How Much Would the 15 rMBP Have to Be to be Appealing to you?

[Flapjacks]

Haha long thread title but that's the question.

How much would the base 15 retina pro have to be for you guys to buy it. I know the general consensus for the 13 retina pro was that 1500 was too much for the specs you get. How much would the 15 have to be for you guys to say "wow that's a great deal. I'm gonna buy it"?

1600? 1700? (Those numbers include tax)

 

[glenthompson]

It's not so much the price but the upgradability. I like being able to swap drives and memory as prices drop and technology improves. I do fine with 8gb now but will that be enough in 2 to 3 years? If I'm not sure, I'll have to spring for the 16gb version.

The base model doesn't cut it for me since I'm currently using about 280gb of disk space and growing.

If I could get a 512gb with 16gb of RAM for about $2k, I would probably consider an upgrade for the better screen. For $500, I can upgrade my drive to an SSD and have almost the same performance except for the screen.

 

[TRAV9614]

if I were to get the rMbp It would be the 2.4, 16gb, 512 and it would have to be around $2100-$2200 for me to be interested.

 

[James_C]

Base model would need to be $2199

 

[laurihoefs]

I think the base model is a great deal already.

I compared the available 15" laptops with hi-res IPS screens and SSDs. I chose the rMBP over similarly specced and priced HP EliteBook, Lenovo W530 and the mid 2012 cMBP. The prices were almost the same, but the rMBP had the best screen, and was thinner and lighter than the others.

Ok, had the SSD upgrade been any cheaper I might have gone for that. But I rarely collect even 50GB of files on the laptop before transferring them to an external disk array, so most of the current 256GB is free anyway.

Bottom line, I think compared to anything else currently available, the rMBP is a steal.

 

[Asuriyan]

A computer that will last me 3-5 years and still have some residual resale value at the end of its usefulness is well worth $3000.

I paid $2600, so I'm happy.

 

[Spink10]

If I could get the 2.3 16GB - 256 for 1500 I would purchase it.

 

[Asuriyan]

If I could get the 2.3 16GB - 256 for 1500 I would purchase it.

I'm sure you could find one used at that price without difficulty.

 

[Spink10]

I'm sure you could find one used at that price without difficulty.

Please find me one - already 900 off retail? I feel like they sell for 1800ish - maybe wrong.

 

[Giuly]

The same as the cMBP.

 

[Asuriyan]

Please find me one - already 900 off retail? I feel like they sell for 1800ish - maybe wrong.

I did miss the 16GB upgrade. But as new base models sell for less than 1800 refurbished I would certainly think 1500 to be a fair price for a used base model.

 

[Flapjacks]

Modified question:

If the Retina 13 was 1400 and the 15 was 1500, would most of you spring the extra 100 to sacrifice the portability?

 

[alphaod]

Already a good deal to me…

As for your modified question, for $1500 the extra performance would be very appealing, if my goal was portability and the 13" satisfied my needs, the extra $100 spend is a waste of my money.

 

[urkel]

IMO, the reason that the rMBP "feels" so expensive is because of the pricing of the upgrade options. $2200 for 256GB SSD / 8GB is already tough enough to justify but then you start trying to future-proof your machine and the pricing gets ridiculous.

Storage:
256GB - Base
500GB - $300
768GB - $700

Memory:
8GB - Base
16GB - $200

I know it upsets people to compare Apple's proprietary soldered chips with standard retail parts but if Apple were a bit more fair with their pricing then the rMBP wouldnt feel so overpriced.

 

[mslide]

The same price as the base non-retina. These retina laptops are not worth paying extra for considering that all laptops will look like that in a couple/few years.

 

[alphaod]

These retina laptops are not worth paying extra for considering that all laptops will look like that in a couple/few years.

Yeah, like you said in a couple years.

In a couple years, Apple will have a made another change and you'll be behind again

 

[Flapjacks]

Yeah, like you said in a couple years.

In a couple years, Apple will have a made another change and you'll be behind again

I saw in another thread that you also picked up a 13" retina pro. Did it replace your 15"? If not, did you find the 15" too big/heavy and needed a more portable machine?

 

[nickm55]

The same price as the base non-retina. These retina laptops are not worth paying extra for considering that all laptops will look like that in a couple/few years.

I think the cMBP will be phased out with Haswell, and the Air will have a reduction in price and take the place of the cMBP. Leaving the rMBP at their current price point, with maybe a small decrease.

 

[Ledgem]

Yeah, like you said in a couple years.

In a couple years, Apple will have a made another change and you'll be behind again

And a few hundred, if not a few thousand, dollars ahead. If you have a pressing need for the technology, go for it. If you have the extra money and want to indulge yourself, go for it. Personally, I'm content to buy the base-model Macbook Pros and do the upgrades as I come across great deals on the upgradeable components. Now on my third Apple laptop, I've probably saved over a thousand dollars with this method. I like the feel of having the "latest and greatest," but I like the feeling of getting a good deal even more

 

[eezacque]

Decent build quality and good customer service, that's all I want added...

 

[robvas]

The same as the cMBP.

I really don't want a 15" laptop but for that price I would strongly consider it instead of an iMac.

 

[csjo00]

The only aspect of it that is appealing is the higher resolution.

I'd much rather have the 13", but with a dedicated graphics card and quad-core.

 

[JeffiJers]

Decent build quality and good customer service, that's all I want added...

build quality and extend the factory warranty on the screen for the many issues that have arise.

CS is good but they play dumb like they have never heard of IR etc

 

[Freyqq]

$1799 would be nice

 

[TechZeke]

IMO, the reason that the rMBP "feels" so expensive is because of the pricing of the upgrade options. $2200 for 256GB SSD / 8GB is already tough enough to justify but then you start trying to future-proof your machine and the pricing gets ridiculous.

Storage:
256GB - Base
500GB - $300
768GB - $700

Memory:
8GB - Base
16GB - $200

I know it upsets people to compare Apple's proprietary soldered chips with standard retail parts but if Apple were a bit more fair with their pricing then the rMBP wouldnt feel so overpriced.

Considering the power you get for the form factor, I think the base price is pretty solid. However, BTO is where you already miss the upgrade ability factor of cMBP. A lack of upgrade ability has dual effect, in that I have buy a more expensive machine right off the bat to future proof it and that you are at the complete mercy of apple BTO ripoff prices. When Micron releases the $600 960GB SSD, the BTO options are going to be highway robbery. The 16Gb RAM upgrade is already highway robbery. That upgrade should be $60 at the most.

Hopefully by the time I retire my cMBP, not only will the base price be equal to the cMBP now, but also the BTO options.