Should I get the Macbook Retina 12"?

[fanta88]

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

Best Buy had open box MacBooks for under $1K?

Jeez, I should go to Best Buy more. Too late now, though. Oh well.

 

[fireedo]

Well I finally switch from rMBP 15" early 2013 to rMB 12" base model, because I just got a great price it is an Open Box but the price is at $1115 (i know maybe thats not a lot of discount) but since I don't use the power of rMBP 15" so this is a great switch for me
I still have a powerful gaming PC at home

 

[lyngo]

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

I just picked up a brand-new one in box with a couple coupons when it was on sale for $100 off. It was certainly worth it to try it and I've enjoyed it ever since. Definitely keeping it.

 

[Craigy Boy]

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).

Yeah this has crossed my mind, however I have a portable battery pack that I was going to charge iPhone etc off.

I have a 13" MBPr and love it to be pieces but would love the lightness of the 12" MacBook. However the trade off as you say is lack of ports/SD card reader, which I would be using a lot, and there doesn't seem much about for SD Card to USB-C. So it would have to be multiple adaptors. First world problems eh?

 

[HellasLEAF]

Because I was so worried about performance and this thing getting hot if I pushed it I just went with a 13 inch pro 256 to replace my 13 inch mid 2011 air 121. I really had no issues with the power of the Air but storage and screen resolution pushed me to an upgrade. It's a little weird going heavier (not much, but noticeable) after always upgrading from heavier MB to lighter MB with now my 5th generation notebook from apple.

The retina MB 12 is so gorgeous and light but felt I'd go 13 inch rMB for now until they bring in gen two of the 12 inch MB.

iMovie was the worry. I do make some videos, some editing, nothing crazy. Maybe I could have gotten buy with the 256 rMB 12 inch but all the mac pros suggested there and all the reviews I said just couldn't justify not goign with the Pro. I will say I think the keyboard was better on the Air and IS better on the MB (my opinion). Pro keyboard feels stiff and slower to type.

If any MB 12 owners wanna chime in on how their laptop is handling their workload I'd love to hear it. I still may exchange the pro for the 12 inch but I'm very happy with it right now. It's actually cheaper to get 256 of storage with the 12 inch so that is a factor playing on my brain right now as well. Taxes in I just paid 2 g's.

 

[boltjames]

If any MB 12 owners wanna chime in on how their laptop is handling their workload I'd love to hear it. I still may exchange the pro for the 12 inch but I'm very happy with it right now. It's actually cheaper to get 256 of storage with the 12 inch so that is a factor playing on my brain right now as well. Taxes in I just paid 2 g's.

I'm in Hong Kong on my first international two-week trip with the 12" RMB and I've really been putting it through its paces and it's held up like a champ. I've constantly got multiple applications going with video and iTunes and Powerpoint and Outlook and Excel and Skype have had no issues, no hiccups. Battery life on the plane is amazing too. Couldn't be happier with my decision.

BJ

 

[pmouritz]

It's awesome to hear about all your opinions and experiences. I'm very glad that this thread just keeps living! Anyways, I think I've decided to wait for the Skylake rMB. The reason why is that I'm writing my bachelor thesis this semester and use the extra screen estate. Unfortunately I also have other expenses at this moment, so I'm going to buy the Skylake rMB next year and an used iMac 27". I'm still going to follow this thread closely since I'm still very interested in the rMB

To all of you who have bought the new rMB what about battery life? Is it lasting the 9 hours proclaimed or even longer? When I tried it at the store it would last around 4 hours with semi-intensive usage with a lot of desktops, apps and splitscreens open. But that was also with maximum brightness.

 

[phillyboy82]

Well I finally switch from rMBP 15" early 2013 to rMB 12" base model, because I just got a great price it is an Open Box but the price is at $1115 (i know maybe thats not a lot of discount) but since I don't use the power of rMBP 15" so this is a great switch for me
I still have a powerful gaming PC at home

That's kind of where I am at. I don't need a high-powered mobile device as I already own (well, built) a six-core workstation. However, I prefer functionality past what an iPad allows and this is where the rMB does a good job.

I couldn't pay full price for a rMB though, but $1050 was okay. Got a good deal on a used one-month-old one a few months ago from a private seller on amazon. I am hoping down the road that the prices on the rMB drop down towards the $999 level.