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12-inch MacBook

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This article is about the notebook computer sold from 2015 to 2019. For the original series of notebook computers under the same name, see MacBook (2006–2012).

MacBook
The MacBook (2015 version) in gold with ISO keyboard
DeveloperApple Inc.
Product familyMacBook family
TypeSubnotebook
Release date
  • April 10, 2015; 9 years ago (2015-04-10) (original release)
  • June 5, 2017; 7 years ago (2017-06-05) (last release)
Introductory priceUSD $1299, CAD $1549, Euro €1449, GBP £1249
DiscontinuedJuly 9, 2019; 5 years ago (2019-07-09)
Operating systemmacOS
CPUUp to 1.4 GHz Intel Core i7
PredecessorMacBook
SuccessorMacBook Air
Related
Websitewww.apple.com/macbook

The MacBook (marketed as the New MacBook, known colloquially as the Retina MacBook or 12-inch MacBook) is a discontinued Macintosh portable computer developed and sold by Apple Inc.[1] In Apple's product line it was considered a more premium device compared to the second-generation MacBook Air (at the time consisting of 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch models that were larger and heavier, while lacking the high-resolution "Retina" screen and having thicker bezels), and sat below the performance range MacBook Pro.[2]

It was introduced in March 2015. It was more compact than any other laptop in the MacBook family, and includes a Retina display, fanless design, a shallower "Butterfly" keyboard, and a single USB-C port for power and data. It was discontinued in July 2019, being largely supplanted by the third-generation MacBook Air (consisting of a 13.3-inch model incorporating a Retina display with thin bezels).[3]

Overview

The MacBook was announced at an Apple special event on March 9, 2015, and was released a month later on April 10. It employed Intel's Broadwell Core M processors at a TDP of around 4.5 Watt to allow for a fanless design and a logic board that is much smaller than in previous MacBooks. It had a similar appearance to the MacBook Air, but was thinner and lighter, offered (at the time of introduction) more storage and memory and a higher-resolution 2304×1440 Retina display, but lower processor and graphics performance.[4] The MacBook has at times been available in space gray, silver, and gold finishes.

USB-C on MacBook

The MacBook has only two ports, a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a single, multi-purpose USB-C port; it was the first Mac with USB-C. The port supports transmission speeds of up to 5 Gbit/s, and can be used for data, and audio/video output, and charging; it was the first MacBook without MagSafe charging. Apple markets an adapter that can provide a full-size USB connector, and a "Digital AV Multiport Adapter" with a charging pass-through, full-size USB port, and HDMI output.[5] Although Thunderbolt 3 technology uses USB-C connectors, the MacBook's USB-C port does not support Thunderbolt. It was one of only two Macs, along with the 2012 Mac Pro, to not support Thunderbolt since it was introduced to Macs in 2011.[6] Thunderbolt devices, such as storage media and the Apple Thunderbolt Display, are not compatible. Shortly after the MacBook’s introduction, various companies began announcing cables and adapters for the USB-C port.[7]

Despite its small size, it features a full-sized keyboard and a large trackpad. The MacBook introduced a new "Butterfly" keyboard, with traditional scissor mechanism keys replaced with a new, Apple-designed butterfly mechanism, making the keyboard thinner and, as Apple claims, individual keys more stable. The keyboard's backlight no longer consisted of a row of LEDs and a light guide panel, but instead used a single LED for each key.[8] It also introduced the Force Touch trackpad, a solid-state trackpad that measures pressure sensitivity, and replicates a click with haptic feedback. The trackpad was later brought to the Magic Trackpad 2 and the 2015 MacBook Pro. A similar technology (3D Touch) is also used in the Apple Watch and introduced with the iPhone 6S.

The aluminum enclosure was 13.1 mm at its thickest point at the hinge end.[9] The battery was custom-designed to fill the available space in the small enclosure. It uses a new 39.7 watt-hour lithium-polymer terraced battery cell which was advertised to provide "all day" battery life. Apple claimed nine hours of Internet browsing or ten hours of iTunes movie playback. The battery was improved in the 2016 refresh, with Apple claiming ten hours for Internet browsing, and eleven hours of iTunes movie playback.[10] The MacBook did not include any beryllium, BFRs, or PVCs in its construction. The display was made of arsenic-free glass and contains no mercury. It was made of recyclable materials such as aluminum and glass, meets Energy Star 6.1 standards, and was rated EPEAT Gold.

On April 19, 2016, Apple updated the MacBook with Skylake Core M processors, Intel HD 515 graphics, faster memory, longer battery life, faster storage[11] and a new rose gold finish.[12]

On June 5, 2017, Apple updated the MacBook with Intel Kaby Lake m3, i5, and i7 processors (previously known as m3, m5, and m7). It featured the second generation butterfly keyboard, which introduced new symbols for the control and option keys. It also features faster storage and memory.[13]

On October 30, 2018, Apple quietly eliminated two color options (rose gold and the original gold) and added a new color option (new gold) to match the MacBook Air's 2018 color scheme.[14][15]

On July 9, 2019 Apple quietly discontinued the MacBook line.[16]

Design

A side view of the MacBook

Externally, the MacBook follows the design of the MacBook Air with a tapered aluminum enclosure. It has a flush screen with black bezels similar to the MacBook Pro. The Apple logo on the rear of the display is glossy and opaque, rather than backlit and white as seen on every Apple laptop since the 1999 PowerBook G3 and 2001 iBook.[17][18] It is the thinnest and lightest laptop Apple has produced to date, 0.52 inches (1.32 cm) at its thickest point, and 2.03 pounds (0.92 kg).

The letters on the MacBook's keyboard and the model name at the bottom of the screen bezel are in the San Francisco typeface, whereas previous laptops made by Apple used VAG Rounded.[8]

Apple's introduction of a gold MacBook finish had been cited as an example of positioning itself as a luxury-style brand. The choice follows the introduction of the gold iPhone 5S after Apple found that gold was seen as a popular sign of a luxury among Chinese customers.[19]

Reception

Reception for the MacBook was mixed. Critics praised the design and overall quality of the product, with some regarding it as a potential successor to the MacBook Air, as the Air had an aging design and low resolution screen.[20] However, Apple continued to offer the MacBook Air while selling the MacBook at considerably higher price. Several described the MacBook as a limited first-generation proof-of-concept design for early adopters, and recommended against buying the MacBook until it reached greater maturity, and its price dropped sufficiently for mainstream adoption.[21][22][23][24][25][26] The slow performance of the Intel Core M processor was regarded as the new MacBook's main deficiency, relative to the cheaper and faster MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.[27] Among the other criticisms of the new MacBook are the lack of various popular ports, particularly USB Type-A ports, and that it only contains a single port which limits data transfer and overall convenience without the use of an adapter.[28]

The keyboard received considerable criticism as being poor for long-term use: developer Marco Arment described the laptop's build and small size as "absolutely amazing, revolutionary, and mind-blowing… until you need to use the keyboard for something."[29] He also criticised the trackpad as worse than on previous MacBooks, and said that he would be returning the model he had bought.[30]

A report by AppleInsider had claimed that the updated butterfly keyboard fails twice as often as previous models, often due to particles stuck beneath the keys.[31] Repairs for stuck keys have been estimated to cost more than $700.[32] In May 2018, two class action lawsuits were filed against Apple regarding the keyboard issue with one alleging a "constant threat of nonresponsive keys and accompanying keyboard failure" and accusing Apple of not alerting consumers to the issue.[33][34] In June 2018, Apple announced a Service Program to "service eligible MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboards, free of charge".[35]

Technical specifications

Discontinued
Model Early 2015[36] Early 2016[37] Mid-2017[38]
Release date April 10, 2015[1] April 19, 2016[12] June 6, 2017[39]
Model identifier MacBook8,1 MacBook9,1 MacBook10,1
Model number A1534
Order numbers MF855LL/A, MF865LL/A, MJY32LL/A, MJY42LL/A, MK4M2LL/A, MK4N2LL/A MLH72LL/A, MLH82LL/A, MLHA2LL/A, MLHC2LL/A, MLHE2LL/A, MLHF2LL/A, MMGL2LL/A, MMGM2LL/A MNYF2LL/A, MNYG2LL/A, MNYH2LL/A, MNYJ2LL/A, MNYK2LL/A, MNYL2LL/A, MNYM2LL/A, MNYN2LL/A
Display LED-backlit widescreen glossy, Retina Display
12" Retina, 2304 × 1440 (16:10), 226 ppi, with millions of colors (supported scaled resolutions: 2880 × 1800, 2560 × 1600 (default), 2048 × 1280)
Video camera iSight (480p)
Processor 1.1 GHz (M-5Y31) dual-core Intel Core M Broadwell processor (Turbo Boost up to 2.4 GHz) with 4 MB L3 cache1
1.2 GHz (M-5Y51) dual-core Intel Core M Broadwell processor (Turbo Boost up to 2.6 GHz) with 4 MB L3 cache1

Configurable 1.3 GHz (M-5Y71) dual-core Intel Core M Broadwell processor (Turbo Boost up to 2.9 GHz) with 4 MB L3 cache1[15]

1.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core m3-6Y30 Skylake processor (cTDP Up mode, Turbo Boost up to 2.2 GHz) with 4MB L3 cache
1.2 GHz dual-core Intel Core m5-6Y54 Skylake processor (cTDP Up mode, Turbo Boost up to 2.7 GHz) with 4MB L3 cache
Configurable 1.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core m7-6Y75 Skylake processor (cTDP Up mode, Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz) with 4 MB L3 cache 		1.2 GHz dual-core Intel Core m3-7Y32 Kaby Lake processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.0GHz) with 4MB L3 cache

1.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5-7Y54 Kaby Lake processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.2 GHz) with 4MB L3 cache
Configurable 1.4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i7-7Y75 Kaby Lake processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz) with 4 MB L3 cache

System bus — 4 GT/s OPI (Max. Theoretical Bandwidth 4 GB/s)[40]
Memory 8 GB 1600 MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM 8 GB 1866 MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM 8 GB 1866 MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM

Configurable to 16 GB of RAM at time of purchase only

Graphics Intel HD Graphics 5300 with LPDDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory Intel HD Graphics 515 with LPDDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory Intel HD Graphics 615 with LPDDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory
Flash storage 256 GB or 512 GB NVMe/PCIe 2.0 x4, 5.0 GT/s[41] 256 GB or 512 GB NVMe/PCIe 3.0 x2, 8.0 GT/s[41] 256 GB or 512 GB NVMe
Wi-Fi Integrated 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 & 5 GHz, up to 1.3 Gbit/s)
Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.0 Bluetooth 4.2
Peripheral connections USB 3.1 generation 1 over USB-C, up to 5 Gbit/s (for power, converts to USB Type-A and video out via separate adapter)
Headphone audio jack (supports iPhone headset with remote and microphone)
Video out USB-C DisplayPort 1.2 Alternate Mode

(maximum resolutions 4096x2304 at 48 Hz and 3840x2160 at 60 Hz over DisplayPort[42])

USB-C DisplayPort 1.2 Alternate Mode

(maximum resolutions 4096x2304 at 60 Hz over DisplayPort[43])

Power 29 Watt USB 3.1 Type-C power adapter, 39.7 Wh battery 29 Watt USB 3.1 Type-C power adapter, 41.4 Wh battery
Weight 2.03 pounds (0.92 kg)
Dimensions 11.04 inches (28.04 cm) wide × 7.74 inches (19.66 cm) deep × 0.14 inches (0.36 cm) to 0.52 inches (1.32 cm) high
Colors Space Gray, Silver, Gold Space Gray, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold; in 2018, Rose Gold and Gold (original) were replaced with a new Gold
Keyboard Butterfly mechanism Second-generation butterfly mechanism

Notes:
1 Apple states the processor specifications as "1.1 GHz, turbo boost 2.4 GHz ", "1.2 GHz, turbo boost 2.6 GHz", and "Configurable 1.3 GHz, turbo boost 2.9 GHz", but there are no Intel Core M processors that correspond to these specific specifications that have been publicly announced. It can be inferred that Apple adapts the newest Core M models launched in Q4'14, which support Configurable TDP. The Core M-5Y31 runs at a base frequency of 900 MHz, M-5Y51 at 1.1 GHz and M-5Y71 at 1.2 GHz, the clock speeds of which seem to have been raised up to 1.1 GHz, 1.2 GHz and 1.3 GHz, respectively. All of three models match the Max Turbo Frequency specification given by both Apple and Intel.

Supported macOS releases

OS release Model
Early 2015 Early 2016 Mid-2017
10.10 Yosemite Yes Yes Yes
10.11 El Capitan Yes Yes Yes
10.12 Sierra Yes Yes Yes
10.13 High Sierra Yes Yes Yes
10.14 Mojave Yes Yes Yes
10.15 Catalina Yes Yes Yes
11.0 Big Sur Yes Yes Yes
Timeline of portable Macintoshes
Mac transition to Apple siliconiMac ProApple WatchiPadiPhoneMac ProPower Mac G5Power Mac G4Power Macintosh G3Power MacintoshCompact MacintoshMacBook Air (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)iBook G4PowerBook G4PowerBook G4iBook (white)PowerBook G3PowerBook G3PowerBook 2400cPowerBook 3400cPowerBook 1400PowerBook 5300PowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 190PowerBook G4PowerBook 150PowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 160PowerBook 140PowerBook 180PowerBook 180PowerBook 160PowerBook 160PowerBook 140PowerBook 170PowerBook 140MacBook Air (Apple silicon)MacBook Air (Apple silicon)MacBook Air (Apple silicon)MacBook Air (Intel-based)12-inch MacBookMacBook Air (Intel-based)iBook G4iBook (white)iBook ClamshellMacBook Air (Intel-based)MacBook (2006–2012)PowerBook Duo 210MacBook Air (Intel-based)MacBook (2006–2012)MacBook (2006–2012)PowerBook G4PowerBook 100Macintosh PortablePowerBook G3PowerBook G3PowerBook G3PowerBook G3PowerBook G3PowerBook DuoPowerBook DuoPowerBook DuoMacintosh PortablePowerBook DuoPowerBook DuoPowerBook Duo 230Macintosh Portable
See also: List of Mac models

See also

References

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  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ [2]
  4. ^ "Apple- MacBook". Apple Inc. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  5. ^ "6 things to know about the USB-C port in the new MacBook". PC World. IDG. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  6. ^ "About Thunderbolt ports and displays". Apple Inc. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  7. ^ Clover, Juli (March 11, 2015). "Belkin Announces New Line of USB-C Cables, USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter". MacRumors.
  8. ^ a b Wright, Mic (March 9, 2015). "The new MacBook shows San Francisco is more than just the Apple Watch font". The Next Web. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  9. ^ "Apple - MacBook". Apple.
  10. ^ "Apple – MacBook – Tech Specs". Apple. April 19, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  11. ^ Cutress, Ian. "Apple Refreshes MacBook with Skylake-based Core M and New Rose Gold Color". AnandTech. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  12. ^ a b Apple Inc. (April 19, 2016). "Apple Updates MacBook" (Press release). San Francisco. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  13. ^ https://www.apple.com/macbook/specs/
  14. ^ "Apple's 12-inch MacBook gets a new gold color (and ditches its old gold color)". CNET. October 30, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  15. ^ a b "Apple MacBook Specs (All MacBook Technical Specs) @ EveryMac.com". EveryMac.com. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  16. ^ "Apple killed the 12-inch MacBook". Engadget. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  17. ^ Lowensohn, Josh (March 9, 2015). "Apple's glowing laptop lid is no more". The Verge. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  18. ^ Rossignol, Joe. "New MacBook Pros Don't Include Backlit Apple Logo or Power Extension Cable". www.macrumors.com. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  19. ^ Chan & Chen. "Cook Says Chinese Tastes Considered in Apple Product Designs". Bloomberg. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  20. ^ [3]
  21. ^ Elliott, Melissa. "Concise "New Retina Macbook" Review". Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  22. ^ Etherington, Darrell (April 9, 2015). "2015 MacBook Review". TechCrunch. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  23. ^ Cunningham, Andrew (April 9, 2015). "The 2015 MacBook previews a future that's not quite here". Ars Technica. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  24. ^ Wollman, Dana (April 9, 2015). "MacBook review: Apple reinvents the laptop again". Engadget. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  25. ^ Stern, Joanna (April 9, 2015). "Apple MacBook Review: The Laptop of the Future Isn't Ready for the Present". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  26. ^ Pierce, David (April 9, 2015). "Review: Apple MacBook". Wired. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  27. ^ [4]
  28. ^ [5]
  29. ^ Arment, Marco. "Quick impressions of the new stuff in the Apple Store today, which probably aren't useful since everyone can just go see for themselves now". Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  30. ^ Arment, Marco. "Mistake One". Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  31. ^ Wuerthele, Mike (April 30, 2018). "2016 MacBook Pro butterfly keyboards failing twice as frequently as older models". AppleInsider. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  32. ^ Axon, Samuel (May 8, 2018). "Report: Butterfly MacBook Pro keyboards require more frequent, more expensive repairs". Ars Technica. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  33. ^ Moyer, Edward (May 12, 2018). "Apple MacBook keyboard issue prompts lawsuit". CNET. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  34. ^ Heisler, Yoni (May 23, 2018). "Apple hit with another class-action lawsuit over the MacBook Pro keyboard design". Boy Genius Report. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  35. ^ Tibken, Shara (June 22, 2018). "Apple will fix sticky keyboards on some MacBooks, MacBook Pros". CNET. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  36. ^ "MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015) - Technical Specifications". Apple Inc. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  37. ^ "MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016) - Technical Specifications". Apple Inc. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  38. ^ "MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Mid-2017) - Technical Specifications". Apple Inc.
  39. ^ "MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, 2017) - Technical Specifications". support.apple.com. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  40. ^ Ganesh T S (May 9, 2016). "Choosing the Right SSD for a Skylake-U System". AnandTech. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
  41. ^ a b Ryan Smith. "The MacBook's SSD: NVMe". anandtech.com. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  42. ^ "Using 4K displays, 5K displays and Ultra HD TVs with your Mac - Apple Support". support.apple.com. June 23, 2017. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
  43. ^ "Using 4K displays, 5K displays and Ultra HD TVs with your Mac - Apple Support". support.apple.com. June 23, 2017. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to MacBook (Retina).
Preceded by MacBook (12-inch)
April 10, 2015 		Succeeded by
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