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Hypothetical 13" rMBP Purchase Scenario

Would you purchase the 13" rMBP outlined in this thread?

  • Yes, the $1,799 model with Core i5 and 256 GB flash storage.

    Votes: 9 12.0%

  • Yes, the $2,199 model with Core i7 and 512 GB flash storage.

    Votes: 8 10.7%

  • No.

    Votes: 58 77.3%
  • Total voters
    75
N

Nielsenius

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 16, 2011
565
1
Virginia
Since the release of the 15" MacBook Pro with Retina Display, many forum members have expressed discontent with the lack of a 13" MacBook Pro with Retina Display. I'd like to pose a hypothetical scenario for forum members to respond to. Here it is:

It's October 2012 and Apple has just announced their new 13" MacBook Pro with Retina Display. It features the same technology present in the 15" model sans a discrete GPU. The processor options are a dual-core i5 or a dual-core i7. This new MacBook Pro features a 13.3" 2560x1600 IPS display. The starting price is $1,799 for a Core i5 and 256 GB of flash storage and the upgraded version is $2,199 for a Core i7 and 512 GB of flash storage. Both models start with 8 GB of memory with the option of 16 GB for an additional $200.

Now, here's the question (mostly for the 13" users):

Would you purchase this 13" MacBook Pro with Retina Display. Answer in the poll or add your own comments below.
 
No. I don't currently own a rMBP but I'll be purchasing the 15" version when the time is right. I like the extra screen real estate.
 
The beauty of the current MBP 13" is its relatively low cost to power ratio. My dad is in the market for a new Mac (his latest model is a G5 1.6GHz iMac) and he's been toying with the idea of a MBA or a MBP. He's settled on the 13" baseline MBP and I will replace the RAM for him. The issue with a 13" model priced at over $1,500 is that people probably couldn't justify the purchase. For that money, you'd likely not get discrete graphics and you'd be nearing the MBP 15" prices. The nice thing about the current rMBP is that it isn't miles above the cost of a normal 15" MBP, even if it's suffering in a few areas in terms of expandability and ports. My dad is struggling as it is in deciding whether or not to spend $1,199 on a baseline MBP. Perhaps others in his position feel the same way. I don't see Apple keeping legacy models around forever, and we'll eventually be faced with either rMBAs or rMBPs (those are just my thoughts). To do away with a 13" MBP around the $1,200 mark would be a shame.
 
I happen to find my 13" MBA an excellent laptop. While it does not have a retina display, that doesnt impact how much I enjoy it.

There's a lot of buzz around retina displays these days due to them being the latest "thing" that Apple is hyping. They're also very nice, but I don't see them as a deal breaker.

It's all a matter of personal preference.
 
I can possible see the 13" retina pro actually getting a dedicated graphics card albeit a higher base price. I believe the 13" air will replace the low end MacBook price point since apple just lowered the base model to $1199 and the retina 13" pro will start around $1500-1600.

Previously, the 13" pro was really the MacBook that most people would buy, but it's not hard to see that market being replaced with the MacBook air and a retina 13" MacBook pro being more of a higher end MacBook.
 
Don't think they will release a product like this soon. It needs huge amount of power that its still not suitable for the small 13" chassis.
 
Same, I like big screen.
If they can, I would like the 17in model back.
13in would be way to small for me.
I cant use my 12in PBG4 anymore lol
 
Yes yes yes I would buy it. This is actually what I'm waiting for. I don't need the 15, 13 is a great size for me. I'm hoping in october it will come out. My guess is that it will be in the $1499-1799 price range
 
anyone who thinks we WON'T see a 13" rMbp in the (nearish) future hasn't followed apple very long.

i remember arguments (way back in 2008) when the first 13" aluminum macbook hit, and firewire was missing. people said it would never return to the 13", there was "no room on the logic board"...etc).

when USB came out people wailed, where's the scsi ports? ad infinitum...

apple moves forward. if they keep making a 13" macbook pro, there will be a retina version. apple is (if nothing else) good at moving us kicking and screaming into the future... :D
 
I don't see how even Apple could get away charging that much!

Retina 13" as you describe would have to start at $1500 I'd say, but 128gb ssd would be fine.
 
I don't think the configuration (i7 with 512 SSD) would be feasible for $2199. I think Apple would charge more because SSD are still expensive, though they have dropped in price. In fact, I don't even know that Apple would include the 512GB option in a 13'' model. They might choose to make the user make a choice between a 256GB 13'' Retina or a 512GB 15'' Retina.

As ideal as that configuration sounds, I just don't see Apple making that move. They often make these smart business decisions but sad for consumers :'(
Something pretty minor to be sad about though lol
 
The 15" rMBP is already light enough for me. I'll take the bigger screen.
 
fisherking said:
anyone who thinks we WON'T see a 13" rMbp in the (nearish) future hasn't followed apple very long.

i remember arguments (way back in 2008) when the first 13" aluminum macbook hit, and firewire was missing. people said it would never return to the 13", there was "no room on the logic board"...etc).

when USB came out people wailed, where's the scsi ports? ad infinitum...

apple moves forward. if they keep making a 13" macbook pro, there will be a retina version. apple is (if nothing else) good at moving us kicking and screaming into the future... :D
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say someone who disagrees with your viewpoint "hasn't followed apple very long", but I do think that, eventually, there will be a 13'' RMBP.

I do think people are being too optimistic about when this model will be released. I think people underestimate the complexity of putting that powerful of a screen in a significantly smaller chassis, while also having to support a relatively high powered processor (at least what I speculate they would use) and still keep great battery life. Hopefully we do see this model sooner rather than later, but I don't think we can know for sure until Apple makes it official. I'm also interested in how Apple will merge or not merge the Air/Pro line, because I don't think there's enough differentiation between a 13'' Air and a (theoretical) 13'' Pro to justify 2 different models. The future will be interesting!
 
Trey M said:
I wouldn't say someone who disagrees with your viewpoint "hasn't followed apple very long", but I do think that, eventually, there will be a 13'' RMBP.

I do think people are being too optimistic about when this model will be released. I think people underestimate the complexity of putting that powerful of a screen in a significantly smaller chassis, while also having to support a relatively high powered processor (at least what I speculate they would use) and still keep great battery life. Hopefully we do see this model sooner rather than later, but I don't think we can know for sure until Apple makes it official. I'm also interested in how Apple will merge or not merge the Air/Pro line, because I don't think there's enough differentiation between a 13'' Air and a (theoretical) 13'' Pro to justify 2 different models. The future will be interesting!
Click to expand...

not sure that was my point, but i hear you. i am just saying, people who insist something will 'never' happen based on the current 'state-of-the-art' might consider that the 'state-of-the-art', at least in technology, changes constantly, and rapidly.

you're right, the future WILL be interesting! (it always is...)
 
fisherking said:
not sure that was my point, but i hear you. i am just saying, people who insist something will 'never' happen based on the current 'state-of-the-art' might consider that the 'state-of-the-art', at least in technology, changes constantly, and rapidly.

you're right, the future WILL be interesting! (it always is...)
Click to expand...

I see the point you were trying to make now. Kind of went off in a totally different rant in my last post oops. lol.

I agree with you that it always seems like a few naysayers always prevent technology from really moving forward to the inevitable future it holds as quickly as possible. Technology evolves so damn fast, and people who refuse to adapt seem to really hold back all of the benefits that are possible.
 
Trey M said:
...I do think people are being too optimistic about when this model will be released. I think people underestimate the complexity of putting that powerful of a screen in a significantly smaller chassis, while also having to support a relatively high powered processor (at least what I speculate they would use) and still keep great battery life...
Click to expand...

The 13" almost certainly won't have a dGPU nor quad-core, which should make the thermals manageable. Clockspeed will also be lower, and it will use lv ram, as with the 15" retina.

The 'problem' as mentioned however is there won't be much difference between the 13" Air and Retina Pro. The Retina will have a nicer screen, and a bigger battery to handle it, but otherwise they'll be more or less identical, and the Air will likely perform better given basically the same hardware (and identical GPU) pushing far fewer pixels around. Apple will have to keep the Pros price down otherwise it'd be impossible to justify vs. the Air.
 
stewacide said:
The 13" almost certainly won't have a dGPU nor quad-core, which should make the thermals manageable. Clockspeed will also be lower, and it will use lv ram, as with the 15" retina.

The 'problem' as mentioned however is there won't be much difference between the 13" Air and Retina Pro. The Retina will have a nicer screen, and a bigger battery to handle it, but otherwise they'll be more or less identical, and the Air will likely perform better given basically the same hardware (and identical GPU) pushing far fewer pixels around. Apple will have to keep the Pros price down otherwise it'd be impossible to justify vs. the Air.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Yeah it'll be weird to see how Apple combines the Pro/Air offerings. They could just never offer a retina 13'', or they could kill of the 13'' air. Or they could redesign the Air and make something about it different.

If I were Apple I think I'd just never make a 13'' Retina and keep 11'' and 13'' Airs and keep the 15'' Retina Pro (it'll eventually just be called the Pro) and potentially a 17'' Pro. That seems like the decision that'd make the most sense. Only thing they'd have to do then is upgrade the screens on the Airs.
 
No, it's way too expensive.

The current MBP 13" is $1200. For another $600, I'd be getting an SSD and a discrete graphics card, and losing a hard drive. The card costs $100, and a 512gb SSD is ~400. Give me back the cost of the hard drive for $100, and it's net $400 more. I'd maybe buy it for $1600, not at all for $1800.

But that's still way overpriced for a 13" laptop. I can get a 13" with an SSD and a discrete card for $1000, so even with my lower price, it's still ~500 too expensive, comparably. Minus the costs of the screen.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, 400gb's of SSD and a high-res screen isn't worth $800, not by a long shot.
 
thejadedmonkey said:
No, it's way too expensive.

The current MBP 13" is $1200. For another $600, I'd be getting an SSD and a discrete graphics card, and losing a hard drive. The card costs $100, and a 512gb SSD is ~400. Give me back the cost of the hard drive for $100, and it's net $400 more. I'd maybe buy it for $1600, not at all for $1800.

But that's still way overpriced for a 13" laptop. I can get a 13" with an SSD and a discrete card for $1000, so even with my lower price, it's still ~500 too expensive, comparably. Minus the costs of the screen.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, 400gb's of SSD and a high-res screen isn't worth $800, not by a long shot.
Click to expand...

Where can you get a 13" with an SSD and a discrete card for $1000? I've been looking into purchasing a new computer, and you're hard-pressed to find a computer with those specs at $300-$400 more.

And I actually think that the OP's pricing is pretty accurate. There's really no changes in the type of tech you'd need for a 13" MBPR vs the 15" other than obviously a slightly smaller screen/chassy, and perhaps a slightly slower CPU (which isn't one of the more expensive parts of the computer: at least when you're comparing two Intel CPUs).

It also follows about the price difference between the normal 13" and 15" MBPR - with the upgraded 13" hitting the same price as the base 15".

I frankly don't see a smaller model happening at under these prices - especially with the exorbitant margins Apple likes to make.

EDIT: And if you're talking about SSD and discrete card upgrades, go by Apple's upgrade prices. You can't honestly expect Apple to add any kind of component without taking a profit margin on it. Everyone knows you can get a 13" MBP, soup it up yourself, and save hundreds of dollars over Apple's prices. That's nothing new.
 
Using Apple's Canadian online store as reference:

15" MBP base to 15" MBPR base, for a premium of $400:
+display
+double base RAM
+double dGPU's RAM
+SSD
+HDMI
+extra TB port
+less weight and slightly smaller
+better cooling
-half the base storage capacity
-internal ODD
-GbE
-FW800
-audio in

13" MBP base to 13" MBPR base:
+many of the 15" MBPR base's pros/cons, but...
unknown: RAM, dGPU, ports, price premium

13" MBA base to 13" MBPR base:
+display
+CPU
-more weight
Unknown: RAM, dGPU, SSD, ports, price premium

There is a case to be made for the 15" base MBPR, but for the proposed 13" base MBPR... not so much.
 
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