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Adobe CS6 and Retina Display

T

timothytaa

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 15, 2012
34
7
Hey I was going to get CS6 suite because I need it for school in the fall. I was just wondering if it is wise to get it now or later after they update it for retina display? Does it look really bad on the retina display macbook pro?

I just don't want to get it and then them update the entire suite to CS6.5 or something ridiculous. Would it be a free update or an update like cs5.5 where you have to upgrade the entire suite to get updates?
 
My guess would be a free update to CS6, since CS6 has just come out. Adobe hasn't made any official comments though as far as I know.
 
I'm in the same boat as you man, I can't risk Production Premium looking like crap, so I'm going with the non-retina model, with the intent on upgrading to Retina models when Haswell has been released & all of CS6/other applications/more websites support Retina.

My guess is a free update to the Suite, which would allow for Retina Support. Who knows how long that will take, though.
 
Anyone have the retina display with adobe cs6? Does it really look bad or can I use a lower resolution and it will look better?
 
It should be a free update. But I highly recommend Creative Cloud. For students it's only $30/mo (only $360/yr) for everything and you get new feature updates for free—something boxed users don't get. I really like my creative cloud subscription so far. Plus if the design program at your school was anything like mine, they update to each new version. So having the latest in Creative Cloud is incredibly useful. But I would think retina support would be added? CS6 just came out a month ago. I wouldn't worry about 6.5 or 7.0 at all right now. And since Apple gave them the heads-up, I would think the update should be out before the end of July.
 
I really don't think Adobe would tell me when and if the update was going to cost money but I'll try!
 
Premiere Pro is gonna look weird...at least for now.

You'll be viewing a low-res clip in the preview window....upscaled to super-high res. It's gonna be rough until the update.
 
I would really like to know this as well. I'm using CS5 for graphic and web design. I actually ordered both a 13" Ultimate and a 15" rMBP - not sure how CS5 would look on the rMBP.

In my experience, Adobe tends to ignore the older versions of their software. Which is really a shame, since the software is so stinking expensive. With that said, I'm guessing CS6 will get updated and the rest left in the dust. :rolleyes:
 
rkdiddy said:
I would really like to know this as well. I'm using CS5 for graphic and web design. I actually ordered both a 13" Ultimate and a 15" rMBP - not sure how CS5 would look on the rMBP.

In my experience, Adobe tends to ignore the older versions of their software. Which is really a shame, since the software is so stinking expensive. With that said, I'm guessing CS6 will get updated and the rest left in the dust. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

They structure their upgrades and pricing poorly, but this doesn't mean they should have to update all of their old versions for one of Apple's new computers. There are reasonable requests, but that is a little silly. What annoys me is the way they're pushing their subscription fees. It's a hike if you buy a year at a time. It's a major hike if you buy a shorter chunk of time, and you lack the ability to run it on that hardware indefinitely. I really dislike that they tried to pull off licensing term changes late in an upgrade cycle. I could see it if they did so early on, but trying to force a double upgrade purchase a few months before is quite annoying. The .5 upgrades are also stupid. There are companies that do things like software license cost + subscription with annual updates.
 
I guess it will be a free update and CS 6.5 is not going to be released anytime soon I think, CS6 is still brand new.

Anyway, I work with CS6 Design & Web and it looks just normal on my rmbp. In fact it looks the same as it does on my external 1080p Dell 2312.

Buy now if needed, you'll be fine ;)

Edit:

Ask if you have any questions...
 
Bendix said:
I guess it will be a free update and CS 6.5 is not going to be released anytime soon I think, CS6 is still brand new.

Anyway, I work with CS6 Design & Web and it looks just normal on my rmbp. In fact it looks the same as it does on my external 1080p Dell 2312.

Buy now if needed, you'll be fine ;)

Edit:

Ask if you have any questions...
Click to expand...


What resolution are you running?
Could you make a sharp picture of your retina screen with photoshop / illustrator / anything cs6 open, and post it here?
 
wiseoak1 said:
What resolution are you running?
Could you make a sharp picture of your retina screen with photoshop / illustrator / anything cs6 open, and post it here?
Click to expand...

Hope this will help you, although these are not the best shots... taken with my iPhone 4S, since I don't have my DSLR with me.

I use the retina 1440 or 1650 resolution, these two work best for me.
 

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Bendix said:
Hope this will help you, although these are not the best shots... taken with my iPhone 4S, since I don't have my DSLR with me.

I use the retina 1440 or 1650 resolution, these two work best for me.
Click to expand...

Thanks man for your time and effort!

Could you take a picture of the full screen (normal distance)?
If you're sitting at normal distance from the Retina screen, are the toolbar icons on CS6 way more blurry compared to CS6 on your Dell for example?
 
wiseoak1 said:
Thanks man for your time and effort!

Could you take a picture of the full screen (normal distance)?
If you're sitting at normal distance from the Retina screen, are the toolbar icons on CS6 way more blurry compared to CS6 on your Dell for example?
Click to expand...

Here you go.

Still bad quality thanks to 4S, so the toolbar might look blurry on the photo, but it doesn't, even less when sitting at normal distance from the display.
I think CS6 looks identical on both screens, except the fact that on the retina the 4*4 "pixels" are sharper than on the lower resolution screen where the single pixels are a bit blurry so it might look just a tiny bit more pixelated on the rmbp (which it is not, it's just sharper).

Difficult to explain ;)
 

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I don't know if this is a good suggestion but why don't you make a screenshot in OSX and post that one here. I think that will give a better view on how it looks :confused:
 
What I've found out since my first reply (and before):

The UI in all CS6 programs, due to scaling, is blurry. Still legible and usable? Absolutely.

Unfortunately, the programs I use most (After Effects, PP), will also suffer the same blurryness in the content viewer window, which is unacceptable. For this reason, I debated not getting the Retina, and was pretty much set to purchase the non-retina version.

However, I now have one on the way, and will use an external monitor for CS6, until Adobe updates. This will fix the scaling issues, but it's important to keep in mind that things (compared to the ones that are supported by Retina, on Retina) will not appear as sharp due to lower PPi (obviously).

In my thread, somebody posted a screenshot of After Effects on retina, I'll find it...

I just feel more comfortable with rmbp.. Your choice though.
 
timothytaa said:
Hey I was going to get CS6 suite because I need it for school in the fall. I was just wondering if it is wise to get it now or later after they update it for retina display? Does it look really bad on the retina display macbook pro?

I just don't want to get it and then them update the entire suite to CS6.5 or something ridiculous. Would it be a free update or an update like cs5.5 where you have to upgrade the entire suite to get updates?
Click to expand...


Just to answer your question from a Adobe Employee:

http://forums.adobe.com/message/4505273?tstart=0
 
Based on Adobes previous slug-like responses to changes in Macs don't hold your breath for a soonish update. In fact, it wouldn't be completely out of character for the Adobe money grubbers to wait until 6.5 to add in Retina support so they can charge for it.
 
Bendix said:
Hope this will help you, although these are not the best shots... taken with my iPhone 4S, since I don't have my DSLR with me.

I use the retina 1440 or 1650 resolution, these two work best for me.
Click to expand...

that looks splendid! do you happen to have cs5 that you could take a picture of?
 
macduke said:
It should be a free update. But I highly recommend Creative Cloud. For students it's only $30/mo (only $360/yr) for everything and you get new feature updates for free—something boxed users don't get. I really like my creative cloud subscription so far. Plus if the design program at your school was anything like mine, they update to each new version. So having the latest in Creative Cloud is incredibly useful. But I would think retina support would be added? CS6 just came out a month ago. I wouldn't worry about 6.5 or 7.0 at all right now. And since Apple gave them the heads-up, I would think the update should be out before the end of July.
Click to expand...

I was looking into it, but creative cloud is only really worth it if you're buying Master Collection. Since I'm going to be buying Production Premium it's only $348. Even if I upgraded to every release (which I won't, probably only the major ones) that comes to $348/year compared to $360/year. The only thing I'm not sure of though is tax. But since I'm only upgrading on the even years, this is only $174/year instead of still $360/year.

If only Adobe offered multiple levels of Creative Cloud :( I would definitely jump at at Production Premium one.
 
Adobe is run by a pack of thieves. What are the big updates for CS6??? Oooh, they changed the UI colors to DARK GREY, how "elite", it looks like DOG ____.

And they redesigned icons that did not need redesigning. Illustrator is just as slow as ever despite the new "MERCURY ENGINE". Pure marketing fluff, maybe the Mac version doesn't get MERCURY ENGINE.

CS6 was a waste of money. The last time I felt ok about an Adobe upgrade was CS4. Everything after that has been hogwash and an utter waste of money.
 
sireShonBohn said:
Adobe is run by a pack of thieves. What are the big updates for CS6??? Oooh, they changed the UI colors to DARK GREY, how "elite", it looks like DOG ____.

And they redesigned icons that did not need redesigning. Illustrator is just as slow as ever despite the new "MERCURY ENGINE". Pure marketing fluff, maybe the Mac version doesn't get MERCURY ENGINE.

CS6 was a waste of money. The last time I felt ok about an Adobe upgrade was CS4. Everything after that has been hogwash and an utter waste of money.
Click to expand...

Then dont pay for updates if it's all the same each time.
 
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