Integrated graphics isn't going to power the Retina Display nicely. We'll have to wait until Intel HD Graphics becomes as powerful as today's dedicated GPUs.
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MBA - Time to buy or wait for retina?
- Thread starter jacob.schmidt
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Apple needs a lower priced laptop aimed at casual consumers, and a high end laptop aimed for power users. I don't see them giving the Air the retina display because it would cannabalize their Pro sales. The Pro needs to have desireable features that the Air doesn't have in order to keep the sales balanced.
Just like Apple won't give the iPod Touch the higher res camera w/ flash, GPS, and 3G internet capability that the iPhone has. If they did, iPhone sales would suffer.
Besides, battery life is more important to the Air than the Pro, and retina displays require more power and consumes more battery life.
I've used the retina display on the iPod Touch, and iPad. While it is gorgeous, there are still not a lot of software for the OSX, or websites that supports Retina. But it's only a matter of time before competitors catch up, and retina level resolution is commonplace, and all software and websites will support it.
Just like Apple won't give the iPod Touch the higher res camera w/ flash, GPS, and 3G internet capability that the iPhone has. If they did, iPhone sales would suffer.
Besides, battery life is more important to the Air than the Pro, and retina displays require more power and consumes more battery life.
I've used the retina display on the iPod Touch, and iPad. While it is gorgeous, there are still not a lot of software for the OSX, or websites that supports Retina. But it's only a matter of time before competitors catch up, and retina level resolution is commonplace, and all software and websites will support it.
My take is it will definitely not happen until Haswell hits which in a ULV variant will be late summer/fall next year.
GPU speed will be up 2.5x and power consumption will be down considerably which may make a rMBA feasible.
GPU speed will be up 2.5x and power consumption will be down considerably which may make a rMBA feasible.
Is current HD4000 iGPU performance enough to drive a retina display on the Air if there were one today? It'll be more likely when Haswell rolls around the corner.
The rMBP runs fine on the HD4000 at the same resolution as the 13" MBA (1440x900). Choppy in Lion, mostly smooth in ML.
The IGP wouldn't be a limiting factor for a rMBA, driving the built-in display only. I guess it would have trouble driving an external display in addition, though. That may be why the discrete GPU takes over when a monitor is plugged in to the rMBP.
Obviously, a dGPU in a MBA is not an option. So yes, because of the possibility of an external monitor, I think Apple will have to wait for faster IGPs (Haswell).
...Intel Graphics suck so this will take quite some time to happen...also the batteries in the MBA's just aren't up to powering a rMBA for any decent length of time at this point = I'd say 3 generations at the earliest
Or it won't happen at all and just be kept on the rMBP line
Haswell seems to add a nice boost to graphics performance, from what I hear. But still - I doubt we'll EVER see a retina MBA. Or, I certainly HOPE not.
I think the 11" screen (and 13" too) are perfect for their use-cases - on the road, on the table when watching TV, in bed, checking email in your summer house, or whatever. Width retina we'd get quadruple resolution, which would mean four times as slow graphics, and probably much more power drain. I just don't think it's worth the trade-off, especially on such a small screen. This would totally kill anything without a discrete gpu, so gaming on the MBA (which currently works ok) would be out of the question. If you want to use your MBA in high resolutions, get an external monitor with retina resolution imo.
I think the 11" screen (and 13" too) are perfect for their use-cases - on the road, on the table when watching TV, in bed, checking email in your summer house, or whatever. Width retina we'd get quadruple resolution, which would mean four times as slow graphics, and probably much more power drain. I just don't think it's worth the trade-off, especially on such a small screen. This would totally kill anything without a discrete gpu, so gaming on the MBA (which currently works ok) would be out of the question. If you want to use your MBA in high resolutions, get an external monitor with retina resolution imo.
Anyone wanting a rMBA now should probably just get the 13" rMBP in Oct.
I think a rMBA is very possible, but the design priority for a MBA will always be, 'thin-ness'. So a Retina-worthy screen will appear if it helps the product meet the ideal criteria of dramatically thinner, better performing & the same battery life.
And if it does, it means that the MBA is not just getting a better screen, but a major redesign, when will that reasonably happen and can you really afford to wait for it?
I think a rMBA is very possible, but the design priority for a MBA will always be, 'thin-ness'. So a Retina-worthy screen will appear if it helps the product meet the ideal criteria of dramatically thinner, better performing & the same battery life.
And if it does, it means that the MBA is not just getting a better screen, but a major redesign, when will that reasonably happen and can you really afford to wait for it?
You forgot:
11. If you do save some money buying the previous generation, you may find your hardware orphaned by an OS X update with little warning.
I used to subscribe to points 1-10 above and nearly always bought my Macs a generation behind current. Having quite recently learned that I have a perfectly operational and powerful MBP that won't run Mountain Lion because it was made in early rather than late 2009, however, point 11 is now sadly the more significant factor to me.
For me to take advantage of the new cross-machine collaboration features of Mountain Lion with my new (2012) 27" iMac, then, I'd have to purchase an MBA or MBP. Or forego the attractive new functionality of ML with Lion on the old MBP.
It's so close to "that announcement time of year", if your decision might be affected by the new stuff and you can afford to wait before deciding what to purchase, I would. Buying behind the curve ain't what it used to be.
Analogous to vendors not developing drivers for older hardware when new releases of Windows come out, although, I can't recall not being able to use the entire PC under the new version of Windows.
Having said this, this is why Windows is so bloated, i.e., they keep dragging support for ancient hardware into new releases of the OS.
No retina MBAs this year but I'd wait to see if they announce the 13" rMBP at their September event. It's quite possible.
I myself don't see it happening for a long time. Not enough battery capacity in an Air, no dedicated graphics card, and the price point of the Air would certainly jump closing the gap between Air and rMBP.
And...consider this, the current retina MBP is having a rendering or lag issue so it appears that even the graphics card in the pro is not substantial enough for the display to operate smoothly.
Pass.....
And...consider this, the current retina MBP is having a rendering or lag issue so it appears that even the graphics card in the pro is not substantial enough for the display to operate smoothly.
Pass.....