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The MacBook Neo

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Re: The MacBook Neo

#791

Post by Tepix »

crashbunny wrote: post #789

The neo might be the start of the end of traditional home PCs. You buy a thin client and a monthly subscription and all of your files and compute is in the cloud. Want to edit some raw video into a polished 20 minute video suitable for youtube? You don't open final cut pro, you tell your thin client to edit the raw video into a polished 20 minute video. Your monthly subscription includes AI and out pops an edited vid…

It‘s capable enough not to be viewed as a Thin Client. Nor do I think many people want one.

Re: The MacBook Neo

#792

Post by fzeindl »

laffOr wrote: post #463
cannolicannon wrote: post #254

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The big players are just awful at marketing; too many SKUs and models - it takes a paragraph to figure out how 2 Dell laptops from the same release year differ. Just hired a new colleague who prefers Windows. Dell seemed like a reasonable option for a good laptop. Here is Dell's current lineup: - Dell Laptop (with 14, 15, 16 inch variants) - Dell Plus (with 14, 15, and 16 inch variants) - Dell XPS (with 13, 14, and 1…

I never understood why they didn't use the Apple "UI". Where Apple presents fewer models (say N models), and when you select one, each is configurable for screen size/RAM/CPU/whatever (say K picks), yielding N*K possibilities, many Windows laptop sellers present a list of N*K SKUs where you need to triple check what the difference between SKU A and B.

My guess is that some cell in an excel sheet says that some customers bought certain models in the past and no manager at Dell has enough weight or enough courage to question that and rule to NOT release a certain model.

Re: The MacBook Neo

#793

Post by rekabis »

NetMageSCW wrote: post #596
rekabis wrote: post #482

I am perfectly fine with many of the technological restrictions on this device, and think it represents a great balance. However, I think that two will bring sour tastes to people’s metaphorical mouths much more than expected: the RAM and drive space. There should have been a 16Gb option. Nosebleed the price if you have to, or include a SODIMM slot if needed, but the option should have been there to expand the memory…

Anyone who knows what any of that means, or even to looks at those specs, are not in the market for this and should know better. Why do you think the cheapest MacBook available should be one that costs more to support power users. Apple has the MacBook Air for those users.

> Anyone who knows what any of that means, or even to looks at those specs, are not in the market for this and should know better.

Why? I am a power user, and if I didn’t already have a copious stable of second-hand machines (a side effect of also being in the hardware end of IT), I would gladly pick one of these machines up as a “vacation/personal device”.

I mean, as a power user I am going to need high specs… for my work.

In my off time and on my vacation time, all I need is something that can connect to the Internet, let me do basic eMail and web surfing, and lets me connect remotely to my iron back in my office to keep a light touch on things.

And in that regard, this machine is perfect.

My issue with the device is in term of long-term ownership, where 8Gb RAM and 512Gb of storage isn’t going to get me all the way out to 7-8 years of usage in a comfortable manner. Even with light duties, imma gonna see the seams stretch uncomfortably so somewhere in the 4-6 year stage.

Re: The MacBook Neo

#794

Post by odo1242 »

crashbunny wrote: post #789

The neo might be the start of the end of traditional home PCs. You buy a thin client and a monthly subscription and all of your files and compute is in the cloud. Want to edit some raw video into a polished 20 minute video suitable for youtube? You don't open final cut pro, you tell your thin client to edit the raw video into a polished 20 minute video. Your monthly subscription includes AI and out pops an edited vid…

Why would it be the end of traditional home PCs? If you can buy this much compute power for $600, who would pay a subscription for another computer?

Re: The MacBook Neo

#795

Post by odo1242 »

bigyabai wrote: post #454
Aurornis wrote: post #312

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> MacOS is also very behind Linux these days in terms of app compatibility (especially games). For the average consumer looking for a $599 MacBook Neo, Mac is the better choice for apps they actually use. Linux can be used for gaming with a lot of titles, but both Mac and Linux are too far behind Windows or consoles to be considered as gaming machines.

The Linux gaming runtime is free, much like Windows redistributables. macOS gets singled-out for not having DXVK/Proton, and rightfully so.

macOS does have DXVK*, just not Proton.

*but it’s a bit slow because you also have to emulate Vulkan using Metal

Re: The MacBook Neo

#796

Post by KeplerBoy »

intrasight wrote: post #776
nine_k wrote: post #635

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The choice is really simple: it's a Thinkpad series T, with an AMD APU, the most powerful configuration you can afford :)

Why AMD?

Because AMD had the better chips for the majority of the last decade. Intel has only recently caught up.

Re: The MacBook Neo

#797

Post by rswail »

mmcnl wrote: post #279
hadlock wrote: post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I generally run chrome/firefox and vscode full screen, and then alt-tab between those and my email (outlook at current company) and messaging (slack). Plus terminal window/s. That workflow is mostly reproducible across win/mac/linux. What features are you using that MacOS is getting in the way?

Decent package manager, brew is awful compared to apt. Window snapping can only be done on Apple keyboards not on external keyboards. No Alt+Tab, Cmd+Tab is not the same. No window previews when hovering over dock, ridiculous animation speed when switching workspaces that can't be changed (and somehow Ctrl+1/2/3 is 2x faster than Ctrl+Left/Right? What is that all about). Needing third-party apps for basic things like…

> Decent package manager, brew is awful compared to apt.

Use Macports. Installs itself properly out of the way in /opt. Works with the Apple frameworks (eg Python), allows multiple versions of software to be installed in parallel (using port select).

> Window snapping can only be done on Apple keyboards not on external keyboards.

Yes, you need some free 3rd party apps for affordances that should be built in. Hardly a deal breaker.

Rectangle allows you to set the hotkeys for window snapping and sizing for example.

As for scroll directions, yes, it's different to Windows, but it's the same on the Mac and iPhone. Didn't take very long to adjust.

Agreed that the new Settings app is a PITA and obviously inherited from iOS and sucks, but how often are you accessing Settings?

Re: The MacBook Neo

#798

Post by globular-toast »

MeetingsBrowser wrote: post #561
Fraterkes wrote: post #426

I feel corny being so positive about a megacompany, but I bought my first Macbook air half a year ago after a life of PC's, and it has been genuinly surprising to use something made by a huge company that is constantly better than I expected.

I have a macbook air from 2022 and it is easily the "best" computer I have ever owned. Its portable. It has a great keyboard, screen, and battery life. No fans or overheating. No issues with the operating system or installing software I need. I can even use it for some lighter software development directly, and for everything else I can ssh back to a beefier machine. If I weren't already so happy with this macbook ai…

The best computer, but with the worst software (well maybe Windoze is even worse these days). If you could run Linux on them, without compromises, it would be perfect.

Re: The MacBook Neo

#799

Post by diffeomorphism »

dhosek wrote: post #428
lurking_swe wrote: post #367

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t think you fully understood their argument. The problem is not that other manufacturers offer choices – the problem is that for a typical consumer it’s IMPOSSIBLE to really understand which computer in the lineup is appropriate for their needs. It seems most of them are focused on B2B sales. Of course, if you are a gamer or a nerd like myself, you don’t mind spending a week finding the perfect computer. But th…

Indeed, it’s a simple matter to figure out what you want if you’re buying a Mac. Laptop vs desktop. For desktop: integrated screen or not, for laptop, screen size, weight, then pick your processor, memory and storage and it’s done. There aren’t confusingly named and positioned overlapping models that it’s unclear what you’re gaining or losing for each one.

The apple pricing ladder is all about the confusingly named overlap.

The Air with more ram costs just a bit less than the pro non-pro. But then maybe you want the pro pro? Or do you need the pro max? Oh, and the ultra will come later but not for laptops. Also it will then be a smaller number M but ultra.

Oh, and the iPad air is, of course, heavier than the pro because "air".

Re: The MacBook Neo

#800

Post by LtWorf »

lm28469 wrote: post #62
bdbdbdb wrote: post #48

600 is a bargain for a MacBook, but I can't see the public windows users switching en masse. Most people who buy cheap windows laptops do so because 1) they need to replace a broken laptop and want to pay the lowest amount possible 2) they don't want to learn some new thing 600 might seem budget, but it's out of budget for most people. And my guess is PC manufacturers will retaliate against this by cutting prices jus…

> 600 might seem budget, but it's out of budget for most people. Out of budget for my parents but I'll pay the difference myself. It's just painful to see them use their pile of shit $300 laptop that can barely open a text editor, sounds like a jet engine and has about 45 minutes of battery life. The only haptic feedback they get if the entire fucking thing creaking as soon as you lightly touch it. They've been throu…

They will just be confused about everything if you give them a mac.
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