Review: 2016 MacBook Pro

I posted some very quick initial thoughts after about 10 minutes with the new MacBook Pro. Last week I was able to get everything installed and configured for work and spend some time with it. It’s the best computer I’ve ever used, passing the MacBook Air I had in 2011.

My two favorite things are the keyboard and Touch ID. Not only do I love the clicky sound of the keys, but the feel is completely new and makes it seem like I’m typing a lot faster. Having Touch ID in Mac OS is everything I hoped it would be. Using 1Password is a completely different experience.

I also like the trackpad and the feel of “clicking.” Admittedly, I don’t click much on the Mac since I have Tap to click enabled in System Preferences. I was worried about the increased size of the trackpad but it hasn’t been an issue; their wrist detection software is as good as people said it was.

mac-tap-to-click

The difference in size (all dimensions) and weight are considerable from the previous generation, which hadn’t changed much in years. The battery does seem to drain faster though, which isn’t great.

I’m not sold on the usefulness of the Touch Bar yet. It’s a neat concept and done well. Time will tell on this one. Not having a physical esc button has tripped me up more than I expected.

Being able to plug power in on any of the USB Type-C ports is very handy. The number of dongles I had to order so I could use all of my devices seems ridiculous though.

My only major complaint is not having a MagSafe power connector.

 

3 MacBook Pros

My new MacBook Pro came yesterday. While not much felt different in my last laptop upgrade, I could tell this one was completely different right away. The size and weight remind me of the MacBook Air I got in 2011. The new color is fresh. Trackpad “clicks” feels familiar, maybe because of the new iPhone 7 home “button.” The […]

The Case Against a Retina MacBook Pro

I got a 13″ Retina MacBook Pro about a month and a half ago. I am not impressed and here’s why. This first screenshot is of a full screen Chrome window using the Retina resolution.

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Yes, it’s beautiful. There is no arguing that. But I’m not blind and I have to scroll before even seeing any content. Lot’s of scrolling at this resolution. Here you can see the Display settings.

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I switched over to a scaled resolution (no longer Retina) for more space.

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Voila! I no longer feel like there’s a magnifying glass attached to my face and I don’t have to scroll nearly as much as with Retina. Guess what, it still looks beautiful.

Screen Shot 2013-11-08 at 2.1051EST

Many people love their Retina MacBook Pro. I wish I had gotten a MacBook Air instead.