Should I get the retina MacBook?

[whodatrr]

There will always be something better on the horizon. Rather than pushing to keep up with the Jones's, the relevant questions is: does this system do what you need it to, with appropriate costs & compromises?

Another important element, at least for me, is whether or not I can buy at a discount. I'm notorious about buying open box, and the two ribs we bought were both just under $1,000 USD, which is $300 off the sticker. Same warranty, quality, etc. just cheaper. And I buy all my Macs like this, but the catch is that you have to be willing to wait a couple months after they're released. Fair enough, for me, and I get to ensure that the bugs have been squashed anyhow.

In a perfect world, let's look at what the upgrade might bring:
More power - would be nice, but the current one is good enough for me, as a 2nd computer
Better GPU - Useful for plugging into external monitors. As I have a workstation, not entirely necessary, but YMMV
Another port - Useful, but not a deal-breaker
Better Screen - Honestly, I can't see how it could get much better
Longer batter life - Current one is sufficient for me, but YMMV
Option for a bigger (eg 14-15" system) - That one might get me to but, but only after I find an open box

Of course, you could wait a year only to find that next year's update is a 10% CPU/GPU bump and a new rose gold color?

 

[Max(IT)]

I'm not in the I.T. industry .. I don't code .. I don't even need my laptop at work .. my laptop is strictly for email, social media, downloading and watching movies, youtube and simple stuff like that ..

I have the MBP 15" 2012 edition and it's perfect .. fast .. never a problem ..

I just have a thing for laptops and notebook computers .. even before they were so popular and bulky and ugly .. I love exploring the potential of a personal computer (esp. a notebook) can do .. so I have this MBP 15-incher .. and other lots of airs and PC notebooks have come and gone over the years ..

I saw the rMB at the store .. and my jaw dropped .. it's the future of computing .. I LOVED IT .. loved the retina screen .. but I don't need it .. I have no use it except just to buy it for fun .. I really really REALLY want it .. I can sort of afford it, too .. so should I get it .. or is it just a waste? .. I can't decide .. someone help make the decision easier for me, please!!! ..

I'm under the impression MBP 15" is just overkill ....
A rMB as primary notebook could be enough for your needs, if you can accept the small display.

my philosophy has always been: when in doubt, do it.

has gotten me in trouble a few times though.

my philosophy too .... and it caused several trouble to me, especially when girls were involved

FWIW, having owned both the 13" MBP and the 15" MBP - there is not that much difference between them.

However - the rMB is a different beast entirely. Yes, it's underpowered compared to ^. Yes, the keyboard takes some getting used to. But - the fact that it weighs ...NOTHING.. has made it completely different for me for travelling. I love it. It weighs as much as my paper notebook. It's crazy.

If you're just doing e-mail, word docs, surfing web, etc. - I think you should consider it. If you're doing anything processor-intensive - yes - get 13" mbp.

excuse me mate, but I don't agree.
Former 15" MBP owner (4 in a row), now Ive got a 13" rMBP and the difference is very noticeable.
Actually there is almost the same weight difference in the 15" MBP -> 13" MBP -> 12" rMB passage (about 500 gr).

really? .. no difference between the 13 and 15 Retina MBPs? .. surely, the 13 incher must weigh lesser .. I know the design is similar .. but if you're telling me that there's "no difference", then it would be boring to get the 13 rMBP ..

As I said, thats not my experience. Big difference during travels.....

 

[iBilal]

ok, went to the shop .. saw the MacBook again .. I love the screen ..

now, here's my next question .. maybe someone who has both a 15" notebook and a 11" or 12" notebook can answer it ..

I have the 15 rMBP not because I needed the power or dedicated graphics .. I bought it because of the LARGE screen .. (and a Retina screen, of course) .. I'm in front of this laptop most of the day, reading something or the other .. and I wanted a larger screen .. so I got the 15 inch MBP ..

the MacBook's screen seems very small in comparison .. they say you get used to it .. I have a friend who has had a 11 Air for years and he's perfectly happy with the small screen .. so everyone tells me you get used to it ... like when you go from a large screen tv to a smaller one .. it feels a lot smaller but eventually you get used to it ..

but, in my situation .. I'm going to have both a 15 inch laptop and a 12 inch laptop .. won't the 12 rMB always seem small .. I'll be switching between the two .. had I exclusively had just the 12 incher, I would've just gotten used to it .. but when you're switching between a 15 inch screen and a 12 inch screen a couple of times a day, do you get used to the smaller screen? .. I've always had 15 inch notebooks .. I like the big screen .. the 12 rMB had a gorgeous screen .. and certainly enough "real estate" .. but does one get used to that? .. switching between a 15 inch and 12 laptop several times a day .. like the 12 inch rMB will be in my room .. and I'll keep the 15 inch one in the study .. but I don't see how I'll get used a 12 inch screen, when I'm using the 15 inch one too ..

does anyone here have this sort of a setup .. where they have a large screen laptop and a small one and use them both during the course of the day? .. does one get used to it? .. that's the only thing that's holding me back, otherwise I was all set to buy the 12 rMB today .. so I'm really confused, again .. .. I absolutely loved the screen on the 12 rMB .. it was gorgeous .. the most beautiful display I've ever seen on a laptop ..

but .. say I was getting rid of the 15 incher and had decided I'm going to use a smaller notebook .. my brain would've eventually gotten used to the smaller screen .. and I don't intend on getting rid of the 15 incher .. I want to be able to use both .. do you guys understand what I'm saying? ..

I'd love to hear from someone who is in the same situation .. has a large notebook and a small one .. I want to know if I'll eventually get used to the 12 inch screen .. ?

otherwise I would've bought it .. it was AMAZING!

Bilal

 

[iBilal]

you seem to have a 13 inch and an 11 inch notebook .. do you use them the same day? ..

I'm under the impression MBP 15" is just overkill ....
A rMB as primary notebook could be enough for your needs, if you can accept the small display.


my philosophy too .... and it caused several trouble to me, especially when girls were involved


excuse me mate, but I don't agree.
Former 15" MBP owner (4 in a row), now Ive got a 13" rMBP and the difference is very noticeable.
Actually there is almost the same weight difference in the 15" MBP -> 13" MBP -> 12" rMB passage (about 500 gr).



As I said, thats not my experience. Big difference during travels.....

 

[iBilal]

and so how does that work out? .. do you notice the screen size difference every time you use one laptop and then the other?

Bought the lowest MacBook as a secondary laptop to my fully loaded 15" MBP. Pretty happy with it so far! No regrets.

 

[iBilal]

oh don't be silly and get it .. there will always be refreshes coming out .. always something better out there ..

Hi Bilal, im in the same boat too.

The local apple shop finally got their rMB stocks afyer months of it not being available and now they are advertising a price increase of ₹10k lol

Insane!

Btt: im torn whether to buy it now or wait for another 6mos for the refresh

 

[iBilal]

how much battery life are you getting?

The very best feature of the RMB is that it is the perfect Travel notebook. It's so light you don't even know its there, you can carry it on your back in a backpack all day without any fatigue.

Best of all, it passes through airport scanners as an iPad, you don't need to pull it out as you go through security.

If Travel is your primary objective, the RMB is a no-brainer. I just returned from two weeks in Japan, Hong Kong, and China and the thing is a champ, fantastic battery life, ridiculous light weight, crystal clear display, evenly backlit keyboard, fits in any room safe, it's unbelievable.

BJ

 

[whodatrr]

It's all relative.

My main system is an iMac with three 27" screens. Anything, aside from that, is pretty much rubbish to me. Yes, I can produce content on a single laptop screen, but I'm nowhere near as productive as I am with my workstation setup.

With that as a background, there's not a huge difference in my own productivity between a 12" and 15" screen for me. I just choose the smaller one because it's much more portable. PC screens are the truly personal part of personal computing. Nobody else can tell you what your own eyes prefer.

 

[boltjames]

how much battery life are you getting?

I can't speak to OSX because I run Windows exclusively, but on a 16 hour international flight in airplane mode I was able to watch 8 hours worth of movies and TV shows and still have 2 hours of battery to spare when I landed.

In a typical business day, I can run wi-fi and email and apps like Excel and Powerpoint and Firefox and get about 8 hours of usage on battery (Windows 10 has a low power mode that is excellent and covers the last 2 of those 8 hours).

BJ

 

[lite426]

I can't speak to OSX because I run Windows exclusively, but on a 16 hour international flight in airplane mode I was able to watch 8 hours worth of movies and TV shows and still have 2 hours of battery to spare when I landed.

In a typical business day, I can run wi-fi and email and apps like Excel and Powerpoint and Firefox and get about 8 hours of usage on battery (Windows 10 has a low power mode that is excellent and covers the last 2 of those 8 hours).

BJ

Bolt James, what brightness do you run at for those battery times?
Backlight on my MacBook is very uneven, for instance on keys like esc the 'e' is very poorly lighted. On my shift keys the bottom half of the letters is dim. Do you not get this?

 

[mdbradigan]

I am a programmer - and my main machine is pretty much permanently docked with two 27" displays. like one of the previous said - anything less than this feels extremely restrictive to me. However, I *can* work on my rMB. When I do, I usually use the Duet app to tether my ipad to it and use that as a second screen. The ipad + rmb is still less space and less weight than a 13" mbp. However, that's not what I mainly got it for. It's not my work machine. it' s my super light weight go everywhere machine.

 

[boltjames]

Bolt James, what brightness do you run at for those battery times?
Backlight on my MacBook is very uneven, for instance on keys like esc the 'e' is very poorly lighted. On my shift keys the bottom half of the letters is dim. Do you not get this?

In a pitch dark airplane cabin I was running back light at 25%.

During the daytime in conference rooms, I let Windows handle the backlight automatically, I would guess I am either at 75% or 100%.

I also shut down all unnecessary processes running in the background, on Windows that is quite configurable I am not sure how that compares with OS X.

BJ

 

[whodatrr]

Personally, I think this is a big opportunity for Apple or someone else - a second screen for mobile users. I have occasionally used Duet and other packages, and they're OK. But it sure would be nice to use a USB-C to lighting cable, getting a second display, without any latency or CPU load. That's my dream...

Heck, that's the ONLY reason I'd but an iPad Pro, and I'd buy one win a heartbeat. Going from two or three screen to one is a pain. Or maybe i'm just a freak in this way?

I am a programmer - and my main machine is pretty much permanently docked with two 27" displays. like one of the previous said - anything less than this feels extremely restrictive to me. However, I *can* work on my rMB. When I do, I usually use the Duet app to tether my ipad to it and use that as a second screen. The ipad + rmb is still less space and less weight than a 13" mbp. However, that's not what I mainly got it for. It's not my work machine. it' s my super light weight go everywhere machine.

 

[iBilal]

so, I will notice the difference, won't I? .. and go crazy going back and forth from the 12 inch & 15 inch screens .. :-(

so I shouldn't get it? ..

this so sucks!!!

 

[redheeler]

so, I will notice the difference, won't I? .. and go crazy going back and forth from the 12 inch & 15 inch screens .. :-(

so I shouldn't get it? ..

this so sucks!!!

I go back and forth with 13" and 27", and do so just fine

Run your rMB at non-native 1280x800 HiDPI and you'll have the same amount of screen space as a 13" rMBP. You're definitely overthinking this, when all you have to do is buy one and return it if you don't like it.

 

[Max(IT)]

you seem to have a 13 inch and an 11 inch notebook .. do you use them the same day? ..

I'm using both .... my daily driver is the 13" MBP (early 2015), while my wife is using the 11" MBA (2010).

 

[iBilal]

I'm still confused and in total agony ..

I really REALLY like the rMB .. and want it .. but I'm worried the screen might be too small .. it's a beautiful screen and the best I've ever seen on a notebook/laptop .. I have the 15 incher because I just need a big screen, I don't care about the processor or graphics cards and those things .. I need a large screen to read blogs and articles and generally use the web .. the 15 incher, I know, was over-kill .. but like I said, I need a big screen .. I want a secondary laptop .. I'd like to leave the 15 incher on my desk in the study as a desktop replacement .. and want a secondary smaller/lighter computer to use while in bed or on the couch .. just moving around the house .. now, everyone tells me when you have a smaller screen notebook, you get used to the small screen .. it's like if you had a large screen tv and bought another smaller one to replace it .. the first couple of days, it seems tiny .. because your eyes are used to a bigger screen but eventually they adjust and you get used to it .. now, in my case .. I'm NOT replacing my 15 inch laptop with a smaller one .. I want a secondary one .. if it were to be my main machine, of course, I would get used to the small screen .. but the things is .. (I'm so sorry, I must sound like such a cry-baby!) .. my problem is that I'm going to be using BOTH the laptops simultaneously, in the same day .. sit down at my desk to do whatever I need to do that day .. I just use the web to answer emails, keep in touch with people, do banking, travel arrangements and so on .. so I usually sit at my desk 4 or 5 hours a day .. and the rest of the time is spent on the couch or in bed or in the kitchen .. (I'm not working, right now .. I have cancer and going through the lousy treatment) .. so I'm usually in bed, on the recliner or sitting at the kitchen counter .. and am using the web to read stuff and facebook, etc. .. I'm worried that when I get the MacBook, I'll love just it and use it a lot .. but eventually the screen will seem too small for comfort and go back to lugging the 15 incher throughout the house or when in the hospital, etc. ..

so that's what I want to know from you guys .. I know it's totally personal preference .. but I'd love to hear from someone who is in a similar situation .. will the 12 inch be just too small of a screen and go under the bed and gather dust .. or can you use BOTH a large screen and a smaller screen simultaneously .. do your eyes adjust? .. I know they would if the MacBook was my only notebook .. but I need the bigger screen to do the bulk of my stuff during the day .. and I'd really really like a smaller/lighter computer that I can carry with me around ..

I've the MacBook so many times at the store .. I so love it .. I can't buy one and return it .. there are no Apple stores where I live ..

someone help me!!!

 

[whodatrr]

At this point, it sounds like this is a very personal decision, and I don't think we can be much help. You need to play with various systems, or buy one and try it out.

I'm still confused and in total agony ..

I really REALLY like the rMB .. and want it .. but I'm worried the screen might be too small .. it's a beautiful screen and the best I've ever seen on a notebook/laptop .. I have the 15 incher because I just need a big screen, I don't care about the processor or graphics cards and those things .. I need a large screen to read blogs and articles and generally use the web .. the 15 incher, I know, was over-kill .. but like I said, I need a big screen .. I want a secondary laptop .. I'd like to leave the 15 incher on my desk in the study as a desktop replacement .. and want a secondary smaller/lighter computer to use while in bed or on the couch .. just moving around the house .. now, everyone tells me when you have a smaller screen notebook, you get used to the small screen .. it's like if you had a large screen tv and bought another smaller one to replace it .. the first couple of days, it seems tiny .. because your eyes are used to a bigger screen but eventually they adjust and you get used to it .. now, in my case .. I'm NOT replacing my 15 inch laptop with a smaller one .. I want a secondary one .. if it were to be my main machine, of course, I would get used to the small screen .. but the things is .. (I'm so sorry, I must sound like such a cry-baby!) .. my problem is that I'm going to be using BOTH the laptops simultaneously, in the same day .. sit down at my desk to do whatever I need to do that day .. I just use the web to answer emails, keep in touch with people, do banking, travel arrangements and so on .. so I usually sit at my desk 4 or 5 hours a day .. and the rest of the time is spent on the couch or in bed or in the kitchen .. (I'm not working, right now .. I have cancer and going through the lousy treatment) .. so I'm usually in bed, on the recliner or sitting at the kitchen counter .. and am using the web to read stuff and facebook, etc. .. I'm worried that when I get the MacBook, I'll love just it and use it a lot .. but eventually the screen will seem too small for comfort and go back to lugging the 15 incher throughout the house or when in the hospital, etc. ..

so that's what I want to know from you guys .. I know it's totally personal preference .. but I'd love to hear from someone who is in a similar situation .. will the 12 inch be just too small of a screen and go under the bed and gather dust .. or can you use BOTH a large screen and a smaller screen simultaneously .. do your eyes adjust? .. I know they would if the MacBook was my only notebook .. but I need the bigger screen to do the bulk of my stuff during the day .. and I'd really really like a smaller/lighter computer that I can carry with me around ..

I've the MacBook so many times at the store .. I so love it .. I can't buy one and return it .. there are no Apple stores where I live ..

someone help me!!!

 

[iBilal]

it's a considerable chunk of money .. playing with it at the store, I LOVED IT! .. and the screen size was not an issue .. I don't know how it'll be in everyday life .. of course, when you buy something new .. you love it the first couple of weeks .. and then it's down to how productive you can be on the machine ..

I have bought and sold both the 11 inch and 13 inch MacBook Airs .. the 11 inch was just way too small .. not enough real estate on the screen .. (the 12 inch one that I tried had enough) .. and the 13 inch .. ukkh, the whole retina thing .. I like how light it was but the screen just didn't work for me .. not the size .. but the fact that it's not a retina screen .. the 11 inch Air, I loved how I could carry it anywhere in my bag ..

 

[iBilal]

yes!

but the 13 rMBP or the 12 inch MacBook? ..

it has to have a retina screen ..

in your case, did you sell your 15 rMBP .. or did you use both?

I can understand wanting a 12" rMB as a secondary laptop. I once had a 15" mid 2012 rMBP, and I disliked its large size and weight when carrying it around. I even got a 13" rMBP to use as a secondary laptop, and it has worked out great for me.

So, if you want a secondary laptop, go for it!

 

[redheeler]

yes!

but the 13 rMBP or the 12 inch MacBook? ..

it has to have a retina screen ..

in your case, did you sell your 15 rMBP .. or did you use both?

I used both for a while, and realized I was treating the 15" rMBP for the most part as a desktop since the 13" had become my go-to portable, which led to my replacing it with the 27" riMac I have now.

 

[MacEver]

Why don't you just get it for 14 days....try it and if it fits you needs, just keep it. Else return it. Simple

 

[iBilal]

where I live, there are no official Apple stores .. only "authorized resellers" for warranties and all .. so I can't buy it and then return it .. I would have to sell it on eBay or something ..

Why don't you just get it for 14 days....try it and if it fits you needs, just keep it. Else return it. Simple

 

[iBilal]

HELLLLLLLLP!

 

[boltjames]

HELLLLLLLLP!

No.

No more help. You're on your own. Be a man and make a decision.

BJ