How are people coping with "fuzzy" Office 2011 for Mac on rMBP?

[iFanboy]

Given that retina compatibility is not anticipated for Office 2011 for Mac (Office 2013/2014 instead) has anyone here who is a moderate/heavy Office 2011 user purchased a rMBP?

If so, how are you getting on with it given the "fuzzyness"?

I know plenty of Mac users who use their macs (like me) for document creation - and after seeing the fuzzyness of non-retina apps have held off the rMBP.

Thoughts appreciated - is the rMBP not for document creation at this present time?

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

Instructions on how to get Word to display Retina-quality text:

http://imgur.com/a/0P5KY

 

[houkouonchi]

Instructions on how to get Word to display Retina-quality text:

http://imgur.com/a/0P5KY

Or just disable HiDPI mode and run at native regular rendering resolution and deal with the icons and menu's being smaller. Honestly I prefer that way anyway LOL.

Since the page is rendered text will be super sharp when the zoom is set to a value that makes the text equal to other retina supported apps.

 

[Jaro65]

I have a screen set to 1680x1050, and frankly, I don't have an issue with what the MS Office for Mac looks like using that resolution.

 

[Youngesttim]

I have found adjusting magnification to 150% -175% range for the document to be very helpful...and not staring at it too hard ;=))

 

[psykick5]

Not using Office hahahaha

 

[PS65]

Not using Office hahahaha

What is wrong with Office? It's most likely the best program that Microsoft has created.

I use both iWorks and Office, but Office is much more powerful. Excel, for example, is miles ahead of Numbers.

 

[tomiwah]

I sometimes use it at 2880x1800 with the text magnified, which gets rid of all the blurriness, but the icons are a bit too small. Most often, I use it at 1920x1200 (HiDPI), which is a good compromise. I have been using it at this setting with the screen split between two documents for the past 6 hours and am now so used to it that I don't see any blurriness unless I go back to text on a retina-ready app.

 

[calderone]

What is wrong with Office? It's most likely the best program that Microsoft has created.

I use both iWorks and Office, but Office is much more powerful. Excel, for example, is miles ahead of Numbers.

Doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it. Some people just don't want or need to use Office.

 

[nickbarbs]

Instructions on how to get Word to display Retina-quality text:

http://imgur.com/a/0P5KY

wow thanks so much for that, followed instructions and learned about the package thing for OSX as well as having office 2011 useable now

 

[jbolden1517]

Given that retina compatibility is not anticipated for Office 2011 for Mac (Office 2013/2014 instead) has anyone here who is a moderate/heavy Office 2011 user purchased a rMBP?

If so, how are you getting on with it given the "fuzzyness"?

I know plenty of Mac users who use their macs (like me) for document creation - and after seeing the fuzzyness of non-retina apps have held off the rMBP.

Thoughts appreciated - is the rMBP not for document creation at this present time?

I'm going to try that hack below if other people say it works. But what I've done.

1) Libre Office works well with Retina (as does iWork and a few other suites) and I use that for authoring. If I want to test in Word/Excel... that falls under (2)
2) When I have to work for short periods of time I just deal with fuzzy text
3) When I have to work for extended periods of time and Libre Office won't cut it I plug in an external monitor HDMI.

 

[cmChimera]

I use Pages now.

 

[PS65]

Doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it. Some people just don't want or need to use Office.

I didn't say there is anything wrong with either, but I think laughing at Office is a bit silly - whilst it is my opinion, it is one of Microsoft's best programs.

 

[kevink2]

I'm waiting.

Some reviews have indicated that the GPU performance is stretched to the limit supporting all the additional pixels. Plus I kept my previous 2 laptops for about 4 years and it hasn't been 2 years yet on my current laptop.

In 2+ more years, there will be additional reasons to wait (new generation chips upcoming, etc), but it will be time then and I can just go ahead.

 

[iLikeTurtles!]

when will microsoft update office instead?

 

[Macloven]

I'm using it at default resolution, 100% zoom and don't think it's bad. No, it isn't great but it's perfectly workable for my needs and not much different than on my old mbp.

 

[kaydot]

wow thanks so much for that, followed instructions and learned about the package thing for OSX as well as having office 2011 useable now

Hi There!

Do I have to do the minimize/hide toolbar trick every time I start Word?

I am thinking of buying Office 2011 to try to avoid the upcoming subscription model of Office 2013. I heard that 2011 will be updated for the subscription model, which makes me sad. I hate monthly/annual payments, and quite frankly, these programs did everything I needed since Office 98/2000.

 

[clyde2801]

There is always Open Office and Pages… if recommend MacBook Pro owners make a point of calling, emailing and in writing Microsoft to tell them that they wont use and wont buy office until it's optimized for the retina display, it might push their efforts along faster.

Never underestimate the effect of 2-3000 letters coming into an organization demanding the same thing.

 

[IllmasterMath]

iWork

 

[borisiii]

It doesn't bother me all that much, but scaling the resolution for more space helps.

Mostly when I'm working I use an external monitor as an extended desktop, and Office looks normal on a non-retina monitor.

 

[ColoArtist]

Instructions on how to get Word to display Retina-quality text:

http://imgur.com/a/0P5KY

Thanks for the tip. I did the mod in under 3 minutes.

Not that Word looked any worse than it, or any other program, looked on my '09 MBP, but it's nice to have Word at least semi-"retinized" on my new rMBP.

 

[Kai.Def]

Really good tip - thank you so much.

Applied the same to Excel & Powerpoint, great.

 

[Keinding]

Instructions on how to get Word to display Retina-quality text:

http://imgur.com/a/0P5KY

Thanks!! works great!

 

[gmanist1000]

Instructions on how to get Word to display Retina-quality text:

http://imgur.com/a/0P5KY

How well does this work? Is there any chance this could cause problems in the future with updates, files, etc?

 

[zainiak]

by using google docs/drive haha