MacBook (Retina)

This article is about the notebook computer sold from 2015. For the original series of notebook computers under the same name, see MacBook.
MacBook

The MacBook (2015 version) in gold with ISO Keyboard
Developer Apple Inc.
Product family MacBook family
Type Laptop
Release date April 10, 2015 (2015-04-10) (original release)
April 19, 2016 (2016-04-19) (current release)
Retail availability 2015–present
Introductory price USD $1299, CAD $1549, Euro €1449, GBP £1249
Operating system macOS
CPU Up to 1.3 GHz Intel Core m7
Memory 8 GB 1866 MHz LPDDR3
Storage Up to 512 GB PCIe-based flash storage
Display 12-inch IPS LCD Retina display
Graphics Intel HD Graphics 515
Sound Stereo speakers and dual microphones
Input USB 3.1 Type-C
Camera 480p iSight camera
Touchpad Force Touch multi-touch trackpad
Connectivity 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 4.0
USB 3.1 Type-C port (up to 5 Gbps)
Display mirroring supported
Weight 0.92 kg
Predecessor MacBook
Related articles
Website www.apple.com/macbook

The MacBook is a line of Macintosh portable computers introduced in March 2015 by Apple Inc.[1] The MacBook has a similar appearance to the MacBook Air, but is thinner and lighter,[2] and is available in space grey, silver, gold, and rose gold. It offers a high-resolution Retina Display, a Force Touch trackpad, a redesigned keyboard, and only two ports: a headphone jack and a USB 3.1 Type-C port for charging, data transfer and video output.

In the MacBook product line, the MacBook sits below the MacBook Pro in terms of average specifications. The price is higher than the Macbook Air, which is compensated for by the Retina Display, thin body, and higher storage and memory. However, the processor and graphic performance is inferior to the MacBook Air. Many reviewers have also criticized its keyboard for being less comfortable than that of the MacBook Air.[3][4][5][6]

On April 19, 2016, Apple updated the Retina MacBook with new sixth-generation Intel Core M processors, Intel HD 515 graphics, faster RAM, longer battery life, faster storage[7] and a new rose gold finish.[8]

Design

A side view of the MacBook

The MacBook is designed with thinness in mind; the aluminum enclosure is 13.1 mm at its thickest point at the end of the computer next to the place where it pivots.[9] The MacBook includes Intel Core M processors (Skylake architecture) which requires no fans or heat pipe, allowing the logic board to be much smaller than the one of the MacBook Air, however, storage upgradeability is no longer possible. The computer still features a full-sized keyboard and trackpad.

The battery was redesigned to a custom shape to fill the available space in the smaller enclosure. It uses a new 39.7 watt-hour lithium-polymer terraced battery cell which is said to provide "all day" battery life. It is said to last up to 9 hours for Internet browsing or 10 hours of iTunes movie playback. The battery was improved in the 2016 refresh, with Apple claiming to provide 10 hours for Internet browsing, and 11 hours for iTunes movie playback.[10]

The MacBook does not include any beryllium, BFRs, or PVCs in its construction. The display is made of arsenic-free glass and contains no mercury. It is made of recyclable materials such as aluminum and glass, meets Energy Star 6.1 standards, and is rated EPEAT Gold.

Keyboard and trackpad

The MacBook has a new keyboard and trackpad. Compared to previous models, the individual keys have a larger surface area. Apple replaced the scissor-like mechanism with a butterfly mechanism, making the keyboard thinner overall and, as Apple claims, individual keys more stable. The keyboard's backlight no longer consists of a row of LEDs and a light guide panel, but instead uses a single LED for each key. The letters on the Macbook's keyboard are set in San Francisco, whereas previous MacBooks used VAG Rounded.[11]

This computer was the first to introduce the Force Touch trackpad, allowing for pressure sensitivity, and replicating a click with haptic feedback. The trackpad was later brought to the MacBook Pro line, and the Magic Trackpad. A similar technology was used in the Apple Watch and iPhone 6S.

Ports

USB Type-C on MacBook

To achieve its thin chassis, the Macbook only contains a single, USB Type-C port, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The vertically symmetrical port supports transmission speeds of up to 5 Gbit/s, and can be used for charging, output and input of data, and output of video and audio. Apple markets an adapter that can provide a full-size USB connector, and a "Digital AV Multiport Adapter" with a charging pass-through, full-size USB port, and HDMI output.[12] Thunderbolt devices cannot function, however, since there is no built-in support for Thunderbolt data. Other devices have Thunderbolt 3 support via USB-C. Shortly after the MacBook’s introduction, various companies began announcing cables and adapters for the USB Type-C port.[13]

Reception

Reception for the new MacBook has been generally positive, with critics praising the design and overall quality of the product. However, several described it as a limited first-generation product to avoid for extensive use until the category reached greater maturity, and its price dropped enough for mainstream adoption.[14][15][16][17][18][19] The low-power but slow performance Intel Core M processor was regarded as the new MacBook's main deficiency, relative to the cheaper and faster MacBook Air and Pro which were not much bulkier.[20] Among the other criticisms of the new MacBook are the lack of various popular ports, particularly USB type-A ports, which limits data transfer and overall convenience without the use of an adapter.[21]

The keyboard also received criticism as being poor for long-term use: developer Marco Arment described the laptop's build and small size as "absolutely amazing, revolutionary, and mind-blowing… until you need to use the keyboard for something."[22] He also criticised the trackpad as worse than on previous MacBooks, and said that he would be returning the model he had bought.[23]

Soon after the launch, the 2015 MacBook became the object of a humorous Ratones Coloraos interview meme, featuring Spanish comedian El Risitas in Jesús Quintero's TV show. In the meme, a Spanish-language interview was given subtitles claiming to present an engineer who worked on the prototype of this MacBook, laughing at how limited its features were. Within a month of its uploading, the video received over five million views on YouTube.[24]

Apple's introduction of a gold style has been cited as an example of positioning itself as a luxury-style brand. The choice follows the introduction of the gold iPhone 5S after Apple found that gold was seen as a popular sign of a luxury product among Chinese customers.[25] Noting the appeal of Apple introducing gold laptops, IT and science journalist Casey Johnston commented, "I'm marrying one."[26]

Technical Specifications

Discontinued Current
Model Early 2015 [27] Early 2016 [28]
Release date April 10, 2015 April 19, 2016
Model identifier MacBook8,1 MacBook9,1
Model Number A1534 A1534
Order Numbers MF855LL/A, MF865LL/A, MJY32LL/A, MJY42LL/A, MK4M2LL/A, MK4N2LL/A MLH72LL/A, MLH82LL/A, MLHA2LL/A, MLHC2LL/A, MLHE2LL/A, MLHF2LL/A, MMGL2LL/A, MMGM2LL/A
Display LED-backlit widescreen glossy, Retina Display
12" Retina, 2304 × 1440 (16:10), 226 ppi, with millions of colors (supported scaled resolutions: 1440 × 900, 1280 × 800, 1024 × 640)
Video camera iSight (480p)
Processor 1.1 GHz (M-5Y31) dual-core Intel Core M Broadwell processor (Turbo Boost up to 2.4 GHz) with 4 MB L3 cache1
1.2 GHz (M-5Y51) dual-core Intel Core M Broadwell processor (Turbo Boost up to 2.6 GHz) with 4 MB L3 cache1

Configurable 1.3 GHz (M-5Y71) dual-core Intel Core M Broadwell processor (Turbo Boost up to 2.9 GHz) with 4 MB L3 cache1[29]

 1.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core m3-6Y30 Skylake processor (cTDP Up mode, Turbo Boost up to 2.2 GHz) with 4MB L3 cache
1.2 GHz dual-core Intel Core m5-6Y54 Skylake processor (cTDP Up mode, Turbo Boost up to 2.7 GHz) with 4MB L3 cache[7]
Configurable 1.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core m7-6Y75 Skylake processor (cTDP Up mode, Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz) with 4 MB L3 cache
System bus N/A
Memory 8 GB 1600 MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM 8 GB 1866 MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM
Graphics Intel HD Graphics 5300 with LPDDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory Intel HD Graphics 515 with LPDDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory
Flash storage 256 GB or 512 GB NVMe/PCIe 2.0 x4, 5.0 GT/s [30] 256 GB or 512 GB NVMe/PCIe 3.0 x2, 8.0 GT/s [7]
WiFi Integrated 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 & 5 GHz, up to 1.3 Gbit/s)
Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.0
Peripheral connections USB 3.1 generation 1 over USB Type-C, up to 5 Gbit/s (for power, converts to USB Type-A, and video out via separate adapter)
Headphone audio jack (supports iPhone headset with remote and microphone)
Video out USB 3.1 Type-C generation 1, up to 5 Gbit/s (converts to USB Type-A, HDMI, Mini DisplayPort 1.2, VGA via separate adapter)
AirPlay (using AppleTV)
Power 29 Watt USB 3.1 Type-C power adapter, 39.7 Wh battery 29 Watt USB 3.1 Type-C power adapter, 41.4 Wh battery
Weight 2.03 pounds (0.92 kg)
Dimensions 11.04 inches (28.04 cm) wide × 7.74 inches (19.66 cm) deep × 0.14 inches (0.36 cm) to 0.52 inches (1.32 cm) high
Colors Space Gray, Silver, Gold Space Gray, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold
Earliest possible operating system OS X 10.10.2 "Yosemite" OS X 10.11.4 "El Capitan"
Latest possible operating system macOS 10.12.1 "Sierra"

Notes:
1 Apple states the processor specifications as "1.1 GHz, turbo boost 2.4 GHz ", "1.2 GHz, turbo boost 2.6 GHz", and "Configurable 1.3 GHz, turbo boost 2.9 GHz", but there are no Intel Core M processors that correspond to these specific specifications that have been publicly announced. It can be inferred that Apple adapts the newest Core M models launched in Q4'14, which support Configurable TDP. The Core M-5Y31 runs at a base frequency of 900 MHz, M-5Y51 at 1.1 GHz and M-5Y71 at 1.2 GHz, the clock speeds of which seem to have been raised up to 1.1 GHz, 1.2 GHz and 1.3 GHz, respectively. All of three models match the Max Turbo Frequency specification given by both Apple and Intel.

References

  1. ↑ Apple Inc. (March 9, 2015). "Apple Unveils All-New MacBook" (Press release). San Francisco. Retrieved 2015-03-13.
  2. ↑ "Apple- MacBook". Apple Inc. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  3. ↑ Hollister, Sean. "New MacBook Review: Stupidly Thin". Gizmodo. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  4. ↑ Snell, Jason. "Macbook review". Six Colors. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  5. ↑ Pierce, David. "New Macbook: hands on". Wired. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  6. ↑ Pierini, David. "Retina MacBook's 'butterfly' keyboard feels a bit buggy". Cult of Mac. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 Cutress, Ian. "Apple Refreshes MacBook with Skylake-based Core M and New Rose Gold Color". AnandTech. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  8. ↑ Apple Inc. (April 19, 2016). "Apple Updates MacBook" (Press release). San Francisco. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
  9. ↑ "Apple - MacBook". Apple.
  10. ↑ "Apple – MacBook – Tech Specs". Apple. April 19, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  11. ↑ Wright, Mic (March 9, 2015). "The new MacBook shows San Francisco is more than just the Apple Watch font". The Next Web. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  12. ↑ "6 things to know about the USB-C port in the new MacBook". PC World. IDG. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  13. ↑ Clover, Juli (March 11, 2015). "Belkin Announces New Line of USB-C Cables, USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter". MacRumors.
  14. ↑ Elliott, Melissa. "Concise "New Retina Macbook" Review". Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  15. ↑ Etherington, Darrell (2015-04-09). "2015 MacBook Review". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2015-04-29.
  16. ↑ Cunningham, Andrew (2015-04-09). "The 2015 MacBook previews a future that's not quite here". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2015-04-29.
  17. ↑ Wollman, Dana (2015-04-09). "MacBook review: Apple reinvents the laptop again". Engadget. Retrieved 2015-04-29.
  18. ↑ Stern, Joanna (2015-04-09). "Apple MacBook Review: The Laptop of the Future Isn't Ready for the Present". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2015-04-29.
  19. ↑ Pierce, David (2015-04-09). "Review: Apple MacBook". Wired. Retrieved 2015-04-29.
  20. ↑
  21. ↑
  22. ↑ Arment, Marco. "Quick impressions of the new stuff in the Apple Store today, which probably aren't useful since everyone can just go see for themselves now". Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  23. ↑ Arment, Marco. "Mistake One". Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  24. ↑ "'El Risitas' sorprende en Estados Unidos como ingeniero de Apple" (in Spanish). Europa Press. 2015-03-12. Retrieved 2015-03-13.
  25. ↑ Chan & Chen. "Cook Says Chinese Tastes Considered in Apple Product Designs". Bloomberg. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  26. ↑ Johnston, Casey. "Twitter post". Twitter. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  27. ↑ "MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015) - Technical Specifications". support.apple.com. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
  28. ↑ "Apple – MacBook – Tech Specs", Apple, March 29, 2015.
  29. ↑ "Apple MacBook Specs (All MacBook Technical Specs) @ EveryMac.com". EveryMac.com. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
  30. ↑ Ryan Smith. "The MacBook's SSD: NVMe". anandtech.com. Retrieved 2016-04-19.

External links

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