Need advice on purchasing MBP-retina!

[HarryWild]

I decided to purchase an pre-owned MacBook Pro Retina 15" notebook!

I need advice as to which is the best year to look as for the best deal?

Not sure if I want a pre-soldiered in components MacBook Pro Retina notebook but I am guess that if I buy it right; I don't have to worry about it upgrading it at all!

Basically, like to have QHD screen resolution, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM and second video card.

I know a lot about the PC and notebooks on the Windows side; but almost nothing about the Apple Macbooks Pro Retina at all! I talk with a MacBook specialist at the Apple store and he told me all the components are soldier and that the one he recommended was the 512GB with the higher CPU and additional video card for $2499.

I have a few questions to make me more knowledgeable about purchasing this notebook shown below:

What year did Apple start to soldier in their components?

What year did the most recent i7 Core generation start? 2013? What the difference between mid year versions? Is there a significant difference in speed from 2012, 2013 models including the mid year models and if so which is the best for the money? I was first going to go with a 2014 model but the asking price was too close to that of the 2015 mid refresh!

I don't have a dollar amount in mind but thinking about $900-$1,200 range. The new entry level 2015 June refresh starts at $2,000 with warranty; so I figure I can get a full load model a few years old at my price range! That my thinking on this. I saw the $3200 model and was saying what was this model now a couple of years old now!

Thanks for any insights on helping me make my purchase! I primarily looking at buying it from eBay! But if there is a better alternative; please let me know!

 

[jdsipod]

If you are looking for a rMBP, anything that you get will have soldered components. The rMBP was introduced in mid 2012, and to make the computer so thin, they soldered all of the components. I'm no specialist or anything, but anything rMBP is soldered. Sorry I said that a lot. If you get a non retina MBP, you can upgrade anything up until the mid 2012 spec MBP. Apple hasn't refreshed the non retina MBP since then, so you would be better off buying a brand new non retina one.

 

[HarryWild]

If you are looking for a rMBP, anything that you get will have soldered components. The rMBP was introduced in mid 2012, and to make the computer so thin, they soldered all of the components. I'm no specialist or anything, but anything rMBP is soldered. Sorry I said that a lot. If you get a non retina MBP, you can upgrade anything up until the mid 2012 spec MBP. Apple hasn't refreshed the non retina MBP since then, so you would be better off buying a brand new non retina one.

I like to have the QHD screen quality since I have a 4K 27" Dell monitor with a ThinkStation with 32GBs and 1TB SSD! It would be hard to look at a 1080p screen resolution again or even lower!

 

[HarryWild]

Came upon this link that tell all: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201300

For anyone looking to buy an used MacBook Pro Retina!

 

[jdsipod]

I like to have the QHD screen quality since I have a 4K 27" Dell monitor with a ThinkStation with 32GBs and 1TB SSD! It would be hard to look at a 1080p screen resolution again or even lower!

Okay, well then you are going to want a retina, the mid 2012 has 8gb of RAM standard, and you can configure up to 16. The first year that 16gb of RAM was standard was the mid 2014 rMBP

 

[jdsipod]

https://support.apple.com/en_US/specs/macbookpro this will have all the information that you are looking for

 

[HarryWild]

Thanks jdsipod!

I ran across a thread that said a new MacBook Pro Retina suppose to come out first quarter of 2016! So I have decided to wait till then to see if it is true!

 

[Samuelsan2001]

I decided to purchase an pre-owned MacBook Pro Retina 15" notebook!

I need advice as to which is the best year to look as for the best deal?

Not sure if I want a pre-soldiered in components MacBook Pro Retina notebook but I am guess that if I buy it right; I don't have to worry about it upgrading it at all!

Basically, like to have QHD screen resolution, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM and second video card.

I know a lot about the PC and notebooks on the Windows side; but almost nothing about the Apple Macbooks Pro Retina at all! I talk with a MacBook specialist at the Apple store and he told me all the components are soldier and that the one he recommended was the 512GB with the higher CPU and additional video card for $2499.

I have a few questions to make me more knowledgeable about purchasing this notebook shown below:

What year did Apple start to soldier in their components?

What year did the most recent i7 Core generation start? 2013? What the difference between mid year versions? Is there a significant difference in speed from 2012, 2013 models including the mid year models and if so which is the best for the money? I was first going to go with a 2014 model but the asking price was too close to that of the 2015 mid refresh!

I don't have a dollar amount in mind but thinking about $900-$1,200 range. The new entry level 2015 June refresh starts at $2,000 with warranty; so I figure I can get a full load model a few years old at my price range! That my thinking on this. I saw the $3200 model and was saying what was this model now a couple of years old now!

Thanks for any insights on helping me make my purchase! I primarily looking at buying it from eBay! But if there is a better alternative; please let me know!

You will struggle to get any rMBP with the dual graphics and 512 SSD for that price, the 2012 version may be down around there on ebay occasionally but I think it's unlikely.