Making a switch from windows is no difficult thing since an Alienware Aurora desktop had given me nothing but agony. It had issues from the very beginning where several Dell specialists were sent my way but issues persisted till its warranty wore off. An example would be the need to align its RAM on a monthly basis. That turned into a weekly chore and in days of late, a daily one.
So when Apple dropped the new MacBook Pro, I had the struggle to make my decision whether to fully deplete what’s left of my Alienware or spend wristwatch money on a laptop. For the fact that my second generation MacBook Pro has been around longer than the Alien yet is still serving me to this date, I went on my knees and clicked buy.
PRO
Amazing display
Speakers
Keyboard
Quality
CON
Gets hot fast!
Heft
SPECIFICATION
2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
16GB 2133MHz memory
512GB PCIe-based SSD
Radeon Pro 450 with 2GB memory
RM 11,119
EDITOR'S PICK
FEATURE: Macbook
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I am not sure if Apple does things effectively or that no one in the right mind has placed an order for a Touch Bar because mine arrived a lot sooner than estimated. The unboxing experience was ok-good but not as marvellous as some plastic-parting perverts described the sensation to be.
The new keyboard mechanism is fantastic which enables users to type more quickly together with less mistakes. Moreover they make conventional keyboards feel ancient with extremely long travel. As for palm rejection, it did not occur to me as I have my thumb rested on the opening cavity of the clam shell machine whenever swiping the trackpad.
The speakers are above average, pleasing even for a laptop but is nowhere as exceptional as those Klipsch on Alienware laptops. Then again, UFO laptops are seriously heavy.
Like its predecessor, the screen is vibrant and this time really bright while the elephant in the room being the Touch Bar can be dismissed as useless. Let’s be honest, F1 to F12 too is very hopeless. With an OLED strip, you can at least have Pac Man or Nyan Cat to get through dreary meetings.
Sure at least one adapter is needed at this point of time. Yes I do miss the glowing Apple logo, yes the one that replaces should too be larger in size. The biggest annoyance I have with the latest iteration of the Pro is the Taptic feedback trackpad that provides a counter intuitive experience in the beginning but you'll get used to it. At this price point, users should at least be given the choice of one of Apple's software like Final Cut or Logic Pro thrown in to allow users to put this machine to its paces.
Battery life is only good for five to six hours having some softwares installed, light listening to music accompanied by web browsing. The fact is, there is no counter argument to how beautiful the construction of the Pro's is. Despite being thinner as well as lighter than before, this laptop is no lightweight. Admittedly, I was very excited for the arrival of the MBP but if you’re expecting a life changing experience, try getting married. Say you’re looking for something to impress your mates, maybe some cocaine?
This then is either for the early adopters or in my case, a daily beater replacement. Chances are, people who are thinking of one are those who have/had a MacBook Pro looking for something future proofed. If USB ports or an SD card slot are things you can’t live without, the last generation of the Pro is still on sale at a discount price.
Bottom line is, the 2016 MacBook Pro be it a work horse or a casual web browsing machine does what a laptop does. There is no denying that it sure is expensive but if your computer isn’t broken, don’t buy one. Get used to Touch ID, adjusting brightness and volume to the millimetre, there's just no turning back.