My one week with a rMBP

[steveh552]

Seeing as you are using a networked drive, I'd highly recommend using it for Time Machine. The look on people's faces when I demonstrate recovering a file in the "I know it was in this location last week" scenario is crazy, like its the greatest thing since sliced bread. In the case of a failed drive, it couldn't get any simpler for the average user.

I actually have it doing just that. The computer backs up to the time machine and I don't even have to think about it.

psik You have already had a few beach balls on it in just one week, what's going on!

I am not sure. I was opening programs, maybe I had to much going at a time. Mainly when using ivideo, garageband and iPhoto


As to why I went with 512? I wanted the most storage I could for the money. I travel a few times a year and want to take my media with me. I do back up everything important on an external drive plus in the cloud.

 

[Robster3]

Why 512GB? If you have networked drives, you should just dump heavy multimedia on there. I don't really see the point in having heaps of secondary storage unless you're the type who loves to store everything in one location (which is still pretty risky, if you don't keep backups elsewhere).

256GB should be plenty for today's everyday user. More and more services are becoming cloud based any ways. 240GB usable is more than most people think, unless you're a Film Producer or Editor.

I saved AUD $418.20 by going with 256GB less of SSD storage, 200MHz less on the CPU, and 100MHz less on the Iris 5100 graphics. (The tiny increases in clock speeds are negligible). I couldn't value spending that much on merely an extra 256GB of PCI-e SSD. Sure it's faster, but how much do you really need to access in a single session away from home? Not much. If you have really important files and can't fit them on your primary drive, surely they'd be on a cloud service somewhere. (provided you don't deal with a lot of multimedia -which goes back to my first point, how much content can you consume in one sitting away from home -lol). External USB 3.0 drives are cheap as dirt today (2TB is ~ AUD $200-220), and you can easily bring them with you on long trips away from home.

tl;dr: So unless you're in Michael Bay's role or something similar, you'll most easily get away with something less than 512GBs.

Yeah not many people buy the 512gb model:roll eyes: On the 13" its $350 Aud for extra 256gb and .2ghz. Over the life of the machine its not bad.

 

[IronManFanatic]

Yeah not many people buy the 512gb model:roll eyes: On the 13" its $350 Aud for extra 256gb and .2ghz. Over the life of the machine its not bad.

I just bought $403.88 worth of 10 shirts, a pair each of jeans and shoes from Myers. Nice quality too. (y) (My wardrobe needed a long-over due refresh).

I'm glad I got the 256GB version though. My external backup drives are on the urge of running out of storage. I'm thinking of going with a NAS box and just setting up more external drives within that. That way, my local file storage can be independent of any individual computer faults, and easily accessible over the home network, or even remotely (though, residential AUS upload connections are pretty horrid; ~0.8Mbps up on ADSL2+).

 

[Robster3]

I just bought $403.88 worth of 10 shirts, a pair each of jeans and shoes from Myers. Nice quality too. (y) (My wardrobe needed a long-over due refresh).

I'm glad I got the 256GB version though. My external backup drives are on the urge of running out of storage. I'm thinking of going with a NAS box and just setting up more external drives within that. That way, my local file storage can be independent of any individual computer faults, and easily accessible over the home network, or even remotely (though, residential AUS upload connections are pretty horrid; ~0.8Mbps up on ADSL2+).

I have a 256 too and are getting low, was looking at a Nas but not sure which way to go, was looking at this.

http://www.mwave.com.au/product/syn...-core-16ghz-ab52828#detailTabs=tabAccessories

I have a early 2013 15" MBPr 8/256 and am thinking of going down to the new 13" 8/256. Have one on hold at Goodguys for $1650 which is $200 cheaper than Apple, if i go to the 8/512 its another $550 from Apple, so could get the Nas or go to Myer

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Use Safari on OS X, that way it will sync with Safari on iOS.

 

[Intelligent]

Just wanted to write my thoughts/mini review here for anyone else that maybe coming to the rMPB from a windows machine.

Let me start by saying I have always hated Macs and Apple from the time I can remember, but that all changed when i got my iPhone 5s a few months ago. Computer wise I was always a windows guy and phones I went for Android. After buying the 5s, I fell in love with it and decided I wanted to have a Mac computer. I started researching and really was not interested in spending as much as one would cost but I finally broke down and sold myself.

So last Saturday I went to the Apple store and picked up a 13in 8gb rMBP with the 512ssd. My experience in the store was great. I walked in and was greeted by a nice smiling young lady who was willing to spend as much time answering my questions as I needed. I had a hard time decided on weather to get the 13 or 15 or even a MBA (screen sold me on the rMBP) in but opted for the 13 due to it being more portable and a bit cheaper.

Speaking of price, they had it for $1799 and I mentioned that at Best Buy it was $1749 on sale, to which she told me she could match that but then asked if I was in college. I told her it had been many years and she said no problem and gave me the student discount on it bringing it down to $1699. She had them bring it out and while doing the set up I mentioned Apple Care to which she never even mentioned it while doing the sale and she said of course and rung it up and she gave the discount on it saving $66, so in total I saved $166, about equal to the tax. The set up was pretty quick, I told them it was my first and they made sure I knew what I was doing with it before I left. It was an awesome experience.

As for the computer itself, I love it. i have had a few beach balls on it but over all it is the fastest, smoothest and best computer I have had. I am still learning to use it obviously but am finding more and more by the day that I can do with it. The free software that came with it is still installed, I use garageband mainly for a time killer, have not used the iPhoto or ivideo programs yet nor the iWork's programs. I have found that once i transferred my media over to it I still have quite a bit of storage left. It connects to my home network just fine, is by far the fastest machine on it. The display is great, I see no yellow tint and I am not doing the IR test, if I have issues with that down the road, thats what the Applecare is for.

I am mixed on weather to stick with Chrome or Safari. When using Chrome, it always shows up under the battery as using significant energy, I only see that on Safari when I am streaming netflix.

I was so impressed with this machine that I bought an Airport Extreme to use for time machine and also a network drive.

Other than the learning curve and trying to figure things out, this is the best machine I have ever had and although a lot of money, I have no complaints to date.

Anyone on the fence about weather to stick with windows or go to a mac, I can highly recommend this machine.

I never made the transition, i always used a mac, i would use safari, and good luck to you, OS X really is the most advanced operating system ever.