I'm actually watching this video on my 12" MacBook (2017, i5, 8gb, 512ssd) :D. If Apple ever makes an Apple silicon version, I'll be the first in line to buy one. Absolutely LOVE the form factor. Makes the 13" Air feel like a giant in comparison.
@@sllick It's a slow machine by todays standards, but still usable for light browsing, email and watching movies. Games and heavy workloads? nope :) I mostly use it on the couch, bed, plane, train etc. For work (graphic design) I have a 16" m1 max MBP.
What really made it for me was the weight, not the thinness or size. I think there is absolutely still a market for a sub-1kg laptop, specifically people who have to carry one around every day. You can really feel the difference between 1.5kg and 1kg in some cases.
Correct, I carry a 965g Lenovo slim carbon. I love it. But i do want to switch to MacOS, but the Air is too heavy and kinda pointless next to the Pro which is only little heavier.
@@Yash-jp6xh They definitely can't just reuse this design because of the butterfly keyboard and singular USB-C port, but adding an extra port and a Magic Keyboard really shouldn't add weight, only a bit of thickness. Still not sure why they haven't done that since they *have* done this for the 2016 13" MacBook Air and Pro designs; I think it would've been an incredible way to debut Apple silicon back in 2020.
The difference between carrying the 12 inch, and an M1 MacBook Air around all day is actually huge. If I was able to use my old 12 inch for everything, I would. Sadly it just can’t keep up with some of the jobs I need to do, so I take the M1.
I still have my 12” MacBook from 2017. It still just about works, as a really basic computer. But it’s simply too beautiful to give up. My main computer is a 16” Pro, but my heart still belongs to the tiny tiny MacBook…
Yes!! I feel the same way. I bought it back in college, it had just come out and the only issue for me personally was the missing usb port since at times I needed to use one for school. Regardless though, I still use it to this day and it is my favorite laptop I’ve ever owned. I’ve never had issues with the keyboard, although I hardly use it anymore other than for basic usage it still runs perfectly. I wish they still made this model though because I love the size, weight, and the aesthetic of the inside of it. It makes me never want to get rid of it
I used this laptop for a couple years. My wife still uses hers and absolutely thinks the latest Air is way too big. I'd love it if they'd remake this with an M1. That would be the prefect amount of power for a 12" model. Thanks for the vid.
I was thinking that, instead of just getting rid of the M1 chip, why not put it into the Macbook. I've got an M1 Macbook Air, and it's still a fantastic chip, even in mid 2023
I fly a lot as part of work, in July 2015 I was on a flight from London toNYC and was working on my 15"MBP when i noticed the guy sitting alongside me had the 12"MB, I was intrigued, It seemd to be the future and a couple of weeks later I bought one and for work/travel this was amazing, my kids both had MBAs and the difference of screen was night & day difference. I loved it so much apart from the lack of storage, so in 2016, I bought the Core M5 with more RAM and bigger SSD, I had that for 2 years, and never had an issue with the butterfly keyboard, the 12" remains one of my favourite computers ever, an M1 version would probably have me reaching for my debit card. As much as I love my M2MBA it still seems huge in comparison. The 12" also led me to buying a USB C dock (A plugable one that still serves for my Fold 4 when I need Dex :) ) WHich led me to my only real dislike of the 12" was the single USB C port.
The iPad Air & iPad Pro have largely taken over the space the 12" MacBook occupied. At some point if Apple brings touch to the Mac, the 12" MacBook concept may return.
@@Mr.Vertex have a 12.9” iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard and while I love it there are a couple of major drawbacks that a MacBook Air wouldn’t have. It doesn’t run a desktop OS and gets much worse battery life than the MacBook air.
@@Piketom1 There are definitely advantages to a laptop, especially if you need to use it without a desk to set up the iPad stand, but a 12 inch MacBook is to close to a normal MacBook air stand apart. Apple should add more laptop functionality to the iPad in my opinion rather than making a slightly smaller MacBook.
I wish they would just slap an M1 or M2 in it, I love the 12" form factor and I think it deserves a second chance. Even if the Apple Silicon iPads already exist, they are unlikely to get an update to iPadOS that would go head-to-head with macOS. Also, I feel like I am the only person in the world to like the butterfly keyboard 😓A small form factor MacBook with apple silicone + an iPhone Mini would be a killer combo.
I loooovvveee the butterfly keyboard because of how it feels, how loud it is and that it just feels well built. I have the 2017 macbook pro 13" and ive had it for 5 years now and ive had 0 issues so far. I just really need a smaller laptop for lighter tasks to take on the go.
I recently got one used because I really wanted a super portable Mac, and I love it, the only problem I have with it is its battery life, it just doesn’t last nowhere neat as long as m1 Macs
For me, the one USB-C port (which wasn't even Thunderbolt capable) and the butterfly keyboard would likely be why Apple won't bring it back. Especially since that keyboard led to lawsuits and I can say they won't go back to it. So the laptop would be thicker, and once you shrink the bezels, you'd end up with the M1 13 inch MacBook Air with one fewer port.
@@CraigCruden Exactly. If you trim the bezels but keep the same size screen, you couldn't fit a full-sized keyboard. But if you kept the machine size expanded the screen to trim the bezels, then you essentially have the M1 MacBook Air with fewer ports... And that's pretty much it.
I remember really wanting one of these when they were announced. The first day they were available at the local best buy (I did not live near an Apple store at the time) I headed over there intending to buy one. I headed over to the display unit, and thought it was so cool looking. I tried the keyboard, and I actually liked it. Did not mind the one USB-C port. Trackpad seemed really neat. But then I tired just using the display unit and thats where it all fell apart. Just bringing up textedit and doing a typing test was a problem. It took a really oddly long time to launch and once it opened text entry lagged behind typing to a frustrating amount. At the time I did not know if it was an issue with the display unit or a problem with the design of the laptop. I decided to hold off and read some reviews, ended up never buying one. Ended up getting a 15" Pro with a butterfly keyboard because I weirdly liked the butterfly keyboard. Stuck with that system for a very long time, never had an issue with the keyboard. Now I am using a 13" M2 Air as my main system and its pretty much exactly what I was looking for when I wanted the 12" MacBook.
If there were a sub-1kg 12.5" Macbook M1 w/ 16GB RAM, a 2TB SSD, a Liquid Retina display, and one Thunderbolt3 / USB4 port, I'd have already upgraded. Instead, I am sporting a 2016 12" MacBook, which I had the foresight to max out with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD. There is no wasted space on this gorgeous, lean computing machine. It disappears in an every day carry (EDC) bag and fits comfortably on an airplane seat tray next to a beverage. Yeah, it can get bogged down. I've leveraged that limitation as a feature, only running the apps/windows related to the work I need to focus on, shutting off the distractions, and off-loading heavier compute and larger storage requirements to remote machines. As a result, no other laptop over the last 7+ years has tempted me to "trade up". I thought the 13" MacBook Air M2 might, but it is so unhandy compared to my beautiful little 12" MacBook. My second favorite laptop form factor is, naturally, the 12" PowerBook.G4, a performant beauty that still sits in a place of honor in my study. 12" -- anything more is wasted.
I want them to bring it back just because of its size alone. Laptops with such a small footprint like that are gems. It’s not for everyone, but it’s insanely cool and useful to have a 11-12 inch computer with a full desktop OS. The portability is unmatched. Extra thickness for the keyboard and battery would be welcome, but that small footprint is still desired by many.
Well, the point of a small laptop is to make it more easily portable, right? So all my iPad needs to do is things I’ll need to do outside of home. Got a desktop PC for gaming and anything else that my iPad’s not good for, but all the basic stuff that I’m likely to need anywhere I’m going? My iPad covers those uses.
@@saulgood2366I don’t want an iPad. I want a small laptop with the main functions my Mac Mini has. I want macOS. I want physical keys and a retina screen. iPad doesn’t fill what I want from it
Yes. For some years vendors stopped to make 11" laptops with normal power (no Celeron or Intel Atom please). I had an Acer i5 in 11" and except loud fan and quickly degrading battery it was great. I bought Macbook 12 after and fulfilled my dream to switch to MacOS. I think that they maybe don't want to make it because if they make full power 11" or 12" laptop it would canibalize sells of 13" and 14" laptops. I guess this size could be very sexy for lot of executives and managers for travel. I am surprised that I don't know about any hardware startup which makes such small laptops with normal power. I also considered that first Lenovo Yogabook. It's super cool, the hinge is beautiful and enjoyable to use. The size is like a bigger envelope. But those times I didn't want Windows anymore and Android version got outdated quickly with only one or two updates. But those sizes are great, IMHO.
I think it’s one of the best MacBook Apple ever made. It is perfect to take it with you. It is not a MackBook to edit video, but it is lightweight and very comfortable. I hope it would have a comeback.
I did a little bit of video editing on mine - it still had the benefits from the Core Duo era of being able to add H264 to the timeline and edit it directly, saving on disk space. In many ways it decent power if you wanted 2010-2015 era performance - integrated GPU though, not dedicated GPU.
Maybe one of the most accurate and educational videos about a brand and their product development process/strategy. Only a few can understand this kind of "bad decision", they are not that bad, they are strategic moves towards a bigger vision.
I do have the 2017 version. I actually got 2 of them for 100$ CAD for parts back in 2020. Although one of them had a broken screen, the both of them actually did turn out to work fine! I have been using it ever since and i (mostly) love it! The minuscule size and especially its weight won me over. Sure, its probably less powerfull than my ipad mini 6, but the pair goes along very nicelly. Yes, it does have its limitations and flaws(i hate having to use a rubber keyboard protector, but its essential for the survival of that fragile keyboard....). The screen is super bright and resolution is great for me. I am able to do some video editing and it worked out for me that far (granted, i am not a movie maker, and it does help that i am a patient man and not in a rush to publish a video, because it does take a while to export anything with that thing) I do wish they would have kept it for just a bit longer. Allowing it to get some upgrades. But then, compared to the Air, with a lower price point (as far as I can remember) and more powerful, it was ment to die at some point. Best 100$ deal i have ever got! No regrets here ;)
I love this version! :D We have two in our house and it's just so nice to bring with you and fully capable of running day-to-day tasks. The sound in this small thing is impressive too. I always bring this, when i don't wanna carry my 15 inch MBP around.
The Macbook 12 Inch is underrated and heavily missunderstood. The whole purpose with that machine is to be a secondary device when you do not need any powerhouse to make things done. I use this along side the M3 Pro 16inch and are super happy with it. The M2 Air for some reason did not click for me. Design wise I believe this is the best designed laptop of all time. For Web based stuff , email etc it's great. I find it interesting that people complain about the one port situation, meanwhile a very expensive iPad Pro to this date are still using a single USB C and not even a headphone jack which the Macbook 12 has. As much as I would love to see a new gen with Apple SoC on it, it won't happen. For anyone reading this comment I can only recommend the 2017 version and avoid the early -15 models as they are proned to fail (speaking from experience sadly). The main issue with it's launch was the price, but thankfully it is not 1299 USD anymore.
Apple's current laptop lineup in 2024 sucks and is very boring. I agree I would love a newer laptop in this exact form factor. The new Air's are way too bulky, and not as pretty to look at and they just don't have that same light, magical experience that the 12 inch has. I currently have a 2018 intel based Apple MBP and for the years I've used that laptop, I've not needed any ports except to just charge it. Even an 11" iPad Pro with a keyboard doesn't take the spot for me. Apple needs to bring this laptop back with a very efficient chip that runs cooler
You’re right about the one port situation. I didnt even think about that when it comes to iPads. Yes you’re right, for iPads you need the dongle to make it “like a computer “ such a shame they let this series die.
Thanks for the very well researched, written and narrated presentation on the relevant historical attributes and values of the 12-inch MacBook laptop… While certainly not nearly as difficult to service as was the beastly Laserwriter IIg, the 2015 Apple 12 inch MacBook proved to be one of the most (if not the most) difficult Apple laptops to service.
My wife is still rocking a 12”. She loves that machine and I’m having a ridiculously hard time prying her away from it. Every time we’re in a Best Buy or Apple Store I steer her toward the MacBook Air and say “Oh, look how nice these are” and she still refuses to let go of her 12”. Despite all the very clear evidence that it’s on the verge of complete obsolescence she continues to stubbornly cling to that thing.
Rightfully so. I actually BOUGHT a refurbished one just earlier this year. Obsolete my ass - it’s the most portable work machine I ever had the joy of using. It’s so great!
I still use one of these along with a 13” Air M1. I tend to leave the Air at home when I just need low power tasks since I find the macbook air heavy. For real.
I'm currently watching this on my 12" Macbook. Previous to that I had an 11" Macbook Air, I love small computers and when I need more screen space I just connect it to a monitor. I've never liked the iPad OS. It's the perfect mac to travel with, the 13" Macbook Air is a bit big when put on an airplane tray. The battery on my mac is deteriorating that's the only issue with it 😣
I love my MB 12 as well, bought the i7 w/ 16 GB RAM and 512 SSD and it runs Logic Pro without any problems. With a knee surgery I need the lightest system possible, and even wrote to Tim about the reasons why I need a new Apple Silicon version in my life. I can even balance it on the little foldout armrest tables in lecture halls and it fits perfectly, without oversteping the boundaries or the feet not being on the surface...
Still have one of these to compliment my M1 Macbook Air. Yes, it's not powerful but it doesn't lag on light web browsing, can play back full HD videos without problem and is now sub £200. It's great as a computer hooked up to my TV via a USB dock and it's also great as a distraction free computer for basic productivity. If I'm just typing up documents and stuff on the go, I can easily put it in my bag, forget it's there and not be too bothered if something happens to it. It actually makes the MBA appear chunky when it's next to it.
Watching this on Macbook 12 (2017) and i completely disagree about the keyboard and performance. The keyboard never really stuck and the performance is sufficient for daily tasks.
I agree with all you say. I do still have a 2011 11” MacBook Air that while the screen shape and bezels are not ideal it still works for web browsing and document production. It was for me (and still is strangely enough) the machine that replaced iPads for me. It is very small and thin - will actually fit in a shoulder case I had purchased for an iPad. It was my “main machine” for GUI design - I design medical software - until my 2015 15” MacBook Pro. The latter I also added BookCamp Win10 (on OWC 2TB) for reading Medical Imaging and I still have that one too. Now my “main machine” is an M1 13” MacBook Pro and while I understand it’s not the “cool” choice it actually works very well for me and has been reliable. I don’t notice it being too large, too thick, or too heavy but I admit it’s slipped into a shoulder bag overloaded with a whole bunch of other “crap” I travel with so it’s dwarfed by all that. Were it not for the butterfly keyboard the 12” MacBook would actually work great for my use case and maybe be cheap to acquire?
I still have my 12" Retina, that I continue to use as my travel laptop, primarily because I'm in my 60s and have advanced arthritis, and so I can''t carry around a bulky, heavy laptop any longer. I simply don't have the physical strength to do so. And the twelve-inch is great. I can fit it into any medium-size purse, it's lightweight, and (other than that God-forsaken butterfly keyboard), it's workable and extremely reliable. I wonder if, as the population ages and more and more people people face physical issues such as mine, if Apple will see renewed incentive to revisit smaller, lighter weight units again.
I got my 12" Macbook in 2015 a few days after it was released. Upgraded from my 2009 white MacBook. Loved it, was easy to travel with and i finished my undergraduate degree on it. Had it until 2020, when I got my M1. However, my family has daily used it since for basic day-to-day browsing. If they make another 12" with apple silicon, i'd be tempted to acquire one. Loved its form factor.
I bought this at launch and knew that it was under powered and was ready for usbc. To this day is still my favorite Mac ever and have been wishing Apple would refresh it with an M1 version. After going through 16in and 14in, I still try and use my 12in but it is showing its age. I even tried to replace it with an iPad Pro but I can't deal with iPad OS and it's buggy file manager. Honestly the keyboards on the 12in didn't bug me and still works fine. I finally accepted the fact that they won't bring it back so I broke down and got an M1 Air.
I dont think they should bring the 12” MacBook back, but bring back the spirit of it. I think Apple should make an M2 MacBook Air that is the size of the current ones keyboard, but with all of the design improvements.
I loved my 12-inch MacBook at the time. I didn't even mind the keyboard. It was very light and portable but still felt substantial. My uses were everyday: emails and documents and surfing, so the lack of processing power didn't phase me either. And space gray color was new at that time, so it looked cooler than anything else. I EVEN had an ELEVEN-inch MacBook Air at one point. Remember those?
2020 when covid hit and we all went work from home my company sent me home with one of these we had laying around so I could (painfully) cross compile some web apps for iOS. I still have it and literally had to dig it out of my closet recently to pull some files I had left on it. I forgot how pleasant of a little device it was, which is what has sent me looking at old mac videos and venturing on this little MacBook youtube rabbit hole.
I’d actually like to see Apple create an 11” MacBook Air that is physically smaller, slimmer, and lighter than the 12” MacBook. Then the Air would have 11”, 13”, and 15” versions. With Apple Silicon an 11” Air would be ridiculously portable, remarkably fast, and get great battery life. It would be the perfect first Mac for a lot of people.
@@TelephoneBGs For $200 less per device an 11" air could be a great computer for education and enterprise customers who buy dozens or hundreds of laptops for their faculty and staff. We still have some faculty using the retina 12" MacBook on the campus where I work who will probably upgrade to the 13" Air when those computers finally die for good. They probably wouldn't notice the college spending a little bit less and getting them an 11" Air instead.
3:56 yup! Keyboard is the size limit. 11” MacBook Air was the same way: as small as you could get [with slightly different design constraints, like bezel size, heat dissipation, etc.] while still having a full-size keyboard. I bought a 2015 11”, maxed out (i7, max RAM, larger SSD), 2 days before it was discontinued, even though it was an older machine, because the rumor mill had said the 11” was going away. I’m still immensely happy with that decision and still using it daily. I seriously considered the 12” MacBook instead because of the 4:3 screen-16:9 is just too short in an 11” screen. But I couldn’t stand the keyboard on the MacBook, and that’s _way_ more important than the more-sensible screen aspect (or retina) to me.
I had the 2016 12". Great machine. The Core M chip was honestly fine for the time. It handled bursty loads quite well, but struggled with sustained loads due to thermals. For office work etc it was more than enough, I even did a lot of Photoshop and Illustrator on it. I think the real reason this computer wasn't successful was its very high price compared to the MacBook Air.
i have an iPad Air 5 with the magic keyboard and it probably does all the things my 12” MacBook did without cooking itself to oblivion. But i do miss how light it was and the sound the butterfly keyboard made. The trackpad was an insane experience as well. Now i’m stuck wondering if Apple should make iPadOS more like MacOS or just get a full-blown desktop Mac 🤔
I love my 12" Macbook and I'm using it right now to comment on this. Purchased new in 2018 and patiently waiting for something equally as awesome to be released before I make a change. I travel a lot and the weight difference in a carryon makes a significant impact on my shoulder! I have traveled with just my iPad instead, but until the put the camera in landscape mode, that's a tough sell for video calling.
Watching this on a 12-inch Macbook 2017. This is basically my go-to travel laptop, but it's getting slow in today's standards, so I would run to purchase one if a new version came out. iPads don't work as well as my 12-inch Macbook in comparison.
This is my dream computer, except right now I’m traveling for work and going crazy trying to deal with my 13” MacBook. 🤦🏾♀️ be careful what you wish for!
Vent support technology for the fan is implemented so that you can cry you’re heart out to your MacBook when it is overheating, and it is guaranteed to always respond with a positive and supportive high pitched humming sound.
This has been my laptop for the last 4 years, throughout university and it's definitely the best I've owned. All the new feel bulky, clunky and heavy af in comparison despite all the advancements, even the new . The portability is unmatched by any other Mac laptop. Removing the glowing Apple logo still pisses me off though
It's really cool that you have been able to use it for so long, since my main laptop broke I started using a 5 year old all in one PC and it is frustratingly slow, I'm impressed a small and pretty old laptop is still usable.
It’s July 2023 and I’m really considering buying a 12 inch MacBook as a subnotebook to always carry with me when I‘m not at home or in the office. It is by far the lightest MacBook and way more useable and cheaper than my current solution with a 4th Gen iPad Pro 11“ and the Magic Keyboard. It‘s almost 1,100 vs 900 grams. And working with a real Mac Finder with folders etc., a build-in keyboard and touchpad is so much more convenient for my work (text & Excel) than the tablet/Magic Keyboard solution. Really sad that the 12-inch MacBook was such a flop (lasted only two upgrade cycles) with a bunch of (potential) issues.
I've never had one of these but I have an 11" Macbook Air and I really wish they'd bring either this 12" or the 11" back. It's absurd that they put M2 chips in iPads but 13" is the smallest Mac you can get. And to all the annoying people that say "the screen is too small"... that's the goddamn point. I don't need a semi-portable computer with a screen big enough to use comfortably for long periods of time, I have other computers for that. I just want an ultra-portable tiny Mac that is as convenient to carry around as an 11" iPad Pro is.
I might be in the minority but i love the butterfly keyboard 🤷🏽♀️ And I’m still using my 12” macbook and love that carrying it around doesn’t make a dent on my shoulder. I really hope they’ll bring back this form factor.
They should definitely bring this back - they don't need to make it as extreme as this but the lightness and thinness of these is still unmatched and I love mine.
if they had an edge to edge display like dell's infinity display... I think the screen size could actually approach 13 inches. It could literally be a perfect device for $1000 and fill the gap for the old 13 inch m1 that they are still selling.I would honestly take half of the m1's performance for that form factor.
I know a lot of people hated the butterfly keyboard, but hear me out for a moment - the 4th gen butterfly (in the 2019 MacBook Pros) was rock solid for me. I never had issues with sticking keys or missing key presses, and I never encountered anyone with a 4th gen butterfly who had issues with it. And even though it’s not the most ergonomic keyboard, I kind of appreciated how unique it felt. There was a really unique, dare I say pleasant tactility to having low travel and feeling instant response from the keys - and that’s coming from someone who has also used mechanical keyboards with lubed switches. Maybe it’s just nostalgia talking 😅
@@oscarsh2909 unfortunately iPad with a keyboard isn’t a true replacement for a laptop.. it has some dealbreaker limitations that affect things that affect power users and software developers
@@brainout5852 I'm 100% with you. The Ipad OS and iOS are dumbed down and the limitations actually don't make any sense, not even for security. I think they just kept the business model of the iPod, where you could only download things through iTunes. In an ideal world, I think they should have an admin mode that lets power users take full control of these devices.
I really really enjoyed using my 2015 12” MacBook (with the 1.3 Ghz CPU). I used it with the Apple Digital AV Multiport adapter to connect it to an external monitor in my office and it was a joy to take it to my meetings since it was so lightweight. Never had an issue with the keyboard or anything else, really. Unfortunately, a few years later the company migrated from Skype to Microsoft Teams, which was an Electron app with HORRENDOUS performance on Mac and I had to replace the 12” with a 13” MacBook Pro, which when using Teams would overheat and CPU throttle. What a letdown, that was. Thank god Apple Silicon came to the rescue.
Since I started working from home and embracing the digital nomad life, all I want is a 12" MacBook. Don't get me wrong, my iPad Pro is great, but when it comes to productivity, macOS takes the cake. I'm crossing my fingers that Apple brings back this form factor because I'd totally buy it in a heartbeat!
This would be so sexy in an M2 spec list it's crazy. All they'd have todo is size up the M2 iPad motherboard and bit, add more RAM and somehow put it in there.
You have changed batteries for several times. Are they good? I’ve tried five new and two used batteries and all of them are pure… Its very sad that I can’t be sure that macbook is always ready to work, I love it. Can you recommend where I can buy good battery?
I have a 2015 mid-specs one of these and another, 2011 i5 mid-spec MacBook Air. Both are great and truly portable, unlike any other Apple laptops would be. What lets down the 12” MB to me is the extremely difficult and frustrating battery replacement and some software issues, for example the refresh/download status on Safari. Both can be rectified or only a nuisance until they are resolved. Currently, all used 11” and 12” Apple portables are in the very affordable price range and if emails, browsing, documents and simple tasks are the main reason for wanting a laptop, then these got you covered.
I've just bought an 11 inch air because i need something tiny, it seemed like a better option than the 12". It feels like they could have just thrown in whichever 'A' chip was in ios at the time and this would have been a better product haha
The big problem is that the OS was not ARM native at the time. We take it for granted now, but it was a MASSIVE industry shift that wouldn't have happened for one niche product.
The 11” Air had the advantage of a replaceable SSD which is the one thing I really hate about the newer MacBooks. When the SSD goes that’s the end of the machine. However the 7th Gen Intel M series chips have more than ample performance for day-to-day computing tasks and the 12” display is truly gorgeous. They also go up to 16GB which is a nice boost over the 8GB max in the 11” Air.
I'm watching this on my 2015 macbook and overall, I love it. I haven't had any issues with speed or the keyboard, but the battery is going (to be expected for its age) and the fanless design does mean that it runs quite hot. The only annoying thing is that the one usb-c port means that I have to plug in a hub even just to use an external mouse. It's not a design beast, but it works pretty well for basic tasks. I'm due for an upgrade and I might figure out how to just patch it instead so I can keep it running.
It has been widely recognized from the start that this MacBook was designed specifically for light and energy-efficient simple tasks, similar to ultrabooks. However, there has been a persistent misconception among people who expect outstanding performance from it. This notion is utterly illogical.
Great video Luke! My lady has the 2018 MAC Air (13.3") i5 and loves it except the 256GB SSD is too small. She has removed virtually everything she can from that drive and stored it on an external 6 TB HDD drive. Especially her thousands of photos. We back all that up to a 8 TB HDD in an old (upgraded) Apple TimeCapsule. I'm using a 2020 M1 MAC mini with a 512 GB SSD and 2 1TB NVMe SSDs backing up to 2x 6TB HDDs in RAID 1 (mirroring) configuration. That in addition to iCloud and I Drive cloud storage keeps me quite safe!
I see the 12" MacBook as very similar to the iPad mini. Before the mini came out iPads were thick and heavy. iPad form factor was also very clunky. The mini came out and changed everything. It was the first iPad that I thought was absolutely beautiful in design. Thin and light, and better screen to bezel ratio. Every iPad released afterward has been very influenced by iPad mini's design language. iPad Air was essentially a mini blown up, which was a great thing. So the MacBook I feel has had a similar influence in the whole MacBook lineup. The MacBook Pros came out in 2016 and had very similar style and form to the MacBook. I think it was largely a good influence. Just took too long to figure out some kinks like the keyboard. However, once Apple silicon was introduced, the design language that the 12" MacBook initiated honestly made Apple laptops the best in the business. I think the MacBook was an amazing design and helped to bring us some beautiful looking devices with its influence. Im glad they made it and wish they would have had access to Apple silicon back then. The MacBook could have been an amazing device not only in beauty, but performance as well.
0:45 uhhh that's such a sad statement I so understand you bro. its like that scene in bojack talking about a show wasn't good but it had every potential to be great. I completely agree when this 12 inch was released I really loved the design and all and almost a decade later it stil holds up so sad it didn't have any capacity to run well ever lol .
Much as I loved my 2018 12” MacBook 8GB RAM 512 SSD, the battery life plummeted to about 1.5 hours when connected to an external monitor for graphic design. It became unusable and switched to an M1 MacBook Pro. I keep the 12” MacBook around now as a music server.
IIRC the trackpad was actually 90% licensed and made of COTS. It's the driver that differentiates more. How it worked and still works that it's a phone touch screen without the LCD. The force feedback thing is practically the same as on many Android phones. Impressive application anyway. Having some background in the electronics industry, I can tell it's rare for a device manufacturer to design/make even a fraction of the components themself. Also the "applications" are often just copied from the components manufacturer's docs. Sure there are exceptions but Apple isn't one of them and it's probably better so, or their stuff would be way more expensive and likely unreliable. I could easily believe that the keyboard mechanism was their own design and the manufacturing was outsourced. That sort of stuff happens all the time and somehow the casing and HMI is often seen as a major differentiator. It makes sense. Think about a PC using a COTS case. Most of us will think such a PC is lower tier and cheap. Even if the case has nothing to do with the internals. This same thinking goes even for stuff designed to be used in factories etc, where you wouldn't think the casing would make any difference.
btw the force touch tracpad was already in the 2015 macbook pro (i had so much fun restarting the mac to test the tracpad while its off i never forget)
I used to have one of these, and loved it for school. Ironic that a lot of Word typing, which is the only thing its fast enough for, ended up breaking the keyboard.
I bought one this year as a secondary machine... pretty good enough for that, actually only use it for browsing, some 2d illustrations, and concept art for work and streaming Netflix...
I'm watching this video on my 12'' Macbook (Early 2016, m5, 8gb, 512ssd) 😝 have been using it for everything for 6-7 years! the more people talk about it the more I love it . I don't get what's wrong with the trackpad? plus, i like the keyboard, one is slightly malfunctioned but still works.
I have 2017 8/256 and it's perfect laptop. Only two things would need to be improved 480p camera and old processor which throttle in the summer (25+C). Maybe adding magsafe - but that's nice to have.
I recently purchased a 15" MBA because I love a larger form factor (so I am the opposite of the target market for this computer) but I didn't realize how revolutionary this computer really was. I loved the way the butterfly keyboard felt, but it was SO unreliable!
whats sad is that they pushed the dimensions way ahead of the thermals for its time. I honestly think this laptop could be redone to be great with even just an M1 SoC
I wanted to have that 12in macbook before, I wish that they made one with some type of m1/m2 mini that's even more power efficient for light web browsing
They could "easily" do this, having for instance only efficiency cores on a tiny footprint, omitting much of the functionality of the media engine and so on. It's totally doable. What i think would make more sense though is to just use A chips.
I have a M1 MacBook Air that does what it does very well and that I plan to keep for a very long time and I just builded a PC tower for all my other needs but if Apple were to bring an updated M3 12 inch, I would buy that so fast...
I have a 12" MacBook Pro that I travel with. The logic board and CPU are pretty anemic but it does the job. Any logic board upgrade to an I7 with 512 GB and 16GB RAM is not cost effective.
It would be great to bring it back! With slimmed down bezels it could use a 13" screen. M2 with option up to 24GB RAM, 2TB storage. Dual TB4 type C connectors. It would overlap with air. Maybe call it Macbook Helium! 😀
I think a ‘fan with vent support’ means a fan that has the support of external vents. If he just said ‘a fan with vents’, that may sound like the vents were somehow incorporated in the fan. Basically not having a fan meant it didn’t need the support of vents. That’s how I see it anyhow. :-). I think if they went to that size today, it would be a folding screen with keyboard / trackpad on the lower half of the screen and the main screen on the upper half.
I have a 2017 version of these. It was great until recently where I’ve been running way way over it’s computing capacity, and bearing 1000 charging cycles. I moved to an m2 max MacBook Pro, which is just so much better, I can actually run stuff and use it off battery power! And unlike most people in the comments I prefer to have a little heft and more screen space, 2 inches was a huge difference when I first got it
I am on a 2017 15" Macbook pro with the 2.9ghz quad core i7 i love the laptop the butterfly keyboard helps me type faster and more precisely the touch bar is very useful in cases of CAD video editing and word and i love the speaker quality, the usb-c have taken a bit of time but now i find them much faster to drop files onto sticks and dongles aren't actually that bad to carry around
Got this laptop back in early 2016 in rose gold and been using it since. Lasted through all my years of education and even now, in university, I still do my work on it with ease. The battery has significantly aged, that is for sure, but even then the processing speed is not a problem for me. As I don't work on intensive programs all that much. I never minded the keyboard with the new butterfly mechanism. I do prefer higher keys but that I can live without. Other than the aged battery, everything about it is still very good. Was definitely made to last and it very much has done that. Although I do plan to upgrade eventually for the sake of a new battery and a better chip which brings efficiency alongside it. Not sure when apple plans to release the next set of chips but that is when I'm out to the store to get one. But I won't forget the time I've had with this 12" MacBook. Edit: Forgot to mention but as of last year, my laptop no longer supports the latest MacOS updates. Which is unfortunate, since Ventura had some features I could really use. So this adds to the drive of wanting to upgrade.
I used to love that MacBook. Portable enough and good enough for web backend development which was my job back those days. Keyboard was fine, mine never had any issues. However, when youtube introduced 4k and compression requiring more intensive processing, its lack of power started showing. Honestly, M1 Air was a terrific replacement and I haven't looked back ever since.
I'm actually watching this video on my 12" MacBook (2017, i5, 8gb, 512ssd) :D. If Apple ever makes an Apple silicon version, I'll be the first in line to buy one. Absolutely LOVE the form factor. Makes the 13" Air feel like a giant in comparison.
👍👍👍👍👍
Does it work well with basic tasks like using the internet and watching videos? Games?
@@sllickit doing well, now I'm studying and using zoom, safari and text editors flawlessly, also having i5 2017 model
@@sllick It's a slow machine by todays standards, but still usable for light browsing, email and watching movies. Games and heavy workloads? nope :) I mostly use it on the couch, bed, plane, train etc. For work (graphic design) I have a 16" m1 max MBP.
Typing this on the same exact model! Design still blows me away
What really made it for me was the weight, not the thinness or size. I think there is absolutely still a market for a sub-1kg laptop, specifically people who have to carry one around every day. You can really feel the difference between 1.5kg and 1kg in some cases.
Correct, I carry a 965g Lenovo slim carbon. I love it. But i do want to switch to MacOS, but the Air is too heavy and kinda pointless next to the Pro which is only little heavier.
Why is it so hard to just slap it on with a apple silicon in this form body? I would buy this laptop in a heartbeat. The weight js just amazing.
@@Yash-jp6xh They definitely can't just reuse this design because of the butterfly keyboard and singular USB-C port, but adding an extra port and a Magic Keyboard really shouldn't add weight, only a bit of thickness. Still not sure why they haven't done that since they *have* done this for the 2016 13" MacBook Air and Pro designs; I think it would've been an incredible way to debut Apple silicon back in 2020.
The difference between carrying the 12 inch, and an M1 MacBook Air around all day is actually huge.
If I was able to use my old 12 inch for everything, I would. Sadly it just can’t keep up with some of the jobs I need to do, so I take the M1.
I still have my 12” MacBook from 2017. It still just about works, as a really basic computer. But it’s simply too beautiful to give up. My main computer is a 16” Pro, but my heart still belongs to the tiny tiny MacBook…
Yes!! I feel the same way. I bought it back in college, it had just come out and the only issue for me personally was the missing usb port since at times I needed to use one for school. Regardless though, I still use it to this day and it is my favorite laptop I’ve ever owned. I’ve never had issues with the keyboard, although I hardly use it anymore other than for basic usage it still runs perfectly. I wish they still made this model though because I love the size, weight, and the aesthetic of the inside of it. It makes me never want to get rid of it
I used this laptop for a couple years. My wife still uses hers and absolutely thinks the latest Air is way too big. I'd love it if they'd remake this with an M1. That would be the prefect amount of power for a 12" model. Thanks for the vid.
I was thinking that, instead of just getting rid of the M1 chip, why not put it into the Macbook. I've got an M1 Macbook Air, and it's still a fantastic chip, even in mid 2023
No, they should put an A16 chip in it.
I fly a lot as part of work, in July 2015 I was on a flight from London toNYC and was working on my 15"MBP when i noticed the guy sitting alongside me had the 12"MB, I was intrigued, It seemd to be the future and a couple of weeks later I bought one and for work/travel this was amazing, my kids both had MBAs and the difference of screen was night & day difference. I loved it so much apart from the lack of storage, so in 2016, I bought the Core M5 with more RAM and bigger SSD, I had that for 2 years, and never had an issue with the butterfly keyboard, the 12" remains one of my favourite computers ever, an M1 version would probably have me reaching for my debit card. As much as I love my M2MBA it still seems huge in comparison.
The 12" also led me to buying a USB C dock (A plugable one that still serves for my Fold 4 when I need Dex :) )
WHich led me to my only real dislike of the 12" was the single USB C port.
The iPad Air & iPad Pro have largely taken over the space the 12" MacBook occupied. At some point if Apple brings touch to the Mac, the 12" MacBook concept may return.
just get a keyboard for an i pad
@@Mr.Vertex have a 12.9” iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard and while I love it there are a couple of major drawbacks that a MacBook Air wouldn’t have. It doesn’t run a desktop OS and gets much worse battery life than the MacBook air.
@@Piketom1eh the OS is mostly better though aside from missing some apps
@@Piketom1 There are definitely advantages to a laptop, especially if you need to use it without a desk to set up the iPad stand, but a 12 inch MacBook is to close to a normal MacBook air stand apart. Apple should add more laptop functionality to the iPad in my opinion rather than making a slightly smaller MacBook.
They have.. it’s called iPad
I loved my 12" macbook so so much 😭 I just recently finally had to upgrade and I was so sad to let it go. I love how light it is.
I still have mine and I'm keeping it forever, it's my favourite design/size even though I use the 14" MBP now.
I wish they would just slap an M1 or M2 in it, I love the 12" form factor and I think it deserves a second chance. Even if the Apple Silicon iPads already exist, they are unlikely to get an update to iPadOS that would go head-to-head with macOS. Also, I feel like I am the only person in the world to like the butterfly keyboard 😓A small form factor MacBook with apple silicone + an iPhone Mini would be a killer combo.
i also love the butterfly keyboard so much , cause the strengh i push the keys are very light , i think you maybe same as me . i am from China
Tbf im used to the butterfly keyboard too 😂
I loooovvveee the butterfly keyboard because of how it feels, how loud it is and that it just feels well built. I have the 2017 macbook pro 13" and ive had it for 5 years now and ive had 0 issues so far. I just really need a smaller laptop for lighter tasks to take on the go.
I recently got one used because I really wanted a super portable Mac, and I love it, the only problem I have with it is its battery life, it just doesn’t last nowhere neat as long as m1 Macs
For me, the one USB-C port (which wasn't even Thunderbolt capable) and the butterfly keyboard would likely be why Apple won't bring it back. Especially since that keyboard led to lawsuits and I can say they won't go back to it. So the laptop would be thicker, and once you shrink the bezels, you'd end up with the M1 13 inch MacBook Air with one fewer port.
Oh, and that 480p potato webcam.
Not only that, once you reduce the bezels - you no longer have a full sized laptop keyboard anymore.
@@CraigCruden Exactly. If you trim the bezels but keep the same size screen, you couldn't fit a full-sized keyboard. But if you kept the machine size expanded the screen to trim the bezels, then you essentially have the M1 MacBook Air with fewer ports... And that's pretty much it.
...except 40% heavier and bulkier... I still always bring my old 12", even when i think i will not need it.
I remember really wanting one of these when they were announced. The first day they were available at the local best buy (I did not live near an Apple store at the time) I headed over there intending to buy one. I headed over to the display unit, and thought it was so cool looking. I tried the keyboard, and I actually liked it. Did not mind the one USB-C port. Trackpad seemed really neat. But then I tired just using the display unit and thats where it all fell apart. Just bringing up textedit and doing a typing test was a problem. It took a really oddly long time to launch and once it opened text entry lagged behind typing to a frustrating amount. At the time I did not know if it was an issue with the display unit or a problem with the design of the laptop. I decided to hold off and read some reviews, ended up never buying one.
Ended up getting a 15" Pro with a butterfly keyboard because I weirdly liked the butterfly keyboard. Stuck with that system for a very long time, never had an issue with the keyboard. Now I am using a 13" M2 Air as my main system and its pretty much exactly what I was looking for when I wanted the 12" MacBook.
I would buy one of these tomorrow. I got the original and loved it for casual usage, it also worked great for portable web design stuff.
If there were a sub-1kg 12.5" Macbook M1 w/ 16GB RAM, a 2TB SSD, a Liquid Retina display, and one Thunderbolt3 / USB4 port, I'd have already upgraded.
Instead, I am sporting a 2016 12" MacBook, which I had the foresight to max out with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD. There is no wasted space on this gorgeous, lean computing machine. It disappears in an every day carry (EDC) bag and fits comfortably on an airplane seat tray next to a beverage. Yeah, it can get bogged down. I've leveraged that limitation as a feature, only running the apps/windows related to the work I need to focus on, shutting off the distractions, and off-loading heavier compute and larger storage requirements to remote machines. As a result, no other laptop over the last 7+ years has tempted me to "trade up". I thought the 13" MacBook Air M2 might, but it is so unhandy compared to my beautiful little 12" MacBook.
My second favorite laptop form factor is, naturally, the 12" PowerBook.G4, a performant beauty that still sits in a place of honor in my study.
12" -- anything more is wasted.
I want them to bring it back just because of its size alone. Laptops with such a small footprint like that are gems. It’s not for everyone, but it’s insanely cool and useful to have a 11-12 inch computer with a full desktop OS. The portability is unmatched. Extra thickness for the keyboard and battery would be welcome, but that small footprint is still desired by many.
You’re right about unprecedented portability - it’s still the one you pick up when you don’t really want to carry a laptop.
That’s what a ipad is for
Well, the point of a small laptop is to make it more easily portable, right? So all my iPad needs to do is things I’ll need to do outside of home. Got a desktop PC for gaming and anything else that my iPad’s not good for, but all the basic stuff that I’m likely to need anywhere I’m going? My iPad covers those uses.
@@saulgood2366I don’t want an iPad. I want a small laptop with the main functions my Mac Mini has. I want macOS. I want physical keys and a retina screen. iPad doesn’t fill what I want from it
Yes. For some years vendors stopped to make 11" laptops with normal power (no Celeron or Intel Atom please). I had an Acer i5 in 11" and except loud fan and quickly degrading battery it was great.
I bought Macbook 12 after and fulfilled my dream to switch to MacOS. I think that they maybe don't want to make it because if they make full power 11" or 12" laptop it would canibalize sells of 13" and 14" laptops. I guess this size could be very sexy for lot of executives and managers for travel.
I am surprised that I don't know about any hardware startup which makes such small laptops with normal power. I also considered that first Lenovo Yogabook. It's super cool, the hinge is beautiful and enjoyable to use. The size is like a bigger envelope. But those times I didn't want Windows anymore and Android version got outdated quickly with only one or two updates. But those sizes are great, IMHO.
I think it’s one of the best MacBook Apple ever made. It is perfect to take it with you. It is not a MackBook to edit video, but it is lightweight and very comfortable. I hope it would have a comeback.
I agree - it was an amazing machine at the time.
I did a little bit of video editing on mine - it still had the benefits from the Core Duo era of being able to add H264 to the timeline and edit it directly, saving on disk space. In many ways it decent power if you wanted 2010-2015 era performance - integrated GPU though, not dedicated GPU.
Maybe one of the most accurate and educational videos about a brand and their product development process/strategy. Only a few can understand this kind of "bad decision", they are not that bad, they are strategic moves towards a bigger vision.
I do have the 2017 version. I actually got 2 of them for 100$ CAD for parts back in 2020. Although one of them had a broken screen, the both of them actually did turn out to work fine!
I have been using it ever since and i (mostly) love it! The minuscule size and especially its weight won me over. Sure, its probably less powerfull than my ipad mini 6, but the pair goes along very nicelly.
Yes, it does have its limitations and flaws(i hate having to use a rubber keyboard protector, but its essential for the survival of that fragile keyboard....). The screen is super bright and resolution is great for me.
I am able to do some video editing and it worked out for me that far (granted, i am not a movie maker, and it does help that i am a patient man and not in a rush to publish a video, because it does take a while to export anything with that thing)
I do wish they would have kept it for just a bit longer. Allowing it to get some upgrades. But then, compared to the Air, with a lower price point (as far as I can remember) and more powerful, it was ment to die at some point.
Best 100$ deal i have ever got! No regrets here ;)
I love this version! :D We have two in our house and it's just so nice to bring with you and fully capable of running day-to-day tasks. The sound in this small thing is impressive too. I always bring this, when i don't wanna carry my 15 inch MBP around.
The Macbook 12 Inch is underrated and heavily missunderstood. The whole purpose with that machine is to be a secondary device when you do not need any powerhouse to make things done. I use this along side the M3 Pro 16inch and are super happy with it. The M2 Air for some reason did not click for me. Design wise I believe this is the best designed laptop of all time. For Web based stuff , email etc it's great. I find it interesting that people complain about the one port situation, meanwhile a very expensive iPad Pro to this date are still using a single USB C and not even a headphone jack which the Macbook 12 has. As much as I would love to see a new gen with Apple SoC on it, it won't happen. For anyone reading this comment I can only recommend the 2017 version and avoid the early -15 models as they are proned to fail (speaking from experience sadly). The main issue with it's launch was the price, but thankfully it is not 1299 USD anymore.
Apple's current laptop lineup in 2024 sucks and is very boring. I agree I would love a newer laptop in this exact form factor. The new Air's are way too bulky, and not as pretty to look at and they just don't have that same light, magical experience that the 12 inch has. I currently have a 2018 intel based Apple MBP and for the years I've used that laptop, I've not needed any ports except to just charge it. Even an 11" iPad Pro with a keyboard doesn't take the spot for me. Apple needs to bring this laptop back with a very efficient chip that runs cooler
You’re right about the one port situation. I didnt even think about that when it comes to iPads. Yes you’re right, for iPads you need the dongle to make it “like a computer “ such a shame they let this series die.
Thanks for the very well researched, written and narrated presentation on the relevant historical attributes and values of the 12-inch MacBook laptop…
While certainly not nearly as difficult to service as was the beastly Laserwriter IIg, the 2015 Apple 12 inch MacBook proved to be one of the most (if not the most) difficult Apple laptops to service.
My wife is still rocking a 12”. She loves that machine and I’m having a ridiculously hard time prying her away from it. Every time we’re in a Best Buy or Apple Store I steer her toward the MacBook Air and say “Oh, look how nice these are” and she still refuses to let go of her 12”. Despite all the very clear evidence that it’s on the verge of complete obsolescence she continues to stubbornly cling to that thing.
Rightfully so. I actually BOUGHT a refurbished one just earlier this year. Obsolete my ass - it’s the most portable work machine I ever had the joy of using. It’s so great!
im stubbornly holding onto mine too, replacing battery tomorrow
I still use one of these along with a 13” Air M1. I tend to leave the Air at home when I just need low power tasks since I find the macbook air heavy. For real.
I'm currently watching this on my 12" Macbook. Previous to that I had an 11" Macbook Air, I love small computers and when I need more screen space I just connect it to a monitor. I've never liked the iPad OS. It's the perfect mac to travel with, the 13" Macbook Air is a bit big when put on an airplane tray. The battery on my mac is deteriorating that's the only issue with it 😣
I love my MB 12 as well, bought the i7 w/ 16 GB RAM and 512 SSD and it runs Logic Pro without any problems. With a knee surgery I need the lightest system possible, and even wrote to Tim about the reasons why I need a new Apple Silicon version in my life. I can even balance it on the little foldout armrest tables in lecture halls and it fits perfectly, without oversteping the boundaries or the feet not being on the surface...
Still have one of these to compliment my M1 Macbook Air. Yes, it's not powerful but it doesn't lag on light web browsing, can play back full HD videos without problem and is now sub £200. It's great as a computer hooked up to my TV via a USB dock and it's also great as a distraction free computer for basic productivity. If I'm just typing up documents and stuff on the go, I can easily put it in my bag, forget it's there and not be too bothered if something happens to it. It actually makes the MBA appear chunky when it's next to it.
Watching this on Macbook 12 (2017) and i completely disagree about the keyboard and performance.
The keyboard never really stuck and the performance is sufficient for daily tasks.
I agree with all you say. I do still have a 2011 11” MacBook Air that while the screen shape and bezels are not ideal it still works for web browsing and document production. It was for me (and still is strangely enough) the machine that replaced iPads for me. It is very small and thin - will actually fit in a shoulder case I had purchased for an iPad. It was my “main machine” for GUI design - I design medical software - until my 2015 15” MacBook Pro. The latter I also added BookCamp Win10 (on OWC 2TB) for reading Medical Imaging and I still have that one too. Now my “main machine” is an M1 13” MacBook Pro and while I understand it’s not the “cool” choice it actually works very well for me and has been reliable. I don’t notice it being too large, too thick, or too heavy but I admit it’s slipped into a shoulder bag overloaded with a whole bunch of other “crap” I travel with so it’s dwarfed by all that. Were it not for the butterfly keyboard the 12” MacBook would actually work great for my use case and maybe be cheap to acquire?
If you were lucky enough to get the 2017 revision with the i7, 16GB of Ram and revised butterfly keyboard; it's a damn good laptop.
I still have my 12" Retina, that I continue to use as my travel laptop, primarily because I'm in my 60s and have advanced arthritis, and so I can''t carry around a bulky, heavy laptop any longer. I simply don't have the physical strength to do so. And the twelve-inch is great. I can fit it into any medium-size purse, it's lightweight, and (other than that God-forsaken butterfly keyboard), it's workable and extremely reliable. I wonder if, as the population ages and more and more people people face physical issues such as mine, if Apple will see renewed incentive to revisit smaller, lighter weight units again.
I got my 12" Macbook in 2015 a few days after it was released. Upgraded from my 2009 white MacBook. Loved it, was easy to travel with and i finished my undergraduate degree on it. Had it until 2020, when I got my M1. However, my family has daily used it since for basic day-to-day browsing. If they make another 12" with apple silicon, i'd be tempted to acquire one. Loved its form factor.
I bought this at launch and knew that it was under powered and was ready for usbc. To this day is still my favorite Mac ever and have been wishing Apple would refresh it with an M1 version. After going through 16in and 14in, I still try and use my 12in but it is showing its age. I even tried to replace it with an iPad Pro but I can't deal with iPad OS and it's buggy file manager. Honestly the keyboards on the 12in didn't bug me and still works fine. I finally accepted the fact that they won't bring it back so I broke down and got an M1 Air.
I dont think they should bring the 12” MacBook back, but bring back the spirit of it. I think Apple should make an M2 MacBook Air that is the size of the current ones keyboard, but with all of the design improvements.
I still have one of these. It’s still going strong, very fast. I had an M2 MBA but returned it because it wasn’t any better.
They had a 12" PowerBook back in 2003 - 2006, that one was great!
I loved my 12-inch MacBook at the time. I didn't even mind the keyboard. It was very light and portable but still felt substantial. My uses were everyday: emails and documents and surfing, so the lack of processing power didn't phase me either. And space gray color was new at that time, so it looked cooler than anything else. I EVEN had an ELEVEN-inch MacBook Air at one point. Remember those?
I think the processor thing was people trying to pretend it was a 15" MacBook Pro.
2020 when covid hit and we all went work from home my company sent me home with one of these we had laying around so I could (painfully) cross compile some web apps for iOS. I still have it and literally had to dig it out of my closet recently to pull some files I had left on it. I forgot how pleasant of a little device it was, which is what has sent me looking at old mac videos and venturing on this little MacBook youtube rabbit hole.
A revival of 12" Macbook as "Macbook Mini" or something would be pretty neat
I’d actually like to see Apple create an 11” MacBook Air that is physically smaller, slimmer, and lighter than the 12” MacBook. Then the Air would have 11”, 13”, and 15” versions. With Apple Silicon an 11” Air would be ridiculously portable, remarkably fast, and get great battery life. It would be the perfect first Mac for a lot of people.
An 11" MacBook Air with M3 would be a fantastic product. I would buy it immediately.
@@TelephoneBGs For $200 less per device an 11" air could be a great computer for education and enterprise customers who buy dozens or hundreds of laptops for their faculty and staff. We still have some faculty using the retina 12" MacBook on the campus where I work who will probably upgrade to the 13" Air when those computers finally die for good. They probably wouldn't notice the college spending a little bit less and getting them an 11" Air instead.
Also great for early teens with small hands. Get the kids in love with Macos early.
@@joeblogs1094 That white powerbook I had in middle school certainly had that effect on me. I've had nothing but Apple laptops since. Darn you, Apple.
The 12" MacBook was smaller in every dimension than the 11" Air. People forget how big the 11" was and how small the 12" was.
3:56 yup! Keyboard is the size limit. 11” MacBook Air was the same way: as small as you could get [with slightly different design constraints, like bezel size, heat dissipation, etc.] while still having a full-size keyboard.
I bought a 2015 11”, maxed out (i7, max RAM, larger SSD), 2 days before it was discontinued, even though it was an older machine, because the rumor mill had said the 11” was going away. I’m still immensely happy with that decision and still using it daily.
I seriously considered the 12” MacBook instead because of the 4:3 screen-16:9 is just too short in an 11” screen. But I couldn’t stand the keyboard on the MacBook, and that’s _way_ more important than the more-sensible screen aspect (or retina) to me.
I had the 2016 12". Great machine. The Core M chip was honestly fine for the time. It handled bursty loads quite well, but struggled with sustained loads due to thermals. For office work etc it was more than enough, I even did a lot of Photoshop and Illustrator on it. I think the real reason this computer wasn't successful was its very high price compared to the MacBook Air.
there is some sort of high frequency noise starting around 10:40
thought i was the only one that noticed
i have an iPad Air 5 with the magic keyboard and it probably does all the things my 12” MacBook did without cooking itself to oblivion. But i do miss how light it was and the sound the butterfly keyboard made. The trackpad was an insane experience as well. Now i’m stuck wondering if Apple should make iPadOS more like MacOS or just get a full-blown desktop Mac 🤔
I love my 12" Macbook and I'm using it right now to comment on this. Purchased new in 2018 and patiently waiting for something equally as awesome to be released before I make a change. I travel a lot and the weight difference in a carryon makes a significant impact on my shoulder! I have traveled with just my iPad instead, but until the put the camera in landscape mode, that's a tough sell for video calling.
Watching this on a 12-inch Macbook 2017. This is basically my go-to travel laptop, but it's getting slow in today's standards, so I would run to purchase one if a new version came out. iPads don't work as well as my 12-inch Macbook in comparison.
This is my dream computer, except right now I’m traveling for work and going crazy trying to deal with my 13” MacBook.
🤦🏾♀️ be careful what you wish for!
Vent support technology for the fan is implemented so that you can cry you’re heart out to your MacBook when it is overheating, and it is guaranteed to always respond with a positive and supportive high pitched humming sound.
This has been my laptop for the last 4 years, throughout university and it's definitely the best I've owned. All the new feel bulky, clunky and heavy af in comparison despite all the advancements, even the new . The portability is unmatched by any other Mac laptop. Removing the glowing Apple logo still pisses me off though
It's really cool that you have been able to use it for so long, since my main laptop broke I started using a 5 year old all in one PC and it is frustratingly slow, I'm impressed a small and pretty old laptop is still usable.
It’s July 2023 and I’m really considering buying a 12 inch MacBook as a subnotebook to always carry with me when I‘m not at home or in the office. It is by far the lightest MacBook and way more useable and cheaper than my current solution with a 4th Gen iPad Pro 11“ and the Magic Keyboard. It‘s almost 1,100 vs 900 grams. And working with a real Mac Finder with folders etc., a build-in keyboard and touchpad is so much more convenient for my work (text & Excel) than the tablet/Magic Keyboard solution.
Really sad that the 12-inch MacBook was such a flop (lasted only two upgrade cycles) with a bunch of (potential) issues.
I actually watched this video on a gold colored 12-inch MacBook (Early 2016). Edit: Now I see I am not the only one who likes them.
I've never had one of these but I have an 11" Macbook Air and I really wish they'd bring either this 12" or the 11" back. It's absurd that they put M2 chips in iPads but 13" is the smallest Mac you can get. And to all the annoying people that say "the screen is too small"... that's the goddamn point. I don't need a semi-portable computer with a screen big enough to use comfortably for long periods of time, I have other computers for that. I just want an ultra-portable tiny Mac that is as convenient to carry around as an 11" iPad Pro is.
I might be in the minority but i love the butterfly keyboard 🤷🏽♀️ And I’m still using my 12” macbook and love that carrying it around doesn’t make a dent on my shoulder. I really hope they’ll bring back this form factor.
They should definitely bring this back - they don't need to make it as extreme as this but the lightness and thinness of these is still unmatched and I love mine.
if they had an edge to edge display like dell's infinity display... I think the screen size could actually approach 13 inches. It could literally be a perfect device for $1000 and fill the gap for the old 13 inch m1 that they are still selling.I would honestly take half of the m1's performance for that form factor.
I know a lot of people hated the butterfly keyboard, but hear me out for a moment - the 4th gen butterfly (in the 2019 MacBook Pros) was rock solid for me. I never had issues with sticking keys or missing key presses, and I never encountered anyone with a 4th gen butterfly who had issues with it.
And even though it’s not the most ergonomic keyboard, I kind of appreciated how unique it felt. There was a really unique, dare I say pleasant tactility to having low travel and feeling instant response from the keys - and that’s coming from someone who has also used mechanical keyboards with lubed switches. Maybe it’s just nostalgia talking 😅
I still think there’s huge demand for an 11” or 12”. They absolutely should make one.
They did the iPad Pro just for you! That's also why I think they stopped with this laptop.
@@oscarsh2909 unfortunately iPad with a keyboard isn’t a true replacement for a laptop.. it has some dealbreaker limitations that affect things that affect power users and software developers
@@brainout5852 I'm 100% with you. The Ipad OS and iOS are dumbed down and the limitations actually don't make any sense, not even for security. I think they just kept the business model of the iPod, where you could only download things through iTunes. In an ideal world, I think they should have an admin mode that lets power users take full control of these devices.
Too small 😂😂
@@oscarsh2909the iPad Pro is a nice device, but there’s one thing it lacks, macOS.
I really really enjoyed using my 2015 12” MacBook (with the 1.3 Ghz CPU). I used it with the Apple Digital AV Multiport adapter to connect it to an external monitor in my office and it was a joy to take it to my meetings since it was so lightweight. Never had an issue with the keyboard or anything else, really. Unfortunately, a few years later the company migrated from Skype to Microsoft Teams, which was an Electron app with HORRENDOUS performance on Mac and I had to replace the 12” with a 13” MacBook Pro, which when using Teams would overheat and CPU throttle. What a letdown, that was. Thank god Apple Silicon came to the rescue.
Since I started working from home and embracing the digital nomad life, all I want is a 12" MacBook. Don't get me wrong, my iPad Pro is great, but when it comes to productivity, macOS takes the cake. I'm crossing my fingers that Apple brings back this form factor because I'd totally buy it in a heartbeat!
sensible thoughts !!
This would be so sexy in an M2 spec list it's crazy. All they'd have todo is size up the M2 iPad motherboard and bit, add more RAM and somehow put it in there.
You have changed batteries for several times. Are they good?
I’ve tried five new and two used batteries and all of them are pure… Its very sad that I can’t be sure that macbook is always ready to work, I love it.
Can you recommend where I can buy good battery?
I loved mine!!! Best computer ever! I have just retired it for a 15air. RIP little man
I have a 2015 mid-specs one of these and another, 2011 i5 mid-spec MacBook Air. Both are great and truly portable, unlike any other Apple laptops would be. What lets down the 12” MB to me is the extremely difficult and frustrating battery replacement and some software issues, for example the refresh/download status on Safari. Both can be rectified or only a nuisance until they are resolved.
Currently, all used 11” and 12” Apple portables are in the very affordable price range and if emails, browsing, documents and simple tasks are the main reason for wanting a laptop, then these got you covered.
I've just bought an 11 inch air because i need something tiny, it seemed like a better option than the 12". It feels like they could have just thrown in whichever 'A' chip was in ios at the time and this would have been a better product haha
The big problem is that the OS was not ARM native at the time. We take it for granted now, but it was a MASSIVE industry shift that wouldn't have happened for one niche product.
The 11” Air had the advantage of a replaceable SSD which is the one thing I really hate about the newer MacBooks. When the SSD goes that’s the end of the machine. However the 7th Gen Intel M series chips have more than ample performance for day-to-day computing tasks and the 12” display is truly gorgeous. They also go up to 16GB which is a nice boost over the 8GB max in the 11” Air.
@@EleanorMcHugh you couldn't be more right. I have a 2tb to throw into it
I'm watching this on my 2015 macbook and overall, I love it. I haven't had any issues with speed or the keyboard, but the battery is going (to be expected for its age) and the fanless design does mean that it runs quite hot. The only annoying thing is that the one usb-c port means that I have to plug in a hub even just to use an external mouse. It's not a design beast, but it works pretty well for basic tasks. I'm due for an upgrade and I might figure out how to just patch it instead so I can keep it running.
It has been widely recognized from the start that this MacBook was designed specifically for light and energy-efficient simple tasks, similar to ultrabooks. However, there has been a persistent misconception among people who expect outstanding performance from it. This notion is utterly illogical.
more common sense - exactly
Great video Luke! My lady has the 2018 MAC Air (13.3") i5 and loves it except the 256GB SSD is too small. She has removed virtually everything she can from that drive and stored it on an external 6 TB HDD drive. Especially her thousands of photos. We back all that up to a 8 TB HDD in an old (upgraded) Apple TimeCapsule. I'm using a 2020 M1 MAC mini with a 512 GB SSD and 2 1TB NVMe SSDs backing up to 2x 6TB HDDs in RAID 1 (mirroring) configuration. That in addition to iCloud and I Drive cloud storage keeps me quite safe!
A 12inch Macbook with Apple Silicon would be pretty sweet in my opinion.
I see the 12" MacBook as very similar to the iPad mini. Before the mini came out iPads were thick and heavy. iPad form factor was also very clunky. The mini came out and changed everything. It was the first iPad that I thought was absolutely beautiful in design. Thin and light, and better screen to bezel ratio. Every iPad released afterward has been very influenced by iPad mini's design language. iPad Air was essentially a mini blown up, which was a great thing. So the MacBook I feel has had a similar influence in the whole MacBook lineup. The MacBook Pros came out in 2016 and had very similar style and form to the MacBook. I think it was largely a good influence. Just took too long to figure out some kinks like the keyboard. However, once Apple silicon was introduced, the design language that the 12" MacBook initiated honestly made Apple laptops the best in the business. I think the MacBook was an amazing design and helped to bring us some beautiful looking devices with its influence. Im glad they made it and wish they would have had access to Apple silicon back then. The MacBook could have been an amazing device not only in beauty, but performance as well.
Never had a problem with butterfly keyboard. I really like the 12" MacBook and I might try to find one for cheap....
Totally my Favourite laptop - and I have a 4TB Macbook 16.
lol which one do you use more 😅
0:45 uhhh that's such a sad statement I so understand you bro. its like that scene in bojack talking about a show wasn't good but it had every potential to be great. I completely agree when this 12 inch was released I really loved the design and all and almost a decade later it stil holds up so sad it didn't have any capacity to run well ever lol .
Much as I loved my 2018 12” MacBook 8GB RAM 512 SSD, the battery life plummeted to about 1.5 hours when connected to an external monitor for graphic design. It became unusable and switched to an M1 MacBook Pro. I keep the 12” MacBook around now as a music server.
IIRC the trackpad was actually 90% licensed and made of COTS. It's the driver that differentiates more. How it worked and still works that it's a phone touch screen without the LCD. The force feedback thing is practically the same as on many Android phones. Impressive application anyway.
Having some background in the electronics industry, I can tell it's rare for a device manufacturer to design/make even a fraction of the components themself. Also the "applications" are often just copied from the components manufacturer's docs. Sure there are exceptions but Apple isn't one of them and it's probably better so, or their stuff would be way more expensive and likely unreliable.
I could easily believe that the keyboard mechanism was their own design and the manufacturing was outsourced. That sort of stuff happens all the time and somehow the casing and HMI is often seen as a major differentiator. It makes sense. Think about a PC using a COTS case. Most of us will think such a PC is lower tier and cheap. Even if the case has nothing to do with the internals. This same thinking goes even for stuff designed to be used in factories etc, where you wouldn't think the casing would make any difference.
11:33 Bring it back with Scissor Keyboard, with more ports & glowing Apple logo.
I have a i7, 16 gig model, and it is my *baby*, it breaks my heart that they got rid of the Rose Gold color too.
Even as an apple hater, I have switched to the new macbooks for their amazing battery performance plus I dont play games. Perfect for me 😊
If they'd release this with an M1 or better processor, the 12" would sell like hotcakes.
btw the force touch tracpad was already in the 2015 macbook pro (i had so much fun restarting the mac to test the tracpad while its off i never forget)
Still using mine, it's a great laptop to this day. Ditching macos reallly makes this a new machine. Working well with void linux.
I used to have one of these, and loved it for school. Ironic that a lot of Word typing, which is the only thing its fast enough for, ended up breaking the keyboard.
I bought one this year as a secondary machine... pretty good enough for that, actually only use it for browsing, some 2d illustrations, and concept art for work and streaming Netflix...
I'm watching this video on my 12'' Macbook (Early 2016, m5, 8gb, 512ssd) 😝 have been using it for everything for 6-7 years! the more people talk about it the more I love it . I don't get what's wrong with the trackpad? plus, i like the keyboard, one is slightly malfunctioned but still works.
I have 2017 8/256 and it's perfect laptop. Only two things would need to be improved 480p camera and old processor which throttle in the summer (25+C). Maybe adding magsafe - but that's nice to have.
This was a very good presentation - very nostalgic! Do you just have a warehouse somewhere full every device Apple has ever made?
I had the 2015 12 inch MacBook and I loved it. It was ahead of its time. I used it for software development every day.
I recently purchased a 15" MBA because I love a larger form factor (so I am the opposite of the target market for this computer) but I didn't realize how revolutionary this computer really was. I loved the way the butterfly keyboard felt, but it was SO unreliable!
Currently in the market for a possible 14” MacBook Pro, glad they did not keep this design. Great job taking us down memory lane!
whats sad is that they pushed the dimensions way ahead of the thermals for its time. I honestly think this laptop could be redone to be great with even just an M1 SoC
I wanted to have that 12in macbook before, I wish that they made one with some type of m1/m2 mini that's even more power efficient for light web browsing
They could "easily" do this, having for instance only efficiency cores on a tiny footprint, omitting much of the functionality of the media engine and so on. It's totally doable. What i think would make more sense though is to just use A chips.
I have a M1 MacBook Air that does what it does very well and that I plan to keep for a very long time and I just builded a PC tower for all my other needs but if Apple were to bring an updated M3 12 inch, I would buy that so fast...
If there was an 11 inch, I'd buy it as a companion mac for my 14 inch pro while traveling.
thats what I use my 2107 12" MacBook for exactly! work on the go and travelling :) can't beat it
I have a 12" MacBook Pro that I travel with. The logic board and CPU are pretty anemic but it does the job. Any logic board upgrade to an I7 with 512 GB and 16GB RAM is not cost effective.
I would buy a 12in M series Macbook in a heartbeat. I love my old 12in Macbook as my travel laptop. I still have my M1 14inch MBP as my daily driver.
It would be great to bring it back! With slimmed down bezels it could use a 13" screen. M2 with option up to 24GB RAM, 2TB storage.
Dual TB4 type C connectors. It would overlap with air. Maybe call it Macbook Helium! 😀
isn't that basically just the 13" macbook air, but cheaper and thinner?
I think a ‘fan with vent support’ means a fan that has the support of external vents. If he just said ‘a fan with vents’, that may sound like the vents were somehow incorporated in the fan. Basically not having a fan meant it didn’t need the support of vents. That’s how I see it anyhow. :-). I think if they went to that size today, it would be a folding screen with keyboard / trackpad on the lower half of the screen and the main screen on the upper half.
I have a 2017 version of these. It was great until recently where I’ve been running way way over it’s computing capacity, and bearing 1000 charging cycles. I moved to an m2 max MacBook Pro, which is just so much better, I can actually run stuff and use it off battery power! And unlike most people in the comments I prefer to have a little heft and more screen space, 2 inches was a huge difference when I first got it
I am on a 2017 15" Macbook pro with the 2.9ghz quad core i7 i love the laptop the butterfly keyboard helps me type faster and more precisely the touch bar is very useful in cases of CAD video editing and word and i love the speaker quality, the usb-c have taken a bit of time but now i find them much faster to drop files onto sticks and dongles aren't actually that bad to carry around
Got this laptop back in early 2016 in rose gold and been using it since. Lasted through all my years of education and even now, in university, I still do my work on it with ease. The battery has significantly aged, that is for sure, but even then the processing speed is not a problem for me. As I don't work on intensive programs all that much.
I never minded the keyboard with the new butterfly mechanism. I do prefer higher keys but that I can live without. Other than the aged battery, everything about it is still very good. Was definitely made to last and it very much has done that. Although I do plan to upgrade eventually for the sake of a new battery and a better chip which brings efficiency alongside it. Not sure when apple plans to release the next set of chips but that is when I'm out to the store to get one. But I won't forget the time I've had with this 12" MacBook.
Edit: Forgot to mention but as of last year, my laptop no longer supports the latest MacOS updates. Which is unfortunate, since Ventura had some features I could really use. So this adds to the drive of wanting to upgrade.
I still have one, but the screen doesn't work properly. It's too expensive to replace considering the price of second hand units. Bummer.
I used to love that MacBook. Portable enough and good enough for web backend development which was my job back those days. Keyboard was fine, mine never had any issues. However, when youtube introduced 4k and compression requiring more intensive processing, its lack of power started showing. Honestly, M1 Air was a terrific replacement and I haven't looked back ever since.
If that had the a16 bionic chip and it cost less than the air it would sell very well