Apple has three different models:

蘋果現在有三款筆電：

The MacBook Air, the regular MacBook, and the MacBook Pro,

MacBook Air、正規的 MacBook，還有 MacBook Pro

But each one comes with this killer trade-off

但是每一款都有某項殺手級缺失，

that makes it hard to recommend one over all of the others.

讓三款裡真的很難挑出一部最好的

This is the MacBook Air.

這台是 MacBook Air

It has a lot to like here.

它有很多項優點

It has all the ports a lot of people need:

它有各種大家需要的連接埠：

Standard USB ports, an SD card reader, a display out.

標準 USB 插槽、記憶卡讀卡機插槽、外接螢幕插孔

And that's good because today a lot of modern laptops require you to buy

這點很棒，因為市面上很多筆電會要你另外購買

dongles and other accessories in order to work with stuff you want to plug into it.

轉接頭及其他配件才能順利連接

There are some drawbacks though.

但它也有缺點

It's barely changed in the last eight years,

過去推出的八年以來它幾乎不曾改變

and meanwhile, Windows laptops

與此同時 Windows 系統筆電

and some of the more expensive MacBooks

還有蘋果比較昂貴的款式

have really upped their design game,

都在設計面上下足功夫

reducing the bezels, putting on hi-res screens.

窄化邊框、提高螢幕解析度

It's not great for watching video,

它不大適合拿來觀賞影片

or doing graphics, or anything like that.

或圖像編輯之類的任務

It's just a basic machine that you can get at a pretty good price.

它就只是一台經濟實惠的基本款

It's still under 1,000 bucks

現在不到 1,000 塊美金就能買到

and there are rumors that it's gonna drop even further later this year.

還有人說今年稍晚可能會再降價

But under the hood,

但掀開背蓋以後，

it checks all the boxes you're gonna want.

它可以符合你的所有需求

It has one of the most powerful Intel processors

它配備有英特爾其中一款最強大的處理器

in a form factor like this.

主機板規格像這樣

Battery life is incredible;

電池續航力非常好

you could get, at least, 12 hours a day on it,

你整天下來至少可以用上 12 小時

meaning you don't have to worry about carrying around a charger everywhere you go.

你就不必去哪裡都得帶著充電器

And even though it does look a little bit older,

雖然看起來不是很新穎，

it's still plenty portable and light enough to take around with you.

可是它輕盈好攜帶

Now let's talk about the regular MacBook.

現在來看看正規的 MacBook

This one came out a few years ago you might remember,

你大概記得這款在幾年前剛推出

and it looks great.

外型很棒

It wowed a lot of people.

它驚豔了許多人

The design is impeccable.

設計方面無可挑剔

It's almost like an iPad bolted on to a keyboard.

它幾乎是一台 iPad 接上鍵盤的樣子

It's super thin, super light.

非常輕薄

It has a full-sized keyboard

它配有全功能鍵盤

and, of course, that gorgeous hi-res Retina display.

當然還有超棒的高解析視網膜顯示屏

But there are also a ton of drawbacks to this one.

可是它也有一堆缺失

First of all, it only has one port that you use for everything.

首先它只有一處連接埠，你外接什麼都要用它

But the problem is, without a dongle,

問題就在於如果你沒有外插傳輸器，

you can't charge and plug in an accessory at the same time.

你就無法同時充電又外接硬體

And most accessories don't work with Thunderbolt right now,

而且現在多數的配件都無法與 Thunderbolt 傳輸介面相容，

so you're gonna need a dongle anyway.

所以你一定得另外買個傳輸器

Another problem with the MacBook is the power performance.

MacBook 另一項缺點是它的效能表現

It's way underpowered compared to the, even the MacBook Air.

它的效能甚至遠遠不足 MacBook Air

You're not gonna be able to do a lot of photo editing,

你無法用它做太多照片編輯、

or video editing, or other intensive tasks.

影片編輯或其他較耗能的事情

And it's way too expensive for what you get, spec by spec.

另外就規格來說它實在太貴了

At 1,300 bucks, you're essentially paying for the design and portability above everything else.

你等於是拿 1,300 塊美金去買它出色的設計與輕便性而已

Finally, there's the MacBook Pro.

最後一款是 MacBook Pro

This is Apple's top-of-the-line laptop,

這是蘋果最高規格的款式

and it comes in two sizes: 13 inch and 15 inch.

它有兩種尺寸：13、15 吋

On top of the new design,

除了它的嶄新設計，

which was inspired by the regular MacBook,

設計靈感自於正規 MacBook，

the MacBook Pro has four Thunderbolt ports,

MacBook Pro 配有四處 Thunderbolt 連接埠

meaning you can plug more stuff in it at once, and charge.

你就可以一次外接更多配件，同時也能充電

But the marquee feature of the MacBook Pro is the new TouchBar.

但 MacBook Pro 最鮮明的產品特色是它的 TouchBar 觸控板

When Apple first introduced the TouchBar,

蘋果推出 TouchBar 的時候

it tried to make it seem a lot cooler than it was.

是想要讓產品變得更酷

But really what it does is

但事實上呢

it makes it more annoying to hunt down the keys you wanna find.

它只是讓你找鍵盤更困難

A lot of users who have bought the MacBook Pro for the last couple of years,

這幾年來很多 MacBook Pro 的買家

have complained that specs of dust or dirt can get caught in the keys,

都曾抱怨髒灰塵有時候會跑進鍵盤縫隙，

and, essentially, ruin the device.

幾乎等於毀了整台筆電

That seems like a stupid, fatal flaw for something that's so expensive to use,

對這麼一台昂貴筆電而言，這點似乎是愚蠢又致命的缺失

and Apple still hasn't really addressed the issue.

蘋果卻還是沒有好好處理這問題

There is one dark horse candidate.

有一款是出乎意料的好選項，

If you can find the older version of the MacBook Pro,

如果你能找到舊版 MacBook Pro，

the model before the big redesign a couple years ago,

也就是近年大改版前的那一款，

get that one instead.

趕快下手

Some resellers have refurbished models,

有些二手賣家做了翻新版本，

and it performs just as well as today's MacBook Pro.

翻新後效能跟市面上的 MacBook Pro 幾乎一樣好

There's no perfect answer when it comes to picking a new MacBook right now.

想挑一部蘋果筆電，我現在無法提供絕對的好選項

Each model has it's own critical flaw,

每一款都有它的重大缺失，

and the whole lineup is in dire need of a refresh.

而且整條產品線都非常需要更新整理

If you absolutely need a new MacBook,

如果你真的需要一台新的蘋果筆電，

take a look at the MacBook Air first.

可以優先考慮 MacBook Air

Yes, it feels old and antiquated,

的確，感覺上它老舊又過時

but at least it checks all the boxes for what most people need.

可是至少它能滿足多數人的需求

It's so thin,

它非常輕薄

it even fits inside one of these envelopes that we've all seen floating around the office.

輕薄到可以裝進這種我們在辦公室裡常常見到、傳過來傳過去的信封

And so, let me go ahead and show it to you now.

讓我為你示範一下