A week ago, I was able to pick up my new MacBook at UPS in Kassel. Conveniently, I had the macnemo.tv Episode 63 that evening, and I was able to unpack and start it up live on the show.

I have to admit that I haven’t had a mobile Mac for about 4 years, and I also thought that since the Mac Pro (Late 2013) and the iPad, I wouldn’t need one anymore. Unfortunately, that was a mistake. As much as I tried to use the iPad as a full-fledged replacement, I also noticed that I (still) failed at many use cases. I love my iPad, especially when I’m sitting on the train and need some entertainment. It’s also no problem to manage a web server with an iPad or write a few texts or edit a presentation. But actually, I only did “small things” with it. So I quickly realized that this wasn’t enough for me in the long run and decided at the end of 2014 that I did need a mobile Mac again. But Apple just didn’t release a MacBook Air with Retina Display, so I had to wait until March 2015. When the MacBook was announced, it was clear that this was the mobile Mac for me. Then came the question of color - for the first time, you could choose from different colors. For iPhones and iPads, the issue is settled for me. An iPhone and iPad is and remains white or now white/silver. But with the MacBook, I was immediately drawn to the gold one. :-) So I wasn’t sure and simply decided to look at them on April 9th directly at the Apple Store, as I wanted to go there for the Apple Watch anyway. But what I experienced there was, personally speaking, a farce. The Munich Apple Store had no MacBooks to look at, let alone to buy on-site. I can tell you that a lot of bewildered faces were seen that morning. Okay, so I ordered it from the Apple Online Store. My first choice was actually the model 1.2 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core M, Turbo Boost up to 2.6 GHz, 8 GB 1600 MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM, 512 GB PCIe-based Flash Storage, but then I decided on the smaller model with 256GB SSD and the 1.3 GHz CPU instead. Honestly, I don’t need 512GB of disk space on the go, at least not built into the Mac. I also got the Digital AV Adapter - as most people know, the MacBook only has one USB-C port, and I simply needed a normal USB port.

So what’s my verdict after one week? In short, I’m more than satisfied. The MacBook is quiet (as no fans are included), and the performance is more than sufficient for my activities. The performance of the built-in SSD could be a bit better - at least the test with the BlackMagic tool shows pretty poor values. But I need to look into that again. Otherwise, I’ll just stop by the Apple Store in Munich at a Genius Bar. The gold color is actually not that golden - it’s more like bronze or at least rose gold. In any case, it looks really good in person (okay, tastes differ).

Here’s a list of the applications I actively use on the MacBook:

  • Devonthink Pro Office - finally working on my documents on the go, and I can even sync it with the Mac Pro. Perfect, and more about this in Episode 64 at macnemo.tv
  • VMWare Fusion - I currently still do my tax return and “accounting” on PC, so I occasionally start the Windows VM
  • GOG Galaxy Client - yes, I also play games on the MacBook. Currently more retro games, hence the GOG client. Though I also started Pillars of Eternity as a test. Currently, I’m playing Baldur’s Gate Extended Edition :-)
  • Microsoft Office 2016 Preview - I’ll out myself now. I think Microsoft currently has the best online strategy, and I also like Office365
  • BoinxTV - finally, I can also prepare the next shows on the go
  • Final Cut Pro X - for quick editing on the side, it’s more than sufficient. The workhorse is still the Mac Pro (Late 2013)
  • Sublime Text & SourceTree - the combination for me to manage my scripts and configuration files

Of course, I immediately provided the MacBook with some accessories. Here’s an overview of what I already have or what has been ordered:

So that’s my initial review. In any case, you should look at the MacBook in person. And regarding the discussion about the one USB-C port, let me remind you of the outcry when Apple “forgot” the floppy on the first iMac. Or the discussions about permanently installed batteries or SSDs. Yes, modern computers are no longer as modular as in the 90s, but that’s probably the course of technology. When I think about how simple the engine of my Golf 1 was and what I could still replace or repair myself. What’s important to me is that Apple offers a fair deal for the repair or replacement of components and that I get a long service life. And so far, I haven’t had any complaints about products from Apple. I use a Mac for at least 5 years on average.

Update on the keyboard How embarrassing, how embarrassing. I write hundreds of words and yet don’t lose one about the new keyboard. Yet it’s also being discussed controversially. I had some concerns at first too, but for me, they dissolved into thin air. I can type perfectly with the keyboard, and it felt familiar after just a few minutes. Only the cursor keys are still a bit confusing, but my muscle memory will probably get used to that soon too. The pressure point of the keys is really great, and the lighting also looks better - the individual LEDs make a difference.

Update on the hard drive speed As suspected, it was more of an issue with the BlackMagic tool. Apple apparently uses some kind of optimization on the SSD, and the full performance only comes after waiting for a few cycles. I let the test run for a while, and then I got the values I expected.

Cheers, Panxatony