2015 12" Retina Macbook
29/09/15 15:40 Filed in: Apple
What's the performance like on the new Retina 12" Macbook?
====
Firstly, let me just say this is not a review of the newish Macbook, it's more a look at how it performs. Why? Well, I've been asked about the performance.
I've long been a fan of the iPads for travel - great for travelling light, and for consuming information on, not so great for producing that information. Over the years, I've tried a whole range of different keyboards for the iPad, and I've also tried the pens too. They're 'OK' at best. I ended up using a 13" Macbook Pro as my travel unit. They're great machines - incredibly capable, and oh my word that screen. So, so pretty….but a lot heavier than an iPad.
The Macbook however - more like an iPad with a built in keyboard. Small, light, beautiful screen (better than the Macbook Air units anyway)…but not as powerful? I was intrigued, so I picked up the base unit.
One of the things that I've run in to is a bit of an oddity. If you treat it as a super-capable iPad - it's brilliant. Problem is, because it runs native OSX, you start to treat it like a cut-down laptop instead, and expect more of it? When I first picked it up I wanted it for Evernote, Email/Calendar, Word and some Excel. Coped so well, pretty soon I was 'ooo, can I put VMWare Fusion on here and run Windows 10?'. Well, yes, yes you can.
In some respects it's the same with only having the single port USB-C. I don't miss extra ports on my iPad, yet I end up thinking WAIT, I can plug all kinds of other stuff in to this, but I need additional adapters! Just like you need on the iPad by the way - for example I have HDMI & VGA adapters for my iPad to present from.
Curious isn't it? If you look at it as a super-powered iPad it's brilliant. If you look at it as a low powered laptop, frustrating. An oddity of positioning. I guess the outcome of that is that you need to be clear on what you need and want from a device before selecting the appropriate one. Who knew.
Of course the experience isn't anything like as capable as my proper day to day work-horse - a top spec 15" 2015 Retina Macbook Pro with its quad core i7…but then when I have that in my bag I do know about it.
For my use then, if I'm on site doing proper techy work - it's the 15" rMBP without a doubt. When I'm going to meetings, or editing some word docs on the train, the Macbook 12" is completely ideal.
Anyways, I said this wasn't a review, and it still isn't - honest - but I've done a brief video showing the general performance of the unit below.
blog comments powered by Disqus