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Kept my rMB - Here's Why

M

Maclee2010

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 11, 2010
46
0
Louisville, KY
It is a staggeringly great little machine. A lot of machine in a tight very attractive little package, just like I like it.

Virtually no heat coming from it and silent operation.
Runs a long time on a single charge.
It looks fantastic and is the most fun notebook I have ever used.
It handles everything I have thrown at it like any macbook I have owned (this is my 4th).
The trackpad has some really neat new tricks and feels great.
It sits very comfortable on my laptop lap cushion.
The keyboard looks amazing at night and feels great, I type faster.
I am more productive as I love using this notebook.
The performance is great for 98% of everything most users will do.
It is easy to take anywhere you need to go, light as a feather and packs down nice.
The screen is super sharp and makes my late 2013 13" rMBP screen look fuzzy.
12" is just right, not to big and not to small.
Makes the 13 rMBP look very outdated.
Single port is just fine, if you need many ports to use your computer today, you are doing it all wrong. I do all my backups and any necessary restorations wirelessly. I use the cloud, not just Apple, but multiple clouds.
 
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Great, I think it is a nice notebook...

But what do you think of the webcam?

Ive not heard anyone say any of the retina class screens look fuzzy? are you sure it is a rMBP?
 
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Fuzzball84 said:
Great, I think it is a nice notebook...

But what do you think of the webcam?

Ive not heard anyone say any of the retina class screens look fuzzy? are you sure it is a rMBP?
Click to expand...

Yeah it is a 13" rMBP. Maybe it is the look of Mavericks versus Yosemite. Don't know, just know that the resolution looks better and tighter on this one.

Webcam - first, I hate them. I work in IT, we don't like looking at each other and I am a rather handsome, but modest man which is not always the norm in my field. It feels like showing off. Video calls are just kind of weird. From the minimal use I have done with it, it is a bit grainy looking, but not a big concern for me as i am not a big webcam fan. The built in speakers are really nice though. Much better sound than my previous macbook.
 
Maclee2010 said:
Yeah it is a 13" rMBP. Maybe it is the look of Mavericks versus Yosemite. Don't know, just know that the resolution looks better and tighter on this one.

Webcam - first, I hate them. I work in IT, we don't like looking at each other and I am a rather handsome, but modest man which is not always the norm in my field. It feels like showing off. Video calls are just kind of weird. From the minimal use I have done with it, it is a bit grainy looking, but not a big concern for me as i am not a big webcam fan. The built in speakers are really nice though. Much better sound than my previous macbook.
Click to expand...

No offense man, but the screens have the exact same PPI. Some people have said that the rMB has slightly better colour reproduction however, so overall the screen is a bit better (other than the size factor of course). I think it's utter bias to say that the rMBP screen looks fuzzy in comparison. PPI is PPI.
 
spaceballl said:
I'm sure it's not that great, and for those who video chat frequently, this could be a deal breaker. For me, I don't care that its 480P. If it would have been removed completely, I wouldn't have cared.
Click to expand...

And you would be right about the webcam. It is absolute crap, especially on the Retina display. Comparing a rMBP FaceTime HD webcam vs this 480p one is comparing night and day. It's bad.

But the rest of the package... amazing. :)
 
spaceballl said:
I'm sure it's not that great, and for those who video chat frequently, this could be a deal breaker. For me, I don't care that its 480P. If it would have been removed completely, I wouldn't have cared.
Click to expand...

I rarely use my laptop to FaceTime. I FaceTime a lot (2 year old daughter wanting to see her grandparents), and I almost always use my iPad or iPhone.
 
I found the screen to be more enjoyable than my 13rMBP. Not sure why, maybe the 12" form or the slick look of the notebook. Typing now on a 15 non-retina and feel like I'm staring out a dirty window.:eek:
 
audiopablo said:
I found the screen to be more enjoyable than my 13rMBP. Not sure why, maybe the 12" form or the slick look of the notebook. Typing now on a 15 non-retina and feel like I'm staring out a dirty window.:eek:
Click to expand...

after going from retina 15 to MBA and now back to rMB, I remembered how much i hated MBA's screen.

not saying rMB stands out or anything, just that Apple really really needs to get rid of MBA's screen, it's just god-awful
 
kingofwale said:
after going from retina 15 to MBA and now back to rMB, I remembered how much i hated MBA's screen.

not saying rMB stands out or anything, just that Apple really really needs to get rid of MBA's screen, it's just god-awful
Click to expand...

Yeah, I really hate reading on this thing, but the i7 in this is great for music production. But if this was my only, I'd ditch it in a moment for a retina anything.

I have access to a yoga 2 I bring home once in a while for testing. It's great to read on. But don't ask me to be productive on it. I'm tuned to mac, whether I want to be or not.
 
audiopablo said:
Yeah, I really hate reading on this thing, but the i7 in this is great for music production. But if this was my only, I'd ditch it in a moment for a retina anything.

I have access to a yoga 2 I bring home once in a while for testing. It's great to read on. But don't ask me to be productive on it. I'm tuned to mac, whether I want to be or not.
Click to expand...

Apple KNOWS if they release a retina version of MBA (Which is what everyone was hoping for).. it would not only kill the old MBA line, it would also kill MBP line.

so what we got is a compromised product that really does nothing but help boost Apple's bottom line.

That's one thing I hate about Apple, I feel like I'm using a product that is intentionally designed to have flaws
 
kingofwale said:
after going from retina 15 to MBA and now back to rMB, I remembered how much i hated MBA's screen.

not saying rMB stands out or anything, just that Apple really really needs to get rid of MBA's screen, it's just god-awful
Click to expand...

+1. The release of this rMB will hopefully hasten the demise of non-retina screens in Apple's product portfolio. Every time I switch back to my MBA to migrate some data to my new rMB, I can't believe how washed out everything looks.
 
kingofwale said:
Apple KNOWS if they release a retina version of MBA (Which is what everyone was hoping for).. it would not only kill the old MBA line, it would also kill MBP line.

so what we got is a compromised product that really does nothing but help boost Apple's bottom line.

That's one thing I hate about Apple, I feel like I'm using a product that is intentionally designed to have flaws
Click to expand...

It's a bit unlikely that that the shortcomings are intentional - it's hard to see how Apple could have improved this design, with the exception of giving it more ports - but even that has a power cost, and Apple is no doubt trying to see whether the market will accept the new minimalist port design.

As you suggest, Apple has to find a way to introduce new products without cannibalising the sales of their other lines. They generally try to position their products so that no two overlap in features / prices enough to dissuade people from buying a single product instead of two.

So the iPhone 6 plus won't *quite* replace an iPad Mini 2, and is significantly smaller (with less memory and slightly lower CPU) than an iPad Air 2.

The rMBP 13 won't get a quad-core CPU or dGPU (even if it were technically possible) because they want power users to get the more expensive rMBP 15.

The iMac is spec'd and priced to be better than the Mac Mini so that you can't just get a good 3rd party screen and have the same performance.

These are all intentional!

As you (I think rightly) surmise, if the MBA had somehow been given a retina screen, rMBP 13 sales would be severely hit, because it would be the computer most people would go for. They'd have to sell it for a small premium over non-retina MBP prices, and the lines would overlap greatly. The MBA and rMBP were already dangerous overlapping before the introduction of the rMB.

Creating a new line with the rMB will eventually separate the field to what we used to have with MacBook and MacBook Pro. I doubt the MBA fits into this vision very well at all. It's more likely that an up-market rMB will be released (14"?) and both the MBA 11 and 13 will disappear. The rMBP 13 may survive if it's upgrade sufficiently, or the rMBP line will become 14" & 16" with quad-core CPUs and more ports to differentiate them for the rMB line.

This is just good marketing on Apple's part - not a desire to cheat their customers. They want customers to ideally buy everything they make, or at least up-sell them to a higher value item if they are weighing up their options.
 
johngwheeler said:
This is just good marketing on Apple's part - not a desire to cheat their customers. They want customers to ideally buy everything they make, or at least up-sell them to a higher value item if they are weighing up their options.
Click to expand...

I can already name a few things gen 2 can do

* lower prices (at least 100-200), much like MBA went through in 2014. With the price of this device, Apple can definitely do it.
* another port beside the headphone jack, easily done. there are tons of room there
* more edge to edge design. if Dell can do it (XPS13), I'm sure Apple can put 13'3 inch in the same form factor.


All of those can be a selling point, if anything, I bet Apple will do one each year and drag it out for next 3. ;)

**for everything else you said, I agree. However as someone who buys Apple products, it annoys me greatly, this is also why there are a LOT of people who dislike Apple products**
 
kingofwale said:
I can already name a few things gen 2 can do

* lower prices (at least 100-200), much like MBA went through in 2014. With the price of this device, Apple can definitely do it.
* another port beside the headphone jack, easily done. there are tons of room there
* more edge to edge design. if Dell can do it (XPS13), I'm sure Apple can put 13'3 inch in the same form factor.
Click to expand...

All good suggestions. A price drop would be most welcome - the 1.2GHz model is AU$2,200 where I live! I only paid $2500 for my 2013 rMBP 15.

**for everything else you said, I agree. However as someone who buys Apple products, it annoys me greatly, this is also why there are a LOT of people who dislike Apple products**
Click to expand...

I take your point. Apple could (maybe) have given people what they wanted - assuming the MBA could use a retina display without killing battery life, but they chose not to.

They tend to follow what Henry Ford allegedly said: "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses"

Apple likes to be seen as an innovator, and "wow-ing" their market, and the rMP is seen (and I think, is) an innovation. Just improving the MBA would have been largely "meh" to many people except Mac cognoscenti.

Apple's profits and market cap seem to indicate that their business model is quite sound, at least as far as making money is concerned...wish I'd bought stock when they were about to go belly-up.
 
kingofwale said:
I can already name a few things gen 2 can do

* lower prices (at least 100-200), much like MBA went through in 2014. With the price of this device, Apple can definitely do it.
* another port beside the headphone jack, easily done. there are tons of room there
* more edge to edge design. if Dell can do it (XPS13), I'm sure Apple can put 13'3 inch in the same form factor.


All of those can be a selling point, if anything, I bet Apple will do one each year and drag it out for next 3. ;)

**for everything else you said, I agree. However as someone who buys Apple products, it annoys me greatly, this is also why there are a LOT of people who dislike Apple products**
Click to expand...


Or this.....

Same Price $1299 with another port, a Core M CPU bump with a 14" screen with a tad larger footprint, same sexy slim design. 256GB SSD

Base model for $999 Same core M, maybe .1ghz bump, the rest the same.

I think that will not only make more people jump on board. They will attract others who want the NEW MBA technically speaking......
 
Apple is doing fantastic. however other companies are catching up.

MBA is no longer the market leader in thin laptops after (god knows how many years of keeping the same design). I personally was very impressed with XPS13's design and actually wish I had that running OSX

so how long until people finally realize it and stop drinking the koolaid?

I feel this is what happened to Nintendo. With Wii and DS, Nintendo could do no wrong for YEARS, Any stupid stuff they come out would sell out right away...(Remember how horrible Mario vs Sonic is? or Mario Party?) and i guess the "honeymoon is over now". just look at Wii U's sales number.

As others continue to "catch up" and Apple dragging its legs. how long will this empire last?
 
I was very skeptical of the Macbook upon its announcement and pricing. Decided to order one anyways and try it out and I'm glad I did. It's easily my favorite laptop I've owned. I'm not using it for major photo/video work but it's great for most everything else, even lighter work in PS and iMovie. I only wish the display were a bit larger, 14 or even 13 would be perfect. Love it though.
 
kingofwale said:
Apple KNOWS if they release a retina version of MBA (Which is what everyone was hoping for).. it would not only kill the old MBA line, it would also kill MBP line.

so what we got is a compromised product that really does nothing but help boost Apple's bottom line.

That's one thing I hate about Apple, I feel like I'm using a product that is intentionally designed to have flaws
Click to expand...

You do realize that if they did include a retina screen it would increase the price tag as we'll as decrease the battery life by about half right?
 
kingofwale said:
I feel this is what happened to Nintendo. With Wii and DS, Nintendo could do no wrong for YEARS, Any stupid stuff they come out would sell out right away...(Remember how horrible Mario vs Sonic is? or Mario Party?) and i guess the "honeymoon is over now". just look at Wii U's sales number.
Click to expand...

Mario Party was immense, bruh. Yo' trippin'.
 
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