The Student Room Group

New Macbook design is not gonna last

The new design for Macbook pro laptops was revealed last week (for those who missed it please check the Apple website at your convenience). The major change is a touch bar that replaces the function keys we have all got used to and you are probably looking at as you read this (unless I am the only tsr user who is not on a tablet or phone :tongue:)

Basically, I think apple has made a huge error with this feature and they may have just lost a huge number of students who love their laptops and are very much their target market. Not only has it increased the cost of these Macbook pros by more than £200, it is a completely redundant and stupid idea. If they are going to insist you use the trackpad and make it that much larger (nearly twice as big as before), why on earth would they put an additional strip as far away from it as possible which does basically the same thing but is more confusing?

If they are going to be stubborn (or 'think different' if you give way to the marketing) and not follow suit with other computer manufacturers that have nearly all added touchscreens, why not just enhance the functionality of the trackpad which their Macbooks are already known for? I can already think of what seems to be an obviously better idea than a bar at the top of the keyboard: just make the large trackpad into a 'touch pad' which does everything the bar can do but is bigger, easier to reach and is more intuitive. Picture the nintendo ds with it's two screens, essentially having a trackpad that is also a touchscreen which can mimic aspects that are on the main screen and have its own dedicated functionality.

A big corporation like Apple must have already considered my simple idea but are hoping they can get more money off consumers like us if they sell this amazing new idea that does more than the trackpad ever could. Except I fail to see anyone who would be willing to shell out the extra hundreds of pounds for this silly idea and when Apple realises this, they will be forced to make their Macbooks either touchscreen laptops like most others or merge it into their iPad line somehow. Or adopt my idea or kill off Macs completely it's up to them. Whatever the case, this new design is never going to last and I would like to hear your opinions on this topic if you are interested. Feel free to completely disagree if you love Apple!

TL;DR: New Macbook pro touch bar is stupid, touchpad would make more sense
(edited 7 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

I thought of the same idea as well. I can't help but to think Apple is losing its direction after Steve Jobs, I mean how could they ever approve that terrible battery pack case.
Reply 2
Well here's the solution; stop buying garbage products. How you spend your money speaks louder than words.
Reply 3
Original post by hamzaahmad786
I thought of the same idea as well. I can't help but to think Apple is losing its direction after Steve Jobs, I mean how could they ever approve that terrible battery pack case.


I agree. The only real positive changes Tim Cook and co. have brought to the company is making the iPhone have a large screen. But yeah the direction they have been going is nowhere near as exciting as when Jobs was here.

Original post by Luneth
Well here's the solution; stop buying garbage products. How you spend your money speaks louder than words.


Ok wanna expand on your opinion? Personally I haven't bought an Apple product since Jobs left the company (and the world) so naturally I am interested to see if things have got better or a lot worse. I will not be buying any of these new Macbooks when I upgrade my current laptop in the next year or so for all my reasons given.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 4
Original post by xylas
Ok wanna expand on your opinion?


Well let's be clear, it's not an opinion, it's objective fact that it's garbage design. You might like the aesthetics or their software design choices, but their hardware is objectively terrible.
Macbook_Pro_Internals.png
The only reason to buy an Apple product is for the brand, which isn't a good reason. Steve Jobs never took Apple in an "interesting direction", he just copied what other companies had already done and made it look pretty, same with current Apple. "Wow, we made a smart watch 5 years after everyone else had already made one, aren't we intuitive?".
I have to agree with you on this - it seems silly and gimmicky. I probably use my macbook pro 75% of the time with an external keyboard, mouse and screen (i.e. it doubles as a 'desktop' ) so its effects are somewhat mitigated but for when I'm using the laptop as just that I think I will find this bar thing extremely irritating. I also dislike the way they hike the prices at every available opportunity.

That said, I still like my portable mac(s) for their design, ease of use, interface and overall 'feel'. But then I've used only a mac long before they were in any way fashionable, so probably aren't best placed to properly compare macs and PCs!
(edited 7 years ago)
Some interesting, well-evidenced and well thought out points in that - thanks for the read.
Reply 7
Never used or owned an apple product so hahahahaha!
Reply 8
Original post by Luneth
Well let's be clear, it's not an opinion, it's objective fact that it's garbage design. You might like the aesthetics or their software design choices, but their hardware is objectively terrible...


I like that you're passionate about this topic! I hope you don't get me wrong and think I am a massive Apple fan just because I am making a thread about their new product. I am just a very tech-orientated person and try to keep up to date with the latest computing news from all companies.

'Garbage design' is an opinion and you know it: many many consumers buy Apple products with their design being a major factor. That's why this thread involves myself commenting on the design of the new Macbook pros. I have no opinion whether buying a product for the brand is a good or bad reason, let's not get into that. All companies copy aspects from others, that's how competition generally works (just look how all mobile phones generally look identical compared to 10-20 years ago when that was not the case). Also Steve Jobs passed away long before the Apple watch was developed so that is not the interesting direction I was referring to regarding the iPhone and Macbook Air etc.



Yes that's what I'm talking about, they've priced their Macbooks so high but not because the specs are better just for this added feature which most students have no use for. I understand that most students are no longer going to afford Apple laptops anymore but this was not the case. In my uni alone, over 50% of all student laptops are Macbooks: half of these being 'Pro' and the other half 'Air'. Apple has lost a large part of its target market by overpricing these new Pro laptops (and the Air seems to be discontinued anyway). Also I wouldn't get too worked up on the naming of the products, 'Pro' in marketing terms doesn't mean much anyway - think Ps4 Pro, Surface Pro etc.

Wait you think the touch bar is a good idea! Ok I'm reading intently what you've written. I dsagree that function keys are the least used keys. Maybe that's because I use windows, but I'm always pressing alt-f4, f5 to refresh, and f2/12 in the bios. Also these keys usually have dual function like brightness, webcam on/off etc. so really they are very useful. I understand that the bar doesn't remove this functionality, but whether it makes it easier or much more complicated we'll have to wait and see. My argument was that this is not a good direction for the Macbook in the long run. You hit the nail on the head with "It may or may not catch on" because it is not an amazing innovation by any stretch. The trackpad idea would have certain issues that need to be ironed out but there are actually other devices that use the same concept (new lenovo yoga book) so it would be more likely to succeed imo. All in all some good arguments you've made, and at least our conclusion is pretty much the same that there is little reason for a student to get these laptops :smile:


Original post by Reality Check
I have to agree with you on this - it seems silly and gimmicky...


Haha yeah it's so true, actually the last Mac I had was a 2007 iMac running OSX tiger (updated to leopard) so yeah things have changed quite a lot (not necessarily for the better!).
Wow guys them essays
It is all about money.

Apple do not want any overlap between iPad and Mac. Adding a touchscreen would start blurring the lines a bit.


I'm not an Apple slut but many of their products are fantastic even if the pipeline has slowed down somewhat.

My Macbook Air 11 is practically flawless in my opinion. My iPhone SE has also been perfect so far.


Both the software and hardware is superior.

Mac OS is a joy to use. Windows works well enough when it's not being a pain in the neck but there is no comparison.

Macs have for years had better trackpads, better keyboards, better construction. Apple were also one of the first companies who could be bothered to engineer the hinges properly so you don't pick the whole thing up when you lift the lid.


I'm afraid I'm just gonna stick with the Apple herd for now. Good luck with your Lenovo shitpads etc. :tongue:
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by stefano865
It is all about money.

Apple do not want any overlap between iPad and Mac. Adding a touchscreen would start blurring the lines a bit.


I'm not an Apple slut but many of their products are fantastic even if the pipeline has slowed down somewhat.

My Macbook Air 11 is practically flawless in my opinion. My iPhone SE has also been perfect so far.


Both the software and hardware is superior.

Mac OS is a joy to use. Windows works well enough when it's not being a pain in the neck but there is no comparison.

Macs have for years had better trackpads, better keyboards, better construction. Apple were also one of the first companies who could be bothered to engineer the hinges properly so you don't pick the whole thing up when you lift the lid.


I'm afraid I'm just gonna stick with the Apple herd for now. Good luck with your Lenovo shitpads etc. :tongue:


You are referring to the same company that had microphones on the back of the iMac.

The same company using 480p/720p webcams in 2016.

The same company that took years to implement cut-paste.

The same company who put the headphone port on the WRONG SIDE of a laptop in 2016.

Touchpad wise I can't argue, though the Asus Zenbook and Dell XPS are pretty much in par.

Also, aluminium does not automatically mean superior build quality. The Lenovo Thinkpads have continuously, year after year, the best build quality with huge battery life from any laptop despite being made of plastic/carbon fibre.

Plus you are forgetting that OS X can be installed on the majority of laptops that do not have a dedicated GPU.

Previously I could understand the purchase but this is now 2016, and Apple still has a terribad display on their Macbook Airs, the 12 inch Macbooks are useless and the 13 inch retina Macbook Pro, the only one that was worth buying, are more expensive to the extent that there is no reasonable Apple laptop
in the £1000 range.

Posted from TSR Mobile
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Subspace
You are referring to the same company that had microphones on the back of the iMac.

The same company using 480p/720p webcams in 2016.

The same company that took years to implement cut-paste.

The same company who put the headphone port on the WRONG SIDE of a laptop in 2016.

Touchpad wise I can't argue, though the Asus Zenbook and Dell XPS are pretty much in par.

Also, aluminium does not automatically mean superior build quality. The Lenovo Thinkpads have continuously, year after year, the best build quality with huge battery life from any laptop despite being made of plastic/carbon fibre.

Plus you are forgetting that OS X can be installed on the majority of laptops that do not have a dedicated GPU.

Previously I could understand the purchase but this is now 2016, and Apple still has a terribad display on their Macbook Airs, the 12 inch Macbooks are useless and the 13 inch retina Macbook Pro, the only one that was worth buying, are more expensive to the extent that there is no reasonable Apple laptop
in the £1000 range.

Posted from TSR Mobile



I don't think webcams and headphone ports are top of the average person's list of criteria when buying a laptop.

I was in PC World a few weeks ago for some reason. Not a single laptop caught my eye. Clunky, plasticky rubbish. **** keyboards. Useless hinges.

The XPS and Zenbook are exceptions I will admit that.

The Macbook Air has been in a class of its own for years. Things are changing now but I can't believe it has taken this long.

Some good points m8. See what happens I guess. Apple are in their weakest position for years. However, I'm still not convinced that competitors have enough of an offering to tempt people who have been using Apple for years. Even if that offering is much better on paper.
I've thought a lot about this, The Mac lineup is going through a good big change and we are right in the middle of it. The price will eventually decrease, USB-C will become standard and the power will increase. Just like the Macbook Air and every new Mac ever, the 2nd and 3rd gens models almost always include more features at a lower price - There are already rumours of the price being lower next year.

For people complaining about hardware: If you study the Mac lineup, Apple has set the power of each Mac very selectively at what they think the user is using it for, no more and no less (E.G. Why give students a Quad-core rather than longer battery life?). Apple products are to be thought of as a single essence, it's not to be picked at like a PC. Hardware means nothing for Apple if it doesn't contribute to the user experience (E.G. You will never casually 'feel' the difference between a i5 and i7). If you pay attention the new Macbook has the fastest SSD in the whole market right now, this proves my point because a faster SSD can be 'felt' though causal use which the majority of users will appreciate.
Original post by Subspace
You are referring to the same company that had microphones on the back of the iMac.
Posted from TSR Mobile


I have an iMac and the microphone is phenomenal thank you very much...
I was planning to sell my 2015 MacBook Pro to fund a new gaming laptop, and thought the value was going to drop after Apple announced the keynote. Now that they've eliminated every USB 3.0 port, the SD card slot, the (relatively) standardised SSD, and keyboard with actual travel, I don't actually think the value will depreciate too much.

That being said, even after they've horribly damaged its appeal to Pro users, it will still do well with casual buyers. It's a a further refinement on what makes Apple's laptops so successful with the average consumer- it's stupidly thin, the display is gorgeous, the trackpad and keyboard are top notch (seriously, dat trackpad tho) and the combination of processor and SSD give the impression of speed for casual tasks despite the fact that anything intensive will make it keel over wheezing. The price is downright stupid, but there will be people who buy it, because it's the newest MacBook.
Original post by xylas
The new design for Macbook pro laptops was revealed last week (for those who missed it please check the Apple website at your convenience). The major change is a touch bar that replaces the function keys we have all got used to and you are probably looking at as you read this (unless I am the only tsr user who is not on a tablet or phone :tongue:)

Basically, I think apple has made a huge error with this feature and they may have just lost a huge number of students who love their laptops and are very much their target market. Not only has it increased the cost of these Macbook pros by more than £200, it is a completely redundant and stupid idea. If they are going to insist you use the trackpad and make it that much larger (nearly twice as big as before), why on earth would they put an additional strip as far away from it as possible which does basically the same thing but is more confusing?

If they are going to be stubborn (or 'think different' if you give way to the marketing) and not follow suit with other computer manufacturers that have nearly all added touchscreens, why not just enhance the functionality of the trackpad which their Macbooks are already known for? I can already think of what seems to be an obviously better idea than a bar at the top of the keyboard: just make the large trackpad into a 'touch pad' which does everything the bar can do but is bigger, easier to reach and is more intuitive. Picture the nintendo ds with it's two screens, essentially having a trackpad that is also a touchscreen which can mimic aspects that are on the main screen and have its own dedicated functionality.

A big corporation like Apple must have already considered my simple idea but are hoping they can get more money off consumers like us if they sell this amazing new idea that does more than the trackpad ever could. Except I fail to see anyone who would be willing to shell out the extra hundreds of pounds for this silly idea and when Apple realises this, they will be forced to make their Macbooks either touchscreen laptops like most others or merge it into their iPad line somehow. Or adopt my idea or kill off Macs completely it's up to them. Whatever the case, this new design is never going to last and I would like to hear your opinions on this topic if you are interested. Feel free to completely disagree if you love Apple!

TL;DR: New Macbook pro touch bar is stupid, touchpad would make more sense


Update: I have this laptop now and everything you said is wrong. It's amazing, I even used the touch bar to put that word in bold.
Reply 17
Original post by Lemon Haze
Update: I have this laptop now and everything you said is wrong. It's amazing, I even used the touch bar to put that word in bold.


That's nice but
1) I didn't say not a single person would like the laptop (I wouldnt mind one either if I paid half price)

2) judging by the fact you are the first person to buy one and comment on this thread, after 3 months, shows I have a point when I said that this laptop would not be as popular among their target market as their previous laptops

3) may I ask what your previous laptop was? and why did you choose to spend for the touchbar model over the others including last year's macbook pro retina?
Original post by xylas
That's nice but
1) I didn't say not a single person would like the laptop (I wouldnt mind one either if I paid half price)

2) judging by the fact you are the first person to buy one and comment on this thread, after 3 months, shows I have a point when I said that this laptop would not be as popular among their target market as their previous laptops

3) may I ask what your previous laptop was? and why did you choose to spend for the touchbar model over the others including last year's macbook pro retina?


Not a lot of people jump for new Mac products like they do with an iPhone for an example, so yes it will take longer until you see them popping up everywhere. In fact this MacBook model outsold every competing laptop in just five days (https://9to5mac.com/2016/11/09/2016-macbook-pro-sales/). I own a eBay store and currently sell cases for the 2016 model and have had over 100 sales in just two months.

My last computer was (and still is for now) a 2013 21.5" iMac. The Touchbar model is the actual predecessor to the last retina pro, the non-touchbar model is simply there to attract the price sensitive and previous MacBook Air owners as Apple said themselves. I needed the power, the 4 USB-C ports. The Touchbar is a very, very nice extra - my experience wouldn't be the same without it.
Reply 19
Original post by Lemon Haze
Not a lot of people jump for new Mac products like they do with an iPhone for an example, so yes it will take longer until you see them popping up everywhere. In fact this MacBook model outsold every competing laptop in just five days (https://9to5mac.com/2016/11/09/2016-macbook-pro-sales/). I own a eBay store and currently sell cases for the 2016 model and have had over 100 sales in just two months.

My last computer was (and still is for now) a 2013 21.5" iMac. The Touchbar model is the actual predecessor to the last retina pro, the non-touchbar model is simply there to attract the price sensitive and previous MacBook Air owners as Apple said themselves. I needed the power, the 4 USB-C ports. The Touchbar is a very, very nice extra - my experience wouldn't be the same without it.


Dont understand your reasoning in the 1st paragraph, it appears to self-contradict itself (people dont jump on the new macbook; it outsold within 5 days). Actually a lot of people wait until the new macbook pro comes out and then do jump on it, however it seems that less students are opting for the expensive touchbar model like I thought.

I asked about a previous laptop not desktop. If this is your first laptop purchase then that is very informative of the type of market apple is appealing to. The fact that you run a business selling apple related products is evidence that you aren't the typical student consumer apple used to market specifically towards. Actually they probably need to do hardly any marketing at all aimed at you and they know you will still buy their latest product.

Not having a dig at you as a person just disputing that the product is suited for any students who happens to have enough cash. Rather it seems to be just for the enthusiast consumers.
(edited 7 years ago)

Quick Reply

Latest

Trending

Trending