Macbook Pro non retina as a second system

[Cdumitru78]

I have a Retina Macbook pro with 256GB SSD HD, my main computer, using at work and home. I have about $1000 best buy points to spend, and looking for a second laptop.

I am thinking the non retina Macbook pro will be a good second unit that I can use mainly at the house, I like the idea of getting the entry level non retina model and slowly building it over time as needed. It will mainly be docked and used with an external monitor, and occasionally for projects around the house. Main appeal is the larger hard drive and the DVD/RW drive and the ability to upgrade it over time as needed, although I don't ever see myself needing more than 1TB HD and 8Gb of RAM. Should I look at other options?

 

[skyhawkmatthew]

Why not just keep using your main machine at home as well? It's a lot more convenient having everything on one computer, and it seems like a bit of an unnecessary expense buying another whole computer.

 

[capathy21]

Would a Mac Mini be out of the question?

 

[ibuyufo]

What is your secret to accumulating that many points?

 

[Cdumitru78]

Would a Mac Mini be out of the question?

Yeah, I will still need that portability and I need to burn CD's, got little projects involving pics and music where I need to move the laptop around the house.

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What is your secret to accumulating that many points?

LOL, can't tell! Nah, I make a lot purchases for friends and but mainly for work, and I have their Best Buy CC, so they add up pretty fast.

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Why not just keep using your main machine at home as well? It's a lot more convenient having everything on one computer, and it seems like a bit of an unnecessary expense buying another whole computer.

Yeah, but I would prefer to split work stuff from home stuff, pics/music, personal stuff...

 

[maflynn]

Well if you need the optical drive then that basically eliminates all of Apple's computer line with the exception of the cMBP.

Would an MBA with an external optical drive be something that could work for you, since you don't seem to need the ability to burn DVDs all the time (based on what you wrote).

 

[Cdumitru78]

Yeah, that's the other option, I like the Air!

 

[saturnotaku]

I second the MacBook Air option as a second machine. It has a better screen and battery life than the old cMBP and much faster storage.

 

[Steve121178]

Waste of money. If all you want to do is dock it, then get something like a cheap mini PC or a Mac Mini or even put that $1000 towards a entry level iMac.

 

[BenTrovato]

Seems like a waste... Grab a second monitor and an iPad for around the house. Or buy something at best buy that you can re-sell for maximum profit.

 

[Cdumitru78]

Seems like a waste... Grab a second monitor and an iPad for around the house. Or buy something at best buy that you can re-sell for maximum profit.

Heck, waste or not I grabbed one, I forgot how fun it is to open an Apple item! This thing is really fast, and I have 4Gb of RAM. Is there a better option besides Amazon for RAM for these? I am finding 16Gb of RAM for about 140 bucks, which I don't think I need, or 8Gb or RAM for about 80 bucks, both from Crucial.

 

[capathy21]

Heck, waste or not I grabbed one, I forgot how fun it is to open an Apple item! This thing is really fast, and I have 4Gb of RAM. Is there a better option besides Amazon for RAM for these? I am finding 16Gb of RAM for about 140 bucks, which I don't think I need, or 8Gb or RAM for about 80 bucks, both from Crucial.

Those seem like good prices. I had the cMBP briefly before swapping for the rMBP and I had priced out ram and ssd's. Congrats on the new machine!

 

[Cdumitru78]

Those seem like good prices. I had the cMBP briefly before swapping for the rMBP and I had priced out ram and ssd's. Congrats on the new machine!

Thank you, I love it so far, nothing better than a new Macbook! Got the Speck case, RAM is my next upgrade, HD down the road.