MacBook Retina (12-inch)

2015, April 10

The 12-inch MacBook Retina, introduced on April 10, 2015, was a groundbreaking laptop focused entirely on portability, ultra-thin design, and efficiency. It was the first MacBook to feature an incredibly thin fanless design, a high-resolution Retina display, and a controversial single multi-purpose USB-C port.

Key Features and Connectivity

Ultra-Thin and Light Design: The most portable and energy-efficient MacBook to date, it featured a fanless logic board that was 67 percent smaller than the 11-inch MacBook Air's. Retina Display: The first 12-inch display in a Mac laptop, featuring edge-to-edge glass and high resolution.

Single USB-C Port: The most controversial design choice was the inclusion of only one multi-purpose USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 port for charging, data transfer, and video output. This necessitated the use of adapters for connecting multiple peripherals simultaneously. It also included a single headphone jack.

Butterfly Keyboard: Apple introduced a new "butterfly" mechanism keyboard. It was designed to be significantly thinner and more stable than traditional scissor mechanisms, though its minimal key travel was polarizing among users.

Force Touch Trackpad: This new trackpad featured force sensors and a "Taptic Engine" that provided haptic feedback and allowed for new pressure-sensitive "Force Click" gestures.

Battery Technology: The contoured lithium-polymer battery cells were specifically designed to fill virtually every millimeter of the enclosure, maximizing battery capacity for all-day use.