Anyone regretting buying a cMBP?

[adjeff8]

Last September I bought the 15" cMBP with 8 gigs of Ram. I was coming from a 2009 MBP with 4 gigs of Ram and a seemingly continueess spinning rainbow of death. The new machine had awesome power. One problem that ate at me for 14 days. The display on the new machine wasn't anywhere near as sharp and defined as my 4 year old dying computer. Not even close. Brought the new one in and got a replacement. Same thing. Brought THAT one in, and it was at that time that I started playing with the retina. The SSD made it clear what I should do, also I noticed the vastly superior speaker system, so just putting a SSD in the cMBP with the display that was inferior to my 4 year old dying computer was not a option. But I will never buy a first generation anything. So....7 months later and here I am waiting for Haswell. Not so much for Haswell, just for the 2nd generation 15" MacBook Pro with 16 gigs of Ram, otherwise base model.

 

[AlexMaximus]

looked it up in the store..

Have tested the Retina in the Apple Store today. Its somewhat nice and of course the screen is a tiny bit better then the old 17' high end model.
However looking at all the big disadvantages such as a complete non upgradability, non serviceability (review on iFixit on serviceability) - it is a true NOGO for me.
It also has no ExpressCard34 slot any more. Another NOGo!

Just as an example, I am still able to upgrade to USB 3.0 thanks to Sonnet solutions and thousand others on the ExpressCard34 slot. And this on a two year old machine. I ask you Retina guys, what will you do in two years from now??? I am not stuck and I have used the upgrade path extensively. This ultimately advances the live cycle of the product + the duration and the usage of the computer. I want a long usage out of this high priced computer. With no upgrade path, Apple closes this path and forces you to buy again.
I DONT WANT THAT !!!

I buy a computer to use it for years and years and not to sponsor Apple!

A NO GO for me. If you are smart, RESIST RETINA !!

 

[Dented]

Some will chuckle at this but I'm happily using a mid-2009 13" MBP and would miss it if I swapped for a retina model.

When I bought this MBP I specified a 500GB drive out of the box - it added a little to the price but nothing like the £400 it would cost to add the same amount of storage to the base 13" rMBP now (which already starts out more expensive than my specced up MBP did three years ago). If anything, I need more space now more than I need Flash architecture and the retina screen; happily I know I can easily add a bigger hybrid drive to my current machine myself for not too much money; that combined with a bit more RAM will basically give me a whole new machine three years into its life. That kind of transformation will never be possible with the rMBP - sure it's good now, but in three years time it will only ever be, well, the same.

I'm not ready to give up my optical drive yet either; certainly not when I'm expected to pay more for less..

 

[Handsome Bacon]

Money was no object when I bought my cMBP. And that's what I bought. 16GB, and nearly 1 TB of disk space. I am ready if anyone starts producing 16GB memory sticks.

I do not like Rev 1 products, you're usually a guinea pig with these things. Besides, my use includes being hooked up to an external monitor 80% of the time and they don't make those in "retina" yet. Would have been a waste.

The retina screen is nice but not nice enough to give up the upgradability. To each their own.

BTW, I make music and DJ (Ableton Live) and shoot video (porn) editing in Premiere + After Effects, and the disk space and memory are nice.

 

[Rodster]

Can you upgrade the CPU in the cMBP?

 

[262Runnr]

...definitely not! This is my first MAC (Apple Store Refurb). This machine more than exceeds my expectations except that I have crappy battery life compared to the 7 hours battery life claims that I'm reading about .
I simply don't have a need for a rMBP and relatively speaking, I got into MAC's at this level at a very reasonable price.
The money that I saved not buying a rMBP now will go towards the purchase or a rMBP in a couple of years down the road.

 

[Dented]

Can you upgrade the CPU in the cMBP?

Not as far as I know - can you upgrade the CPU in any apple product?

 

[daneoni]

None whatsoever. I bought mine before the Retinas came out and had no desire to upgrade once they did. I've played with rMBPs on several occasions and all i usually think is "nice screen" and thats it.

I love my cMBP, its the first Mac i've kept for 2 full years and counting. Has all the power i need plus useful ports, and is upgradeable if i want more longevity. Also love my anti-glare screen.

Not as far as I know - can you upgrade the CPU in any apple product?

Mac Pros to a certain extent.

 

[unobtainium]

I ask you Retina guys, what will you do in two years from now???

Sell it on Craigslist and buy a new one.

I just sold my 2011 13" MBP to upgrade to the retina model. I bought it for $1300 in 2011 (no tax since it's a business expense) and sold it for $900 last week. So I lost $400 but got two good years of use out of it. That's really only $17/mo. if you think about it...the price of a few lattés from Starbucks I'll probably do the same with this retina model in a couple of years when something really enticing comes down the pipeline.

 

[Fissure]

If you need more screen real estate, higher resolution and a crisper display along with almost a full pound of weight savings then the Retina is for you. RAM or memory may or may not matter to you. Sure it's a bummer Apple didn't make RAM upgradeable in these but I'd guess to most of you, whether you realize it or not, 8GB is plenty now and will be plenty for another 3-4 years.

After having this 13" rMBP for a little over a week and having the cMBP for a week before I returned it for the rMBP, the difference is night and day. The screen is just astonishing. I seriously believe one won't really appreciate the screen unless they spend some time with it, not just playing with it at the store. Every time I use this rMBP it's just amazing how crisp and sharp everything is. Words can't really describe it.

 

[urkel]

People who went for the Classic did so for a very specific reason: upgradeability. There's no questioning the appeal of having some control over the components in your computer.

This is true. I just picked up an open box cMBP15 with 750GB HDD and the first thing I did was install a 256GB SSD in place of the optical drive and then made it a 1TB Fusion Drive. It might not be Retina, but the screen is pretty darn good and now I've got the speed of the rMBP but with 4x the storage.

But to be honest, I'm still considering the rMBP. I know 256GB is pretty slim but the new design and retina screen make me feel like I bought "old" technology.

 

[Dented]

Sell it on Craigslist and buy a new one.

But can you be so sure your rMBP will hold its value so well? Think about it - anyone buying a "classic" mac knows that they can probably repair most things themselves if it goes wrong, and easily replace or upgrade most of the ageing components.

Whoever buys your rMBP in a few years will know they're buying a product that cannot be economically repaired or upgraded - it'll be an old computer that, if any part of it fails, will be fit only for the bin. Would you pay so much for that?

 

[mslide]

Do I regret buying a laptop that can hold 2 easily replaceable (normal sized) hard drives, 16GB RAM, has all the built-in ports I want... all while still being pretty darn portable and for a decent price? No, I'm very glad I went with a 13" cMBP.

I'll go with a retina display laptop when they are the norm and I don't have to pay extra to have it.

 

[thehustleman]

Do I regret buying a laptop that can hold 2 easily replaceable (normal sized) hard drives, 16GB RAM, has all the built-in ports I want... all while still being pretty darn portable and for a decent price? No, I'm very glad I went with a 13" cMBP.

I'll go with a retina display laptop when they are the norm and I don't have to pay extra to have it.

Yep

 

[Ledgem]

Hi,
I bought the cMBP with 8g of ram, 750G HDD and HD anti-glare screen and it cost me 2 329,00 $ plus taxes, here's the exact cfg:
...
So I upgraded my cMBP with a 512MB SSD from OWC and 16 GB ram from OWC, Well I bought a few other things as well and the bill was around 1K and I had to pay 300$ duty taxes so in total: 1300$.

cMBP + upgrades total: 2 543,88 $ + 1300$ = 3843,88$

now look: a RMBP:

I disagree with you that the retina MBP makes more financial sense. It looks like you bought a near-maxed out standard MBP and then upgraded it with expensive components on top of that. The power of the standard MBP is that you can buy it with minimum specifications and then upgrade it later, either when you see a good sale, prices have dropped, or worst-case scenario, when you absolutely need it. Case in point, I bought my MBP with the minimum specifications available (4 GB 1300 MHz RAM, 500 GB 5400 RPM hard drive). RAM upgrade to 16 GB and a faster clock rate (1600 MHz) for just under $70 USD (it's even cheaper now), and I'm close to upgrading the hard drive to a 500 GB SSD for $270 USD (and if I keep on waiting, that price will continue to drop - some sales have taken it very close to the $250 price range). That's well under $400 for those upgrades, which would have cost me much more if it had come from Apple. But the benefits don't end there, as I'd have the option of going to 32 GB of RAM (if it ever comes out in DDR3 and if I really need it), and I'd still be able to upgrade the SSD later on.

Easy solution to the non upgradable Ram problem...Max out the Ram to 16 gig upon purchase. If you can't afford the $200 to max out the Ram, you probably shouldn't be buying a MacBook Pro retina in the first place. $200 isn't a deal breaker for me

I never understood the "if you can't afford this, you probably shouldn't buy this anyway" argument. $200 isn't a deal-breaker for me, but if I can get the same thing for $100 or even less, why the heck would I want to part with $200? The retina screen is really nice and I look forward to having a computer with one some day, but to max out a rMBP costs an awful lot - and those costs aren't associated with the screen, but with Apple's decision to solder everything to the board. Partly out of principle and partly because the retina isn't worth that much to me, I haven't bought a retina MBP. Valuing upgradeability and not blowing money to max out a system because you can't do it yourself for cheaper is a big theme of this thread. rMBP owners and potential buyers shouldn't feel spurned by it.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

I don't get it. THAT'S your problem with it? Can't upgrade the Ram? I'm waiting for the 15" 2nd generation. And when it comes out I won't blink a eye. Easy solution to the non upgradable Ram problem...Max out the Ram to 16 gig upon purchase. If you can't afford the $200 to max out the Ram, you probably shouldn't be buying a MacBook Pro retina in the first place. $200 isn't a deal breaker for me

Can't upgrade your RAM, can't upgrade your HDD... And sure it's $200 to max out the RAM from Apple, but that's only RAM from Apple. There's no amount of money that will let you upgrade the retina MacBook pro to its maximum RAM limit. Sure it's superfluous now, but 3 years from now an additional 16gb of RAM can be the difference between a $3000 laptop and a $300 upgrade.

Likewise, what if I want a 2TB SSD? Apple only lets me go up to 750gb, and give it 3 years and I'd be shocked if you can't get a 2TB drive. But not for the retina MacBook pro!

 

[ncrypt]

Likewise, what if I want a 2TB SSD? Apple only lets me go up to 750gb, and give it 3 years and I'd be shocked if you can't get a 2TB drive. But not for the retina MacBook pro!

The SSD in the rMBP can be changed by the user though.. so, in 3 years, if you wanted a 2TB SSD, you could do so

 

[Rodster]

Can't upgrade your RAM, can't upgrade your HDD... And sure it's $200 to max out the RAM from Apple, but that's only RAM from Apple. There's no amount of money that will let you upgrade the retina MacBook pro to its maximum RAM limit. Sure it's superfluous now, but 3 years from now an additional 16gb of RAM can be the difference between a $3000 laptop and a $300 upgrade.

Likewise, what if I want a 2TB SSD? Apple only lets me go up to 750gb, and give it 3 years and I'd be shocked if you can't get a 2TB drive. But not for the retina MacBook pro!

I hear ya and i'm nervously getting closer to buying a 13" cMBP from Amazon before Apple kills them off like they did with the 17" MBP. I'm hoping that the cMBP will get refreshed with Haswell next time around although there has been no indication they'll do that. My fear is that the rMBP will replace the cMBP next refresh.

 

[urkel]

I never understood the "if you can't afford this, you probably shouldn't buy this anyway" argument. $200 isn't a deal-breaker for me, but if I can get the same thing for $100 or even less, why the heck would I want to part with $200?

I hate the "if you cant afford this, you shouldnt buy it" argument too because its based more on being defensive rather than being rational.

This idea of maxing out a computer is silly for many people. While many of us know exactly what we are going to do with our next computer, many people are learning as they go so how is someone supposed to know that 128GB isn't enough space or that they really like video editing and now are forced to rebuy an entire laptop rather than spend $50 to double the ram?

Just because you can afford something doesnt mean you should buy it. Sure, $200 won't make you homeless but defending a company for making things tougher on the consumer is just ridiculous.

 

[thehustleman]

I hate the "if you cant afford this, you shouldnt buy it" argument too because its based more on being defensive rather than being rational.

This idea of maxing out a computer is silly for many people. While many of us know exactly what we are going to do with our next computer, many people are learning as they go so how is someone supposed to know that 128GB isn't enough space or that they really like video editing and now are forced to rebuy an entire laptop rather than spend $50 to double the ram?

Just because you can afford something doesnt mean you should buy it. Sure, $200 won't make you homeless but defending a company for making things tougher on the consumer is just ridiculous.

You get a lot of that around here.

 

[dukebound85]

Money was no object when I bought my cMBP. And that's what I bought. 16GB, and nearly 1 TB of disk space. I am ready if anyone starts producing 16GB memory sticks.

I do not like Rev 1 products, you're usually a guinea pig with these things. Besides, my use includes being hooked up to an external monitor 80% of the time and they don't make those in "retina" yet. Would have been a waste.

The retina screen is nice but not nice enough to give up the upgradability. To each their own.

BTW, I make music and DJ (Ableton Live) and shoot video (porn) editing in Premiere + After Effects, and the disk space and memory are nice.

Do we know if these machines are able to accept 32gigs of ram?

 

[Ledgem]

Do we know if these machines are able to accept 32gigs of ram?

Since 16 GB DIMMs aren't available nobody has been able to test it and verify. However, the technical specifications for Sandy Bridge state that it can handle up to 32 GB, and I don't imagine that Ivy Bridge is any less.

 

[IlikeMacsSoMuch]

I disagree with you that the retina MBP makes more financial sense. It looks like you bought a near-maxed out standard MBP and then upgraded it with expensive components on top of that. The power of the standard MBP is that you can buy it with minimum specifications and then upgrade it later, either when you see a good sale, prices have dropped, or worst-case scenario, when you absolutely need it. Case in point, I bought my MBP with the minimum specifications available (4 GB 1300 MHz RAM, 500 GB 5400 RPM hard drive). RAM upgrade to 16 GB and a faster clock rate (1600 MHz) for just under $70 USD (it's even cheaper now), and I'm close to upgrading the hard drive to a 500 GB SSD for $270 USD (and if I keep on waiting, that price will continue to drop - some sales have taken it very close to the $250 price range). That's well under $400 for those upgrades, which would have cost me much more if it had come from Apple. But the benefits don't end there, as I'd have the option of going to 32 GB of RAM (if it ever comes out in DDR3 and if I really need it), and I'd still be able to upgrade the SSD later on.


I don't mean to say that it makes more financial sense, it just that it does cost more to upgrade depending with the model that you buy. The cmbp that I bought was more expensive because I choose the one with the 1 G video card and the hd mate screen. Had I known that later on I was going to buy upgrades I would have included it in the first place. I don't regret my choice, connectivity would have been an issue and the glossy screen just doesn't do it for me. Besides, when I'm at home (witch happens to be my office) it is plugged into my 27 inches iMac as an external monitor. I know that the retina display is supposed to be better than the iMac or TB display but I honestly couldn't see much difference.

The only thing missing on the cmbp is an HDMI port, I know that you can use adapters but I just don't like to carry adapters, besides, the machine is already expensive as it is there is no need to add to the bill. I barely use the dvd drive but I am glad to have it just in case.

 

[iMacFarlane]

P.S. If there is anything I learned from my expierence with my iPad Gen 1, never by first gen Apple Tech. 2 People who I personally know with rMBPs both had screen issues.

If everyone followed your advice, there would never be a second generation, because the tech would be a commercial failure.

 

[0dev]

I don't regret it at all. I have never and will never buy any computer which doesn't allow me to upgrade it. If Apple makes everything into a sealed unit I will stop buying Apple computers.

I am however very happy with my cMPB. I will be fitting an SSD into it a year or two when they become better value and I'll do a RAM upgrade while I'm at it too.