Here are quick impressions of my new 2023 14" MacBook Pro. This is about a computer rather than peripherals, and this post was requested by @pennstac. This thread is the closest category match I could find.
My old MacBook Pro
I’m upgrading from a 2019 13" MacBook Pro (2018 release), and I hated it as much any PC I’ve ever owned. That MacBook generation (2016 to 2020) had awful butterfly-switch keyboards that dddoooubbled or mi*sed keystrokes despite a $2K price of entry. Apple offered free keyboard swaps at the Apple store, but the staff warned me that new keyboards lasted for only about one year. Any $300 computer was more durable. I received a class-action lawsuit settlement notice regarding that trash keyboard.
The 2016-2020 MacBook Pros also had a silly LCD display strip instead of regular function keys. I tried the strip for two days and then set it on standard key functions and ignored it. If you want to look at images and icons, just go up a couple inches and look at the regular monitor.
Finally, that generation pushed power users toward the “less is more, lighter is better” MacBook Air model. Mine had just four Thunderbolt ports and a headphone jack for everything. The power supply took up one port, and typical daily use required a dongle or external hub.
My 2023 Upgrade – Back to the Future
For those who used notebook computers before the MacBook Air and ultralights, there used to be a “mothership” style. The notebook was seen as the hub for all devices and thereby had many random ports, accessories, and expansion options. Notebooks were often big, bulky, and not meant to be carried everywhere all the time.
The 2023 MacBook Pro is a clear admission that Apple’s move away from the mothership model was wrong for pro and power users. This one is no-nonsense and much more what I want and use. Highlights:
- Fast M2 CPU/GPU that makes my old one seem comically slow. It can run 3D graphics without looking foolish now, and everything is super snappy.
- Fantastic 120 Hz LCD display with great color and brightness. It’s easier on the eyes than the old one. Slow Apple is catching up to other brands.
- A taller old-school LCD close to the 4:3 ratio rather than the widescreen format. This is immediately noticeable for vertical content such as webpages and word processor documents. While my new screen is 14" and the old one was 13", it feels like 15" or 16" because of the height. It has Apple’s camera “bite out” on the top edge, but photos and video avoid that section and preserve the full rectangular wide screen format.
- A no-nonsense real keyboard with regular function keys.
- In an obvious admission that less is less rather than less is more for “pro” users, Apple brought back the old MagSafe power connector, an HDMI port, and an SDXC reader. It has three Thunderbolt ports and a headphone jack too.
- No apparent regard for “thinner is better” – this is a chunky monkey that’s best used as a compact workstation or for non-travel scenarios. Tablets are great for travel, so no loss for me.
These are expensive computers and return to real-world needs. They are fast enough to stream uncompressed audio too. 