An Upgrade that Continues to Impress
I must admit I had been eying the newer Macbook Pros for the last couple of years. I remember the complaints regarding the butterfly keyboard and Apple eventually listening to the consumer and returning to the scissor mechanism keyboard setup. I wasn’t compelled to replace my older Macbook Pro because word of mouth wasn’t very enticing.
My 2014 unit started to exhibit massive battery deficiencies, and it was time for a change. Everything I had read told me now was the time to leap. Apple announced an October 18th, 2021 event, and like a fish on a hook, it wouldn’t take much to reel me in!
Battery Surfing Time “All Morning and Early Afternoon” (media by JC)
I don’t have any other way of saying this. The battery is nothing short of spectacular. Under heavy usage, I can get through an entire day. Now, am I conditioned to be overwhelmingly happy compared to what I upgraded from? The answer is most likely yes. It is possible someone with a 2018 or 2019 Macbook Pro won’t be as impressed, but what are they doing replacing their laptop so soon anyway?
Let’s talk about the sound of this unit. I will say Apple put some attention to these speakers. I remember playing a movie trailer off of Youtube and remarking on the hefty bass emitted from the unit. It is truly a delight to be playing music as I type this review. Don’t expect to host a massive dance party for a group of friends, but do expect to be entertained with a solid sound system; nicely done, Apple!
There have been complaints about the return to the Magsafe cable. The complaint isn’t in the application but rather the magnet’s strength. The accidental walking past the line and yanking the laptop off a desk seems to be common. I want to say, let’s not be too petty in our criticism. Apple responded to customer requests to return the Magsafe charging cables. MagSafe 3 is stronger, and it will have to be something we become accustomed to. If I am allowed to be a little petty, my 2014 unit had Magsafe 2, which is not compatible with the newer technology. I now have several useless cables from my older unit.
Magsafe 3 (media by JC)
With Magsafe 3 comes much faster charging. You can get roughly 50% charge within 30 minutes as advertised. I have found this to be accurate, but I haven’t been hard-pressed to get a quick charge as it doesn’t have the battery drain my previous model did. Keep in mind; you can still charge by USB-C as well. I found this helpful the other day when I left my Magsafe cable home. I have plenty of extra USB-C cables at the ready.
When I traded the 2021 Macbook 14″ for 16″, it came with another added feature which was a surprise. Depending on your configuration, the 14″ Macbook Pros come with a 67-watt or 96- watt adaptor. For the first time, the 16″ Macbook Pro comes with a 140-watt adaptor, and it sure delivers the power. This, along with the larger screen, justifies the $500 upcharge over the smaller 14-inch model. I am anxious to see what other surprises I am in store for.
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