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Very impressed with 2012 MBP - non-retina
- Thread starter MacBookProzak
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I was not sure which of the mbp to get the retina one or non retina and the fact that the retina ones ram is not upgradable made my decision easier 
when u get the ram chip and test them can u let us know which brand did u get? Thanks
when u get the ram chip and test them can u let us know which brand did u get? Thanks
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*** Another progress update
Once again I am very stoked to update my signature line that I now have a full 16GB on board. The RAM I got was the Corsair - Vengeance 2-Pack 16GB 1.6GHz DDR3. I paid all of $129 (who remembers when 16GB was $1200 when it first came out)
Been running all kinds of stuff and my MBP is screaming fast. No beach balls, everything is running well.
So for the moment I am done with upgrades and it is time to put this machine to some work which is usually 12 to 14 hour days. Next upgrades will be a 100% solid state drive when the prices come way down and hopefully bumping the RAM to 32GB if it ever becomes available and the price is affordable.
Hope my experience can help someone in their decision process in either getting this machine or getting something else.
Once again I am very stoked to update my signature line that I now have a full 16GB on board. The RAM I got was the Corsair - Vengeance 2-Pack 16GB 1.6GHz DDR3. I paid all of $129 (who remembers when 16GB was $1200 when it first came out)
Been running all kinds of stuff and my MBP is screaming fast. No beach balls, everything is running well.
So for the moment I am done with upgrades and it is time to put this machine to some work which is usually 12 to 14 hour days. Next upgrades will be a 100% solid state drive when the prices come way down and hopefully bumping the RAM to 32GB if it ever becomes available and the price is affordable.
Hope my experience can help someone in their decision process in either getting this machine or getting something else.
Curious how you got the AG so fast? Did you do a BTO? It doesn't appear as though any of the stores are carrying and version of the HiRez AG as a "pre-configured." Just about to pull the trigger on the order tonight only with a 2.6 to save $$.
He probably bought the maxed out(minus SSD) version that they have in the Apple Stores. Currently that is the only way to get the AG in-store.
I went to the Apple store they did not have the Retina so I did having right now a early 2011 15 bought in stock configured at store a 2.7/1tb drive with AG screen . I ordered 16gb of Ram today from OWC 181 dollars i think it was and what my plan is now take my current OWC extreme 6g 240gb SSD is put that in main slot . Rip out the optical like I have today put the bracket( hope its the same) and put the 1TB drive in that for backup OS / Storage like I am doing today. Problem is I won't get this all done till Monday since I am on a hot deadline so new laptop sitting behind me in box unopened. Bummer.
First of all, to the OP, congrats on your purchase and it sounds like you are really stoked! That's awesome!
Personally, I just can't see how it makes sense to buy a new old-style one. They just didn't drop the price enough to make it worth it. Once you factor in the price of the 1680x1050 display and RAM/SSD (even third party) to match the performance of the retina, the price difference is negligible or even more expensive. I get the upgradeability factor is really important to some people. I was worried about this at first too, but since the regular macbook pro maxes out at 16GB and the rMBP only costs $180 (very reasonable) to upgrade to 16GB, I don't think that's much of a concern with regards to RAM. I know people like to swap in an additional drive into the CD drive, that's cool. For me, storage space on the rMBP isn't much of a concern. I work with massive sets of lossless audio, so I will almost certainly have to get an external drive regardless. The speed of thunderbolt drives has alleviated any performance concerns for me. Just store apps on the SSD and data in the TB drive.
Personally, I just can't see how it makes sense to buy a new old-style one. They just didn't drop the price enough to make it worth it. Once you factor in the price of the 1680x1050 display and RAM/SSD (even third party) to match the performance of the retina, the price difference is negligible or even more expensive. I get the upgradeability factor is really important to some people. I was worried about this at first too, but since the regular macbook pro maxes out at 16GB and the rMBP only costs $180 (very reasonable) to upgrade to 16GB, I don't think that's much of a concern with regards to RAM. I know people like to swap in an additional drive into the CD drive, that's cool. For me, storage space on the rMBP isn't much of a concern. I work with massive sets of lossless audio, so I will almost certainly have to get an external drive regardless. The speed of thunderbolt drives has alleviated any performance concerns for me. Just store apps on the SSD and data in the TB drive.
All I did was visit the local store, gave them the business account that we are under told them the specs I wanted and they went in the back and came out with it. The guys said that they only had 2 of them. Not sure if being a business account made a difference, other than the $190 discount I got on it.
The preformance is identical to the Retina, there is no difference except a SSD drive at over 500 mbs BTW and the Flash memory. Other than that same graphics,ram,cache and 2.7
This machine is prefect apart from the wi fi but for me the current wifi protocol runs good.
For me, (and this has been beat to death in other threads), I insist on having the on-board SuperDrive and Ethernet and ability to swap out drives. I also looked at the Retina screen for a long while in the store and I'm still not impressed by the glossy reflections and the fact that so many apps (for now anyway, including a few that I MUST use) are only going to look their best at 1440 x 900. In addition, the GPU has to work just a little bit harder when scaling outside of native resolution. With the exact same GPU, I think we'll see some specific benchmarks where the non-retina model is just a bit faster for graphics.
As for externals taking care of what's "missing" in the retina model, I lug around 3 different laptops to work-sites. I don't need more dongles and drives in the bag. I need one that will do everything in a nice form fitting neoprene sleeve inside the bag that holds that other windows laptop and all of it's crap!
Don't get me wrong, the MBP Retina is a very cool machine. It's THE slickest MacBook Air Apple has made thus far.... I don't want an Air.
I think if you lug three laptops then it would be more convenient to pick the sleeker MBP and an ethernet adapter rather then the heavier MBP
For some that's true, but I already regret "going there" in this thread....
What I do in the field is complicated and highly vertical in application. Can't really get into too much here, but I literally move around an office or home plugging into eNet for just minutes at a time with the laptop on temp table or floor or whatever. With the same Mac I need to do on the fly XML editing to the tune of 20,000+ lines of code in one file. That code editor will not get updated to take advantage of Retina in the near future. ...Then the same Mac needs to do quick video editing in the field and burn files to disc for customer "on the fly." Trust me when I tell you I want on-board eNet and SuperDrive to make my life easier than what 1/4" and 1 pound will do for me!
I also have a 13" MBP for better portability with day to day email, web, etc. That might get updated to a Retina 13" when/if they come out.
Lastly I have a 13" Win machine for programming some very vertical control systems whose software don't all play perfectly when running Parallels w/USB > RS-232 adapters (lots of legacy stuff in the control world is loaded via Serial only). Packing a Win specific laptop WAY easier for me than going in and out of Bootcamp 20+ times a day, and no - I'm not exaggerating!
I'm sorry if I sound like a curmudgeon here, but can't those of us who prefer the previous-style MBP's have even one thread free of people telling us we should get or have gotten a RMBP? I mean, really...let us enjoy what we enjoy...not everyone needs or wants a retina model.
I was replying with logic to the reason you gave in your post regarding the weight. I was in the exact dilemma as you but went for a rMBP and i was in no way forcing you to buy the same. no point in losing your temper in a discussion and i didnt know you were that sensitive about people advising you
You are right. Spec-for-spec the new rMBP is a better - and cheaper - proposition for the majority of Apple customers than the 'classic' MBP. If you spec-out the MD104 cMBP (classic 2.6GHz) with the High-Res screen and 512GB SSD it is some $400 more expensive than the MC976 rMBP. That's damn-good value from Apple. Add to this the fact they've disposed of the ludicrously archaic ODD, and the MC976's Retina screen is reported to be in a different league to even the High-Res screen of the MD104. Basically one would be daft to buy the cMBP over the rMBP.
...yet I'm about 90% certain that I'll be ordering a High-Res cMBP. And the reasons?
1. I want a proper anti-glare screen
2. I want native 1680x1050
3. I want to be able to install 32GB RAM when it becomes economically - and technically - viable (guessing two or three years)
4. I want to install the SSD I'm currently running
5. I want to be able to take advantage of falling SSD prices
6. I believe there is a hidden performance-penalty intrinsic to the retina screen that may come back to bite 1st-gen rMBP owners in two or three years.
I think the HD4000 is at the limit of it's pixel-pushing powers with native Retina (not to mention scaling modes), and as Apple add bloat to OS X, the HD400 (and to a much-less extent the GT650) is going to become a real albatross for the 1st-gen rMBP in any gfx-intensive applications.
I don't dispute the rMBP is a marvellous creation, I think it's truly fabulous, but I also think it has built-in obsolescence, with a life of about two or three years. As with everything Apple 1st-get is to be avoided, especially if it involves fancy new designs or technologies. A 2nd-gen Haswell based rMBP with beefed-up Nvidia/AMD dGPU will be the one to have. I can't wait for that, and I want my MBP to last +5 years (as the last did).
I'm going to look at the new rMBPs in person tomorrow, so I may change my mind, but until then...
I'm old, I'm grumpy, change scares me, and I want my 'classic' MacBook Pro!
Where did you get your RAM from? A linky would be awesome.
I got the RAM for this 2012 MBP by just walking into Fry's.
http://www.frys.com/product/7088001
New Egg carries it as well. In my previous 2011 MBP I got the Corsair chips from New Egg and they worked perfect.
Thanks! I think your thread may have helped sway me to get a non-Retina MBP. But, I think I need a little more time in an Apple Store to decide . It's good to hear someone is happy getting a non-Retina MBP (not that there's anything wrong with getting the Retina MBP)! We all have different needs in a laptop/notebook and those needs may require different tools. One isn't necessarily "better" than the other.
. It's good to hear someone is happy getting a non-Retina MBP (not that there's anything wrong with getting the Retina MBP)! We all have different needs in a laptop/notebook and those needs may require different tools. One isn't necessarily "better" than the other.Sounds like we are actually in the same boat. I actually haven't purchased yet, but I'm leaning towards the bottom-spec rMBP. Are you sure the cMBP will support 32MB of RAM? My understanding was that it can only support up to 16GB (source -- not sure how reliable this is). That's why I don't think the soldered ram on the rMBP is that big of a deal (since the 16GB upgrade is only $180--near market value).
I'm kind of over the upgradeability thing. It's Apple. They pull scummy stuff like this all the time (no Siri on the iPhone 4). It's just as much a business move as a necessity for the new form factor. They are definitely moving towards planned-obsolescence product designs. People must decide for themselves if they wish to support a company with those types of practices. Personally, I really wish to stay on OSX as I have some specific niche concerns that deal with audio production that make Windows less of a viable alternative for me than most.
Like the concerns you posted above, the main reason's I'm holding off for now are related to the display. I have to point out, your post was pretty presumptuous, regarding the graphics concerns--though time may in fact prove you to be correct. There are no real facts there, just what you've read here and what you presume. All of those performance issues may just be software flaws that are easily fixed. Regardless, there looks to be some early-adopter issues. I'm not sure if it's worth waiting the year or two for all of the apps and websites to catch on that the world is moving to HiDPI displays. Whats the point of having such a great display if there are no apps to take advantage of it? I don't spend my time much in the native apps that look pretty, so I'm worried about that.
Right now I'm keeping my eye out for a used 2011 MBP with the HiRes Antiglare display. I really, really wish Apple had dropped the price more of the cMBP. Unless there proves to be a serious issue with the new screen and the GPU of the rMBP, it really appears the better deal, in terms of what you are getting for the money.
16GB SODIMS don't - as far as I know - yet exist, but once they do the cMBP should theoretically support them. The chipset the cMBP uses supports 32GB, but it is possible that Apple could cripple the cMBP's firmware so that it doesn't steal sales from the rMBP.
Definitely presumptuous. Disregarding those early reports of stuttering and tearing (I don't believe Apple would release a product with such a fundamental issue), I do however think that the HD 4000 is operating at near capacity with the native retina resolution, leaving no room for the inevitable increase in resource requirements that occurs when OSs and applications are updated. There's the GT 650M, but reaching the point where it is needed 100% of the time could result in unacceptably low battery life. All speculation.
It's possible - likely even - that in the next four or five years Apple will make a Retina screen a requirement for the next version of OS X, which would make the cMBP a poor long term choice.
...hmm, really have to get my hands on a rMBP to make my decision.
Right, that's what I was getting at regarding the RAM--that Apple cripples the machine in some capacity so as not to make use of more than 16GB. I guess there is no way to know the answer to that question until 16GB SO-DIMM becomes a reality.
I've been glued to this forum all day. I am in dire need of an upgrade, so I really need to know if this machine is up to snuff or not. I would have already purchased a new cMBP if the price was a bit cheaper. It's just hard for me to stomach the fact that it will be just as expensive as the rMBP after a purchase an aftermarket SSD.
I hope in the next few days/weeks it will come to light whether the rMBP worthy. The initial reviews got me really excited, but then a lot of the posts on this forum have been sobering. Kind of like you alluded to in your post, I have such a hard time believing Apple would ship a machine that can barely push around the OS. It wouldn't live up to the "Apple experience". I mean this thing can push Diabo 3 in 2880x1800 @ 20 FPS. How could it not be able to handle scrolling some webpages and basic OSX functionality that has been in use for years? It has to be software quirks--I don't know. Guess we'll see. Good luck with your purchase!!!