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MacBook retina for lightroom?

M

Maccotto

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 6, 2012
301
26
I need a notebook for Travel but i haven' t big budget (max1200€).
I haven' doubt between xps13",surface pro 4 i5 8gb and MacBook retina 2015-2016 ( i want avoid MacBook pro 13" because prices is again High and Apple will change it next month).
I will use for:
1) download photo and little fast fix with lightroom
2) random play with StarCraft 2
 
Maccotto said:
I need a notebook for Travel but i haven' t big budget (max1200€).
I haven' doubt between xps13",surface pro 4 i5 8gb and MacBook retina 2015-2016 ( i want avoid MacBook pro 13" because prices is again High and Apple will change it next month).
I will use for:
1) download photo and little fast fix with lightroom
2) random play with StarCraft 2
Click to expand...

1200 Euros will not be enough for the Macbook, so it is between the surface pro and the xps, I do not know how much they are sold for.
 
Yes my budget is low but thx you i checked my budget.
I can arrive at 1380€(student prices) for the macbook 2016 m3 or i can spent less for the old macbook.

For Samuel: What is CPS?
 
Alternatively look for a second hand xps 15. Will have dedicated graphics and will out perform the xps 13. Lightroom will run on both platforms, and games perform better under Windows. Unless you need some feature you can only get from icloud/OSX then I wouldn't bother.
 
shaunp said:
Alternatively look for a second hand xps 15. Will have dedicated graphics and will out perform the xps 13. Lightroom will run on both platforms, and games perform better under Windows. Unless you need some feature you can only get from icloud/OSX then I wouldn't bother.
Click to expand...

The problem is the space.
15" is very big for my travel (I think max 31cm length)
 
shaunp said:
11 inch MacBook Air in that case, or maybe a Surface Pro.
Click to expand...

I think will go to surface.
I went from apple reseller and checked the Macbook family:
Macbook retina is too tiny but keyboard is very ugly and flat
Macbook air 13" haven't hd resolution and photos have poor details
Macbook pro 13" 128gb is again usefull but i am scared for new version= better hardware and drop prices old

Surface pro 4 is very light and portable but the full resolution is bad for 12"
 
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Maccotto said:
I think will go to surface.
I went from apple reseller and checked the Macbook family:
Macbook retina is too tiny but keyboard is very ugly and flat
Macbook air 13" haven't hd resolution and photos have poor details
Macbook pro 13" 128gb is again usefull but i am scared for new version= better hardware and drop prices old

Surface pro 4 is very light and portable but the full resolution is bad for 12"
Click to expand...

The Surface Pro has an excellent screen and good colour accuracy. thinking of one myself for my photography needs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: merkinmuffley
Maccotto said:
I think will go to surface.
I went from apple reseller and checked the Macbook family:
Macbook retina is too tiny but keyboard is very ugly and flat
Macbook air 13" haven't hd resolution and photos have poor details
Macbook pro 13" 128gb is again usefull but i am scared for new version= better hardware and drop prices old

Surface pro 4 is very light and portable but the full resolution is bad for 12"
Click to expand...

It sounds like you should go for the MacBook Pro 13" then if you want a Mac. If it does what you want, and you need it now, then don't worry about what might be around the corner, it will be a good machine for a long time to come. If you don't need it now, then maybe wait until after WWDC in June and see if that brings anything. It was a good idea to go check them out in a shop though, you've already been able to cross a bunch of them off your list.
 
Last edited:
Be careful with the Surface Pro 4. I had one and returned it, it's a very impressive machine, however its very buggy. Recent patches and firmware updates have solved a lot of issues, but I still had display driver crashes, inconsistent battery life and failing to come out of sleep. Might be worth looking at the forums over at Windows Central before making a purchase.

I've now got a 2015 13" Macbook Pro to replace my old 11" Air and couldn't be happier.
 
We get 8 hours of normal use (Photoshop CC, web browsing, mail) on the Surface here. It's a very nice, very portable system for photography, which is what we got it for. The big plus for it is the pen and touch screen, I can do things with it much easier than I can with my MBP.
 
Yesterday i tried surface pro 4 i5 4gb, macbook 2015 (Shop hadn't new model) and mbpr 128gb.
I tried also with my daily photographic bag (messenger lowepro 150) and i was happy about macbook and surface's size (I can put them into bag).

Now i understand that for me i need a ultrabook for my work because i can move all (mirrorless and pc/mac) into same bag.

Avioiding basic models: What do you thing is good between ....
1) surface pro 4 i5+cover
2) macbook i5 model
3) macbook 13 with i7 upgrade
 
I'd get the Surface. It's mature enough to have settled down and be a very useable platform. Now the Macbooks are not a good buy, this situation might change after they are updated - but there is no way I would buy one now.
 
I come back with new doubt.
I gone to my shop and tried Macbook 2016 and surface . I want give to macbook 2016 another chance because it is more small than surface pro 4 .
Do you think that i can find big difference with lightroom raw's edit and export between m3 and m7 version?
 
Thx a lot: Macbook retina isn't for me :(
Now i have 2 choice:
1) Surface p4 (What is the best surface for my work? I5 or i7?)
2) Buy Macproretina 13" and resell if new model is better or go to xps 13"
 
We can close the question for moment.
I bought surface p4 because microsoft give me 30 days refund and 14%less.
If I'll love it=> no more computer
If I'll hate it=> refund and survive until new macbook pro.
 
Update
I had some shipping issues and the surface will arrive next week.
So i have a question because i have no more love for surface (some forum report low battery life and i need long battery life):
1 Can be good buy an used macbook pro R now and resell it for new model?

2 buy a new macbook air for spsurvive until apple will release new macbook pro retina?
 
Second UPDATE
I have surface pro 4 i7 in my hands since yesterday.
I found this product very good but i hate the hot cover.

I think to return the surface and i will buy macbook air/proR 13" until apple make Macbook pro retina 2016.

i HAVE 2 QUESTIONS:
1) Macbook pro retina and Air have similar issue with hot cover?
2) I will see, with lightroom and photoshop, big difference between macbookPR/Air i5 intel6100 and the surface i7 intel 540?
 
Maccotto said:
Second UPDATE
I have surface pro 4 i7 in my hands since yesterday.
I found this product very good but i hate the hot cover.

I think to return the surface and i will buy macbook air/proR 13" until apple make Macbook pro retina 2016.

i HAVE 2 QUESTIONS:
1) Macbook pro retina and Air have similar issue with hot cover?
2) I will see, with lightroom and photoshop, big difference between macbookPR/Air i5 intel6100 and the surface i7 intel 540?
Click to expand...

Depends, if you are stressing the CPU or GPU then yes they will get fairly warm as the aluminium case is designed to disperse the heat in conjunction with the fan. But ther is no way to tell if your use case will do this with the pro but I'd expect the air to get warm if the surface does as they are similar form and same CPU. My pro is almost always cool and silent with a fairly light use case.

The 6100 is a better graphics solution.
 
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