Long time Windows user - Why Should I Buy a Retina MacBook Pro?

[Born Again]

hey guys - can u give me the run down why i should make the switch?

very interested - though the mbp r costs about a $1000 more than i would of spent if i went with the notebook pc.

Thanks - i'd like to get a refurbed one btw - 15" retina

 

[thejadedmonkey]

hey guys - can u give me the run down why i should make the switch?

very interested - though the mbp r costs about a $1000 more than i would of spent if i went with the notebook pc.

Thanks - i'd like to get a refurbed one btw - 15" retina

It's thin, light, gets great battery life, and has a pretty screen. Also, it runs OS X.

Having said that, if you're willing to spend $2000+ for a PC, you're going to get an gorgeous machine too, so it's not... as special. But when people see it compared to their $300 Compaq's, it's magical.

 

[tillsbury]

Did it six months ago, CP/M, DOS, Windows for thirty years, now perfectly happy running OSX. Tremendous machine, nothing else can touch it for specifications in the Windows world. First "desktop replacement" laptop I've ever found -- I always had very high-end desktops and ultra-small laptops, but the laptops could never replace the desktop until now. Still run XP in the background to use a couple of older programs I haven't updated (mostly accounting and CorelDraw, would cost a fair bit to upgrade and I just don't need to, and PaintShopPro which doesn't have an equivalent on OSX). Pretty much seamless with VirtualBox. I have Windows 8 running in Bootcamp but I haven't been there for months, will probably delete it soon.

You'll love it!

 

[krravi]

The answer is in your question itself. As a long time Windows user, there is no comparable laptop in Windows and next with virtualization using parellels you have the best of both worlds.

 

[macmastersam]

why does it have to be a retina macbook pro

 

[vpro]

finally

i finally made the switch from PC in 2006..
my friend working for apple at the time was really effective in helping me make the transition - it was the best decision i ever made for my career in music and definitely for my life. the pc was great, but once i go online - yeah...

if you must consider the retina macbook, i'd say wait till mid 2013, if you've put off this long, a few more months wont do you harm, it will be worth the wait !

 

[tillsbury]

why does it have to be a retina macbook pro

Because all other MBP's have good competition in the Windows arena, at good prices. The Retina has none.

 

[xShane]

hey guys - can u give me the run down why i should make the switch?

very interested - though the mbp r costs about a $1000 more than i would of spent if i went with the notebook pc.

Thanks - i'd like to get a refurbed one btw - 15" retina

You shouldn't. You should get one of the normal MBPs. Unless of course you NEED the resolution (i.e. a photo editor, photographer, video editing, etc.). There's currently many things that can (and likely will) go wrong with an rMBP. In fact, almost every problem I see on this forum for MacBook Pros is for a rMBP.

 

[takeshi74]

can u give me the run down why i should make the switch?

You should if it meets your needs/wants. If you haven't tried one then try it. You can read other people's reasons all you want but it's ultimately a call that you need to make for yourself.

How did you decide on the 15" rMBP? What do you intend to do with it? Selecting a machine is a highly subjective process. You'll get better feedback if you provide more info on your specif needs/wants/etc.

I'd suggest just getting one and taking it for a spin. You can't truly assess something that you haven't experienced first hand. If you don't like it you have a window to return.

though the mbp r costs about a $1000 more than i would of spent if i went with the notebook pc.

If you're a spec sheet racer you'll probably have more trouble justifying it. Keep in mind that specs don't tell you everything.

Because all other MBP's have good competition in the Windows arena, at good prices.

Again, subjective. No Windows laptop comes close to my MBP.

 

[krravi]

You shouldn't. You should get one of the normal MBPs. Unless of course you NEED the resolution (i.e. a photo editor, photographer, video editing, etc.). There's currently many things that can (and likely will) go wrong with an rMBP. In fact, almost every problem I see on this forum for MacBook Pros is for a rMBP.

What can go wrong with the retina that others can't? Please stop spreading such things.

 

[xShane]

What can go wrong with the retina that others can't? Please stop spreading such things.

All the parts are soldered in. If anything goes wrong with the hardware, it must be sent in to be fixed/replaced (unless you want to void the warranty and do it yourself).

I've also seen lots of issues going on with the screen. They use more ram and processing power than the normal MBP. Parts can't be upgraded/changed down the road, either.

 

[runebinder]

Depends on what you use your notebook for. I got a rMBP today and loving it so far, very impressed with the screen and the audio.

 

[Born Again]

You should if it meets your needs/wants. If you haven't tried one then try it. You can read other people's reasons all you want but it's ultimately a call that you need to make for yourself.

How did you decide on the 15" rMBP? What do you intend to do with it? Selecting a machine is a highly subjective process. You'll get better feedback if you provide more info on your specif needs/wants/etc.

I'd suggest just getting one and taking it for a spin. You can't truly assess something that you haven't experienced first hand. If you don't like it you have a window to return.


If you're a spec sheet racer you'll probably have more trouble justifying it. Keep in mind that specs don't tell you everything.


Again, subjective. No Windows laptop comes close to my MBP.

Thanks everyone for the responses

I need the power for editing in Lightroom and photoshop. My Sony vaio notebook is struggling .

I also tried to use sonar and had serious issues with my notebook which basically made it unusable

 

[xShane]

Thanks everyone for the responses

I need the power for editing in Lightroom and photoshop. My Sony vaio notebook is struggling .

I also tried to use sonar and had serious issues with my notebook which basically made it unusable

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it might be possible that you had issues with Sonar because of your hardware. I know that some Music applications require certain hardware (like Serato for example, is made to work with Intel processors and can experience major issues with AMD processors).

 

[Born Again]

Also do u guys think apple will add touch to their screens?

Like it or not it will happen

I can't comment if its useful but reviews of windows 8 notebooks are positive with touch

 

[xShane]

Also do u guys think apple will add touch to their screens?

Like it or not it will happen

I can't comment if its useful but reviews of windows 8 notebooks are positive with touch

I don't quite see Apple following in the footsteps of Microsoft... Apple is known for its innovation; they are innovators.

 

[Born Again]

Maybe I don't need retina ..

I have two screens I use for working - one 27 and one 22

----------

I don't quite see Apple following in the footsteps of Microsoft... Apple is known for its innovation; they are innovators.

Or make it a better experience than Windows


I can't stand Windows 8 now but with touch it should be more functional

 

[krravi]

Also do u guys think apple will add touch to their screens?

Like it or not it will happen

I can't comment if its useful but reviews of windows 8 notebooks are positive with touch

Lifting your hand constantly to touch the screen is painful. Its fine in a tablet form but not on desktop or laptop screens. It's a feature thats being touted, but Microsoft loves to tout features irrespective of how useful or easy it is to use.

 

[KPOM]

Also do u guys think apple will add touch to their screens?

Like it or not it will happen

I can't comment if its useful but reviews of windows 8 notebooks are positive with touch

Probably eventually, but not in 2013. Apple isn't going to add touch just because Microsoft has it in Windows 8. Microsoft is trying to create a single OS for both tablets and notebooks. Apple is trying to maintain separate OSes - non-touch for notebooks, and touch for the iPad.

At some point a "converged" device may be feasible, but for right now there are too many compromises involved. A decent-sized notebook screen is too big for a tablet, and a tablet screen is too small for a notebook (which is why the "convertibles" right now seem awkward). Steve Jobs ruled out a touchscreen Mac in late 2010. While that doesn't mean forever, not much has really changed since then to suggest that it has any more place in the OS X UI than it did 2.5 years ago.

 

[Mrbobb]

Also do u guys think apple will add touch to their screens?

Like it or not it will happen

If you are so sure, then you should wait until Apple makes one available.

I can't comment if its useful but reviews of windows 8 notebooks are positive with touch

Win8 is MADE with a touchscreen in mind, so I don't think you have a choice.

When I was looking at the Mac, I was wondering why it has such a humongous touchpad. After having used it, now I know why. Haven't had the itching to touch the screen yet.

 

[KPOM]

If you are so sure, then you should wait until Apple makes one available.

Win8 is MADE with a touchscreen in mind, so I don't think you have a choice.

When I was looking at the Mac, I was wondering why it has such a humongous touchpad. After having used it, now I know why. Haven't had the itching to touch the screen yet.

Agreed. I almost think part of the reason that Microsoft focused so much on touchscreens is that Windows OEMs have done a terrible job with touchpads over the years. With a handful of exceptions, most are awful.

On another note, I can't stand a smudgy PC screen. A phone or tablet is one thing (though I always have a microfiber cloth handy), but a PC screen should be pristine.

 

[kage207]

When I was looking at the Mac, I was wondering why it has such a humongous touchpad. After having used it, now I know why. Haven't had the itching to touch the screen yet.

I love the MacBook's touch pad and the Magic Track Pad. It's awesome. Touch controls and finger swipes are natural and nice for a personal computer. It really makes full screen apps so much more sense now on personal computers. I don't feel the need to have side by side apps anymore unless it's information gathering/comparing.

 

[robo456]

Maybe I don't need retina ..

I was about to jump on the "retina boat" myself, but while watching some youtube videos, a big negative kept creeping up....

I know alot of apps aren't "retina compliant" yet, but one video was talking about FireFox not looking as good as Safari. (text blurry, etc etc) I don't know what it is, but I just don't like Safari. I have it on a 'hackintosh' as well as a white Macbook... just doesn't "do it" for me.

For myself, I think I'm gunna wait it out a little longer just to see where this is all going...

--rob

 

[Ploki]

I was about to jump on the "retina boat" myself, but while watching some youtube videos, a big negative kept creeping up....

I know alot of apps aren't "retina compliant" yet, but one video was talking about FireFox not looking as good as Safari. (text blurry, etc etc) I don't know what it is, but I just don't like Safari. I have it on a 'hackintosh' as well as a white Macbook... just doesn't "do it" for me.

For myself, I think I'm gunna wait it out a little longer just to see where this is all going...

--rob

You're talking about buying a very capable (and expensive) computer (i don't like the term Pro for some reason, not just with macbook - in general) yet you're biggest concern is that you don't like the web-browser.

Call me confused...