A week with the new MacBook

I’ve been using the new MacBook* for about a week now and this is just a quick post on it.

Every review I read about it before getting one came to a similar conclusion along the lines of it being ‘the laptop of the future, and we are not there yet’.

The most obvious issue is that it has a single port for everything (sounds ridiculous, right?) and the fact that Apple adopted the new USB standard – type C (there is also a 3.5mm audio jack). USB-C isn’t an Apple exclusive, so no doubt we will eventually see it being rolled out to other hardware (we currently use is USB-A).

This single port is meant to do everything – charge the MacBook, connect peripherals, link external monitors, etc. So it’s easy to see why reviews have said it’s the laptop of the future – because we’re meant to connect to everything wirelessly and not require additional ports.

I bought the only USB-C to USB adaptor available and thus far only used it twice. To install Office for Mac (cannot live without it) and copy content from my old MBA over to this. Sure, press kits come on USBs but lets be honest, how often do we plug them in 😉

The keyboard as you know has been completely redesigned. Despite overall being smaller than the one on the Air, the size of each key is bigger – so it’s a full-size keyboard. It now uses a new butterfly mechanism – and I love typing on it! You only have to touch the keys slightly and it registers. It took a little bit of getting used to because the keys are slightly bigger, but when I typed on the Air again, it felt super weird. And oddly enough, the Air felt chunky in comparison. It’s too soon to comment on the Force Touch trackpad. I’m not using it any differently.

There is a massive difference with the new screen (2304×1440 resolution) compared to the Air, where everything now looks so pixelated. Still enjoying how crisp text looks on it.

I set up the new MacBook from scratch, opted not to use Migration Assistant like I’ve done before. It’s pretty much an all-or-nothing solution, so didn’t want to carry over a bunch of applications I barely use. Apart from Office for Mac, I’ve installed Photoshop CS6, Tweetbot, Twitter and Picasa. That’s it. It’s also the first time I used iCloud Keychain since setting it up on my regular devices and my Safari is now identical to what it was on the Air, saved passwords and the works. Big relief for me – the older I’m getting, the worse I am at remembering passwords, ha.

As a writer who edits photos several times a week, reads and browses a lot, I think it suits my usage patterns. I edit videos less than 4 times a year, maybe. I don’t really need a power-hungry machine like a Pro (even the Air handles a ton of stuff thrown at it; and optical drives are obsolete for most people). I had a Pro and sold it after a year and a bit for an Air, which I did not regret. Back then, in 2011, I was barely using the optical drive. I see a similar pattern (maybe) with ditching the Air for the MacBook.

Only time will tell if I won’t be able to cope, but thus far, one port hasn’t been an issue.

Oh, I love the space grey colour! I don’t like gold but when I saw it in person, it wasn’t bad at all; better than the regular silver.

*birthday present of sorts.