Hands On with Apple's New 13-Inch Retina MacBook Pro

[zephonic]

Not Pro.

No quadcore, memory fixed at 8GB, no dedicated GPU...

I see the chinks in Apple's armor...

 

[Mikey7c8]

only 8GB ram, but supports two external displays (which the air doesn't)

the plot thickens.

Still leaning towards the 15, but still.

 

[STiNG Operation]

I am a share holder and I'm not worried.

After every keynote, the people here moan about how Apple sucks, their products are under spec'd, the technology they using is old, etc.

But then the following quarter, we get the numbers and find out that Apple had another record earnings.

Seeing Apple stock drop, really doesn't mean much to me (but then again I bought before the split at $14 a share). I remember a decade ago when Steve Jobs blasted Wall Street speculators for causing Apple's stock to drop, even after they reported decent earnings.

I wouldn't be worried either.

iPad mini is going to sell like crazy IMO. It's the perfect size for most women's purses which I think will be a huge % of the people buying one.

The other updated models released aren't of much concern because they are not what is main stream right now. iPhones/iPods/Pads/Tablets ect.

 

[Mikey7c8]

Without 16GB RAM I wouldn't even consider it. The RAM amount is a permanent decision so you gotta go all the way here, and in this case all the way isn't enough for future proofing.

I don't think the lack of 16GB is a deal breaker. Nice to have and you're right it is better for future proofing but do you need it now ? no.

I wouldn't be surprised to see them add it as an option somewhere down the line, tho

 

[brdeveloper]

I will never buy a 13" macbook.
For portablility, I like the 11" air, and for real work, I can't deal with a screen smaller than 15". Even that is too small sometimes. I miss the 17".

Photographers will be glad with a smaller retina macbook. If the Airs had an IPS non-retina display it would be nice too. A 13" Air 1360-by-anything IPS display would be perfect to me.

 

[Nungster]

I like the iPad Mini (a lot - just sold my normal iPad 3rd gen because it was way too heavy for my taste) - but the price is a no-go for now. Plus I already pre-ordered a Surface anyway.

Pre-ordered a Surface? So now you'll spend even more money catching up on apps, or are you a person who did not spend any money on apps?

Good luck with the MSFT app store.

 

[laomao]

I think ppl's only complaint is really about price. If it is $300 lower, I bet guys will be all over it.

 

[TallManNY]

A "Pro" with an integrated graphics card just doesn't make sense to me.

Am I correct that I'm basically paying $500 more to go from a 13 inch Air to a 13 inch Pro? I get a faster i5 processor, but how much will I notice that when the real limitation is the graphics card? And I add a half pound of weight on the pro, so a step back there. So it is really just the retina screen as the major difference and the price is about 40% higher.

 

[laomao]

I don't think the lack of 16GB is a deal breaker. Nice to have and you're right it is better for future proofing but do you need it now ? no.

I wouldn't be surprised to see them add it as an option somewhere down the line, tho

I second this. Personally I dont think I really need 16G of mem, but good to have. My only complaint is the price. Therefore I am driving 25 miles to Delaware to purchase it with education discount. Should be $1900 for the $256G upgrade.

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A "Pro" with an integrated graphics card just doesn't make sense to me.

Am I correct that I'm basically paying $500 more to go from a 13 inch Air to a 13 inch Pro? I get a faster i5 processor, but how much will I notice that when there is a speed bump due to graphics? And I add a half pound of weight. So it is really just the retina screen as the major difference.

Man, if you dont need the retina display, why bother even thinking about buying it?

It is all about the display, IMO.

 

[SockRolid]

[...] It certainly isn't bad, but Apple just took the "pro" out of the 13" line. [...]

Frankly, I never thought the 13" MacBook Pro was really a "pro" machine anyway.
To me, it was always just the fanciest small MacBook you could get. More like a "prosumer" model.
The smallest one that wasn't "the economy model."

The pros I've seen in the field (photojournalists, reporters) either use 15" MacBook Pros or 13" MacBook Airs.
The 15" Pro for its big screen and image-crunching CPU power, and the 13" Air for its lightness for live-blogging and other lightweight computing tasks.

 

[george-brooks]

Photographers will be glad with a smaller retina macbook. If the Airs had an IPS non-retina display it would be nice too. A 13" Air 1360-by-anything IPS display would be perfect to me.

I am a photographer. I can't stand editing on a 13" screen. Even the non hi-res 15" is too small. Portability isn't an issue, the 15" fits in my camera bag. Plus, I do wayyyy too much video editing for a dual core and 8GB of RAM.

 

[phinsup]

My dilemma is that dollar for dollar you get a lot more with the 15". quadcore proc, bigger screen, etc... However I was leaning towards the rMBP because I liked the thinner, lighter design.

 

[rydewnd2]

If you find the pro without retina display to be a better value... it still exists.

Well, I'm sure I'll be attacked for this, but I'm gonna say it anyway:

Tiny harddrive, barely enough RAM (and not upgradable to the "enough" level), no dedicated graphics, only dual-core processors. It certainly isn't bad, but Apple just took the "pro" out of the 13" line. And come on - it's freaking expensive. If you upgrade the SSD to 512gb and get an i7 (still dual-core - WTF?) processor, it's only 99$ cheaper than the mid-level 15" rMBP, which packs a heck of a lot more power. What gives???

the 13" is NOT a pro device in my opinion. It's more like a beefed-up and slightly heavier Macbook Air. For that, it just costs way too much.

 

[laomao]

If you find the pro without retina display to be a better value... it still exists.

very true....

The new model is purely for those pixel-maniacs, like me.

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My dilemma is that dollar for dollar you get a lot more with the 15". quadcore proc, bigger screen, etc... However I was leaning towards the rMBP because I liked the thinner, lighter design.

the 15 rMBP is great if you like 15'.

 

[Azathoth]

Wow, the 256GB "base" model is really expensive. I figured the 256GB model would cost the same has the high end MBP13 (the 256GB rMBP15 costs the same as the highend MBP15). With 25% sales tax the 256GB rMBP13 is 2900 USD in Norway (!)

Compared to the MBA13 it's also really expensive... Must be some tidy profit that they are making...

I'm not surprised that AAPL dropped on that part of the announcement, not to mention annoying ppl that just bought a "new" iPad.

Oh, and the 'previews' from those blogging sites are completely worthless. They know that if they don't kowtow to Apple then they'll loose their exclusive access next time.

I really wanted to upgrade my 2011 MBA13 to the new rMBP13. But I feel that the shark has been jumped and the emperor is indeed sans clothes.

 

[Naimfan]

Too expensive. WAY too expensive.

A 256 GB with the option for 16 GB RAM at $1499 and I'd have bought it. 128 GB, 8 GB RAM forever, and $1699? That's outrageous - and the screen doesn't begin to make up for it.

 

[phinsup]

the 15 rMBP is great if you like 15'.

That's my dilemma, i currently have a 13" and a 17" and I like the 13 because it's small and easy to pack around, but still able to do what I need it to do. In the same respect going from my 13" MPB to a 15" rMBP is about the same weight with more screen and a lot more horsepower.

 

[wrightc23]

Will be a great device in a couple of updates time when Haswell is dropped in and they offer a 16gb RAM option.

Oh and drop the 128gb ssd option. That's just so Apple, even more screwing every possible penny or cent out of ever user.

 

[laomao]

Too expensive. WAY too expensive.

A 256 GB with the option for 16 GB RAM at $1499 and I'd have bought it. 128 GB, 8 GB RAM forever, and $1699? That's outrageous - and the screen doesn't begin to make up for it.

I dont quite understand why the SSD will cost so much, the SSD price really has dropped down quite a bit in the last year.

I ordered it anyway, if I dont like it I can still return I guess.

 

[ixodes]

Well, I'm sure I'll be attacked for this, but I'm gonna say it anyway:

Tiny harddrive, barely enough RAM (and not upgradable to the "enough" level), no dedicated graphics, only dual-core processors. It certainly isn't bad, but Apple just took the "pro" out of the 13" line. And come on - it's freaking expensive. If you upgrade the SSD to 512gb and get an i7 (still dual-core - WTF?) processor, it's only 99$ cheaper than the mid-level 15" rMBP, which packs a heck of a lot more power. What gives???

the 13" is NOT a pro device in my opinion. It's more like a beefed-up and slightly heavier Macbook Air. For that, it just costs way too much.

Welcome to Apple's new definition of Pro.

 

[laomao]

That's my dilemma, i currently have a 13" and a 17" and I like the 13 because it's small and easy to pack around, but still able to do what I need it to do. In the same respect going from my 13" MPB to a 15" rMBP is about the same weight with more screen and a lot more horsepower.

I assume the rMBP 13 is a pound less?

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Welcome to Apple's new definition of Pro.

13 is really No Pro It is the best gadget, IMO. Nice to have.

 

[moole]

2,5" drive in MBPr 13"

It is interesting that there is space exactly to fit regular 2.5" harddrive inside the 13" retina macbook. But no BTO option for 1TB spinning drive...
Has something gone wrong with the design? iFixit will hopefully tell.

 

[Brien]

All of my shares sold a few months ago because I had a stop loss order for 550. I'm hoping it drops back down around there so I can scoop it back up!

I should have sold at $700, but I'm in it for the long haul.

 

[laomao]

Wow, the 256GB "base" model is really expensive. I figured the 256GB model would cost the same has the high end MBP13 (the 256GB rMBP15 costs the same as the highend MBP15). With 25% sales tax the 256GB rMBP13 is 2900 USD in Norway (!)

Compared to the MBA13 it's also really expensive... Must be some tidy profit that they are making...

I'm not surprised that AAPL dropped on that part of the announcement, not to mention annoying ppl that just bought a "new" iPad.

Oh, and the 'previews' from those blogging sites are completely worthless. They know that if they don't kowtow to Apple then they'll loose their exclusive access next time.

I really wanted to upgrade my 2011 MBA13 to the new rMBP13. But I feel that the shark has been jumped and the emperor is indeed sans clothes.

I have 2 MBA 13s and have to say the screens are horrible compared with a rMBP....

 

[phinsup]

I assume the rMBP 13 is a pound less?

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13 is really No Pro It is the best gadget, IMO. Nice to have.

13" rMBP is 1lbs less than the 13" MPB, the 15" rMBP is the exact same weight as the 13" MBP. So, I could go to either and not feel strain on my precious shoulder whilst carrying it LOL