No 13" RMBP this year

[Poochi]

Reposting to give this post its own thread. Discuss.

Here's my analysis...

From the comparable

15" MBP 2.3 vs RMBP 2.3
$400 more you get
- Normal to Retina Display (+???)
- 500GB HDD to 256GB SSD (+$500)
- 4GB to 8GB (+$100)
- No DVD RW (-$50?, superdrive is +$79)
- Slimmer and Updated Design ($$$?)
*almost like a no brainer to go to Retina Display, the machine upgraded to the same spec is already more than $400 price difference.

15" MBP 2.6 vs RMBP 2.6
for $600 more you get
- Normal to Retina Display (+$???)
- 750GB HDD to 512GB SSD (+$900, so Apple values 750GB HHD over 500GB HDD at $100)
- No DVD RW (-$50?, superdrive is +$79)
*once again, if you want SSD, no brainer to get the Retina display machine, it is cheaper yet again.

15" MBP 2.6 vs RMBP 2.3
for SAME price you get
- Normal to Retina Display ($???)
- 750GB HDD to 256GB SSD ($400 - worked out from Apple's upgrade price)
- CPU 2.6Ghz to 2.3Ghz (-$350?)
- No DVD RW (-$50?)

15" RMBP 2.3 to RMBP 2.6
for $600 more you get
- 256SSD to 512GB SSD ($500 - Appel's price)
- 2.3Ghz to 2.6Ghz ($350?)
*so some savings here... if you care about 2.6GHz that is.

*Appears that there isn't much "Retina Premium" here... Retina display price is built into everything else.

Thus...
For a Base model MBP 13" assume all else equal:
$1,199:
+ retina: $??? (say -$100 for smaller screen)
+ SSD 256GB: $500
+ 8GB RAM: $100
So probably starting price of $1699.
*note... no nVidia 650M...

At this point, Retina is the differentiator. Coupled with software, testing, and driver issue, 15" market makes sense as it is historically priced higher, and not as popular as 13" just yet. And if 13" (portability) is built right, Apple can sway people who bought 15" this year but really wanted 13" to purchase the 13" next year.

I think Apple is really going to milk the 13" market for at east another year before they phase out the old display. Think about iPad to iPad 2 to the NEW iPad, took an extra year before Retina display is introduced.

Talking about operations and supply management... got to use up the old parts first right?

 

[Rizzm]

For your price analysis, I wouldn't value going from 500GB HDD to 256GB SSD at $500. The market has changed; it's maybe half that.

As far as release time, they'd be really smart to release it before September so all the students can get their 13" RMBPs before the semester begins.

 

[Poochi]

For your price analysis, I wouldn't value going from 500GB HDD to 256GB SSD at $500. The market has changed; it's maybe half that.

As far as release time, they'd be really smart to release it before September so all the students can get their 13" RMBPs before the semester begins.

Agreed about the SSD price, the $500 assumption is taken from Apple's upgrade page, hence I mentioned the Retina display price is probably built into other component price.

Something tells me they want students to buy the regular 13", or they will price 13" RMBP with a good amount of premium. Otherwise the refreshed 13" won't sell.

Try next February at earliest after the holiday season.

 

[Stetrain]

I think that they will watch and see what happens to 13" Macbook Air sales now with the lower prices and better specs. I think they want that to become the new go-to laptop for students.

Apple's computer lineup is strange in some ways. They've always kept the 13" Macbook Pro below the 15" in both specs and price. From some companies, a powerful 13" laptop with high end CPU and GPU (like the previous gen Vaio Z) will actually cost more than the equivalent 15". You're paying for the portability.

I think that a 13" Retina MBP, if they can include a discrete GPU and a decent processor (high end dual core or 35W quad core), could easily go for $1500 or $1600 as a starting price.

People who are buying the current 13" MBP would either go to the 13" Air or the 13" RMBP based on their needs, and the old models would be discontinued eventually.

If it just has an integrated GPU I'm not so sure I would be interested.

Also, if they release a 13" Retina MBP with discrete graphics, I really doubt that we'll see Retina Airs for a couple of years.

 

[beamer8912]

Try next February at earliest after the holiday season.

Try October

 

[mohsy90]

They will definitely be pushing the new 11" and 13" MBA to students. They reduced it by $100 and get's even cheaper with student discount. They will try to make the most out of the new airs by september and then in October they will release the RMBP in time for holiday shopping....just as that analyst predicted.
He was spot on regarding this last release.

 

[beamer8912]

They will definitely be pushing the new 11" and 13" MBA to students. They reduced it by $100 and get's even cheaper with student discount. They will try to make the most out of the new airs by september and then in October they will release the RMBP in time for holiday shopping....just as that analyst predicted.
He was spot on regarding this last release.

My thoughts exactly. He nailed the 15" rMBP back in April(?). Then he called the 15 rMBP next to updated 13" and 15" MBPs and the discontinuation of the 17". He's been right on so far.

FYI the MBAs are discounted $50 not $100. It's a little bit of a raw deal for the MBA.

 

[mohsy90]

My thoughts exactly. He nailed the 15" rMBP back in April(?). Then he called the 15 rMBP next to updated 13" and 15" MBPs and the discontinuation of the 17". He's been right on so far.

FYI the MBAs are discounted $50 not $100. It's a little bit of a raw deal for the MBA.

The student discount is $50 for all MBA. But at the keynote they did announce an over retail price reduction of $100 off 3 of the 4 MBA's. 13" used to be $1299 and $1599 and high end 11" $1199. These 3 were all reduced by $100.

 

[beamer8912]

The student discount is $50 for all MBA. But at the keynote they did announce an over retail price reduction of $100 off 3 of the 4 MBA's. 13" used to be $1299 and $1599 and high end 11" $1199. These 3 were all reduced by $100.

My bad, I thought you were referring to the student discounts.