This is another long review, but I hope some people will get something useful out of it. Thank you for watching! Here are some timecodes for your convenience. (These may also be found in the description.) ••• Chapters • 0:06 Introduction • 1:27 Tech Specs, Configuration Tiers, and Pricing • 2:47 Assessment of the CPUs • 3:24 RAM & Storage • 3:36 Drive Speeds • 4:03 Battery Life & Charging Times • 5:05 Thermals • 5:38 Ports • 6:27 Display • 7:07 Display: Outdoor Visibility Against Harsh Sunlight • 7:15 Display: Flex and Letterboxing • 7:42 Speakers • 8:21 Keyboard • 9:14 Keyboard: The Butterfly Switches vs. Dust • 9:55 Trackpad • 10:44 Webcam and Microphone • 11:00 Final Assessment (Pt. 1): What you NEED TO KNOW AND REALIZE about this laptop!! • 12:04 Final Assessment (Pt. 2): What you SHOULD NOT DO on this laptop!! • 12:23 Final Assessment (Pt. 3): So, what is the 12" MacBook good for?? • 12:56 Extra: Drawing • 13:22 Extra: Photographers / Color Grading Photos • 14:03 Extra: Programming • 14:36 Extra: Student Work • 14:46 Final Assessment (Pt. 4): "If you thought the MacBook Air felt like air, you really haven't felt this guy yet."
MegaVoltz hey I’m thinking of getting a used one on eBay, is it reliable? Cuz I nvr bought anything from it, it would be great if u can reply to me! Thank you
@@julianw9678 I wouldn't recommend it if you do a lot with your laptop, the CPU does let it down a fair bit, and the first generation butterfly keyboard are pretty notorious for failing when dust gets inside (although Apple's replacement program is fairly cheap it could be pretty annoying depending on your luck). If you just need a cheap MacBook with a nice screen for light use, I'd say it's reliable enough. I'm not buying it myself because I need a bigger laptop with more key travel so I'll probably grab a 2015 MBA for around $380. Do keep in mind it only has a single USB C port, and if that gets damaged repairs can get pricey. Also you will need to shell out a decent amount of cash for adapters if you want to be able to use normal USB accessories, plug in a monitor or TV, or do anything else while charging period. If you have a bit more to spend I'd probably recommend the 13" MBP used on eBay for around $7-800 but it's honestly up to you :)
@@julianw9678 I buy from eBay all the time, just study the sellers feedback. You have 30 days to return it, even if they say no returns, and you are protected by Paypal
@@KAriedoll They definitely gonna bring the machine back, Apple analysts say that the MacBook will come back with an Apple ARM CPU. I feel like the MacBook is always some sort of "start of the next generation of Apple notebooks". Like, the previous 12 inch MacBook introduced the ultra-thin design and USB-C. This one is probably gonna introduce ARM, which will later be standard on all Mac notebooks.
Trump 2020 Hey the chances for getting issues with the keyboard ”butterfly” is pretty high but you can prevent the problem by buying a cover for the keyboard to protect dust coming in to the keyboard. And I recommend to not have to much pressure when typing.
Chairul Dewantoro It depends on what you will use it for I was about to buy this mac but instead I switched to the ”Macbook Pro 13/ touchbar”. I'm not sure about this but I heard from someone that this MacBook retina 12 doesn't last as long than other macs and sometimes gets the performance slower.
NorwegianProject 737 well i'll save for the pros i guess. I dont need "speed" that much but i wont spent $1000 for a short living machine. Thanks for your info bro
It is the perfect laptop. One of those products i enjoy using whenever i have my hands on it. I dont understand the speed complaints people have: i run photoshop on it without a problem. Probably would be a bad idea to render video but that is not what this device was designed for. The only full powered laptop with a fullsize keyboard i can throw in my bag without feeling its weight or size. And battery lasts forever.
One of the best reviews about this computer, which is so misunderstood and neglected. I just bought one in 2021 and it is still good, I am really impressed and I kinda like the keyboard too.
I've owned the 2015 and 2016, and I am picking up a 2017. I've used it as a first computer, but currently have one as a satellite to my 2015 15" MBP. The MB12 will do much more than people give it credit for. I've done video editing, audio editing, Python coding, all the usual Office suite stuff, and mine never throttled (mine were all m5 models; the m7 does seem to throttle fairly readily). It is a gem of an ultrabook. I travel, and it gives me a lot of capability for very little space and weight.
I’ve still got mine. In the higher spec versions and with later butterfly keyboards, it’s a pretty decent machine for light use. And it’s so light and elegant. And quiet, given that it was designed to be fanless. I’ll probably move on to the magic keyboards and new M1 chips at some point, but I’ll likely hang onto this for when I don’t want to drag around a bigger and heavier machine. A nicer machine than it was given credit for, especially because it was pretty expensive as you went for the higher spec versions.
This is an excellent review and summary. I have a feeling tons of people will view this for reference now that it is discontinued and most likely on clearance. Excellent job. and Thank you
Perfect for students. Great for reading, writing, and light editing. In early 2019 I bought a maxed out MacBook with the i7, 16 gb ram, and 512gb SSD. For what I use it for, it's amazing. And to non-computer geeks, it's probably faster than their computers anyway. Really, it plays games like WoW, Fortnite, and lite games fairly well, with 40-60 fps at low to medium graphics.
Thank you very much for sharing .... Shame they discontinued them. I just love these 12 inch ones so much that I have not yet upgraded to the 13 inch yet .
At $1300 this doesn't make a lot of sense, but for $600 used on eBay with AppleCare remaining this is a great deal. I've been using it for a few weeks now and haven't run into any power bottlenecks. Fantastic secondary machine.
Park Soo-Kim found a late 2017 model 256gb gold 20 battery cycle for 800 at a local pawn shop they said they would take 7 out the door should I go back for it ? It would be a replacing an old 2013 dell
watching this video on my early '15 Core M1 1.1ghz processor MacBook. Done some light video editing on it before using iMovie, have Chrome and Safari open with many tabs while watching 1080p RUclips videos. Not too slow but battery drains quick though. I believe next month will be the 5 year anniversary!
heatism I just bought this exact model/version for $400 on Ebay. Battery has been replaced and has less than 10 cycles. I feel this is a steal. This would be my secondary computer for web browsing or video watching. Receiving it at the end of the week. Can't wait.
@@panagioths_gnk yes you can, using iMovie, haven't dabbled with Final Cut Pro or some other heavy duty video editors but wouldn't see why it couldn't do it. Just that it will render and export really slow. Typing on this now, 2015 MacBook 12 inch 1.1ghz while updating apps in the background and listening to amazon music in its dedicated apps. 8 gigs ram goes a long way on this lil thing
Excellent review. In depth, easy to listen to and smooth background music. I was a little curious to hear about the integrated graphics chip. I'm assuming with the lame USB port you can't connect to an external display either.
Looks like I'm wrong about the external display: everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook/macbook-retina-faq/macbook-retina-processor-ram-storage-upgrades.html#external_storage
@@baldclub Sounds like you answered your own question! Also, in case you ever need this, I typed up some really basic video-out properties at 6:07. It might be good to know when connecting to external displays. Thank you for checking out my review! :)
I use one of these 12” machines (the base model from 2016) as my one and only computer. Love it! I’m not exactly editing 8K video, so this does everything I need. The single best feature: Silent operation, thanks to a fanless design. You just don’t know how nice that is, until you have one. What Apple SHOULD do is bring this back under the "MacBook Air” branding, as a successor to the old 11.6” MacBook Air.
I totally agree with you. It's a great secondary computer. For a long time I have used it to work on an iOS app. I also owned a 15'' Macbook Pro, but found myself working on the 12'' most of the time. The portability is unmatched (an iPad wouldn't cut it for software development). The trick is to use some synchronization software (I use Resilio-Sync), so you can effortlessly switch to your other computer at any time, and pick up where you left off. This little computer is my mobile office, and I take it with me everywhere I go. I also own an M1 Macbook Air now, but it's not as portable. If only Apple would resurrect the 12'' and put an M-series chip inside...!
Finally a review worth watching, I have been looking to replace my mbp 2011 with ssd and 10gig of ram that my kids took for a swim the other day. My usage is exactly as yours with light work on illustrator, photoshop filmora some WP development and just browsing. I am getting almost new 2017 base model with only 7 battery cycle.
Thats a good deal. i have 2015 model but the battery is dying so bought the last i7 with 16gb ram for 990 on newegg couple of days ago. Cannot wait for it to arrive
How? I feel like the prices shot up. I currently have the 2015 model and I was considering buying the 2017 upgraded to max specs so I could enjoy the form factor for a couple more years, but the price range is $1300 for used to the point that the battery needs replacing
Just bought a 2015 base model on Ebay for $400. Battery has been changed and has less than 10 cycles. I would mainly use it for Web browsing and watching videos on YT or movies. Hopefully it's enough but I feel this was a still. My other option was to get an iPad mini (regular one is too big) which is also $400. I have another more powerful laptop so that one would be my travel companion or when I chill in bed. Oh it's the good one which I think looks super nice!
Sexiest Mac ever, i bought mine few months ago with only 5 battery cycles. I extensively use it for graphics XD, Illustrator, Photoshop video editing with 20 plus tabs open and it doesnt skip a beat. Certainly a Greatly Misunderstood machine.
@@bigdisme5622 As far as i know that's completely false, they all have more cores and better gpu performance idk abt cpu but i bet that that is also a lot better
It was my first MacBook, a relative advised me to get the MacBook Air, but I wanted that slim gorgeous design no matter what. Everyone complained it was slow, but it was lightyears faster than my old Windows laptop. Back then I used mostly for Microsoft Office and it was great. It started to feel slow when I got into video editing and Xcode. Now, thanks to my work on software dev, I have a 16” MBP but would like to recover my beloved 12” treasure.
Thank you for this. I have always wanted this laptop, even if its for a collector's. However, the 2nd gen butterfly keyboard has me uncomfortable and more so , the price is out through the roof even now. But this little thing sure is a cutie.
I don’t care so much for the synthetic performance but it feels fast in everyday tasks. I bought mine especially for the fanless-nes AND the awesome design. I think it’s the most beautiful machine, I’ve ever owned.
Here in 2024 and I feel like Apple is still missing this gap. Apple needs to do a new one of these with the M4 chip and a new iMac Pro with a Max chip.
There is another 12" MacBook, the 1.4 Ghz i7. I got the 2017 1.4Ghz i7, 500 SSD & 16gig ram. Just used for basic stuff & love it, very light weight. Mine charges much faster than you mention with the 29w charger. Not sure how long. Also have a power bank to plug in which extends battery time without charging to home power.
I just purchased one of these 2 weeks ago it’s the 2017 high specked version Rose Gold with only 15 charging cycles on it.I love 💕 it I wanted a small computer for school and this works fine…..I wish Tim Apple would make another 12 inch MacBook….To each it’s own
The MacBook 12 2017 is my main computer. It's great for Photoscape X and any daily tasks, including web browsing, which I do with two browsers all the time: Firefox and Brave. I have no problems at all; everything feels very fast. Sometimes, I use the two browsers simultaneously with no issues. I also always have Pages open and never close it. I really think the webcam is really bad, but as you say, it's there. The speakers are amazing, and unlike you, I love the keyboard! It's so comfortable to write with!
The way I see it, if Apple had the price significantly lower, it could have maybe been a Chromebook competitor. Apple could still revive it as a “MacBook Mini” or something, reduce the price, and maybe it could compete with ChromeBooks.
I purchased a 2015 space gray, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD model for pennies on the dollar earlier this year on ebay. It came with a new battery and recent keyboard replacement by Apple. I have not encountered any problems. It is not my primary computing device.
I have this mac, bought it for coding assignments for school, and the biggest issue with this mac is not about its CPU, graphic card but it is fanless. Without the fan it is so easy to over heat the mac while using it which can become annoying.
Hey, really apprieciate the quality content. I'm an engineering student and I do a lot of programming, web browsing and writing long essays. I am wondering if its a good idea to purchase this 12inch MacBook as my main laptop. Im thinking of switching from windows to Mac, this model is on a clearance sale and it is the cheapest Mac I can get atm.
This is a very interesting device, definitely the best looking Macbook out there. Very small, very minimal ports, even the keyboard doesn't have bezels. And I think this laptop doesn't serve any purpose effectively, it's too small to be an entertainment device, and it's not powerful enough to be a work machine. But I still want to own it, it's still a lovable device that I would use often just to admire how it looks and how it feels. If only it wasn't expensive, I surely would buy it.
Have been using this laptop for a year. I think this laptop is better than purchasing the iPad Pro for my master degree. I could use one note, page those free apps for taking note. I think this note-taking method is more effective than using the Apple Pencil.
Hello, I am a medical student. I usually need to open 5 PDF, with more than 200 pages and 5 ppt with more than 300 pages at the same time. Do not deal with video and audio, but usually repair the picture. With iPad and iPhone, in hand, it doesn't feel good to interact with Windows. Now that there are not enough split-screen pages, a 12-inch MacBook can get it? Thank you
The 12" MB Retina (early 2015) is the only MAC I've ever owned (won it in a raffle!). It was definitely a learning curve but I love it...until the battery died and it's out of warranty. The price of battery replacement ($400+) is definitely not worth changing it out so hopefully, the plug-in version will continue to work for as long as..I dunno...forever!
This video is the most in depth info on the last MacBook. It’s a beautiful l as laptop that might have a few flaws for being small. I’m tossing between this 12” and a 13”? And it’s been months using my older mbp
Hi E.J. Yu, this is an awesome review, however, my 12" MacBook frequently gets up to 67ºC or 152.6ºF, which is lap burning temperature. Does yours ever get that hot?
Hello! My apologies for the late reply. My 12" MacBook doesn't get hot when it's undergoing light usage. Sometimes it'll get pretty warm, but not like... hot enough to the point where I can notice it. However, when it's under load and the temperatures rise up quite a bit, mine can get pretty ridiculous (approx. 51°C). Not as ridiculous as 67°C though. If it's getting that hot with light usage, you might want to get that checked out. This laptop doesn't have the best thermals, but mine don't reach lap-burning temperature, and I still use my 12" MacBook regularly.
Got a deal for brand new 2017 i5 8G 512GB for about $800 (only Gold and Silver). Should I go for it? I am using macbook air 11" i7 from 2014. It is still a beast but display is not on par with current gen and its battery now is 70%.
I just bought a X1 Carbon 14 inch with 2k QHD Screen, i7 8650u, 16gb, 512gb ssd. It would literally blow this Macbook away in EVERY aspect and the same price, paid 800.
Very well spoken review. Just bought the used version of this one couple days ago. And I kinda worried too about dust getting into the keyboard. Any tips for minimize that?
got it in 2016 still running had to replace the battery and now the screen is showing dead pixels and KLIO and escape key wont work .... its on life support but it does basic tasks like social media hope I can squeeze another 2 years from it... ilove the design so much that I don't wish to throw it away
The thinnest notebook I think Apple will ever make, now they are going back to a thicker more functional design which I love. I mean this design was really goofy with the butterfly keyboard, and the one USB-C port. Just one port! Of course there was a headphone jack on the other side, but if the Butterfly keyboard design worked this would have been the best school laptop ever
I primarily bought this for writing essays, a bit of music and Netflix and backing up some data to it. Seems like a good enough for £450 on a 2016 MacBook. I have a MacBook Pro 12” 2019 but need something easy to carry around
This computer line had potential but compromised too much. A single UBS port and that butterfly keyboard were major points of failure they didn't need.
I just picked up mine 12 inch 8gb 256 ssd m3 with the keys replaced and battery replace under apple recall for $500 I could not believe the price when I heard brand new at $1200 it’s my first MacBook so to me it’s a beast as I just use it for safari and word mostly 95% of the time.
Just found a late 2017 gold 256g for 800 at a pawn shop in pristine condition only 20 battery cycle said they would take 700 out the door should I go back for it ?
Apple is rumored to release a newer model at the end of this year with an a14x custom chip, scissor switch keyboard or a next gen butterfly keyboard, touch id , hd web cam, same display, 20hr battery, newer ram, faster ssd all for 800dollars
This A1534 Model so far is my FAVORITE in terms of performance and beautiful design. It’s the lightest and pettiest of all Macs. Unfortunately, I have it for 9 years and the battery replacement is needed. I have a hard time finding a 14.5V battery to replace. Tons of places on the internet sell only 7.55V battery. Wonder why they don’t have a 14.5V battery for such replacement. Does anyone know where can I get a 14.5V battery for this A1534 model?
The best looking MacBook, I really hope that apple will relaunch this one with Apple Silicon M1 or M2 chip on it, then they can sell it with MacBook SE
I've just stumbled across this video I have this Macbook (2017) at the lowest tier I love it! It can run Photoshop and InDesign both at the same time. But now im looking to upgrade :)
honeymilk It’s a great little MacBook I’ve never had an experience of it overheating if you’re going to buy one they are relatively cheap but you could wait and see when Apple silicon will be like ☺️
Can you please tell me could this laptop handle, 2D pixel animation(aseprite) , 2D light game design (godot). I already have a good PC as my main computer. I need something to bring with me when I’m at my dorm room/college while I use my PC at home. I already have an iPad Air 2019 but it doesn’t have any software I require so I only use it for note taking.
I have the mid range 2015 one and love it, works well for me, to remote shoot photos though I use my sufrace 3 as no dongles needed and can edit pics on that too, gtrat these for home use but more of a work horse is the surface 3, this wins on looks but productivity the suface wins by a mile.
Hey just wanna ask, someone offered me his 2015 macbook (base model, 1.1 ghz ) is it worth to buy for 2019? Im a law student btw. Love your videos btw, subscribed!
Chairul Dewantoro I’m an illustrator , and still using 2012 macbook pro (and an ipad for sketching). Considering that you’re a law student, I think 2015 macbook still worth to buy.
Chairul Dewantoro I think 2015 macbook is is for light use only, photo editing is okay but it’s gonna be struggling when you use it as video editing machine. If you have extra cash, go for the new 2018 macbook air. (I want to buy that one as an upgrade from my current setup), the other alternative is 2017 macbook pro, my brother has that one, still runs pretty well and the price is quite lower now. Your welcome btw. 😄
Should I upgrade to one here are my current specs MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2014) 1.4 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 4 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 Intel HD Graphics 5000 1536 MB and btw the one I am looking at getting is a m3 model
*_Hello, EJ. What's up?! I think God really put this video of yours onto my main RUclips page upon opening since this is the one I've been looking for. Only yesterday, I saw this MacBook ON SALE in a local market where I currently am. And the price alone made me WANT IT that much... since it was the very same reason I found it impractical to begin with. I've been a Mac user all my life (iBook G4 era) and only new to Windows (10). I have tech galore scattered around the house and I think it's time for me to downsize and streamline and get this MacBook. And, yeah, I will get the Rose Gold of this to envy my Wife. I'll sure she'll beg me to swap her MBA with this Rose Gold MB. LOL. BTW, I work in the office and the hardest/toughest workload I give to any device is RUclips and Netflix (seriously)._*
I want one so bad, very affordable on eBay, but logically I can’t. This computer does only basic tasks, and an 11 inch iPad with a keyboard effectively does everything this one does, and more, and better. Unless there is a specific MacOs program, the iPad is better in every way. But on pure emotion I want this
This is another long review, but I hope some people will get something useful out of it. Thank you for watching!
Here are some timecodes for your convenience. (These may also be found in the description.)
•••
Chapters
• 0:06 Introduction
• 1:27 Tech Specs, Configuration Tiers, and Pricing
• 2:47 Assessment of the CPUs
• 3:24 RAM & Storage
• 3:36 Drive Speeds
• 4:03 Battery Life & Charging Times
• 5:05 Thermals
• 5:38 Ports
• 6:27 Display
• 7:07 Display: Outdoor Visibility Against Harsh Sunlight
• 7:15 Display: Flex and Letterboxing
• 7:42 Speakers
• 8:21 Keyboard
• 9:14 Keyboard: The Butterfly Switches vs. Dust
• 9:55 Trackpad
• 10:44 Webcam and Microphone
• 11:00 Final Assessment (Pt. 1): What you NEED TO KNOW AND REALIZE about this laptop!!
• 12:04 Final Assessment (Pt. 2): What you SHOULD NOT DO on this laptop!!
• 12:23 Final Assessment (Pt. 3): So, what is the 12" MacBook good for??
• 12:56 Extra: Drawing
• 13:22 Extra: Photographers / Color Grading Photos
• 14:03 Extra: Programming
• 14:36 Extra: Student Work
• 14:46 Final Assessment (Pt. 4): "If you thought the MacBook Air felt like air, you really haven't felt this guy yet."
Thank you for the video. I just purchased this mode. Still the lightest of all MacBooks as of 2023. :)
i got the first gen butterfly keyboard on my 2015 12 inch macbook
The best looking Macbook. I loved everything about it except for the price.
Qacc6 Same
It's now below $500 on ebay
MegaVoltz hey I’m thinking of getting a used one on eBay, is it reliable? Cuz I nvr bought anything from it, it would be great if u can reply to me! Thank you
@@julianw9678 I wouldn't recommend it if you do a lot with your laptop, the CPU does let it down a fair bit, and the first generation butterfly keyboard are pretty notorious for failing when dust gets inside (although Apple's replacement program is fairly cheap it could be pretty annoying depending on your luck).
If you just need a cheap MacBook with a nice screen for light use, I'd say it's reliable enough. I'm not buying it myself because I need a bigger laptop with more key travel so I'll probably grab a 2015 MBA for around $380.
Do keep in mind it only has a single USB C port, and if that gets damaged repairs can get pricey. Also you will need to shell out a decent amount of cash for adapters if you want to be able to use normal USB accessories, plug in a monitor or TV, or do anything else while charging period.
If you have a bit more to spend I'd probably recommend the 13" MBP used on eBay for around $7-800 but it's honestly up to you :)
@@julianw9678 I buy from eBay all the time, just study the sellers feedback. You have 30 days to return it, even if they say no returns, and you are protected by Paypal
I think it was the most beautiful laptop ever made by Apple!
So sad they canceled it (for now...) I think it will come back as an A13 type chip... I love love love the form factor.
Yes! You're the only other person I've heard say that, but I think it would be the perfect laptop to start bringing their A-series chips into PC use.
They released a 16 inch version...
Sad that Apple canceled it. A13 chip would perform quite well. But I’m not sure if Mac OS supports ARM.
I hope they bring it back too, but that price has to go...
@@KAriedoll They definitely gonna bring the machine back, Apple analysts say that the MacBook will come back with an Apple ARM CPU.
I feel like the MacBook is always some sort of "start of the next generation of Apple notebooks". Like, the previous 12 inch MacBook introduced the ultra-thin design and USB-C. This one is probably gonna introduce ARM, which will later be standard on all Mac notebooks.
I feel like the MacBook could've been a huge succes, if the price had been lower
yeah if it would've been $700 or $800 it probably would've been a best seller since it would compete with chromebooks or other cheap notebooks
And a few extra usbc ports and I wouldn't mind it being a bit thicker with a core i3 or something
@@ll-jq6nu Core m3 is basically a stripped down version of Core i3
Maybe its $700 - $800 (or even lower - especially on third party sites like Amazon or Ebay) now in 2021.
watching this on a 12" mac, perfect for travelers
How about the performance sir?
Trump 2020 Hey the chances for getting issues with the keyboard ”butterfly” is pretty high but you can prevent the problem by buying a cover for the keyboard to protect dust coming in to the keyboard. And I recommend to not have to much pressure when typing.
Chairul Dewantoro It depends on what you will use it for I was about to buy this mac but instead I switched to the ”Macbook Pro 13/ touchbar”.
I'm not sure about this but I heard from someone that this MacBook retina 12 doesn't last as long than other macs and sometimes gets the performance slower.
NorwegianProject 737 well i'll save for the pros i guess. I dont need "speed" that much but i wont spent $1000 for a short living machine. Thanks for your info bro
Chairul Dewantoro You're welcome, I'm here for help😉
It is the perfect laptop. One of those products i enjoy using whenever i have my hands on it. I dont understand the speed complaints people have: i run photoshop on it without a problem. Probably would be a bad idea to render video but that is not what this device was designed for. The only full powered laptop with a fullsize keyboard i can throw in my bag without feeling its weight or size. And battery lasts forever.
Chris how did you connect your Wacom ? Or you use wireless ?
One of the best reviews about this computer, which is so misunderstood and neglected. I just bought one in 2021 and it is still good, I am really impressed and I kinda like the keyboard too.
I've owned the 2015 and 2016, and I am picking up a 2017. I've used it as a first computer, but currently have one as a satellite to my 2015 15" MBP. The MB12 will do much more than people give it credit for. I've done video editing, audio editing, Python coding, all the usual Office suite stuff, and mine never throttled (mine were all m5 models; the m7 does seem to throttle fairly readily). It is a gem of an ultrabook. I travel, and it gives me a lot of capability for very little space and weight.
I’ve still got mine. In the higher spec versions and with later butterfly keyboards, it’s a pretty decent machine for light use. And it’s so light and elegant. And quiet, given that it was designed to be fanless. I’ll probably move on to the magic keyboards and new M1 chips at some point, but I’ll likely hang onto this for when I don’t want to drag around a bigger and heavier machine.
A nicer machine than it was given credit for, especially because it was pretty expensive as you went for the higher spec versions.
what’s ur core processor?
So fresh to see such a high quality review. Keep up the good work!
This is an excellent review and summary. I have a feeling tons of people will view this for reference now that it is discontinued and most likely on clearance. Excellent job. and Thank you
Actually video editing on this is pretty awesome, way better than expected
I hope Apple will bring this back. With the M1 and the magic keyboard at the same price as MB air entry level. A slightly thicker? I don't mind.
Perfect for students. Great for reading, writing, and light editing. In early 2019 I bought a maxed out MacBook with the i7, 16 gb ram, and 512gb SSD. For what I use it for, it's amazing. And to non-computer geeks, it's probably faster than their computers anyway. Really, it plays games like WoW, Fortnite, and lite games fairly well, with 40-60 fps at low to medium graphics.
I just bought one last week for university .
Hope you like it, I love mine.
Stephen Boyd yes I love it! 😆
Trump 2020 hey, I’m not too sure because I haven’t updated it yet to that one. Sorry I couldn’t help with that xx
@@Debbi.O Mine is.
one of the most well-done reviews for this macbook! thank you
Thank you very much for sharing .... Shame they discontinued them. I just love these 12 inch ones so much that I have not yet upgraded to the 13 inch yet .
At $1300 this doesn't make a lot of sense, but for $600 used on eBay with AppleCare remaining this is a great deal. I've been using it for a few weeks now and haven't run into any power bottlenecks. Fantastic secondary machine.
Park Soo-Kim found a late 2017 model 256gb gold 20 battery cycle for 800 at a local pawn shop they said they would take 7 out the door should I go back for it ? It would be a replacing an old 2013 dell
Sweet find
LOUD GAMING _4K If they offer some kind of warranty sure. On eBay the going rate seems to be 600.
watching this video on my early '15 Core M1 1.1ghz processor MacBook. Done some light video editing on it before using iMovie, have Chrome and Safari open with many tabs while watching 1080p RUclips videos. Not too slow but battery drains quick though. I believe next month will be the 5 year anniversary!
heatism I just bought this exact model/version for $400 on Ebay. Battery has been replaced and has less than 10 cycles. I feel this is a steal. This would be my secondary computer for web browsing or video watching. Receiving it at the end of the week. Can't wait.
Wait you can edit videos on this thing?????
@@panagioths_gnk yes you can, using iMovie, haven't dabbled with Final Cut Pro or some other heavy duty video editors but wouldn't see why it couldn't do it. Just that it will render and export really slow.
Typing on this now, 2015 MacBook 12 inch 1.1ghz while updating apps in the background and listening to amazon music in its dedicated apps. 8 gigs ram goes a long way on this lil thing
now i sold the 12" and got myself the 16" beast, go figure!
heatism Nice! What year did you get?
Excellent review. In depth, easy to listen to and smooth background music. I was a little curious to hear about the integrated graphics chip. I'm assuming with the lame USB port you can't connect to an external display either.
Looks like I'm wrong about the external display: everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook/macbook-retina-faq/macbook-retina-processor-ram-storage-upgrades.html#external_storage
@@baldclub Sounds like you answered your own question! Also, in case you ever need this, I typed up some really basic video-out properties at 6:07. It might be good to know when connecting to external displays.
Thank you for checking out my review! :)
I use one of these 12” machines (the base model from 2016) as my one and only computer. Love it! I’m not exactly editing 8K video, so this does everything I need. The single best feature: Silent operation, thanks to a fanless design. You just don’t know how nice that is, until you have one.
What Apple SHOULD do is bring this back under the "MacBook Air” branding, as a successor to the old 11.6” MacBook Air.
I totally agree with you. It's a great secondary computer. For a long time I have used it to work on an iOS app. I also owned a 15'' Macbook Pro, but found myself working on the 12'' most of the time. The portability is unmatched (an iPad wouldn't cut it for software development). The trick is to use some synchronization software (I use Resilio-Sync), so you can effortlessly switch to your other computer at any time, and pick up where you left off. This little computer is my mobile office, and I take it with me everywhere I go. I also own an M1 Macbook Air now, but it's not as portable. If only Apple would resurrect the 12'' and put an M-series chip inside...!
Imagine the M1 chip into this chassis
Imagine M3…
@@devilheicM4? They need to do it. I would buy it immediately.
@@thisissupposed indeed
Finally a review worth watching, I have been looking to replace my mbp 2011 with ssd and 10gig of ram that my kids took for a swim the other day. My usage is exactly as yours with light work on illustrator, photoshop filmora some WP development and just browsing. I am getting almost new 2017 base model with only 7 battery cycle.
Just got the 2017 top of the line model for 650 on eBay, definitely worth it.
I got the top of the line 2016 model for 650 brand new on eBay back in august.
Thats a good deal. i have 2015 model but the battery is dying so bought the last i7 with 16gb ram for 990 on newegg couple of days ago. Cannot wait for it to arrive
Kenneth Lam do you like it I’m not sure if I should buy a MacBook
How? I feel like the prices shot up. I currently have the 2015 model and I was considering buying the 2017 upgraded to max specs so I could enjoy the form factor for a couple more years, but the price range is $1300 for used to the point that the battery needs replacing
got mine for $580 on mercari
Insanely quality review. I’ll take one
Just bought a 2015 base model on Ebay for $400. Battery has been changed and has less than 10 cycles. I would mainly use it for Web browsing and watching videos on YT or movies. Hopefully it's enough but I feel this was a still. My other option was to get an iPad mini (regular one is too big) which is also $400. I have another more powerful laptop so that one would be my travel companion or when I chill in bed. Oh it's the good one which I think looks super nice!
I love mine. I got my with Core i7 and 16GB of ram. Brought it new 2018 and so glad I brought it. Good video
Sexiest Mac ever, i bought mine few months ago with only 5 battery cycles. I extensively use it for graphics XD, Illustrator, Photoshop video editing with 20 plus tabs open and it doesnt skip a beat. Certainly a Greatly Misunderstood machine.
imagine it reviving with A series chips from iphone just like ipad airs and having cellular. it would make total sense and i’d get it from day 1
i got one of this type last year, really good and love the minimalist look
@@jerryx2000 sometimes when i tried to edit a video or open heavy apps, but i think its normal. the rest of it is great
Great review! I’m Getting this laptop tomorrow as a sexy back up! It will look good next to his big brother the MacBook Pro!
Apple literally throws the word Pro on anything they can sell for a premium price with half the performance.
@@bigdisme5622 As far as i know that's completely false, they all have more cores and better gpu performance idk abt cpu but i bet that that is also a lot better
It was my first MacBook, a relative advised me to get the MacBook Air, but I wanted that slim gorgeous design no matter what. Everyone complained it was slow, but it was lightyears faster than my old Windows laptop. Back then I used mostly for Microsoft Office and it was great. It started to feel slow when I got into video editing and Xcode. Now, thanks to my work on software dev, I have a 16” MBP but would like to recover my beloved 12” treasure.
Awesome, very smooth animation 🥺
Recently got my own 12 inch 2015 MacBook for about $500 so worth it!
The pricing of these on the used market arguably makes them more enticing machines than when they were new.
Very well made review! Thank you for sharing it!
Sure thing! Thank you too for checking it out! :)
Thank you for this. I have always wanted this laptop, even if its for a collector's. However, the 2nd gen butterfly keyboard has me uncomfortable and more so , the price is out through the roof even now. But this little thing sure is a cutie.
I don’t care so much for the synthetic performance but it feels fast in everyday tasks. I bought mine especially for the fanless-nes AND the awesome design. I think it’s the most beautiful machine, I’ve ever owned.
Here in 2024 and I feel like Apple is still missing this gap. Apple needs to do a new one of these with the M4 chip and a new iMac Pro with a Max chip.
I have the high end Macbook, I won't get any MacBook Pro as I HATE the fans noise ! maybe with A13 Bionic ? CANT WAIT FOR ITS RETURN.
There is another 12" MacBook, the 1.4 Ghz i7. I got the 2017 1.4Ghz i7, 500 SSD & 16gig ram. Just used for basic stuff & love it, very light weight. Mine charges much faster than you mention with the 29w charger. Not sure how long. Also have a power bank to plug in which extends battery time without charging to home power.
I just purchased one of these 2 weeks ago it’s the 2017 high specked version Rose Gold with only 15 charging cycles on it.I love 💕 it I wanted a small computer for school and this works fine…..I wish Tim Apple would make another 12 inch MacBook….To each it’s own
Tim Apple, I see you voted for Trump
@@thegeneral7975 Actually I have never Voted not even registered….My husband voted for Trump though….
The MacBook 12 2017 is my main computer. It's great for Photoscape X and any daily tasks, including web browsing, which I do with two browsers all the time: Firefox and Brave. I have no problems at all; everything feels very fast. Sometimes, I use the two browsers simultaneously with no issues. I also always have Pages open and never close it. I really think the webcam is really bad, but as you say, it's there. The speakers are amazing, and unlike you, I love the keyboard! It's so comfortable to write with!
The way I see it, if Apple had the price significantly lower, it could have maybe been a Chromebook competitor. Apple could still revive it as a “MacBook Mini” or something, reduce the price, and maybe it could compete with ChromeBooks.
Imagine Apple releasing a 12-inch MacBook with 2 USB-C ports and Magic Keyboard, basically a baby MacBook Air.
I purchased a 2015 space gray, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD model for pennies on the dollar earlier this year on ebay. It came with a new battery and recent keyboard replacement by Apple. I have not encountered any problems. It is not my primary computing device.
I have this mac, bought it for coding assignments for school, and the biggest issue with this mac is not about its CPU, graphic card but it is fanless. Without the fan it is so easy to over heat the mac while using it which can become annoying.
I am planning on getting this laptop for coding and programming in 2023. Please should I get it ?
@@manuelwestgo with Air
Hey, really apprieciate the quality content. I'm an engineering student and I do a lot of programming, web browsing and writing long essays. I am wondering if its a good idea to purchase this 12inch MacBook as my main laptop. Im thinking of switching from windows to Mac, this model is on a clearance sale and it is the cheapest Mac I can get atm.
hard same. Did you get bought it?
@@dainishsamanthasantos3493 Yep Ive been using it everyday ever since I got it.
This is a very interesting device, definitely the best looking Macbook out there. Very small, very minimal ports, even the keyboard doesn't have bezels. And I think this laptop doesn't serve any purpose effectively, it's too small to be an entertainment device, and it's not powerful enough to be a work machine. But I still want to own it, it's still a lovable device that I would use often just to admire how it looks and how it feels. If only it wasn't expensive, I surely would buy it.
Have been using this laptop for a year. I think this laptop is better than purchasing the iPad Pro for my master degree. I could use one note, page those free apps for taking note. I think this note-taking method is more effective than using the Apple Pencil.
I’m loving this one 🔥🔥🔥 gonna keep it for another 4 years
Hello, I am a medical student. I usually need to open 5 PDF, with more than 200 pages and 5 ppt with more than 300 pages at the same time. Do not deal with video and audio, but usually repair the picture. With iPad and iPhone, in hand, it doesn't feel good to interact with Windows. Now that there are not enough split-screen pages, a 12-inch MacBook can get it? Thank you
The 12" MB Retina (early 2015) is the only MAC I've ever owned (won it in a raffle!). It was definitely a learning curve but I love it...until the battery died and it's out of warranty. The price of battery replacement ($400+) is definitely not worth changing it out so hopefully, the plug-in version will continue to work for as long as..I dunno...forever!
This video is the most in depth info on the last MacBook. It’s a beautiful l as laptop that might have a few flaws for being small. I’m tossing between this 12” and a 13”? And it’s been months using my older mbp
Hi E.J. Yu, this is an awesome review, however, my 12" MacBook frequently gets up to 67ºC or 152.6ºF, which is lap burning temperature. Does yours ever get that hot?
Hello! My apologies for the late reply.
My 12" MacBook doesn't get hot when it's undergoing light usage. Sometimes it'll get pretty warm, but not like... hot enough to the point where I can notice it. However, when it's under load and the temperatures rise up quite a bit, mine can get pretty ridiculous (approx. 51°C). Not as ridiculous as 67°C though. If it's getting that hot with light usage, you might want to get that checked out. This laptop doesn't have the best thermals, but mine don't reach lap-burning temperature, and I still use my 12" MacBook regularly.
E.J. Yu
Thanks for the good review and the reply. I’ll get mine checked out.
Got a deal for brand new 2017 i5 8G 512GB for about $800 (only Gold and Silver). Should I go for it? I am using macbook air 11" i7 from 2014. It is still a beast but display is not on par with current gen and its battery now is 70%.
I just bought a X1 Carbon 14 inch with 2k QHD Screen, i7 8650u, 16gb, 512gb ssd. It would literally blow this Macbook away in EVERY aspect and the same price, paid 800.
If u carry laptop around a lot, and macos is what u want, yes! 70% is a turn off though. U can get a lot better deals on amazon / newegg / ebay
Very well spoken review. Just bought the used version of this one couple days ago. And I kinda worried too about dust getting into the keyboard. Any tips for minimize that?
got it in 2016 still running had to replace the battery and now the screen is showing dead pixels and KLIO and escape key wont work .... its on life support but it does basic tasks like social media hope I can squeeze another 2 years from it... ilove the design so much that I don't wish to throw it away
The thinnest notebook I think Apple will ever make, now they are going back to a thicker more functional design which I love. I mean this design was really goofy with the butterfly keyboard, and the one USB-C port. Just one port! Of course there was a headphone jack on the other side, but if the Butterfly keyboard design worked this would have been the best school laptop ever
I primarily bought this for writing essays, a bit of music and Netflix and backing up some data to it. Seems like a good enough for £450 on a 2016 MacBook.
I have a MacBook Pro 12” 2019 but need something easy to carry around
Can you do a Mac OS Catalina review on the 12in Macbook? I would like to know if it's worth updating it or keeping it at Mojave? Thank you.
It's great so far, really improved the battery life for me.
rockwjz what year is yours?
It works same as Mojave for mine. 2017 model.
@Trump 2020 Yes. No real difference.
I just put big sur on mine.
This computer line had potential but compromised too much. A single UBS port and that butterfly keyboard were major points of failure they didn't need.
Even the 2015 model does well with video editing :)
great video.
Do you still have it? What OS that running? Catalina, BigSur, or Monterey?
I still have mine, Monterey
I see a new version with an ARM CPU
Great vid! Do you think 2017 MacBook 12" is a good buy in 2022 if all I looking for is a lightweight computer for word processing and movie watching?
If you can afford it, yes
I just picked up mine 12 inch 8gb 256 ssd m3 with the keys replaced and battery replace under apple recall for $500 I could not believe the price when I heard brand new at $1200 it’s my first MacBook so to me it’s a beast as I just use it for safari and word mostly 95% of the time.
It overheats too much i wont lie, but the size is great especially for travel, you wont even feel like you're carrying a laptop in a bag.
ummm.. The top tier 2017 model should be 1.4ghz cpu, not 1.3ghz. Other than that it is a decent review. Subscribed 👍
Just found a late 2017 gold 256g for 800 at a pawn shop in pristine condition only 20 battery cycle said they would take 700 out the door should I go back for it ?
LOUD GAMING _4K whats the specs? Refurbished base model now cost 6xx- 800
Apple is rumored to release a newer model at the end of this year with an a14x custom chip, scissor switch keyboard or a next gen butterfly keyboard, touch id , hd web cam, same display, 20hr battery, newer ram, faster ssd all for 800dollars
the killer feature is a CPU that supports fanless design.
fans make lots of noise and get louder over time.
The only thing that doesn’t make are the price, eh got mine for 500 but, the specs don’t make sense
I had a 2016 with the m7. It was actually pretty great, but I had to have the keyboard replaced THREE TIMES in 2 years.
This A1534 Model so far is my FAVORITE in terms of performance and beautiful design. It’s the lightest and pettiest of all Macs. Unfortunately, I have it for 9 years and the battery replacement is needed. I have a hard time finding a 14.5V battery to replace. Tons of places on the internet sell only 7.55V battery. Wonder why they don’t have a 14.5V battery for such replacement.
Does anyone know where can I get a 14.5V battery for this A1534 model?
The best looking MacBook, I really hope that apple will relaunch this one with Apple Silicon M1 or M2 chip on it, then they can sell it with MacBook SE
Using it for Android and Java development. It works fairly well but 8gb is not enough if you open a lot of apps. Planning to upgrade to pro in a year.
If a new version came out with the same form factor, I'd buy it in a minute.
I've just stumbled across this video I have this Macbook (2017) at the lowest tier I love it! It can run Photoshop and InDesign both at the same time. But now im looking to upgrade :)
hi can i ask you if you have/had problems w it? like if it starts overheating and shit like that (i wanna buy the same)
honeymilk It’s a great little MacBook I’ve never had an experience of it overheating if you’re going to buy one they are relatively cheap but you could wait and see when Apple silicon will be like ☺️
thanks for the video, was thinking about grabbing it for the potability
thanks
I have the base 2015 and also the base 2017 models. Love them!
Can you please tell me could this laptop handle, 2D pixel animation(aseprite) , 2D light game design (godot). I already have a good PC as my main computer. I need something to bring with me when I’m at my dorm room/college while I use my PC at home. I already have an iPad Air 2019 but it doesn’t have any software I require so I only use it for note taking.
I have the mid range 2015 one and love it, works well for me, to remote shoot photos though I use my sufrace 3 as no dongles needed and can edit pics on that too, gtrat these for home use but more of a work horse is the surface 3, this wins on looks but productivity the suface wins by a mile.
honestly i love this keyboard its sharp af.
edit, Ive had this bitch ass laptop for two months and the keyboard is sticky and um its slow as a 2008 Hp
fuck this is a pretty scam
Release it updated version with at least two thunderbolt ports this time, Magic Keyboard and upgraded ssd and I think it would do great.
Nice review!
Hey just wanna ask, someone offered me his 2015 macbook (base model, 1.1 ghz ) is it worth to buy for 2019? Im a law student btw. Love your videos btw, subscribed!
Chairul Dewantoro I’m an illustrator , and still using 2012 macbook pro (and an ipad for sketching).
Considering that you’re a law student, I think 2015 macbook still worth to buy.
Galih Mukti will it lasts for at least 3 years? And what about photo editing in your opinion? Thanks?
Thanks!
Chairul Dewantoro I think 2015 macbook is is for light use only, photo editing is okay but it’s gonna be struggling when you use it as video editing machine.
If you have extra cash, go for the new 2018 macbook air. (I want to buy that one as an upgrade from my current setup), the other alternative is 2017 macbook pro, my brother has that one, still runs pretty well and the price is quite lower now.
Your welcome btw. 😄
Hello E.J Yu, New Subscriber here, I wanted to know if this is okay for iMovie.
I think that their will be 12” 2020 MacBook with Apple ARM processor.
Should I upgrade to one here are my current specs MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2014) 1.4 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 4 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 Intel HD Graphics 5000 1536 MB and btw the one I am looking at getting is a m3 model
How is it for mirroring movies and tv series to TVs? I use Mirror for ROKU for my TCL ROKU TV.
*_Hello, EJ. What's up?! I think God really put this video of yours onto my main RUclips page upon opening since this is the one I've been looking for. Only yesterday, I saw this MacBook ON SALE in a local market where I currently am. And the price alone made me WANT IT that much... since it was the very same reason I found it impractical to begin with. I've been a Mac user all my life (iBook G4 era) and only new to Windows (10). I have tech galore scattered around the house and I think it's time for me to downsize and streamline and get this MacBook. And, yeah, I will get the Rose Gold of this to envy my Wife. I'll sure she'll beg me to swap her MBA with this Rose Gold MB. LOL. BTW, I work in the office and the hardest/toughest workload I give to any device is RUclips and Netflix (seriously)._*
They should make a arm/apple silicon macbook. With a M1 or even an A14.
hi, I want to buy a headset for macbook retina 12 inch 2017 but don't know the right size. I bought jack 3.5mm but it doesn't get in.
I want one so bad, very affordable on eBay, but logically I can’t. This computer does only basic tasks, and an 11 inch iPad with a keyboard effectively does everything this one does, and more, and better. Unless there is a specific MacOs program, the iPad is better in every way. But on pure emotion I want this
I think the refresh of this model will have the ARM processors.
How does it hold up, particularly regarding overall performance, now in 2021? And will it work well syncing with my iphone xs?
Does cancelled mean they just stop selling??