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rMB 12" vs rMBP 13"

danielwerner

danielwerner

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 27, 2012
153
0
Stockholm, Sweden
I really don't know which one to choose.

I have a shift job as a control room engineer, so I want something to use on those long nights.

My primary uses are surfing the web, 1080p-movies on VLC and netflix, spotify, web designing (including some lighter photoshop use), and some lighter non-3D gaming.

I currently use a 2012 rMBP 15 inch. I love the portability of the new Macbook, but fear the processor and graphics card will be too slow when I'm used to the 15". On the other hand, I fear that a 13" rMBP will be a bit too heavy and a unnecessary purchase since the leap from 15" rMBP to 13" isn't worth 1300 bucks.

Also, when I bought my rMBP in 2012 there was a huge problem with clouding of the screens. Apparently some got displays from Samsung (no problem, as with mine) and some from LG (problems with clouding). Is this still an issue? In that case I would rather go with the new macbook since I understand that's a whole new display.

What do you think? :)
 
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I am in the same boat. For me, it comes to portability vs power. Screen resolution is a wash.

If you want something that has lots of horsepower and ports galore, get the 13" rMBP. It'll replace your 15" MBP.

If you want ultimate portability or something to augment your 15" MBP, get the new rMB.

I went from a 15" MBP core 2 duo to 11" MBA i7 in 2012. It really is amazing to see the evolution of the macbook line. I'll tell you that I thought I'd use both machines when I got the MBA but never used my 15" ever again. Personally, I am leaning towards the rMB because I don't really need the horsepower or play games. I'll use it for typical Internet use, office, video, iTunes. Good luck with your decision.
 
There's basically a few reasons why you would choose a MBP instead of MB, namely:

1. You prefer 13" over 12"
2. You need more processing power
3. You use ports extensively and very often
4. You need FaceTime HD

In regards to #2, the MB will have a good processor, there are so many people here thinking that it will be really bad but it won't. Of course we don't know exact numbers but it will definitely be able to handle everything you listed.

In my case, I'll choose the MBP mostly due to #1 but also a little due to #4.

On the other hand there's a few reasons you'll choose the MB over the MBP, namely:

1. You can't stand the sound the fans make
2. You prefer 0.5 kg lighter computer
3. You want as thin and small computer as possible
4. You want the different color options they provide

One thing to keep in mind is that the MBP is the same price as the MB as long as you only choose 128 GB SSD on the MBP (lowest model) whereas on the MB you'll get 256 GB.
 
Tanax said:
There's basically a few reasons why you would choose a MBP instead of MB, namely:

1. You prefer 13" over 12"
2. You need more processing power
3. You use ports extensively and very often
4. You need FaceTime HD

In regards to #2, the MB will have a good processor, there are so many people here thinking that it will be really bad but it won't. Of course we don't know exact numbers but it will definitely be able to handle everything you listed.

In my case, I'll choose the MBP mostly due to #1 but also a little due to #4.

On the other hand there's a few reasons you'll choose the MB over the MBP, namely:

1. You can't stand the sound the fans make
2. You prefer 0.5 kg lighter computer
3. You want as thin and small computer as possible
4. You want the different color options they provide

One thing to keep in mind is that the MBP is the same price as the MB as long as you only choose 128 GB SSD on the MBP (lowest model) whereas on the MB you'll get 256 GB.
Click to expand...

@OP: I think Tanax's post is very informative and useful, helping to make your decision.
Having said that, it would not be a question for a second for me to choose the 13" rMBP as it is a proper computer. And one more factor: the rMB is first gen., so I would wait a little, if you tend to choose this option.
 
Ulenspiegel said:
@OP: I think Tanax's post is very informative and useful, helping to make your decision.
Having said that, it would not be a question for a second for me to choose the 13" rMBP as it is a proper computer. And one more factor: the rMB is first gen., so I would wait a little, if you tend to choose this option.
Click to expand...

A "proper computer" is the one that fits the particular user's needs. The use cases OP described are perfectly covered by 12" rMB. But obviously 13" rMBP will work as well, if he's willing to deal with a significantly heavier/bulkier machine.

For me personally - having been using 11" MBA as a primary machine, I couldn't go to something relatively large and heavy like 13" rMBP.
 
Ulenspiegel said:
The proper computer in my context above is defined not by needs but by functionality. It would be a long debate - that I won't go into - why I personally consider the rMB rather a "netbook" and not a "proper computer" like the rMBP.
Click to expand...

Does it matter? A netbook is a computer. It's not like he needs to make Pixar movies on it. I consider the retina MacBook the most proper computer for me.
 
Ulenspiegel said:
The proper computer in my context above is defined not by needs but by functionality. It would be a long debate - that I won't go into - why I personally consider the rMB rather a "netbook" and not a "proper computer" like the rMBP.
Click to expand...

I think terms like "proper computer', and "netbook" are semantical, and pretty much have no meaning in 2015, where there is a broad range of options for personal computing that serve a variety of needs - smartphones, tablets, Chromebooks, ultra-portables, gaming systems, etc.

What's "proper computer" to you - may not be a "proper computer" to your child or mother in law, so what you consider "proper" is mostly irrelevant.
 
Mcdevidr said:
Does it matter? A netbook is a computer. It's not like he needs to make Pixar movies on it. I consider the retina MacBook the most proper computer for me.
Click to expand...

You have a rather sound point here. No, it does not matter.
As I fully agree with you a netbook is a computer, just not the same category as a notebook.
I am really glad if the rMB is the most proper computer for you.

----------
ctyrider said:
I think terms like "proper computer', and "netbook" are semantical, and pretty much have no meaning in 2015, where there is a broad range of options for personal computing that serve a variety of needs - smartphones, tablets, Chromebooks, ultra-portables, gaming systems, etc.

What's "proper computer" to you - may not be a "proper computer" to your child or mother in law, so what you consider "proper" is mostly irrelevant.
Click to expand...

It seems you intend to go into a semantical debate. The context - that you have misinterpreted - was different. And as we know context in semantics is determining.

Evidently, in this case the question of relevance - as you interpret it - is irrelevant.

Done here. Enjoy the thread.
 
I don't see the issue with the 13-inch rMBP in terms of weight and bulk, it's a decent trade-off from the 15-incher without losing too much power, personally I would be far more concerned with losing too much power by downgrading to the new Macbook - but in the tasks you listed, nothing in there demands heavy-duty processing power anyway.
 
Perhaps I wasn't being clear on one thing. I'm going to keep the rMBP 15". It will be my main machine, with the other one being my work/bed/outside laptop. :)

That's the reason I think the rMBP 13 would be bad, since it's unnecessary to have both the rMBP 13 and 15 inches. An alternative would be to actually sell my rMBP 15", of course.

I'm leaning towards the MB12". It's beautiful, very light, and will suit my needs pretty good (I think I'll be happy with a pumped up ipad with OS X and a keyboard).

And I could always sell it when 2nd gen comes (if it's a major improvement). Definitely not calling myself a millionaire here, but selling a 1-2 year old machine (with macbooks having a great reselling value), buying the newer generation, and losing 2-500 dollars on the deal is something I can live with. I mean, the alternative is not having anything until the next generation.
 
Ulenspiegel said:
The proper computer in my context above is defined not by needs but by functionality. It would be a long debate - that I won't go into - why I personally consider the rMB rather a "netbook" and not a "proper computer" like the rMBP.
Click to expand...

Interesting view point. However, what is the use of functionality if they are not needed? The needs of a user defines the correct device for that user.

The only difference in functionality between the rMB and rMBP is processing power. Simply because the rMB is weaker in processing power does not mean it is not a "proper computer". There is no specific definition of a "proper computer" and to assume your beliefs on someone else's needs is simply hubris.

----------
danielwerner said:
Perhaps I wasn't being clear on one thing. I'm going to keep the rMBP 15". It will be my main machine, with the other one being my work/bed/outside laptop. :)

That's the reason I think the rMBP 13 would be bad, since it's unnecessary to have both the rMBP 13 and 15 inches. An alternative would be to actually sell my rMBP 15", of course.

I'm leaning towards the MB12". It's beautiful, very light, and will suit my needs pretty good (I think I'll be happy with a pumped up ipad with OS X and a keyboard).

And I could always sell it when 2nd gen comes (if it's a major improvement). Definitely not calling myself a millionaire here, but selling a 1-2 year old machine (with macbooks having a great reselling value), buying the newer generation, and losing 2-500 dollars on the deal is something I can live with. I mean, the alternative is not having anything until the next generation.
Click to expand...

Considering a 2011/2012 MBA (which I have) can run all the functions you listed, I do not see why the rMB would not be able to. In the end if you want portability and you don't need ports, then the rMB seems a fit for you.
 
The only port I would need is for a wireless mouse (if I don't manage to finally be comfortable with a trackpad). Do you think USB-C ones are coming?

An alternative would be a bluetooth mouse, but I don't know how much that will strain the battery life.
 
Apple's magic mouse is fully wireless, and you don't need any sort of USB thing to make it work (unlike logitech's).
 
danielwerner said:
The only port I would need is for a wireless mouse (if I don't manage to finally be comfortable with a trackpad). Do you think USB-C ones are coming?

An alternative would be a bluetooth mouse, but I don't know how much that will strain the battery life.
Click to expand...

maflynn said:
Apple's magic mouse is fully wireless, and you don't need any sort of USB thing to make it work (unlike logitech's).
Click to expand...

I use a Logitech T631 BT micro mouse when I travel. Other than size, it has basically the same functionality as the MM (which I own a couple of and really like a lot). Since it's BT, no USB ports are used.

----------
danielwerner said:
Perhaps I wasn't being clear on one thing. I'm going to keep the rMBP 15". It will be my main machine, with the other one being my work/bed/outside laptop. :)

That's the reason I think the rMBP 13 would be bad, since it's unnecessary to have both the rMBP 13 and 15 inches. An alternative would be to actually sell my rMBP 15", of course.

I'm leaning towards the MB12". It's beautiful, very light, and will suit my needs pretty good (I think I'll be happy with a pumped up ipad with OS X and a keyboard).

And I could always sell it when 2nd gen comes (if it's a major improvement). Definitely not calling myself a millionaire here, but selling a 1-2 year old machine (with macbooks having a great reselling value), buying the newer generation, and losing 2-500 dollars on the deal is something I can live with. I mean, the alternative is not having anything until the next generation.
Click to expand...

If you're keeping the 15", it really seems the new rMB is almost a no-brainer, assuming there isn't some fatal flaw in how it runs in the real world, which I doubt.

Worst case? - it's an iPad 1 that works beautifully within limits and Apple upgrades its functionality in the Gen2 release. In that case, as you say, you can probably sell it for a large % of your original purchase. I think the rMB is where you should be looking (since you asked!). ;)
 
danielwerner said:
I really don't know which one to choose.

I have a shift job as a control room engineer, so I want something to use on those long nights.

My primary uses are surfing the web, 1080p-movies on VLC and netflix, spotify, web designing (including some lighter photoshop use), and some lighter non-3D gaming.

I currently use a 2012 rMBP 15 inch. I love the portability of the new Macbook, but fear the processor and graphics card will be too slow when I'm used to the 15". On the other hand, I fear that a 13" rMBP will be a bit too heavy and a unnecessary purchase since the leap from 15" rMBP to 13" isn't worth 1300 bucks.

Also, when I bought my rMBP in 2012 there was a huge problem with clouding of the screens. Apparently some got displays from Samsung (no problem, as with mine) and some from LG (problems with clouding). Is this still an issue? In that case I would rather go with the new macbook since I understand that's a whole new display.

What do you think? :)
Click to expand...

The rMB should perform all the tasks that you have in mind. Actually any computer in the Mac line would do - even the MBA 11". So, it just boils down to your preferences (and how much money you could afford to hand over to Apple).

But, I could not figure out how you would consider the rMBP 13" to be "heavy" when you have been using the rMBP 15" for the past 3 years? the 13" machine will be lighter than what you have now.
 
danielwerner said:
Perhaps I wasn't being clear on one thing. I'm going to keep the rMBP 15". It will be my main machine, with the other one being my work/bed/outside laptop. :)

That's the reason I think the rMBP 13 would be bad, since it's unnecessary to have both the rMBP 13 and 15 inches. An alternative would be to actually sell my rMBP 15", of course.

I'm leaning towards the MB12". It's beautiful, very light, and will suit my needs pretty good (I think I'll be happy with a pumped up ipad with OS X and a keyboard).

And I could always sell it when 2nd gen comes (if it's a major improvement). Definitely not calling myself a millionaire here, but selling a 1-2 year old machine (with macbooks having a great reselling value), buying the newer generation, and losing 2-500 dollars on the deal is something I can live with. I mean, the alternative is not having anything until the next generation.
Click to expand...

If you're keeping the 15" rMBP, then by all means get the 12" MB.

Only reason I can recommend the 12" MB for you is because you already own a real computer. Anyone who buys a 12" MB without owning any other computer is somewhat of an idiot (or has too much money to care).
 
Adamantoise said:
If you're keeping the 15" rMBP, then by all means get the 12" MB.

Only reason I can recommend the 12" MB for you is because you already own a real computer. Anyone who buys a 12" MB without owning any other computer is somewhat of an idiot (or has too much money to care).
Click to expand...

I second this...don't act like a fool but be cool
 
mtneer said:
But, I could not figure out how you would consider the rMBP 13" to be "heavy" when you have been using the rMBP 15" for the past 3 years? the 13" machine will be lighter than what you have now.
Click to expand...
Not heavy per se, but too heavy to comfortably use it in my bed and have it with me to/from work every day.

I've had my rMBP 15" for three years and I don't think I've ever moved it. :)
 
I'd wait until some test results for the Macbook are available. Gaming could be an issue, including some 2D games (even the Macbook Pro is not a very good gaming machine).

I'd also consider the Macbook Air 13". Yes, it has a lower resolution, but the screen is not bad (check it out in a store yourself). It is almost as portable as the Macbook and almost as powerful as the Macbook Pro (in some cases graphics are even faster because it has fewer pixels to move around).
 
Rigby said:
I'd wait until some test results for the Macbook are available. Gaming could be an issue, including some 2D games (even the Macbook Pro is not a very good gaming machine).
Click to expand...

Here's a good review of Yoga 3 that just came out. Yoga 3 uses the same Core M CPU as the 12" rMB:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/9061/lenovo-yoga-3-pro-review/4

The conclusions are very encouraging:

There seems to be a general concensus that Core M equates slow, but clearly this is not the case. For some sustained workloads, yes, the 4.5 watt TDP limits how much performance you are going to get from the CPU, but for many tasks, especially short burst loads, the performance of the 5Y71 is very competitive, often outperforming the Haswell Core i5-4200U from last year’s Yoga 2 Pro. This says a tremendous amount about the Intel 14 nm process, because the IPC improvements of Broadwell vs Haswell are fairly limited. Clearly the CPU has quite a bit of headroom on the 14 nm process to keep the clock speeds up.
Click to expand...
 
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Ulenspiegel said:
Review by Techradar of Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro (http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc...d-netbooks/lenovo-yoga-3-pro-1268489/review):

I don't think it is/would be easy to get an objective, clear picture of the real perfomance.
Click to expand...

That Techradar review is overall positive as well:

Most tasks on the desktop can be undertaken without any sign of slowdown; 1080p videos play with a hitch (including when outputted to a larger monitor or TV), and medium-sized images in GIMP around 300MB in size can be scaled and resized with delays into tens of seconds, rather than minutes.
Click to expand...

Of course 4.5W Core M will benchmark lower than Yoga 2 Pro, which is based on 15W U-class Haswell - no one expected otherwise. The real question is - how well rMB performs in real world conditions. We will know soon enough.
 
To me I don't know how I could compare these two systems. One is a real laptop, one is a keyboard with a screen. The whole point of a laptop is that it has a physical keyboard with external ports. If I have no use for ports I would rather have a tablet than a rMB.
 
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