Setting aside the glamour of the Apple Watch, the new MacBook is the other major announcement from Cupertino. At just 13 millimeters at its thickest point and featuring the brand-new reversible USB Type-C port, Apple aims to attract a new group of users with a simplified design, or those who don't look kindly on high-end tablets.
Why a New MacBook?
Now, the question is: Why a new MacBook? Neither the MacBook Air nor the MacBook Pro have gone anywhere. In fact, both models received very interesting hardware updates without changes to their prices. If we allow ourselves the luxury of speculating, the new Apple laptop may respond to the gap forming between the iPhone 6 and the MacBooks. Cupertino's last quarter was extraordinary, but overall tablet sales suffered a notable decline, which also affected iPads. Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 has gained traction on the other side of the pond, and it's not exactly an affordable model. Taking these details into account, the MacBook isn't just a new product in the family, but a slight shift in strategy.
Technical Specifications
The new MacBook has a 12-inch screen and uses a Retina panel with a native resolution of 2,304 by 1,440 pixels. Its processor is an Intel Core M (most likely a 5Y70), a young member with Broadwell architecture inside, offering two cores with four processing threads at 1.1 GHz (2.4 GHz in Turbo mode), and the only available variant raises the base frequency to 1.2 GHz. However, power consumption is so low in both cases that the MacBook uses passive cooling. RAM amounts to 8 GB, and the solid state drive is 256 or 512 gigabytes. To respond to the new format, Apple also redesigned the MacBook's keyboard, replacing the classic membrane and rubber dome system with a new metal dome and nylon support reinforced with fiberglass. Personally, I believe the reduction in key travel will provide an inferior writing experience, but we have to wait until the computer is available to check it. The trackpad uses the Force Touch system with haptic feedback, and the FaceTime camera supports 480p resolution.
Keyboard, Trackpad, and Ports
New keyboard, and new trackpad with haptic feedback. My doubts are about the keyboard... The most radical change of the new MacBook is the reduction in the number of ports. On one side, the user will find a 3.5-millimeter audio output, and on the other, one of the new reversible USB Type-C ports, which combines data and battery charging (9 hours in normal use). That's all.
Whoever wants a VGA, HDMI, or even a DisplayPort connector will have to purchase an official accessory separately. And then there's the price: We can all understand the 'premium' that a brand carries, but with a base price of $1,299, the new MacBook borders on ridiculous. The most affordable MacBook Pro is at the same price, and except for storage, it is superior in every way.
Official site: Apple MacBook
