Apple has just renewed its small MacBook with a 12-inch screen and Retina resolution. This little marvel of computer, the ultimate expression of portability, has not been without criticism since its launch in 2015, questioning its ability to perform basic tasks, but also criticizing Apple's decision to add a single USB-C connector that works charging port, screen connection and USB device. The new model has been renewed and again there are many who consider that this update has been insufficient. How is the new MacBook compared to the previous year?
Features
| Features | MacBook 2015 | MacBook 2016 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core M (1.1-1.2GHz) | Intel Core m3 Skylake (1.1-1.2GHz) |
| RAM | 8GB 1600MHz LPDDR3 | 8GB 1866MHz LPDDR3 |
| Graph | Intel HD 5300 800-900MHz | Intel HD 515 1000MHz |
| Battery | 9 hours | 10 hours |
| Screen | 12 inch IPS LED | 12 inch IPS LED |
| Decision | 2304 × 1440 | 2304 × 1440 |
| Storage | 256-512GB | 256-512GB |
| Webcam | 480p | 480p |
| Colours | Silver-Space Gray-Gold | Silver-Space Gray-Gold-Pink |
| Price | 1449-1799 € | 1449-1799 € |
New Skylake processors
It was one of the weakest points of the previous model, with its Intel Core M processor that very few liked. The upgrade to Intel's new Skylake processors was something that was already taken for granted, but what type of processor Apple was going to use was still pending. The company has decided to bet on low consumption with a slight increase in power, maintaining its philosophy with this laptop: to achieve maximum autonomy to turn it into a real laptop, being able to leave the charger at home.
The first benchmarks, which we all know are just that, test benches that little resemble the actual use of a device, show us that these new processors are 20% faster than the old ones, which is good news, although it is still insufficient for many.
Best graphic
Apple has also improved the graphics on its new MacBook with the new Intel HD 515. The company ensures that in the graphic section this new computer is 25% faster without affecting the battery, while Intel is a bit more generous with these graphics and says they are achieved up to 41% faster. The new MacBook is still not a laptop designed to perform tough video editing tasks, much less to play games, but if the previous one could perform basic tasks without problems, this one can go further with the added improvements.
Faster SSD drive
It has been one of the least highlighted improvements by Apple but one of the most important and that can increase the performance of this device much more than the change of processor. The new SSD used in the 2016 MacBook has a write speed up to 90% faster than the old one, which was not exactly slow.
Better RAM
Many expected the change to DDR4 RAM but unfortunately these "m" processors are not compatible with this type of memory, so Apple has not been able to come up with this improvement. But it does use a faster type of memory than in 2015. Let us remember that it is not possible to expand the RAM memory of these laptops, so that the 8GB they offer us will be what we have until the end of their useful life.
Four colors
It is clear that Apple wants all its products to be available in the same color range, and if the pink iPhone is selling like hotcakes, the new pink color of this MacBook may have a great acceptance among the female audience. Gold, space gray, silver and pink are the colors in which you can buy this laptop, without price differences.
What was missing to update: FaceTime and price
They have been the great disappointments. On the one hand the FaceTime 480p camera is an absolute disgrace for a nearly $ 1500 laptop these days. Especially knowing that it is a laptop to carry on trips and that therefore the use of videoconferences is one of its most basic utilities. Even more so when Apple has kept the price on top, something that is not usual after the launch of a product, at least in its range of computers. The second generation has always benefited from a more or less significant reduction compared to the first.
The quintessential laptop
If you are looking for a lightweight laptop, which you can forget to carry throughout a day, that you can always carry with you occupying little more than a notebook size notebook and that it serves you for the most essential tasks such as web browsing, multimedia, office automation and, why not, editing photos and videos at a normal user level, this is your laptop without a doubt. It has all the necessary characteristics to fulfill all these tasks without problems.
If you only see drawbacks to this MacBook model, then you are looking for something else. Do not think that you will have to buy an adapter to connect an external disk, a screen and the charger, or edit 4K video using two external monitors, because you have laptops, or even better, desktop computers that are much more suitable that for that price offer you better features.
