Should I get the Macbook Retina 12"?

[pmouritz]

I own the 2012 rmbp and 12 mb. For anything that does not involve processing the mb is my go to machine .
Either way seems like you want something more portable , so get the 12 mb, and trial or for 2 weeks, if it's not for you, the 13 MBA is also a great machine , otherwise the 13 rmbp

As mentioned in the above post, I won't be able to take the rMB for a 2 weeks trial, unfortunately. The 13 MBA is not really my style, especially because of the screen resolution and footprint. But the 13" rMBP is definitely the best value for the buck in my opinion! It would just be boring to get the same design as my current just with a smaller screen and slower processor, just to get ≈450 grams less weight and 2-3 hours on the battery

Unfortunately nowadays the reviews are focused on synthetic benchmarks ...
The best way to know if it fits your needs is to actually try it in an Apple Store.".

So annoying! I like using benchmarks to get an overview of how good a computer is. I'm just sick and tired to see reviewers use the benchmarks to determine whether or not it's a good laptop for office use. Everyone is talking about the 3D rendering, photo and especially video editing in 4K video or 1080p which I never do. I don't care how fast the rMB encodes a 4K video because it's OBVIOUSLY not as fast as a 2.7 GHz dual core 13" rMBP or a 2.2 GHz quad core 15" rMBP. They never talk about how it handles multiple large Word/Pages documents, multiple Safari tabs and windows or all kinds of normal usage for the average user.
I tried out a hell of a lot in the store and I honestly love the little thing. The unfortunate thing with Apples products is that as soon as you set your mind up for them - you simply can't stop thinking about how much you want them!

 

[MH01]

As mentioned in the above post, I won't be able to take the rMB for a 2 weeks trial, unfortunately. The 13 MBA is not really my style, especially because of the screen resolution and footprint. But the 13" rMBP is definitely the best value for the buck in my opinion! It would just be boring to get the same design as my current just with a smaller screen and slower processor, just to get ≈450 grams less weight and 2-3 hours on the battery

For me the 15" and 13" are too similar, the 15 " I believe is the best value for money .

The problem with the 12" is the price , I got mine for a 1/3 off, so I think it's a great machine , at full rrp, it's not good value , hence I can see why you would see the 13 as best bang for buck.

Cost aside, the 12 is a great machine .

You have a tough decision. If I was buying only one machine right now , it would be the 15.

 

[James.K.Polk]

I also definitely feel like this is a 2 year computer, the Macbook version (or perhaps redesigned Pro/Air) in 2017 will most definitely blow the 2015 rMB away by. But that does not change the fact that it's a very nice computer! Compared to the 15" rMBP which will probably do more years the price is also cheaper. So I would gladly pay the price for the rMB and love it for 2-3 years and get the updated version.


That sounds very unfortunate, can you elaborate on your decision to sell? I mean it should very well be able to handle web browsing and mutiple applications. Did you get the base-model? I've tried it out in the store with no problems running 10 tabs in 2 Safari windows, 8+ apps, split screen and multiple desktops. It did run a little bit warm but not hot.

I'd say that if I had Safari/iTunes/Numbers running and I tried something as simple as converting a book in Calibre, I could sense a performance hit. Maybe it wasn't drastic and heck, maybe it was something that most people wouldn't notice, but it scared me a little, considering I'm not someone who wants to upgrade every year - I want 3-5 years out of my laptops, and so maybe it was my fault for getting it in the first place

To me, the other issue was peripheral support - the 12" screen is fine IF it were easy to attach to an external display, but the inability to use a thunderbolt display (or any display using TB/DisplayPort) and charge simultaneously is so baffling. If it has the power to run these displays (and the forums tell me it is) then why they heck can't they support it?

 

[pmouritz]

For me the 15" and 13" are too similar, the 15 " I believe is the best value for money .
The problem with the 12" is the price , I got mine for a 1/3 off, so I think it's a great machine , at full rrp, it's not good value , hence I can see why you would see the 13 as best bang for buck.
Cost aside, the 12 is a great machine .
You have a tough decision. If I was buying only one machine right now , it would be the 15.

Great input, thanks. I have the 15" rMBP so I might as well keep because it works perfectly with 89% battery capacity after 3.2 years. But again I would just love an ultra portable rMB since I never use the power of 4 cores and dedicated graphics. I see your point in value al though the 13" rMBP early 2015 cost the same as the rMB, which is 9998 DKK (the Danish currency). Right now I will be able to get that same cash for my used 3.2 years old rMBP and switch it for the new rMB. I'm just slightly afraid that I will regret it since my 15" rMBP has been my darling since mid 2012 when I bought it for a staggering amount of money. And of course.. The power issue.

 

[MH01]

Great input, thanks. I have the 15" rMBP so I might as well keep because it works perfectly with 89% battery capacity after 3.2 years. But again I would just love an ultra portable rMB since I never use the power of 4 cores and dedicated graphics. I see your point in value al though the 13" rMBP early 2015 cost the same as the rMB, which is 9998 DKK (the Danish currency). Right now I will be able to get that same cash for my used 3.2 years old rMBP and switch it for the new rMB. I'm just slightly afraid that I will regret it since my 15" rMBP has been my darling since mid 2012 when I bought it for a staggering amount of money. And of course.. The power issue.

You have a great machine . If I had to choose to give up the 12" 1.2 or 15" maxed 2012, I would give up the 12" in a flash. And I got mine for £800, for a £1299 model.

The 12" being a new model will take a price hit next year, and early adopters will feel that. Only get it if you have surplus money.

 

[pmouritz]

You have a great machine . If I had to choose to give up the 12" 1.2 or 15" maxed 2012, I would give up the 12" in a flash. And I got mine for £800, for a £1299 model.
The 12" being a new model will take a price hit next year, and early adopters will feel that. Only get it if you have surplus money.

Hmm this is some devastating input to my rMB dream hehe For me the base-model would cost the equivalenat £999 which would be the same amount of money I could sell my 15" rMBP 2012 for.
I don't think that the rMB will be any cheaper when the Skylake models hit the market presumably in early 2016. However, they will definitely get a very decent speed bump and improved battery life. So it's not really the price I'm afraid of - it's the speed bump and battery life.
But you are 100% correct, my machine works great! It works like it was new but I'm a bit tired of caring its weight when I don't use its power. The same goes the charger which adds weight to the backpack as well. Besides this I'm blind in love with the design of the new rMB which is an issue when deciding hehe.

 

[MDMacGuy]

I do mind that it should not be too sluggish when using mission control, multiple desktops and split screen view, do you have anything to comment on that?

I'll be honest, I've not used these in El Cap on my 2012 rMBP, but your question prompted me to try them on my 12" rMB. I can happily report that you have no reason to be concerned. I currently have a 135-page Word document and a massive Excel document in split screen, and about 10 other apps running across two separate desktops, and moving between the various apps is very smooth. I have no doubt that it would be faster on a four-core i7 rMBP with 16GB of memory, but I can't imagine the extra speed justifying doubling the cost of the computer.

(I will also thank you for raising the question, because I can see how multiple desktops can be enormously helpful given the small screen size. I might not have thought to try them out otherwise!)

Of course I would be disappointed if I were doing video or processor-intensive graphics work. I bought my 2012 rMBP because I thought I might, but I was kidding myself. For that matter, I would be just as disappointed if I bought a 12" rMB that sat on the same desk, day in and day out, for three years. To me, that's the way to make the decision: Figure out what you *really* need in a computer and the buy the best version that you can afford of the computer that meets those needs. Don't worry about benchmarks and specs that don't translate to real-world usefulness. Don't worry that there is something faster, because there will always be something faster.

The one thing you can't quantify is how nice it is to sit back on a couch and have a fully functioning OS X computer that weighs next to nothing, doesn't overheat, has no fans, and slips unnoticed into the otherwise overlooked zippered pocket in my satchel when I'm done with it. Priceless.

 

[whodatrr]

Just bought my woman one this weekend, and color me impressed. Comparing it to my 13" MBA, it's much lighter and smaller. To my eyes, the screen is also more useful, as I run it with smaller fonts and windows, to leverage the resolution. With such setting, it's a much more productive system.. feels a lot roomier than my 13" MBA.

Regarding performance, the difference isn't that noticeable for tasks I typically use the MBA for. One port is a bit of a headache, but I don't use them often on such ultra-mobile systems. Added benefit of the setup is that I can plug into mobile chargers or other charging devices.

 

[Brocksley]

I made that switch. The rMB is so much slower it might drive you nuts. I wanted something more portable and thought the rMB would do. It's a great little machine, don't get me wrong, just a big downgrade from a maxed out rMBP from a few years ago.

 

[MDMacGuy]

I made that switch. The rMB is so much slower it might drive you nuts. I wanted something more portable and thought the rMB would do. It's a great little machine, don't get me wrong, just a big downgrade from a maxed out rMBP from a few years ago.

Just curious, but what are you doing with your rMB? It might help other weighing the pros and cons of one to know whether this is just casual web browsing and email, or things that are more processor-intensive.

For my part, I can definitely tell that it's not a powerful machine for things like Word and Excel, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it "so much slower."

 

[Brocksley]

Just curious, but what are you doing with your rMB? It might help other weighing the pros and cons of one to know whether this is just casual web browsing and email, or things that are more processor-intensive.

For my part, I can definitely tell that it's not a powerful machine for things like Word and Excel, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it "so much slower."

It's the little things though that bug me. I had a rMBP so I could do games, 3D animation, Adobe CC, etc. I'm not doing those things anymore, so I switched it out for something smaller and less powerful to do some web design on the go, just surfing the web, and maybe retouch a photo. However, scrolling webpages, switching spaces, scrolling huge folders, all these things produce noticeable stuttering on the rMB where it didn't exist on the rMBP.

 

[MH01]

Hmm this is some devastating input to my rMB dream hehe For me the base-model would cost the equivalenat £999 which would be the same amount of money I could sell my 15" rMBP 2012 for.
I don't think that the rMB will be any cheaper when the Skylake models hit the market presumably in early 2016. However, they will definitely get a very decent speed bump and improved battery life. So it's not really the price I'm afraid of - it's the speed bump and battery life.
But you are 100% correct, my machine works great! It works like it was new but I'm a bit tired of caring its weight when I don't use its power. The same goes the charger which adds weight to the backpack as well. Besides this I'm blind in love with the design of the new rMB which is an issue when deciding hehe.

Don't get me wrong it's a great machine . It's just very expansive , and you need adapters for the usb c port. A big advantage, you can use a power brick to charge it. Also if you are getting tired of carrying the rmbp, geez the rMP is light, you will not even realise you are carrying it. It's that light. It's an awesome design also. You have a tough choice my friend! I think you will probably love it!

 

[SR71]

It's the little things though that bug me. I had a rMBP so I could do games, 3D animation, Adobe CC, etc. I'm not doing those things anymore, so I switched it out for something smaller and less powerful to do some web design on the go, just surfing the web, and maybe retouch a photo. However, scrolling webpages, switching spaces, scrolling huge folders, all these things produce noticeable stuttering on the rMB where it didn't exist on the rMBP.

And that stuttering is occurring even on El Capitan?

 

[Brocksley]

And that stuttering is occurring even on El Capitan?

Yep. Not as bad as Yosemite, but still quite noticeable.

 

[questioner76]

I'm one of the ones that made the switch from a 2012 rMBP. I'm on week 2 with the new machine and I still love it. I honestly don't detect any speed drop and frankly El Capitan runs smoother on my rMB than my prior machine. I don't have nearly the same lag as I used to. My use case is surfing, email, Word, remote access to my home macs. I rarely use Photos or iMovie or anything more intensive on it though.

I say pull the trigger. It's something you really want and my personal view is that the advantages of the form factor far outweigh the negatives for my use cases.

 

[HellasLEAF]

Man. I am back and forth on this thing.

I have a 2011 MBA and I am a big fan of it. However I can only dump so much onto external and I'm at the point where I can't even properly fit El Capitan right now. Of course, I could swap it in for a new MBA but I don't want to be buying a new computer that is non retina (if they could just make the MBA retina problems would be solved). I also am a big fan of light and portable so naturally the rMB seams like the right move. I played with it a bit at the store. Looks and feels amazing, not a huge fan of the travel on the keyboard but I feel like I could get used to it.

I can't figure out whether to wait for rMB 2nd gen, or just get the heavier, yet excellent rMBP 13.

Or wait till price drop on the 1st gen and go for it.

I am an email, web browser, MS word type of user however I do use iMovie to create small videos and would dislike a slow machine there or one that can't handle so video editing.

 

[MDMacGuy]

Man. I am back and forth on this thing.

I was in the same boat as you this time last week, and I pulled the trigger over the past weekend. So far, I am 100% delighted with my decision. I haven't really noticed any problems with having a slower computer, and I am fining that having a full-fledged computer that I can tuck away in my portfolio is something that really benefits me.

Assuming you've worked through the obvious concerns - keyboard, single USB-C port, screen real estate - it comes down to how much power you need and how much you value true portability. If you are absolutely sure that you're going to stick to Word, browsing, email, etc., then the rMB should be plenty of computer for you. If you think you might get into playing with video, or trying out some games, then it probably isn't.

As I said in an earlier post, there will always be a a faster computer, but you simply cannot get a lighter, slimmer OS X computer at the present time.

 

[nebo1ss]

Man. I am back and forth on this thing.

I have a 2011 MBA and I am a big fan of it. However I can only dump so much onto external and I'm at the point where I can't even properly fit El Capitan right now. Of course, I could swap it in for a new MBA but I don't want to be buying a new computer that is non retina (if they could just make the MBA retina problems would be solved). I also am a big fan of light and portable so naturally the rMB seams like the right move. I played with it a bit at the store. Looks and feels amazing, not a huge fan of the travel on the keyboard but I feel like I could get used to it.

I can't figure out whether to wait for rMB 2nd gen, or just get the heavier, yet excellent rMBP 13.

Or wait till price drop on the 1st gen and go for it.

I am an email, web browser, MS word type of user however I do use iMovie to create small videos and would dislike a slow machine there or one that can't handle so video editing.

Have you considered upgrading the size of your SSD.

 

[Craigy Boy]

I'm looking to go travelling (backpacking) around the world and currently have a 13" MBP retina (late 2013). Love it to bits but thinking I wouldn't mind something smaller and lighter with me on the road. Really will be using it for general surfing the net, email, photos and editing video footage on the go.

How does photos and editing 1080p video footage handle on the 12" MacBook? I'm happy to if there's a performance hit compared to my MBPr, as I'm sure I'm be grateful for the weight difference on my back. But if it's just really not up to scratch then I think I'll stick with my MBPr.

Also I would maybe think of just taking my iPhone 6 Plus and the 12" MacBook and ditch my iPad Air 2. Anyone found their 12" MacBook has kind of killed two birds with one stone and replaced their previous laptop AND iPad?

 

[MauerFan07]

Heading to an Apple store tomorrow to look at this. Really want to wait for Skylake, since my 2012 cMBP is still holding up, so hopefully I don't give into temptation

 

[HellasLEAF]

I was in the same boat as you this time last week, and I pulled the trigger over the past weekend. So far, I am 100% delighted with my decision. I haven't really noticed any problems with having a slower computer, and I am fining that having a full-fledged computer that I can tuck away in my portfolio is something that really benefits me.

Assuming you've worked through the obvious concerns - keyboard, single USB-C port, screen real estate - it comes down to how much power you need and how much you value true portability. If you are absolutely sure that you're going to stick to Word, browsing, email, etc., then the rMB should be plenty of computer for you. If you think you might get into playing with video, or trying out some games, then it probably isn't.

As I said in an earlier post, there will always be a a faster computer, but you simply cannot get a lighter, slimmer OS X computer at the present time.

True, and well said MDMacGuy. I do value portability. and I don't care about the single usb-c much that is so overblown (I couldn't care less about attaching one extension for the off chance I need to charge and do something else in that 8-9 hour battery window I'll have. Heck, the cpu barely leaves the house).

However, I do use iMovie off and on and do put the laptop to the text with multiple windows and vids while surfing etc..

I'll never game on it. Have the ps4 for that.

 

[Brocksley]

The MacBook does fine when editing or touching up raw photos in Photoshop. It gets laggy when I deal with a large psd website layout. It's never been more than a small annoyance though.

I can't see a reason to have an iPad when I have my 6+ and my MacBook. It's a great portable combination. I have a gaming PC that I use for any power needs. I wish the new 4K iMacs weren't so weak. I'd like to replace my PC with one. I think I'd never find myself wanting with that setup.

 

[radiologyman]

Macbook 12 really grew on me. It's a true ultraportable with no lag when doing light tasks. I remote into my main computer which does heavy lifting but for my couch/bed computer its the best. And I had 3 powerful Sony Z ultraportables before...

 

[whodatrr]

So, I was minding my own business in Best Buy, when another open box MacBook followed me home. Dang! I tried to resist, but when they dropped the price under $1,000 I was just too weak. Now the woman has a Silver and I have a space grey, both open boxes bought in the last week or so.

This will replace my 2013 13 MBA. Though this system is less powerful, it'll be more productive for me. Most people focus on cycles and benchmarks for productivity, I find that pixels make me productive. The MBA 13 screen just doesn't have enough resolution for me to do spreadsheets and PPTs the way I like to.

So the MacBook is my new portable, and the iMac is my workstation. I suspect the iPads are now gunna' gather dust.

Most importantly, my relationship is saved because I don't have to keep stealing the woman's MacBook... LOL

 

[mtneer]

I'm looking to go travelling (backpacking) around the world and currently have a 13" MBP retina (late 2013). Love it to bits but thinking I wouldn't mind something smaller and lighter with me on the road. Really will be using it for general surfing the net, email, photos and editing video footage on the go.

How does photos and editing 1080p video footage handle on the 12" MacBook? I'm happy to if there's a performance hit compared to my MBPr, as I'm sure I'm be grateful for the weight difference on my back. But if it's just really not up to scratch then I think I'll stick with my MBPr.

Also I would maybe think of just taking my iPhone 6 Plus and the 12" MacBook and ditch my iPad Air 2. Anyone found their 12" MacBook has kind of killed two birds with one stone and replaced their previous laptop AND iPad?

Keep in mind that the rMB has no ports to charge your phone, other gadgets when you are on the road. It also requires dongles to download anything off your camera/ SD card. If you are going to be doing that a lot, I would go for something with better peripherals connectivity on the road (the 13" rMBP or even the MBA).