Whether the hardware is right depends on the usage. In my case I've found the hardware terribly inadequate for what I need to do. I have an early 2011 MacBook pro, and it has proved to be incredibly frustrating for me as a general purpose computing platform. The main issue is lack of inputs, removal of inputs, and a lack of options for inputs.
Having only two USB2 ports, removal of ExpressCard34 slots used for third party hard drive adapters on the 15", and a thunderbolt port largely unusable by the cost conscious makes shuffling things quite painful.
Some usage paths lead backwards. For example, video editors using a MacBook pro 15 who used the ExpressCard34 for sata drives lost that capability with the upgrade. You had two ways to go, either downgrade to FireWire 800, which was still available, and if the reduction in transfer speed was acceptable, or try and find a thunderbolt setup that was both cost effective and mature. Good luck on that! If you went the FireWire path, the next model from 2012 left you needing a thunderbolt adapter, as the FireWire port was dropped.
They are quite well built, but they certainly have shortcomings.
Having only two USB2 ports, removal of ExpressCard34 slots used for third party hard drive adapters on the 15", and a thunderbolt port largely unusable by the cost conscious makes shuffling things quite painful.
Some usage paths lead backwards. For example, video editors using a MacBook pro 15 who used the ExpressCard34 for sata drives lost that capability with the upgrade. You had two ways to go, either downgrade to FireWire 800, which was still available, and if the reduction in transfer speed was acceptable, or try and find a thunderbolt setup that was both cost effective and mature. Good luck on that! If you went the FireWire path, the next model from 2012 left you needing a thunderbolt adapter, as the FireWire port was dropped.
They are quite well built, but they certainly have shortcomings.