Apple,
Hello from Nashua, NH.
I find myself writing to you on a Mid-2012 Macbook Pro. It’s a wonderful piece of machinery that you’ve created. It allows me to accomplish my goals using well-built software in an easy-to-use environment. In short: using this computer is a joy.
I wasn’t always a Mac user. My first computer¹, a 386-DX from Gateway Computers, had me hooked as soon as I saw the MS-DOS command prompt pop up. You see, I’m a technologist. The type of guy one so acutely describes as a nerd. The idea of a GUI and not having any control of the underlying system seemed to be something for non-techie types. Certainly not me.
Fast forward to 2001: OS X is launched. What’s this? Apple is running BSD under the hood? Interesting. Consider me intrigued. The PowerPC thing is still a deal-breaker, however.
Jump to 2006. x86 is embraced. Intrigue has moved on to consideration. Except, HOLY CRAP, you’re charing HOW MUCH for a laptop with the same technical specs as a Windows-based PC? A few years later I’d buy a Sager from XoticPC and get twice the horsepower for the same price.
Let’s hop back into our Delorian and take a trip to 2013. Time for the Sager to get bequeathed and replaced. I found myself doing quite a bit of Photoshop and web development work. Working on a system with native *nix support would certainly be advantageous. That’s when I discovered your refurbished section. Suddenly, I wasn’t paying double the price for equivalent hardware. Sure, there was a premium, but it wasn’t outrageous.
Purchase Criteria:
- SSD Primary Storage
- 8 GB of memory
- Dedicated nVidia GPU for gaming (yes, I’d be dual booting)
- At least half-day battery life for non-gaming tasks
- Something that was actually portable (my Sager was a practically a luggable)
The 2012 MacBook Pro fit the bill. I made the purchase and can honestly say it’s been the best computer I’ve ever used. Am I a Mac fanboy? I enjoy my laptop, but the love stops there. My Android-based phone serves it purpose, as does my need for booting into Windows, and no, I don’t use iCloud or iTunes. Google does a better job for storage and nobody can seemingly top the value that Spotify offers right now.
I like tools that fit the job. Which is why I find myself very disappointed with the direction you’re taking the MacBook line. Yes, you’re thinking differently. There’s commend-ability in that goal, but I feel as though you’re sliding back into old habits.
The latest MacBook pro is, to be frank, priced for professionals. It’s the only model in your latest lineup with a dedicated GPU. Given the price tag, however, the GPU and all other components are vastly underwhelming. Main memory is acceptable, storage is abysmal, and at this point, we don’t need to re-hash the lack of magsafe, HDMI, or display ports.
At least you kept the headphone jack.
Fine, I get it. Your latest hardware is expensive and you’ll always charge top dollar. Let me dig back into the bargain basement deals that await in the refurbished section. After all, the hidden gem I’m typing on right now came from that bin of treasures.
That’s it. Three 13″ models from 2012. Seriously? I guess if your products are that much in demand then you can afford to charge double the current market rate for your newest models.
Apple, you’re making this harder than it needs to be. Technologists love your operating system². They love innovative features like magsafe, all-day battery life, high performance displays, and yes, even a well designed keyboard.
Remember when you started OpenCL? THAT is innovation.
A touch-bar that doubles as an OLED function key array? Incremental (and out of date) updates to system components? Attempting to standardize everyone on Thunderbolt 3? Not so much.
The GeForce GT 650M in this 2012 model has, and continues, to perform beyond my expectations. A 5 year old graphics card can still play everything in my Steam library and even the latest games like Overwatch (settings turned down, obviously). Sadly, it’s about time to start thinking of the successor for my favorite lap warmer.
What’s frustrated me is hunting for a non-Apple manufacturer who’s integrated all the pieces I’ve grown accustom to, while using your product. I’ll miss the glow emanating from the display’s apple logo.
Then again, so will everybody else, since all new MacBooks no longer have an illuminated apple on the back.
¹Excluding the Commodore 64 I grew up on while learning BASIC and playing great games like Zork, Jumpman, and Castle Wolfenstein.
²Perhaps it’s time for you to consider why the Hackintosh movement keeps getting louder and louder.