Apple Discontinued the 12-Inch MacBook Three Years Ago Today

[Realityck]

I remember touching on in a store and thinking 'People actually use these?'. It seemed very small, cramped even. More toyish than I expected, but I'm sure it would be tremendous for people that travel a heck of a lot.

I always thought that a netbook size 11" or 12" MacBook would have a profound impact on iPad sales, because they provide a full keyboard in a compact foldable design utilizing a higher DPI display. The last 2015 11" MBA only used a lower clocked dual core processor i5/i7 which were quite underpowered in CPU performance compared to what a A15/A16 or M1 could provide now.

 

[Flood4]

I wonder, if apple decides to revive this 12” MacBook somehow, which chip would they choose. M3? Considering M2 isn’t power efficient and thermal efficient enough, it’s going to be very interesting to see how M3 would fare.

I guess they could reduce the speed of the processor to take less energy.

And I really don’t know why you say « isn’t power efficient enough ». It’s several time better than intel processor so they surely can manage to use the m2 if they want.

 

[makingmark]

Bought my 2017 open box certified from Best Buy for $826 in April 2018, using it to write this post. It's been a great machine. Yes I'd prefer a 13" screen and a higher res webcam, but Apple should be able to put those in this size/weight by now. When you're used to two pounds flat, even the MBA feels like a brick. But Apple has become like a big car company now: incremental yearly model change with primary focus on extracting maximum economics from the mass market. They won't bring a 12 inch back; if you want that kind of portability, they want you to buy an iPad Pro.

I rue the day when even the current iPhone 13 smaller size (which isn't small) is increased for the same reasons. When they make iPhone 15(?) only available in Max and MaXL, it'll be so more people buy Apple Watches.

 

[now i see it]

I’ve got one of those.

1. Slow processor
2. One port to be used for everything (how cheap can you get?)
3. Unnecessarily thin in the front
4. Bad keyboard (replaced twice)

The future of computing? Ha!

 

[nfl_brah]

Imagine fondly reminiscing about this when the M2 MBA just came out. Similar dimensions/volume, yes it is slightly heavier (% don't matter much at this weight class- its all relative), and significantly improved in every other way. yawn.

 

[transpo1]

The M2 Air weighs 35% more.

2.7 lbs vs. 2 lbs. and a whole world smaller and lighter. Fantastic for road warriors who only do email and light word processing. I still have my 2017 MacBook and love it. Won’t give it up until they come out with something as light or lighter.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I use my 2017 12" MB for work (when needed) and at home on the couch or recliner. I have been lucky as I haven't had any problems with the keyboard. Compared to my M1 MBA, the MB is slow but, it still gets the job done. The form factor is excellent for portability and ease of use. Mine still looks like new.

 

[jav6454]

Not having owned either, I could agree with the 11” MBA being discontinued but the 12” MB should still exist.

Agreed, it offered great value and would offer more with an M1 in there.

 

[aespana]

My actual Macbook is a 12" Retina 2017 with Intel M3, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. Love this machine because is so little and portable but that Intel has a low performance.

Recently i was using it with High Sierra due performance impact of new OS versiones but with the bought of one Airpods 2, i was forced to update the OS. Right now i'm in Big Sur but the minimum is mojave so..

 

[roar08]

I've had every Macbook Pro/Air form factor in the last 10 years. The 11" MBA and 12" MB footprints were/are incredible. I'd buy a maxed out Apple silicone 12" MB in a heartbeat. I don't use my 12" MB anymore, but I do gaze at it longingly on occasion.

 

[0134168]

Was basically a Jony Ive vanity product.

Crap keyboard, way underpowered but pushed the envelope on how thin and light a laptop could be. Although this product was the beginning of Ives downfall.

yeessss sureeeee, XD

 

[Runway]

The market has been blurred since the 12" was introduced. You can now have a 12"/11"/10" iPad and keyboard or a 13" M1 Air or a 13" M2 Air or a 13" M2 Pro. Assuming there was enough volume sales in 2015 for a 12" laptop, I imagine that specific need would be highly diminished with this plethora of current options

 

[Graphton]

when will they discontinue the MacBook Pro m1?

 

[imgregorous]

The math didn't work at the time to justify me buying one, but I've always loved this design. It's thinner than my current 4th gen Ipad Air plus Keyboard! I would love to see a modern version - BUT my ipad works so well with that specification that I'm not sure the math would justify it even today.

 

[Philllllip]

I had one, sexiest Apple laptop ever in my opinion BUT never used it really as screen was just too small for me! but the form factor was beautiful

 

[Useless Touchbar]

The most random anniversary

 

[Bug-Creator]

Recently i was using it with High Sierra due performance impact of new OS versiones but with the bought of one Airpods 2, i was forced to update the OS. Right now i'm in Big Sur but the minimum is mojave so..

Well maxed out 2017 ended being my test mule for Ventura.

Can't say it feels slower then with any of the OS versions before.

 

[Wokis]

Really wanted one of these when they came out. Thought them to be the future.

I wonder, if apple decides to revive this 12” MacBook somehow, which chip would they choose. M3? Considering M2 isn’t power efficient and thermal efficient enough, it’s going to be very interesting to see how M3 would fare.

They could cap TDP of the M2 on ~10W and it would most likely be fine and well-performant. It's not like they've gone backwards, they've just upped the envelope as they likely thought they had the thermal margins in the MBP.

Now the rumor says a revival in 2024, so by then the SoC will likely be M3 or (unlikely) M4.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Agreed, it offered great value and would offer more with an M1 in there.

Great value? Bahahaha! It had a butterfly keyboard, was slow as heck, huge bezels on the screen and was more expensive than the Air!

 

[Joe Rossignol]

This is a sort of strange item to post about.

Eh, what? We’re having anniversaries for discontinued products now? 🤨

My take is that it was overpriced and underpowered.

Slow news day?

The most random anniversary

I wrote this story and I can understand this reaction, but I think it's a harmless Saturday story that provides a chance to discuss both the former 12-inch MacBook and rumors of a new 12-inch MacBook.

 

[v0lume4]

I’ve got one of those.

1. Slow processor
2. One port to be used for everything (how cheap can you get?)
3. Unnecessarily thin in the front
4. Bad keyboard (replaced twice)

The future of computing? Ha!

It wasn’t until now, all these years later, that I realize you can’t even use any peripheral whatsoever if the laptop is charging because of the single port (unless you have a hub). That’s insane.

 

[groove-agent]

More nostalgic, do you remember the 12" Powerbook? I had to remind myself that it was called a "Powerbook G4" and not a MacBook Pro. It was such a cute little thing.

 

[tgwaste]

Using my 12" macbook right now. Best notebook they ever made, despite the keyboard.

 

[Useless Touchbar]

I wrote this story and I can understand this reaction, but I think it's a harmless Saturday story that provides a chance to discuss both the former 12-inch MacBook and rumors of a new 12-inch MacBook.

Fair enough. Gotta admit I'd love a 12-inch M2 MacBook that could support multiple external monitors and I bet that a lot of developers would be excited about such a portable yet powerful work machine.

 

[pauloregan]

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