rMBP outdated soon already?

[UBS28]

With 4K TV's and displays coming that are able to display content greater than the rMBP can, the retina screen is going to be outdated soon. The resolution for the rMBP is too low for 4K content.

Perhaps in a future rMBP, the resolution / PPI could be bumped to 3840 x 2160 so that 4K content can be enjoyed to the fullest.

 

[ezramoore]

Widespread 4K adoption is still quite a ways out.

A higher resolution on a computer is only useful if it either sharpens UI elements (only valid with the finer details, really). At a certain point it becomes the law of diminishing returns.

Screen size also plays into the equation. 4K on a 15" screen isn't going to be a great example of the technology.

 

[Geoffre]

This is approximately item #165 on the list of things to be concerned about when it comes to the rMBP.

Besides, if this is a problem, isn't it approximately 4x as serious for every other laptop on the market?

 

[JamonBull]

I can't believe people would actually WANT a 4k laptop. Seriously. Watching 1080p content on a laptop is awesome already. I definitely see the benefit of 4k for massive TV sizes. 60" or above really but we still can't even effectively get 1080p content on laptops NOW because of availability and bandwidth issues, let alone worrying about 4k content!

 

[ll PiStoNs ll]

Maybe Apple will discontinue it after 6 months like they did with the "Collectors Edition MacBook".

4 years later and I still love it because its "rare"

 

[Freyqq]

showing a product off at CES and releasing it at a reasonable price to the masses are two very different things.

 

[throAU]

With 4K TV's and displays coming that are able to display content greater than the rMBP can, the retina screen is going to be outdated soon. The resolution for the rMBP is too low for 4K content.

No its not.

If the pixels are smaller than you can see, adding more will not help.


4k TV is useful for large screens. Not a 15" laptop display.

Same reason there is no point putting 1080p on the iphone screen. It is not required and of no benefit on a display of that size.

 

[thekev]

This is the most absurd OP I've read so far this year. You're several years off from even potentially seeing such a thing in a 15" display. Power consumption alone is enough to kill that currently. I know we keep seeing izgo rumors, but that is also future technology. I tend to prefer things that are stable and functional today.

 

[ob81]

What? Once every developer has caught up and started developing for the rMBP, then, and only then, can we even think about it being close to outdated.

Plus, you can't compare a laptop to a TV.

 

[comper]

All good points already brought up. Have you actually seen the screen running at its true resolution? I'm guessing not. It's pretty much unusable for everyday use, so having double that would be pointless in this screen size.

Also, power consumption of the screen is one thing, but an even bigger concern (moreso for 13") is that horsepower needed to power a resolution of that caliber.

I never thought I'd say that there can be too many pixels, but after using the 15" rMBP for the past couple of days, I think anymore at this screen size would be really unnecessary.

 

[mmomega]

The first 4k movie I've seen was 160GB.
So unless they shrink these videos tremendously then acquiring them will be a chore.

Optical Disc? No sir, not in 2013.

Downloading? What's your ISP's monthly data cap? Mine is 500GB, that's 3 movies and that's 100Mb/s service, downloading with normal DSL 6-15Mbps would take quite a while.

200GB flash drives for the movie? Even most 128GB flash drives I've seen were right at a hundred bucks, on top of the movie cost.

Then again I'm sure someone that actually owns a true 4k projector at the moment could care less about a $150 movie. I'm just thinking someone cares way, way, way more about pixels than I will for quite some time.

 

[Mrbobb]

I can't believe people would actually WANT a 4k laptop.

Number chasers.

Remember, at one point Intel said, Enough Already, no more gigahertz chase!

 

[kage207]

I would love to see a portable computer powerful enough to drive that many pixels. A PS3 can only do stills (I believe, not sure if it can do video right now).

So, this is a joke thread? Yes? Let's all get our laughs out.

 

[adjeff8]

This is approximately item #165 on the list of things to be concerned about when it comes to the rMBP.

Besides, if this is a problem, isn't it approximately 4x as serious for every other laptop on the market?

You are so wrong. I actually counted...And on that list it is item #168 of things to be concerned about when it comes to the rMBP. Of course, you did say Approximate.

 

[gngan]

With 4K TV's and displays coming that are able to display content greater than the rMBP can, the retina screen is going to be outdated soon. The resolution for the rMBP is too low for 4K content.

Perhaps in a future rMBP, the resolution / PPI could be bumped to 3840 x 2160 so that 4K content can be enjoyed to the fullest.

Why are you even comparing 4K TV to a laptop?
Like others said, 4K resolution is more big TV; not a 15'' laptop.

 

[moxxey]

No its not.
4k TV is useful for large screens. Not a 15" laptop display.

Completely correct. Boy, people really do ask the strangest questions (and get hooked in to thinking their tech is 'outdated' so easily).

Let's be fair here, 4K TV isn't happening soon. It's already been proved that the broadcasting bandwidth to show 4K TV isn't available (certainly not in the UK), so the take up of 4K will be minimal.

Basically, TV manufacturers simply find new ways of getting people to buy a new TV. Now the buzz will be about "Super HD" (4K), so get the average punter to think they need to upgrade.

4K is only suitable for 55" or higher panels where the size of the panel is better suited to the huge resolution.

 

[ybz90]

Number chasers.

Remember, at one point Intel said, Enough Already, no more gigahertz chase!

I don't think this is the same as there are no tangible benefits to increasing resolution past the point of human visual acuity whereas software has improved to take advantage of system power. We don't yet have bionic eyeballs.

 

[sk1wbw]

Is a 2012 Corvette outdated when they release a 2013 model? No, it's just a year older model. Give it a rest with the "outdated" stuff already. It's only outdated when it breaks and you have nothing.

 

[Ploki]

the 4K panasonic tablet (the only small form factor 4K unit i remember from CES?) has no more than 230 ppi, which roughly the same as rMBP 13"

The only thing theoretically happening to retina will be a bump to 3360*2100, the "hires version" achieving 257 ppi, which is where retina iPad currently resides.

But i doubt it will happen as fast as 1680*1050 did though, 1680*1050 were already shipping with other vendors when apple introduced the first gen unibody, so they had to catch up pretty quickly. I don't think any laptop is really shipping with a 3360*2100 screen.

 

[Pentad]

With 4K TV's and displays coming that are able to display content greater than the rMBP can, the retina screen is going to be outdated soon. The resolution for the rMBP is too low for 4K content.

Perhaps in a future rMBP, the resolution / PPI could be bumped to 3840 x 2160 so that 4K content can be enjoyed to the fullest.

You need to ask yourself the following questions:

1. How many TV shows are currently filmed in 4k?


2. How many DVD/BR movies are sold in 4k?


3. How many news outlets want to go to 4K?


The answer is none. You have to have content to sell 4k displays and you need 4k displays to sell content. I would trash your MBPr just yet..

Also, News outlets hated going to 1080p so they are going to be thrilled with 4k.

Finally, 8k is roughly the resolution of your vision so I would be happen if we all skipped 4k and went to 8k. This will happen -not today or this year- but it is coming...

-P

 

[Zauberer]

Anyone else actually satisfied with 1080p? Because whenever I watch a blu ray on my TV, I usually only think about how great the picture is.

I can only guess since I've never seen 4k/8k content (which it seems are the limits of human vision), but won't all the special effects/lighting/etc look "fake"/bad if the resolution is too realistic? Might this not take away from the viewing experience of television...Like I said, I'm only guessing here. People who know better can go ahead and correct me.

 

[IGregory]

With 4K TV's and displays coming that are able to display content greater than the rMBP can, the retina screen is going to be outdated soon. The resolution for the rMBP is too low for 4K content.

Perhaps in a future rMBP, the resolution / PPI could be bumped to 3840 x 2160 so that 4K content can be enjoyed to the fullest.

For me, I don't worry about what I don't have. Today, I am as happy as I have ever been with a computer.

 

[Ploki]

Anyone else actually satisfied with 1080p? Because whenever I watch a blu ray on my TV, I usually only think about how great the picture is.

I can only guess since I've never seen 4k/8k content (which it seems are the limits of human vision), but won't all the special effects/lighting/etc look "fake"/bad if the resolution is too realistic? Might this not take away from the viewing experience of television...Like I said, I'm only guessing here. People who know better can go ahead and correct me.

They didn't start looking worse when going from 720*586 to 1080p. They look better now don't they?

Rendering power and capabilities are increasing as well.

 

[throAU]

I would love to see a portable computer powerful enough to drive that many pixels. A PS3 can only do stills (I believe, not sure if it can do video right now).

Ivy bridge GPU (not sure on sandy) can do multiple 4k video stream decodes.

So, yes, an MBA could do it.


Don't forget the PS3 hardware was cheap on release, and is what... 8 years old now? In design stages in what... 2003?

Even a HD3000 is massively more powerful.

 

[tivoboy]

no risk

there is absolutely NO risk the the 4K movement will do anything to computing in the next 24-36 months. No risk. Buy as you see fit. 4K itself, like 3D may just fail in the next 18-24 months as it is.