If one were available I'd have bought a mac mini instead of a rMBP. I'm sure that many people would do the same if that option were available from someone (are you listening Samsung). That would seriously impact the sales of a $3000 rMBP.
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I want a 15" stand alone retina display.
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Why would it "seriously impact the rMBP"? Most if us want full portability. A high DPi but tiny display for a desktop is worthless to most people. The advantage of desktops is that you can use giant screens because it isn't portable. The advantage if laptops is that they are portable but you have to compromise such as screen size. You are an outlier that (for whatever reason) want a tiny display for your desktop. You would be a complete niche market of which there is little need/want. Most small displays for desktops are in the industrial and/or retail markets for POS and other touch entry displays. Guess what? Those markets do not care about high DPI displays instead focus on cost since they might need 100s and even a cost increase of $100 means $10,000s in extra cost of the install for little gain.
Because from anecdotal evidence it appears that quite a few people seem to use their laptops as permanent desktops. Another reason is that there are probably many people like myself who have bought the rMBP simply because they needed (or wanted) a retina screen.
Then once you have that retina screen, you then have a tiny desktop package that is upgradeable with a big SDD and an even bigger HDD.
You may not realise it but viewing a 15" retina display at 10", which I do because it's a completely immersive experience when doing painting or image retouching, is equivalent to sitting 20" away on a 30" monitor. I used to have a 27" iMac and I'd have to sit 18" away from that to work.
If you absolutely need the portability then sure, get a laptop. But the Mac mini is a very capable machine that I'd swap for my rMBP if I could get a 15" retina display for it. Maybe even make it a thunderbolt dock as well. That would be awesome.
Then there's always the option of a 17" retina display.
First off, based on the fact that no one else has chimed in to agree with you yet lends credibility to my statement that it would be a very niche market. Which means IT WOULD NOT AFFECT the rMBP sales as you stated. Again most want big screens and not little and even those using rMBPs are desktops enjoy "undocking" and taking their computer with them from time to time.
Secondly the Mac mini can not drive a monitor with the resolution of the rMBP. Close, as it can do 2570x1440, but it can't do 2880x1800.
Third, many were disappointed in how the hd4000 handled the 13" 2013 rMBP with its 2560x1600 display so I can only image how bad it would be pumped to 2880x1800.
So while you THINK the Mini is a very capable machine (and for the most part it is) there are limitations to the HD4000.
The average consumer simply wouldn't accept a 15" display on their desktop anymore. The OP might sit 10" away from their desktop but that doesn't mean that many others do. Incidentally it seems bad for your eyes? I don't even use my phone 10" from my face!
I can see Apple perhaps releasing a 21" to compliment the iMac 21", though it might cannibalise the sales a little and really - a high end display for the 'lower end' Mac mini doesn't really fit.
I can see Apple perhaps releasing a 21" to compliment the iMac 21", though it might cannibalise the sales a little and really - a high end display for the 'lower end' Mac mini doesn't really fit.
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My rMBP rarely switches over to it's integrated graphics card and mainly only uses the HD4000, and even when it does switch over, like when using photoshop, I have run the photoshop speed test on it with the gpu switched off and it's only a second slower. Ergo the mini would easily drive a retina display and I daresay the next iteration running an HD5000.
Your assertion that people don't want a 15" display even if it's retina doesn't sit well with all the people who actually state that they use their laptop mainly as a desktop. You see it all the time on battery related threads where people fret about leaving it plugged in all the time.
I got the 27" iMac because I drooled over the big monitor, I worried at first about using the 15", which I only got because of the retina display. Using it like this has completely won me over. It's a real delight to use and be fully immersed in the job at hand.
It was only a suggestion to think about anyway, hopefully no harm has been done to our younger readers. <smiley face>
You do realize that just because of some speed tests you ran you can't magically make your mini run a resolution it isn't capable of doing right? Its not a speed thing its a capacity thing and the mini is not capable of running that resolution for a display. Bottom line, its not someone making up facts, just that the max resolution for the mini can only support certain sizes.
And I get your point about wanting a screen like that but anyone that buys a laptop and just uses it as a desktop probably wouldn't care about getting a 15 inch screen on top of paying for the computer. It's just not cost effective especially when its a niche market. If you want a screen that size you can find one Im sure but it will never have an apple logo on it unless you put one of those cheesy stickers on it
And I get your point about wanting a screen like that but anyone that buys a laptop and just uses it as a desktop probably wouldn't care about getting a 15 inch screen on top of paying for the computer. It's just not cost effective especially when its a niche market. If you want a screen that size you can find one Im sure but it will never have an apple logo on it unless you put one of those cheesy stickers on it
I think this would be a job for Parallel Access + Galaxy Note (Tab) PRO 12.2, if Parallels and the Mac were able to drive that resolution on the tablet even if the computer were not attached to a "retina" monitor.
So:
1. Ask Apple for a retina-capable inexpensive computer without integrated monitor.
2. Ask Samsung for a 15" tablet
3. Ask Parallels to support remoting at higher resolutions than the attached monitor (I don't know if it's already possible)
So:
1. Ask Apple for a retina-capable inexpensive computer without integrated monitor.
2. Ask Samsung for a 15" tablet
3. Ask Parallels to support remoting at higher resolutions than the attached monitor (I don't know if it's already possible)
They'll probably have them eventually. I like smaller screens myself too, I'm using a 16" at the moment actually and will only go up to 21". The issue for me is that with the bigger screens, I have to get up and move around awkwardly or resize the application to the corner.
I think having the rMBP is still useful for the portability and extra specs though. The lowend Mini is pretty much a base MBP, yes? Just keep it in clamshell mode.
I think having the rMBP is still useful for the portability and extra specs though. The lowend Mini is pretty much a base MBP, yes? Just keep it in clamshell mode.