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Retina MBP 15 is not worth it IMO

B

BlockEight88

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 20, 2013
217
32
So I ordered the 15" rMBP because I really need one for school. Long story short.. I was blown away by the sharpness of the screen at first, then after getting it set up, I began to despise it. I had the Samsung display for what it's worth. Every program I installed (word, Photoshop, Spotify) was extremely blurry and hard to read. I understand that because they're not optimized for retina yet.

Ok, then I started to play around with Safari. It was so bad, web pages were so choppy and laggy. I then became self educated on the lagging. Mission control was even worse. It like would hiccup for a second then do its thing. I was shocked my machine was doing this with ML and all the updates installed.

Anyway a machine that I pad over 2K for is NOT worth that aggravation. Oh and my 2010 MBP and 2012 iMac seemed to have better gamut too.

Strange...
 
BlockEight88 said:
Ok, then I started to play around with Safari. It was so bad, web pages were so choppy and laggy. I then became self educated on the lagging. Mission control was even worse. It like would hiccup for a second then do its thing. I was shocked my machine was doing this with ML and all the updates installed.
Click to expand...

Maybe you should try a SMC reset? There is a known issue that messes up the power management, down clocking the components. I didn't really have any performance problems with ML, but its also true that I've been using Mavericks (where everything is just much smoother) since developer preview 1 and don't really remember the details about ML...

BTW, Microsoft Office 2011 and Adobe Photoshop CS6 have retina support (and had it since december 2012) - which versions are you using? Spotify doesn't and probably never will - because they don't care...
 
leman said:
Maybe you should try a SMC reset? There is a known issue that messes up the power management, down clocking the components. I didn't really have any performance problems with ML, but its also true that I've been using Mavericks (where everything is just much smoother) since developer preview 1 and don't really remember the details about ML...

BTW, Microsoft Office 2011 and Adobe Photoshop CS6 have retina support (and had it since december 2012) - which versions are you using? Spotify doesn't and probably never will - because they don't care...
Click to expand...

Eh. The SMC reset helped a tad, but safari is still pretty choppy when scrolling.
 
BlockEight88 said:
Eh. The SMC reset helped a tad, but safari is still pretty choppy when scrolling.
Click to expand...

That's strange, Safari on my 15.4'' rMBP (feb 2013 model) is almost lagless when scrolling. Regardless, Mavericks will fix lag issues for all rMBP's when it releases next month, so... it will be an non-issue soon enough
 
aiyaaabatt said:
That's strange, Safari on my 15.4'' rMBP (feb 2013 model) is almost lagless when scrolling. Regardless, Mavericks will fix lag issues for all rMBP's when it releases next month, so... it will be an non-issue soon enough
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It's not bad. Using the webkit Safari browser was much better though. Is it still normal for their to be some small UI lag?
 
BlockEight88 said:
It's not bad. Using the webkit Safari browser was much better though. Is it still normal for their to be some small UI lag?
Click to expand...

Yes, this is normal. Most people dont notice it, and if they do, they don't care, because it is very minor UI lag. However, as I said, in one month this will be completely fixed when Mavericks OS is released (almost all lag experienced on rMBP is a software issue, and not because the GPU can't push the Retina display). Mavericks fixes all of the UI lag, and scroll lag with Safari.
 
aiyaaabatt said:
Yes, this is normal. Most people dont notice it, and if they do, they don't care, because it is very minor UI lag. However, as I said, in one month this will be completely fixed when Mavericks OS is released (almost all lag experienced on rMBP is a software issue, not because the GPU can't push the Retina display, and Mavericks fixes all of the UI lag, and scroll lag with Safari)
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Well I was thinking when the haswell macbook pros come out, they will have a better GPU, thus allowing better performance with the retina displays. I even thought the Intel 4000/650m chip can't handle retina properly.

So you think I should keep the notebook? I was going to downgrade to the Air.
 
BlockEight88 said:
Well I was thinking when the haswell macbook pros come out, they will have a better GPU, thus allowing better performance with the retina displays. I even thought the Intel 4000/650m chip can't handle retina properly.

So you think I should keep the notebook? I was going to downgrade to the Air.
Click to expand...

Yes, I promise you that the UI lag is NOT due to the lack of the HD 4000, and ESPECIALLY NOT the 650m, being unable to power the Retina display. It is 100% due to unoptimized firmware for Retina screens.

All current rMBP users who are running developer preview of Mavericks have confirmed that UI lag / Safari lag is 100% completely gone.

Thus, ignoring the lag you experience now (because it will be gone with Mavericks), if you are happy with your rMBP, I would keep it. Either wait for haswell rMBP, or keep yours if you got it at a good price.
 
BlockEight88 said:
Well I was thinking when the haswell macbook pros come out, they will have a better GPU, thus allowing better performance with the retina displays. I even thought the Intel 4000/650m chip can't handle retina properly.

So you think I should keep the notebook? I was going to downgrade to the Air.
Click to expand...

This is EXACTLY what I thought when I read the opening post. Classic case of buyer's remorse.

it sounded like you regret spending that much money and are looking for faults to justify you returning it. I think if your conscience is urging you to return it, you should. Sometimes people buy things from impulse, and reason only sets in later.
 
Sell it or return it and get a different laptop. It seems like you will be furthermore disappointed with the macbooks experience in general after some use.
 
Last edited:
AXs said:
This is EXACTLY what I thought when I read the opening post. Classic case of buyer's remorse.

it sounded like you regret spending that much money and are looking for faults to justify you returning it. I think if your conscience is urging you to return it, you should. Sometimes people buy things from impulse, and reason only sets in later.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I guess it is. It was a bad move to buy the rMBP when I have a nice iMac. MacBook Air would have been better because it's not overkill.

sonyisawesome said:
Sell it or return it and get a different laptop. It seems like you will be furthermore disappointed with the macbooks experience in general after some use.
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Still within the return period. I have had a MBP before and loved it, then got use to the iMac. Think I'll go for the air.
 
BlockEight88 said:
Yeah, I guess it is. It was a bad move to buy the rMBP when I have a nice iMac. MacBook Air would have been better because it's not overkill.
Click to expand...

I have an iMac (2010) and recently got my 15'' rMBP a few days ago... And personally it was the best purchase my grandfather ever made. My iMac screen is horribly discolored (yellow tint) and has some pretty bad IR. But it is out of warranty, and not willing to pay to get it fixed. I also experience a lot of eye strain with the iMac, but none with my rMBP. Maybe it's the Retina Display or the size, but I do not find it an overkill to have both.
 
I'm hoping that the scrolling issue would be fixed when Iris Pro 5200 + Mavericks on rMBP. I gripe when I use IE10 on my friend's laptop and found it scrolls as smooth as an iPad on a very graphics heavy website even though it's using Intel GMA 4500MHD which is many magnitudes slower than HD 4000 graphics.
 
iPoopeh said:
I have an iMac (2010) and recently got my 15'' rMBP a few days ago... And personally it was the best purchase my grandfather ever made. My iMac screen is horribly discolored (yellow tint) and has some pretty bad IR. But it is out of warranty, and not willing to pay to get it fixed. I also experience a lot of eye strain with the iMac, but none with my rMBP. Maybe it's the Retina Display or the size, but I do not find it an overkill to have both.
Click to expand...

My iMac is last years model. Beautiful display.
 
cbautis2 said:
I'm hoping that the scrolling issue would be fixed when Iris Pro 5200 + Mavericks on rMBP. I gripe when I use IE10 on my friend's laptop and found it scrolls as smooth as an iPad on a very graphics heavy website even though it's using Intel GMA 4500MHD which is many magnitudes slower than HD 4000 graphics.
Click to expand...

It has been discussed 736372736 times on this forum and usually leads to the conclusion that whatever scrolling lag you and other consumers are experiencing is not owing to the graphics card. I repeat, yes, I repeat, SOFTWARES are NOT OPTIMISED. Try Mavericks beta and the problem will be over.
 
NickPhamUK said:
It has been discussed 736372736 times on this forum and usually leads to the conclusion that whatever scrolling lag you and other consumers are experiencing is not owing to the graphics card. I repeat, yes, I repeat, SOFTWARES are NOT OPTIMISED. Try Mavericks beta and the problem will be over.
Click to expand...

Why does it take a new OS to fix a major problem?
 
NickPhamUK said:
It has been discussed 736372736 times on this forum and usually leads to the conclusion that whatever scrolling lag you and other consumers are experiencing is not owing to the graphics card. I repeat, yes, I repeat, SOFTWARES are NOT OPTIMISED. Try Mavericks beta and the problem will be over.
Click to expand...

Thank You!!! Someone with sense, I don't know how many times this has been discussed. This is purely a software issue not a hardware issue. Check Youtube people, and see for yourselve's that the ui/scroll lag is fixed. I have even posted video's on Youtube showing the scroll lag/UI lag is fixed in Maverick's. Mountain Lion was made with cMBP's in mind then Apple tried to release updates to help with the rMBP but they never really did much. However Maverick's fixes it. Maverick's doubles the vRam from 512mb to 1024mb's whcih helps a lot. Mavericks also increases resources in safari so that it runs faster and more effcient i.e for rMBP's. Everything is fixed with Maverick's I don't know how much clearer to be:eek:
 
I had some very choppy/blocky "boxes" if you will when I got mine, like there would be sections of websites or just images missing or kind of off-kilter.

System Preferences, Energy Saver, disable Automatic Graphics Switching. Fixed every little issue I had. Within the first 20 minutes of running it, I had regret and was thinking "this didn't just cost that much to perform like crap, did it?"

No complaints at all now. I do still get the occasional blurry image but it doesn't concern me any. No regrets here.
 
NickPhamUK said:
It has been discussed 736372736 times on this forum and usually leads to the conclusion that whatever scrolling lag you and other consumers are experiencing is not owing to the graphics card. I repeat, yes, I repeat, SOFTWARES are NOT OPTIMISED. Try Mavericks beta and the problem will be over.
Click to expand...

Actually the problem isn't completely solved with Mavericks. It fixes random lags a bit, but there is still a jankier experience with rMBP then non-retina models. I've picked this up from a few people using mavericks as a daily driver.

We'll find out more when Mavericks is actually released, and not just a small population of devs.





But yes, it is purely a software problem. Hardware has nothing to do with it
 
Interesting, I find no lag on my 13in rMBP. If it is there it is not significant and noticeable.
If there is lag, I am used to it now and the sharpness of the screen outweighs this issue.

I cant wait to see Mavericks and it is improvements.
 
I appreciate everyone taking the time to respond to my thread. While the retina display is very sharp looking, I don't think Apple has worked all the bugs out yet. I have been doing some reading on this and Mavericks addresses MOST of the lag. So there might be an occasional stutter or some choppiness. Personally, I think Apple has had more than enough time to properly optimize the retina screens and software.

Now, I didn't notice this until last night, but when I rest my hands on the notebook it creaks if a small amount of pressure is applied. Of course, I googled this and many, many people reported the exact same thing. Strange huh?

Anyway, I agree with the one poster when he said it was an impulse buy. It kind of was. The rMBP 15" is overkill for my needs, as my 21.5" 2012 iMac suites me just fine.

After weeks of debating the two, I ordered the 13" MBA. This should be fine for what I need.
 
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