Post by Luckychoices on May 6, 2017 14:08:11 GMT -8
The MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, released in October of 2016, has had mixed responses both from potential customers and from tech sites. Here are the titles of just a few of the articles generated by the new laptop:
• The New MacBook Pro Will Change Perceptions About Computers ...
• Apple Losing Out As Consumers Reject The New MacBook Pro - Forbes
• The new MacBook Pro has a shiny new problem – BGR
• Surviving the New MacBook Pro | Brad Frost
• New MacBook Pro: 6 Reasons to Buy, 4 Reasons Not To
• Consumer Reports: Don't buy the new MacBook Pro - CNN Money
• 1 More Sign That Apple Inc.’s New MacBook Pro Computers Are a Huge Hit
It can be a bit confusing to see such completely divergent views of the laptop but, since it's a very important product for Apple, it would make sense that there would be such wide coverage, and, since it's a product made by Apple, perhaps it also makes sense there would be such a wide divergence of opinion.
I'm posting a link to this article written by a person who's invested in AAPL and often posts articles on the Seeking Alpha web site:
Laptop Magazine Downgrades Apple by Mark Hibben
I'm also including one of the many comments to this article, written by a member of the Seeking Alpha site, whose username is Wiseyou. I've noticed that Wiseyou consistently makes interesting and informative comments about the SA articles related to Apple and thought it appropriate that I include and highlight his comment for this article. You may agree or disagree with some of his statements but, in any case, I hope you'll agree his comment is worth reading and considering.
=====================================
Wiseyou
Comments (342) |Following |Send Message
@john DeFeo, thanks for posting the original link on Laptop pointing out the fall in ratings, i.e. bit.ly/2o2CVha.
The main argument against the MacBook Pro appears to be primarily based on price. The prices of MacBooks and MacBook Pros are not that much higher than previous year prices. The base price minimal configuration increased slightly but the computer speed is faster. If you want 1 Tb SSD, Intel i7 with 2.9 GHz, 16 Gb RAM, higher speed GPU (1.5 GHz), your MacBook Pro will be >$2000. If you want a 2 Tb SSD, 15" screen, and a touchbar, it will cost ~$3000.
Yes, there are some amazingly low priced laptops out there, some for <$300, less than the lowest priced iPad. If you look at the specifications, these cheap computers invariably have significantly slower processors,, 8 Gb RAM, 256 Gb storage, and smaller screens. These should not be compared to the MacBook Pro.
If you want a computer with a Mac OS, there is no choice. If you want a top-of-the-line Windows computer that can match the MacBook Pro in specifications, the Microsoft Surface Book Pro is very similar in price, i.e. about $2300. All the so-called premium laptops are using Intel i7 processors, fast GPUs, 16 Gb of RAM, and up to 1 Tb SSD. Apple is the only one that I have found to offer 2 Tb SSD.
People are still complaining about the MacBook Pro batteries. If you use the MacBook Pro to do intensive computing, you should expect the battery to last no longer than 6 hours. If you are using it to look at emails, watch video, or web browsing, you can get up 10-11 hours. In my opinion, the Consumer Report that decided not to recommend MacBook Pros because of battery life variability was fake news, due to a failure to set up the tests properly.
I have using my late 2016 MacBook Pro 15" with 2 Tb SSD, 2.9 GHz i7 processor, Radeon Pro 460 GPU, and touchbar for the past 4 months. It is by far the fastest MacBook Pro (perhaps twice as fast as the MacBook Pro that I bought for a similar price of $3200 in 2015 with only 1 Tb SSD).
The usefulness of the touch bar depends on the program but the fingerprint ID (as well as Apple Watch automatically unlocking it) is very useful. It is the first Mac that have been fast enough that I chose to encrypt the storage. Microsoft Office has upgraded their office suite to use the touchbar and I have encountered fewer software glitches than with previous hardware upgrades.
I have used Macs since 1984 and know every short cut the system and most programs. I was terrifically annoyed at Microsoft for changing the key commands for Microsoft Excel, presumably to make the programs more compatible with Windows. Graphic programs on the Mac is much better, in my opinion, than Windows. I would love to be able to run iOS program on the Mac because many of the iOS programs are getting better than those available for the Mac.
In general, I don't trust the opinions of Window computer users reviewing Macs in the same way I would not trust the options of Mac users reviewing Windows computers. Pardon the pun but it is really comparing Apples with other fruits. Beyond the hardware specifications, it is difficult to compare the operating systems fairly and objectively.
11 Apr 2017, 10:28 AM Report Abuse Reply 5 Like
=====================================
I hope members will consider this thread to be an appropriate one for further comments or questions regarding the new MacBook Pro and I, for one, would be interested to read first impressions, likes, dislikes, etc from anyone who bought the new laptop, questions from anyone who is perhaps is *considering* buying one in the future, or comments from those who decided *not* to buy the new laptop and the reason(s) why not.
• The New MacBook Pro Will Change Perceptions About Computers ...
• Apple Losing Out As Consumers Reject The New MacBook Pro - Forbes
• The new MacBook Pro has a shiny new problem – BGR
• Surviving the New MacBook Pro | Brad Frost
• New MacBook Pro: 6 Reasons to Buy, 4 Reasons Not To
• Consumer Reports: Don't buy the new MacBook Pro - CNN Money
• 1 More Sign That Apple Inc.’s New MacBook Pro Computers Are a Huge Hit
It can be a bit confusing to see such completely divergent views of the laptop but, since it's a very important product for Apple, it would make sense that there would be such wide coverage, and, since it's a product made by Apple, perhaps it also makes sense there would be such a wide divergence of opinion.
I'm posting a link to this article written by a person who's invested in AAPL and often posts articles on the Seeking Alpha web site:
Laptop Magazine Downgrades Apple by Mark Hibben
I'm also including one of the many comments to this article, written by a member of the Seeking Alpha site, whose username is Wiseyou. I've noticed that Wiseyou consistently makes interesting and informative comments about the SA articles related to Apple and thought it appropriate that I include and highlight his comment for this article. You may agree or disagree with some of his statements but, in any case, I hope you'll agree his comment is worth reading and considering.
=====================================
Wiseyou
Comments (342) |Following |Send Message
@john DeFeo, thanks for posting the original link on Laptop pointing out the fall in ratings, i.e. bit.ly/2o2CVha.
The main argument against the MacBook Pro appears to be primarily based on price. The prices of MacBooks and MacBook Pros are not that much higher than previous year prices. The base price minimal configuration increased slightly but the computer speed is faster. If you want 1 Tb SSD, Intel i7 with 2.9 GHz, 16 Gb RAM, higher speed GPU (1.5 GHz), your MacBook Pro will be >$2000. If you want a 2 Tb SSD, 15" screen, and a touchbar, it will cost ~$3000.
Yes, there are some amazingly low priced laptops out there, some for <$300, less than the lowest priced iPad. If you look at the specifications, these cheap computers invariably have significantly slower processors,, 8 Gb RAM, 256 Gb storage, and smaller screens. These should not be compared to the MacBook Pro.
If you want a computer with a Mac OS, there is no choice. If you want a top-of-the-line Windows computer that can match the MacBook Pro in specifications, the Microsoft Surface Book Pro is very similar in price, i.e. about $2300. All the so-called premium laptops are using Intel i7 processors, fast GPUs, 16 Gb of RAM, and up to 1 Tb SSD. Apple is the only one that I have found to offer 2 Tb SSD.
People are still complaining about the MacBook Pro batteries. If you use the MacBook Pro to do intensive computing, you should expect the battery to last no longer than 6 hours. If you are using it to look at emails, watch video, or web browsing, you can get up 10-11 hours. In my opinion, the Consumer Report that decided not to recommend MacBook Pros because of battery life variability was fake news, due to a failure to set up the tests properly.
I have using my late 2016 MacBook Pro 15" with 2 Tb SSD, 2.9 GHz i7 processor, Radeon Pro 460 GPU, and touchbar for the past 4 months. It is by far the fastest MacBook Pro (perhaps twice as fast as the MacBook Pro that I bought for a similar price of $3200 in 2015 with only 1 Tb SSD).
The usefulness of the touch bar depends on the program but the fingerprint ID (as well as Apple Watch automatically unlocking it) is very useful. It is the first Mac that have been fast enough that I chose to encrypt the storage. Microsoft Office has upgraded their office suite to use the touchbar and I have encountered fewer software glitches than with previous hardware upgrades.
I have used Macs since 1984 and know every short cut the system and most programs. I was terrifically annoyed at Microsoft for changing the key commands for Microsoft Excel, presumably to make the programs more compatible with Windows. Graphic programs on the Mac is much better, in my opinion, than Windows. I would love to be able to run iOS program on the Mac because many of the iOS programs are getting better than those available for the Mac.
In general, I don't trust the opinions of Window computer users reviewing Macs in the same way I would not trust the options of Mac users reviewing Windows computers. Pardon the pun but it is really comparing Apples with other fruits. Beyond the hardware specifications, it is difficult to compare the operating systems fairly and objectively.
11 Apr 2017, 10:28 AM Report Abuse Reply 5 Like
=====================================
I hope members will consider this thread to be an appropriate one for further comments or questions regarding the new MacBook Pro and I, for one, would be interested to read first impressions, likes, dislikes, etc from anyone who bought the new laptop, questions from anyone who is perhaps is *considering* buying one in the future, or comments from those who decided *not* to buy the new laptop and the reason(s) why not.