Hey people 
So about 7 years ago I owned a PowerMac G5, and loved it. However I needed Windows for more things than I thought so I had to let it go.
Fast forward to now and I would like to give Macs another try (especially after trying Windows 8 and seeing the direction that Microsoft are now taking windows). I want to buy a MacBook as a desktop replacement for my old Core 2 Quad. I am mostly looking at entertainment/semi-productive purposes, browsing, games, office, music/video, vlog creation and that sort of thing. Will likely be dual booting with Windows for anything that needs it (though not if I can help it!!) which was not an option with a PowerMac.
My question is, will the MacBook Pro Retina or MacBook Pro (Standard) be best for this purpose?
I know that the MacBook Pro Retina has very limited (none) upgrade options once you order it. That does not concern me so much as the longevity of the product. The fact its so tightly integrated has me worried that simple things (such as battery) are going to render this rather expensive device useless in a few years. I am pretty sure I am going to be forced into getting Apple Care just because 12 months of hardware cover for a laptop nearing £2,000 is not enough.
Since I am going to be using it as a desktop replacement, I will likely be running it off the mains the majority of the time (as i will near sockets). Will the battery still deteriorate?
Can the battery/hard disk/ram be replaced on the standard MacBook Pro without sending it off to Apple?
Do Apple cover battery replacements against damage to the device? Like if I send off my shiny pristine MBP to them am I likely to get it back with photos of some random technition on the drive and scuff marks on the case? (I guess I am asking for any personal experiences here).
Now is not a good time to buy an iMac, so I cant really look at those (which would probably be a reasonable option). They are due to be upgraded soon. The 13" MacBook Pros might be getting a refresh I think in October maybe?
The retina's are pretty much only a few months old so I think its safe to buy one of those. At the moment I can get a brand new base MacBook Pro Retina for £1669 with an online offer which expires in September (no doubt because new stock is arriving?).
Any thoughts would be great. If anyone knows of any decent reviews or comparison links it would be fantastic.
Thanks in advance.
EDIT: Sorry this was meant to go in the MacBook section. Can a moderator move it? Thanks.
So about 7 years ago I owned a PowerMac G5, and loved it. However I needed Windows for more things than I thought so I had to let it go.
Fast forward to now and I would like to give Macs another try (especially after trying Windows 8 and seeing the direction that Microsoft are now taking windows
). I want to buy a MacBook as a desktop replacement for my old Core 2 Quad. I am mostly looking at entertainment/semi-productive purposes, browsing, games, office, music/video, vlog creation and that sort of thing. Will likely be dual booting with Windows for anything that needs it (though not if I can help it!!) which was not an option with a PowerMac.My question is, will the MacBook Pro Retina or MacBook Pro (Standard) be best for this purpose?
I know that the MacBook Pro Retina has very limited (none) upgrade options once you order it. That does not concern me so much as the longevity of the product. The fact its so tightly integrated has me worried that simple things (such as battery) are going to render this rather expensive device useless in a few years. I am pretty sure I am going to be forced into getting Apple Care just because 12 months of hardware cover for a laptop nearing £2,000 is not enough.
Since I am going to be using it as a desktop replacement, I will likely be running it off the mains the majority of the time (as i will near sockets). Will the battery still deteriorate?
Can the battery/hard disk/ram be replaced on the standard MacBook Pro without sending it off to Apple?
Do Apple cover battery replacements against damage to the device? Like if I send off my shiny pristine MBP to them am I likely to get it back with photos of some random technition on the drive and scuff marks on the case?
(I guess I am asking for any personal experiences here).Now is not a good time to buy an iMac, so I cant really look at those (which would probably be a reasonable option). They are due to be upgraded soon. The 13" MacBook Pros might be getting a refresh I think in October maybe?
The retina's are pretty much only a few months old so I think its safe to buy one of those. At the moment I can get a brand new base MacBook Pro Retina for £1669 with an online offer which expires in September (no doubt because new stock is arriving?).
Any thoughts would be great. If anyone knows of any decent reviews or comparison links it would be fantastic.
Thanks in advance.
EDIT: Sorry this was meant to go in the MacBook section. Can a moderator move it? Thanks.
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