4 ms·

Reviews (including this one) all say webcam sucks pretty bad though. Why Apple chose to release a laptop with a subpar webcam in 2020 is a mystery to me. This i

by m0zg 6y ago

Reviews (including this one) all say webcam sucks pretty bad though. Why Apple chose to release a laptop with a subpar webcam in 2020 is a mystery to me. This isn't even hard or expensive. Spend a couple dollars more on that webcam, Apple, don't be so greedy.

Toutouxc 6y ago
Can't it be because MacBook lids are absurdly thin? How thick are the lids of comparable machines (the XPS etc.)?
- jeromegv 6y ago
  Ding ding ding
- Geee 6y ago
  They should probably add 2 or more cameras there and combine them into a superresolution image. There's lots of space for that. You could do cool 3D effects too.
- jandrese 6y ago
  Apple has no problem with the camera bump on an iPhone, but won’t do it for the MacBook. I wouldn’t even mind it on the laptop.
- Miraste 6y ago
  The XPS webcam is also very bad, and the webcam on HP's MacBook competitor (Spectre) is the worst webcam I've ever seen. I've yet to find an ultrabook with a good camera.
mrweasel 6y ago
Honestly, because it's good enough for most people. I mean, yes, they could and absolutely should upgrade the webcam, I just don't see it as a major selling point, the existing is "fine".
superhuzza 6y ago
Here's an actual sample of the webcam and mic array. https://youtu.be/sV7CLgTMXio?t=344 https://youtu.be/sV7CLgTMXio?t=344 It's aggressively okay. I wouldn't have any issues with this, but it is a bit disappointing, especially considering how important WFH has become recently.
- rimliu 6y ago
  One might argue that they had priorities in order: "pro grade" microphones and a camera which… shows something? Audio is way more important for WFH, but so far I did not see any tests done on the mic quality and how true to the claim they are. Though "pro-grade" should be impossible at these dimensions, so I am not sure what they meant by "pro-grade" either.
tomjen3 6y ago
Zoom used to max out at 720p, I don't know if it still does, and it seems the M1 is bandwidth limited so maybe it is because they figure people won't actually care.
rsanheim 6y ago
Yeah I'd imagine its entirely because they wanted to keep the form factor the same as the old Macs, and changing the camera will require a full redesign.

by m0zg 6y ago

Toutouxc 6y ago

Can't it be because MacBook lids are absurdly thin? How thick are the lids of comparable machines (the XPS etc.)?

jeromegv 6y ago
Ding ding ding
Geee 6y ago
They should probably add 2 or more cameras there and combine them into a superresolution image. There's lots of space for that. You could do cool 3D effects too.
jandrese 6y ago
Apple has no problem with the camera bump on an iPhone, but won’t do it for the MacBook. I wouldn’t even mind it on the laptop.
Miraste 6y ago
The XPS webcam is also very bad, and the webcam on HP's MacBook competitor (Spectre) is the worst webcam I've ever seen. I've yet to find an ultrabook with a good camera.

mrweasel 6y ago

Honestly, because it's good enough for most people. I mean, yes, they could and absolutely should upgrade the webcam, I just don't see it as a major selling point, the existing is "fine".

superhuzza 6y ago

Here's an actual sample of the webcam and mic array. https://youtu.be/sV7CLgTMXio?t=344 https://youtu.be/sV7CLgTMXio?t=344 It's aggressively okay. I wouldn't have any issues with this, but it is a bit disappointing, especially considering how important WFH has become recently.

rimliu 6y ago
One might argue that they had priorities in order: "pro grade" microphones and a camera which… shows something? Audio is way more important for WFH, but so far I did not see any tests done on the mic quality and how true to the claim they are. Though "pro-grade" should be impossible at these dimensions, so I am not sure what they meant by "pro-grade" either.

tomjen3 6y ago

Zoom used to max out at 720p, I don't know if it still does, and it seems the M1 is bandwidth limited so maybe it is because they figure people won't actually care.

rsanheim 6y ago

Yeah I'd imagine its entirely because they wanted to keep the form factor the same as the old Macs, and changing the camera will require a full redesign.