Anxious about MPB14 purchase

[jms999]

So I am about ready to go for it and get the 15" rMPB 2014 edition.
However, I am concerned about a few things.

1. There are A LOT of people that post about issues with theirs on here and other forums. Screen color/tint/yellowing/hue etc. Issue with it running hot, or the SSD making noises.
While I imagine 100x more people post with issues with a $500 PC and that its only really mostly people with issues posting, not those who have no problems, its still a concern when you're spending $2,000 for a computer.
I have read people say that Apple used to make better quality computers than they do now. Is this true, is there a quality issue these days?

2. I am now leaning toward the 15". I have been going back and forth about whether or not to get the 13" with 16gb RAM and 256 SSD, both with the student discount. I currently have a 15" PC laptop. The difference with the student discount is about 300 or so. I am concerned about the keyboard and the palm pad space between the keyboard. It seems like a lot of space on the 15" and for me typing on my 15" PC laptop is uncomfortable after about 2 minutes. I tried some those black palm rests and they were basically worthless. Also, someone on here posted about the 15" keyboard creaking and that being quite annonying.

3. Getting it from the Apple Store vs. Adorama, MacMall, etc. I will be getting the student discount + the $100 gift card. Seems like very little saving to get it shipped to me and then have to send it back if there is any issue vs getting it right away at Apple.

4. 13" vs 15". Is it worth the difference? I will be using it to finish up law school and then in practice. I thought about just getting the base model 13" but I know that nothing is upgradeable. I also plan on doing some video editing for hobby purposes. How much of a difference will I notice with the dual core vs. quad core and also with 8gb of RAM vs 16 gb of RAM?
I can always get an external monitor but part of me says that I should just get the 15" and a monitor if I want. Also does anyone here use their 15" with an external keyboard while using the laptop not an external monitor just for comfort purposes?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

 

[snaky69]

So I am about ready to go for it and get the 15" rMPB 2014 edition.
However, I am concerned about a few things.

1. There are A LOT of people that post about issues with theirs on here and other forums. Screen color/tint/yellowing/hue etc. Issue with it running hot, or the SSD making noises.
While I imagine 100x more people post with issues with a $500 PC and that its only really mostly people with issues posting, not those who have no problems, its still a concern when you're spending $2,000 for a computer.
I have read people say that Apple used to make better quality computers than they do now. Is this true, is there a quality issue these days?

2. I am now leaning toward the 15". I have been going back and forth about whether or not to get the 13" with 16gb RAM and 256 SSD, both with the student discount. I currently have a 15" PC laptop. The difference with the student discount is about 300 or so. I am concerned about the keyboard and the palm pad space between the keyboard. It seems like a lot of space on the 15" and for me typing on my 15" PC laptop is uncomfortable after about 2 minutes. I tried some those black palm rests and they were basically worthless. Also, someone on here posted about the 15" keyboard creaking and that being quite annonying.

3. Getting it from the Apple Store vs. Adorama, MacMall, etc. I will be getting the student discount + the $100 gift card. Seems like very little saving to get it shipped to me and then have to send it back if there is any issue vs getting it right away at Apple.

4. 13" vs 15". Is it worth the difference? I will be using it to finish up law school and then in practice. I thought about just getting the base model 13" but I know that nothing is upgradeable. I also plan on doing some video editing for hobby purposes. How much of a difference will I notice with the dual core vs. quad core and also with 8gb of RAM vs 16 gb of RAM?
I can always get an external monitor but part of me says that I should just get the 15" and a monitor if I want. Also does anyone here use their 15" with an external keyboard while using the laptop not an external monitor just for comfort purposes?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

1. Just like nearly every bad review online, they are a (very) vocal minority. Do not let that deter you. Nobody bothers to search for a Mac forums, go through the sign up process, and post a thread just to say "hello there, everything about my computer is just fine".

2. Try one at a store if you can. Palm rests are a bad idea on a macbook pro as the display could get imprinted by them or even scratched.

3. You choose whichever you're comfortable with, it's your money.

4. If you only do occasional video editing, you're not very likely to notice any performance difference between the quad and dual core. As far as RAM, if you're not currently running out of it with your usual workload, then you don't need more. Practicing law probably means you'll be typing, surfing and reading documents a whole lot, an iPad is powerful enough for those tasks. That doesn't need a lot of RAM. Neither computer will struggle with it. More RAM is only ever useful if you are a (very) heavy multitasker, if you intend to run virtual machines or if you are into more-than-basic video or photo editing.

 

[T5BRICK]

1. There are A LOT of people that post about issues with theirs on here and other forums.

Yes, people complain a lot. The posts you see are from a vocal minority as someone else said. There are hundreds of happy users for every complaint you see.

Is this true, is there a quality issue these days?

From my experience, no. But I'm sure someone else will chime in with their experience otherwise.

3. Getting it from the Apple Store vs. Adorama, MacMall, etc.

Buy it from a reputable Apple Authorized Reseller. If you have issues, take it to Apple for warranty service.

4. 13" vs 15". Is it worth the difference?

I'd go with the 13" model because portability is very important to me. It'll do everything you need it to do, although the 15" will probably do those things faster.

 

[slippyr4]

I have a 15" 2014 MBPS, it's perfect and I love it. Just get one. If it's a dud (very unlikely) apple will take it back and give you a refund. It's a no brainer.

 

[eezacque]

Yes, people complain a lot. The posts you see are from a vocal minority as someone else said. There are hundreds of happy users for every complaint you see.

The problem is not so much about the probability that your MBP will be a lemon, it is more that Apple doesn't care a damn about your problems. Over the years, Apple has degraded into a company that expects you to pay a premium for hardware and applecare, and expects you to shut up and pay again after your 3 years of applecare expires. If you are fine with spending $800 a year for a high-level laptop, then that is okay...

 

[T5BRICK]

The problem is not so much about the probability that your MBP will be a lemon, it is more that Apple doesn't care a damn about your problems. Over the years, Apple has degraded into a company that expects you to pay a premium for hardware and applecare, and expects you to shut up and pay again after your 3 years of applecare expires.

I worked at an AASP from 2002 till 2008 and they didn't care then either. If you didn't have warranty, you were almost always out of luck. Not a whole lot different than now.

Do you remember the unaddressed hinge issues on the TiBooks? How about the 1st gen blue and white PowerMac 3G only worked with specific ATA hard drives? There were several major issues with the GPUs in G3/G4 iBooks, some were addressed and some weren't.

If you are fine with spending $800 a year for a high-level laptop, then that is okay...

Like I said, vocal minority. My parents have a 2006 model white macbook that works fine dispute having been dropped several times. My mid 2009 13" MBP is chugging along just fine with nary a hardware issue since I purchased it.

Apple sells more computers now than they ever have, so it's not surprising that more users are reporting issues.

 

[Angriff]

I exchanged my first 2014 rMBP 15", but it was really just a case of me being anal about the fit and finish on a $2000 product. For most people, they probably never notice the slightly uneven trackpad and misaligned lid. The screen on the first one also was the smallest amount pink hued before calibrating it, but afterward it looked fine and I wouldn't have returned it for that. This one has the SSD noise thing, but honestly it's something so minor and dumb that I probably never would've even noticed without reading posts of others complaining about it.

In short: no, not all of them are perfectly assembled and there are variances on the hues of the screens and on alignment of hinges and apparently in the amount of noise the SSD makes under heavy loads, but for 99% of customers it's something they'll never notice or care about and they'll be happy with the machine. Those of us with more exacting standards may return a Mac to try and get one that's closer to perfection, but I hardly think it's an indictment of Apple's quality. Rather I think it's because we've gotten used to such high standards from Apple that we are expecting perfection.

The 15" model is great, and like you I waffled a bit between 15" and 13". I don't really need the extra power of the 15" model, but I really wanted the extra screen real estate since I do not use an external monitor. If you expect to use an external display then the 13" is probably fine, but if you want to do all of your work for school and then in practice on the internal display I'd probably get the base 15" model.

 

[Lachhh]

If you are fine with spending $800 a year for a high-level laptop, then that is okay...

Your calculation doesn't take into account the high resale value.

That being said, I'm not too happy with Apple's customer service either.
Their current rMBP's all risk suffering wifi drops for instance, due to the fact that the frequency of USB 3.0 devices interfere with the frequency of the wifi on Intel's components. Intel released a white paper on the issue, Apple KNOW this.
(Link here: http://www.usb.org/developers/whitepapers/327216.pdf) Yet somehow, this seems completely swept under the rug, and people who experience problems with wifi getting dropped intermittently (as far as I can ascertain from reading responses on the internet) have not once been told about this by Apple Geniuses.

Essentially, they're being opaque about the fact that their high end pro machines don't play nice with current tech

 

[squidkitten]

I bought a 2014 15" rMBP a couple weeks ago and I absolutely love it. My display has no noticeable discoloration and I'm not experiencing any of the SSD noise claims or the creaking or any of the other issues people are reporting. Of course, not every machine is perfect, and I'm sure there's something small wrong with mine and I just haven't noticed it. Mine runs almost completely cool and I'm massively impressed with the speed, quality, and battery life of it.

I upgraded from a 13" 2010 and I'm very happy with my decision. Going to the 15" was easy because the machine itself doesn't have that much larger of the footprint, but the display is gorgeous and I can't figure out how I managed a 13" before. My only complaint about the size is that it doesn't fit perfectly into the padded zip pocket of my Michael Kors tote. But that's not Apple's fault.

I think you'll be very happy with your machine should you choose to go for it!

 

[eezacque]

Your calculation doesn't take into account the high resale value.

I don't think the resale value will be high for 3 year-old Macs, taking into account recent incidents like Nvidiagate and Radeongate.

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Like I said, vocal minority.

The people complaining about Apple lemons are no more a 'like I said' vocal minority than the apple fanbois and fansluts who don't mind spending $2400 on a sexy lump of glue and solder that doesn't last longer than three years...

 

[maflynn]

1. There are A LOT of people that post about issues with theirs on here and other forums. Screen color/tint/yellowing/hue etc. Issue with it running hot, or the SSD making noises.

People come here to post complaints not praises on a machine, so by far the ratio of complainers to praisers make it look like there are serious issues with any computer. The MBP is a great machine, wonderfully designed with a high level of quality.

2. I am now leaning toward the 15". I have been going back and forth about whether or not to get the 13" with 16gb RAM and 256 SSD

,
I love the screen real estate with the 15", and if you're going from a 15" to a 13" you need to be prepared for an adjustment. Depending on your needs and what you do, that may be a minor adjustment.

3. Getting it from the Apple Store vs. Adorama, MacMall, etc.

I prefer Apple, but I've also shopped at Adorama and MacMall. I think if you see a good deal from them, jump on it.

4. 13" vs 15". Is it worth the difference?

Worth is a personal question, I think it is, others do not.
The 15" is a pound heavier, but you get a larger screen, quad core processor, a better GPU in the Iris Pro and a screen that offers more real estate to work in.

 

[Lachhh]

I don't think the resale value will be high for 3 year-old Macs, taking into account recent incidents like Nvidiagate and Radeongate.

It might not be astronomical, but enough to make the ultimate cost / year significantly less than 800 USD. In my experience of selling off all my old macs / apple devices in the past, there's enough clueless people buying, I'd wager enough haven't heard of the various issues and take the plunge simply because it's a cheaper mac.

 

[2984839]

I don't think the resale value will be high for 3 year-old Macs, taking into account recent incidents like Nvidiagate and Radeongate.

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The people complaining about Apple lemons are no more a 'like I said' vocal minority than the apple fanbois and fansluts who don't mind spending $2400 on a sexy lump of glue and solder that doesn't last longer than three years...

The 2011s still go for a decent price. I don't think the GPU issues make much of a difference. There are lots of people who just want a Mac and don't bother doing research about them. They'll happily pay top dollar for the glowing logo on the back. Those of us who buy PowerPC Macs have seen them pay $600 or more for a standard PowerBook. Makes no sense to me to spend that much and not research what you're getting, but it's not my money.

 

[joe-h2o]

I don't think the resale value will be high for 3 year-old Macs, taking into account recent incidents like Nvidiagate and Radeongate.

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The people complaining about Apple lemons are no more a 'like I said' vocal minority than the apple fanbois and fansluts who don't mind spending $2400 on a sexy lump of glue and solder that doesn't last longer than three years...

Don't you have homework to do kid?

The adults are talking. Your hyperbole isn't helping your argument, nor is your immaturity.

 

[joecool99]

have 2014 15" - top end model. best MBP to date. fastest SSD on the market for laptop.

 

[sickducker]

The yellow tint "issue" is just a matter of calibration. My 13" mbpr had a yellow tint, but after using a screen calibrator the screen looks stunning. I never had a monitor that did not had a tint out of the box. Most of them were too blue. I guess most people are more forgiving towards blue tints, that is why you'll here less complaints with other screens.

 

[MagicBoy]

That being said, I'm not too happy with Apple's customer service either.
Their current rMBP's all risk suffering wifi drops for instance, due to the fact that the frequency of USB 3.0 devices interfere with the frequency of the wifi on Intel's components.

Apple are using Broadcom chipsets for the WiFi, not Intel. I'm a little confused.

 

[calderone]

I don't think the resale value will be high for 3 year-old Macs, taking into account recent incidents like Nvidiagate and Radeongate.

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The people complaining about Apple lemons are no more a 'like I said' vocal minority than the apple fanbois and fansluts who don't mind spending $2400 on a sexy lump of glue and solder that doesn't last longer than three years...

I think the sweet spot is two years. I just sold a 2012 Retina (high-end) and only lost 30%. Works out to about $380 a year ( +$50 with AppleCare ).

So the buyer gets a machine with a year of warranty left, keeping the value and confidence high.

Disclaimer: I don't pay full price for my machines, so my results are not typical. Although for states without tax these figures are roughly correct. You would drop another 5-10% depending on your sales tax.