Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
This whole MbP experience feels rushed; Like a new tech release. You see the possibilities but it just falls short...
Folks will complain no matter what. No version of the Macbook Pro can be everything to everyone.
Having said that, what I find most interesting about these recent debates is the back and forth about how much people actually need. The argument that "well, it's no problem for me, and I do x, y and z!" is not really a good rebuttal, in my opinion.
Everyone is different and everyone has had different experiences.
The people defending the new Macbook Pros need to remember that the complaining isn't coming from outsiders (Windows users) trying to stir the pot -- it's coming from people who love Macs and genuinely want better Macs.
It's important for these people to dissent, because if they don't, Apple will never know if they might have made a decision that negatively affects a significant number of people.
I guess what you're saying is just the fact that there is a limit is an issue?
This reminds me of a question I once read in Maxim magazine, about 10 years ago or so. The reader wrote in asking why speedometer on cars go so high while there are few places in the world you can drive that fast. The answer was that if car manufacturers would limit the speedometer, there would be an outrage from the general populace.
There have to be Mac users who are looking for workstation class laptops and have a legitimate need for more than 16GB RAM.
They may be a tiny population, but making presumptions that their complaints are invalid because you can't create a situation that taxes the Macbook isn't constructive.
People have been going on and on supporting USB-C only as future proofing the Macbook Pro (even though it's not even an ubiquitous standard now, and maybe not even for two years). Given how software is constantly requiring more and more memory, limiting RAM to 16GB is doing the absolute opposite of future proofing.
Totally agree with you, in fact I know of several Mac users who genuinely require a beast of a workstation. These folks (movie production industry) are willing to drop 4-5K on the most powerful machine possible and the 16GB limit is hindereding.
I shared an anecdote that came to mind, with no intention to dismiss your comment or downplay its significance.
Anyone making that flight on a regular basis is going to have access to a power outlet.
Any run-of-the-mill consumer isn't going to be working and will be just fine with a tablet or a book.
As for the "Pro" moniker, the new machines are pretty high performance (especially on the video front). That doesn't preclude Apple making some tradeoff and/or leaving some performance on the table.