The new Macbook Pro's WITHOUT Retina Display... still a big upgrade?

[mdterps1042]

Hey Everybody, apologies in advance if this has been covered. I'm new to this forum and could use some help.

I recently purchased a 15" Macbook Pro. I upgraded the processor and added a solid state harddrive (the smallest), a total of $350 in upgrades. It came with 4gigs of ram, so instead of paying apple $200 more I bought 8 on newegg for $50. Grand total:$400 extra.

1 week later the "New Macbook With Retina Display!" came out. (lah-de-dah).

While checking the new specs, I noticed that there were still two options. The 'normal' 15" Macbook Pro, and the NEW 15" Macbook Pro with retina display.

The 'old' one (though it doesn't have the retina display) is still a huge upgrade to the 'previous' generation that I had just bought. They now come standard with a 2.6 gHz i7 (I paid $250 extra to UPGRADE to the 2.5) and they also now come standard with 8 gigs of ram. If you CHOOSE to upgrade the processor (for the same amount might I add, $250) you can now get a 2.7 gHz with turbo boots up to 3.7. They also now come with USB 3.0, and you still have the option to upgrade your harddrive to solid state OR not (the retina's you HAVE to get solid state, as I'm sure most of you know).


Apple said I could return my recently purchased Macbook since it was within 30 days (so I did). I could care less about the retina display... do people realize that the new macbooks without it are still a big upgrade too? I'm literally going to spend (too the penny) the exact amount and get a better processor and more ram, as well as USB 3.0.

I have one problem which is what I'm hoping someone here can answer for me. I really don't like these reviews regarding the inability to upgrade. Soldered ram, glued battery, proprietary harddrive.... this sucks. But does all of this stuff go for the new macbook pro's WITHOUT retina too?? If you look at apples site on the 'buy now' page, the casing looks different than the picture next to it of the one with retina display. Would this mean that the 'normal' macbook pro's without retina still come with the 'old generation' case that you can unscrew and easily upgrade? Putting new ram in my old macbook pro was a piece of cake (of course I wouldn't need to do this now anyway, since it comes standard with 8. But being able to easily replace things is what I'm concerned with).

If these new 'normal' macbook pro's DO utilize the old casing... then that would ruuuuuuule and I am sold. Better hardware (processor, ram, USB 3.0) for the same amount of money, and none of this terrible proprietary stuff. So does anyone know if that is how they are? Or do the new 'normal' macbook pro's also have the same proprietary crap as the retina's?

As soon as apple refunds my money I will be re-spending it on a new one. So I'd like to find this out beforehand. Any help is appreciated, and thanks in advance!

 

[jshbckr]

You are correct.

The stuff people keep talking about (proprietary SSD, soldered RAM, glued battery, etc) only apply to the Retina MBP.

The non-Retina is still the unibody casing we've known and loved for the last few generations. You have access to RAM, HDD, optical drive, etc.

 

[gokart mozart]

Yep. And here's some additional food for thought. Bot the classic MBP and the retina model come with the, relatively new for laptops, Ivy Bridge Intel processors. They're more efficient than the ones in last year's version of the Pro. So you'll see even more of a performance boost between the Sandy Bridge 2.5GHz i7 from last year and the new Ivy Bridge 2.6GHz i7 than what you'd already expect from the 100MHz difference.

 

[mdterps1042]

Ahhh, that's great news! I had grown sort of concerned thinking I should have just kept my old generation MBP because of the proprietary stuff in the retina's. But since that doesn't apply to these I'm quite excited, haha.

Thank you both for the help!

 

[ckeck]

You will also get to experience the full benefit of the nVidia 650M GPU which on the retina MBP seems to be almost dedicated to just pushing the large number of pixels and not much else.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Ahhh, that's great news! I had grown sort of concerned thinking I should have just kept my old generation MBP because of the proprietary stuff in the retina's.

A 1978 Impala doesn't come with a lot of proprietary stuff either, but look at the 2012 model. Oh boy. My only point is that, however queasy you or I feel about locked down hardware, the time is coming quickly when that's your only option if you want modern h/w and s/w. So better either get use to it now, switch over to Linux, or be prepared to drive that '78 Impala for the rest of your life just because it can be repaired with off the shelf parts.

 

[rays09]

i think at the next announcement on end 2012 or mid 2013 apple will give us clssic macbook with a standard full hd resolution 1080p and can be upgraded to 1900 x 1200, not a retina.why? because there's many proffesional still want 1900 x 1200 reso like 17" did and they want to make a the retina macbook it's a prestige line up. about the 13" maybe they just put 1440 x 990 on it. for the macbook air line will stay at their current config and so the retina macbook pro just another line after pro and air just my analysis.

 

[mdterps1042]

A 1978 Impala doesn't come with a lot of proprietary stuff either, but look at the 2012 model. Oh boy. My only point is that, however queasy you or I feel about locked down hardware, the time is coming quickly when that's your only option if you want modern h/w and s/w. So better either get use to it now, switch over to Linux, or be prepared to drive that '78 Impala for the rest of your life just because it can be repaired with off the shelf parts.

Ehhhh.... maybe. But regardless... If I can avoid it for now, I will. It's going to do everything I would want out of the new MBP with retina (it just wont have the retina, which I don't care about), and it wont have all the 'locked down hardware'. After I purchase this thing, I don't plan on buying another laptop for awhile... haha. NEXT time I need a new laptop perhaps you will be right... but I'll worry about that then.

 

[jackied]

What are the performance differences between the 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 & the 2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7(15-inch: 2.3 GHz Retina display vs standard 15-inch: 2.6 GHz).Is the difference significant?Also,are there any performance drawbacks in the 2.3GHz Retina display?
Thanx