Spot on. At this stage everyone is just giving the omg it's sexy and cool review. Still waiting for someone to actually go into the details of the retina screen.
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Are the non retina 15" still good machines?
- Thread starter MauerFan
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Spot on. At this stage everyone is just giving the omg it's sexy and cool review. Still waiting for someone to actually go into the details of the retina screen.
I'm still happy with my early 2011. They're still smoking fast.
The non-retina machine can take more disk, has onboard gig-e, can likely be upgraded to 32gb of RAM after purchase using standard 16gb SO-DIMMs (chipset supports it) and has equivalent video.
You miss out on a thunderbolt port and a hi-res screen.
It really depends how much a high-res display while on the move means to you.
I wish they did this also. As well as the two thunderbolt ports.
I would have been just happy with the HDMI port for 3 monitor support.
does it make that big a difference overall compared to using the Thunderbolt to hdmi cable, other than taking up a TB port? or is there quality issues with using the converter cable?
Do you know any site that have done this on previous Macs? Even though I am not a professional I'd like to know more as I might buy one.
Actually if you know any over the previous gen 13" MBA please share, because I know that the screen is less good than the MBP.
Is that the chipset in the 2012 non-retina MBP? The potential 32 gb ram as a future upgrade would make me even more happy about my purchase of the new model.
In any kind of business or higher-education environment, the Retina scares me. It's tough enough to get budgeted for equipment replacement on a regular basis without having to fight with computers that can't be repaired or upgraded. The non-Retina MBP, especially the anti-glare one that dispenses with the awkward-to-service glass, can be kept going almost like an old VW by any reasonably competent tech; it's one of the most serviceable computers out there. Good luck dealing with a broken Retina after the Applecare has expired; the soldered RAM, the battery glue, the presence of multiple battery packs, the highly non-standard SSD card, the LCD laminated to the glass, and so on.
according to the guys at ifixit, the retina MBP are not in any way shape or form user upgradable.
http://ifixit.org/2763/the-new-macbook-pro-unfixable-unhackable-untenable/
http://ifixit.org/2763/the-new-macbook-pro-unfixable-unhackable-untenable/
to me a retina display is just a marketing ploy as i have a iphone 4 8gb model and i cant tell a difference between it and the screen in my ipod touch 3rd gen between the txt and the pictures and video plus i have bad vision so untill i can get to an apple store or a bestbuy to see and new retina model macbook pro i say its all in the head of some people
forget the retina, pick up a good used one at the usual suspects, ebay, CL, etc for half the price
Regular non-retina MacBook Pros are fantastic laptops. I have several.
In your case I might suggest that you purchase a standard model, then upgrade it to 8GB of ram yourself. Ram is very inexpensive currently and gives you a very easy way to improve the performance.
SSD's a very fast, I've installed one in each of my Macs.
Yet that said, I would _not_ suggest one for you at this point. Here's why. Besides the extra expense, the only time you notice the extra speed is upon booting up the computer, launching apps, and during certain operations that access the drive frequently.
Because SSD usage is relatively new in the Apple community, there's a lot of buzz and excitement around them. I've been using SSD's for over five years in my Windows 7 workstation laptops, so for me the speed is no longer unusual as I've gotten used to it.
Any brand new MBP (with a regular hard drive) is going to boot up faster, shut down faster, and access apps faster, than a corresponding Windows 7 computer. It's just a fact.
Next, is the superior sleep performance of the modern day Mac. You may have noticed that we do not shut down our Macs very often. With a laptop especially you just close the lid, it sleeps automatically and will stay in that state until you lift the lid for your next computing session. Therefore the SSD makes no difference in that scenario.
So, I just thought I would share that with you so as to help you decide if the extra money, time and trouble of installing an SSD is truly worth it. I don't think it is. Only if money is no object.
I have a brand new MBP_Retina... and I cannot in good faith, endorse it.
So looking at your posts, you actually bought 2 rMBPs, yet you can't endorse them?
I'm pretty sure mine arrives tomorrow (and if not, Tuesday), so I'll see for myself. I didn't buy it due to the retina though. I had specific specs in mind and it was actually cheaper to get the retina version to get those specs.
I would say they're much better, given the less horsepower needed to run the lower resolution, higher gamut display and the sheer number of ports.
Up until just a few days ago the previous generation was still a great machine. If you can get a refurb deal it could be a steal.
To clarify, I buy lots of new Mac Laptops. My work is extremely resource intense, so having the fastest current MBP is the bare minimum for me. In addition I enjoy having a variety of MBP's & MBA's in various sizes. I'm 95% paperless, therefore nearly everything I do is digital.
Therefore the moment the MBP_R was announced I preordered a fully loaded BTO for myself. Hours later my wife expressed an interest. The next day I had an opportunity to pickup one for her from the Apple store just ten minutes from where I live. Both of these were purchased in good faith, never having been unhappy with any of the 30+ PowerBooks & MBP's I'd purchased before.
Even though the MBP_R is not my primary Mac Laptop, I still have negative feelings, so I cannot in good faith, endorse this model. It's a highly unusual first time experience for me. I've converted hundreds of people over from Windows to Mac, a fact that's very satisfying.
Considering the significance of the MBP_R's impact on Apple & the consumer, if these sell in massive numbers, as anything with an Apple Logo typically does, then all future models will be built like this.
Quick to assume nothing but positive thoughts, the average Apple enthusiast may not realize the gravity involved. This type of machine will allow Apple to shorten the service life, gradually eliminate BTO, offering just one or two pre made configurations, and accelerate their "Post PC Agenda".
Recent studies published today suggest the typical iPad user is a 65 year old content consumer, couch potatoe. "their words not mine". I'd include the link but I'm composing this from my iPhone 4S while at the airport.
Frankly, if I was the type to live in denial, I would, and I'd keep the MBP_R. With all due modesty, I'm in a "price is no object" environment, so believe me it has nothing to do with money. Everything else aside, it's a nice computer. That's what makes standing up for my ethics, a bit challenging. But someone has to push back, and that will be me.
I was simply curious on why someone with 2 would not recommend. But it sounds like your major concern is the ability to not upgrade? Laptops have been somewhat limited in their upgrade potential for quite a while. So you will protest this by returning both the systems and then using something else? Something non-Apple or a regular MBP?
I consider myself pretty consumerism-conscious but the way I use laptops and the way the retina is built do not conflict. I do understand that not everyone will be happy but we do have choices. And even though I bought the Retina for myself, I bought a regular 15" MBP for a relative of mine as a gift. I didn't think the retina was a good fit for her and she agreed.
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When you configure the low-end configs as close as possible (w/ 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD), the MBP is $2399 and the MBPR is $2199. Add an external slim usb blu-ray drive to the MBPR for $50 from Amazon, and the MBPR is an easy choice for me, with the screen, weight, extra thunderbolt and hdmi ports nice perks.