Customer Ratings & Reviews

Let me preface this by saying I have a an iMac at home for extensive coding sessions and graphics creation. I was looking at purchasing either one of these or a 13" Air to supplement my web development work while on the go. Its true, you'll get more muscle in the Air, but this little computer is no slouch. Particularly what won me over was the following: - The base model of this computer offered 256GB of storage. I've had a 128GB laptop in the past and it just didnt cut it for me. - The base model of this computer comes with 8GB of RAM. 4 will get you by, but having 8 is so much less taxing on the machine when you have a bajillion tabs open. - The resolution of this laptop is significantly higher. My code was sharper, my graphics too, and the UI of my applications had more real-estate in spite of a smaller foot print. - Tiny bezels, not a fan of the big silver bezels on the Air - Force Touch trackpad. This didn't concern me much at purchase, but I knew it was a new staple of OSX and after having the device for a while now it is common in my workflow. - physical size, The screens on theses devices are pretty close in size, but the Air has more wasted space, giving the new Macbook a dramatically smaller appearance and footprint. I wanted this laptop primarily for keeping on my person and remoting into my home iMac. I like that it feels like the 11" air, while keeping a 4:3 aspect ratio. As for the Air, I was going to have to upgrade the specs on the hard drive and ram fronts just to match the macbooks base model configuration. Sure the Air has a much better processor, but this Core M is heavily fascilitaed by a lightning fast drive and RAM to spare. I have had issues not having a USB-A port when working with clients on location. At home in a mac ecosystem I just airdrop things back and forth.

Been using a PC and Windows OS my entire life. However with an iPhone and iPad, I decided to take the plunge and try out an Apple laptop. The laptop is beautifully designed like all Apple products, extremely light and thin. Setup was easy, everything is connected through your Apple/iCloud account. There is a small amount of learning to get accustomed to the Mac OS. The laptop has only one USB-C port. Needed to purchase an adaptor to use my thumb drives. Overall a great laptop to travel with due to the small size.

The new MacBook is a superb small laptop. I have had zero issues adjusting to the new keyboard, and the screen seems larger than 12 inches. I was a little hesitant about the single USB port, but now that I have received two adapters, I have no issues there either. I replaced my almost 3 year old 15 inch retina display MacBook Pro with this smaller MacBook. I love this small, lightweight device. Great things do come in small packages.

I was looking for a light laptop and one to get me into the Apple ecosystem so this was the obvious choice for me. Coupled with a $999 sale price and the 20% cashback from Discover at the end of last year, I am very happy with this Macbook. I use my laptop for e-mail, web browsing and some light video viewing and this laptop has plenty of juice for me and lots of battery life. As with all things Apple the fit and finish is a 10 out of 10. Coming from lower-end Windows-based PCs, the build quality of this machine is a breath of fresh air. It feels as if it will last forever and I love that. The display is beautiful, I can carry this with me in a small bag without noticing it and it does everything I need it to do. The only thing I can see being an issue is the single USB-C port. I've had the computer for over a month and haven't needed to connect anything to it, so it hasn't hampered me yet, but I could see this being an issue for certain users. Having to buy an adapter to hook a flash drive to the computer is a bit annoying, but I see why they went this route, as the machine is razor thin.

This laptop is really great to use. It is so so so small and powerful. The screen and lightweight nature make it all worth it!

After a month of using Apple’s Retina MacBook, I’m finally able to offer a well thought out review. Full disclosure: I’ve been an Apple user and fan most of my life. From using Apple IIs in elementary school and using Power Mac G4s to edit video in high school, to editing professional audio productions on the new Retina MacBook, I’ve always enjoyed using a Mac. I moved to the Retina MacBook from an early 2014 13-inch MacBook Air. The main reason for the upgrade was extra storage space (the MacBook Air had 128 GB of flash storage, while the Retina MacBook has 256 GB). Before my purchase, I was initially concerned about two areas: screen size and processing power. I’m happy to say, I’ve been pleasantly surprised on both fronts. The Retina MacBook comes in three finishes: Silver, Gold, and Space Gray. I found a great open-box deal on a Space Gray version. The computer is extremely light and portable; it’s only 2 lbs. and fits well on an airline tray table. Even though the screen size is 12-inches instead of the 13 I was used to on my MacBook Air, because it features Apple’s higher-resolution “Retina” display I haven’t really noticed the difference. If anything I’d say that the Retina MacBook’s display is actually clearer and easier to see and use on a daily basis. It helps that in the “Displays” section of the System Preferences you have the option to scale the display for “Default” resolution, “Larger Text”, or “More Space”. I was able to personalize the display to my liking. The display itself is of course gorgeous, replicating colors precisely and allowing you to view high resolution imagery in most all of it’s grandeur. As far as processing power goes, even though my particular computer only sports a 1.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor and 8GB of 1600MHZ LPDDR3 memory, it runs just as quick as the MacBook Air, if not faster for some tasks. Of course it will load webpages, play videos & music, gather email, and build spreadsheets without any problems, but it also handles Adobe Audition CC and multiple tracks of processed audio without any delay or stuttering in playback at all. The newly designed keyboard that Apple is using for the Retina MacBook definitely feels different from the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, but that’s a good thing. After only a day of use, I became just as fast, if not faster when typing than I was on the MacBook Air. Now, when I do use an older keyboard, those don’t feel as nice to my fingers. The new Force Touch trackpad took a little getting used to. The first thing I always do with any trackpad is turn off “Tap to click”. That feature has always driven me nuts. The new Force Touch trackpad isn’t a conventional trackpad, it’s actually a single piece of textured glass. So instead of pressing on the bottom portion of the trackpad to “click” as you would before, now you can press anywhere on the trackpad. It also features Apple’s Force Touch features which let you press just a little bit harder to access special features. For instance, you can Force Touch on almost any word anywhere, and the system will define the word for you. I’m anxious to see what other things Force Touch can be configured to do in the future. The Force Touch trackpad is also unique in that it simulates the vibration your fingers would normally feel from a traditional trackpad. When you “click” on the trackpad, it actually vibrates, similar to an Apple Watch, to let you know that you have in fact “clicked” on something on-screen. You can also turn this feature off, which really provides a different user experience versus a traditional trackpad. Because the overall size of the chassis of the computer is smaller (since it’s only a 12-inch screen) I’ve found that for my hands, prolonged use of the Force Touch trackpad eventually causes my thumbs to ache. I much prefer using my Bluetooth Apple Magic Mouse for navigation. The computer is equipped with stereo speakers and while they don’t provide much frequency response (especially at the low end) actually sound better than the speakers in the MacBook Air. The FaceTime camera built-in to the screen’s bezel is only 480p, which is actually a downgrade from other Apple portables. While this doesn’t negatively affect me, users who participate in video conferences regularly may be annoyed by the quality difference. One of the most-touted features of the Retina MacBook is how thin the whole computer is. To do this, Apple reduced the number of ports on the computer to just two: a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and a USB-C connector that serves as both an interface for USB devices, and a way to provide power to the computer. Unfortunately, this means that the Retina MacBook does not use a MagSafe 2 Power Adapter like all of the other Apple portables. Although I haven’t experienced any wire trips yet, I miss the confidence of knowing that tripping over a power cord didn’t necessarily mean that my computer would end up on the floor. I was initially worried about the lack of traditional USB ports. While at the office I have the option to print and scan wirelessly, however for some reason the printer I utilize the most seems to run faster when I am hardwired. I found a solution by purchasing a third-party USB-C hub that features three USB ports and a USB-C port for passing through power from the Retina MacBook’s power adapter. Speaking of power, I have noticed a large difference between the battery life of the MacBook Air VS. the Retina MacBook. With the MacBook Air I would get over 8 hours of batter life while at work. Now, with the Retina MacBook under the same conditions and work flow, I find myself pulling out the power adapter at least once a day, normally in the mid afternoon. Overall, I’m extremely pleased with my decision to switch to the Retina MacBook, enjoy the extra storage space, and would recommend it to anyone who is considering switching to Apple or looking for something even more portable than a MacBook Air while gaining a Retina Display.

Absolutely amazing power in a lightweight, sturdy laptop form. I needed a full computing solution but in a smaller, lightweight form. I compared against the Surface and the Macbook comes out ahead on price/performance for my needs: better screen, better keyboard, higher performance, better battery life, better price. Macbook fit the bill for me.

I have owned many Apple products back in the day (air, pro, iPad mini, iPad pro, macbook). I would have to say I use this Macbook the most. It's lightweight and weighs less and feels much thinner than the 11 inch Air. Battery life is great (about 10 hours of use each charge and over a week on standby). Processor speed is fast. Retina Display is clear and crisp. The updated keyboard is very easy to use. 3D force touch comes in very handy. My only concern with this macbook is the lack of ports (USB-C only) however the data transfer from my old macbook to this one was a piece of cake wireless transfer completed by the migration assistant. I bought an adapter that included HDMI and standard USB ports which definitely helps, then I eventually realized I don't really use those ports anyways so it worked out. Everything can be done through wireless (data transfer, uploading and downloading via Airdrop). Cool thing about this line of macbooks is the color option, I was getting bored with the standard silver, had to go with the space gray. Only downfall is not having a magsafe power port. Would recommend to a friend especially if the price drops below $1000 for 256gb.

Pros - Excellent battery life - Good form factor - Beautiful display - Light weight Cons - Lack of ports - Processor is slower than the MacBook Air, it is noticeable Other Thoughts This is a great ultra portable laptop, I'm a big fan, but the lack of ports and the need to buy expensive adapters is annoying. I understand that that was the only way to make it this thin. The keyboard does take some getting used to but at this point I like it. It does seem a little expensive for what you get and if it weren't for the display I'd say that the Macbook Air is a better value for money.

Size and weight are perfect for carrying it around. Cloud storage solves the problem of low memory. It took me a few days to adjust to the keyboard, but I love it now. It is very fast! I am happy with this purchase and recommend this MacBook.

PROS: Let me start of by saying how lightweight this things is, its comparable to a magazine in my opinion. I work full time and am a full time college student. The battery life is great for my uses but i mainly use it for school work and music. I usually get about 8hrs of good use, or two three days of on off and a movie on netflix. Speed wise I have not had any noticable concerns even when having multiple applications open. MIXED FEELINGS : USB C - its the only port on the laptop, charging, usb, exc... Its kind of annoying using the adapter I had to purchase separately, but I can say this. I downloaded an entire iTunes library into an external hard drive in a little under a minute. Its fast!!!!! Im sure eventually everyone will move to this but until then we have limited support without the adapter. CONS : My first macbook crashed 1hr after purchase, it was a software glitch. Long story short it trying doing a master backup to iCloud on the hard drive and tried updating to OS X El Capitan when keyword it "thought" backup was completed.

My late 2011 Mackbook Pro has functioned very well but was becoming quite slow despite doubling its Ram, so I began to look for a speedier replacement. I considered a PC laptop for a while, but decided I still like the design & features of Apple devices more. After reading many reviews, & almost purchasing a Macbook Air, I decided on the New Makbook and have not been disappointed. It has tremendous capabilities and versatility packed into a sleek and light device and is exceptionally user-friendly. The touch is lighter and the screen smaller than what I am used to but I have rapidly accommodated and am very pleased with its speed, size, and battery life.

I bought this as a small laptop option for web browsing email. It isn't a very powerful machine for much else but it isn't meant to be. It is VERY light, small, and great for portability. The keyboard is a new feature that takes getting used to. One main difference with this macbook is the lack of any external USB slots. EVERYTHING goes through ONE USB-C outlet. There are accessories to plug into but it IS an added cost and requires carrying around the connector. I have not found it to be much of an issue given I am rarely using external drives with this machine. For those needing a simple internet/email browser, this is a great choice.

I grew up with PCs but switched to Mac when I entered college. I wanted something lightweight and this Macbook was the perfect size and weight. I also wanted the retina display (which I think makes such a difference) so I opted for this one instead of the Macbook Air. The design is quite sleek and it's just a generally good looking computer. I have some issues with this computer. The M processor is not the fastest but if all you're doing is surfing the web and word processing, it will work fine. Another thing was price, this Macbook is expensive, which is why I waited till Black Friday to purchase it. Also, this laptop only has the USB-C port, so Apple makes you buy adapters if you want to connect things to it; the adapters also only have 1 standard USB port so you can't connect a mouse and an external HD, for example. If you are trying to save money, get the Air. For me, the memory and storage sizes are perfect, and you can always get an external HD for more room.

some have had reservations about the new keyboard, but i really like. I can't wait for it to come to the other apple products. super light, and small on the outside, the MacBook feels like a 13" when looking at the screen. battery life has been about 12 hours so i'm very happy.

This thing is so light. I wanted a retina display and the macbook air currently doesnt have one so opted for this model. I read reviews about the keyboard but i actually like it and have enjoyed typing. My only negative would be that it only has one port for everything.

I purchased this MacBook to replace my 4 year old MacBook Pro. I purchased this MacBook primarily due to its size - I needed something that was compact to carry to school without adding weight to my backpack. I feel that this MacBook is extremely fast and have encountered no issues while browsing the web, watching movies, listening to music, or writing a paper. I actually really like the new USB-C port on the MacBook. The screen is gorgeous. The keyboard is different from what you are used to if you have had a MacBook before, however I have come to really like the change and it only took a few minutes to get used to. All in all, I have no regrets switching to this laptop from a more powerful MacBook Pro.

If you're looking for a workhorse computer, look elsewhere. That's not the point of this computer. This is designed for the most portability possible in a full-feature computer. The single USB-C port will take some getting use to, however, I have found that my computer use was mostly wireless, which is the user target Apple has with this machine. Over I love the size, weight, and simplicity this offers.

The MacBook has unintentionally become my primary computer. I've found it has the portability of an iPad with the full capabilities of a computer, and it goes everywhere with me. I purchased it to port-ably compliment my existing 3 iMacs, MacBook Pro & MacMini, all with SSD's. Honestly, I didn't have the intent of using it much, more of an iPad replacement. However, I've found myself using the MacBook 95% of the time. From the office, on the road, outside, kitchen & on the couch. I've had the unit now for a couple months and find it more than enough for my typical requirements. As the owner of a custom retail business I'm constantly using Quickbooks (remote login), web site design/editing, & product photo/HD video editing with zero problems. So far the single port has not been an issue. I mostly shoot product pics/video with an iphone 6s and use AirDrop to wireless transfer any files. Photoshop runs fine but really, I find myself using Apples Photos app more and more. All my iPhone pics/video wirelesses sync with Photos through iCloud. The battery life is more than ample for me to spend several hours floating between my office, showroom, & shop.

This is easily the best business class, portable laptop I have ever purchased. It has the function of a full size Mac laptop but is much lighter and unlike the Macbook Air, this laptop doesn't draw undue attention (thieves target Apple laptops at airports and cafes). I also like that the screen extends to the ends of the device unlike the Macbook Air's distracting silver bezel. The Macbook Air is a great device but screams "college student." If you want the Mac experience in a portable laptop and you're a business person, get this one.