Roundup of Retina MacBook Pro Reviews

[pmau]

My biggest concern

It offers a desktop of 1440x900 regardless of the higher resolution.
The available space is the same.

UNLESS:

You use a scale factor to use 1920x1200, which:

a) Render into a texture of 3840x2400
b) Draw the texture on the 2880x1800 desktop

There are people who tell that it's still great and has no impact.
But I really don't believe that.

A 1680x1050 (3360x2100) would be nice, but I guess the panels are to expensive and the yield is too bad.

 

[ctdonath]

when the price of RAM goes down but the company does not reduce the price for its product in return, that is an example of how "supply and demand" is a myth.

Just because it doesn't work to your benefit & satisfaction doesn't mean it's a myth.

So Apple keeps the RAM price high. Some people still pay it - a thing is worth what someone will pay for it. More won't, so they take their demand to a cheaper supply and install the RAM upgrade 3rd-party. At some point Apple responds to the dropping demand by including more RAM for the same price in the next model - they have lowered the price by giving you more at the same value.

Ergo, "supply and demand" holds true - just more complex than you like.

 

[Lagmonster]

It offers a desktop of 1440x900 regardless of the higher resolution.
The available space is the same.

UNLESS:

You use a scale factor to use 1920x1200, which:

a) Render into a texture of 3840x2400
b) Draw the texture on the 2880x1800 desktop

There are people who tell that it's still great and has no impact.
But I really don't believe that.

A 1680x1050 (3360x2100) would be nice, but I guess the panels are to expensive and the yield is too bad.

This is spot on. I need to spend more time at the Apple store to see how this plays out but people need to be aware of this.

 

[CausticPuppy]

Did anyone notice the yellow tint screen in the CNET video?

Most likely due to the white balance setting of the camera.

 

[ctdonath]

What happens when the value of work gets stomped down? ... Those articles aren't whines. They are posting facts

You're whining. That's his point.

In 1981 I paid $2400 for an IBM PC with specs 0.0047GHz 8/16-bit CPU, 0.000016GB RAM, audio tape storage (no floppy drive, hard drive unheard of, flash storage unimaginable), 320x200 graphics, and no monitor.

31 years later you're whining about the expense of $2400 for a descendant computer sporting 489x faster clock speed (never mind how much more done per clock cycle), 1,000,000x the RAM, 1,600,000x the upgraded storage (we installed a 0.00016GB floppy storage soon after the 1981 purchase)(never mind access speeds), 81x the pixels, 65,535x the colors, monitor, and similar connectivity improvements - all in a box the volume of the first computer's keyboard.

If you take inflation into account, the cost of that original PC equates to 2.5 MBP-Rs today. For a third of the work you get a million times the computer.
Quit whining and be thankful you live in an age of luxury.

 

[baxter2]

You're whining. That's his point.

In 1981 I paid $2400 for an IBM PC with specs 0.0047GHz 8/16-bit CPU, 0.000016GB RAM, audio tape storage (no floppy drive, hard drive unheard of, flash storage unimaginable), 320x200 graphics, and no monitor.

31 years later you're whining about the expense of $2400 for a descendant computer sporting 489x faster clock speed (never mind how much more done per clock cycle), 1,000,000x the RAM, 1,600,000x the upgraded storage (we installed a 0.00016GB floppy storage soon after the 1981 purchase)(never mind access speeds), 81x the pixels, 65,535x the colors, monitor, and similar connectivity improvements - all in a box the volume of the first computer's keyboard.

If you take inflation into account, the cost of that original PC equates to 2.5 MBP-Rs today. For a third of the work you get a million times the computer.
Quit whining and be thankful you live in an age of luxury.

True.

 

[ristlin]

Stopped reading when the first review said "inexpensive".

epic fail, sir.

 

[$*~AAPL~*$]

What a failure

No 17" model, AND no ethernet port??? No wonder AAPL stock has done nothing but tank since the lame WWDC... i know I wob't be buying one and apparently quite alot of other people. IDK if a 17" will come back, but I gurarantee the ethernet port does. Eventually it goes away, but it's waaay too early. Maybe when they see just how badly it will impact sales they will realize just a ridiculous mistake... But not without the stock getting punished severely, which is happening now. What a HUGE FLOP.

 

[heyimandy]

no ethernet port??? No wonder AAPL stock has done nothing but tank since the lame WWDC... i know I wob't be buying one and apparently quite alot of other people.

There's a thunderbolt to ethernet adapter. Seriously do people not read...

 

[$*~AAPL~*$]

You're whining. That's his point.

In 1981 I paid $2400 for an IBM PC with specs 0.0047GHz 8/16-bit CPU, 0.000016GB RAM, audio tape storage (no floppy drive, hard drive unheard of, flash storage unimaginable), 320x200 graphics, and no monitor.

31 years later you're whining about the expense of $2400 for a descendant computer sporting 489x faster clock speed (never mind how much more done per clock cycle), 1,000,000x the RAM, 1,600,000x the upgraded storage (we installed a 0.00016GB floppy storage soon after the 1981 purchase)(never mind access speeds), 81x the pixels, 65,535x the colors, monitor, and similar connectivity improvements - all in a box the volume of the first computer's keyboard.

If you take inflation into account, the cost of that original PC equates to 2.5 MBP-Rs today. For a third of the work you get a million times the computer.
Quit whining and be thankful you live in an age of luxury.

that was then and this is now. Money and time is all that matters... I EXPECT ALOT of "luxury" for alot of money. This MBP costs far too much of both to be "luxurious" to me and seemingly ALOT of other people given AAPL has only crapped out since the pitiful WWDC. No 17" and no ethernet port... Just ****** stupid. I vote with my WALLET, and I choose not to buy. As a SHAREHOLDER, I am OUTRAGED. Apple has taken a SERIOUS step in the WRONG direction, and will cost MILLIONS of people alot of Money.

 

[ctdonath]

No 17" model, AND no ethernet port???

17" = 1% of notebook sales.

Ethernet port is rarely needed when not using the computer as a desktop. Get the adapter and leave the extra cubic inch on the desk instead of hauling it around when you need less "don't need that when mobile" to haul.

 

[heyimandy]

I think your on the wrong forum. Applehate.com probably had an appropriate thread for you.

All the best with your stocks. Very pleased with the new Macbook Pro.

 

[dannyl]

Price/Longevity anyone?

Assuming RAM requirements double every year for professional applications. I.e. In 2006 the typical base offering for a power laptop was 256Mb and currently its 8Gb. Then these Retina Macs are going to start dragging their heals in only two years time and that’s if it’s maxed out to 16Gb now. Over the last 6 years 4Gb and 8Gb SODIMMS have become available. These upgrades can be fitted to legacy machines, significantly prolonging their lifespan.

What do I do with my rMBP in 2014 when I need more memory? Sell it and buy a new one?

Every laptop/desktop I’ve had to date has had a lifespan (in my profession) of 4-6 years. It appears to me that with Apple’s latest offering this has more than halved! On these grounds alone they're way too expensive!

 

[$*~AAPL~*$]

There's a thunderbolt to ethernet adapter. Seriously do people not read...

Thunderbolt schmunderbolt. MANY avg consumers will shy away, and for what. It will cost alot of sales and lost revenue, which is unacceptable as a shareholder. Do you really think some newbie will have any clue about an adapter while browsing the site??? No... They need a comp now, won't see what they need, and will buy a $700 17" DELL and be happy about it. Perhaps rightly so. Apple seems to have gotten a litke too up in their heads on this, and the stock is suffering for it.

 

[ctdonath]

I EXPECT ALOT of "luxury" for alot of money.

$2400 isn't a lot of money for what you're getting and what you can earn with it.

People bitched about the price of the original top-model iPad. Mine paid for itself in 3 weeks from the time its "online anytime anywhere" got me.
I expect the same when I get around to buying the MBP-R. Should pay for itself within very few weeks.

 

[$*~AAPL~*$]

I think your on the wrong forum. Applehate.com probably had an appropriate thread for you.

All the best with your stocks. Very pleased with the new Macbook Pro.

I love Apple products and happy to be entirely entangled in the Apple ecosystem. I don't love design that harms the PUBLICLY OFFERED AND TRADED company shares. AAPL stock is suffering for this failure and that is what I take issue with.

 

[ctdonath]

Thunderbolt schmunderbolt. MANY avg consumers will shy away, and for what.

MOST avg consumers use wireless routers.
And are competent enough to get a cheap adapter if needed.

It's 2012 already. Cables are a nuisance.

 

[ctdonath]

Chill, dude. The MBP-R announcement is just 4 days old. Stocks of major companies always drop a bit after much-anticipated announcements. Nothing they've done deviates from the path that made Apple a half-trillion-dollar company.

Most people don't use wired Ethernet or ODDs most of the time now. For a high end portable product, features "not used by most people most of the time" need ejecting. MBA-Rs are back ordered a month, so obviously people want them in very large numbers. Contrast M$'s $50 Kin device, development cost $0.5B, just 500 sold.

Other models are available if you want them. Plenty of people want this one for your stock to do just fine. Chill already. Go buy a MBP-R, it will make you feel better.

 

[Les Kern]

Maybe the best laptop ever made that only an idiot would buy.

 

[steveh]

It certainly meets the "Cool" factor but I agree with Ross Miller.... you'll still be waiting a long time for developers to update apps. Some may not even bother..

I wonder if companies like Autodesk will even care to update at all.

Go check the keynote.

Autodesk was specifically called out as one of the first developers working updating their flagship application for the retina display, and quoted as being quite chuffed at what they were seeing.

 

[Scalion]

I just wanted to point something that no one realy talk about :


- Wireless

For me, everytime i use something like this i get a headache.
I cannot use those stuff.

so i NEED CABLE.

I know average people don't care about that, but theres people wich are sensitive to that.
If i had a choice i woudln't want to be sensitive...

Right now i'm missing some space will all those adapater.

 

[gusnyc]

Yes, it's expensive. But the fact that apple introduced a new high cost product would only be a reason to complain if they had eliminated the lower cost options. They didn't. You want a 15" mbp for less than $2000? You can have it, and with better specs than you could've had a week ago. you want a $1000 laptop? You can have that too, also better than the one that was available last week.

The retina mbp is on the cutting edge and the flagship product from a premium brand. Since when are cutting edge premium products cheap?

You are SO right! Hit the nail on the head.

 

[ct2k7]

There's only two benefits if I got the MacBook Pro with Retina Display:

Retina Display
Lighter (w/o Optical Storage)

My problem though, is that right now I have a MacBook Pro, Late 2011, with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD (OCZ). It does not make economical sense for me to upgrade.

I haven't used the new MBP, but there really isn't an Apple Store near me so I can go have a look.

Maybe it's something I can look for in the future, but not right now.

 

[gusnyc]

...and you can eat my %#**... that was then and this is now. Money and time is all that matters... I EXPECT ALOT of "luxury" for alot of money. This MBP costs far too much of both to be "luxurious" to me and seemingly ALOT of other people given AAPL has only crapped out since the pitiful WWDC. No 17" and no ethernet port... Just ****** stupid. I vote with my WALLET, and I choose not to buy. As a SHAREHOLDER, I am OUTRAGED. Apple has taken a SERIOUS step in the WRONG direction, and will cost MILLIONS of people alot of Money.

Clamchowder of the thread.

 

[dentor]

I hope the new MBP with retina can handle 3 display 1HDMI 2ThunderBolt