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13" Retina Pro...Buy now or wait?
- Thread starter Jamie0003
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Apple was pretty prompt with updating their notebooks to Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge. I would expect the Haswell update to come within a month or two of the processors actually being available.
From what you wrote, and what you own now, just wait. The first generation 13" rMBP is overpriced for what it offers - and I'm writing this on one, which is going back to Apple as soon as I return home (travelling for work).
The second generation rMBP should be faster, have fewer display-related glitches (ghosting, scroll lag, etc.), and offer significantly better value.
The second generation rMBP should be faster, have fewer display-related glitches (ghosting, scroll lag, etc.), and offer significantly better value.
May I ask why you will be returning your new rMBP 13"? I'm trying to assess this system vs. the current 13" MBA to replace my 2010 13" MBP. I've waited since the release of the 15" rMBP to see what the 13" model would bring, and am a bit disappointed with the specs and price premium.
Exactly what you want, perhaps. You should have some good reason to want a strong GPU, but not all users will tell the difference.
Haswell will have a new CPU design, which will be faster and more energy efficient than Broadwell. Its GPU will be much faster than the current HD 4000.
Broadwell will be the die shrink of Haswell; when it comes to CPU, there will be only slight improvements.
The GPU, though, will be a new design. I've heard many things about Broadwell GPU: that it is supposed to be Larrabee, and that it will just kill NVIDIA and AMD. I think it's a bit too early yet to know for sure (Intel has already disappointed with Larrabee before), and I don't think that will really matter for most computing tasks, at least for the majority of people. Haswell GPU will probably be enough to handle retina displays without lagging. Of course a better GPU will be welcome, but most users can do it without one.
In any case, Haswell is just around the corner. March-June, says Intel. But Broadwell is one year and a half away from us. Would you wait?
Sure.
I'd been waiting on a 13" rMBP since I hoped it would be a good travel computer (I travel a lot for work). When the specs were announced, I was disappointed - it was, I thought, grossly overpriced for what it offered.
I thought I'd give one a try, and bought a 256 GB model from an Apple store. It's a very nice machine, but $1899 (military/student discount) for 256 GB storage (which is a $300 upcharge from the absurd 128 GB base model) just strikes me as . . . excessive. Having lived with it for a few days, it's not going to work - I carry a lot of data with me, and 256 GB forces me to carry an external drive, which defeats the point of having an all-in-one laptop.
In short, I think it's substantially overpriced for what it offers. The screen is indeed very nice, but it's not worth $500 over the normal 13" MBP screen. The lack of a 16 GB option is a turn-off for me, as is the lack of ethernet. For someone who doesn't mind using external or network storage, and doesn't mind paying the price of being an early adopter, it's fine. If it had cost $1499 with 256 GB, people would probably be accusing me of being a fanboi (even at 46!). But it isn't, and Apple's decision to offer the base with only 128 GB for $1699 is not one I'm willing to support.
That's why it's going back. I'll wait for the second generation, which will almost certainly offer significantly better value and have fewer of the problems others have reported with ghosting, image retention, and scroll lag. I can force it to lag while scrolling, but I have to force it - in normal use, mine at least does not. In the meantime, I'll get the i7 13", upgrade the RAM to 16 GB, and put in a hybrid 750 GB drive.
Thanks. That pretty much sums up my initial impression. My 13" MBP is still a fine machine, but I'd love to double my CPU speed, take advantage of USB 3.0 and a higher screen resolution. I ordered a 15" rMBP last week after convincing myself the size difference wouldn't bother me, but cancelled after reading about all the IR issues with the LG displays. The MBA is probably the best option for day-to-day portability so I'll probably make the switch to the Air if I can't wait til Haswell.
Haswell wont bring any huge cpu improvements, most likely the same as ivy did over sandy, except being alot more energy efficient and cooler.
I love how you think its actually the HD4000 that makes the retinas lag, and not the software. Explain how a HD3000 can drive a 27" ACD without any lag then? Haswell is for first half, which could mean june aswell.
If you read my earlier post i said buy now, and upgrade again when Broadwell comes, which is exactly what im doing, 13" rMBP arriving on thursday.
That's a lot of money to spend just because you can't wait lol, and it's going to cost the same for second gen, if not more.
I'm seriously considering the maxed out 13" Air, processor isn't quite as good but I could make do fairly well, and it's a hell of a lot cheaper, and also imo much, much better value for money especially if i'm able to pick up a refurb. Also, more portable.
A refurb Air might be your best bet. You could also consider a refurb i7 13" MBP. I'm not a big fan of the Air, but relative to the retina MBP they look a LOT better.
The price will be the same for Haswell, so why is it alot of money to spend? What are you not able to do with the current rMBP that will magically work so great on Haswell? If i want something i buy it, rather then wait for the next, or the next, or the next. Because by then, something new is on the horizon. Sure the 13" rMBP is not the most cost efficient laptop out there, but it is what i want, thats why i buy it. Its about more then just pure hardware specs.
Normally, the "wait" scenario is a poor one to take due to there always being an upgrade around the corner. However, the retina is a brand new design in which Apple had to make some compromises. Due to the new design, the next revision will most likely be much better than your standard upgrade. If you current computer is doing fine, then I would wait for the second model.
its not a poor one. Its simple, every year intel launches a new cpu, there is a mid life refresh in speed. Plan accordingly.
I am really looking forward to see what Intel will bring in terms of energy efficiency here. It's promising wonders with Haswell and that's what keeps me waiting (and not performance). It has promised 24 hours of battery life; even if it doesn't get there, I guess there will be major improvements.
In fact, the 27" screen has a 2560x1440 resolution and the HD 3000 can drive that as far as I know (never tested it myself, though).
However, when the 13" rMBP runs at 1680x1050 resolution, it scales at 3360x2100 and then fits it into the 2560x1600 resolution. As far as I am told, this scaling is responsible for the lag. So, in this case, the HD 4000 would have to work with a 3360x2100 resolution and not with 2560x1600 (which it would handle just fine).
Well, I still don't know about that. Actually, I have seen some machines running Windows 8 and I was very impressed. I think I'll wait a bit to see which Windows machines come out and if they suit my needs better than the rMBP. Not sure if I'm going with the Mac after what I've seen.
Has it been confirmed that the 13" suffers from these issues? I remember hearing it's a software problem rather than hardware.
Fair enough if you have a ton of money to spend on the same machine twice, but I don't.
You're missing the point. You could wait for ever and a new architecture will be around the corner!
Buy now and enjoy, or wait and enjoy later - but don't expect to buy the last gen of a laptop ever! You newly bought laptop will be old the minute you buy it. That's the game.
Pretty silly advice with no regard for buyer's needs in a machine. Current model car can do 130mph, new model, out in a year, can do 150mph. I never drive drive faster than 90mph should I upgrade?? should I wait a year to buy ?? If a buyer really doesn't need current machine specs, they wouldn't need future upgrades either. Specs make good posts but matching buyer needs to specs is successful business.
Not really. The question was "buy now or wait?"
Well, Haswell will not only bring improvements in performance. The major improvement Intel is promising is on battery life. In addition, the GPU would be much improved, and more suitable to handle retina resolutions. So, these two big improvements are perhaps worth waiting 6 more months to get the hands on one of these machines. If someone needs the laptop right now, then it should buy it right away, regardless of the forthcoming improvements. But if waiting is an option, then something very neat may be just around the corner.
I have not seen IR on mine unless I look for it, and that could just be seeing it because I'm looking for it. Then again, it's only been a week. Scroll lag is real, but I think overblown - I have to work at it to make it happen. In normal use it has not happened.
I think it is a very nice laptop that just happens to be substantially overpriced. Or, if you prefer, it's a very poor value. Nice laptop, shame about the price.
I think the question becomes a little more blurred once you figure out the deals to be had out there.
I bought a sealed base rMBP from CL today for $1850. That is only $50 more than a base cMBP 15" - it's a no brainer with the new screen, form factor, and SSD. I would suggest finding a local deal for a sealed unit. You won't be disappointed.
I bought a sealed base rMBP from CL today for $1850. That is only $50 more than a base cMBP 15" - it's a no brainer with the new screen, form factor, and SSD. I would suggest finding a local deal for a sealed unit. You won't be disappointed.
You bought a stolen Retina MacBook off of Craigslist for $1,850?
Are you looking for up votes for this?
Sandy Bridge was actually coordinated with the MBP refresh, and hit the streets as part of the availability. So Apple clearly had production chips to meet the launch timing, doing the same again is definitely a possibility
I bought a 13" rMBP yesterday, since I was shopping for smaller than my 15" Late 2011. Yeah, it was premium $, but it is a nice machine. In my case I was pricing loaded 13" MBA's against well spec'ed 13" rMBP's, and the $ was so close the screen became the differentiator.
