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2018 MacBook Pro Review

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Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#211

Post by chrisseaton »

Stratoscope wrote: post #179
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.

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 close…

I don't understand - why don't they just get USB-C compatible YubiKeys if they have USB-C laptops?

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#212

Post by derefr »

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.

> You can't even plug a USB stick into it.

You mean a USB-A stick. There are USB-C sticks!

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#213

Post by sophistication »

twblalock wrote: post #190
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.

> It's almost as if Apple aren't even basing their hardware strategy on what developers are complaining about on Hacker News. I’m imagining someone who went into a fallout shelter about 10 years ago, somehow only had HN as a source of news, and suddenly re-entered the world. What would such a person be suprised to learn? I suspect Apple still being a successful company would come as a huge shock to such a person. So…

Who doubted Apple would be successful in ~2008? The iPhone and the MacBook Air were phenomenal products.

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#214

Post by sjwright »

TheOtherHobbes wrote: post #173
chrisseaton wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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…

The USB-C adapter is fragile and ugly? Ugly is debatable, but fragile seems misplaced. Having an iLok on the end of a short flexible wire seems far safer than having it rigidly protrude from the side of a laptop.

As for high end audio interfaces, replacing the included USB-A cable with a USB-C cable seems a trivial matter. And sooner or later they'll be included in the box.

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#215

Post by bproven »

satysin wrote: post #48
knolan wrote: post #5

It’s shocking how expensive Macs have gotten. I paid around €2300 for my 2014 15” and today’s equivalent tier is over €3k. For this I get a faster thinner machine without MagSafe and a variety of ports. It seems that the only viable upgrade path is to convince your employer to stump up the cash.

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 agree the Dell XPSs are hit or miss on quality. I had a 9550 and after dealing with its issues moved over to the Thinkpad line (with Linux). Zero problems after that + better a much better keyboard than the Dell. I will say even on Thinkpads you cannot approach the greatness of the Mac trackpad ...

Maybe the 13" XPSs (dev editions) are better - I dont know.

I do think that if you are going Dell @ 15" it may be worth checking out the Precision line. Since this is the business version of the XPS it may have better build quality.

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#216

Post by Simon_says »

georgewfraser wrote: post #186

The touchbar is such an FU to developers. It still hasn't found any real use. They're not rolling it out to other models. Basically, it's a little fun "experiment" that they've imposed on all their PRO users, thus demonstrating they no longer really care about this user group. Personally, I'm waiting for the next generation of Surface devices to come out, and I'm going to see if I can make WSL work for me.

Apple could have added the touch bar on top of the function keys instead of replacing the function keys, and they would have avoided the entirety of the criticism. Nobody hates the touch bar, we just love the function keys.

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#217

Post by lowtolerance »

sophistication wrote: post #213
twblalock wrote: post #190

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’m imagining someone who went into a fallout shelter about 10 years ago, somehow only had HN as a source of news, and suddenly re-entered the world. What would such a person be suprised to learn? I suspect Apple still being a successful company would come as a huge shock to such a person. So…

Who doubted Apple would be successful in ~2008? The iPhone and the MacBook Air were phenomenal products.

Neither were guaranteed hits when they were introduced. Apple’s biggest claim to fame at that point was the iPod. Even after the iPhone was released, it was years before critics looked at it as a product that could withstand the test of time.

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#218

Post by derefr »

EpicEng wrote: post #208
lclarkmichalek wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honestly, I've been working with the USB-C only MBP as my only development machine for a year now, and I haven't once wished it had a classic USB port on it. At my desk it's plugged into monitors which have ports on them. Having a single cable for all my peripherals is quite nice.

I see this so often it's becoming ridiculous. "pfft, it works fine as long as you use it less like a desktop!" We'll I can build a much more capable desktop for one third the price, so no thanks. If the intention is to use it as a desktop then why keep sacrificing function for fractions of a mm?

The intention isn't to use it as a desktop. The intention is to not plug anything into the computer (other than the charging cable, sometime) except when using it as a desktop.

Everything is wireless these days. Input devices, audio devices, networking.

You basically only need a cable to charge the thing (with your USB-C charger), for mass storage (where most new mass-storage devices are USB-C devices as well, and if you have a well-used old one you can keep a dongle stuck to it), and for displays (at which point you are in a "docked" use-case, and so you can just use a USB-C dock or Thunderbolt-display-with-dock.)

All other use-cases are so rare or esoteric that you can just put them off until you get home and to your desk.

Or are you constantly balancing your laptop and a USB-only printer on your lap or something?

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#219

Post by kofejnik »

sophistication wrote: post #213
twblalock wrote: post #190

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’m imagining someone who went into a fallout shelter about 10 years ago, somehow only had HN as a source of news, and suddenly re-entered the world. What would such a person be suprised to learn? I suspect Apple still being a successful company would come as a huge shock to such a person. So…

Who doubted Apple would be successful in ~2008? The iPhone and the MacBook Air were phenomenal products.

in 2007, it was a widespread analyst consensus that iPhone will fail, since competing phones have obv. better specs

Re: 2018 MacBook Pro Review

#220

Post by derefr »

manigandham wrote: post #200
lclarkmichalek wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

You didn't answer the question. It doesn't need to be so dysfunctionally thin and light to travel between work and home sometimes. Nobody is going to suffer from an extra pound of weight.

In places other than the US, the majority of commuters are supporting the weight of their laptops on their backs (on public transit/walking/cycling), rather than having it sitting beside them (in a car.)
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