The MacBook (priced between AED 4,399 and 9,899) is notable
as the Apple's thinnest and lightest laptop. The MacBook keeps the slim profile
of the original thanks to a fanless design, and the Retina Display remains, but
this time around there's a Skylake-based Intel Core m5 processor with improved
performance.
Though there's plenty to like here, drawbacks include a very
limited I/O port selection and a sleek, but shallow keyboard and trackpad that
are likely to be uncomfortable for some. The aluminum laptop is now available
in four colours including gold (our review unit), silver, space gray, and rose
gold (a metallic pink, which is the newest addition).
Physically, not a lot has changed from last year's model. At
0.52 by 11.04 by 7.74 inches (HWD), the MacBook weighs 902-gms, an
imperceptible increase that makes it slightly heavier than its predecessor. It
fits easily in backpacks and shoulder bags made for 10-inch tablets or 13-inch
laptops.
The MacBook should be on your short list if you often find
yourself in coach class working on an airline tray table. It can also be your
go to machine if you are looking for a capable ultraportable to haul around
while on the road.
Also unchanged are the butterfly-switch keyboard and Force
Touch trackpad. Both are less comfortable than traditional laptop keyboard and
trackpads, since the keys offer very little travel, and the trackpad doesn't
move at all. Though, Haptic feedback vibrations on the trackpad make it feel
like you've clicked, and the sensor can detect pressure, so if you press a
little harder, the touchpad will click a second time, and activate the Force
Click function. In practice, it does feel like two separate physical clicks.
You can use the Force Touch trackpad's pressure-sensitivity
for signing your name on the trackpad, or to vary fast-forward or zoom speeds
in programs like QuickTime Player or Apple Maps. The shallow, but clicky
keyboard is tolerable for extended typing sessions, but traditional keyboards
are more forgiving on your fingertips.
USB-C adoption has improved since the MacBook was introduced
last year. Apple now offers a USB-C-to-Lightning cable so you can sync your
iPhone to your MacBook. Because there's still only one IO port on the laptop,
you'll have to unplug the AC adapter to do so, however. You'll also need a
USB-C-to-USB-3.0 cable for most other peripherals, including connecting a USB
SSD or flash drive.
USB-C-to-DisplayPort and USB-C-to-Ethernet cables are
available from third-party companies such as Belkin and Monoprice. Cables aren't
included, so you'll have to budget for them. If you're considering a MacBook,
you'll have to decide if the sleek design is worth the inconvenience of the
single port and required adapters.
Also disappointing, Thunderbolt 3 support still isn't built
into the MacBook. That means you won't be able to use your legacy Thunderbolt
and Thunderbolt 2 drives here, even if an adapter is available. New Thunderbolt
3 drives that are just coming to market are also a no-go. The only other
physical port on the laptop is a 3.5mm headset jack on the left side.
For wireless connectivity, the MacBook integrates 802.11ac
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. The 12-inch IPS screen is a bright point. Its
2,304-by-1,440 resolution isn't quite as expansive as the 4K (3,180 by 2,160)
screens on some systems on the market. However, text and graphics are displayed
smoothly with sharp outlines and vivid detail.
1080p and scaled-down 4K videos looked excellent and played
back without a hint of stutter in my testing. The speakers, located just above
the keyboard, are loud and clear, which is rare in such a thin system. Inside,
there's 8GB of memory and a 512GB Flash Storage module (Apple's way of saying
solid-state drive or SSD).
The MacBook's flash storage, memory, and CPU aren't
upgradable after purchase, so you'll want to think in terms of future proofing.
Apple covers the system with a one-year standard warranty. An upgraded Intel
Core m5-6Y54 processor with integrated Intel HD Graphics 515 powers the laptop
and helps maintain the thin profile.
The Core m5 processor is cooled without a fan, allowing the
remaining space inside the chassis to be filled with more battery packs. As we
continue to test more Core-M-equipped laptops and tablets, we're seeing that
they perform almost, but not quite as fast as, Intel Core i5-powered systems.
Mac laptops can't run our PCMark and 3DMark benchmarks, so
we couldn't compare those scores with PC counterparts. The system took 2
minutes 55 seconds to complete the Handbrake video encoder test and 5:17 for
the Adobe Photoshop CS6 test. That's an improvement over last year's MacBook
(3:39 on Handbrake; 5:24 on CS6).
The new MacBook's 3D scores on the Valley test were better
(15 frames per second (fps) on Medium quality; 6fps on Ultra quality) than last
year's model (9fps on Medium; 4fps on Ultra), which shows the improvement of
Intel HD Graphics 515 over the older HD Graphics 5300.
Recent Macs have been battery champs, and the new MacBook is
no exception, returning an excellent 11 hours 37 minutes on our rundown test.
That's 27 minutes longer than the MacBook Pro. You can run the new MacBook on a
long flight, with a recharge needed for juice for the return trip.
Aside from the new Rose Gold option, the new MacBook is
visibly unchanged from last year's model, though its new Skylake-based
processor improves benchmark performance a bit. But battery life takes a hit
due to that faster CPU. You can't deny the sleek design, but connectivity
compromises you'll have to make may be deal breakers, particularly the single
USB-C port and shallow keyboard.
If these drawbacks are show stoppers, and you still want an
Apple laptop, the MacBook Pro 13-inch, though not as slim, offers more
versatile connectivity and will likely be a better choice. However, if you need
a very very slim and light ultraportable that can do all the jobs you would
ever want to throw at a laptop, while on the road, the Apple MacBook (2016)
should definitely be on you shortlist