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Apple To Launch Thinner, Lighter MacBook Pro Models With OLED Touch Bar, Touch ID In Fall (9to5mac.com)
Apple plans to refresh its MacBook Pro line later this year. The makeover will see both 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models replace their function keys atop laptop keyboards with an OLED touch bar, according to a report. Both the models will also have Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and will support Thunderbolt 3 USB-C port, multiple outlets are reporting citing ever-so-reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The refreshed MacBook Pro model will be thinner and lighter as well. There's no word on if -- and when -- the MacBook Air lineup will receive a refresh.
Nobody else has done that yet.
So there's nobody for apple to copy. And that's about all they do anymore.
I'm writing this on an Early 2011 15" Macbook Pro, which is frankly on it's last legs. In fact, it's at the point where I can't really move it around.
It would have been pretty unusable years ago, except that this is one of the last Macbook Pros that you could upgrade the RAM and harddrive on. I got this thing with the least amount of RAM and cheapest harddrive I could, and as time went on I added more RAM and an SSD. New lease of life. And that stuff all cost me about $250 rather than the extra > $1000 Apple would have charged.
I want (and pretty much need) a new laptop, and Apple makes great ones. Yeah, people say "Apple Tax!" a lot, but spec-for-spec, Apple laptops are pretty much equal to other manufacturers and the *usability* is *phenomenally* better. From the UI design to the friggin *trackpad*.
But if I can't upgrade my own machine... sorry, not happening. And that goes for any other laptop maker.
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is kinky.
I think your definition of professional is different than mine.
I write software every day on my MBP. It's got a ton of ports and the battery lasts me more than an entire working day. The keyboard is *fantastic*. I used to have a ton of RSI problems with all of the typing I do. I tried many different keyboards over the last 20 years (ergonomic/split keyboards included). It wasn't until I started using the thin aluminum mac keyboards that all of my wrist and finger pain went away for good. The current MBP laptop keyboards are similarly fantastic for me.
I've typed on the new super thin MB keyboard for maybe 10 minutes and at first blush the keys feel fantastic to me. Just enough response and feedback but very low finger strain. The jury is still out on whether I could handle it for 8 hours a day, every day but the indications point to yes. I can spend 5 seconds on a shitty keyboard and I know I don't like it.
I travel sometimes multiple times a month with my laptop. I want the thinnest and lightest I can get while also getting the performance I want (the current crop of MBPs gives me that). 7-10 hours of battery life is way more than enough for me.
I run (and write software for) 3D animation software and rendering software on my MBP. The graphics system is just fine for what I need when I'm travelling. It's not going to compete with my Mac Pro or the thousands of Linux CPUs in my render farm but I don't need it to.
I get a *ton* of work done with and because of my MBP.
This is not to say that everyone does or even should have my same experience or needs.. but neither is the converse true that no professional is like me in finding these machines to be basically perfect for them.