The 12-inch MacBook: A Legacy Laptop in a Modern Era

Hey guys, this is Austin. Today, I'm going to talk about the 12-inch MacBook and why it still exists in 2018 or 2019.

When the 12-inch MacBook was first released in 2015, it wasn't exactly well-received. However, that begs the question: why does this laptop still exist today? The biggest issue with this machine has always been its single port. While USB-C is great, a single port means you're stuck forever as a resident of Dongle Town.

I know some of you might be thinking, "What's so bad about Dongle Town?" Well, let me tell you. It's right down the road from Garbage Town and just a little way from Notch City. Now, these days, USB-C has become more popular, and many accessories do support it natively. However, the problem still remains: if you want to plug in something and use a charger at the same time, you can't do that without a dongle.

This isn't an issue you have to deal with on other Macs or well, any other laptop you buy. The current Mac lineup has made things even more complicated. We have the 12-inch MacBook, the 13-inch MacBook Air, and the 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar. All of these systems are almost the same price, sharing a lot of similarities, and it just doesn't make sense right now.

My friend Quinn from Snazzy Labs did an excellent comparison between all three laptops, which you guys should definitely check out. The main difference is that the 12-inch MacBook has a smaller screen and a more compact design, while the MacBook Air and Pro have larger screens and more powerful processors.

Now, let's talk about the future of the 12-inch MacBook. I really feel like this laptop doesn't make sense to buy right now. It's too close to the MacBook Air and that MacBook Pro. Apple is playing the long game, making short-term sacrifices for long-term gains.

The iPad Pro is not a magical life-changing device that you should sell everything for, but it's definitely an exciting product. What I love about the iPad Pro is that it plants a seed for the future. By using an ARM-based processor like the A6 or A12/A13 series, we're talking about massive performance gains.

In comparison, a MacBook with 8 cores and a powerful GPU isn't as powerful as an iPad Pro. People always say, "Why doesn't Apple make MacBooks in the iPad?" The answer is simple: it would require them to erase everything that's in the future and switch to x86 processors.

Another question people ask is, "Why don't they put their Pro apps on the iPad?" The truth is, Apple needs everyone else to bring their apps to ARM. Photoshop coming to ARM is huge, and we're already seeing hints of this technology with Apple's T2 chip doing co-processing with Intel.

I think the 12-inch MacBook is the prime candidate for its first major hardware upgrade. What if they powered it by an Apple A12 or A13 processor? Again, Apple is playing the long game, making short-term sacrifices for long-term gains.

In conclusion, the 12-inch MacBook might not be the most powerful laptop out there, but it's definitely a legacy laptop in a modern era. By using an ARM-based processor, we're talking about massive performance gains, and Apple is planting seeds for the future.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- Hey guys this is Austin.This is the 12 inch MacBook andwhen it came out back in 2015 itwasn't exactly received verywell which begs the question,why does this still existin 2018 or 2019 I guess?The biggest issue with this machinehas always been the single port.The USB-C is great but the issue,just like I said in my original 2015 videois that a single port means that you arestuck forever as a resident of Dongle Town.Yes my friends Dongle Town it's rightdown the road from Garbage Town and justa little ways a way from Notch City.Now these days USB-C has becomea lot more popular so a lot ofaccessories do support it natively butthe problem still here is if you wanna doI don't know something likeplugging in something as well asusing a charger at the same timeyou just can't do thatwithout a dongle andthat's simply not anissue that you have todeal with on other Macs orwell any other laptop you buy,like literally any other laptop.Complicating all of this isthe current Mac lineup sowe have the 12 inch MacBook,the 13 inch MacBook Air,as well as the 13 inchMacBook Pro without Touch Bar.All of these systems arealmost the exact same price,they share a lot of similarities andit just doesn't really makea lot of sense right now.My friend Quinn from Snazzy Labs did anexcellent comparisonbetween all three whichyou guys should definitelygo check out butthe gist of it is,is that there is a lot in common withthese three laptops which kinda means thatthe 12 inch is the odd one out.Now that doesn't meanthere are no advantages tousing the 12 inch MacBook.First of all this isone of the thinnest andlightest laptops that youcan buy today full stop.There is something to that we havefull fledged MacOSrunning here on a laptopwhich is really aboutthe same size as an iPad.It also has the fundamentals down,not only do they have asharp and accurate screen butyou also have one of thebest touchpads in the game.- Hey guys this is thecraziest weapon of all time.- The speakers are there, thebattery life is pretty solidI mean a lot of the main things thatyou look for in a laptop are here andaccounted for with the 12 inch MacBook.That is until you lookjust a little bit closer.The keyboard for example is theolder style butterfly switches andwhile they're fine the new ones on theMacBook Air not only feel a lot better butthey're also more durable.The webcam is also famouslypotato quality witha whopping 480p resolution.I'm not really sure why thisstill exists in 2018 or 2019or 2015.Then there's the performance. Now this isa fanless laptop which is abig reason why it is so tiny but becauseof that you give up afair bit of actual speed.So especially that Corem3 model its fine fora lot of basic use,if you want to do web browsing andmaybe a little bit of very light audio andvideo editing it's fine butanything more heavy it does startto chug a bit on this guy.Put this all together and unless you justhave to have the smallest size the MacBookdoesn't make a ton of sense right now.That got me thinking though,I had a little chatwith my buddy Jon aboutwhat exactly the future might holdfor the 12 inch MacBook.- This my friend is a 12 inch MacBook.Are you familiar withsuch a wondrous computer?- Is this what they call a Mac?- That's what they call a Mac.What do you think about theMacBook, where it is today?Like as far as the 12 inch MacBook it'sbeen updated a time or twoover the last few years butfor the most part this is pretty similarto what came out in 2016 or 2015?- Right yeah.- 2015 wow.- Yeah its not been updated in a while.I think it should be,12 inch MacBook,- Yes.- 13 inch MacBook Air,- Yes.- Get rid of the MacBookPro without Touch Bar- Yeah.- And if you want aMacBook Pro not that theTouch Bar is what you know separates a Pro- The quad core does separate it.- That's what the big deal is- Yeah.- That's what peoplemiss a lot of the timeis that the 13 inch MacBook Prowithout Touch Bar is dual core.- Do you remember when theyannounced the non Touch BarMacBook Pro they were like,this is great for people whoare upgrading from an Air.Like they specifically called it outas like the Air replacement.- Yeah and I think that was likethat takes place of the Air its justI think ultimately theyrealized its the stupid name.People for vanity or for whatever it isthey want a MacBook Air.- Yeah.What do you see as thefuture not only the Mac butspecifically what do you see as thefuture of the 12 inch MacBook?Cause I do really feellike this doesn't makea lot of sense to buy right now likeI feel like this is way too closeto that MacBook Air and that MacBook Pro.- Apple is playing the long game andthey're okay with makingshort term sacrificein regards for the future.It's not like the iPad Pro is thismagical life changing device thatyou should go sell everything for.- You would have to.- Why I'm excited is because itplants a seed for the future soI think that's like seed onewhich sets the path for this.I feel like everyone sostuck in the past of likewell x86 is a different platform itsnever going to happen but whydo you want to stick in anarchaic system?- If you look at where the x86 hastracked over the last few years we've gotperformance improvements but ya know5% here 10% there.Whereas if you look onthe ARM side specificallywith what Apple's been doing with theirA6 processors its likeoh look 20%, 50%, 100% like there's thesemassive performance gains to the pointwhere I would think that in most anywayyou measure it a MacBook,a 12 inch MacBook is not as powerful asthe eight cores that are inside that IPad,right you've got that GPU,there is a ton of power there.- People always say,why doesn't Apple butMacBooks in the iPad.One if they did that itwould have to be x86 andthey would just eraseeverything that's in the future.Two you know the other thing is,why don't they put theirPro apps on the IPad?Why don't they do that?Give me Final Cut give me Logic.I guarantee you theyhave a Final Cut versionthat's ready to go on the IPad.I guarantee you they have Logic butthey don't need Apple to put theirapps on they need everyone else andlike Photoshop coming to ARM is huge andthe interesting thing is like right nowthey're already doing like ahint of the future where liketheir T2 chip or whatever likeit is doing co processingalong with Intel.- Very good point.I guess my thought here iswith the 12 inch MacBook thisseems like the prime candidate for itto be like the very first Mac to bepowered by an Apple A12 or A13.or A17 whatever the caseis but an Apple processor.- Again Apple is playing the long game,short term sacrifice, long term gain.- If you guys wanna know more from Jonhe has an entire series about why the iPadis the greatest inventionknown to mankind.Used by professionals of all sizes andshapes and if you can go check that out.I'm gunna go back totalking about Macs though.- Can I shoot one of your videos andedit it on the iPad Pro?- Yes you can actually.That'll be a great idea.- Let's do it.