Apple's New 12" Retina MacBook Revealed: 2 Pounds, Fanless, Broadwell CPUs

[tonymacx86]

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Apple announced a brand new fanless MacBook which is thinner and lighter than any other laptop they've ever made. Specs include ultra low voltage Intel Core M Broadwell CPUs running fanless at just 5 watts. The graphics are Intel HD 5300 and have 8GB of RAM and 256 or 512GB SSDs.

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The battery life is 30% more efficient, and Apple says it lasts "all day" with iTunes video playback life at 10 hours. It also includes USB-C (USB 3.1 with new connector) which allows adapters for ethernet, video, and older port standards.

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The laptop has a 12" retina display with 2304 x 1440 resolution which Apple says is it's best and thinnest ever. The new MacBook also sports a redesigned thinner "Force Touch" trackpad with adjustable clicking feel. New sensors inside are also pressure sensitive for the very first time.

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The new MacBook which comes in Silver, Space Grey and Gold will be available April 10 starting at $1299.

In other news, the 11/13" non-retina MacBook Airs and 13" MacBook Pros have also been spec bumped to Broadwell CPUs, Thunderbolt 2.0, and faster flash storage. These models will be available today.

Source:
http://www.apple.com/live/2015-mar-event/

 

[tonymacx86]

The USB-C accessories for the new MacBook are now up on Apple's site:



http://9to5mac.com/2015/03/09/apples-12-macbook-gets-new-usb-c-power-vga-usb-and-hdmi-adapters/

 

[tonymacx86]

Apple's also put up a mini-site for the new MacBook:



https://www.apple.com/macbook/

 

[newtype]

I wonder if USB-C will nail the coffin on Thunderbolt. Just like how USB eventually killed SCSI.

 

[tonymacx86]

I wonder if USB-C will nail the coffin on Thunderbolt. Just like how USB eventually killed SCSI.

Good point it surely will be cheaper than Thunderbolt, it's a matter of industry adoption at this point.

 

[brrine]

In other news, the 11/13" non-retina MacBook Airs and 13/15" MacBook Pros have also been spec bumped to Broadwell CPUs, Thunderbolt 2.0, and faster flash storage. These models will be available today.

It actually doesn't appear they have updated the 15" MacBook Pros yet. Though I also don't think Intel has quad core versions of the processors yet.

 

[spang1974]

No Thunderbolt support. Interesting development.

Spang1974

 

[davidbdyer]

What a joke, it work handed me one of those i would hand it back and say try again. One port sounds like an excuse to force over priced accessories on people.

 

[Fortinbrae]

Indeed, why are we supposed to care about USB-C so much, I mean now when it's so overpriced. This is the new thunderbolt, and while we're at it TB has still not become affordable for the average person.

My personal opinions about this laptop are that:
1. It has an ugly looking keyboard (look at how they tried to fit it inside those 12'').
2. The screen resolution (1440x900) for such a small screen is just absurd. And the lower resolutions are just too small imo.
3. The processing power is a joke.
4. The only plus sides are the RAM and the SSD.

I wonder, what kind of people is this computer aimed to satisfy? People who seek portability? Wasn't the Macbook Air portable enough?

 

[POSTpro]

I can think of at least two demographics they are going for: Students and students. And all those who are attracted by the MS Surface. (which I am not since it runs Windows). I'm thinking about selling both my wife's and daughter's 15" and 13" macbook pros and getting them one of these each. The only reason I got my daughter the 13" rMBP was the retina screen and... yeah that was pretty much it. My wife is loath to grab her rMBP accept only to work on her school work (don't try to take her iPad or iPhone away from her). So personally, I think they nailed it in almost every way with the new MacBook for that demographic.

Of course this is just my 2 cents.