The Unfortunate MacBook, the 12-inch New MacBook: Is it Still Usable in 2025?
A Small, Lightweight Retina Device, the New MacBook
The 12-inch New MacBook, released by Apple in 2015, garnered significant attention as the smallest and lightest laptop equipped with a Retina display at the time. However, it was nicknamed the "Unfortunate MacBook" because its fanless design and Intel Core M processor resulted in insufficient performance.
I remember that when this device was first released, I was immediately drawn to its portability and high-resolution Retina display, and bought it right away. But in actual use, several problems emerged. In particular, I felt frustrated by the performance degradation due to heat and the flaws of the first-generation butterfly keyboard.
The New MacBook's Problems at the Time
Various New MacBook models were released from 2015 to 2017, and the Core M series processors, in particular, hampered its performance:
- Core M3: The base model, suitable for web browsing or simple document work, but even slightly heavier tasks would cause performance degradation with heat issues.
- Core M5/M7: Provided slightly better performance, but the fanless design still didn't solve the heat problem.
- i5/i7 models: Relatively higher performance but still showed insufficient performance compared to the basic MacBook Pro of the same era.
Moreover, it only provided one USB-C port, making its expandability terrible, and the first-generation butterfly keyboard caused much inconvenience for users with its short key travel and frequent breakdowns.
Despite Everything...
Despite all of that, the New MacBook was still an attractive option as a portable device at the time. Thanks to the stability of macOS and the Retina display, it was still sufficient for simple web browsing or watching streaming videos. I remember using a high-performance MacBook Pro at work or home and increasing the usability by remotely accessing and working on the New MacBook.
Especially, the battery life was decent, and its excellent portability made it a good device to carry around in a bag. I think it is still usable for simple, non-productive tasks (e.g., writing blog posts, watching YouTube).
Using a New MacBook in 2025
Currently, I'm using a 2017 i5 New MacBook with Ubuntu installed instead of macOS. In the Ubuntu environment, it works lighter than macOS and shows comfortable performance for simple tasks. Of course, there are some issues:
- Problem waking up from sleep mode
- Unstable Bluetooth connection
These problems can be resolved by finding driver information in communities like Reddit. But there are no major problems with basic tasks, and I'm increasing its usability by installing an open-source PS Remote client like Chiaki and enjoying PS5 Remote Play even from the outside.
Is It Worth Buying Used?
On Karrot Market, used New MacBook prices are around
150,000 KRW or less
. I think it's hard to find a laptop with this level of build quality, design, and Retina display at this price range. Especially if you need to carry it around lightly and do simple tasks, it's still a great option.
In Conclusion...
Even though the New MacBook has the nickname of the "Unfortunate MacBook," it's still an attractive device as a portable machine. Especially if you use it for cloud environments or remote work, the performance issues won't be as noticeable. Try setting an alert on Karrot Market now! You won't be able to find a laptop like this at this price range.
What do you think about the New MacBook?
