New Apple Macbook review: Is it worth Dh5,199 and upwards?

Apple's updated Macbook has a 'wow' display and an improved battery offering 10 hours of use from a single charge.

The new MacBook features a 12-inch Retina display that is the thinnest ever on a Mac. Courtesy Apple

Apple’s updated Macbook is a brilliant laptop for everyday consumers with a great design, incredible display and plenty of power under the hood. It’s a joy to use, even if you’ll have to pay a pretty penny for the privilege.

The new Macbook, launched in the UAE last month, shares most of the features of last year’s model, with a beautiful metal body that’s thin and light, a backlit keyboard and pressure-sensitive touchpad.

Most of the changes from last year’s model are internal, with an upgraded chipset that promises (and delivers) a noticeable uptick in performance and an improved battery now offering an impressive 10 hours of use from a single charge.

Oh, and it now comes in “rose gold”, or “pink” as I prefer to call it. And I have to admit, it actually looks pretty good.

Like last year’s model, the Macbook is lighter and thinner than my trusty Macbook Air, weighing just 0.92kg and is only 1.31cm thick, making it great for working on the go.

To achieve such thinness, Apple's butterfly hinge keyboard is noticeably shallower than the Macbook Air's typing action, but is easy to get used to.

The Macbook’s flagship feature remains its 12-inch retina display. In a word, wow.

The display's 2304 by 1440 resolution means the trailer for Finding Dory is rendered with incredible colours and sharp contrasts, offering a level of immersion I haven't experienced on any other laptop.

The svelte dimensions of the Macbook come at the expense of its physical connectivity options. There’s a single USB-C port for both power and data transfer, a standard headphone socket and nothing else. Until USB-C truly takes off as a standard (it’s gradually getting there), you’ll need a few adaptors.

As Apple’s premium consumer laptop, the Macbook doesn’t come cheap, starting at Dh5,199.

There are plenty of high-performance laptops out there that will do a great job for less. However, if you’re in the Apple ecosystem and have the cash to spend, the Macbook’s design, performance and extraordinary retina display make it worth the investment.

q&a stylish gear to take along

John Everington expands on what Apple’s new Macbook has to offer:

So what do I get for my Dh5,199 apart from the screen and the awesome design?

You get 256GB of internal storage and 8GB of RAM, all powered by a 1.1GHz Intel Core m3 processor. If you feel like shelling out Dh6,299, you’ll get 512GB of internal storage, and a 1.2GHz Intel Core m5. Aside from that, you get a power adapter and a USB-C cable.

I’m sure that Dory looks fabulous, but what do her underwater adventures sound like?

The iPad Pro range was subject to a sea change (no pun intended) in terms of audio for Apple, and the Macbook is no exception. Dory and co come over a lot better than on my Macbook Air, with a much deeper and rounder sound, but don’t throw your external speakers out just yet.

But just one USB-C port? What was Apple thinking?

It’s a little bit on the stingy side to be sure, and I would have really liked a standard USB port as well. But Apple’s logic is that as we’re all spending more time online, physical connections will matter less and less. They’ve kind of got a point. I can’t remember the last time I needed a DVD drive (long since dropped by Apple), and I even find myself using traditional USB sticks less and less.

Does it just come in “rose gold” or are there other options available?

Fret not, the Macbook also comes in “Space Gray”, Gold and Silver.

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