12 ms·

Make Your MacBook Pro, Again

62 points by jhund 10y ago

dchuk 10y ago
Despite there being no info on this page, judging by the sheer size of this thing (it looks bigger than the whole MBP), I would hope that it has eGPU, storage, battery, etc. Shit it's big enough to have a DVD drive from the looks of it. If it doesn't have all that, I can't fathom what they could even put in all that empty space. Maybe it's only thick around the perimeter? It gets shallow in the middle?
- LeifCarrotson 10y ago
  I understand from the macsales page (http://blog.macsales.com/39345-owc-makes-macbooks-pro-again-with-game-changing-product http://blog.macsales.com/39345-owc-makes-macbooks-pro-again-...) that it has space for a couple 2.5" and M.2 drives. But that obviously doesn't take up all the volume. I don't know about a battery. But rectangular prisms are nice. Why does everything need to get shallow around the edges or the middle? So they can run some marketing-speak and say that their device is 1.7mm thick[0]? I'd hope for a large battery, but even empty space would be fine. An eGPU would be pretty neat, but hot, expensive, and complicated. I'd love one with an ordinary battery expansion and some I/O ports. [0] (May be thicker in locations other than the far corner where it tapers down to a sharp edge)
- phreenet 10y ago
  Anandtech has a picture of the bottom of it. It appears to be solid throughout. It also appears that this system bolts onto bottom of MBP using longer screws that fit into the factory screw holes. From the full article[0]: "To install the OWC DEC, users will not have to open up their MacBook Pro, only remove Apple's screws and screw the DEC on to the bottom of the machine." [0] http://www.anandtech.com/show/11033/owc-previews-dec-addon-for-macbook-pro http://www.anandtech.com/show/11033/owc-previews-dec-addon-f...
  - r00fus 10y ago
    Is it supposed to have that slightly different cast to the aluminum? I almost wish they'd make it an entirely different color or material (black polycarbonate ?) if that's how it's going to look.
fevangelou 10y ago
Too much space for just a few extra ports. If they are smart enough, they should add a built-in bluray player and perhaps a couple decent speakers.
shortformblog 10y ago
This idea is great, but it'd be cool if they offered the same form factor except putting a giant battery in there instead of more storage. I think people would be more willing to carry this around if it effectively doubled their battery life.
- dgfgfdagasdfgfa 10y ago
  It's not even clear whether it refers to battery or disk.
  - shortformblog 10y ago
    Here are the specs: http://blog.macsales.com/39345-owc-makes-macbooks-pro-again-with-game-changing-product http://blog.macsales.com/39345-owc-makes-macbooks-pro-again-...
- slantyyz 10y ago
  Based on the photos alone (who knows what the final product will be) -- there's only one USB-C connector. If it was going to have a battery, wouldn't it make sense to put another USB-C connector in the base? Seems weird to use the Mac to charge a battery in the base and then suck power back from said battery through the same single USB-C connection.
  - TazeTSchnitzel 10y ago
    Can USB-C actually do that kind of two-way power transfer? That would seem pointless.
    - slantyyz 10y ago
      That's what I was thinking -- which is why I'm guessing there's no extra battery. Also, it presents a conundrum when flying. Would the TSA consider it to be two batteries or one when it comes to the 100Wh limit?
giarc 10y ago
Is it a battery? Is it more ports? That page says nothing.
- phaed 10y ago
  > increased capacity and expanded connectivity I assume this means storage and ports.
- JustSomeNobody 10y ago
  From the images, it seems more ports. But the nebulous "increased capacity" can mean storage and/or battery, so who knows? Edit: Looks like it is plugged into the port just next to the 3.5mm jack. So, capacity could mean BOTH storage and battery because, unless I'm mistaken, the new macbook pros can charge from any of the USB-C ports.
- chaosmachine 10y ago
  From the pictures it looks like an extra battery, 3 USB ports, Ethernet, and an SD card slot. It's possible there's space for a hard drive, too.
- slantyyz 10y ago
  What I'm curious is if it's mounted to the bottom of the Macbook Pro and how. I think it'd be nice if they did one for the 15" too. The articles I've seen about this product made it look like there was only a 13" model.
  - hellojere 10y ago
    I read some rumours it's using the screws the normal aluminium panel in the bottom is attached with.
- rerx 10y ago
  This curiously lacks displayport and hdmi.
  - JustSomeNobody 10y ago
phaed 10y ago
It speaks volumes that a manufacturer has to step in and deliver the product the consumers want and Apple is incapable of delivering.
- rayiner 10y ago
  Does that picture really represent the product consumers want?
- TazeTSchnitzel 10y ago
  They're offering USB ports and an Ethernet port. Apple will sell you both of those if you want them. Though it also has an SD card reader and more battery, neither of which Apple has dongles for.
  - 464192002d7fe1c 10y ago
    The fact that its USB-C actually makes the "more battery" thing pretty easy and standardized, even if apple doesn't sell it themselves.
  - phaed 10y ago
    This basically solves the problem of the "bag o' dongles". Put them all in one place, and attach it to your laptop. BAM, no more dongles. It basically reverses what Apple is trying to do by exporting everything out into separate devices which makes the machine look pretty in store shelves but a headache to use in the real world.
    - TazeTSchnitzel 10y ago
      The “bag of dongles” problem has been solved by other vendors too, though. There's a whole market for mini-hubs that plug into your MacBook or MacBook Pro now. Heck, Apple has their own three-port USB type-A/charging/HDMI hub. Also, I don't think Apple actually wants the dongle situation. This is a transitional stage where many existing devices lack USB-C. Apple presumably wants everything to either use USB-C, or be wireless.
    - 10y ago
bryanlarsen 10y ago
more information: http://www.anandtech.com/show/11033/owc-previews-dec-addon-for-macbook-pro http://www.anandtech.com/show/11033/owc-previews-dec-addon-f...
guessmyname 10y ago
According to the images, this will only work with the MacBook Pro with TouchID as the connection between the computer and the base seems to be via the USB-C port on the right side, something that does not exists in the non-TouchID version. I hope there is a cable or something that I can extend to connect the base to the USB-C ports on the left side because that is the computer that I have. I really miss the RJ45 connector. Since I bought this computer I have complained about inconsistent Internet speeds as the router — which is placed behind the computer — delivers only 60% of its real connection because it is consumed over WiFi. I am forced to restart the router every hour or so just to get the miserable 10Mbps that I pay. I was already prepared to buy one of those accessories for the Mac that people hate so much, just to get a stable Internet connection because WiFi seems to be broken, even at less than 20cm from the router. I hope that this "base" does not weights as much as it looks. I assume it will also include a (replaceable) SSD and — maybe? — an extra battery. I wonder if this thing can be lifted without a separation from the computer on the left side. Edit #1: To add more to the story, I have a Raspberry Pi directly connected to the router with a script that runs every 30 minutes, the script measures the Internet speed and reports back to me, every time the speed is lower than 5Mb I get a notification to reboot the router, that is my "setup". I wish I could change the router, but somehow the ISP restricts the delivery of the service to the device that they provide, and they are not willing to change it for a new one because — according to their statistics — the 10Mb are being delivered (which is true, except via WiFi). Edit #2: I live in a country where there is no Apple Genius bar, so it is difficult — if not impossible — to me to get assistance on this matter from them. I will do what others have suggested, will replace the router and see what happens. Thanks. Edit #3: Thanks @heavymark I meant 10Mbps instead of 10MB Edit #4: On a side note, this will be funny to carry in an airport specially if you come from a country known for drug trafficking. People have tried to smuggle drugs on the back of computer screens with less space than that and still get caught, now imagine an skeptical officer checking a computer with this base.
- phil21 10y ago
  10Mbps is trivial to do on wifi extremely reliably these days - you clearly have something wrong with your setup if you have to reboot things constantly. As much as I agree that the lack of an ethernet port on a laptop sucks, I don't think this is your primary problem currently - might want to start by swapping that out/diagnosing the problem. Wifi these days when done right is pretty exceptional - I consistent get 250mbps (actual throughput) at home these days between my fileserver, and that's nothing crazy.
mwpmaybe 10y ago
This seems a little more appropriate to me: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hypershop/hyperdrivetm-compact-thunderbolt-3-usb-c-hub-for-m https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hypershop/hyperdrivetm-...
- gm-conspiracy 10y ago
  Seems like an accident waiting to happen. Would the connectors shear off into the ports, or bend the ports as the connectors are bend away?
  - slantyyz 10y ago
    I have a mini hub like that for the Surface Pro. I definitely wouldn't leave it on when transporting my Surface for the reasons you describe.
- ascagnel_ 10y ago
  Two issues with that: it takes up two USB-C ports, and its only support is those ports (so you run the risk of it breaking). Something like this[0] looks like it solves both of those problems, but it's not designed for mobile use (I've been eyeing one for a few months, but have yet to pull the trigger). [0] https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/usb-c/owc/usb-c-dock https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/usb-c/owc/usb-c-dock
rerx 10y ago
This clunky contraption reminds me of the "Ultrabase", a sort of mobile docking station for the Thinkpad X220 and earlier -- only those offered way more connection options.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
grennis 10y ago
Unless this has a decent eGPU instead of 2 year old technology it's still not "pro"
zdean 10y ago
I'm starting to see quite a few brands co-opting the President-elect's signature slogan like they have here. This baffles me. On the one hand, yes, it's a slogan that pretty much every (at least) American knows and is familiar with. On the other hand, there's some very significant portion of the population that is very viscerally offended (at the least) by the President-elect. So to jump on that wagon, you risk very strongly offending and alienating a large portion of the population along a line that has nothing to do with whether or not they'd be you consumer...but with which way their political beliefs fall. My comment isn't meant to be a judgement call on whether or not doing this is normalizing something distasteful...it's simply meant to point out that OWC like many other brands may be shooting themselves in the foot over a lazy and reactionary marketing gimmick.
- stcredzero 10y ago
  On the other hand, there's some very significant portion of the population that is very viscerally offended (at the least) by the President-elect. And some subset of that sub-population that has no sense of humor left.
  - zdean 10y ago
    Perhaps. But to ignore them is to be tone-deaf for the sake of a marketing gimmick.
    - stcredzero 10y ago
      You know, co-opting a phrase is also a valid means of parody. If you are so "triggered" by phrase structure that you have no sense of humor left, then the terrorists have won! ;)
      - squarefoot 10y ago
        No, they can't.
    - WayneBro 10y ago
chiph 10y ago
The panel gaps on the sides look about the same size as a tray-load DVD/Blu-ray drive would be. So I wonder if the new SD card slot & USB ports are modules that could be swapped for optical drives, additional SSD storage, batteries, etc.
- phreenet 10y ago
  Those gaps are actually just material milled away so the product doesn't block the vents on either side of the bottom MBP.
azraomega 10y ago
How much weight it adds to the laptop? Does it increase battery life? It obviously not gonna increase RAM, likely increase SSDs because OWC sell them... It looks terrible tbh. How is this better than using dongles? I saw the MBP 2016. I was very happy and went and bought a old MBP 2015 with retina at a discounted rate... I'm a happy camper and lousy early adopter.
- LeifCarrotson 10y ago
  > How is this better than using dongles? In every possible way, by not being a bunch of dongles? It slips into most laptop carriers, it's instant to set up and tear down, it has a constant arrangement so I can get used to where a connection is, it keeps sensitive stuff like M.2 PCBs and 2.5" drives nicely enclosed, it keeps my desk organized and clear of clutter...
jlahijani 10y ago
The ethernet port seems a bit close to the 2 USB Type-C ports. I wonder if the USB Type-C ports will still be able to support a flash drive (the thicker ones anyway) while being wired in.
n00b101 10y ago
Precision CNC milled from aircraft grade aluminum to 1/1000ths of an inch tolerance There's some marketing hype there, I think 0.001" precision is standard for CNC machining with aluminum. All it's effectively saying is that the product is CNC-machined aluminum. Having said that, a CNC-machined aluminum enclosure is really great (as any MacBook owner can tell you) and it is more expensive to produce than injection moulded plastic. In terms of machining precision on its own, relatively impressive precision would be somewhere around 0.0001" (one ten-thousands of inch) precision. But that would be complete overkill for this kind of product. Apple is one of the world's largest (if not the largest) users of CNC machining. There are some great write-ups online about this that I can't find right now.
Theodores 10y ago
A permanently attached docking station. This is not going to sell like hotcakes. However, what if computers ended up being made and sold like very expensive cars? You know how it goes, a standard brand new Mercedes G-Wagon/Range Rover won't do, that is just the donor vehicle that gets transformed with more cylinders, even bigger wheels and lots more leather. Why aren't the people who go for that sort of display of opulent wealth not getting visibly pimped computers such as this one? A few more ports, a bigger battery, some quality to the machined ports, with that people will think I am pro. A bit like getting a Porsche and swapping all the panels out for carbon fibre, bigger wheel arches and a roll cage.
- Smushman 10y ago
  I lol'ed. I agree that it is more of a niche application for sure. I also agree with the further conclusion that making it removable would have made it more useful. Like someone else mentioned, I also didn't see HDMI. I think I heard the 'whammy' sound play...

62 points by jhund 10y ago

dchuk 10y ago

Despite there being no info on this page, judging by the sheer size of this thing (it looks bigger than the whole MBP), I would hope that it has eGPU, storage, battery, etc. Shit it's big enough to have a DVD drive from the looks of it. If it doesn't have all that, I can't fathom what they could even put in all that empty space. Maybe it's only thick around the perimeter? It gets shallow in the middle?

LeifCarrotson 10y ago
I understand from the macsales page (http://blog.macsales.com/39345-owc-makes-macbooks-pro-again-with-game-changing-product http://blog.macsales.com/39345-owc-makes-macbooks-pro-again-...) that it has space for a couple 2.5" and M.2 drives. But that obviously doesn't take up all the volume. I don't know about a battery. But rectangular prisms are nice. Why does everything need to get shallow around the edges or the middle? So they can run some marketing-speak and say that their device is 1.7mm thick[0]? I'd hope for a large battery, but even empty space would be fine. An eGPU would be pretty neat, but hot, expensive, and complicated. I'd love one with an ordinary battery expansion and some I/O ports. [0] (May be thicker in locations other than the far corner where it tapers down to a sharp edge)
phreenet 10y ago
Anandtech has a picture of the bottom of it. It appears to be solid throughout. It also appears that this system bolts onto bottom of MBP using longer screws that fit into the factory screw holes. From the full article[0]: "To install the OWC DEC, users will not have to open up their MacBook Pro, only remove Apple's screws and screw the DEC on to the bottom of the machine." [0] http://www.anandtech.com/show/11033/owc-previews-dec-addon-for-macbook-pro http://www.anandtech.com/show/11033/owc-previews-dec-addon-f...
- r00fus 10y ago
  Is it supposed to have that slightly different cast to the aluminum? I almost wish they'd make it an entirely different color or material (black polycarbonate ?) if that's how it's going to look.

fevangelou 10y ago

Too much space for just a few extra ports. If they are smart enough, they should add a built-in bluray player and perhaps a couple decent speakers.

shortformblog 10y ago

This idea is great, but it'd be cool if they offered the same form factor except putting a giant battery in there instead of more storage. I think people would be more willing to carry this around if it effectively doubled their battery life.

dgfgfdagasdfgfa 10y ago
It's not even clear whether it refers to battery or disk.
- shortformblog 10y ago
  Here are the specs: http://blog.macsales.com/39345-owc-makes-macbooks-pro-again-with-game-changing-product http://blog.macsales.com/39345-owc-makes-macbooks-pro-again-...
slantyyz 10y ago
Based on the photos alone (who knows what the final product will be) -- there's only one USB-C connector. If it was going to have a battery, wouldn't it make sense to put another USB-C connector in the base? Seems weird to use the Mac to charge a battery in the base and then suck power back from said battery through the same single USB-C connection.
- TazeTSchnitzel 10y ago
  Can USB-C actually do that kind of two-way power transfer? That would seem pointless.
  - slantyyz 10y ago
    That's what I was thinking -- which is why I'm guessing there's no extra battery. Also, it presents a conundrum when flying. Would the TSA consider it to be two batteries or one when it comes to the 100Wh limit?

giarc 10y ago

Is it a battery? Is it more ports? That page says nothing.

phaed 10y ago
> increased capacity and expanded connectivity I assume this means storage and ports.
JustSomeNobody 10y ago
From the images, it seems more ports. But the nebulous "increased capacity" can mean storage and/or battery, so who knows? Edit: Looks like it is plugged into the port just next to the 3.5mm jack. So, capacity could mean BOTH storage and battery because, unless I'm mistaken, the new macbook pros can charge from any of the USB-C ports.
chaosmachine 10y ago
From the pictures it looks like an extra battery, 3 USB ports, Ethernet, and an SD card slot. It's possible there's space for a hard drive, too.
slantyyz 10y ago
What I'm curious is if it's mounted to the bottom of the Macbook Pro and how. I think it'd be nice if they did one for the 15" too. The articles I've seen about this product made it look like there was only a 13" model.
- hellojere 10y ago
  I read some rumours it's using the screws the normal aluminium panel in the bottom is attached with.
rerx 10y ago
This curiously lacks displayport and hdmi.
- JustSomeNobody 10y ago

phaed 10y ago

It speaks volumes that a manufacturer has to step in and deliver the product the consumers want and Apple is incapable of delivering.

rayiner 10y ago
Does that picture really represent the product consumers want?
TazeTSchnitzel 10y ago
They're offering USB ports and an Ethernet port. Apple will sell you both of those if you want them. Though it also has an SD card reader and more battery, neither of which Apple has dongles for.
- 464192002d7fe1c 10y ago
  The fact that its USB-C actually makes the "more battery" thing pretty easy and standardized, even if apple doesn't sell it themselves.
- phaed 10y ago
  This basically solves the problem of the "bag o' dongles". Put them all in one place, and attach it to your laptop. BAM, no more dongles. It basically reverses what Apple is trying to do by exporting everything out into separate devices which makes the machine look pretty in store shelves but a headache to use in the real world.
  - TazeTSchnitzel 10y ago
    The “bag of dongles” problem has been solved by other vendors too, though. There's a whole market for mini-hubs that plug into your MacBook or MacBook Pro now. Heck, Apple has their own three-port USB type-A/charging/HDMI hub. Also, I don't think Apple actually wants the dongle situation. This is a transitional stage where many existing devices lack USB-C. Apple presumably wants everything to either use USB-C, or be wireless.
  - 10y ago

bryanlarsen 10y ago

more information: http://www.anandtech.com/show/11033/owc-previews-dec-addon-for-macbook-pro http://www.anandtech.com/show/11033/owc-previews-dec-addon-f...

guessmyname 10y ago

According to the images, this will only work with the MacBook Pro with TouchID as the connection between the computer and the base seems to be via the USB-C port on the right side, something that does not exists in the non-TouchID version. I hope there is a cable or something that I can extend to connect the base to the USB-C ports on the left side because that is the computer that I have. I really miss the RJ45 connector. Since I bought this computer I have complained about inconsistent Internet speeds as the router — which is placed behind the computer — delivers only 60% of its real connection because it is consumed over WiFi. I am forced to restart the router every hour or so just to get the miserable 10Mbps that I pay. I was already prepared to buy one of those accessories for the Mac that people hate so much, just to get a stable Internet connection because WiFi seems to be broken, even at less than 20cm from the router. I hope that this "base" does not weights as much as it looks. I assume it will also include a (replaceable) SSD and — maybe? — an extra battery. I wonder if this thing can be lifted without a separation from the computer on the left side. Edit #1: To add more to the story, I have a Raspberry Pi directly connected to the router with a script that runs every 30 minutes, the script measures the Internet speed and reports back to me, every time the speed is lower than 5Mb I get a notification to reboot the router, that is my "setup". I wish I could change the router, but somehow the ISP restricts the delivery of the service to the device that they provide, and they are not willing to change it for a new one because — according to their statistics — the 10Mb are being delivered (which is true, except via WiFi). Edit #2: I live in a country where there is no Apple Genius bar, so it is difficult — if not impossible — to me to get assistance on this matter from them. I will do what others have suggested, will replace the router and see what happens. Thanks. Edit #3: Thanks @heavymark I meant 10Mbps instead of 10MB Edit #4: On a side note, this will be funny to carry in an airport specially if you come from a country known for drug trafficking. People have tried to smuggle drugs on the back of computer screens with less space than that and still get caught, now imagine an skeptical officer checking a computer with this base.

phil21 10y ago
10Mbps is trivial to do on wifi extremely reliably these days - you clearly have something wrong with your setup if you have to reboot things constantly. As much as I agree that the lack of an ethernet port on a laptop sucks, I don't think this is your primary problem currently - might want to start by swapping that out/diagnosing the problem. Wifi these days when done right is pretty exceptional - I consistent get 250mbps (actual throughput) at home these days between my fileserver, and that's nothing crazy.

mwpmaybe 10y ago

This seems a little more appropriate to me: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hypershop/hyperdrivetm-compact-thunderbolt-3-usb-c-hub-for-m https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hypershop/hyperdrivetm-...

gm-conspiracy 10y ago
Seems like an accident waiting to happen. Would the connectors shear off into the ports, or bend the ports as the connectors are bend away?
- slantyyz 10y ago
  I have a mini hub like that for the Surface Pro. I definitely wouldn't leave it on when transporting my Surface for the reasons you describe.
ascagnel_ 10y ago
Two issues with that: it takes up two USB-C ports, and its only support is those ports (so you run the risk of it breaking). Something like this[0] looks like it solves both of those problems, but it's not designed for mobile use (I've been eyeing one for a few months, but have yet to pull the trigger). [0] https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/usb-c/owc/usb-c-dock https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/usb-c/owc/usb-c-dock

rerx 10y ago

This clunky contraption reminds me of the "Ultrabase", a sort of mobile docking station for the Thinkpad X220 and earlier -- only those offered way more connection options.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

grennis 10y ago

Unless this has a decent eGPU instead of 2 year old technology it's still not "pro"

zdean 10y ago

I'm starting to see quite a few brands co-opting the President-elect's signature slogan like they have here. This baffles me. On the one hand, yes, it's a slogan that pretty much every (at least) American knows and is familiar with. On the other hand, there's some very significant portion of the population that is very viscerally offended (at the least) by the President-elect. So to jump on that wagon, you risk very strongly offending and alienating a large portion of the population along a line that has nothing to do with whether or not they'd be you consumer...but with which way their political beliefs fall. My comment isn't meant to be a judgement call on whether or not doing this is normalizing something distasteful...it's simply meant to point out that OWC like many other brands may be shooting themselves in the foot over a lazy and reactionary marketing gimmick.

stcredzero 10y ago
On the other hand, there's some very significant portion of the population that is very viscerally offended (at the least) by the President-elect. And some subset of that sub-population that has no sense of humor left.
- zdean 10y ago
  Perhaps. But to ignore them is to be tone-deaf for the sake of a marketing gimmick.
  - stcredzero 10y ago
    You know, co-opting a phrase is also a valid means of parody. If you are so "triggered" by phrase structure that you have no sense of humor left, then the terrorists have won! ;)
    - squarefoot 10y ago
      No, they can't.
  - WayneBro 10y ago

chiph 10y ago

The panel gaps on the sides look about the same size as a tray-load DVD/Blu-ray drive would be. So I wonder if the new SD card slot & USB ports are modules that could be swapped for optical drives, additional SSD storage, batteries, etc.

phreenet 10y ago
Those gaps are actually just material milled away so the product doesn't block the vents on either side of the bottom MBP.

azraomega 10y ago

How much weight it adds to the laptop? Does it increase battery life? It obviously not gonna increase RAM, likely increase SSDs because OWC sell them... It looks terrible tbh. How is this better than using dongles? I saw the MBP 2016. I was very happy and went and bought a old MBP 2015 with retina at a discounted rate... I'm a happy camper and lousy early adopter.

LeifCarrotson 10y ago
> How is this better than using dongles? In every possible way, by not being a bunch of dongles? It slips into most laptop carriers, it's instant to set up and tear down, it has a constant arrangement so I can get used to where a connection is, it keeps sensitive stuff like M.2 PCBs and 2.5" drives nicely enclosed, it keeps my desk organized and clear of clutter...

jlahijani 10y ago

The ethernet port seems a bit close to the 2 USB Type-C ports. I wonder if the USB Type-C ports will still be able to support a flash drive (the thicker ones anyway) while being wired in.

n00b101 10y ago

Precision CNC milled from aircraft grade aluminum to 1/1000ths of an inch tolerance There's some marketing hype there, I think 0.001" precision is standard for CNC machining with aluminum. All it's effectively saying is that the product is CNC-machined aluminum. Having said that, a CNC-machined aluminum enclosure is really great (as any MacBook owner can tell you) and it is more expensive to produce than injection moulded plastic. In terms of machining precision on its own, relatively impressive precision would be somewhere around 0.0001" (one ten-thousands of inch) precision. But that would be complete overkill for this kind of product. Apple is one of the world's largest (if not the largest) users of CNC machining. There are some great write-ups online about this that I can't find right now.

Theodores 10y ago

A permanently attached docking station. This is not going to sell like hotcakes. However, what if computers ended up being made and sold like very expensive cars? You know how it goes, a standard brand new Mercedes G-Wagon/Range Rover won't do, that is just the donor vehicle that gets transformed with more cylinders, even bigger wheels and lots more leather. Why aren't the people who go for that sort of display of opulent wealth not getting visibly pimped computers such as this one? A few more ports, a bigger battery, some quality to the machined ports, with that people will think I am pro. A bit like getting a Porsche and swapping all the panels out for carbon fibre, bigger wheel arches and a roll cage.

Smushman 10y ago
I lol'ed. I agree that it is more of a niche application for sure. I also agree with the further conclusion that making it removable would have made it more useful. Like someone else mentioned, I also didn't see HDMI. I think I heard the 'whammy' sound play...