The New MacBook: A Dual-Ported Dream?

All right, let’s get started. The MacBook sucks because it’s only got a single port. Coming from basically every other laptop ever, the new MacBook is almost laughably light on ports. What it does have, however, is a single USB Type C, which if you’re only going to put a single port on a laptop, it’s kind of the way to go. It’s reversible, so no more plugging things in the wrong way, supports powering other devices along with charging the MacBook, has full USB 3 speed as well as DisplayPort or HDMI for using an external monitor. Not bad from this tiny little port.

Right now accessories that use USB-C aren’t exactly popular, but there are a few like this flash drive from Sandisk which sports a USB-C port on one side and a full USB 3.0 on the other. For the most part though you’re going to need adapters like this USB-C to full USB from Apple. It works fine, you can even pair it with a USB hub to load up a ton of devices to the MacBook but it’s not the most elegant solution.

On the flip side, you can totally use this with your collection of 3.5 inch floppy drives, which I mean is basically a necessity for a computer in 2015, right? Since USB Type C isn’t some proprietary Apple connector you can pick up third party cables like this full-sized male USB cable from Google. This lets you do cool stuff like connect the MacBook to a battery backup or power an external monitor using the DisplayPort cable.

This is great except when you realize that using any of these forces you to be on battery power since there’s no way to charge while using your only port. Apple does sell an adapter that includes a full-sized USB, HDMI and another USB-C for charging but what would be a much nicer solution is just including two USB ports like Google does on the Chromebook Pixel.

So is Apple completely insane for only putting one port on the MacBook? No, but adding one more would be a nice improvement. You can’t game on the MacBook. On the surface this seems totally plausible. With a fanless design that measures in at just over 13 millimeters the MacBook has more in common with a tablet than a gaming laptop.

Under the hood we’re looking at Intel HD 5300 graphics which while not blazing fast might just have enough power for a bit of gaming. Load up a copy of Minecraft and the MacBook handles it no problem, which actually isn’t too bad all things considered. Install Steam and we’ve got a decent selection of games that will work on OS X. Lighter titles like Super Meat Boy are no problem at all and even Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is totally playable at 1280 by 800 well as long as you bring along a mouse anyway.

A gaming PC it definitely isn’t but for light gaming it’s actually kind of usable. The webcam sucks. That would be a yes. So thenew MacBook is rocking a 480p webcam that is straight out of 2006. Now yes, it is usable in a pinch if you need to do a little bit of video chatting like on Skype or FaceTime but it definitely sucks.

The new MacBook is overpriced. Starting at $1300, there is no doubt that the MacBook is one expensive machine. Looking just at the Mac side of things the 11 inch Air comes in at $400 less but that’s not an entirely fair comparison. The base Air comes with four gigs of memory and a 128 gigabyte SSD which is totally ridiculous for a premium laptop.

Spec it out to eight gigs of RAM and a 256 gig drive like the 12 inch MacBook and the price difference narrows to $100 which is a little more plausible if only for the better screen. For a more apples-to-apples comparison there’s the Samsung ATIVBook 9 which is rocking a similar design but at a slightly lower price.

For the occasional bit of work, the new MacBook might not be the greatest choice in the world but it packs a decent punch. Add another USB-C port and chop the price a bit and this could be the perfect laptop for a lot of people.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enAll right, let’s get started.The MacBook sucks because it’s only gota single port. Coming from basically everyother laptop ever, the new MacBook is almostlaughably light on ports. What it does haveis a single USB Type C, which if you’reonly going to put a single port on a laptopit’s kind of the way to go. It’s reversibleso no more plugging things in the wrong way,supports powering other devices along withcharging the MacBook, has full USB 3 speedsalong with DisplayPort or HDMI for using anexternal monitor. Not bad from this tiny littleport. Right now accessories that use USB-Caren’t exactly popular but there are a fewlike this flash drive from Sandisk which sportsa USB-C port on one side and a full USB 3.0on the other. For the most part though you’regoing to need adapters like this USB-C tofull USB from Apple. It works fine, you caneven pair it with a USB hub to load up a tonof devices to the MacBook but it’s not themost elegant solution. On the flip side, youcan totally use this with your collectionof 3.5 inch floppy drives, which I mean isbasically a necessity for a computer in 2015,right? Since USB Type C isn’t some proprietaryApple connector you can pick up third partycables like this full sized male USB cablefrom Google. This let’s you do cool stufflike connect the MacBook to a battery backupor power an external monitor using the DisplayPortcable. This is great except when you realizethat using any of these forces you to be onbattery power since there’s no way to chargewhile using your only port. Apple does sellan adapter that includes a full sized USB,HDMI and another USB-C for charging but whatwould be a much nicer solution is just includingtwo USB ports like Google does on the ChromebookPixel. So is Apple completely insane for onlyputting one port on the MacBook? No, but addingone more would be a nice improvement. Youcan’t game on the MacBook. On the surfacethis seems totally plausible. With a fanlessdesign that measures in at just over 13 millimetersthe MacBook has more in common with a tabletthan a gaming laptop. Under the hood we’relooking at Intel HD 5300 graphics which whilenot blazing fast might just have enough powerfor a bit of gaming. Load up a copy of Minecraftand the MacBook handles it no problem whichactually isn’t too bad all things considered.Install Steam and we’ve got a decent selectionof games that will work on OS X. Lighter titleslike Super Meat Boy are no problem at alland even Counter-Strike: Global Offensiveis totally playable at 1280 by 800, well aslong as you bring along a mouse anyway. Agaming PC it definitely isn’t but for lightgaming it’s actually kind of usable. Thewebcam sucks. That would be a yes. So thenew MacBook is rocking a 480p webcam thatis straight out of 2006. Now yes, it is usablein a pinch if you need to do a little bitof video chatting like on Skype or FaceTimebut it definitely sucks. The new MacBook isoverpriced. Starting at $1300, there is nodoubt that the MacBook is one expensive machine.Looking just at the Mac side of things the11 inch Air comes in at $400 less but that’snot an entirely fair comparison. The baseAir comes with four gigs of memory and a 128gigabyte SSD which is totally ridiculous fora premium laptop. Spec it out to eight gigsof RAM and a 256 gig drive like the 12 inchMacBook and the price difference narrows to$100 which is a little more plausible if onlyfor the better screen. For a more apples toapples comparison there’s the Samsung ATIVBook 9 which is rocking a similar thin designwith a 12 inch high res screen, the same CoreM processor and it comes in at $100 more thanthe MacBook. The MacBook isn’t insanelyexpensive but it would make a lot more sensewith a couple hundred dollar price cut. Youcan’t do real work on the MacBook. Thisis another one that sounds completely rational.All it takes is one look at the spec listto see some major red flags. A 1.1 gigahertzprocessor that’s capped at 4.5 watts withno fan to cool it? For perspective the MacBookAir has 15 watts to work with and the 13 inchMacBook Pro has 28 watts on tap. In regularuse the CPU will boost up to 2.4 gigahertzwhich isn’t that far off from the others.We’ve got full Mac OS X so running heavierapps like Photoshop is no problem. While it’sa little impractical, you can also edit videoon the MacBook as long as you carry arounda couple adapters. I edited this entire videoin Premiere Pro and it handled it like a champ,the export was a little bit slow but the actualedit itself was no problem. It does get alittle warm on top of the keyboard but it’sreally not much worse than most laptops. Asa dedicated video and photo editing laptopit might not be the greatest choice in theworld but for the occasional bit of work it’stotally usable. It might be tiny but the newMacBook packs a decent punch. Add anotherUSB-C port and chop the price a bit and thiscould be the perfect laptop for a lot of people.