Can it hack it..?

If you're buying the entry level MacBook Pro ... don't get the non-Retina model!! This is the 2.5GHz i5 with 500GB HDD. Don't get it. Make sure you're getting the Retina. Entry level model for the Retina is the 2.7GHz/128GB Flash storage/8GB RAM.

The Retina MacBook Pros are blazing quick. Not so much due to the CPU, but more to do with the SSDs. They're extremely quick. Photoshop will open instantly. The larger the storage, the quicker the speeds (as the chips run in parallel). So I'd recommend buying the 256GB or higher - nonetheless, the 128GB will be more than enough for your needs.

 

Actually I would get the non-retina because you can install and upgrade an SSD as you decide, you can upgrade the RAM as you decide as well. So if you arent sure how big a machine you will need in storage terms, its the only model that can grow with you (mine now has 2TB onboard, 1TB SSD and 1TB HDD), try doing that with ANY other MBP model - its now 4yrs old and faster than when new.

...and that model will do what you need once you have an SSD in it.

 

Not this again. The non-Retina hasn't been updated since 2012. For £100 more to make the plunge to Retina, you get:

-Double the RAM as standard
-Quicker RAM (1866MHz vs 1600MHz)
-Retina display
-10 hours battery life vs 7 hours battery life on the non-Retina
-Better CPU
-Better GPU
-2xThunderbolt 2 ports
-Lighter
-PCI-e SSD as standard
-Quicker SSD (with 512GB storage you're getting well over 1GB/s read and write, if you install an SSD in the non-retina you'll be lucky to get 550MB/s either way)

Even if you were to buy the non-Retina and upgrade the storage, you'd be spending more than you would have on the Retina.

Enough of this. I get it that a lot of you like upgrading a machine, but look at the OP's usage. It's terrible advice recommending the non-retina. Just get a standard Retina build and he'll be more than happy with it. Besides, all you can really upgrade in the non-retina is the HDD and the RAM - and maybe swap out the ODD for another HDD. It's not like you can upgrade the processor or the graphics card.

 

@ Keysofanxiety I couldn't have said it better myself.

 

That's the problem. Apple is still selling a more than 3 year old computer as a new model. The entry level MacBook Pro is a terrible value.

 

Yes it is it's terrible value for a very out of date computer, that's not a problem only a fool would buy it and as the saying goes a fool and his money...
why wouldn't they keep selling them??