Comparison of macbook 12 m3 and m7. ⇡ Internal structure

Finish

• Rose Gold
• Space Gray
• Silver

Display

• Retina display
• 12-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology
• 2304-by-1440 resolution at 226 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
• 16:10 aspect ratio
• Supported scaled resolutions:
  • 1440 by 900
  • 1280 by 800
  • 1024 by 640

Processor

• 1.1GHz
  1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core m3 processor (Turbo Boost up to 2.2GHz) with 4MB L3 cache
  
• 1.2GHz
  1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core m5 processor (Turbo Boost up to 2.7GHz) with 4MB L3 cache
  Configurable to 1.3GHz dual-core Intel Core m7 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz) with 4MB L3 cache.

Memory

• 8GB of 1866MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory

Storage

• 1.1GHz
  256GB PCIe-based onboard flash storage 1
• 1.2GHz
  512GB PCIe-based onboard flash storage 1

Size and Weight

• Height: 0.14-0.52 inch (0.35-1.31 cm)
• Width: 11.04 inches (28.05 cm)
• Depth: 7.74 inches (19.65 cm)
• Weight: 2.03 pounds (0.92 kg) 2

Graphics and Video Support

• Intel HD Graphics 515
• Dual display and video mirroring: simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 3840 by 2160 pixels at 30Hz on an external display, both at millions of colors

Wireless

• WiFi
  802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
• Bluetooth
  Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology

Charging and Expansion

• USB-C port with support for:
  • Charging
  • USB 3.1 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gbps)
  • Native DisplayPort 1.2 video output
  • VGA output using USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter (sold separately)
  • HDMI video output using USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter (sold separately)

Camera

• 480p FaceTime camera

Audio

• Stereo speakers
• Dual microphones
• 3.5 mm headphone jack
  • Support for Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphone

Keyboard and Trackpad

• Full-size keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) individual LED backlit keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys with ambient light sensor
• Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and pressure-sensing capabilities; enables Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing, and Multi-Touch gestures

Battery and Power

• Up to 10 hours wireless web 3
• Up to 11 hours iTunes movie playback 3
• Up to 30 days of standby time 3
• Built-in 41.4-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery
• 29W USB-C Power Adapter; USB-C power port

Electrical and Operating Requirements

• Line voltage: 100V-240V AC
• Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz
• Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C)
• Storage temperature: -13° to 113° F (-25° to 45° C)
• Relative humidity: 0% to 90% noncondensing
• Operating altitude: tested up to 10,000 feet
• Maximum storage altitude: 15,000 feet
• Maximum shipping altitude: 35,000 feet

Operating System

macOS Sierra
macOS is the operating system that powers everything you do on a Mac. macOS Sierra introduces Siri to Mac 4 — along with new ways to enjoy your photos, shop more securely online, and work more seamlessly between devices. Learn more

Accessibility

Accessibility features help people with disabilities get the most out of their new MacBook. With built-in support for vision, hearing, physical and motor skills, and learning and literacy, you can create and do amazing things. Learn more

Features include:

• VoiceOver
• Increase Contrast
• Reduce Motion
• Siri and Dictation
• Switch Control
• Closed Captions
• Text to Speech

Built-in Apps 5

• Photos
• iMovie
• GarageBand
• Pages
• Numbers
• Keynote
• Safari
• Messages
• FaceTime
• Calendar
• Notes
• App Store
• iTunes
• iBooks
• Contacts
• Reminders

Limited Warranty and Service

Your MacBook comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan to extend your service and support to three years from your computer’s purchase date. Only the AppleCare Protection Plan provides you with direct telephone support from Apple technical experts and the assurance that repairs will be handled by Apple-authorized technicians using genuine Apple parts. For more information, visit Apple Support or call 800-823-2775.

Acoustic Performance

Declared noise emission values ​​in accordance with ECMA-109

	Sound Power Level L W A,m (B)	Sound Pressure Level Operator Position L p A.m (dB)
Idle	1.25 (K V= 0.25)	3.5
Wireless web	1.25 (K V= 0.25)	3.5

1. L W A,m is the mean A-weighted sound power level, rounded to the nearest 0.05 B.
2. L p A,m is the mean A-weighted sound pressure level measured at the operator position (rounded to the nearest 0.5 dB).
3. 1 B (bel) = 10 dB (decibel)
4. Kv is the statistical adder for computing upper-limit of A-weighted sound power level.
5. The quantity, L W A,c (formerly called L W Ad) may be computed from the sum of L W A,m and Kv.
6. The Wireless web test browses 25 popular websites.
7. Configuration tested: 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core m5 processor, 8GB memory, 512GB storage, Intel HD Graphics 515.

Accessories

Adapters

• USB-C to USB Adapter
• USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter
• USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter
• USB-C to Lightning Cable
• Power Adapter Extension Cable

AirPort and Wireless

• AirPort Extreme
• AirPort Express
• AirPort Time Capsule

Other Accessories

• Apple USB SuperDrive
• AppleCare Protection Plan
• Apple Magic Mouse 2
• Apple Magic Trackpad 2
• Apple Magic Keyboard
• World Travel Adapter Kit

In the Box

• MacBook
• 29W USB-C Power Adapter
• USB-C Charge Cable (2 m)

Configure to Order

Configure your MacBook to order with this option, only at apple.com.

• 1.3GHz dual-core Intel Core m7 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz) with 4MB L3 cache

MacBook and the Environment

Apple takes a complete product life cycle approach to determining our environmental impact. Learn more

MacBook is designed with the following features to reduce its environmental impact:

• Mercury-free display
• Arsenic-free display glass
• BFR-free
• PVC-free
• Beryllium-free
• Highly recyclable aluminum enclosure
• Meets ENERGY STAR Version 6.1 requirements
• Rated EPEAT Gold 6

Apple and the Environment
Learn more about Apple's dedication to reducing the environmental impact of our products and process. Or read our Product Environmental Reports for detailed information on the environmental performance of every Apple product.

Recycling
Apple takes a holistic view of materials management and waste minimization. Learn more about how to recycle your Mac.

1. 1GB = 1 billion bytes; actual formatted capacity less.
2. Weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process.
3. Testing conducted by Apple in March 2016 using preproduction 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core m5-based 12-inch MacBook systems with 512GB of flash storage (wireless web test and HD movie playback test) as well as preproduction 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core m5-based 12-inch MacBook systems with 512GB of flash storage and 1.1GHz Intel Core m3-based 12-inch MacBook systems with 256GB of flash storage (standby test), all configured with 8GB of RAM. The wireless web test measures battery life by wirelessly browsing 25 popular websites with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%. The iTunes movie playback test measures battery life by playing back HD 1080p content with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%. The standby test measures battery life by allowing a system, connected to a wireless network and signed in to an iCloud account, to enter standby mode with Safari and Mail applications launched and all system settings left at default. Battery life varies by use and configuration. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information.
4. Siri may not be available in all languages ​​or in all areas, and features may vary by area.
5. iMovie, GarageBand, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are available on the Mac App Store. Downloading apps requires an Apple ID and a device that is compatible with the OS version required for each app.
6. MacBook achieved a Gold rating from EPEAT in the U.S. and Canada.

Thin MacBook from Apple offers serious performance.

The MacBook is a story of compromise. With more pixels than MacBook Air, its display lets you be more productive on the go, and when you throw it in your backpack, it feels like it's not there. While it's not the most powerful machine (editing 4K photos on this machine is a bit of a pain), the laptop handles traditional tasks with ease.

A year later, Apple refreshed the MacBook with new sixth-generation Intel processors, offering faster storage, RAM, and graphics at the same price. The most interesting change, however, is on the outside: a new rose gold finish, which makes it possible to buy a shiny pink Apple laptop for the first time. Gender stereotypes aside.

• pros: Rose Gold | Productivity | Design | Speakers;
• Minuses: One USB-C | High price | Controversial keyboard;

But despite the upgrades, the new MacBook is not a replacement for the MacBook Air, which has received its own reissue - it is still the same unique, dazzling and complex laptop as the one that launched one year ago. Only faster and with better time battery life.

New processor, combined with fast internal memory, RAM and graphics, bring a noticeable increase in the performance of the MacBook laptop. You'll still have to deal with one thing somehow. USB port-C, using additional adapters and connectors to equip your FrankenMac with additional "limbs".

And if you couldn't get along with its super-small keyboard, your fingers will remain as unhappy as ever - especially during long typing sessions.

Latest improvements

It's been almost a year since Apple first introduced the rose gold MacBook, and now with Intel's new Kaby Lake processors, we can't help but wonder where the sequel is.

If a patent spotted by Apple Insider is to be believed, the next MacBook will remain a less traditional laptop for everyone. Instead, the patent points to Apple's conceptual approach that transforms iOS to run in a modular laptop. Of course, patents don't always come to fruition, so you should take the information with a healthy dose of skepticism.

At the same time, you can now use the Night Shift feature on your MacBook laptop, is a solution that has migrated from iOS to help reduce screen blue light so you can sleep better at night after using your laptop. This feature comes with macOS Sierra 10.12.4, so if you haven't updated your system yet, now is the time to do so.

MacBook: Big money

Some users expected Apple to slash the price of the updated MacBook to sweeten the deal. But that did not happen. The entry-level model still costs 85,000 rubles, which is several thousand rubles more expensive than the 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina.

If the cost of a laptop remains too high for you, consider purchasing last year's model from Apple reStore stores. And while the early 2016 MacBook is a technically superior machine, you won't see any difference between the two during common user tasks like surfing the web and working with documents.

At the time of writing, the entry-level MacBook started at RUB 75,000, along with eight other models that offered varying specs and prices.

Apple often shaves a millimeter or two off its laptops when they undergo an update, but there's no room left on the 12-inch MacBook. Measuring 280 x 197 x 13.1 mm (W x D x H), the latest MacBook occupies a smaller footprint than the other skinny Core M laptop, which measures 324 x 226 x 12.2 mm (W x D x H).

It's also thinner than the MacBook Air (325 x 227 x 17 mm). The 12-inch MacBook is also lighter than this pair of laptops, weighing just 921 grams compared to the Air's 1.08 kg. It's about the same as having two in your hand.

For comparison, the tablet weighs 1.075 kg with the keyboard case together. Other Windows 10 machines are catching up with new design standards, take a look at the HP Specter 13 review. And while the new MacBook remains a fine technical feat that has lost none of its appeal, the strides made by competitors mean you won't have to choose between attractive design and practicality.

CharacteristicsMacBook (Early 2016)

Here is the MacBook configuration from our review:

• CPU: 2-core Intel Core m5-6Y54 1.2 GHz (up to 2.7 GHz – Turbo Boost);
• RAM: 8 GB LPDDR3 1867 MHz;
• operating system: OS X 10.11 El Capitan;
• Screen: 12-inch IPS display with LED backlight;
• Graphic arts: Intel HD Graphics 515;
• Memory: 512 GB PCIe based on flash;
• Camera: FaceTime 480p;
• Net: 1/10/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (USB-Ethernet adapter);
• Connection: Wi-Fi 802.11ac; Bluetooth 4.0;
• Audio: Stereo speakers; Dual microphone; Headphone jack (supports Apple iPhone headset);
• Dimensions: 280 x 197 x 13.1 mm (W x D x H);
• Battery: Built-in 39.4Wh lithium polymer battery;

The MacBook comes in three configurations, starting with an entry-level model that comes with 256GB of flash memory. Apple got rid of last year's fifth-generation Broadwell processors, new laptops work with Intel Skylake processors, the cheapest option offers a Core M3 chip with clock frequency 1.1 GHz (2.2 GHz with Turbo Boost).

—

Costing from 85,000 rubles comes a more expensive MacBook configuration, with double the memory and a Core M5 processor, which offers a higher clock speed of 1.2 GHz (up to 2.7 GHz with Turbo Boost). Both laptops have faster RAM than last year's MacBook (8GB DDR3 1867 MHz, up from 1600 MHz), and Apple also claims Intel HD Graphics 515 in this year's models offers 25% extra performance.

—
For added appeal, the Apple MacBook can offer a fast configuration with a dual-core 1.3 GHz Core M7 processor with a maximum clock speed of 3.1 GHz for an additional 11,000 rubles.

In addition to the new configurations, Apple also offered more subtle changes to this year's MacBook. After dismantling the laptop, the guys at iFixit discovered that the laptop uses new hinge bolts with a picture on the head filled with a substance that decomposes under the pressure of a screwdriver applied. They will help Apple determine whether the machine has been tampered with, which could have a domino effect on various warranty issues, although this has not yet been officially confirmed.

Software included

Mac App Store Apple has developed significantly in recent years, offering an excellent resource with useful recommendations for applications in various categories, be it gaming, work, writing, navigation and much more. You also get a set of pre-loaded apps with the new laptop.

PerformanceAppleMacBook

The Intel Core M processor has, perhaps unfairly, a bad reputation, having been introduced under the hood of the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro in 2015 and other early machines that adopted Intel's fanless processors (ironically, the Yoga 3 Pro did not use a fanless design) , which showed themselves to be sluggish, even to the point of a drop in performance, which did not allow the devices themselves to show off their sleek new designs.

However, subsequent generations of laptops increasingly used Core M, while processors reached a level where in some tasks you cannot tell whether you are using a Core M or Core i series of processors.

Unfortunately, the Core M processors in the 2015 MacBooks weren't powerful enough to provide a smooth OS X 10.10 Yosemite experience. We've found that turning off transparency and animation effects, as well as keeping enough programs running at the same time, is vital to eliminating any stuttering while running.

So how does the updated MacBook work?

Benchmarks

Here's how the review MacBook performed in tests:

• Xbench: Overall: 394,6 | CPU: 267,14;
• Cinebench R15(CPU (Multi-core)): 237cb | Open GL: 21.11 FPS);
• Unigine Heaven 4.0: Quality "Medium" (1680 x 1050): Rating: 397 | FPS: 18;
• Unigine Heaven 4.0: Ultra quality (1680 x 1050): Rating: 397 | FPS: 15.7;
• NovaBench: Score: 623 | Graphics: 43;
• Geekbench 3 (Single core): 2938 | (Multi-core): 5900;
• Test BlackMagic Disk Speed: Reading: 921 Mb/s | Record: 838 Mb/s;
• Batman: Arkham City(1440 x 900, Average): Average score - 14 FPS;
• Tomb Raider(1440 x 900, Average): Average - 17.8 FPS;

For comparison, here's the performance of the entry-level MacBook, which is configured around an Intel Core m3-6Y30 clocked at 0.9 GHz (Turbo Boost up to 1.1 GHz), Intel HD Graphics 515 and 8 GB of RAM (1867 MHz).

• Xbench: Overall: 347,54 | CPU: 228,25;
• Cinebench R15(CPU (Multi-core)): 213cb | Open GL: 21.03 FPS);
• Unigine Heaven 4.0: Quality “Medium” (1680 x 1050): Score: 292 | FPS: 11.6;
• Unigine Heaven 4.0: Ultra quality (1680 x 1050): Rating: 256 | FPS: 10.2;
• NovaBench: Rating: 489 | Graphics: 41;
• Geekbench 3 (Single core): 2535 | (Multi-core): 5025;
• Test BlackMagic Disk Speed: Reading: 929.7 Mbps | Record: 620.2 Mb/s;
• Batman: Arkham City(1440 x 900, Average): Average score - 13 FPS;
• Tomb Raider(1440 x 900, Average): Average - 18.2 FPS;
• Auto time works (video test): 7 hours and 10 minutes (1080p / Brightness: 75%);

The good news is that the new processors have turned the MacBook into a machine that performs very efficiently under stress. We tested the entry-level model and the mid-spec version, and found that both machines offered a smooth experience out of the box, without tweaking OS X settings.

The 2,304 x 1,440-pixel display remains one of the best we've seen on a laptop, and it's also the best on a MacBook. It has incredibly rich colors and an excellent 170-degree viewing angle.

There's another benefit: you can scale it to get more desktop space, and the offering goes well beyond Apple's standard resolution scaling. Using Custom Resolution, we were able to run 1920 x 1080 pixels in High-DPI mode using SwitchResX, allowing us to see the same number of tables, rows, and columns as on a 27-inch monitor. Of course, the text became tiny, but we were able to parse numbers and edit tables without any problems.

While you won't be using this solution full-time, with my old laptop, an 11-inch MacBook Air, I was forced to connect to a portable monitor via USB DisplayLink, but now I see plenty of workspace. This solution is made possible by the high resolution of Windows and Apple machines, but having that much space has an impressive effect on a pencil-thin 12.1-inch laptop.

Final Thoughts

The MacBook (Early 2016) isn't going to take over the ultra-thin laptop market, but it's hard to pass up once you're swayed by the capabilities of Apple's latest laptop. Even better, the new rose gold option is absolutely gorgeous.

We liked: Now that your MacBook has more horsepower under the hood, you won't have to tweak OS X El Capitan to get a smooth experience. This series of laptops continues to carry the motto: It just works. The increase in rated performance offers a noticeable difference. But that doesn't mean you'll suddenly trade in yours for an Ultrabook for heavy computing tasks.

Apple isn't changing the design of the MacBook because it doesn't need to. The Apple laptop still can't even compare to its Windows counterparts, although we're not sure that won't change in the next six months. The densely color-packed display looks as vibrant as the previous model, and just try to find a 12- or 13-inch laptop with better speakers. This is an almost impossible task.

We didn't like it: The single USB-C port is the biggest problem with the 12-inch MacBook. There are simply too many compromises to use a laptop as your main machine, even on the go, you have to choose between connectivity peripheral device or charging a laptop if you don’t have a power strip at hand. It would be great to see the price drop, as the MacBook should at least provide undeniably smooth OS performance for its price. If the new MacBook Air and Pro launch this summer, you can expect prices to drop.

To sum it up...

Should you buy a new 12-inch MacBook? It's a tough question given the likelihood of new MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros arriving soon. One thing is for sure, the new laptops won't be as thin and portable - similar thickness would require an almost impossible feat of engineering. On the other hand, if you're willing to wait for machines with better performance, it's worth the wait.

8 Overall Score

Verdict:

Apple is giving the new MacBook a welcome performance boost that helps OS X run lightning fast. Critical shortcomings remain, but the 2016 MacBook is a much less risky purchase than the 2015 models. We just wish it was a little cheaper.

In previous battery testing, results were mixed, with Consumer Reports concluding that all three versions of the MacBook Pro did not "meet Consumer Reports' standards for recommended models." At the time, Apple said that the testing did not reflect actual battery life figures and that it was through specific testing that the company discovered a “hidden vulnerability” in Safari. However, a number of users confirmed Consumer Reports' results, saying that the MacBook Pro's battery life was lower than expected.

MacBook Pro battery life as tested in early 2017

According to the results of new testing, the macOS Sierra update has indeed fixed the previously discovered problems.

“All three MacBook Pro models that used the updated software demonstrated good results, one of the models worked 18.5 hours on a single charge. We tested each model multiple times with the new software, following a protocol similar to what we've used to test hundreds of other laptops. Now that we have new battery life results, overall scores have increased, placing all three laptop models in the Recommended Buy category,” Consumer Reports said.

In the new testing, the MacBook Pro models showed the following results: the 13-inch version with Touch Bar lasted 15.75 hours on a single charge, the 15-inch version with Touch Bar lasted 17.25 hours. The 13-inch model without Touch Bar showed the highest result - 18.75 hours of battery life.

Every year it updates some models of its laptops, although it does not introduce any super-important improvements. Apple laptops They work great and are updated (El Capitan was released for devices from 2008), so you shouldn’t drop everything and replace your last year’s MacBook with a new generation. There have been no external changes to the device, and all the innovations consist of improved hardware.

This is an update, updating the hardware to the current generation and correcting some problems of previous devices. You can't expect anything radically new from such releases, but it's definitely worth paying attention to.

Not a single connector

The main complaint about the MacBook is that the device has only one USB Type-C 3.1 connector (with the exception of the headphone output). Through this port, everything that is usually assigned to three to five different inputs is carried out: charging, connecting flash drives and other peripherals. To connect everything at once, Apple sells a special adapter, which contains another USB-C for charging, HDMI and regular USB.

I didn't have to resort to the adapter as often as expected. Majority necessary files was in the “cloud”, so the presence of one connector had virtually no effect on the process of use.

It is worth saying that the laptop does not even come with a regular USB adapter. In any case, you will have to buy it and carry it with you, because the USB-C standard is not yet so widespread. Without an adapter, you won’t even be able to charge your phone from your laptop. For a USB-C to USB adapter you will have to pay 1.6 thousand rubles, and for a full-fledged adapter with three ports - all 7 thousand rubles.

What's under the lid

In terms of size, the MacBook is easiest to compare with the Air 11, it is so compact. It can be carried in bags and backpacks of almost any size, and thanks to its weight of only 0.92 kg, you can work with your MacBook even while weighed.

The screen has a Retina resolution of 2304 x 1440 with a density of 226 ppi. As expected from Apple, the display reproduces colors perfectly and has a large reserve of brightness. The protective glass is coated with an anti-reflective coating, which allows you to use the laptop outdoors without any problems.

The controls are of greatest interest. If the keyboard gives rise to some doubts, the trackpad is definitely the most comfortable of all that are presented in Apple laptops.

It will be difficult for a long-time Mac OS user to get used to the keyboard on the MacBook, since the keys have become much larger, and there is practically no distance between them. For the sake of compactness, the keys only protrude slightly from the body, but at the same time they have a noticeable click, which is why a press is triggered after the slightest touch. At first, you have to carefully monitor all the keystrokes to get used to the keyboard.

Below that is an incredibly large glass trackpad with Force Touch technology. Firstly, it does not have a physical click like the old ones MacBook models Air and Pro, that is, the click is registered in any part of the touch surface and the feedback completely repeats the feeling of clicking on the previous ones touch panels MacBook. It supports multiple levels of pressure, just like the iPhone 6s, which adds a number of new capabilities. For example, a strong click allows you to open a preview of a page in the browser or speed up a video.

Updated hardware

All innovations of the MacBook are associated exclusively with its filling, with the exception of the pink body. The laptop received a new processor, graphics, SSD, and at the same time it began to live a little longer on a single battery charge. The MacBook is based on the sixth generation Core M. The special feature of the M line is their low heat dissipation and they can work without coolers. The laptop does not make any noise, but heat is dissipated only through the body.

Batteries take up the most space inside a laptop

This causes load temperatures to peak quickly and reduces performance to protect against thermal damage. But this only applies to complex tasks; in ordinary life everything works much better. If when working with the old MacBook it was necessary to monitor the number of processes and open tabs in the browser, then with the 2016 model, thanks to the new hardware, such problems do not arise.

Characteristics

Screen: 12 inches, IPS, 2304x1440, 226 ppi;
CPU: Intel Core m3 (1.1 GHz, Turbo Boost 2.2 GHz) / Intel Core m5 (1.2 GHz, Turbo Boost 2.7 GHz);
RAM: 8 GB;
Storage capacity: 256 GB / 512 GB;
GPU: Intel HD Graphics 515;
Dimensions and weight: 281x197x13 mm, 0.92 kg.

Despite the increase in performance, the MacBook is not a powerful machine. The ideal environment for him is surfing the net, checking email, and simple work with photos and videos. Well, you won’t be able to play on a MacBook.

There are only two modifications available in Russia: with an Intel Core m3-6Y30 processor and a 256 GB SSD and with an Intel Core m5-6Y54 and a 512 GB SSD. In some regions it is possible to change the processor to an Intel Core m7-6Y75. Such an operation will cost $150-250, depending on the modification initially chosen, but this is not yet provided for in Russia.

Bottom line

The 12-inch MacBook, as before, is not a device for everyone. It’s hard to imagine a person who would happily exchange his, for example, MacBook Pro 15 for a similar device. The only thing in which it beats everyone else is compactness. There is no talk of incredible performance.

But with remote operational work The MacBook does the job perfectly. It has everything for this: small size, acceptable performance, allowing you to work with serious applications, long life on a single charge.

This is an ideal assistant laptop, but not the main computer in the house. Sometimes not all operations can be performed on a tablet, and a device with a full-fledged OS on board will be more useful than ever. You can easily take it with you on a trip and know that you will always have a machine ready to work at hand. But if you need to choose your main computer, then you should choose, for example, a MacBook Pro.

The 12-inch MacBook with Retina display was a fresh addition to Apple's product line at the time. Thanks to the advent of Intel Core M processors, which extended the Core architecture to the segment of ultra-low-power systems on a chip, Apple was able to create a laptop that is close to tablet PCs in terms of use scenario. Weighing less than 1 kg and passively cooling components, MacBook can be carried with you at all times and run on a single battery charge all day (provided that work tasks do not require a constant full load of the system). At the same time, the computer has a full-fledged desktop OS installed, and the performance is sufficient for standard office applications. The other side of the coin is a forced compromise in terms of connecting various peripherals, since in the thin case there is no room for any connectors other than the only one USB Type-C and a 3.5 mm mini jack for acoustics or headsets.

Over the past year, there have been changes in the Apple ecosystem that affect the position of the 12-inch MacBook. The company created the iPad, which claims to be a full-fledged work machine, and not just a device for consuming content. Both iPad versions Pro - with both 12.9-inch and 9.7-inch screens - thanks to the detachable keyboard, they can replace a compact laptop as much as possible software for iOS. In addition, Apple equips tablets with screens larger than high level, rather than those used in the company's laptops. This is especially true for the 9.7-inch screen in iPad Pro, which has an extended DCI-P3 color gamut and color correction taking into account background lighting. And the quality of work with the Apple Pencil is impressive.

As a result, the 12-inch MacBook and iPad Pro turned out to be very close in their purpose. Additionally, the MacBook Air has not seen an update this year, and we can assume that this family is coming to the end of its life. For the buyer, this means that while previously the choice of a compact Apple device for tasks beyond multimedia, the Internet and messaging was reduced to the Air or the new MacBook with a “retina”, now the iPad Pro claims to be an alternative.

In this review, we're going to take another look at the 12-inch MacBook, now in a refreshed 2016 configuration, and compare its performance to what the iPad Pro offers. In addition, this model was the first of the MacBooks to receive an Intel Skylake generation processor, while the rest of the Macs are awaiting the transition from Broadwell, and the MacBook Pro with a 15.4-inch screen is still equipped with Haswell. This will potentially close the performance gap between the Retina MacBook and the MacBook Air that we saw a year ago.

⇡ Technical characteristics, prices

All changes in the MacBook configuration compared to last year's model are associated with the transition from the Broadwell-Y core to Skylake-Y. There are two laptop configurations, differing in CPU version (Core m3 or m5) and SSD capacity (256 or 512 GB), plus the ability to choose the fastest Core m7 for both of them. The processors still have a standard TDP of 4.5 W, but Apple uses the ability to configure TDP up to 7 W, which made it possible to set base frequencies higher by 100-200 MHz and increase the space for their short-term spikes.

When compared with the 2015 MacBook, the maximum frequencies of the two younger versions were lowered by 100-200 MHz, while those of the older version were, on the contrary, increased. OS X of the El Capitan generation learned to use Speed ​​Shift in Skylake processors, which was not officially announced anywhere, but indicators of support for this technology were found in the OS kernel versions 10.11.4 and 10.11.5. The essence of Speed ​​Shift: the OS gives the processor complete control over switching between frequency and supply voltage states, which allows you to change them with less latency (1 ms instead of 20-30 ms) and more precise gradations.

According to Intel, with Speed ​​Shift enabled, the processor reaches peak frequency from a power-saving state in 35 ms, while it would take the OS 100 ms. Low latency in this case is used to quickly perform work at high frequencies with voltage and continue to save energy, which is very critical for mobile devices.

The Intel HD Graphics 515 GPU integrated into the Core m3 and m5 is no different from the HD Graphics 5300 in Broadwell-Y in terms of the number of computational units and maximum frequencies (850 and 900 MHz, respectively), but the Core m7 allows the graphics core to be overclocked to 1 GHz.

In addition, Skylake-Y equipped the MacBook with LPDDR3 SDRAM with an effective frequency of 1866 MHz, which should primarily affect graphics performance. By the way, Skylake graphics have the most complete support for new rendering capabilities in DirectX 12 among all modern architectures, and the SoC has acquired the function of hardware decoding of H.265 and VP9 video formats.

The PCH-LP chipset, located on the same substrate as the processor chip, provides 10 PCI-Express lanes for connecting discrete devices. The transition to the PCIe 3.0 standard in Skylake made it possible to use it in the MacBook new version SSD, which apparently represents the next generation of the controller created by Apple and running on the NVMe protocol.

In addition to the above, Skylake offers performance per clock faster than Broadwell, as well as a number of optimizations aimed at further reducing power consumption. You can find their analysis in our given architecture. As for the MacBook configuration, the only improvement we haven't mentioned yet is the battery capacity, which has been increased from 39.7 to 41.4 watts.

The price for the basic configuration of the MacBook remained the same - $1,299 in the USA (RUB 106,990 in Russian Apple Store), while the top trim fell in price by $100 ($1,649). IN Russia Apple does not allow you to order a version with Core m7, so the best available model will cost you 129,990 rubles ($1,599).

Manufacturer	Apple
Model	Apple MacBook, Early 2015		Apple MacBook, Early 2016
Model number	MF855**/A, MJY32**/A, MK4M2**/A	MF865**/A, MJY42**/A, MK4N2**/A	MLH72**/A, MLHA2**/A, MLHE2**/A, MMGL2**/A	MLH82**/A, MLHC2**/A, MLHF2**/A, MMGM2**/A
Display	12 inches, 2304 × 1440, IPS		12 inches, 2304 × 1440, IPS
CPU	Intel Core M-5Y31 (2 cores, 1.1-2.4 GHz) / Intel Core M-5Y71 (2 cores, 1.3-2.9 GHz)	Intel Core M-5Y51 (2 cores, 1.2-2.6 GHz) / Intel Core M-5Y71 (2 cores, 1.3-2.9 GHz)	Intel Core m3-6Y30 (2 cores, 1.1-2.2 GHz) / Intel Core m7-6Y75 (2 cores, 1.3-3.1 GHz)	Intel Core m5-6Y54 (2 cores, 1.2-2.7 GHz) / Intel Core m7-6Y75 (2 cores, 1.3-3.1 GHz)
Chipset	PCH-LP on CPU substrate		PCH-LP on CPU substrate
RAM	LPDDR3 SDRAM, 1600 MHz, 8 GB		LPDDR3 SDRAM, 1866 MHz, 8 GB
GPU	Intel HD Graphics 5300		Intel HD Graphics 515
Storage device	PCIe 2.0 x4 SSD, 256 GB (AP0256H)	PCIe 2.0 x4 SSD, 512 GB (AP0512H)	PCIe 3.0 x2 SSD, 256 GB (AP0256J)	PCIe 3.0 x2 SSD, 512 GB (AP0512J)
I/O ports			1 × USB 3.1 Type-C Gen. 1, 1 × mini-jack
Net			IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (MIMO 2×2:2), Bluetooth 4.0
Battery capacity, Wh	39,7		41,4
Weight, kg	0,92		0,92
Overall dimensions (L × H × D), cm	28.04 × 19.66 × 0.36-1.32		28.04 × 19.66 × 0.36-1.32

One of the tasks we set in the review was to compare the capabilities of the updated MacBook and iPad Pro, so let us remind you what the latter’s hardware platform is. The tablet is equipped with a system on the Apple A9X chip, which, according to a rough assessment of the characteristics, is quite comparable to the Intel Core M processor, and even surpasses quad-core Skylake desktops in terms of die area.

Both chips - Apple A9X and Intel Core M - have two cores that communicate with RAM via a 128-bit bus. Each of them, ideally, is capable of issuing six instructions (micro-operations in the case of Intel) for execution. In terms of frequencies, the A9X is comparable to the younger Intel Core M model of the Skylake generation: 2.26 GHz in the 12.7-inch iPad Pro and 2.16 GHz in the 9.7-inch. However, Intel Core has an advantage in the form of L3 cache, which is missing in the A9X.

Of course, processor performance is not determined by such simple metrics, not to mention the fact that A9X and Core M are designed for different ISAs - ARMv8 and X86, respectively. But it’s not easy to predict the winner in the battle between MacBook and iPad Pro. The only facts that are beyond doubt: a) the GPU in the A9X is incomparably more powerful compared to the Intel HD Graphics 515, b) the MacBook has 8 GB of RAM, while the iPad Pro has 2 or 4 GB, depending on the size of the model , c) the MacBook has more ROM - up to 512 GB, while the iPad Pro has no more than 256 GB of non-volatile memory.

⇡ Contents of delivery

The set of MacBook accessories has not changed since last year. Apple didn't include anything useful with the laptop other than a 29W power adapter. USB cable with Type-C connectors, paper documentation and cleaning cloths. By the way, the power supply has an unobvious advantage - Apple gadgets (iPhone and iPad) connected via USB adapter Type-A - Type-C, they recognize “their own” and use an increased charging current, which allows you not to take additional chargers on the road.

Unfortunately, an adapter from the common USB Type-A to Type-C, without which the owner of an Apple ultra-compact cannot live in the coming years, will have to be purchased separately for $29. There are also “native” adapters with HDMI 1.4 or VGA video output and a separate USB Type-C port for charging a laptop connected to the monitor. They cost $79. Technically, the MacBook also supports DisplayPort 1.2 with a resolution of up to 3840 × 2160 and a frequency of 60 Hz, but Apple does not make such adapters, unlike third-party manufacturers.

⇡ Appearance, ergonomics

Externally, the laptop has not changed at all compared to the 2015 model. This is an extremely thin and light machine weighing less than 1 kg and a thickness of around 1.32 cm. The only innovation this time is the “rose gold” color, which, contrary to speculation, looks quite elegant and not so flashy in natural light.

The screen with a resolution of 2304 × 1440 pixels is initially configured to scale multiple times with a resolution of 1280 × 800. Otherwise, the space of 1024 × 640 would not be enough for comfortable work. The target resolution rises up to 1440 × 900 pixels, but in this case the lack of SoC power is much more noticeable than on the “retina” MacBook Pro.

The computer is equipped with a keyboard with large and almost flat keys that have extremely short travel. The butterfly design stabilizes the keys in a plane, and they are easier to press than on other Macs. The touchpad does not have hardware keys, and the response to pressure is simulated by hitting the plate against an electromagnet. We looked a little more closely at how this trick works in our review of last year's MacBook Pro. He appeared there for the first time.

⇡ Internal organization

iFixit eliminated the need for us to open the device to verify that the inside of the MacBook also remained virtually unchanged. Since the weight of the laptop has not changed, the 4% increase in battery capacity is due to changes in its composition rather than in size.

The components on the motherboard are soldered on both sides and cannot be replaced by the user. The Core M processor uses the bottom of the aluminum case as a heatsink. The SoC substrate has become more compact compared to the model based on the Broadwell-Y core. Since Intel got rid of the built-in voltage converter, motherboard There is no longer a cutout in which the daughter PCB of the processor with VRM components was inserted, but MOSFETs, chokes, capacitors and discrete converter drivers have appeared.

In addition to the SoC, among the large chips we see an SSD controller (purple frame), covered with its cache memory chip, two MLC Flash chips from Toshiba on both sides of the board, and two LPDDR3 SDRAM from Samsung (in red frames on the side of the board opposite the CPU).