Here's what I don't get. Apple used to have "dedicated" graphics in the old 12" Powerbook and iBook back in the day. Why can they not put in a dedicated graphics card now?? Yeah it won't be really high end but something is better then nothing I would argue.
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Apple Introduces 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display
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This was the machine I thought I was waiting for but... this is actually one of the most disappointing releases from Apple I've seen in a while which is saying a lot because I rarely bag on their releases.
From the article, "In my estimation, this is Apple's most deliberate move yet to differentiate the 13-inch MacBook Pro from the 13-inch MacBook Air."
Really? How?
The retina display is nice, don't get me wrong, but what else does this have over the Air? An HDMI port, an extra Thunderbolt port and a faster processor. That's okay but the HD4000... horrible. Just horrible. Also, 128GB of storage on the base model is pretty horrible too.
It's a modest jump from the Air but for the price it's just... bleh. 256GB on the base model and I would have considered.
Oh and no 16GB of RAM? I'd like this machine to be useful for more than a couple years.
I'm thinking I'll be upgrading to a 13" Air as soon as 256GB is standard on the base model. I'm guessing (hoping) next gen.
From the article, "In my estimation, this is Apple's most deliberate move yet to differentiate the 13-inch MacBook Pro from the 13-inch MacBook Air."
Really? How?
The retina display is nice, don't get me wrong, but what else does this have over the Air? An HDMI port, an extra Thunderbolt port and a faster processor. That's okay but the HD4000... horrible. Just horrible. Also, 128GB of storage on the base model is pretty horrible too.
It's a modest jump from the Air but for the price it's just... bleh. 256GB on the base model and I would have considered.
Oh and no 16GB of RAM? I'd like this machine to be useful for more than a couple years.
I'm thinking I'll be upgrading to a 13" Air as soon as 256GB is standard on the base model. I'm guessing (hoping) next gen.
By this time next year, that line of products won't even exist.
I'm expecting the MacBook Airs to drop the "Air" and become just "MacBook".
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I think you will need to transport yourself back about 50 years to find any modern product that maintains usefulness for more than a couple years.
If I had to choose I'd go Macbook Air at this point. IMO the Retina display will slow down the 13" too much w/o dedicated graphics card.
My concern is that Apple will do away with the lower priced Macbook Pros and we'll be left with solely the Macbook Air to go with.
Also, maybe I just haven't spent enough time with a Retina MBP, but given where I sit from my 2009 Macbook, 1280x800 has been just fine, and I bet 1440x900 would more than suffice given the distance from my screen to my eyes.
It isn't anything like the stark difference from when I first got my 4S and had trouble looking at my iPad 2 screen.
My concern is that Apple will do away with the lower priced Macbook Pros and we'll be left with solely the Macbook Air to go with.
Also, maybe I just haven't spent enough time with a Retina MBP, but given where I sit from my 2009 Macbook, 1280x800 has been just fine, and I bet 1440x900 would more than suffice given the distance from my screen to my eyes.
It isn't anything like the stark difference from when I first got my 4S and had trouble looking at my iPad 2 screen.
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Yeah much too expensive, might as well get the rMBP 15" Base Model at that price.
I wouldn't bother with 128GB option too little space.
I wouldn't bother with 128GB option too little space.
Several people on this thread have commented that they need 16GB of RAM and 8GB will be soon outdated.
Is the difference between 8 and 16 actually noticeable in everyday computing? Yes, I do a fair amount of video encoding and occasional editing, but most of the time I'm browsing the internet, responding to email, or in iWork.
Is the RAM really something to weigh into the discussion when considering which model to purchase?
Is the difference between 8 and 16 actually noticeable in everyday computing? Yes, I do a fair amount of video encoding and occasional editing, but most of the time I'm browsing the internet, responding to email, or in iWork.
Is the RAM really something to weigh into the discussion when considering which model to purchase?
Anybody knows how much time takes for Apple deliver a macbook to orlando, florida?
I will be in orlando up to 2 of november.
"Available to ship: 3 - 5 business days
Delivers Nov 1 - Nov 5 by Standard Shipping"
.......
I will be in orlando up to 2 of november.
"Available to ship: 3 - 5 business days
Delivers Nov 1 - Nov 5 by Standard Shipping"
.......
So here is a point...
How does apple pull off an upgrade to iPads, retina, faster processor, faster gpu, etc. for the same price as the old model, yet the ne rmbp costs so much more?
If you add up the costs of the components, it seems to me they are asking a lot.
How does apple pull off an upgrade to iPads, retina, faster processor, faster gpu, etc. for the same price as the old model, yet the ne rmbp costs so much more?
If you add up the costs of the components, it seems to me they are asking a lot.
Good call, it was an integrated chip on the MB. I got mixed up just because the Intel graphics were *so* bad for so long that Apple stuck with the Intel Core 2 Duos for a long time just so they didn't need to use the original integrated Intel graphics.
I still maintain that the difference between the Nvidia 9400M and the Intel HD4000 is minimal. I've got both computers and the difference just isn't that great. Maybe Civ V just isn't well optimized (and maybe the "Retina version" actually is).
My 2012 MBA has an i7
Yep - I was mistaken. The processor upgrade in the air doesn't just give you the faster 2 GHz clock - it also goes from I5 to I7. So that brings it even closer to the 13" rMBP. And you can get that processor in the 11" too if you want for max portability.
The 13" rMBP is a lame duck - just too crippled to justify itself. It isn't even about the pricing model for me, it's about the lack of BTO options at any price. Just as an 11" Air comes in at just $50 less than its 13" sibling when optioned with the same RAM, SSD, and proccessor (and GPU, which they share by default), I would similarly pay nearly as much (or even equally as much to be honest) for a 13" rMBP optioned with the same kit as its 15" older brother. But you can't have it that way - not even close in fact. And that is just a damn shame, really.
Now I have to decide whether I go with the maxed out 11" Air or move up to a the 15" rMBP at twice the damned weight. Ouch. Thanks Apple. I guess it comes down to whether the Air with integrated graphics and just 8 GB RAM can adequately power two 2560x1440 displays (in clamshell mode - I don't need the built-in display while at my desk) as well as be powerful enough to allow me to do my Wintel business app development.
Maybe, what I need to do is investigate whether there are other Ultrabooks out there that have 16GB RAM option, Q-core I7, and discrete graphics, and can also power two 2560-by displays. I am guessing not since, without Thunderbolt, they'd need two video outs capable of that resolution - I.e. Displayport, Dual-link DVI, or appropriately capable HDMI 1.4. It seems unlikely, but maybe there's a nice, small VAIO or something out there with my name on it.
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A higher proccessor clock, a second TB port, HDMI, and the Retina display. That's it.
Oh, and the dual mics, four speakers, and digital audio out. You're sold on the Pro now, right?
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I've been waiting for this for years (well felt like it). My Early 2011 17" MBP is just to heavy to lug around, but I love my screenestate too much for an air and 15" rMBP would still be a tad too big for the public transport.
Fixed 8GB RAM - ok can live with that since this is more to, at & from work machine.
But HD4000? 128GB without an ODD? (and why $300 to upgrade between them when I can buy 2x 256GB SSDs for that!!!). Dual Core?
At those prices?
Sorry Apple - $300 less and I'd have bought it today even though I'd prefer a tad more grunt, now I'll have to wait and see what you offer next year
Fixed 8GB RAM - ok can live with that since this is more to, at & from work machine.
But HD4000? 128GB without an ODD? (and why $300 to upgrade between them when I can buy 2x 256GB SSDs for that!!!). Dual Core?
At those prices?
Sorry Apple - $300 less and I'd have bought it today even though I'd prefer a tad more grunt, now I'll have to wait and see what you offer next year
What a disappointment. Maxes out at 8 gigs of ram and no dedicated video card. I'm so glad I didn't wait for this and bought the maxed out 15" rMBP.
I'm kind of disappointed too actually. They should've left the word "Pro" after MacBook.
Can anyone tell me what's "Pro" about a computer that comes standard with a 128GB SSD, no dedicated graphics, that is not user upgradable and way overpriced?
I don't like the way Apple is going lately. I've the feeling that they're slowly making OS X into a closed iOS like system (looking to features like Gatekeeper, Launchpad etc.)
Mark my words: In 2 years from now, the whole Apple Notebook line consists of non-userupgradable machines like the retina MacBook Pro's and the Air's.
Can anyone tell me what's "Pro" about a computer that comes standard with a 128GB SSD, no dedicated graphics, that is not user upgradable and way overpriced?
I don't like the way Apple is going lately. I've the feeling that they're slowly making OS X into a closed iOS like system (looking to features like Gatekeeper, Launchpad etc.)
Mark my words: In 2 years from now, the whole Apple Notebook line consists of non-userupgradable machines like the retina MacBook Pro's and the Air's.
Apple Introduces 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display
The new MacBook Pro packs more than 4 million pixels into its 13-inch Retina display, nearly twice the number of pixels in an HD television. At 227 pixels per inch, the Retina displays pixel density is so high the human eye is unable to distinguish individual pixels at a normal viewing distance
The new MacBook Pro packs more than 4 million pixels into its 13-inch Retina display, nearly twice the number of pixels in an HD television. At 227 pixels per inch, the Retina displays pixel density is so high the human eye is unable to distinguish individual pixels at a normal viewing distance
Today I agree with you.
But in 2-5 years time will you know? No one knows. It's nice to be able to future proof your Mac for a few years at least. And at the high price of entry future proofing is very high on many people's minds.
To put this into context. Not MBP I know. But my old White iMac I used as my primary iMac for 5 years. 2006-2011 and by 2010 I was really wishing it had more usable RAM. 3GB was so not enough by then. That taught me to always buy a computer with at least 50% more RAM then I need today. In the future there's a high likelihood that I'll need it.
And with today's Macs not having user upgradable ram this makes it all double important.
I was looking forward to losing the ODD and getting the retina display with this model. But, with the small base storage and no discreet gpu, I'll stick with my 2012" 13" MBP and live with the ODD that I'll never use. The price difference isn't worth the sacrifice in storage if I'm going to get the same performance from my cMBP.
Indeed. The 15" rMBP is similar in that either model can be upgraded to the same max specs, though the base configurations of the 15" are distinguished by both processor clock and SSD size rather than the latter alone for the 13"
I actually like this marketing model. The higher spec SKU is just a "popular equipment package" in essence then, and is really only necessary to have something to stock at B&M stores for those who want to walk out the door with something more than the entry-priced model offers. Maybe it would be best - less confusing - if Apple just a single configurable model for the online store. I wonder if the software is smart enough to point you to the other SKU if you spec the base SKU model up to match it and then opt for in store pickup. I am guessing yes but I haven't tried it.
But either way I hope apple moves to this model for the rest of the Mac lineup. It takes the anxiety out of starting out with the base spec and makes the configuration process less arbitrary and esoteric as well.
And what's up with dual core??? Just because I like smaller computer apple decide that they can't put quad core inside?
I totally agree! Not getting a quad is just not suitable for an otherwise so beefy machine. I want (!!) to upgrade from my Macbook Air 13" but only if I get a ton of cpu power. I'm not going to buy a second machine (desktop) for the heavy lifting, I want a small beefy package and there is no reason why they can't put a quad core into the 13" hull
AND
Apple is being pathetic by not offering a Thunderbolt docking station for those babies. The vaporware 'available' sucks at a ridiculous pricepoint.
Waiting for Haswell, hopefully they'll offer a quad then!