“Looking beyond the new MacBook’s 13.1″ thinness, its 2-lb weight, retina display, state-of-the-art individually backlit keyboard and solid-state multi-touch trackpad, the new MacBook for all its pizzazz is set to crush the Windows-based competition with what may be the most import specification of all for the mobile crowd — battery life,” Mark Reschke writes for T-GAAP.
“HP, Asus, LG and Samsung have been quick to deliver new ultra portable laptops with Intel’s latest Core M processor, but only a few have joined Apple to deliver the slightly higher-end Core M 5Y71 processor. The closest PCs matching up to Apple’s new MacBook are either HP’s Elitebook Folio 1020 or Samsung’s ATIV Book 9 NP930X2 (what marketing ‘geniuses’ come up with these naming conventions?)” Reschke writes. “Both competitors deploy the higher-end Core M 5Y71 processor, are fan-less and are 2.8-lbs. and 2.1-lbs respectively. Both HP and Samsung’s notebooks seem quite thick when compared to Apple’s MacBook, as PC makers will continue to deploy what can now only be described as fat legacy ports, due to Apple’s use of the Lightening-sized USB-C port.”
“The HP starts at $1,249, but only delivers 128GB of SSD storage and 8GB of RAM, while the Samsung starts at $1,199 and comes equipped with the same 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of MacBook SSD storage,” Reschke writes. “Suffice to say, despite some in the media crying foul on Apple pricing, the new MacBook’s $1,299 is completely justified, if not lower in price, to the PC competition…. [plus] Apple is crushing their hardware competitors with amazing battery life.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Only Apple controls the whole widegt and can tailor hardware to softaware and vice versa. Not to mention, Apple’s unique terraced, contoured battery design. As always, the PC assemblers cannot compete.
Related articles:
Why Apple is banking on USB-C for its new 12-inch MacBook and beyond – March 25, 2015
Ports? We don’t need no stinkin’ ports! Why Apple’s MacBook will be a hit – March 16, 2015
Gruber: Apple invented USB-C reversible-plug connector – March 14, 2015
The new one-port Apple MacBook? No problem for those living in 2015 – March 12, 2015
AnandTech hands on Apple’s new 12-inch MacBook: ‘By far the most portable Mac Apple has ever created’ – March 12, 2015
Apple’s revolutionary new 12-inch MacBook heralds world without wires and cables – March 11, 2015
PC Mag hands on Apple’s all-new 12-Inch MacBook: ‘You’ll want to carry it with you everywhere’ – March 10, 2015
Hands-on with Apple’s One-port wonder, the amazing MacBook with 12-inch Retina display – March 9, 2015
Apple unveils all-new MacBook, the thinnest and lightest Mac ever made – March 9, 2015
Waiting to see some benchmarks so I can compare the new MacBook to the new MacBook Pro. My son is heading to college this fall and wants a new Mac laptop, but I’m concerned the MacBook won’t be close to the MBP’s speed.
It won’t compare. The MacBook isn’t designed to compete with the Pro’s. I sold my rMBP 13″ because the only time I was using its capability was when editing a 10 min home movie or converting one of my DVDs. Otherwise 80% of my processor sat idle. I can’t wait to ditch the extra pound and a half and get my MacBook.
I’m in the same boat with a boy heading to college in the Fall. I just talked to him about it. He wants the horsepower of the MacBook Pro. He makes videos and music and he may want to run Windows.
Depends on what your son is doing. If he’s heading into a creative major (stage, graphics, video production, etc…), the MBP is what he’ll need to handle creative and video suites.
However, if he’s going into law or journalism, etc… MBA or the new MB should work just fine. Surfing the web, reading article and writing papers or giving presentations can be handled with any computer from just about anyone, let alone the new MB.
All depends on what he needs to do with it – likely driven by his major.
My Son (Junior in Pre-Med) started with a MacBook Air (i.e. faster than the new MacBook), and changed over to a 13″rMBP shortly thereafter. Now he changed that to a 15″ rMBP and takes class notes on an iPad. He runs some RNA software that is rather slow, and occasionally needs run apps in Windows VM.
My daughter is starting college this Fall. I am sure that she would like a gold MacBook, but she is getting the faster MacBook hand-me-down from my wife. We just ordered the wife one of the new 13″ rMBP to replace her Air.
My youngest son (highschool freshman) has a 15″ rMBP. He hauls it in his backpack to school everyday. But he does Java programming and takes some CS college classes on the side – so needs the horsepower.
If he has to run MS Office apps, or VMs, or IDE’s. He will be better served with a more powerful machine. If its just to writes papers on, collaborate with online services and take notes – the new MacBook may be a perfect fit.
Golly gee whiz. Apple is doing real engineering. The other guys are building boxes. FD: Not selling any shares.
I speculate this may have implications in the auto industry.
Once again Apple has come up with an innovative (in the true sense of the word, not just marketing asshole speak) solution to a real problem. Terraced battery configuration NOW seems like such a simple no-brainer solution but the fact that nobody has done it before suggests otherwise. Can’t innovate my ass, indeed.
The battery lasts so long because you can only plug one peripheral into it at one time!
I think you’re attempting to be sarcastic, seeing as what you posted is wrong. However, I do appreciate the argument that Apple should have added on a second USB-C port.
From Apple:
USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter
– HDMI
– USB 3.1 Gen 1
– USB-C [For power or further chaining]
11 USB-C Cables and Adapters for Apple’s New MacBook
“Both HP and Samsung’s notebooks seem quite thick when compared to Apple’s MacBook, as PC makers will continue to deploy what can now only be described as fat legacy ports, due to Apple’s use of the Lightening-sized USB-C port.”
Let me start by stating up front that I have absolutely nothing against Apple. My problem is usually with sites like this one. The Samsung Ativ book 9 2015 edition is 0.46 inches thin (11.684 mm). Can someone explain to me how a site that takes itself seriously can thus be concluding that it can only be described as fat due to legacy ports. For goodness sake, it is thinner than the New Macbook. It weights 2.09 pounds compared to the New Macbook’s 2.03 pounds. It has a 12.2 inch screen with a 2560 X 1600 resolution. It has two usb 3.0 ports, a mini hdmi port and a proprietary port that gives you Ethernet via an included dongle. It also has a SD card port and a microphone jack. You can buy it with 4 or 8 GB of Ram and 128 or 256 GB of storage. It is also rated for 10.5 hours of battery life. It also has a privacy mode, a 720P camera, and you can increase the brightness to 700 nits when in broad day light. Why do you guys allow sites like these to constantly feed you false information. Rooting for Apple doesn’t require the spread of false information you know.
You do realise this site is merely a news aggregator? If you have issues with the information contained here, you need to address your comment to the original writer at the site where the news/information first appeared.
No, this site is not just merely a news aggregator. This is a site that seemingly only reports things that is strongly slanted in Apple’s favor like this article. As such, no attempt is even made to check the validity of what is being said as long as it is in Apple’s favor. So please, don’t give me the “it is okay to harbor/shelter the murderer as I am not the one who did the killing” argument.
I meant things that are strongly in Apple’s favor.
This site is a news aggravator! 😉
Get out of here, Mr. Samsung Salesman. I’m not buying your crappy laptop.
By the way, the Ativ 9 is 0.46 inches “thin”… But the new Macbook slopes from 0.52 inches to 0.13 inches. So the Ativ is actually thicker and heavier.
What was that about false information? =D
This why I know you can’t fix stupid. I never asked you or anyone to buy anything. And why am I a salesman for merely pointing out the truth. If you had bothered to check the facts yourself, you would have seen that the Ativ book 9 is .46 inches at its thickest point. So go ahead and rejoice in your ignorance you and your fellow upvoters. I never suggested buy anything. From the sound of it, you need that Apple stuff to bolster your self esteem. Know there is room or sites like this.
This is why I know you can’t fix stupid. I never asked you or anyone to buy anything. And why am I a salesman for merely pointing out the truth. If you had bothered to check the facts yourself, you would have seen that the Ativ book 9 is .46 inches at its thickest point. So go ahead and rejoice in your ignorance you and your fellow upvoters. I never suggested you buy anything. I have no interest in what you buy. From the sound of it, you need that Apple stuff to bolster your self esteem. No wonder there is room or sites like this.
It didn’t say the laptop was fat due to the legacy ports, it said the legacy ports were fat.
This anonymous coward can’t keep track of his nick AND his linked WordPress site is 404.
But setting aside his ignorance of MDN and bad attitude, I don’t mind comparing Windows box specs at all. Such devices are sadly defective by default as they run on Windows.Let’s note that Apple INVENTED the ‘ultrabook’ design, since cloned by the usual suspects. But comparing the rest of the specs is very informative!
New MacBook (vs ATIV Book 9 (12.2” LED WQXGA / Core™ M):
– Configurable to 512GB PCIe-based onboard flash storage. Samsung only does 256GB.
– Three colors of aluminum. Samsung’s is black.
– CPU options of 1.1GHz (2.4GHz boost), 1.2GHz (2.6GHz boost) and 1.3GHz, (2.9GHz boost). Samsung only offers 0.90GHz (2.00GHz boost).
– 12″ display, 2034×1440 resolution. Samsung’s is slightly larger with the same aspect ratio: 12.2″ display, 2560×1600 resolution.
– Same memory specs as Samsung.
– Same graphics chipset as Samsung.
– 480p camera resolution. Samsung provides 720p.
– Same wireless specs as Samsung.
– Similar audio I/O as Samsung.
– One USB-C port. Samsung provides 2 x USB3.0, 1 x Micro SD, RJ45 Ethernet port, Micro HDMI port.
– Force Touch trackpad. No such thing from Samsung.
– Apple’s included array of applications. Samsung their SideSync and Link software as well as their usual collection of crapware and adware.
– Similar warranty to Samsung.
– 39.7Wh battery. Samsung offers only 35Wh battery.
– 0.92 kg. Samsung’s is 0.95 kg (2.03 lb vs 2.09 lb).
– 11.04 x 7.74 x (0.14-0.52)”. Samsung is 11.19 x 8.37 x0.46″.
Add of course the top rated reputation of Apple’s build quality and customer service vs that of Samsung.
I just got one of new 13″ retina MacBook pros fully spec’d out….it’s freakin’ awesome. I’ve been watching 4k videos all weekend and love the performance, ergonomics, battery life…basically everything. The quality and craftsmanship of Apple products never ceases to amaze.
Looking forward to the new 15″ MBPros when they come out.
I can see major speed bumps on those machines.
When are they coming?
Knowing Cook’s track record, they will be too late for the back-to-school season.
It’s fine if you like subpar processor performance. I don’t know anybody that does for $1,299.
Give it a rest. Computers used to be FAR more expensive than they are today. $1299 for a powerful, light, thin computer is a steal. Just because the competitors can uncut, while delivering a sub-par experience, that doesn’t mean the value of the MacBook is any less.
The use case for the new MacBook will start to change the behavior of laptop users. It’s going to be like using your phone.
Previously if you left the house with a laptop you had to bring the charger with you and in fact, your laptop is/was plugged in all the time anyway. With the new MacBook you leave the charger at home or upstairs or where ever and use it all day without worrying about charging (just like you do with your phone). Plug it in at night and you’re good to go for the next day.
Once we get over our “charge anxiety” associated with laptops – we’ll be FREE and wanting MacBookPros with the same capability. Apple will be there, waiting.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-macbook-review-the-laptop-of-the-future-isnt-ready-for-the-present-1428595317