12 Inch Macbook in 2024

[ignatius345]

Would you go for a secondary machine being the 12 inch MacBook?

Not with that keyboard.

Everything else I'd be willing to live with in the interest of having an ultraportable little writing laptop, but I hate typing on those keyboards with the heat of a 1000 suns -- and that's kind of a dealbreaker on something used for writing!

 

[dinobear]

Apple's laptops are so powerful these days, today's lineup of MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro offer the same usability in terms of power for a lot of consumers I'd say.

The 13" MacBook Air is 2.7 pounds and the 14" MacBook Pro is 3.5 pounds. What we really need in this lineup is the 2017 12" MacBook form factor (which weighed 2 pounds) with apple's M chip.

Below is the 12" next to the 16" and also the 12" next to the 13". Getting a laptop down to 2 pounds is when it really becomes ultra portable and not a hard consideration to throw in your backpack.

Please Apple bring back the 12" form factor in 2025

 

[speedyraf]

I'd think about trading in my MacBook Air 13" if Apple brought out a new, up-to-date specs 12" ultraportable. I wonder if it had a similar thin bezel to the Air whether its screen would be closer to 13"?

 

[dinobear]

I'd think about trading in my MacBook Air 13" if Apple brought out a new, up-to-date specs 12" ultraportable. I wonder if it had a similar thin bezel to the Air whether its screen would be closer to 13"?

That's a good point. 2017 12" form factor with thinner bezel to actually make it a 13". I would pre-order this as fast as I could click!

The only reason apple doesn't sell a 2 pound laptop in 2024 might be because they want the iPad Pro to be that market. But I need an unrestricted OS to manage my work/clients.

 

[loby]

Apple's laptops are so powerful these days, today's lineup of MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro offer the same usability in terms of power for a lot of consumers I'd say.

The 13" MacBook Air is 2.7 pounds and the 14" MacBook Pro is 3.5 pounds. What we really need in this lineup is the 2017 12" MacBook form factor (which weighed 2 pounds) with apple's M chip.

Below is the 12" next to the 16" and also the 12" next to the 13". Getting a laptop down to 2 pounds is when it really becomes ultra portable and not a hard consideration to throw in your backpack.

Please Apple bring back the 12" form factor in 2025

View attachment 2416689View attachment 2416688

This is exactly my current setup...I tend to use the 12" MacBook as my main general internet and small tasks instead of MacBook Air. MacBook Air is great for that too (with the power to back it), but I just prefer the smaller form, portability and lightness of MacBook. Too bad it is probably gone forever....iPad is Apple's preferred replacement..NOT!

 

[PsychicRutabaga]

I recently breathed new life into my 2015 12" MacBook by installing Linux. Although professionally I'm more of a Red Hat Linux type of person, I'm trying out Ubuntu Cinnamon 24.04.1 to be different. Big Sur has been unsupported for around a year now, so I wanted something that would still receive security patches. Cinnamon is a moderately lightweight desktop, and performance is snappy. LibreOffice works well, but I also installed Microsoft Edge for good compatibility with O365 apps. OneDrive is supported pretty much out of the box as a live networked filesystem.

As someone else noted earlier in this thread, Linux on the 12" MacBook doesn't respond from suspend. That's mostly ok with me. Since this is a secondary machine in my home office, I have it set to not suspend and leave it running for days at a time. I just close the lid and it turns off the screen, etc. but keeps humming along and responds immediately when I open it back up. Basically, when not using it directly from the desktop, it doubles as a quiet, low power little server.

 

[ignatius345]

iPadOS can accomodate car usage. And it often does better than macOS does. Again, my question was "what do you need on a device of that size that iPadOS cannot accomodate?"

iPadOS is clunky and unpleasant and less flexible than macOS is your answer, since you keep beating the iPad drum here in this Mac discussion ✌️

 

[Roadster Lewis]

I recently breathed new life into my 2015 12" MacBook by installing Linux. Although professionally I'm more of a Red Hat Linux type of person, I'm trying out Ubuntu Cinnamon 24.04.1 to be different. Big Sur has been unsupported for around a year now, so I wanted something that would still receive security patches. Cinnamon is a moderately lightweight desktop, and performance is snappy. LibreOffice works well, but I also installed Microsoft Edge for good compatibility with O365 apps. OneDrive is supported pretty much out of the box as a live networked filesystem.

As someone else noted earlier in this thread, Linux on the 12" MacBook doesn't respond from suspend. That's mostly ok with me. Since this is a secondary machine in my home office, I have it set to not suspend and leave it running for days at a time. I just close the lid and it turns off the screen, etc. but keeps humming along and responds immediately when I open it back up. Basically, when not using it directly from the desktop, it doubles as a quiet, low power little server.

Is it only resuming from suspend that doesn't work? What about haptics on the trackpad/wifi etc? Did you follow a guide for it or anything? I am considering moving my 2015 MacBook to Linux, but wouldn't know where to start.

 

[ccbc]

Anyone had vertical white lines on the screen? If the screen is crack open, it is fine, but past a ceetain point, lines appear, rendering the computer useless… thinking it may be the display cable that is getting loose.

 

[oasantos1]

Just picked up a 2015 MacBook in almost perfect cosmetic condition.

1.3/8/512 for $100 locally.

I tried to install Sonoma with OpenCore, it was definitely not usable.

I reverted back to Big Sur, pretty usable with 2 apps open max.

Curious if anyone has installed Monterey or Ventura on it.

 

[loby]

Just picked up a 2015 MacBook in almost perfect cosmetic condition.

1.3/8/512 for $100 locally.

I tried to install Sonoma with OpenCore, it was definitely not usable.

I reverted back to Big Sur, pretty usable with 2 apps open max.

Curious if anyone has installed Monterey or Ventura on it.

I am currently using Monterey on a 12” Macbook 2015 and it works well, even better than Big Sur.

First, use 0.6.8 OpenCore Patch to install it first instead of using the current (v2.02), then upgrade to v.2.02 get the latest drivers.

Currently typing this on the 2015.

 

[ccbc]

About to give up on my 12 MacBook 2016. The vertical white line issue combined with a broken spacebar make it unpleasant to use. I really liked the portability and the fact that I can stash it in my backpack without much consideration (space and damage), but returning to a M1 MacBook Air made me realized that the TouchID, a real keyboard, infinite battery life and better specs were a real treat on a daily use.

 

[Akulareb]

About to give up on my 12 MacBook 2016. The vertical white line issue combined with a broken spacebar make it unpleasant to use. I really liked the portability and the fact that I can stash it in my backpack without much consideration (space and damage), but returning to a M1 MacBook Air made me realized that the TouchID, a real keyboard, infinite battery life and better specs were a real treat on a daily use.

You might just try to replace the video cable if it’s showing you lines!

 

[bonotis]

I just installed macOS Sequoia with OpenCore Legacy Patcher on my 2017 MacBook and it works beautifully.

 

[EugW]

I just installed macOS Sequoia with OpenCore Legacy Patcher on my 2017 MacBook and it works beautifully.

No issues at all? How's the performance vs. Ventura?

 

[StoneJack]

I just have replaced the battery of 12 inch 2016 model, the previous battery life wasn't that bad at about 89% but newer one has 98% and does visibly have longer battery life.

 

[EugW]

I just have replaced the battery of 12 inch 2016 model, the previous battery life wasn't that bad at about 89% but newer one has 98% and does visibly have longer battery life.

How hard was it and what battery did you use?

 

[StoneJack]

How hard was it and what battery did you use?

I was planning to do it myself, but at last moment chickened and went to a professional Mac repair shop. I did not have a spare battery so just asked for a new battery. Luckily, they had one (I guess that's what most people come for) and replaced battery in just 3 minutes. I was planning to learn how to do it and watch the repair process, had to answer a call, and when I finished talking, battery was replaced lol. It is a no-name third party battery but it works, battery life is about 5.5 hours (my estimate), no complaints. Other than battery, everything else also works, so it is perfectly useable now. Installed Ventura.

 

[loby]

I was planning to do it myself, but at last moment chickened and went to a professional Mac repair shop. I did not have a spare battery so just asked for a new battery. Luckily, they had one (I guess that's what most people come for) and replaced battery in just 3 minutes. I was planning to learn how to do it and watch the repair process, had to answer a call, and when I finished talking, battery was replaced lol. It is a no-name third party battery but it works, battery life is about 5.5 hours (my estimate), no complaints. Other than battery, everything else also works, so it is perfectly useable now. Installed Ventura.

Wow, the replace the battery that fast??? The battery replacement is rough on the 12” MacBook since the battery is glued in. Good place.

 

[oasantos1]

I ended up installing Windows 10 on my 2015 1.3, which runs much faster than any recent version of MacOS it can run.
For my use case, it runs great.

 

[navaira]

Typing this on the 2016 12" 8/512GB I pulled out of the drawer. I just found out that I can sell it for about €380. Battery replacement (75% at 418 cycles) would be €289. I hate the keyboard, traditionally, but damn… does this thing make my M1 Air feel enormous and heavy… Somehow, 8 years later, the rMB still feels futuristic.

I would like to have a distraction-free laptop for writing only, but the keyboard. Sigh. I'm one of those people who use keyboard while writing. Perfection nearly exists. (I have written my first novel on this baby, though. I'm just no longer used to it.)

 

[Kobra]

I just installed macOS Sequoia with OpenCore Legacy Patcher on my 2017 MacBook and it works beautifully.

I have tried installing Sequoia on my 2017 i7 MacBook using OCLP 2.02 without much success. After booting from the USB stick and the first restart of the computer, I am only brought to the initial installation screen where I can either choose to install, erase the hard drive, or run diagnostics. I have probably tried 10 times with the same result each time. I am using Apple’s AV adapter to keep the computer plugged in while the USB stick is connected.

How did you get the install done?

 

[navaira]

I decided to sell mine. I’m just never going to use it. But I would be all over a 12.5” (minus bezels) 1kg Macbook with an Mx CPU and keyboard with the Air travel. (I wonder whether that would be feasible, now that Macbooks consist of a logic board the size of a matchbox and the rest is all battery.) I was close to buying a 15” Air, but at that size and weight it’s no longer ‘Air’.

I still don’t know why they called a larger laptop ‘Air’ and a much smaller and lighter one just 'Macbook’. #BlameJonyIve

 

[bonotis]

No issues at all? How's the performance vs. Ventura?

no comparison, Sequoia is way smoother & faster

with Ventura I had the spinning blob non-stop, I was thinking I would soon have to give up on my beloved 12-inch MacBook

now with Sequoia it seems I'm keeping it !

 

[bonotis]

I have tried installing Sequoia on my 2017 i7 MacBook using OCLP 2.02 without much success. After booting from the USB stick and the first restart of the computer, I am only brought to the initial installation screen where I can either choose to install, erase the hard drive, or run diagnostics. I have probably tried 10 times with the same result each time. I am using Apple’s AV adapter to keep the computer plugged in while the USB stick is connected.

How did you get the install done?

I just followed Mr. Mackintosh's instructions on YouTube

Somehow OCLP wouldn't choose the right volume to boot during the different phases of the installation process (which might explain your problems), so I was careful to do it manually using the arrows on the keyboard