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No B.S. Quickie (rMBP REVIEW)
- Thread starter valleydesign
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in gfxCardStatus Preferences under Advanced is the option "Use power source-based switching" where you can choose what you want it to do (Integrated, Discrete, or Dynamic) on battery and when plugged in. Its disabled by default but works nicely.
So I just downloaded Diablo III...
Those new fans they put in this computer work. Not a gimmick. Sure you can still hear them but they are a quiet and much more subtle sound than previous MBP's.
Oh Diablo III also looks really nice. You really get a chance to see what the Retina screen can do as soon as the Blizzard intro starts.
Those new fans they put in this computer work. Not a gimmick. Sure you can still hear them but they are a quiet and much more subtle sound than previous MBP's.
Oh Diablo III also looks really nice. You really get a chance to see what the Retina screen can do as soon as the Blizzard intro starts.
Thanks for the post I was extremely concerned that apps like CS6 would be abysmal on the retina display because they would either be too small or too fuzzy as you say, but I suspected that running it at midway between native and default would yield an acceptable result. It seems like that's confirmed! 
Come back with an update when ML is released (or get it now if you're a developer).
From what I've heard, even after updates to Lion, ML still blows it away in terms of responsiveness. You're right about how the rMBP is built with ML in mind.
Not a dev but as soon as I get my hands on ML we will do a "No B.S. part II"
This is the first time that I have really written a (half-assed or not) tech review. Had a little fun and I'm glad that it's actually helping some people out. Or at least giving people something to read while they wait.
Let me describe my experience with the rMBP. Sorry this is long!
I have an 11" 2010 MacBook Air right now, and it's served me well but I'm starting a new job Monday that needs me to own an on the go computer that can edit video and photos. With that in mind, I purchased the rMBP from MacMall and it came in the mail today. It was so much money that I was getting major shopping guilt. I can afford it, but I was waffling if the money would be better served in my savings account and I should just get a lower end MBP. I had also read so many issues on this board: ghosting, screen burn in, safari smoothness, etc.
So today the rMBP came. I stared at the unopened box for 3 hours with my husband and we were debating back and forth on whether to just send it back. He finally came to the conclusion that just **** it, open it and enjoy it. I hadn't even seen the rMBP in person at the store, but I own a retina iPad so I didn't think it'd be that different.
I must say, the moment I went through the setup process, I fell in love. The clarity is astounding. I feel like my eyes are floating on clouds and aren't stressing to look at the screen.
No burn in or ghosting on my machine. Safari scrolling isn't 100% smooth but it also completely depends on the website. Some websites are better than others. Funny enough, Apple's Store website is the least smooth I've visited. But the smoothness is so overblown imo. It's not like it stutters, it's still a smooth scroll it's just a smidge slower. And even then I wish I could convey how much of a non issue it is. For me at least.
Everything else just screams. Coming from a 2010 Air, the difference is night and day. I have a 2011 iMac too with SSD and the works, but I still feel the rMBP is snappier.
I've only had a few hours with the bad boy, but I gotta say I am just immensely impressed and my buyer's remorse is completely gone. I'm excited to finally jump into editing with this bad boy. In the meantime, I'm just getting a bunch of software installed and a bunch of files transferred over.
I honestly think this is the best Mac I've ever owned.
I have an 11" 2010 MacBook Air right now, and it's served me well but I'm starting a new job Monday that needs me to own an on the go computer that can edit video and photos. With that in mind, I purchased the rMBP from MacMall and it came in the mail today. It was so much money that I was getting major shopping guilt. I can afford it, but I was waffling if the money would be better served in my savings account and I should just get a lower end MBP. I had also read so many issues on this board: ghosting, screen burn in, safari smoothness, etc.
So today the rMBP came. I stared at the unopened box for 3 hours with my husband and we were debating back and forth on whether to just send it back. He finally came to the conclusion that just **** it, open it and enjoy it. I hadn't even seen the rMBP in person at the store, but I own a retina iPad so I didn't think it'd be that different.
I must say, the moment I went through the setup process, I fell in love. The clarity is astounding. I feel like my eyes are floating on clouds and aren't stressing to look at the screen.
No burn in or ghosting on my machine. Safari scrolling isn't 100% smooth but it also completely depends on the website. Some websites are better than others. Funny enough, Apple's Store website is the least smooth I've visited. But the smoothness is so overblown imo. It's not like it stutters, it's still a smooth scroll it's just a smidge slower. And even then I wish I could convey how much of a non issue it is. For me at least.
Everything else just screams. Coming from a 2010 Air, the difference is night and day. I have a 2011 iMac too with SSD and the works, but I still feel the rMBP is snappier.
I've only had a few hours with the bad boy, but I gotta say I am just immensely impressed and my buyer's remorse is completely gone. I'm excited to finally jump into editing with this bad boy. In the meantime, I'm just getting a bunch of software installed and a bunch of files transferred over.
I honestly think this is the best Mac I've ever owned.
The only thing that I think the rMBP needs (and this goes for all MBP's) is at least one more USB 3.0 port. The thunderbolt express docks that are out now are way too expensive to justify buying. Hopefully Apple makes a thunderbolt adapter so there can be more USB ports (not talking about the thunderbolt display).
You bought a $2200+ laptop and your complaining about how overpriced the adapters and decks are? Seriously?
just because your opinion is that the laptop is overpriced, doesn't matter at all to people who bought it, it has a different value to them. Just as some people think the adapters are fine to buy and some people think they are charging too much for them. Value is very subjective.
Hi, thanks for the quick review - i just want to get one thing straight, you actually found highest resolution the best for CS6?
my BIGGEST concern about this laptop is how photoshop will work out, since i'm going to spend most of my time in photoshop considering i'm going to study web designing this winter.
Hi, thanks for the quick review - i just want to get one thing straight, you actually found highest resolution the best for CS6?
my BIGGEST concern about this laptop is how photoshop will work out, since i'm going to spend most of my time in photoshop considering i'm going to study web designing this winter.
Photoshop will probably be one of the first major apps updated for retina. Probably a couple months from now, tops.
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Yawn. First off, do that many people work in direct sunlight? Secondly, many sources have said there will surely be an aftermarket matte layer you can apply. ALL matte displays are actually just a single glossy display with a matte film applied at the factory. Since the rMBP is basically the bare LCD, applying one won't affect the quality of the display.
Horse, beaten. In typical usage situations, it's the best screen money can by.
Hi, thanks for the quick review - i just want to get one thing straight, you actually found highest resolution the best for CS6?
my BIGGEST concern about this laptop is how photoshop will work out, since i'm going to spend most of my time in photoshop considering i'm going to study web designing this winter.
Yes, the highest resolution in the system preferences (not 2880x1800) works very nicely with CS6. The tools are a tiny bit pixelated but the art boards look crisp and pristine.
Thanks for the review.
My only question, I have not noticed the lagginess, I might have a play with one at lunchtime at the local Apple store. What's the easiest way to reproduce it?
I am still deciding weather to get the current discounted 17" or the retina.
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Check out the cost of TB docks.... I think the retina MBP is a bargain compared to the docks!
My only question, I have not noticed the lagginess, I might have a play with one at lunchtime at the local Apple store. What's the easiest way to reproduce it?
I am still deciding weather to get the current discounted 17" or the retina.
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Check out the cost of TB docks.... I think the retina MBP is a bargain compared to the docks!
Mine is waiting at FedEx. I should have it today. This is the most exciting new machine since the 2010 air refresh IMO. I've had a lot of MBP's, from 13 to 15 and now the 13 inch 2011 air. This new rMBP is the most exciting development in computers I've seen in a long time. Finally an incredible display. This will be copied by everyone eventually. The retina display will be like the new flatscreen technology. Everything else will be in landfill. That's my prediction. It will also spawn a whole new web specialization around optimizing images, and providing solutions that serve up higher res images to retina displays. I have a retina iPad and the display is stunning on it. This new innovation in display technology is going to be the norm. Give it 3 years. Everything is coming together for Apple. Hopefully they can keep it up. At the end of the day value wins over price, as it should be. I can't wait for the new rMBP. Thanx for posting.
I agree. I see people making all kinds of excuses why they (or me) should not have a rMBP. My 8/512/2.6Ghz i7 (standard $2800 model) is spectacular. I could never go back.
I had planned to continue using my 09 MBP for the single Windows application that I still use. That application is soon to be discontinued and replaced with an internet based database so I do not want to put Windows on this rMBP. I can hardly stand to use the 09 machine now. I'm going to have to hold my nose and use it for a short time more.
This thing is grand and try as I might I cannot get any of the lag I read about. I put in on full resolution with SetResX and advance Sarfari as fast as I can...no lag. This thing is perfect.
this little program is free, unlike SwitchResX and does all kindsa cool stuff for the rMBP
http://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/vi9yf/set_your_retina_macbook_pros_resolution_to/
SetResX and SwitchResX are not the same thing.
The thing I linked to is RDM, which is the latest version of SetResX with its new name... SetResX was the old name, and yes the creator isn't currently charging anything to use it.
I hope you're joking. You set it to full 2880 native resolution? Why would you think that would be a good idea to test lag? At that res you pretty much turned off retina display.
Thank you for your review.
I actually cancelled my order for the same machine yesterday. I was very concerned about how CS5 was going to look on the screen.
While I plug into a 24" ACD when doing most of my design work (Illustrator, Photoshop and Dreamweaver) - I do work at times on my couch.
I actually picked up an Air Ultimate and do like it, but it would be nice to have the extra screen real estate and horsepower.
I'm still really torn, as I'm guessing Adobe will only update CS6 and I hate to drop the extra money on CS6 right now. Ugh!
I actually cancelled my order for the same machine yesterday. I was very concerned about how CS5 was going to look on the screen.
While I plug into a 24" ACD when doing most of my design work (Illustrator, Photoshop and Dreamweaver) - I do work at times on my couch.
I actually picked up an Air Ultimate and do like it, but it would be nice to have the extra screen real estate and horsepower.
I'm still really torn, as I'm guessing Adobe will only update CS6 and I hate to drop the extra money on CS6 right now. Ugh!
actually thats running the exact same resolution and the same clarity as the Retina mode, it just doesn't scale anything so things are smaller, but you can up icon sizes, font sizes, etc... and it looks very nice. Many people cannot stand that high of a resolution without scaling, but it doesn't turn off the "retina" display.