinner laptop.

I don't understand.

At this point, what are the benefits of a thinner laptop? Lighter I can understand, but what does a thinner laptop enable you to do?

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#173

Post by TheOtherHobbes »

chrisseaton wrote: post #159
bodas wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd go further and say that Apple isn't basing their hardware strategy on the needs of any real person. It's a laptop with only USB-C ports (and the 13-inch only has two of them). You can't even plug a USB stick into it. The only people who asked for a laptop like that are working at Apple.

> You can't even plug a USB stick into it. I don't think I've used, or seen anyone else use, a USB stick in about a decade. We can't just keep these legacy ports around forever, cluttering up our devices.

USB dongles are absolutely standard in pro audio. Products made by Steinberg, Avid, and many plug-in shops will not work without a USB dongle.

Aside from a few high-end audio interfaces, most music hardware - including licensing dongles - is USB-A.

Of course you can buy the inevitable wart-on-a-cable adaptor from Apple. But it's both fragile and ugly, and when you have an iLok with thousands of dollars of software on it, you really don't want fragile.

Edit: to be fair, some of these licensing schemes are moving to cloud licensing. But that has issues of its own - and not all are.

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#174

Post by bodas »

lclarkmichalek wrote: post #150
bodas wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it's meant to be used at a desk all the time why does it have to be thin and light?

Because I go to meetings and work from home sometimes. Only thing I'd use a standard USB for would be charging, which isn't really something I do in meetings, and I have plenty of chargers at home.

As someone who occasionally writes apps for iPhone I have to use the USB port all the damn time.

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#175

Post by innocentoldguy »

keyle wrote: post #146
stupidcar wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's almost as if Apple aren't even basing their hardware strategy on what developers are complaining about on Hacker News.

I haven't met anyone saying nice things about the missing ESC key... And the touchbar is too fiddly and situational to be useful, even to power users.

I’ve always set up my Caps Lock to be both an Esc and Ctrl key, so the touchbar change didn’t cause me any issues. Karabiner Elements is worth looking into if the virtual Esc key bothers you.

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#176

Post by chx »

drewg123 wrote: post #160
stupidcar wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's almost as if Apple aren't even basing their hardware strategy on what developers are complaining about on Hacker News.

Or even a lot of other people, like professors. My wife, the professor, is finally going to replace her 2011 Macbook Air. She was excited to check out the new 13" MBP. Then she saw the touch bar (without a real escape), hated the keyboard after typing on it in the Apple Store, and realized she'd have to replace the dongles she uses to present to her classes (VGA and HDMI). What really killed it was when she realized…

X1C6 is a wonderful machine, go for it.

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#177

Post by kbd »

lucidone wrote: post #163

I have a 2015 Macbook. I like it, but I know that my next work computer will likely be a desktop dual booting linux and windows. Containers and kubernetes hog RAM like crazy, my laptop is used at the same desk 99% of the time, and for the price of a macbook I could build a phenomenal desktop that I can easily upgrade as necessary.

Yeah I have a (much) older MacBook Pro as my main home machine still. I've been wanting to replace it for a long time but as it has sat on my desk for years (I have a work laptop) I really want to buy a desktop machine.

But, Apple doesn't make one. I refuse to buy a touchbar-laden MacBook Pro or an all-in-one iMac Pro with a monitor I don't need (and a base price of 3 grand), so I'm thinking of jumping ship from the Apple ecosystem. I'm not happy about it; I just want iMac-quality hardware in a box (that ideally I could upgrade). A Linux box that can boot into Windows for games sounds like it's in my future as well.

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#178

Post by twblalock »

TheSpiceIsLife wrote: post #172
godzillabrennus wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would increase the thickness of the laptop. Apple is design driven. I also hate the new keyboard but couldn’t care less about using dongles if I get a thinner laptop.

I don't understand. At this point, what are the benefits of a thinner laptop? Lighter I can understand, but what does a thinner laptop enable you to do?

It takes up less space when folded in a bag, in luggage, etc., so it is less of a burden to bring with you when you go somewhere.

How would you feel if your laptop suddenly doubled in thickness but didn’t gain any weight? Most people would be unhappy about that.

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#179

Post by Stratoscope »

bodas wrote: post #118
stupidcar wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's almost as if Apple aren't even basing their hardware strategy on what developers are complaining about on Hacker News.

I'd go further and say that Apple isn't basing their hardware strategy on the needs of any real person. It's a laptop with only USB-C ports (and the 13-inch only has two of them). You can't even plug a USB stick into it. The only people who asked for a laptop like that are working at Apple.

Lately I've been working at a company that uses YubiKeys for 2FA. You can use a traditional YubiKey, but the YubiKey Nano is especially popular because you can put it in your laptop and leave it there. It barely sticks out at all, just enough that you can touch it and activate the touch sensor. [1]

I started noticing people in meetings with their new MacBook Pros and six inch cords sticking out the side, and on closer inspection, there was a YubiKey Nano plugged in at the end of the cord.

Meanwhile, the folks with ThinkPads or older MacBooks just had a Nano tucked into one of their USB-A ports like it was no big deal.

I know which I would pick.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018Y1XXT6/

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#180

Post by satysin »

mciancia wrote: post #79
satysin wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a new 15" MBP on order at £3300. I also have a similar spec XPS 15 which cost me £2600. So yes the MBP is £700. The XPS also has a better CPU (i9-8950HK) but that is kind of a waste, I only got it with that because Dell basically upgraded me to it for free. However I have had no end of issues with my XPS 15. To the point that I have had enough and I am returning it for a refund and will pickup something else.…

I can't understand how computers with that bad coil whine can pass QC, especially at this price point. I bought brand new XPS 9360 for my father and when I first used it I thought that there is regular HDD inside because of how loud coil whine was.

Yes! This is what my 9570 is like and it is driving me insane. My MBP is due on July 26th, that date cannot come soon enough.
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