Apple - Macbook® - 12" Display - Intel Core M3 - 8GB Memory - 256GB Flash Storage - Rose Gold

Ok, first of all I’m not someone who does a lot of online reviews of products I buy. But that said Best Buy kept sending me emails saying that if I reviewed the product, I’d get some more bonus points. So here goes… First off, I’ve been a Mac user for over a decade. I’m not “anti PC” just pro Mac. I also use an iPhone, iPod and iPad so I feel it best to keep everything in the same “family” for lack of a better word. I occasionally travel and commute to my company’s office in the city (Washington D.C. if anyone wants to know or cares), so portability is pretty important. I’d gotten and had been using a 13” retina MacBook Pro, which I loved, but it was a bit heavy and after picking this one up in Best Buy and comparing the two, I figured I’d try this one. And if I didn’t like it, this and the retina MacBook Pro are the same price, so I could always return it and go with what worked (albeit at a heavier footprint). A few caveats before I go into the pros and cons of this MacBook. I’m using the 2016 model, which, from what I can tell, has a few advantages over the initial 2015 model. Of note, the processor speed and battery life are the two main improvements. The Good: - Size/Weight – These are made to be portable. This is smaller than my iPad Pro (larger model). This weighs in just a shade over 2 lbs. so you can carry it around and nearly forget you’ve got it in your hand. - Screen – Having come from a retina MacBook Pro, I was used to the HD screen and this is no different. Yes, it is smaller than the rMBP, but once you get it out of the store atmosphere (i.e. seeing it next to a rMBP in the store), it’s really not that bad. - Battery Life – I generally keep it plugged in when I can, but this is rated for 10 hours of battery life. It charges fast too. Also I do like the charger, which is more like that of an iPad/iPhone – it’s much more portable than the Mag Safe models that come with the other Apple laptops. - Keyboard – I view this as a positive. Others may not. I like the “less travel” keyboard and appreciate the lack of sound it makes. Some like this – others don’t. I feel that this will become the standard for Apple laptops, so I’d get used to it. - Force Touch Trackpad – I had this on my rMBP as well. I also use one of the new trackpads with my iMac and love it. I’m always amazed that it’s not actually moving and it’s just the haptic feedback that’s tricks me into thinking it’s been pushed. The “Not So Good” - The USB-C port. There’s only one. If you’re used to the other Apple laptops, you’ll notice (and perhaps miss) the ports. I do a lot of photography, so not having the SD card slot there is a bit of a pain, but you can buy a USB adapter for $19 which works for most things. I’d have thought that they’d add a second port so you could keep one dedicated for charging and use the other for whatever you need/want. Maybe next year. Still, this appears to be a sign of things to come, so if this will be an issue for you – look elsewhere. - Speed/Processing Power – I personally don’t have a problem with this, per se. This isn’t intended to be a workhorse machine that will replace your MacBook Pro or desktop computer. If you use browser-based applications, Office, light Photoshop, etc. it’s fine. I’ve had no troubles/complaints with this in the least. If you’re expecting it to edit videos, do hard core gaming and so forth – this machine isn’t for you. That’s about it. I think that this design is indicative of the way Apple’s laptops are going to be headed. I personally am satisfied with the machine and all of the things I thought I’d miss (processing power, ports, etc.) I haven’t. Though I have yet to travel with this laptop, I would imagine it will be right at home on the tray of an airplane seat. And it is OS X vs. my iPad Pro’s iOS. This is actually a fully-functioning computer, as opposed to a glorified iPhone. Also, not that it matters much, but this is available in a variety of colors: traditional Silver, Space Grey, Gold and Rose Gold (each compliments the variants of the iPhone and iPad’s that Apple offers). Hope that helps!

My review on the 2016 model I'm a web developer, hobby iOS developer (for now), university student and occasional gamer (world of tanks most of the time). 1 month ago my macbook pro broke and I was traveling at a place where I couldn't buy a new laptop (I could but it was too expensive). My friend let me use his macbook which he barely uses and I was really amazed at how well it handled everything. I usually had chrome open with 10-ish tabs, Atom (editor for code), iTunes, Xcode (also editor for code), mail and discord (like skype) at the same time and at no point did this laptop lag nor stop to work. It got a little warm but it worked buttery smooth. I forgot that I was using a macbook. At this point, I had to install my favorite game "World of tanks blitz" and it actually worked really good even at 60 FPS playing on the server it didn't lag but it got somewhat hot so I cut the FPS down to 30 which fixed that. I don't really do video editing but I still did a little test using iMovie (now you know I'm a noob in video editing). People were saying lots of things like that I can't export HD or 4K videos but I tried exporting a 10 min video in 1080P and it handled it normal. It did take more time than a macbook pro (5 min longer) but it exported it. Overall all the things people were saying about it being an underpowered laptop didn't hold true for me. the bad: camera: I don't use it much, I use Discord to do voice calls mainly but the camera sucks. Don't buy it for the camera. keyboard: Not the biggest fan at first but I got used to it. I do still prefer the old macbook pro keyboard. 1 port: Yes, that shocked me at first but I usually keep all my work on the internet (servers, admin panels, cloud drives, etc.). I used AirDrop A LOT (transfer everything using Bluetooth faster than wifi). All my other stuff is on external hard drives (seagate portable) for which I can buy a USB-C cable for $7 or a dongle for $19. Overall I'm really happy with this machine and surprised mainly because of all those bad reviews it got all over youtube and the forums. Unless you are a hardcore gamer (get windows) or a hardcore video editor I would go with the Macbook. Some thoughts on USB-C and less ports: So years ago when every laptop had a CD drive I choose to buy a macbook air. At the time, I felt a little uneasy because CDs were still in use sometimes but I noticed that I didn't use CD's actually. Similar with the macbook I noticed that I barely connect anything to my macbook (hard drive sometimes to backup). The thing is ports are becoming less useful to me and other people I know. I have my camera and I transfer them using wifi (camera model: Sony A7r) not SD card readers. My iPhone charges faster through the wall and I use my apple TV (1st generation) to mirror any movies to my Samsung smart TV.

As a college student, having the right material is important. Many may not know this about me, but when I prepare for going back to school I try to get the best materials to start off the school year right. Coming to terms with a new school can be hard sometimes, which is why I always come prepared for anything. When it came to finding a new laptop, I was only going to buy one type of laptop and that would be a Mac Book. When it comes to buying a laptop, I want it to be one that not only can get the job done, but can also be able to travel without a problem. The Mac Book is a great way to type essays, projects, and editing software, which is why I do all my homework assignments on my Mac Book. Presentation: When it comes to buying a new 2016 Mac Book model there are a a lot of options to choose from. The models come in various colors; Silver, Gold, Space Grey, and Rose Gold. The laptops come in two versions, one comes with a 12-inch retina display with a 256 GB of storage and the second one comes with a 15-inch retina display with a 512 GB of storage both come 13.1 mm thin frame. All versions give off a metallic shine. Price: I am the type of person to want a good deal on a laptop, once I find something I like, I go on a search to find the best deal. As great as a product can be the one thing that takes the cake is the price. When it comes to a Mac Book the price could vary depending on the storage and special features on the laptop. Some of the Apple laptop prices could range from $1,299 - $1,599. The price may be steep, but everything is well worth the price. Features: One important thing that most people don’t know about the Mac Book series is what comes with them. In the laptop, there are built-in Apps like Pages, Messages, Facetime, iMovie, and GarageBand to name a few. Most people don’t realize what they have because they don’t take the time to find what the applications can do. With these features on the Mac Book ar3e great one, if there is a school project that requires a video sample; iMovie would be the best place to do it. Most of these apps cost up to $100 each in the Apple Application Store, which makes these built-in apps one of the best features of the Mac Book. Quality: Having a lighter/notebook looking Mac Book helps with travel and school work, but that doesn’t mean the quality is any different from another laptop. Most laptops are filled with features that are not mentioned or shown how they work. With the Mac Book, there comes a list with specific features and privileges that come along with the purchase, unlike other laptop companies, the Apple company not only do they list the features, but they also show “how to find them” and “how to use them”. Having that extra support helps get your money’s worth. Another quality the Mac Books have is for those music lovers because it comes along with a free copy of iTunes, which is compatible with every Apple product. Efficiency: When it comes to finding a laptop to carry with you anywhere then this is the laptop to get. The Mac Book is one of the newest and lightest of all the Apple laptops. If you’re a college student that doesn’t want a huge laptop in their bag, but wants one that can get the job done then the Mac Book is the one to buy.

I owned a MacBook Air 11.6 inch before and just upgraded to the Macbook 12'' laptop. Summary : This machine seems to be technologically (USB C charging, ultra light weight, force touch trackpad) one generation ahead of the other computers available in the market but there seems to be some areas of significant cost cutting when compared to the Macbook Air. On the whole I'm very pleased with this purchase. If you are able to get this machine while its on sale there will be absolutely no regrets. Pros : - Size/Weight – These are made to be portable. This is smaller than my iPad Pro (larger model). This weighs in just a shade over 2 lbs. so you can carry it around and nearly forget you’ve got it in your hand. - Screen – Having come from a MacBook Air, I really enjoy the HD Retina display on this machine is of superior quality. I tend to use this machine more than required to admire the Retina display, if you are already used to the retina display on other apple products this may not be very significant. - Keyboard – I view this as a positive. Others may not. I like the “less travel” keyboard and appreciate the lack of sound it makes. Some like this – others don’t. I feel that this will become the standard for Apple laptops, so I’d get used to it. - Force Touch Trackpad – I’m amazed that it’s not actually moving and it’s just the haptic feedback that’s tricks me into thinking it’s been pushed. - Excellent Speakers - Needless to say more. The “Not So Good” : - The USB-C port. There’s only one. If you’re used to the other Apple laptops, you’ll notice (and perhaps miss) the ports. If its a daily computing machine which is used for web browsing and document reading it wouldn't be something you'll miss. - Battery Life – Battery life is superior but time to charge to 100% is not as fast as a Macbook Air. Also I miss the MagSafe charging connector that was in the MacBook air. - Laptop over-heating : When you push this machine to its limits (cast movies to a TV) or stream videos for an extended duration this computer can tend to overheat. Also, there are no fans to cool the processor down which may affect the life of the PC due to the thermal cycling effect on the long run (hope Apple has considered these factors while designing). - Google Chrome compatibility issues : If you are an avid user/fan of Google Chrome plan to get used to the safari browser - you'll notice the system to have a significant lag when Chrome is used as the web browser (this can be resolved on the long run through a s/w change). - Cost cutting : Couple of key areas of cost cutting are the missing Apple light illumination behind the screen - some attribute this to weight reduction, missing LED light on the charger to computer connection port (like in the macbook air) to indicate the machine is fully charged.

I am a university student and bought this early 2016 MacBook (1.1 mhz M3, 8GB Ram, 256 SSD) as a replacement for an early 2010 MacBook Pro in September 2016. At the time MacBook Air and MBP specs had not been updated and the cost of an iPad/iPad Pro with keyboards/accessories all seemed out of the question. I researched this product for about 3 weeks before I finally purchased and let me tell you I have no regrets. At first the full sized 'butterfly' keys felt odd to type on but after getting used to them, I realized how much quieter and more efficient they were to use compared to my MBP and desktop's logitech keyboard. I was concerned about the ram and 1.1 mhz M3 processor; however, it is pretty fast and handles multitasking like a champ. Most of the time I am running 30-40 tabs across 8 Safari windows, 3-4 documents in Microsoft Word, 1-2 PowerPoint presentations, iTunes, and a few PDF files in Preview with no multitasking issues. With this said, I don't recommend heavy 'pro' programs like Adobe PhotoShop or CAD to be used on this base MacBook. Storage wise I did upgrade to the 256 GB SSD vs the 128 GB SSD, primarily because of school spec requirements; but also I felt the 128 is too small. I probably could have gotten away with the 128 as I only have used 50 GB so far - I do use a lot of cloud storage options though (namely Microsoft 1TB OneDrive storage that came with Office) The battery lasts forever - a solid couple days with normal usage. I generally keep it charged so I can charge my iPhone (which doesn't last as long as the MacBook!) The size is light and compact and often times I have to double check my bag to make sure it's there - super light! Definitely a must buy if you're a student or need to get work done while travelling!

The 12" MacBook had most of its performance issues corrected by the upgrade to the 6th gen Intel processors in 2016. It now works fine for even medium-grade multitasking, such as PIP-playing a YouTube video, entering information into a spreadsheet, and also running a download in the background. The majority of the connectivity issues due to having 1 port can be worked around by purchasing a dongle to convert the port into several ports, particularly if you use an iPhone and also take advantage of AirDrop. However, the keyboard makes it unsuitable for those who have to write hundreds or thousands of words per day. While it only took me a week or two to adjust to the reduced key travel, what I was not expecting was the fatigue and even pain in my fingers after writing longer pieces on it. I imagine it is the fact that the tiny key travel means that you're not doing much different than smashing the ends of your fingers into a hard surface thousands of times when you write something longer than an email or Facebook post. If you do a lot of writing, I recommend you look at the 2015 retina MacBook Pros or even an iPad Pro with a Logitech or Brydge keyboard for something less punishing to your fingers. If you need a UNIX shell, long battery life, a great screen, and reasonable power, this may be for you. If you need to write a lot, transfer and edit photos taken with a real camera without yet more dongles, or do more demanding tasks like writing and compiling code, take a look elsewhere.

I purchased this computer to replace my 2007 white MacBook. My old MacBook feels like it weighs 50lbs compared to this 2lb feather of a computer. I needed something light weight and that can easily be lugged around. I was mesmerized by the gold variant. Its gold color and thin profile was everything. Although this computer is fast, lightweight and visually stunning - it isn't for everyone. Apple is always trying to push people to be minimal and trapped in their ecosystem. The underlining reason they do this is so they can create accessories to push their revenue even higher. They continued this way of thinking and "innovation" with this MacBook by only supplying the user with just one data port. They even did this with their new iPhone 7, by removing the earphone jack. This forces the user into buying all their dongles. With the new MacBook having only one port - a USB type C for charging, data and video output this will force some into purchasing dongle(s) to be productive as needed. Luckily only having one port is okay for me. I did have to purchase a dongle to use my USB Type A drives. I did not purchase the white USB type A Apple branded dongle for $19.99. I purchased one in gold from Amazon for $4. If you're looking for MacOS with a beautiful screen (that the MacBook Air doesn't offer) then this MacBook should be on your list. The shallow keyboard travel takes a bit getting use to but it doesn't take too long to start to feel natural. You will be the talk of your local coffee shop with this gear!

I was a little reluctant about switching from a 17' MacBook Pro with all it bells & wiatles but with two little twins running around the house I needed something portable that I could hold in one hand that was light keeping the other hand to control my kids. Plus I travel around a bit & was in need of something portable. Despite reading all the review & I did extensive research on the product. I loved the minimalist design the Reyna screen the new keyboard & trackpad & great speakers, perhaps the best I've heard on a Mac so far. Despite the cons the low processor of the Intel core M & the one port, which I consider a con I made large jump & decided to get it. In the month I have had it all my expectations have been exceeded it is fast enough if your a lie to medium user of tasks , which I am the most extensive apps I use are fir video editing & so far so good. Using dongeks which you will have to use is not a big haste & surfing the net is awesome. In closeting you must understand what type of Mac user you are before you choose any Mac, plus the price is a little on the high side but as a long term investment it will pay itself off. P.S: If you do get this get a case for this little bundle it will benefit you trust me.