Is a rMB powerful enough?

[MrDLai]

I currently use a late 2009 21" iMac (the most basic, cheapest one) with the ram upgraded to 12gb. I mainly use my computer for web browsing, emailing, sometimes handbrake, and Aperture (or maybe lightroom in the future). Photography is my hobby and I do not make a living off it. Entering its 7th year service, the computer is really showing its aging signs and even basic stuff it is getting a bit slow at times (did a fresh install in April).

What annoys me the most now is that whenever I use Aperture, it is extremely slow especially when I move a slider, it feels it takes forever before the adjustment is shown in the picture. I mostly edit RAW pictures from my Canon 6D (~30mb each).

Is the rMB powerful enough if my biggest concern is the slowness in Aperture? If it doesn't do I need to look for something that has a discreet graphics card?

 

[whg]

Hi,
I have a 27" iMac (i7 3.4GHz 2011 model), a first gen. rMBP 15" (2012), and the rMB 1.2GHz. I can confirm that Lightroom works well on the 12" rMB for casual work. I have a Panasonic GH4 camera that produces 16MB RAW files. For more than about 30 images I would not use the rMB if I had access to the iMac. On the other hand, while traveling, I can do everything needed on the rMB (e.g. MATLAB development work, MS Office and Visual Studio 2013 development work in a Parallels virtual Windows 10 environment).

In my opinion, the rMB is the best SECOND computer I could think of. I would not recommend it as your only computer. If mobility is a must for you, I would recommend the 15" rMBP, without mobility needs the iMac 27", if you use Lightroom as one of your important applications.

The rMB replaced my Air 11" (i5 2013) and I found that it has better performance (e.g with MATLAB) and a much better screen. The keyboard is not that bad after some time of using it. The only problem for my is the new USB-C for power. I have mag safe adapters almost everywhere and now I have to carry again a power adapter with me, in addition to the multi media adapter with HDMI, USB 3 and USB-C.

In the past I also had the 2010 Air 13" (my first Apple computer) and for a short time the 2012 rMBP 13" (replace by the Air 11" in 2013). Both were excellent notebooks, but with dual core CPU only. In my opinion, the size and weight difference is not significant enough to go for 13" if I can have a 4 core CPU in the 15" model.

Regards, Werner