Are Retina Displays Worth It?

[Orr]

In 2012 when Apple was first to the party with 'retina' on their notebooks it was a 'the future is here now' moment. Now in 2014 it is the present, while 4k (however useless it may currently be) is now the immediate future. To spend over $1000 on a laptop this year and get anything less than 'retina' quality is not a smart decision.

 

[fcomstoc]

Besides the quality of the display, can I assume that I can use the highest resolution available, so that I can see many things in the 15' screen?

I read articles that having such monitor is like having a 'desktop replacement' with a big screen.

But will everything get smaller at such resolution?
I want the maximum useful space, like having a 19' normal monitor, in retina macbook pro 15'. Is this possible?

Of course, I talk about easiness in use, and I will not strain my eyes in any case.

So, besides quality in visuals, what else could I expect in the resolution area matters, realistically?

If you increase the resolution everything becomes smaller but you can see more on the screen, that is the trade-off. I do a lot of coding and photoshop so I run my rMBP at a higher resolution so that I can see more things, but the size of everything is much smaller.

OS X does not allow you to run at the highest, native resolution but with an addon (RDM) you can.

 

[cool11]

What is the max resolution I can set through osx in retina 15'?

 

[Baylor2014]

YES! This display is beyond beautiful! You really will enjoy it when reading, editing pics, and looking at your screen saver

 

[WorldIRC]

How do you all address the 2:1 scaling with retina? Using a web browser with a 1440 x 900 "actual" resolution would result in a significant loss of usable workspace.

I'm a Windows user (Windows 7), 15" w/ 1080P right now -- I find this perfect.
However, I am also a very happy Surface Pro 2 users (Windows 8.1), 10" w/ 1080P - and some apps simply don't scale properly due to the HiDPI nature of the tablet.

 

[Felasco]

This means if your battery goes bust outside of warranty you need to pony up $400, which is crazy.

Thanks for this number. If your time permits, might you comment on where you found this number, does it include labor etc? Thanks!

 

[accountforit]

This means if your battery goes bust outside of warranty you need to pony up $400, which is crazy. But the battery is glued to the frame so the bottom half of the unibody will need replacing.

Well aren't you full of misinformation. The battery replacement cost is $199, not $400.

 

[The Samurai]

Once you go Retina, there's no going back.

Deffo worth the extra dose - take it any day of the week. Reading is so much nicer.

 

[marivaux]

Mainly, I'd say "yes", though I did balk at the price a little bit--a beefed-up Air is cheaper and gets better battery life. I'm happy with my Retina, though, and it makes simple things (like reading) a lot more pleasant.

If you haven't seen one, I'll warn you that it is extra-bright and a little harsh on the eyes. I have to use a program called f.lux (which works very well) not to have my eyes hurt. With it, though (and there are a lot of other programs like it), it is really nice to have the hi-res screen, especially if you spend a significant amount of your day working on your computer.

 

[cool11]

Is brightness user adjusted in retina mbp?

 

[Felasco]

If you haven't seen one, I'll warn you that it is extra-bright and a little harsh on the eyes. I have to use a program called f.lux (which works very well) not to have my eyes hurt.

Thank you for this report. Yes, I'm curious now too, can the brightness of retina not be adjusted within OSX?

 

[cool11]

Brightness adjustment through osx or the keyboard?

 

[TahoeBlue]

Brightness adjustment through osx or the keyboard?

Both, and there is auto brightness adjustment in System Preferences > Display too.

 

[maflynn]

I use the keyboard to adjust the brightness on my rMBP, it seems easier that way.

 

[marivaux]

You can dim the screen with the keyboard, but you may find (if your eyes are sensitive) that a setting with the screen bright enough to work with also leaves the computer with bright whites and harsh contrasts--it bothers some people (if you do a Google search for "eyestrain" and the retina, you'll find other people who have this issue).

It's a good screen--those contrasts are good for watching video and so on. But if it bugs you, the various little programs like f.lux do the equivalent of adjusting the "contrast" or "picture" controls on your TV set to simulate less harsh lighting (think about the difference between a room lit by a harsh fluorescent light vs. a "warm" incandescent bulb).

The programs below are supposedly for night time, but they allow for more control over your screen's contrast and dimming:

http://mac.appstorm.net/roundups/utilities-roundups/10-apps-to-help-you-tame-your-monitor-at-night/
http://justgetflux.com/

 

[Felasco]

You can dim the screen with the keyboard, but you may find (if your eyes are sensitive) that a setting with the screen bright enough to work with also leaves the computer with bright whites and harsh contrasts--it bothers some people (if you do a Google search for "eyestrain" and the retina, you'll find other people who have this issue).

Many thanks for this report, as eyestrain is a big issue here, so I will research as you suggest.

The programs below are supposedly for night time, but they allow for more control over your screen's contrast and dimming:

http://mac.appstorm.net/roundups/utilities-roundups/10-apps-to-help-you-tame-your-monitor-at-night/
http://justgetflux.com/

And thanks for these helpful links too!

 

[Orr]

It comes with draw backs, the new form factor means the only thing you can upgrade is the SSD. Everything else is a pain or just impossible to user replace. This means if your battery goes bust outside of warranty you need to pony up $400, which is crazy. But the battery is glued to the frame so the bottom half of the unibody will need replacing.

Paying $400 for a new battery would definitely qualify you as crazy since Apple will do it for half of that. Not to mention that AppleCare only will replace a battery for free within your warranty if it's deemed defective.

 

[theromz]

Thanks for this number. If your time permits, might you comment on where you found this number, does it include labor etc? Thanks!

Well aren't you full of misinformation. The battery replacement cost is $199, not $400.

$400 is what my friend was quoted early this year on his 2012 rMBP 15", direct from the apple store. Price might be different know, I have no clue. Either way $199 price is mostly cause of the unibody needs replacing and adds too the cost, if it was just the battery it wouldn't cost as much.

 

[thekev]

Yes.

No.

The retina display delivers much crisper text, greater brightness and a wider color gamut. When comparing the displays of a rMBP, cMBP and MBA side by side, the difference is very noticeable.

The retina display isn't the only positive about the rMBP. Don't forget that the 13" rMBP is 1 lb. lighter than the cMBP, and comes with an HDMI out port. Also notice that compared to a MBA with 4GB RAM and 256GB SSD ($1299), the rMBP for $1499 has the retina display, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD. So for $200 you get a much better display and double the RAM- that's a good deal IMO.

You're welcome.

The MBA comes with weaker graphics if that is a consideration. I wouldn't say great deal. Typically 8GB wouldn't account for more than $100 on a cto purchase. Typically standardized models are cheaper than cto configurations.

Yes, good point. It looks like the cost is about 3 hours less time out of the battery. Still 9 hours of battery time is pretty darn good compared to normal.

This isn't entirely accurate. Did you account for the difference in power consumption between the cpu and integrated graphics? I'm not sure of differences between IPS and TN in power consumption. Anyway there are multiple differences between the machines.

$400 is what my friend was quoted early this year on his 2012 rMBP 15", direct from the apple store. Price might be different know, I have no clue. Either way $199 price is mostly cause of the unibody needs replacing and adds too the cost, if it was just the battery it wouldn't cost as much.

Your friend should thoroughly examine what was covered by the quote. If you want a link to the replacement cost in writing, check here. $199 was a significant price increase over prior generations. They would be idiots to charge $400 for a battery replacement. It would have driven a lot of bad press. Unfortunately I can't link directly to it, but click on battery replacement. It differs a bit by country. As you can see Canada gets screwed. Most of the others include sales tax in the stated price as those countries require it.

 

[Felasco]

$400 is what my friend was quoted early this year on his 2012 rMBP 15", direct from the apple store. Price might be different know, I have no clue. Either way $199 price is mostly cause of the unibody needs replacing and adds too the cost, if it was just the battery it wouldn't cost as much.

Thanks for your report, appreciate it.

I don't claim to know anything here, but it may be that you're getting the full parts AND labor price, while others are referring only to the price of the parts, ie. the battery.

Anyway, it seems we know for sure the battery is going to slowly die as all batteries do, and when that happens it's going to be a pretty unhappy day.

Imho, $130 to replace a battery was just barely acceptable, and if it's going to be more, or maybe much more, I dunno, not sure I want to go there.

As example, for $400 I can get a pretty darn good used laptop just like the one I'm typing this on. The new laptops have some nifty features for sure, but I'm unsure that for me they merit the considerable added expense. But I'll probably change my mind by this time tomorrow.

 

[marivaux]

Many thanks for this report, as eyestrain is a big issue here, so I will research as you suggest.

And thanks for these helpful links too!

They really do help--personally, I find that using F.Lux with a 3200k setting for "At night" and a 4300k setting for "Daytime" makes my eyestrain problem go away. The only caveat is that you may want to disable it (easy to do with the menubar) for graphic work, since it does affect color. Some of the other programs affect color a little less, so you might want to try a few of them to suit your taste--what causes eyestrain varies from person to person.

 

[Felasco]

If you want a link to the replacement cost in writing, check here.

Thanks for this. That page indicates only $129 for replacement of batteries in 11-inch/13-inch MacBook Air, 13-inch/15-inch MacBook Pro. It doesn't seem to say whether this includes labor. The $200 price some are mentioning sounds like the parts and labor price?

Apple goes on to say....

Apple warrants your battery against manufacturing defects for one year from the date of purchase.

As others have commented, it seems Apple will replace the battery for free (during warranty) only if it is found to be defective. So if the battery which is supposed to last 12 hours starts lasting only 3 hours, Apple might label it defective, or they might say the battery is reaching the end of it's natural life.

To me, it would have been much better to simply guarantee what the advertising claims for the warranty period. As it stands, there's really no telling what will happen if the battery starts dying.

 

[thundersteele]

Battery replacement cost can be found on Apples support website:
http://support.apple.com/kb/index?page=servicefaq&geo=United_States&product=Macnotebooks

It is $200 (before tax) in the US for the rMBP. Note that the prices are for "battery replacement", so it should include labor.

Whether it is worth for you to pay extra for the retina is hard to tell. I just want to point out that if you go for a 8GB/256GB configuration, which is reasonable in my opinion, the price difference between the Air and the rMBP drops to $100.

 

[thekev]

Thanks for your report, appreciate it.

I don't claim to know anything here, but it may be that you're getting the full parts AND labor price, while others are referring only to the price of the parts, ie. the battery.

They don't sell the part. They only sell a service. Take a look at the link I posted rather than "my friend said". When I say they don't sell the part, you can't order a battery component from Apple the way you could when they were considered user replaceable. The price quoted is to hand them the machine and receive it back with a new battery. The other speculations are completely stupid.

 

[marivaux]

Whether it is worth for you to pay extra for the retina is hard to tell. I just want to point out that if you go for a 8GB/256GB configuration, which is reasonable in my opinion, the price difference between the Air and the rMBP drops to $100.

Right, that's a good point (that I had forgotten), and it's true--once you get to comparable specs, the price difference isn't actually that much (though if you were content with a base-level Air or CMPB, you could save real money). Now I remember why I bought the Retina, though.