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I'm not a power user or anything, but the touch bar feels like a downgrade to me. The context-sensitive display has sat there unused for months, while important

I'm not a power user or anything, but the touch bar feels like a downgrade to me. The context-sensitive display has sat there unused for months, while important buttons I use multiple times daily, like those for brightness and volume adjustments, now require the use of two-step touch-and-slide actions instead of my preferred key-mashing. I guess it's a matter of personal preference, but given the cost of the product it'd be great to be able to opt out.

jorvi 9y ago
Not only that, up till 2016 all the 'peripheral' parts (screen, battery, ports etc.) on MacBook Pros had been equal. Wether you sprung for the €1300 or €2200 13" MacBook Pro, externally you'd get the more-or-less the same experience, with the performance delta usually within 15%. The 'gimp'book changed that. Now, if you spring for the base model you get two Thunderbolt ports less, a worse battery, and a ULV instead of a full-blown processor.
- maxsilver 9y ago
  > Now, if you spring for the base model you get a worse battery Except you don't get a worse battery, that's the crazy part. The base/cheaper model gets the better battery than the expensive model. The lower-end 13-inch base MacBook Pro gets a 54.5w/hr battery, and only drives one screen. The higher-end 13-inch touchbar MacBook Pro only gets a 49.2w/hr battery, and has to drive two screens. - https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/ https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/ Presumably the TouchBar takes up enough space that they had to reduce the battery size to compensate. So, not only do you have a touch bar you (probably) don't want, wasting battery life you'd rather keep, you also have smaller total battery capacity too. The lineup goes out of it's way to double-punish the more expensive product.
- sigjuice 9y ago
  The MacBook Pro with function keys has fewer than two Thunderbolt ports. There is no separate power.
jclardy 9y ago
Just so you know you can directly touch and slide both volume and brightness buttons (Without lifting your finger to tap again), so still just one touch. On the other features, I agree, but I really think they can still be solved by software. Basically it needs a ground up rework like they did with Apple Watch. Keep the ability for apps to take over the bar, but also give the ability to install as a new "system" action that is always visible. Currently there is only one "app" system slot on the bar and it gets taken by iTunes or Xcode.
skue 9y ago
> important buttons I use multiple times daily, like those for brightness and volume adjustments, now require the use of two-step touch-and-slide actions instead of my preferred key-mashing. This is configurable. Just go to System Preferences > Keyboard, and on the first tab you can choose whether the touch bar shows (a) app specific controls plus an expandable control strip (the default), (b) the expanded control strip (the old default behavior), (c) function keys, or (d) app specific controls w/o expandable control strip. Options (b) & (c) match the keyboard options without touchbars, and as before you toggle between them with the Fn key. The upside with the touchbar is you can see whether you’re in function or control mode. In any case, sounds like (b) is what you want. Disclaimer: I’m running High Sierra so not sure if this is available on Sierra, but assume it is.
- thedailymail 9y ago
  Thanks! I learned something new and useful today! (I think I still like mashing keys better though.)
Recurecur 9y ago
I've not used one, but it seems poorly thought out as you have to take your eyes off the screen to use it. Also, if it is useful, surely there should be a discrete keyboard that has it... I use my MBP mostly with a full sized keyboard, mouse, and additional monitors. I think I'd rather have a MBP with a conventional keyboard, and add the touchbar with a discrete keyboard if I decide I need it.

jorvi 9y ago

Not only that, up till 2016 all the 'peripheral' parts (screen, battery, ports etc.) on MacBook Pros had been equal. Wether you sprung for the €1300 or €2200 13" MacBook Pro, externally you'd get the more-or-less the same experience, with the performance delta usually within 15%. The 'gimp'book changed that. Now, if you spring for the base model you get two Thunderbolt ports less, a worse battery, and a ULV instead of a full-blown processor.

maxsilver 9y ago
> Now, if you spring for the base model you get a worse battery Except you don't get a worse battery, that's the crazy part. The base/cheaper model gets the better battery than the expensive model. The lower-end 13-inch base MacBook Pro gets a 54.5w/hr battery, and only drives one screen. The higher-end 13-inch touchbar MacBook Pro only gets a 49.2w/hr battery, and has to drive two screens. - https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/ https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/ Presumably the TouchBar takes up enough space that they had to reduce the battery size to compensate. So, not only do you have a touch bar you (probably) don't want, wasting battery life you'd rather keep, you also have smaller total battery capacity too. The lineup goes out of it's way to double-punish the more expensive product.
sigjuice 9y ago
The MacBook Pro with function keys has fewer than two Thunderbolt ports. There is no separate power.

jclardy 9y ago

Just so you know you can directly touch and slide both volume and brightness buttons (Without lifting your finger to tap again), so still just one touch. On the other features, I agree, but I really think they can still be solved by software. Basically it needs a ground up rework like they did with Apple Watch. Keep the ability for apps to take over the bar, but also give the ability to install as a new "system" action that is always visible. Currently there is only one "app" system slot on the bar and it gets taken by iTunes or Xcode.

skue 9y ago

> important buttons I use multiple times daily, like those for brightness and volume adjustments, now require the use of two-step touch-and-slide actions instead of my preferred key-mashing. This is configurable. Just go to System Preferences > Keyboard, and on the first tab you can choose whether the touch bar shows (a) app specific controls plus an expandable control strip (the default), (b) the expanded control strip (the old default behavior), (c) function keys, or (d) app specific controls w/o expandable control strip. Options (b) & (c) match the keyboard options without touchbars, and as before you toggle between them with the Fn key. The upside with the touchbar is you can see whether you’re in function or control mode. In any case, sounds like (b) is what you want. Disclaimer: I’m running High Sierra so not sure if this is available on Sierra, but assume it is.

thedailymail 9y ago
Thanks! I learned something new and useful today! (I think I still like mashing keys better though.)

Recurecur 9y ago

I've not used one, but it seems poorly thought out as you have to take your eyes off the screen to use it. Also, if it is useful, surely there should be a discrete keyboard that has it... I use my MBP mostly with a full sized keyboard, mouse, and additional monitors. I think I'd rather have a MBP with a conventional keyboard, and add the touchbar with a discrete keyboard if I decide I need it.