Why Jim Dalrymple loves Apple’s 12-inch gold MacBook

When Apple launched the 12-inch retina MacBook there was a firestorm of criticism directed at the new laptop. Many Mac users were shocked that there was only one port, and many others disliked the new keyboard. There were heated discussions about the 12-inch MacBook on Reddit and other sites, and opinions have remained quite polarized about it.

But there’s one guy who absolutely loves the 12-inch MacBook, and that’s Jim Dalrymple. He writes the popular Apple blog The Loop, and he recently shared some thoughts about why he loves the 12-inch MacBook so much.

I’ll share my own thoughts below, but here’s a sample of his blog post:

One of my favorite Macs ever is the gold 12-inch MacBook. This computer shows that Apple’s forward thinking design is not limited to iPhone and iPad. It also maintains Apple’s vision of giving consumers what they need before they even know they need it.

If you told me just a couple of years ago that I’d be using a laptop with just one port that controlled charging and that I’d use the same port for all my peripherals, I would have said you were crazy. Yet, here I am.

The 12-inch MacBook has the best keyboard I’ve ever used. Yes, it took a couple of days to get used to it, but once I did, I never wanted to go back.

I like the keyboard even more now.

More at The Loop

Jim does a good job in the rest of the post explaining why the single port on the 12-inch MacBook works very well for him, and notes that he stands by his comments about the MacBook’s keyboard found in his initial review of it.

Why I didn’t buy the 12-inch Macbook

I was initially quite interested in the 12-inch MacBook, but I ended up not buying it. I loved the small size and also the retina screen. It seemed like the perfect laptop for me, until I went into an Apple store and tried to use one.

The keyboard on the 12-inch MacBook was a total deal killer for me. I have tendinitis issues with my hands, and I immediately noticed that the new “butterfly” keyboard felt like I was typing on a piece of glass or wood. It literally hurt my fingers to type on it. And I realized that there was no way I was going to be able to use it with that keyboard.

This was a real bummer for me, since otherwise I loved the 12-inch Macbook. The size and weight were perfect for a portable laptop, it is just big enough to be comfortable to use but still perfect for mobile use. I’d never seen another laptop that hit the sweet spot like that in terms of portability.

I also really loved how amazingly light it felt when I picked it up. I have a 13-inch MacBook Pro from a few years ago, and it feels huge and heavy compared to the 12-inch MacBook. I was astounded at the difference in size and weight between the two laptops. The svelte 12-inch MacBook made me want to dump my chunky 13-inch MacBook Pro right then and there.

The single port was definitely not an issue, however, in my decision not to buy it. I don’t use that many ports anyway, and I make good use of iCloud so I have little to no need for additional ports. Those who do need them would be better off with a MacBook Pro instead of the MacBook.

Some people have also complained about the Intel Core M processor in the 12-inch MacBook. But it seemed quite fast enough for my needs when I tested it in my local Apple store. For what I use a Mac for, it seemed to have more than enough processing power.

The only other thing that I didn’t care for about the 12-inch MacBook was the 420P FaceTime camera. I think Apple should have gone with a 720P camera, at the very least. But if the keyboard was more comfortable to type on, I wouldn’t have let the camera issue stop me from buying the 12-inch MacBook.

Like Jim Dalrymple, I also liked the gold colored MacBook. There’s a certain bling factor to it that appeals to me, and it’s a nice change of pace from silver or even space grey. So if I had bought one, it would not doubt have been the gold one.

I’ll wait and see what Apple does with version 2 of the 12-inch Macbook

While I’m happy for Jim Dalrymple and others like him who love their MacBooks, I’ve decided to hold off and see what Apple does with version 2 of the 12-inch MacBook. I doubt that they will fix the keyboard problem, unfortunately, since they are now selling a Magic Keyboard with similar key travel to that of the 12-inch MacBook.

But you never know, Apple might at some point realize that the “butterfly” keyboard just isn’t comfortable enough for some of us to use on a daily basis. That’s my hope anyway, so I’m looking forward to seeing what version 2 of the MacBook has to offer.

Did you miss a post? Check the Eye On Apple home page to get caught up with the latest news, discussions and rumors about Apple.