Any chance Apple will make larger MacBooks?

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Nov 28, 2018
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Apple used to make 17'' MacBooks back in the day, but then they stopped, for whatever reason. 15'' laptops are just too small for my liking, and I do like Apple products, so this is quite bothersome. Do you think Apple will make larger MacBooks anytime in the near future?
 
Nope.

General trend in laptops is towards smaller/thinner/lighter. Even 17" PC laptops are becoming niche. Pretty much anyone that needs a larger display just buys an external monitor to connect the laptop to.
 
17" was eliminated because quite frankly it doesn't sell.
The market dictates this stuff. If they could sell 50 million of them, I guarantee you, it'd exist. It doesn't. Therefore market forces dictate it isn't worth their time (50 million is an exaggeration obviously, this is a use of hyperbole to make a point).
 
Nope.

General trend in laptops is towards smaller/thinner/lighter. Even 17" PC laptops are becoming niche. Pretty much anyone that needs a larger display just buys an external monitor to connect the laptop to.
How does that work? How do you type on the laptop's keyboard while looking sideways towards an attached external monitor? And why would you do that when you could just buy a desktop?
 
Everything I've seen is showing Apple wanting to not only continue to shrink their product line, but eventually extinguish the macbook altogether.
Remember this?
 
How does that work? How do you type on the laptop's keyboard while looking sideways towards an attached external monitor?


Use a separate keyboard/mouse that are in front of the monitor. Alternately, raise the monitor above the laptop's screen.


And why would you do that when you could just buy a desktop?


Because for whatever reason a laptop is needed (e.g., being able to work remotely) but having two separate systems is not practical (e.g., file management, cost).

Seriously, have you never seen someone dock a laptop for use as a desktop system?
 
How does that work? How do you type on the laptop's keyboard while looking sideways towards an attached external monitor? And why would you do that when you could just buy a desktop?

I do it all the time. I guess when you've been typing for 20+ years, you just kinda know how to type without looking at the keyboard.

As for why not just buy a desktop, aside from the flexibility of having a laptop, some of us have no control over what system we get from work. In my case, I got an 14" HP EshiteBook 745. I already want to pull my hair out waiting on this pos, I couldn't imagine having to use the tiny 1366x768 screen to do actual work on.
 
I am concerned, that after the latest generation iPad and MacBook Air with retina display, if apple will make new MacBook Pro 13 and 15?
 
I am concerned, that after the latest generation iPad and MacBook Air with retina display, if apple will make new MacBook Pro 13 and 15?

In a way new 15” mbps have already come out. They updated them silently with new options for Vega 16 and 20 which has shown a significant boost over the Radeon 560.

Apple has had an interesting storied past with pros. But if the iMac Pro and new Mac Pro (coming sometime in 2019) are any indication, they know they have to make pro hardware in order to keep pro development.

I’m not too worried about the top end for the time being. There is some likelihood of Apple moving to custom ARM socs in the future. But it’s already been shown that their arm processors are incredibly fast. The iPad Pro is already faster than a lot of entry level laptops. And even some mid and high level ones in certain tasks. If they switch to arm and merge iOS and macos it’s likely to be very fast and allow for “cross platform” development. In other words, by the time that happens it will likely be beneficial to end users for speed.

There of course will be niggles. Like it likely won’t be able to use Windows for boot camp at that point unless windows too also supports arm. Yes this is all conjecture, but no more so than being worried about Apple ditching the top end.
 
In a way new 15” mbps have already come out. They updated them silently with new options for Vega 16 and 20 which has shown a significant boost over the Radeon 560.

Apple has had an interesting storied past with pros. But if the iMac Pro and new Mac Pro (coming sometime in 2019) are any indication, they know they have to make pro hardware in order to keep pro development.

I’m not too worried about the top end for the time being. There is some likelihood of Apple moving to custom ARM socs in the future. But it’s already been shown that their arm processors are incredibly fast. The iPad Pro is already faster than a lot of entry level laptops. And even some mid and high level ones in certain tasks. If they switch to arm and merge iOS and macos it’s likely to be very fast and allow for “cross platform” development. In other words, by the time that happens it will likely be beneficial to end users for speed.

There of course will be niggles. Like it likely won’t be able to use Windows for boot camp at that point unless windows too also supports arm. Yes this is all conjecture, but no more so than being worried about Apple ditching the top end.

Thanks for clearing the doubt. Wanted to make sure, that with, latest generation iPad Pro and Mac Book Air having retina display, this isn't the end of of life for Mac Book Pro.
 
How does that work? How do you type on the laptop's keyboard while looking sideways towards an attached external monitor? And why would you do that when you could just buy a desktop?


Take an actual typing class, on an actual typewriter.

You're never supposed to look at the paper, save when you put it into the typewriter, and when you pull it out.

I damn near failed typing in HS (blew my GPA all to hell and pissed me off) because I'd been typing on word processors and computers for about 8 years before I ever touched a typewriter.
I was able to do it, but I'd occasionally look over to make sure I hadn't screwed up.

Every time I did, the stupid bitch "teaching" the class would whack a full letter grade off my work.

So I'd turn in perfectly typed papers and get F's.

And I couldn't make her understand I wasn't touch-typing while looking at the paper.

I finally had to get my student counselor involved. Because the ONLY reason I was taking the damn class was because, at the time, it was still a prereq for the computer classes.
 
I really wish Apple would just port the iCloud suite to windows (iMessage, Keychain, Etc.) and be done with it. Kill the MacBook completely.
 
I really wish Apple would just port the iCloud suite to windows (iMessage, Keychain, Etc.) and be done with it. Kill the MacBook completely.

If you don't see the value in their system which is the basis of their ecosystem that's fine. But I have ZERO desire to ever move back to a Windows environment. I'm incredibly grateful for a meaningful competitor to Microsoft's monopoly (emphasis "meaningful". Linux for most normal users even to this point is a cluster, and doesn't contain even a fraction of the Pro apps required for me to do my work. Let alone discussing issues with).

There are competitors to every product Apple makes. Including iMessage, Keychain, and iCloud. Whether those are "good enough" replacements are another story. If you complain that they aren't, then you are acknowledging that Apple's implementation is superior and therefore has value.

Vote with your wallet. This obviously is redundant, but there is nothing forcing you to use even a fraction of their system. Nor is there any impetus to to use multiple parts if you only want one. If you don't like the way they do things, buy the competition.
 
Of course the Apple ecosystem has value. Hell it is the ONLY real value in Apple gear. I just named a few key components that keep me on a MacBook Pro. I also use an iMac, 2 iPhones, and 3 iPads and an Apple Watch. My wife also uses a MacBook Pro and an iPad. None of those devices is really all that great alone. It's when they work together that they really shine and it's something that I think a lot of Apple haters don't get, or at least haven't experienced in the real world.

I don't want competitors. I don't want out of their ecosystem. I just want to be able to go back to actual "pro" hardware instead of useless touch bars and similar pointless gimmicks. Apple has obviously decided that i devices are their bread and butter. Let the Mac die and be done with it. Give the other side a taste of what can be and sell that many more i devices.

Screen Shot 2018-12-10 at 8.55.07 PM.png
 
Of course the Apple ecosystem has value. Hell it is the ONLY real value in Apple gear. I just named a few key components that keep me on a MacBook Pro. I also use an iMac, 2 iPhones, and 3 iPads and an Apple Watch. My wife also uses a MacBook Pro and an iPad. None of those devices is really all that great alone. It's when they work together that they really shine and it's something that I think a lot of Apple haters don't get, or at least haven't experienced in the real world.

I don't want competitors. I don't want out of their ecosystem. I just want to be able to go back to actual "pro" hardware instead of useless touch bars and similar pointless gimmicks. Apple has obviously decided that i devices are their bread and butter. Let the Mac die and be done with it. Give the other side a taste of what can be and sell that many more i devices.

View attachment 126610

Their hardware is necessary for their software to exist. macOS only has to support limited hardware. That's why it works as well as it does. Control is a double edged sword, to have that level of integration it has to have that level of control. The Macbook Pro is an excellent machine, from any angle. The touchbar is a minor gripe. I'll grant you that for most people it doesn't accelerate their workflow, but in terms of holding back the system I'd say it's minor. Cost is a much higher concern. It's pretty hard to get a beast MBPt without dropping $3k. And that is worth acknowledging as similar systems can be had for around $500 less. However at the top end it's undeniable that the iMac Pro is a beast and worth the money if you need that kind of power. I expect the Mac Pro to be in the same vein.

The regular iMac was the king for a while in terms of value for money, but because it wasn't updated this past cycle it's now... well not. If it moves to 6/8 core processors and has the same $2000 entry price point (perhaps adding local dimming or HDR to the display), that could be a boon. I suspect the reason why the iMac didn't get an update this past September was AMD not having a newer GPU to put into it. But that's besides the point and conjecture.
 
Don’t need OSX to exist and to call the current MacBook “Pro” is delusional at best. Port the iCloud/ integration features and give me back an XPS 15. I’ll walk away with the superior laptop and Apple can stop pretending to have a clue.
 
Not an apple fan, but having my MacBook Pro 15, I will never go back to a Windows Laptop. Its not that Premium windows laptops are bad, but MS Screwed up everything by trying to integrate Desktop OS with Mobile, with the introduction of Windows 8. For Desktop I will still prefer Windows, specially for high end gaming.
 
Don’t need OSX to exist and to call the current MacBook “Pro” is delusional at best.
You don’t. That’s your opinion.

Port the iCloud/ integration features and give me back an XPS 15. I’ll walk away with the superior laptop and Apple can stop pretending to have a clue.
Move to back to your XPS. Move off of iCloud. If we’re going to interject how we think people should make buying decisions I might as well hop in and do the same.
 
You don’t. That’s your opinion.


Move to back to your XPS. Move off of iCloud. If we’re going to interject how we think people should make buying decisions I might as well hop in and do the same.
Yep you might as well. It’s pretty much the point of a forum like this.
 
I own the last 17" MacBook Pro from 2011. By today's standards it's an absolute boat anchor. I'm also utterly peeved they don't officially support Mojave. I love it, and nobody will buy it from me for anything near what I think it's worth, so I'm stuck with it. The screen definitely hasn't aged well, 1920x1200 17", the pixels just get bigger every time I see a 4K 15" display.

I'm not sure a modern 17" MacBook Pro would make sense. However, despite having a 12" ultrabook and a 13" Pro, they still saw the need to make a new Air, so.. anything can happen. Is the world ready for a 17" MacBook Pro with a mobile Xeon, 4K+ display, 64GB RAM, high-end GPU, and no headphone jack? I'm not sure.
 
How does that work? How do you type on the laptop's keyboard while looking sideways towards an attached external monitor? And why would you do that when you could just buy a desktop?

Or put your monitor on an arm / stand so it sits aright above your laptop. Or as people do with 3 monitors or 2 large, you turn your head anyways, You use both the laptop screen and your additional monitor.
 
As Apple has already begun plans to shift towards ARM-based architecture like they currently use in their iDevices, at some point probably in the next 5 years we'll start seeing macOS shift to that platform as well, the plans are already in motion so they're not going to reverse course now. I'd say by 2024 we'll see MacBooks and Macs on the desktop running an ARM-based processor that Apple designed and manufactured (well, their fab partners manufactured) and running macOS compiled for and running on those more energy efficient SoCs and it'll probably work out pretty well for them.

Now as to whether or not all the companies making hardware accessories and addons and tools and of course software applications of all kinds are going to start shifting to that newer more efficient platform just as fast remains to be seen but given they only make money if they do, I'd say that's a mortal lock, yep. :D
 
Wow, I'm blown away by the sheer number of people that are posting pro Apple on a site that's primarily dedicated to overclocking. That being said, Apple Mac Book Pro??? Why don't you just directly pour your cash into the toilet and flush. It will save a lot of time and effort. If you think for a second Microsoft is an evil company then take a good hard look at Apple. From installing custom chips to make their hardware not repairable by 3rd party service, to supposed geniuses telling customers lies. For instance, they should buy a whole new Mac Book because the main board is failing. It will cost more to fix then a new one. Only to find out all that is needed is a simple cable replaced. Getting refurbished Apple sellers booted from Amazon. I could go on and on. I hate what MS has done with Windows 1. I'd be on Linux before I ever allow Apple to take over my computing experience. Heck, I would be on Linux already if it wasn't for the Windows gaming ecosystem.

Sorry, there won't be a 17" Mac Book Pro for you to waste money on ever again, they are killing off their OSX ecosystem to push everyone to iOS. Maybe they will make a wrist destroying 17" iPad Pro!
 
As Apple has already begun plans to shift towards ARM-based architecture like they currently use in their iDevices, at some point probably in the next 5 years we'll start seeing macOS shift to that platform as well, the plans are already in motion so they're not going to reverse course now. I'd say by 2024 we'll see MacBooks and Macs on the desktop running an ARM-based processor that Apple designed and manufactured (well, their fab partners manufactured) and running macOS compiled for and running on those more energy efficient SoCs and it'll probably work out pretty well for them.

Now as to whether or not all the companies making hardware accessories and addons and tools and of course software applications of all kinds are going to start shifting to that newer more efficient platform just as fast remains to be seen but given they only make money if they do, I'd say that's a mortal lock, yep. :D

A lot of conjecture. I 100% believe that Apple will make ARM powered machines. But I doubt they'll replace their entire lineup. Unless they can support Pros with ARM CPU's it's unlikely to happen all the way across the board. Otherwise why make an iMac Pro and a Mac Pro (2019)? Apple stills needs professional development. And they will always need this unless they want to open up their system significantly.

https://www.computerworld.com/article/3327243/apple-mac/will-2019-be-the-year-of-the-mac.html
tl;dr There is great demand for the Mac in the Enterprise and workplace. And obviously these users have specific requirements. If ARM cannot meet those requirements, then Apple won't do it.


Wow, I'm blown away by the sheer number of people that are posting pro Apple on a site that's primarily dedicated to overclocking. That being said, Apple Mac Book Pro??? Why don't you just directly pour your cash into the toilet and flush. It will save a lot of time and effort.

Sounds good. Every-time I buy a Macbook Pro, I'll notify you. And you can flush the equivalent currency down the toilet. That's what you're saying right? That's the exchange rate?


If you think for a second Microsoft is an evil company then take a good hard look at Apple. From installing custom chips to make their hardware not repairable by 3rd party service, to supposed geniuses telling customers lies. For instance, they should buy a whole new Mac Book because the main board is failing. It will cost more to fix then a new one. Only to find out all that is needed is a simple cable replaced. Getting refurbished Apple sellers booted from Amazon. I could go on and on. I hate what MS has done with Windows 1. I'd be on Linux before I ever allow Apple to take over my computing experience. Heck, I would be on Linux already if it wasn't for the Windows gaming ecosystem.

Sorry, there won't be a 17" Mac Book Pro for you to waste money on ever again, they are killing off their OSX ecosystem to push everyone to iOS. Maybe they will make a wrist destroying 17" iPad Pro!

First: this is a huge amount of fallacy of relative privation. Just because one company is evil, it doesn't mean that the other company isn't evil. Saying one is slightly less evil is dumb. "It's not as bad as" is an incredibly losing argument. "Well, at least Apple isn't as bad as Stalin killing millions of his own countrymen". Would you accept that as a reasonable defense? "At least Microsoft isn't Hitler."

Second: show me any company operating at Apple's level that has a clean slate. I'll give you a quick hint: it's none of them.

Third: good news doesn't make the papers. You hear about issues with CS departments when there are problems. But you don't hear about all the people who have had great experiences. So you have some isolated stores with some isolated CS people and you want to say that that is how the entire company operates? Okay, if you really want to play that game then you have to do the exact same thing with every other company. And if you did that, and truly voted with your dollars you would be able to buy nothing. And I do mean nothing, as most everything we buy in the US is the result of a mega-corporation. Because all of them have had CS problems, manufacturing defects, bad environmental records and policies, and as you say, "I could go on and on".
 
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Sounds good. Every-time I buy a Macbook Pro, I'll notify you. And you can flush the equivalent currency down the toilet. That's what you're saying right? That's the exchange rate?

Obviously, if you are going to feed the new Evil Empire, I should contribute an equal amount toward the EFF or some other relative protectionist group... All kidding aside, I respect your right to choose who makes your hardware. I just like to make people aware that they are supporting a crooked beast of a company. One whom lives for the sole purpose of extracting every penny from consumers that it possibly can through any means possible, legal or illegal. One who disregards laws and people's personal freedoms. One who invests large sums of research dollars into undermining consumer protection laws for the sole purpose of making more money. One who pretends to be earth friendly and environmentally aware but invests money and time into making everything as close to disposable as possible. Oh and make sure you buy the Apple Care with accidental damage protection because if you so much as sweat near the track pad it will set off the moisture sensitive tags inside and void all warranties. You should also grab one of those pre-bent iPad Pros that are "perfectly normal". They will be replacing you beloved Macbook Pro very soon...
 
Obviously, if you are going to feed the new Evil Empire, I should contribute an equal amount toward the EFF or some other relative protectionist group... All kidding aside, I respect your right to choose who makes your hardware. I just like to make people aware that they are supporting a crooked beast of a company. One whom lives for the sole purpose of extracting every penny from consumers that it possibly can through any means possible, legal or illegal. One who disregards laws and people's personal freedoms. One who invests large sums of research dollars into undermining consumer protection laws for the sole purpose of making more money. One who pretends to be earth friendly and environmentally aware but invests money and time into making everything as close to disposable as possible. Oh and make sure you buy the Apple Care with accidental damage protection because if you so much as sweat near the track pad it will set off the moisture sensitive tags inside and void all warranties. You should also grab one of those pre-bent iPad Pros that are "perfectly normal". They will be replacing you beloved Macbook Pro very soon...

Sounds like you're butthurt (you just came in a thread asking about 17" Macbooks to take a dump).
Like I said in the partial post I quoted: good news doesn't make the papers. People buy Apple products because by in large (and by that I mean likely 95%+) have a good experience with them. Not only in their buying process but also their CS process. I have had multiple Macs. I haven't had significant problems with any of them that weren't solved by CS. I've kept some for well over 8 years (far exceeding any Windows machine). Pointing out some issues with iPad Pros and a small subset of touchpads is nothing in comparison with phones bursting into flames and causing planes to land like Samsung, but I don't see you in the mobile section saying no one should buy their products.

But I get it. You need a company to hate so you can rah-rah behind your particular cause. That's fine. Just don't expect me or anyone else to buy into it.

Because if you use any product from Google, Facebook, Samsung, any multi-national company that gets products from other nations like say every automotive company, you use any electronics that use rare earth minerals, you're already an asshole. One that supports and promotes slave labor, is against workers rights, places profits over people and the environment. So once again, the challenge is for you to go ahead and tell us what products you buy and I'm 100% certain I can pick apart all of them for their abuses.

Apple just has the target on their back because of their high profile. But I guess you get more shade when you're #1.

So if you're trying to let people know what problems companies have created in terms of economic impact and human rights issues, you should be doing that in EVERY sub forum and about EVERY company on the Hardforums not just this one. But you won't, because Apple is an agenda for you. And one that isn't balanced.
 
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Wow, I'm blown away by the sheer number of people that are posting pro Apple on a site that's primarily dedicated to overclocking. That being said, Apple Mac Book Pro??? Why don't you just directly pour your cash into the toilet and flush.
As flawed as the current MacBook Pro is, it's still noticeably better all-around than many PC laptops in the same spec/price area or even more. Apple still has whatever magical patent makes their trackpads fantastic while everyone else's are.. less than fantastic. They definitely have the size/weight/build quality thing in a better state than typical PC OEMs.. We get Dell Precision mobile workstations, which cost *way* more than a MacBook Pro, which have abhorrent DOA rates and dopey quirks that near-$10K laptops just should not have. MacBook Pros have what.. a keyboard flaw, which they are fixing free. Wow.
 
As flawed as the current MacBook Pro is, it's still noticeably better all-around than many PC laptops in the same spec/price area or even more. Apple still has whatever magical patent makes their trackpads fantastic while everyone else's are.. less than fantastic. They definitely have the size/weight/build quality thing in a better state than typical PC OEMs.. We get Dell Precision mobile workstations, which cost *way* more than a MacBook Pro, which have abhorrent DOA rates and dopey quirks that near-$10K laptops just should not have. MacBook Pros have what.. a keyboard flaw, which they are fixing free. Wow.

+1 Apple's track pads are magical.
 
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