What are the biggest differences that you noticed?

[ClayMac]

So I purchased a new Late 2013 15" MBPr. I recently sold my late 2011 MBP for a decent price considering and I wanted to point out some of the differences I noticed...

1. Thinness. Man this thing seems so delicate! The display is super thin and I really feel like I have to be careful not to crack the screen as very few have reported. I do not know if a case will help or hinder in this respect...

2. Retina. This thing sharp! I feel like this is the way MBP's should have been from the start. There are no imperfections to report here. Darker blacks and reading is really easy.

3. Keyboard. The layout is pushed to the left a little bit. I think that this was to accommodate the power button being integrated. While I can appreciate that and I will get used to it I do find it irritating right off. Also, I don't know why but I feel like the keyboard overall has delicate feel to it. I think that this may be because of the thinness but also because there is no longer a SATA and OD but typing feels violent lol

4. Trackpad. The trackpad seems to be having an "oversensitivity" issue whereby when I tap to click the cursor moves " " that far to the left rather then click. I have had to tap three times before successfully getting a tap to click. This has happened only a few times and it may just be acclimation to the new keyboard layout or height difference/angle or something but it still counts as a difference.

5. Sound. Holy crap what a difference. The sound is just epic.

6. Speed. Near instant everything.

What Mac are you coming from and what is the biggest difference that you noticed?

 

[cebseb]

I JUST did the same upgrade for my wife's machine and aside from what you have mentioned, the single biggest difference I saw happened when I tried cracking open the machine to upgrade the ram myself... Nope,nope,nope. Sigh.

 

[snaky69]

I JUST did the same upgrade for my wife's machine and aside from what you have mentioned, the single biggest difference I saw happened when I tried cracking open the machine to upgrade the ram myself... Nope,nope,nope. Sigh.

Doing a little bit of research before buying goes a long way. The retina's been out for more than two years now and it's been common knowledge it has soldered RAM from the day it came out.

 

[cebseb]

Doing a little bit of research before buying goes a long way. The retina's been out for more than two years now and it's been common knowledge it has soldered RAM from the day it came out.

Absolutely. I do my research of course, but the wife... Not so much. She sees, she likes, she buys.

 

[T5BRICK]

3. Keyboard. The layout is pushed to the left a little bit. I think that this was to accommodate the power button being integrated. While I can appreciate that and I will get used to it I do find it irritating right off.

The keyboard layout is the same except the eject key was replaced with a power button. I don't think Apple has modified the layout at all otherwise.

4. Trackpad. The trackpad seems to be having an "oversensitivity" issue whereby when I tap to click the cursor moves " " that far to the left rather then click. I have had to tap three times before successfully getting a tap to click. This has happened only a few times and it may just be acclimation to the new keyboard layout or height difference/angle or something but it still counts as a difference.

I've never liked tap to click on any Mac and have always disabled it. The tap to click function worked better on your 2011?

 

[yjchua95]

3. Keyboard. The layout is pushed to the left a little bit. I think that this was to accommodate the power button being integrated. While I can appreciate that and I will get used to it I do find it irritating right off. Also, I don't know why but I feel like the keyboard overall has delicate feel to it. I think that this may be because of the thinness but also because there is no longer a SATA and OD but typing feels violent lol

Coming from an early-2011 15" with matte screen, retina didn't make much of a difference to me, but the massive increase in glare when working outdoors was a big issue for me.

The keyboard layout is still identical, because the eject button is now just the power button.

But yes, the keyboard does feel flimsier, as the keys have less travel.

 

[Badrottie]

So I purchased a new Late 2013 15" MBPr. I recently sold my late 2011 MBP for a decent price considering and I wanted to point out some of the differences I noticed...

1. Thinness. Man this thing seems so delicate! The display is super thin and I really feel like I have to be careful not to crack the screen as very few have reported. I do not know if a case will help or hinder in this respect...

I never noticed or anything like that with display is super thin when I came from 2007 MBP I go as normal like close lids, move around in my messenger bag with Speck case. My 2012 rMBP looks like as new.

 

[ClayMac]

I JUST did the same upgrade for my wife's machine and aside from what you have mentioned, the single biggest difference I saw happened when I tried cracking open the machine to upgrade the ram myself... Nope,nope,nope. Sigh.

I admit I did struggle with the upgradability factor but in the end I decided that for resale the general public would buy a newer machine with "retina display" over an older machine. I had maxed out the old machine and this machine is about 30% snappier out of the box which makes me feel like the original should have been this snappy all along.

The keyboard layout is the same except the eject key was replaced with a power button. I don't think Apple has modified the layout at all otherwise.

The keyboard layout is still identical, because the eject button is now just the power button.

Youre right! LoL Thanks guys. I think it must be tied to the change in thickness or something but whatever its not a biggie for me.

I've never liked tap to click on any Mac and have always disabled it. The tap to click function worked better on your 2011?

Yeah for some reason this touchpad seems more sensitive. I noticed again about an hour ago and I looked down to see that I was tapping toward the top of the pad. I dont know if this has anything to do with it or not I guess experience will tell.

Coming from an early-2011 15" with matte screen, retina didn't make much of a difference to me, but the massive increase in glare when working outdoors was a big issue for me.

I almost went for the high/res anti-glare but I always felt like there was a mesh "film" over the screen or something. Other people swore by those screens and you still see them talking about the 17 in other threads so I guess its a personal thing. I dont really go outside with it that much and based on how sharp/thin/delicate this one is I think it will be even less lol.