Apple's new MacBook has been getting some pretty interesting reviews ahead of its official release on April 10, with many highlighting negative features about the computer.
Despite the negative comments about the computer, most reviews come to the same conclusion. While the computer is not the best choice for a user right now, it is the computer of the future. Here are some of the things that major reviewers are saying.
The Future Is Wireless, But Now Is Not The Future
One of the biggest changes that Apple introduced with the new computer is the single USB Type-C port, which is used for both connectivity and for charging. In order to use more than one port, users have to purchase an adapter, which can split off into multiple connectors, enabling them to use the port for charging, connecting to external displays and transferring data. By including one port, Apple is looking to a wireless future that requires users to transfer data through cloud services. Unfortunately, we're not in that future just yet.
"No matter if Apple is proven right in the long haul, today there's no question that living life with one port is inconvenient. The biggest question is the degree to which you are inconvenienced," said one reviewer from Ars Technica. "Obviously those of you who have multiple Thunderbolt Displays and external hard drives hooked into your MacBooks will be the most affected, but they're the people to whom the MacBook will appeal the least. Don't get a MacBook and expect it to do a MacBook Pro's job."
This lack of ports goes beyond not being able to use external displays without an adapter. Users can't even charge their iPhone without an adapter.
Professionals Will Need A Little More Power
Apart from the single USB-C port, most suggest that the new computer is simply not for professionals, rather its for those who want an ultra-portable computer for everyday tasks. For anything else, however, most suggest that the computer gets pretty hot. This is partly due to the lack of fan in the computer, despite the fact that the processor used in the computer is designed to not need too much power.
"Basically, if you do anything that's going to really tax the processor, this laptop probably isn't going to cut it for you. In that sense it's actually kind of like a Chromebook. It's fast enough for 70 percent of what I do, but a little slower than what I'm used to," said a review from The Verge. "For about 20 percent of what I do - mostly photo editing - it works but requires patience. But it's the last 10 percent that's hard: video editing, really big iPhoto libraries, basically anything processor-intensive can get rough."
The MacBook Is A Little Too Light
While a lighter device is often seen as a good thing, some say that the computer is too light.
"The lightness sometimes makes the notebook hard to steady on your lap. It has a tendency to bounce around as you type, without any noticeable center of gravity," said a review from Bloomberg. "And because the computer is so small, I found it difficult to place on my knees without squeezing them together uncomfortably."
Apple Cut Some Corners
Last but not least, the webcam on the new MacBook is really below par. In fact, it's not even as good as the webcam found on the iPhone, being a tiny 480p. This is really the only instance in which the computer is behind the times rather than ahead of them.
"The webcam is only 480p, and by MacBook Air or iMac standards, it's poor. Colors are muted and images are noisy. Webcams only have to be good enough for you to make out the face of the person talking to you, and the MacBook's camera does that," continued Ars Technica. "Just don't expect it to do anything else."
Is the MacBook a great computer? Absolutely, but with it being difficult to rely completely on cloud storage and services, the computer is ahead of its time.
