The MacBook dilemma: Pay more, or get an old machine

At its MacBook-centric event Thursday, Apple announced very few in-house devices: essentially, just three new MacBook Pros, 13- and 15-inch models with a Touch Bar — the laptops' new signature feature — and a 13-incher without one.

If you don't care about how much any of it costs, go right ahead and buy one. But if you're a cost-conscious customer that wants to buy a new laptop from Apple, your choices just became a lot crappier. 

The changes to Apple's laptop lineup are subtle, but significant. The new MacBook Pro starts at $1,499 — that's the Touch Bar-free variant. Apple's VP of Marketing Phil Schiller compared that version to the Air, touting it as a faster, better, lighter and thinner option.  Read more...