Apple Updates Retina MacBook Pro with New Processors, Drops Pricing on 13-Inch Models and High-End MacBook Air

[x-evil-x]

Sure.

My point is, to the end user, it is irrelevant. The keyboard, trackpad, screen, speakers, webcam and OS are what you interact with, and what defines the user experience.

it doesn't matter if the CPU is intel, powerPC, ARM or AMD. It doesn't matter if the video is Nvidia or AMD.


It's what the machine DOES, and how the user interacts with it, not what it is made of that is important.

exactly. same reason why people dont care about retina iPads. i personally do because the screen is the main point of interaction you are getting and staring at. i dont know how people could opt for the cheaper non retina version when retina is much more enjoyable on the eyes.

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I would like to think those 'normal' people would not come to a forum that is designed for that 'terrible' company and waste their life complaining about them. Instead, buy from another company and go to their forums. I bought a Jeep. I don't like Land Rovers. I am on many Jeep forums. I have yet to even know if a Land Rover forum exists much less spend time on those forums complaining how much they cost.

couldnt agree more. why do haters love posting on the sites they dont want to be on anyway? always thought that was weird.

 

[PeterJP]

Looks good

Hi,

I'm slowly considering a laptop and the 13" rMBP finally looks seriously good. When speculation started, I expected that machine to be everything it turned out to be, except Apple put in a 128GB SSD for the price that I was expecting to get a 256GB one. The best news is that here in Belgium, prices of most machines got dropped €50, so the 13"/256 is now actually €350 cheaper than before.

On the other hand, I have to agree with a few more negative voices that Haswell is really what this machine was designed around. I think that if I should suddenly, urgently require a laptop, I would go for the base 11" MBA, which is now really a steal after the €50 price drop. If I decide I require more and I would have the cash, I can always sell and get the 13" rMBP with Haswell in half a year or so.

Still glad to see that the edge has been taken of those 13" rMBP prices.


Peter.

 

[JaySoul]

Still expensive if you ask me, they need to move the Base 13" MBP to $999, then put the 13 rMBP where the base13 and upper 13 MBP are now, then they will sell, just too much money for Retina as they are now. It will be interesting to see now that they dropped the price slightly if they sell, I would not buy one until they are $1200 and $1500 even then I think it still worries people about the cost verse the feature of retina.

Agreed.

My friend needs to replace her 5 year old MacBook and she said she'll probably switch to Windows as she doesn't use it enough to justify the high price tag.

She'd rather get a Windows laptop for half the price, and pick up an iPad as well.

 

[Querejeta]

i dont know how people could opt for the cheaper non retina version when retina is much more enjoyable on the eyes.

I am personally dissapointed, that the high-end MBP 15´has dissapeared. I rather invest those dollars in better performance than the retina. To me the non-retina display is already pretty good (beyond good enough).

I hope there´s also an update to the non-retina MBP 15.

 

[skaertus]

Sure.

My point is, to the end user, it is irrelevant. The keyboard, trackpad, screen, speakers, webcam and OS are what you interact with, and what defines the user experience.

it doesn't matter if the CPU is intel, powerPC, ARM or AMD. It doesn't matter if the video is Nvidia or AMD.


It's what the machine DOES, and how the user interacts with it, not what it is made of that is important.

It matters if software is written for a given architecture. iPads, having an ARM architecture, cannot run Microsoft Office, for instance, or other software written for x86 CPUs. Software has to be written specifically for the architecture, and that makes the difference.

In addition, there is the difference in performance. An Intel processor is far faster than a processor made by AMD these days, and that affects the user experience. Quad-core processors tend to heat more, and that may also affect the end user experience.

So, it makes pretty much of a difference, even though the end user is not always aware of it.

 

[Pigumon]

Been waiting for this. Will pick up a 13 rMBP now. I could of afforded it before too, but I felt like an idiot paying that much.

could've

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I am personally dissapointed, that the high-end MBP 15´has dissapeared. I rather invest those dollars in better performance than the retina. To me the non-retina display is already pretty good (beyond good enough).

I hope there´s also an update to the non-retina MBP 15.

Hmm... I gotta say no. I was in the same frame of mind as you until I went and looked at them... the non-retina screen is nearly the same resolution as the POWERbook 12" I bought in 2004. That is just ridiculous.

The retina, is a "non-pixel" screen. Same reason I went from an iPad 2 to 3... I NEVER buy two models in a row, but the retina screen made it happen for me.

 

[Dammit Cubs]

hi, is 15inch rmbp using nvidia even for basic os animations? Or is it using that intel piece of crap? /i mean, 13icnher can get under 20fps with system animations, does it happen with 15incher?)

nvidia

 

[KPOM]

So, we should hank Apple for ripping us off less than before? Apple lowered prices because people stopped buying Mac computers in Q4 (as evidenced by their last quarterly report). And Apple had to lower prices because their laptops were not price competitive.

Apparently you are unfamiliar with the concept of a market system? Companies try to sell products for as high a price as they can, and consumers as low as they can. But I suppose that Apple wasn't going to lower their prices until Intel told them to.

 

[SilentLoner]

I've nothing against this, just wish I had waited and BTO'ed the extra ram my MBPr 15" only has 8 gig ram

 

[KPOM]

I am personally dissapointed, that the high-end MBP 15´has dissapeared. I rather invest those dollars in better performance than the retina. To me the non-retina display is already pretty good (beyond good enough).

I hope there´s also an update to the non-retina MBP 15.

It didn't disappear (not yet, at least). All the same configurations are available as before, just now as CTO models.

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Agreed.

My friend needs to replace her 5 year old MacBook and she said she'll probably switch to Windows as she doesn't use it enough to justify the high price tag.

She'd rather get a Windows laptop for half the price, and pick up an iPad as well.

Why not a MacBook Air?

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When company is ripping customers off, normal ones simply buy products from other manufacturers. Cult followers pay exorbitant prices and thank those who rip them off at every price drop.

You are right. Apple buyers are members of a cult and no one should buy their products. We should all go ahead and start buying Windows notebooks with 2560x1600 displays instead.

 

[doronbt]

Apple, come on!!! add 100 MHz? when we will see 16GB??

Nice, more in line with what it should be. However still waiting on the 13" rMBP to go quad-core, have discrete gpu and a 16gb option.

We are in 2013, but apple insist on staying in 2012 (or even 2011).
8GB is the MINIMUM today, 16GB is just normal configuration and should have the option to upgrade to 32GB (Yes, I know it's laptop).
Regarding the QuadCore this is a joke!

 

[shurcooL]

Evidently you haven't seen what is available for Windows based laptops.

I've had a Sony VPCZ1 a few years ago. Out of this world specs, but awful user experience for me. Its original price was $2000, and one could barely get 1k for it less than a year later. Horribly outdated graphics drivers and the crappiest system utilities, awful trackpad. Ambient light sensor worked like ****, one had to turn it off to be usable.

 

[entropi]

I am personally dissapointed, that the high-end MBP 15´has dissapeared. I rather invest those dollars in better performance than the retina. To me the non-retina display is already pretty good (beyond good enough).

I hope there´s also an update to the non-retina MBP 15.

It's not completely gone! You can still build a BTO high-end non retina in the online Apple store.

I agree with you, I like the retina screen on my iPhone 4 - but I don't really see the point on the MBP. Of course it looks a bit nicer than a regular screen but still, there must be other uses of our computers power than push around more pixels than actually is needed... I would rather use the resources for other stuff.

 

[Mdv2]

I have invested some funds in 8GB of memory and a 256 Samsung SSD for my late 2008 Macbook unibody. Nicely going to wait for the new lineup in Q3. I really don't see the point of buying a new machine and drop this SSD in its optical bay.

Anyone has an idea when the normal Pro's will be phased out to be completely replaced by Retinas?

Edit: I am just reading both the flash and memory are soldered in the Retina 15'' is this also true for the 13''? In that case I'll gladly go with the non-Retina.

 

[silvetti]

So the 13" rMBP I bought 3 months ago just went down in price by $200? Is there any chance Apple will do something for us Retina early adopters like they did for iPhone adopters in 2007?

I know this was inevitable at some point, but 3 1/2 months is a pretty big kick in the gut.

The question here is, does any company do what you are asking for ? No... So no.

 

[KPOM]

We are in 2013, but apple insist on staying in 2012 (or even 2011).
8GB is the MINIMUM today, 16GB is just normal configuration and should have the option to upgrade to 32GB (Yes, I know it's laptop).
Regarding the QuadCore this is a joke!

I just got a brand new notebook at the office. It has a dual-core 2.8GHz i5-3360M, 4GB RAM and is running Windows 7 32-bit. Most Ultrabooks have 4GB with 8GB optional. The 13" MBP has always been more of a "prosumer" machine than a high end user machine. The 15" is better for those who need more horsepower.

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I
Anyone has an idea when the normal Pro's will be phased out to be completely replaced by Retinas?

Edit: I am just reading both the flash and memory are soldered in the Retina 15'' is this also true for the 13''? In that case I'll gladly go with the non-Retina.

The RAM is soldered but the SSD is not. It is a proprietary plug (not mSATA like the Surface Pro and many Ultrabooks) but OWC produces replacement SSDs

No one but Apple knows for sure when the cMBP will be dropped but yesterday's price drop and de-emphasis of the upgraded 15" cMBP models suggests it could be later this year when the Haswell update occurs.

 

[Arcady]

I bought a Retina 13" 2.9 i7 with 512 SSD on Saturday. I just went back to the Apple Store and exchanged it for a Retina 13" 3.0 i7 with 768 SSD and got $85 back. I think these are a good deal now.

 

[rockyroad55]

Uhm....yup! Why?

So every college student on campus has the retina 13? You must have them confused with the regular 13. Two different devices. I think I'm the only one on campus that has a 15 retina.

 

[silvetti]

So, we should hank Apple for ripping us off less than before? Apple lowered prices because people stopped buying Mac computers in Q4 (as evidenced by their last quarterly report). And Apple had to lower prices because their laptops were not price competitive.

If you think you are getting ripped by Apple what the hell are you doing here ?

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Evidently you haven't seen what is available for Windows based laptops.

I hope that's sarcasm...

 

[Chupa Chupa]

this analogy doesnt really work because parts are totally different in cars. You dont see a bmw german engine built in a hyundai. Some parts are cheaper and that changes cost. The only thing APPLE about these computers is the way they are put together and the case. All other parts are found in cheaper computers.
Cant say the same for cars even though they have similar performance.

Did you know many BMWs have GM transmissions? There are many other parts in the auto industry that are common, just like in the PC industry. For example both BMW and Hyundai use Bosch fuel injectors. The parts are then customized for a respective manufacturer.

Bottom line is that many people see a car as something to get one from point A to point B, just as they see a computer as a work tool. A Hyundai with all the bells and whistles; that goes 0-60 in 6 sec is just as good as the BMW that does the same. Others, want the BMW for personal reasons.

Apple materials and build quality are higher than your average plastic PC. Functionally though they are similar. I'd even go so far to say some current BMWs without the "sport" option drive no better than than a Hyundai. But being inside a BMW (and driving one if it has sport tuning) feels different than being driving a Hyundai, just like a MacBook Pro feels different (aside from the OS) than a Dell Inspiron.

Also the $ difference between a luxury car and non-lux isn't always about parts cost. For example BMW's N54 Twin Turbo engine was the stock engine for the 335i for a few years. Then they switched to the N55 engine to lower the CAFE fleet average. BMW then took the same N55 engine, tuned it up to provide a few more ponies and put it in the 335 IS and charged another $5K for the privilege. It's pure markup. The engine did not become $5K more to produce.

 

[christof]

The 128GB 13 inch refurb now reflects 15% off $1499: $1269. I think the discontinued configuration 256 GB 13 inch refurb for $1359 is a better value.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_pro/13

 

[linux2mac]

I've had a Sony VPCZ1 a few years ago. Out of this world specs, but awful user experience for me. Its original price was $2000, and one could barely get 1k for it less than a year later. Horribly outdated graphics drivers and the crappiest system utilities, awful trackpad. Ambient light sensor worked like ****, one had to turn it off to be usable.

Windows PC's only look great on paper. I have owned many HP's, Dell's, and VAIO's (during my Windows days) that always crapped out. None of them ever worked as expected based on their specs. On the other hand, my 2009 C2D iMac and Minis are still going strong yet when I joined MR back in 2009, the Windows fan club continually pointed out to me that my C2D Macs had inferior specs to Windows machines.

 

[KPOM]

The 128GB 13 inch refurb now reflects 15% off $1499: $1269. I think the discontinued configuration 256 GB 13 inch refurb for $1359 is a better value.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_pro/13

If nothing more, this should dispel the notions that Macs hold their value and that it makes sense to "max out" RAM and SSD options. The refurb price sets the ceiling for resale value, and that's a 25% drop in 4 months for the base, and a 33% drop for the 256GB version. The higher SSD capacity versions have lost even more.

 

[gnasher729]

It matters if software is written for a given architecture. iPads, having an ARM architecture, cannot run Microsoft Office, for instance, or other software written for x86 CPUs. Software has to be written specifically for the architecture, and that makes the difference.

Not for the architecture, for the operating system. Unless the developer is seriously retarded, code written for 32 bit x86 CPUs will compile with very little problems for ARM processors.

 

[PatriotInvasion]

The question here is, does any company do what you are asking for ? No... So no.

The 2007 iPhone price drop fiasco is a good comparison to this, so i figured I'd give Apple a call just for kicks. They said since I bought it at a retail store, I'd have to talk to the manager there about my dissatisfaction with the early price drop.

I may go down to the Apple Store and see if i can get a $100 gift card or something since I plan on purchasing a Thunderbolt Display soon anyway.

Hey, I spend a ton of money on Apple products, so why not try to get a $100 rebate on my Retina? They have $120+B in the bank, so they can afford it.