With the latest WWDC behind them, Apple’s top brass are probably feeling a bit euphoric. That will not last very long though, because the firm just finished ninth out of the 12 laptop brands tested in Laptop Mag’s yearly Best and Worst Laptop Brands.
This is even worse than last year’s performance.
Apple dropped in ratings compared to HP, Asus and Dell, which ended in first, second and third place, respectively. In the design field, it hasn’t come up with anything really ground-breaking for ages, while its competitors have regularly announced sleeker machines with thinner bezels.
Since last year, the only new laptop from Apple was the MacBook Air, and while that one might have been solid, striking it was not. Apple didn’t even get rid of the Butterfly keyboard with its sticky keys and narrow travel. Performance and battery life now also lag behind competitors.
In the innovation department, as well as in selection and value, Apple can simply no longer compete with the top alternatives. Its 13-inch MacBook Pro has no Touch Bar, and it still uses a seventh-generation Intel processor – three generations behind the latest version.
Another Apple offering which is now positively ancient is the 12-inch MacBook, which urgently needs an upgrade. Only in Laptop Mag’s Tech Support Showdown did Apple come in first place with its accurate and friendly service.
Generally speaking, the Mac still has a loyal support base, and with macOS Catalina, the company showed that it can still compete with the best. This, for example, allows you to run iPad apps on your Mac, use an iPad as a backup screen, and replace iTunes with more specialised Movies, Music and Podcast apps.
After reading Laptop Mag’s report, one can’t help thinking that Apple has simply lost the plot with its laptops.