cMBP waiting game...

[mitchellm]

I was at best buy trying out the machines and decided on a refurb 15" no retina..... i ended up talking to the guy who supposedly worked directly for apple and he said no way would they make the whole lineup retina based screens or put an ssd hd in the 15" cMBP stock. so what do you guys think? im wondering if its worth it to wait or it really doesn't matter seeing as im not going retina, also what are the chances that the video will remain the same in the 15" cMBP they wouldn't downgrade to integrated graphics? i wish they would release the damn refresh already heh...

thank you!

 

[ValSalva]

No one really knows. But the cMBP didn't get the last Ivy Bridge processor upgrade the rMBP's got in February. One could extrapolate and come to the conclusion that Apple is done updating the cMBP. They might keep it around for another year but it probably won't be touched, it won't get Haswell. That's my guess.

 

[Tobias Funke]

I just wish they would make a cMBP with retina screen.

 

[kittencounter]

The rMBP is the future form factor and it will stay this way and become better. Personally I would change the drive, upgradeability and ethernet port for thinner, lighter profile, more thunderbolt ports anytime. The retina screen and redesigned cooling are plus. You have to use it for a time to appreciate all the changes they made. Ofc we consumers always want everything in a machine but when we buy something we should always ask ourself :

- how often do I really use that feature?
- can I easily fix that or find a way to work around?

 

[Chuck-Norris]

the cmpr has been here since 2008, its time we moved on

 

[mitchellm]

i was just looking at the refurbs and i might have changed my mind a bit, the amount of money i would spend on the ram/ssd upgrade for the CMBP pretty much gets me to the 15 "retina machine, which seems like a better deal if i can live with 8 GB max which i think i can.

there's this one for $1,449.00

Refurbished 15.4-inch MacBook Pro 2.3GHz Quad-core Intel i7
Originally released June 2012
15.4-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display, 1440-by-900 resolution

4GB (2 x 2GB) of 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM
500GB Serial ATA @ 5400 rpm
8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 512MB of GDDR5 memory

OR for $1599


Refurbished 15.4-inch MacBook Pro 2.3GHz Quad-core Intel i7 with Retina Display
Originally released June 2012
15.4-inch (diagonal) Retina display; 2880-by-1800 resolution at 220 pixels per inch
8GB of 1600MHz DDR3L SDRAM
256GB Flash Storage
720p FaceTime HD Camera
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory
$1,599.00
Save $500.00
23% off

 

[LoMonkey]

I was at best buy trying out the machines and decided on a refurb 15" no retina..... i ended up talking to the guy who supposedly worked directly for apple and he said no way would they make the whole lineup retina based screens or put an ssd hd in the 15" cMBP stock. so what do you guys think? im wondering if its worth it to wait or it really doesn't matter seeing as im not going retina, also what are the chances that the video will remain the same in the 15" cMBP they wouldn't downgrade to integrated graphics? i wish they would release the damn refresh already heh...

thank you!

Because the guy that works at Best Buy that supposedly worked directly for Apple knows best.

Dude, no one knows what's going to happen. We can all only speculate. I personally think that Apple will kill off the cMBP. Maybe they will re-introduce the standard MacBook line (unlikely, but who knows). I think the rMBP will become the sole MBP line, because let's face it, it's directed towards professionals, no feaux-fessionals like myself. They have more money, and the machine is highly expandable with Thunderbolt (aside from the RAM, of course).

However, I am prepared to pay the premium for it, because I like what it has to offer. For those that don't, buy an older cMBP or a MBA. Either way, I think technology like the optical drive and spinning hard drive (in laptops) is on the outs. Retina displays are Apple's new thing. Just look at almost every other product they have with a screen. I think when yields get high enough and cost effective, the MBA will be next to get retina, as well as the iPad Mini.

Flash storage is becoming much cheaper, faster, and more reliable. For those that need more, grab a USB3.0 or Thunderbolt external drive.

 

[NewishMacGuy]

The uMBP-15 is definitely on death watch. It's becoming de-empahsized on the main Apple site and in Store, and there's only 1 sku which is hard to get to at that.

Cue Taps...

 

[mitchellm]

well like i said a couple posts up it seems silly not to go with the 15" retina refurbed, ill end up buying the cMBP refurb and have to upgrade the ram and hd to and SSD which brings me to the price of the retina if i can survive with 8 GB of ram its a no brainer, the more i think about it i don't want to invest in old technology... and i wasn't siding with the apple dude from best buy he was cocky and i took what he said with a grain of salt because i could tell he thought he was a hotshot with a black shirt on.. im not even sure he knew what haswell was..

 

[BlackbookGuy]

i was just looking at the refurbs and i might have changed my mind a bit, the amount of money i would spend on the ram/ssd upgrade for the CMBP pretty much gets me to the 15 "retina machine, which seems like a better deal if i can live with 8 GB max which i think i can.

there's this one for $1,449.00

Refurbished 15.4-inch MacBook Pro 2.3GHz Quad-core Intel i7
Originally released June 2012
15.4-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display, 1440-by-900 resolution

4GB (2 x 2GB) of 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM
500GB Serial ATA @ 5400 rpm
8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 512MB of GDDR5 memory

OR for $1599


Refurbished 15.4-inch MacBook Pro 2.3GHz Quad-core Intel i7 with Retina Display
Originally released June 2012
15.4-inch (diagonal) Retina display; 2880-by-1800 resolution at 220 pixels per inch
8GB of 1600MHz DDR3L SDRAM
256GB Flash Storage
720p FaceTime HD Camera
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory
$1,599.00
Save $500.00
23% off

I have the first computer you listed, got it June 2012. Its great, not a single issue and I have enjoyed it. I put a Samsung SSD in it a few months ago, and now its even better. I keep iTunes and iPhoto libraries on a separate disk, and no worries there.


That being said, I would get the retina screen one. Its just better imo.

 

[old-wiz]

I compared retina and non-retina side by side playing a movie trailer and I could not tell the difference.

Still the 13" cMBP was Apple's best seller..but maybe with the new MBAs it is not.

 

[wonderspark]

I dig my 2012 hi-res anti-glare 15" cMBP with dual SSDs, both running at 6G speeds, and 16GB RAM. Having two SSDs, two USB3 ports and one TB port left over for adding additional drives makes editing video pretty nice.

Can't put dual SSDs in a Retina.

 

[johnnnw]

I just wish they would make a cMBP with retina screen.

You actually have an extremely valid point.

I HATE that they did what they did with the retina. That beautiful screen would be lovely to have with the cMBP insides. Replaceable ram, easier cheaper ssd replacements, sigh

 

[Network33]

i was just looking at the refurbs and i might have changed my mind a bit, the amount of money i would spend on the ram/ssd upgrade for the CMBP pretty much gets me to the 15 "retina machine, which seems like a better deal if i can live with 8 GB max which i think i can.

there's this one for $1,449.00

Refurbished 15.4-inch MacBook Pro 2.3GHz Quad-core Intel i7
Originally released June 2012
15.4-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display, 1440-by-900 resolution

4GB (2 x 2GB) of 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM
500GB Serial ATA @ 5400 rpm
8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 512MB of GDDR5 memory

OR for $1599


Refurbished 15.4-inch MacBook Pro 2.3GHz Quad-core Intel i7 with Retina Display
Originally released June 2012
15.4-inch (diagonal) Retina display; 2880-by-1800 resolution at 220 pixels per inch
8GB of 1600MHz DDR3L SDRAM
256GB Flash Storage
720p FaceTime HD Camera
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory
$1,599.00
Save $500.00
23% off

I'm currently using the cMBP $1449 refurb. I've added 16GB 1600Mhz of ram That I had from the mac mini I sold.

I'm thinking about returning it, Selling the 16GB ram and go with the retina model. Yes I can add 2 SSD's and Upgrade the Ram on a cMBP, But I want the HDMI, extra thunderbolt port and the 1GB of video ram. Also bug's me having both USB ports on the same side.

Like you I'm not sure if 8GB's of ram will be enough, but with the speed of the SSD it might not matter to much.

 

[nickandre21]

I'm currently using the cMBP $1449 refurb. I've added 16GB 1600Mhz of ram That I had from the mac mini I sold.

I'm thinking about returning it, Selling the 16GB ram and go with the retina model. Yes I can add 2 SSD's and Upgrade the Ram on a cMBP, But I want the HDMI, extra thunderbolt port and the 1GB of video ram. Also bug's me having both USB ports on the same side.

Like you I'm not sure if 8GB's of ram will be enough, but with the speed of the SSD it might not matter to much.

gotta agree with you my internet dongle is so fat that i could use only one usb port at a time if i was using that. But here on the retina no issues, plus its way lighter, i had got my friends 15" cMbp for two days to install some stuff for her and boy did my bag get darn heavy that i felt my 15" retina was as light as my 13inch cMbp.
P.s.: Prior to getting the retina i was like No way im getting a retina macbook for me i want to upgrade the ram and hdd and need a cd drive, but then i decided to go in for the retina and use external stuff. Now no ways ever going to buy a cMbp

 

[jav6454]

No one really knows. But the cMBP didn't get the last Ivy Bridge processor upgrade the rMBP's got in February. One could extrapolate and come to the conclusion that Apple is done updating the cMBP. They might keep it around for another year but it probably won't be touched, it won't get Haswell. That's my guess.

It will get Haswell. However, the main cremé will be at the Retina level. The classic MBP still has a strong market. Not everyone can ditch DVDs yet.

 

[monkeybagel]

I was at best buy trying out the machines and decided on a refurb 15" no retina..... i ended up talking to the guy who supposedly worked directly for apple and he said no way would they make the whole lineup retina based screens or put an ssd hd in the 15" cMBP stock.

You can get an SSD with the standard MacBook Pro if you BTO it. It will come with a 512GB, typically OEM Samsung 830 that appears as an Apple SSD in System Profile.

I have a MacBook Pro with Retina Display and a standard MacBook Pro. Similar specs. 2.7 i7. Retina has 16GB and other has 8GB. Both have 650 GPU and 512 SSD. Standard is high res. performance wise they are very similar. I will say that the Retina model is much more portable, somewhat quieter, and I also find they keyboard to be better to type on for whatever reason. Both are good machines. I never leave home without the TB ->GbE adapter for the Retina though. Would be nice if it had 802.11ac since it will probably not be possible to add it later.

 

[wonderspark]

Would be nice if it had 802.11ac since it will probably not be possible to add it later.

It might be possible to add that later in the cMBP... I had to move the wifi card out of the way to replace the DVD drive with the second SSD, and there's a good chance the newer wifi would be the same shape, or close enough to modify.

 

[NewishMacGuy]

It might be possible to add that later in the cMBP... I had to move the wifi card out of the way to replace the DVD drive with the second SSD, and there's a good chance the newer wifi would be the same shape, or close enough to modify.

The card will probably be less of an issue than the antenna setup.

 

[scbond]

i ended up talking to the guy who supposedly worked directly for apple and he said no way would they make the whole lineup retina based screens or put an ssd hd in the 15" cMBP stock.

In his very uneducated opinion. I certainly hope they continue with the cMBP line but it doesn't look good when there's rumours that there will be no future updates. Apple will almost certainly continue to produce and sell the cMBP line for the time being though.

 

[unlogic]

I just wish they would make a cMBP with retina screen.

cMBP 15 + retina display + blu-ray drive + GT 750M

realitically, GT 750M is enough for me.

I own a Mid 2012 cMBP 15 with Hi-Res screen. It's really a great laptop.

 

[trigonometry]

Trust me, Apple store employees have no idea what is the product pipeline better than you or me.

 

[Badrottie]

Good bye, cMBP...long live rMBP!

 

[Interstella5555]

I was at best buy trying out the machines and decided on a refurb 15" no retina..... i ended up talking to the guy who supposedly worked directly for apple and he said no way would they make the whole lineup retina based screens or put an ssd hd in the 15" cMBP stock. so what do you guys think? im wondering if its worth it to wait or it really doesn't matter seeing as im not going retina, also what are the chances that the video will remain the same in the 15" cMBP they wouldn't downgrade to integrated graphics? i wish they would release the damn refresh already heh...

thank you!

Just like Apple would never move to intel architecture or us non-web based apps on the iPhone? Within 5 years [probably within 3] the cMBP line will be gone.

 

[Count Blah]

Just like Apple would never move to intel architecture or us non-web based apps on the iPhone? Within 5 years [probably within 3] the cMBP line will be gone.

I agree with that. I just don't see it happening this go-round quite yet like those who have purchased the rMBP like to throw it in the face of the non-rMBP folks all the time for some reason.