To begin, I absolutely love my 12 MacBook. I travel quite a bit for work and its small form factor is the ultimate in portability. It is a full laptop in a size that is just larger than a 9.7 iPad. I had a 12.9 iPad Pro and replaced it with my 12 MacBook. The MacBook was actually smaller and lighter to carry.
The MacBook has a fair amount of storage at 512 GB ( although I would have preferred more) ; runs OS X; has a large glass touchpad with haptic feedback; and, while some reviews have been mixed on the keyboard, I find that I actually prefer it to the softer feel of the keyboard on previous MacBook Pros that I owned. The retina display is gorgeous to look at and, if I adjust the screen brightness, can squeak out almost two days of intermittent use at meetings without requiring a charge.
So, considering how much I love this laptop, why only four stars? To create a computer with such a small form factor, some trade-offs had to be made. First, the processor is not very powerful. For reading email, browsing the internet, creating documents, generating presentations, working in spreadsheets, and other business-oriented tasks like that, the computer is plenty powerful and, thanks to its flash storage, feels very quick and responsive. If you want to process video, however, the performance lag compared to a MacBook Pro is significant. Another concession is connectivity.
With AirPlay, AirDrop, wireless, and cloud storage, I realize Apple is moving away from traditional means of file sharing. A single USB-C port for both charging and connectivity is almost a crime, especially considering you need to purchase adapters/dongles separately. Without a dongle or USB-C hub, you cannot simultaneously charge your laptop while also using an external USB drive, a USB microphone, a USB scanner, or any other number of USB peripherals. Want to connect to an external television, screen, or monitor ( without using AirPlay) ? You need a dongle. I also tried to daisy-chain dongles together. No luck. Do you want to access files on a flash drive while also recording audio from a USB microphone? You are out of luck unless you purchase a USB-C hub from a third party. Even with the dongles, there is no way to plug in more than one USB device at a time. I also have a 15 MacBook Pro and the performance and connectivity of the 12 MacBook obviously pales in comparison. On the other hand, after traveling with the 12 MacBook just once, there is no way I will ever take my 15 MBP on an airplane again. ( I also used to have a 13 MBP, and feel the same way. The 12 MacBook's killer feature is its small form factor and portability.)
Needless to say, this computer is not designed to be a desktop replacement. It is too underpowered and lacks connectivity options. On the other hand, if you are looking for a Mac that provides the ultimate in portability ( including outstanding battery life and a beautiful retina display) , the 12 MacBook is a sensational option. Some may debate that a 13 MacBook Air would be a better option as it does have a larger screen, faster processor, and more connectivity options compared to the 12 MacBook with a single USB-C port. Having used both, however, I really like my 12 MacBook. I am used to the keyboard and like the feel. The 12 MacBook feels perfectly balanced which even allows me to hold it in one hand while using my other hand to type or use the huge touchpad. The 12 MacBook also has the haptic feedback touchpad and the retina display. If Apple made a 13 Air with the butterfly-mechanism keyboard and a retina display, it would be a much more difficult choice ( and I would probably go with an Air at that point) . For the time being, though, I really like my 12 MacBook and do not regret the purchase one bit.
