MACBOOK REVIEW 2016 PART.2
The Core m5 processor and faster flash memory add up to a much more capable ultraportable.
Overall, I found this machine more responsive than its predecessor when opening apps and switching among 10 or more tabs in Google Chrome, but there were still times when OS X's spinning ball appeared, such as when I tried to search for one app while downloading another in the Mac App Store.
On the Geekbench 3 benchmark, which measures overall performance, the Core m5-powered MacBook scored 5,906. That smokes last year's MacBook (4,631) and also beats the latest 13-inch, Core i5-powered MacBook Air (5,783), though the latter system has an older 5th-generation Core Series CPU. The XPS 13, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon and the Vaio Z, all of which had 6th Generation Core i5 processors, predictably scored a higher 6,374; 6,828; and 7,252, respectively.
The updated MacBook also benefits from faster PCIe-based flash storage. On our file-transfer test, in which we time how long it takes to move about 5GB of files, the MacBook took a brisk 14.3 seconds, which translates to 355.9 MBps. Neither the touch or the nontouch version of the XPS 13 crossed 250 MBps, but both the X1 Carbon and the Vaio Z managed 419 MBps with their PCIe drives.
If you're wondering whether the MacBook can crunch numbers, don't worry. This laptop took just 3 minutes and 11 seconds to match 20,000 names and addresses in OpenOffice. That's more than a minute faster than the XPS 13, and 40 seconds ahead of the Vaio Z. The X1 Carbon took 4:14. Remember, though, that we tested the Core m5 version of the MacBook; the Core m3 version will be slower.
Graphics
The integrated Intel 515 graphics in the MacBook will be fine for editing photos and playing some light Mac games, such as Rayman Origins, but don't expect more than that.
On the benchmark for the DiRT 3 racing game, the MacBook mustered just 27 frames per second at its native resolution with all of the details on low, and various effects (such as multisampling and VSync) turned off. That's below 30 fps, our threshold for playability. Still, the action seemed relatively smooth.
Heat: A Bit Toasty on the Bottom
The MacBook registered fairly cool temps after we streamed Hulu video for 15 minutes, but it ran warm on the underside of the system. The touchpad and the area between the G and H keys stayed below our 95-degree comfort threshold, at 84 and 90 degrees, respectively. However, the bottom of the notebook reached 100 degrees. That's 5 degrees warmer than last year's MacBook.
Battery Life: An Hour Better
Apple promises up to 10 hours of battery life on the new MacBook when surfing the web, and it got close to that mark.
On the Laptop Mag Battery Test, which involves continuous web surfing at 100 nits of screen brightness, the system lasted a strong 9 hours and 38 minutes. That's about an hour longer than last year's MacBook.
The MacBook's runtime soundly beat that of the touch-screen version of the XPS 13 (8:08) but was well behind the nontouch model (11:54). The Vaio Z and X1 Carbon lasted 9:04 and 9:06, respectively. However, the 13-inch MacBook Air lasted an astounding 14:40.
With the screen on full brightness and when running multiple programs, the MacBook was down to 53 percent after 2.5 hours, so you'll want to keep it on half brightness or less to squeeze out extra juice.
Configuration Options
Apple offers two configurations of the MacBook. The $1,299 base model comes with a Core m3 processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of flash storage. Jumping up to $1,599 will get you a faster Core m5 CPU and double the storage.
I'd opt for the pricier config, because if you're going to spend this much on a laptop, it should be as powerful -- and offer as much room for your digital stuff -- as possible.
Bottom Line
The 2016 MacBook is certainly an improvement over its predecessor. It's significantly faster, especially if you opt for the Core m5 model, and it lasts an hour longer on a charge, all while being extremely portable. I also continue to love the Retina display and don't really mind the flat butterfly keyboard. However, for this kind of money, I would really like to plug in a power cable and a second device sans a dongle, and I believe anything in this price range should be able to power two external monitors.
To be fair, not everyone works like I do. Some won't care about attaching peripherals (or at least as often), and for them, the MacBook will be pretty close to a dream machine. It's tailor-made for frequent travelers or corridor warriors constantly bouncing from meeting to meeting. But it's too pricey for most students. For them, I'd recommend the 11-inch Air or the 13-inch MacBook Air (or wait for them to be refreshed) or the XPS 13.
Overall, the new MacBook is a compelling laptop, but a few tweaks would turn this very good ultraportable into a great one.
What I like most about the MacBook is that I can use it while commuting or flying and still have plenty of room to work when the person in front of me reclines. It's also so light that I would sometimes forget whether the notebook was in my backpack.
Nevertheless, I grew accustomed the MacBook's layout within a couple of hours, and I typed a fast-for-me 78 words per minute on the 10FastFingers.com typing test, with only two errors. That compares to my average of 77 wpm and one error on the 13-inch Air. The MacBook's keyboard isn't comfortable, but I found it perfectly usable.
