The next 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina

[Eppo]

Hey everyone!

I've got a dilemma of wether to buy a MacBook Pro 15-inch Retina now (for christmas), or wait for the next release.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what'd be the best time to buy?

Also, considering the Retina MacBook is a huge release, do you think the next one will be some minor improvements to the model?

Thanks in advance and happy holidays!

 

[maflynn]

The best time to buy, is the time that you need a laptop.

If you can wait, then wait, but if you need one now then buy one.

Intel's new chipset Haswell isn't going to be available until spring of 2013 and presumably the new MBPs would be released a month or so after that. Are you prepared to wait up to six months?

 

[tim100]

Hey everyone!

I've got a dilemma of wether to buy a MacBook Pro 15-inch Retina now (for christmas), or wait for the next release.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what'd be the best time to buy?

Also, considering the Retina MacBook is a huge release, do you think the next one will be some minor improvements to the model?

Thanks in advance and happy holidays!

get one now. there will be a chip upgrade for 2013. haswell

 

[Eppo]

The best time to buy, is the time that you need a laptop.

If you can wait, then wait, but if you need one now then buy one.

Intel's new chipset Haswell isn't going to be available until spring of 2013 and presumably the new MBPs would be released a month or so after that. Are you prepared to wait up to six months?

Thanks for the quick reply!

I could really use a new MacBook, but I'm also prepared to wait considering the amount of money it costs.

Do you think the new Haswell chipset will introduce any major changes, that are worth waiting six months for?

 

[maflynn]

Haswell is going going to offer slight around 10% increase in performance (maybe more) based on what is rumored out on the net. The GPU is supposed to be better then ivy bridge. While Haswell is on the Tock of Intel's tick-tock chip set release it doesn't appear to have any new major microarchitecture changes AFAIK but rather better performance at low power.

Depending on what you plan on using the MBP, The current laptops should be more then powerful for 99% of people's needs

 

[Ploki]

Actually I believe haswell is working more on integrated performance and power/performance ratio...

They might introduce a 15" retina without a discrete GPU, a true low-end 15".

 

[A Hebrew]

They might introduce a 15" retina without a discrete GPU, a true low-end 15".

I REALLY doubt that.

 

[NewishMacGuy]

Thanks for the quick reply!

I could really use a new MacBook, but I'm also prepared to wait considering the amount of money it costs.

Do you think the new Haswell chipset will introduce any major changes, that are worth waiting six months for?

The Haswell chip changes will probably not be a huge performance leap that's likely to matter to most. I chose to wait until the next version for other changes that I think are likely and that would be more important to me:

1. Significant price reduction - the 2008 MBA was $1800, the one released the following year was $1500. After paying $600 2x for the Day One iPhone, then watching the price drop by 30% in a few months, I've learned to let others take that hit.

2. 802.11ac - decent likelyhood that it'll be included in the next one so if you intend on keeping the rMBP for a while, waiting for the next-gen wireless standard might be a good idea.

3. 512GB base SSD - 256GB is too small for me and the upgrade charges are ridiculous. SSD prices have come down quite a bit so I expect Apple will be either making the 512GB drive base or lowering the upgrade charge significantly.



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[Ploki]

I REALLY doubt that.

I don't. The 13" retina already has no discrete GPU. Considering HD4600 has almost twice the juice of HD4000 (which is perfectly capable of driving the 13"), HD4600 is capable of driving the 15" retina (+ 15" has a quadcore!)

It would bring down the price to the base 15" model.

@NewishMacGuy: apple never dropped the upgrade charge, ever

 

[drambuie]

I REALLY doubt that.

The low end mid 2009 unibody 15" MBP had no discrete GPU.

 

[krravi]

I REALLY doubt that.

Then we don't have to worry about Haswell now, do we?

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When discussing which is the best Camera, Nikon or Canon etc, I heard someone say "The best camera is the one you have when you need it".

If you think about it, that's so true.

Buy based on what you need NOW. Life is short.