Is the non retina MBP doing to be killed?

[comda]

Long story short im not sure how i feel about the issue. One side of me feels very satisfied with apple, while the other side is slightly confused and unhappy. But lets proceed and you will tell me what you think.

I purchased a 9,2 Macbook Pro used from a seller that agreed to meet me at the apple store to have the device tested to make sure im not purchasing a dud. The machine was a fully loaded used 9,2 with the dual i7, 8gb Ram and a 1TB mechanical drive. My budget was short and since i was still using an old Macbook this seemed like a plan. THe machines underside was quite worn and aside from a screw missing from the bottom it was fine. Apple tested it and it passed, i bought the machine and got everything including the box and we went on our way.

I took it home used it for a bit, pulled out the 1TB drive and inserted my SSD and installed El cap. EVerything went great! The next morning the screen began to screw up so i replaced the ram. Still no go. Went back to apple to see if they could help. After one board replacement, new ram, another board 10 fresh installs of the OS. They offered me a brand new 9,2. I was happy and said lets do it.

To my surprise i was called a week later and was given a Retina and asked to pay the difference. I asked the fellow why and that i did not order the retina i wanted the same machine. The manager came out said they had ordered a 9,2 and apple instead gave me a 12,1 retina i5, 8gb RAM and a 1tb SSD.

Here is where im lost. IM happy that apple helped me out but annoyed at the things ive lost on the retina. Ive lost the internal DVD drive, a kensington lock, a built in ethernet a power indicator a battery indicator the ability to install windows 7 and my biggest annoyance, the ability to upgrade the RAM and or replace the HDD since its all soldered on-board. dont get me wrong, but i love the speed of the machine, its amazing battery life and how quiet it is. I know the iris pro is better then an HD 4000 but being locked into a machine that is made for planned obsolescence bothers me a bit. So my question is, Is apple finally cutting off the 9,2 non retina Macbook pros and thats why i didnt recieve an exact replacement, but in their eyes and improvement?

 

[east85]

They cut off sales on their main site a while ago for the cMBP. Maybe you could request a refurbished model instead if you're set on it? Possibly talk to them again and point this out. They're currently selling the model you mentioned on the Apple Refurbished store, one with 750GB HDD and another with 128GB SSD.

http://www.apple.com/shop/product/F...133-inch-macBook-Pro-29ghz-Dual-core-Intel-i7
http://www.apple.com/shop/product/G...133-inch-macBook-Pro-29ghz-Dual-core-Intel-i7

How much of a difference did you end up paying up front if you don't mind me asking?

 

[killawat]

Was the machine you bought in Warranty? That's insane that they asked you to pay the difference if so.

 

[treekram]

They cut off sales on their main site a while ago for the cMBP. Maybe you could request a refurbished model instead if you're set on it? Possibly talk to them again and point this out. They're currently selling the model you mentioned on the Apple Refurbished store, one with 750GB HDD and another with 128GB SSD.

http://www.apple.com/shop/product/F...133-inch-macBook-Pro-29ghz-Dual-core-Intel-i7
http://www.apple.com/shop/product/G...133-inch-macBook-Pro-29ghz-Dual-core-Intel-i7

How much of a difference did you end up paying up front if you don't mind me asking?

I just went to the Apple site and it allowed me to add the base (removed it), and then the i7 13" non-Retina MBP - those are the 9,2 models. So they're still being sold. The site said the base model could be delivered tomorrow, the i7 would be next week. The 15" models - I don't know when they stopped selling them - those are the 9,1 models. I just bought a refurb base model a few weeks ago.

My feeling is that they could very well stop selling the non-Retina models "soon". But I've read reports saying that they still remain popular and who knows - maybe some big buyers (government, corporations) have requirements for upgradable RAM/disk in their laptops and Apple wants to keep that business - this is all pure speculation on my part. So I don't think supply is an issue. As mentioned, the i7's are also currently available as a refurb.

 

[BenTrovato]

My feeling is that they could very well stop selling the non-Retina models "soon". But I've read reports saying that they still remain popular and who knows - maybe some big buyers (government, corporations) have requirements for upgradable RAM/disk in their laptops and Apple wants to keep that business - this is all pure speculation on my part. So I don't think supply is an issue. As mentioned, the i7's are also currently available as a refurb.

I think it's smart to keep the non-retina model since I'm guessing it's cheaper to produce and probably still sells well enough for people who want a MBP but need to save a few $$.

 

[TechZeke]

I just went to the Apple site and it allowed me to add the base (removed it), and then the i7 13" non-Retina MBP - those are the 9,2 models. So they're still being sold. The site said the base model could be delivered tomorrow, the i7 would be next week. The 15" models - I don't know when they stopped selling them - those are the 9,1 models. I just bought a refurb base model a few weeks ago.

My feeling is that they could very well stop selling the non-Retina models "soon". But I've read reports saying that they still remain popular and who knows - maybe some big buyers (government, corporations) have requirements for upgradable RAM/disk in their laptops and Apple wants to keep that business - this is all pure speculation on my part. So I don't think supply is an issue. As mentioned, the i7's are also currently available as a refurb.

I think it's smart to keep the non-retina model since I'm guessing it's cheaper to produce and probably still sells well enough for people who want a MBP but need to save a few $$.

Apple really needs to decide what they want to do. Kill it or update it. An $1100 machine with a 1280x800 screen running on Ivy Bridge is just robbery. If the 13" cMBP is still selling so well, you'd think the money to give it updated processors, an IPS screen, and force touch would have been worth it. Anyhow...

 

[T5BRICK]

Apple really needs to decide what they want to do. Kill it or update it. An $1100 machine with a 1280x800 screen running on Ivy Bridge is just robbery. If the 13" cMBP is still selling so well, you'd think the money to give it updated processors, an IPS screen, and force touch would have been worth it. Anyhow...

If it's still selling well as is, why would Apple spend money on updating it?

 

[2984839]

It's ridiculous to offer to replace a machine with an identical model, then give the customer a more expensive one without asking and make him pay extra, especially when there are functional differences between the models like number and type of ports.

 

[BenTrovato]

It's ridiculous to offer to replace a machine with an identical model, then give the customer a more expensive one without asking and make him pay extra, especially when there are functional differences between the models like number and type of ports.

Sounds like a bad manager at the store. They can offer you a better model if you want to pay the difference but can't force you to pay more if all you want is a replacement. If they don't have one, it's at the manufacturers cost.

 

[comda]

They cut off sales on their main site a while ago for the cMBP. Maybe you could request a refurbished model instead if you're set on it? Possibly talk to them again and point this out. They're currently selling the model you mentioned on the Apple Refurbished store, one with 750GB HDD and another with 128GB SSD.


http://www.apple.com/shop/product/F...133-inch-macBook-Pro-29ghz-Dual-core-Intel-i7
http://www.apple.com/shop/product/G...133-inch-macBook-Pro-29ghz-Dual-core-Intel-i7

How much of a difference did you end up paying up front if you don't mind me asking?

Sorry let me clarify as it looks i worded this incorrectly. They told me i had to pay $500 difference. I asked the fellow why because i was MORE then happy with an i7 non retina. He said "oh hold on a second" then the manager came out and said "i ordered the 9,2 non retina the same as you had before, and i guess apple sent this one" so they ended up not charging me the difference. Thats why i had asked what do you guys think of this because speed wise it has many advantages over the 9,2 but i hate being locked in. I spend the money on the apple care and got the student discount for it though.

Apple really needs to decide what they want to do. Kill it or update it. An $1100 machine with a 1280x800 screen running on Ivy Bridge is just robbery. If the 13" cMBP is still selling so well, you'd think the money to give it updated processors, an IPS screen, and force touch would have been worth it. Anyhow...

Fully aggree with you. Thats why i took the retina home when they gave it to me, figuring i had gotten a deal but im trapped in the terms of upgrades. ive had the computer 24 days now. so im guessing its too late to talk to them. But i didnt pay a difference. i only payed the apple care for this machine with a student discount.

 

[hallux]

Honestly, there's not TOO much farther you would have gone on the HDD, 1 TB is quite the cavern to store stuff in, and a 1 TB SSD as in the current generation of MBP is not a cheap upgrade. Were you strapped for space on the one they replaced? As for memory, just watch the swap and compression sections on the memory tab on Activity Monitor, also look at the graph. If you see a lot of activity on those numbers and the graph is red, you would have been better off with more RAM but I have a feeling you'll be fine with 8 GB.

Did you use the DVD drive much? Do you see much use for it in the future? The only reason I bought a MBP with a DVD drive was to save money to get the eventual upgrades I wanted (16 GB of RAM and SSD as they were MUCH cheaper to add myself later on), otherwise I might have gotten the spec I wanted when I bought it and gotten a (then new to the market) rMBP.

 

[treekram]

Looking at the pricing, the MBP you gave Apple (used) cost $1399. The MBP you got back (new, or maybe refurbished?) cost $2299. So from a pricing standpoint, you made out nicely. But yes, if you need more than 8GB, then your usage will be compromised, although since the 2015 MBP has a very fast SSD (for memory swapping), you're going to notice it less than if you were using any other previous MBP.

 

[Rhinoevans]

I have the 13' 9,2 and have upgraded the RAM and the SSD(twice). I hate to see it go, but maybe it is time. Not really a fan of the retina, and the Non upgradable platform. Mainly because MBP are expensive enough and to really get what I want cost to much money upfront. It is so less expensive to upgrade RAM and SSD on the 9,2 from Amazon. I know people complain about the 5 year old tech, but the i5 is just fine for what I do. Not sure I would notice the difference on a new 13 Retina. The HDMI port is nice, but I have the dongle and to be honest, I hardly ever use that.

 

[comda]

Honestly, there's not TOO much farther you would have gone on the HDD, 1 TB is quite the cavern to store stuff in, and a 1 TB SSD as in the current generation of MBP is not a cheap upgrade. Were you strapped for space on the one they replaced? As for memory, just watch the swap and compression sections on the memory tab on Activity Monitor, also look at the graph. If you see a lot of activity on those numbers and the graph is red, you would have been better off with more RAM but I have a feeling you'll be fine with 8 GB.

Did you use the DVD drive much? Do you see much use for it in the future? The only reason I bought a MBP with a DVD drive was to save money to get the eventual upgrades I wanted (16 GB of RAM and SSD as they were MUCH cheaper to add myself later on), otherwise I might have gotten the spec I wanted when I bought it and gotten a (then new to the market) rMBP.

I do use a DVD Drive as i have plenty of software like Photoshop, i use bootcamp and other assortments that require a DVD drive. I have already purchased a cheap Memorex DVD drive $22 taxes included and its runs great. As for memory i have bootcamp on here as i have some classes that require windows Software and i have VMware that boots off my bootcamp partition running windows 10 with only 3GB of Ram. Hence also why i wanted the 9,2 because the 12,1 cannot run windows 7 at all. Its not that i really need more then 8gb at the moment, but i HATE the fact of not being able to upgrade the machine down the road.
[doublepost=1452193618][/doublepost]

Looking at the pricing, the MBP you gave Apple (used) cost $1399. The MBP you got back (new, or maybe refurbished?) cost $2299. So from a pricing standpoint, you made out nicely. But yes, if you need more than 8GB, then your usage will be compromised, although since the 2015 MBP has a very fast SSD (for memory swapping), you're going to notice it less than if you were using any other previous MBP.

Actually the 9,2 was a bit more as mine was the i7, 1tb, 8gb it was $1799 (here in CAD) but remember i bought the machine used so i paid much much less. From a Customer Service perspective and being a Student i am VERY satisfied with apple. i Did do a lot of diagnosing to help them narrow down the issue but after new ram new hdd new board they where clueless. I did have my 240GB kingston ssd preped for the machine though.
[doublepost=1452193814][/doublepost]

I have the 13' 9,2 and have upgraded the RAM and the SSD(twice). I hate to see it go, but maybe it is time. Not really a fan of the retina, and the Non upgradable platform. Mainly because MBP are expensive enough and to really get what I want cost to much money upfront. It is so less expensive to upgrade RAM and SSD on the 9,2 from Amazon. I know people complain about the 5 year old tech, but the i5 is just fine for what I do. Not sure I would notice the difference on a new 13 Retina. The HDMI port is nice, but I have the dongle and to be honest, I hardly ever use that.

I am not a fan of the non upgradable platform either. Thats my main issue with this machine. dont get me wrong its speedy quick but no upgrades, no DVD, no windows 7, no power/battery indicators is in my opinion less value then its priced at. I got the Apple care so if something does go wrong they cover me but for the price i got it for im happy but at the same time down the road im stuck with the parts it has. I doubt apple will say let me swap it for a 16Gb board even if i pay the difference down the road.

 

[treekram]

Actually the 9,2 was a bit more as mine was the i7, 1tb, 8gb it was $1799 (here in CAD) but remember i bought the machine used so i paid much much less.

In the US, the pricing is $1099 base, $150 for the i7 upgrade, $100 to go to 8GB, $50 to go to 1TB HDD = $1399.

 

[comda]

In the US, the pricing is $1099 base, $150 for the i7 upgrade, $100 to go to 8GB, $50 to go to 1TB HDD = $1399.

Wow thats a hell of a lot cheaper then here in Canada

 

[Skika]

Its already dead.

 

[OldMike]

I bought my son a base Mac Mini w/ 4GB RAM not long ago, and I am astonished at how well it performs (I have him running off of an SSD so that might help as well), and how much El Capitan can do with 4GB. I purposely tried to open a bunch of different apps and browser tabs, and was really impressed that not only was it able to handle it - but it handled it easily.

Whenever I bought a new machine, I would always stuff 16GB in it - but now that these machines are coming non upgradeable, I'm having to deal with reality and Apple's pricing on memory. I think 8GB RAM is a real comfortable amount of memory for everything other than extreme use.

Personally, I would be very happy with the new Macbook Pro they gave you. I think it's a fantastic upgrade over the old machine. I'm not hung up on 'retina' laptop displays - but I do appreciate that with scaling you can at least achieve better than 1280x800 - which gives not much in the way of screen real estate for a 13" screen. It is the resolution of the old Macbook Pro 13 and lack of usable space which eventually drove me away (I used to own one)...

 

[comda]

I bought my son a base Mac Mini w/ 4GB RAM not long ago, and I am astonished at how well it performs (I have him running off of an SSD so that might help as well), and how much El Capitan can do with 4GB. I purposely tried to open a bunch of different apps and browser tabs, and was really impressed that not only was it able to handle it - but it handled it easily.


Whenever I bought a new machine, I would always stuff 16GB in it - but now that these machines are coming non upgradeable, I'm having to deal with reality and Apple's pricing on memory. I think 8GB RAM is a real comfortable amount of memory for everything other than extreme use.

Personally, I would be very happy with the new Macbook Pro they gave you. I think it's a fantastic upgrade over the old machine. I'm not hung up on 'retina' laptop displays - but I do appreciate that with scaling you can at least achieve better than 1280x800 - which gives not much in the way of screen real estate for a 13" screen. It is the resolution of the old Macbook Pro 13 and lack of usable space which eventually drove me away (I used to own one)...

Thats where im hurting haha. I am MORE then appreciative of apple helping a fellow student who was struggling with a dying Macbook pro he was screwed out of so to say. Just a shame apple is taking this direction of planned obsolescence. My biggest issues are obviously the RAM being stuck( i dont need more now, but down the road maybe) not being able to install windows 7 as im not a fan of 8. 10 is a little better i guess, no lights for power/sleep and battery indicators. I can live with no DVD as i bought an external on boxing day for a mere $20 and all in all im happy the computer is speedy quick and does what i need. Which is quite simply: Office, web browsing, minor gaming while on break between classes (although to my surprise that Iris Pro can handle quite a punch)

The most things im happy with is how quiet it is. My Macbook 3,1 even after a thermal repaste was always running at 1800RPM and then on the web it would jump to 4000 getting loud. This thing is dead silent, while keeping cool (im monitoring LOL) And this machines speed. All in all i know i cannot complain dispite being slightly unhappy haha. But according to my parents nationality we apparently complain a lot

Its my school laptop and in OSX i trust.

 

[cerberusss]

Wow dude, you made out like a bandit... Traded in 5 year old tech for the latest and greatest!

 

[Fancuku]

Wow dude, you made out like a bandit... Traded in 5 year old tech for the latest and greatest!

I agree with you. To me it would be insane to choose the cMBP.

 

[comda]

Wow dude, you made out like a bandit... Traded in 5 year old tech for the latest and greatest!

It wasnt planned. my macbook 3,1 just couldnt keep up anymore. I saw the ad for a 9,2 and thought i can put my SSD in it from the 3,1 and use it. Perfect. What happened afterwards was just nice of apple. Price wise you can say i made out well, but the retina has no upgrade features, no kensington lock (im a uni student) no dvd drive, no power/battery LED's and not able to run win 7. I didnt plan this. I loved the 9,2 and maybe i am crazy because i wanted it. haha

 

[magicschoolbus]

I would have not paid the difference. It's not your fault they made the error.

 

[comda]

I would have not paid the difference. It's not your fault they made the error.

im not trying to be rude but please read all the posts. I did not pay the difference the manager came out and stated that this is the machine that came for me, even that the 9,2 was ordered. i only paid for the apple care.

 

[cerberusss]

but the retina has no upgrade features, no kensington lock (im a uni student) no dvd drive, no ...

Yep, that's where Apple seems to be going. I've got a 2013 MacBook Air with 128 GB SSD which is practically impossible to update.

As for the Kensington, there are a couple of alternatives;
- Hardware: Snake~Chicago
- There's software, too: https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/39997/plugspy

Well, good luck, it's a beast of a machine.