Should I change my rMBP?

[Ultra AleM]

I bought a rMBP but I'm regretting it for some things. Mainly two:

1) The Retina screen is gorgeous, but all the non retina stuff looks blurry and my 720p videos, too. I just need to play them at full res, not scaled.

2) The UI lags like crap. I wanted a notebook to last 2-3 years. This one, although costed me 2000€, lags while doing nothing!!!

Should I get something else? Is the cMBP screen so horrible for the glossy and so heavier?

Is a downgrade to the 13" possible (I'd love portability)?

 

[Ricanlegend]

Get your money back and get an ipad4 it seems you dont need a powerfull computer

 

[maxosx]

If you buy a non-retina MBP with the option of Hi-Res, Antiglare, display you will be very happy. I have both and highly endorse the regular model.

 

[Sean76]

@ the OP...

I take it you have a 15inch retina...

It's not like the cMBP is a bad machine at all, the positive to buying that machine is that you can tinker with it and upgrade the ram, storage, etc. However it's a little hefty and is not as portable as the retina series. But the screen is not horrible by any means, it's just not, well..Not as crisp as the retina!

If it's any consolation,,, I have the 13in retina and love it...

 

[Ultra AleM]

If you buy a non-retina MBP with the option of Hi-Res, Antiglare, display you will be very happy. I have both and highly endorse the regular model.

I just think everything is too small on the high res display. It could be helpful while using adobe CS6 but crappy during the normal usage.

 

[xShane]

I bought a rMBP but I'm regretting it for some things. Mainly two:

1) The Retina screen is gorgeous, but all the non retina stuff looks blurry and my 720p videos, too. I just need to play them at full res, not scaled.

2) The UI lags like crap. I wanted a notebook to last 2-3 years. This one, although costed me 2000€, lags while doing nothing!!!

Should I get something else? Is the cMBP screen so horrible for the glossy and so heavier?

Is a downgrade to the 13" possible (I'd love portability)?

No, the cMBP is not horrible. It's about 1 pound heavier.

@ the OP...

I take it you have a 15inch retina...

It's not like the cMBP is a bad machine at all, the positive to buying that machine is that you can tinker with it and upgrade the ram, storage, etc. However it's a little hefty and is not as portable as the retina series. But the screen is not horrible by any means, it's just not, well..Not as crisp as the retina!

If it's any consolation,,, I have the 13in retina and love it...

Don't buy into this "not as portable" stuff. If a pound difference makes something not as portable where it becomes a problem in your everyday usage, I think you have other issues to worry about.

I just think everything is too small on the high res display. It could be helpful while using adobe CS6 but crappy during the normal usage.

Look into getting an iMac if you want screen real estate.

Also, how bad does the UI lag on your rMBP? Try resetting the SMC.

At the very worst, take your machine back to Apple (it sounds like you just bought it), explain your problem, and ask for a replacement.

 

[Sean76]

No, the cMBP is not horrible. It's about 1 pound heavier.



Don't buy into this "not as portable" stuff. If a pound difference makes something not as portable where it becomes a problem in your everyday usage, I think you have other issues to worry about.



Look into getting an iMac if you want screen real estate.

Also, how bad does the UI lag on your rMBP? Try resetting the SMC.

At the very worst, take your machine back to Apple (it sounds like you just bought it), explain your problem, and ask for a replacement.

The Anti Retina sith has spoken ladies and gentleman.

So your saying the cMBP isn't noticeably bulkier and heavier then the Retina machines? Like enough to notice on an every day basis?

Yea just like the screens aren't to different...hahahaha!

 

[xShane]

The Anti Retina sith has spoken ladies and gentleman.

So your saying the cMBP isn't noticeably bulkier and heavier then the Retina machines? Like enough to notice on an every day basis?

Yea just like the screens aren't to different...hahahaha!

The OP may or may not notice it, but saying "isn't as portable" is going a bit too far.

 

[swerve147]

No, the cMBP is not horrible. It's about 1 pound heavier.

I think OP was referring to the 1440x900 glossy on the cMBP, which I think we can all agree isn't the best. The 1680x1050 anti-glare on the other hand is a pretty nice display.

EDIT: oops, OP shot that option down.

 

[Ccrew]

The OP may or may not notice it, but saying "isn't as portable" is going a bit too far.

I dunno. With my retina I could hold a latte in my other hand, with the non-retina the weight is so much I have to put my latte down. That's huge!

 

[alphaod]

If you are not satisfied with your computer, get one that suits your needs.

In this case you are not liking the rMBP, so return it and get the old one.

 

[Zeov]

You're not happy with your product, of course you should change it...!

duh

 

[Ultra AleM]

Yes but I don't know if I'd be happier or not with the old one... It's a hard choice, because it is a lot of money! Apple notebooks cost a lot. An Asus with same retina specs but better audio costs 1.000$ less...

 

[xShane]

I dunno. With my retina I could hold a latte in my other hand, with the non-retina the weight is so much I have to put my latte down. That's huge!

Well I guess if holding a Latte is more important to you...

Yes but I don't know if I'd be happier or not with the old one... It's a hard choice, because it is a lot of money! Apple notebooks cost a lot. An Asus with same retina specs but better audio costs 1.000$ less...

A cMBP will be cheaper than your rMBP.

 

[B...]

Well I guess if holding a Latte is more important to you...



A cMBP will be cheaper than your rMBP.

Although both the Asus and cMBP are cheaper, they both are lacking in certain areas, good in others. Asus: bad trackpad, bad keyboard, bad customer service, good screen but not as good as the rMBP. cMBP: heavy, and the screen is very lacking.

OP, it seems you are suffering from early adoption. Imagine in a few years: 1600p that will look awesome on retina! As for lag, softwre updates should fix.

In conclusion, the rMBP is a great machine, but early in its lifespan. Whether you will trudge on or jump ship is completely up to you.

 

[xShane]

Although both the Asus and cMBP are cheaper, they both are lacking in certain areas, good in others. Asus: bad trackpad, bad keyboard, bad customer service, good screen but not as good as the rMBP. cMBP: heavy, and the screen is very lacking.

OP, it seems you are suffering from early adoption. Imagine in a few years: 1600p that will look awesome on retina! As for lag, softwre updates should fix.

In conclusion, the rMBP is a great machine, but early in its lifespan. Whether you will trudge on or jump ship is completely up to you.

Now now...

 

[B...]

Now now...

Of course I meant relative to the other two.

 

[Ultra AleM]

I don't really know what to do. If Apple released that Mac OS 10.8.3 I could check out the performance...

 

[urkel]

Im really not sure what to think about this whole rMBP vs cMBP thing. I owned both a 15" rMBP and cMBP but decided to keep the rMBP. But I'm realizing that in the real world, the cMBP may still be the better machine for most users. As a rMBP owner and photographer then I have this ultra thin notebook with an amazing screen, but if I ever want to travel with it I have to tether an external drive to it which means I have to be at a desk. Thats not progress.

But when I had the 15" cMBP then it was slightly heavier but I was able to install an SSD, swap out the optical for an HDD and combine them both to be a 1TB Fusion Drive.

I like the rMBP 15 but I feel that its a bit ahead of its time because it has the power of a desktop but the storage/memory limitations of an ultrabook. Once storage capacity and pricing get more reasonable then I'd recommend it but until then its hard to justify its long term value.

 

[Ultra AleM]

Thanks a lot for your replies. I'm confused about the Asus, too. It is really good and costs 1.000, not 2.000.

 

[B...]

Thanks a lot for your replies. I'm confused about the Asus, too. It is really goodand costs 1.000, not 2.000.

But you sacrafice screen (compared to retina), trackpad, keyboard, customer service, OSX, and build quality.

 

[Sean76]

Did someone say Asus? lol, I had a Zenbook for work and hated it!

My Zenbook was roughly $1,100, the intro model is I believe around $700

Never mind the windows aspect, lets just look at hardware.

*The screen while nice, wasn't as nice as my rMBP

*The Speakers were horrid, both mine and partners sounded terrible, mine actually had a blown speaker out of the box

*I hated the keyboard and the trackpad, mostly the trackpad because It mostly had a mind of it's own

*And most of all the battery was terrible, my rMBP gets much better battery life as a whole.

Now were talking about an $1,100 machine here and the fact that I loose out on the qualities I mentioned above, as well as not being in the Mac eco system, which I really love.

Sorry the only thing made by Asus that I would recommend to someone would be the nexus 7, you want a well made lap top, with great hardware and software as well as being backed up by a really good company? Buy Apple!

 

[B...]

Did someone say Asus? lol, I had a Zenbook for work and hated it!

My Zenbook was roughly $1,100, the intro model is I believe around $700

Never mind the windows aspect, lets just look at hardware.

*The screen while nice, wasn't as nice as my rMBP

*The Speakers were horrid, both mine and partners sounded terrible, mine actually had a blown speaker out of the box

*I hated the keyboard and the trackpad, mostly the trackpad because It mostly had a mind of it's own

*And most of all the battery was terrible, my rMBP gets much better battery life as a whole.

Now were talking about an $1,100 machine here and the fact that I loose out on the qualities I mentioned above, as well as not being in the Mac eco system, which I really love.

Sorry the only thing made by Asus that I would recommend to someone would be the nexus 7, you want a well made lap top, with great hardware and software as well as being backed up by a really good company? Buy Apple!

+1. See my post above.

 

[Ultra AleM]

I must say that Asus (N56VZ) is really good. The speakers (with subwoofer) seem to be the best audio experience ever on a notebook.

It has the same hardware of the Retina 15 (even if the Nvidia graphics has 3x memory) and costs 1.000 less.

 

[B...]

I must say that Asus (N56VZ) is really good. The speakers (with subwoofer) seem to be the best audio experience ever on a notebook.

It has the same hardware of the Retina 15 (even if the Nvidia graphics has 3x memory) and costs 1.000 less.

Except the screen. But it sounds like you like the Asus. Go for it! If you have to make a thread asking if you should keep a laptop, you probably will not be happy with it if you keep it.