What the rMBP means to the future of computing

[cmChimera]

Trolling? Really? Maybe you should read my post before making accusations.

"forcing the same components into a smaller enclosure" that is EXACTLY what they did... took the SAME logicboard (with slight variations: see below), CPU, GPU from the cMBP, threw it in a smaller enclosure, soldered the ram to the logicboard, attached a card version of an SSD threw a nifty new cooler on it, and bam rMBP. I dont know what else you think they magically did to accomplish that. But apparently by suggesting that there arent many differences between the cMBP and the rMBP i'm trolling.

To sum up what you said, Apple did something no one has ever done before, and therefore it's not revolutionary. Cool story bro.

 

[squeeks]

To sum up what you said, Apple did something no one has ever done before, and therefore it's not revolutionary. Cool story bro.

yeah they made a notebook that has NO optical drive and almost ZERO upgradability, fantastic revolution there...

You might as well say the company that put the first wide screen LCD or a 1080p display in a notebook "revolutionized" the laptop as well.

The retinia display is nothing more than the next step in display technology, its not revolutionary. its still a freaking LCD display.

 

[fizzwinkus]

It's laughable to compare 1080p to 1800. That's like saying apple went from VHS to blueray, BFD

 

[Trey M]

yeah they made a notebook that has NO optical drive and almost ZERO upgradability, fantastic revolution there...

That's exactly how the MBA has been for a while now and it's considered to be on the of the best laptops available, period.

Just because they remove features that a few tech-savvy people want doesn't mean it's a piece...

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it uses the EXACT same core i7 as all of the other macbooks...you only think its faster because of the SSD... come play with my cMBP with its SSD im sure you wont notice a difference. There is nothing..NOTHING revolutionary about the logicboard/cpu/gpu

I had a MBP 2011 with a SSD and I have a Macbook Air with a SSD...I'm not oblivious. There isn't anything "revolutionary", I didn't say there was. However, this configuration coupled with the fantastic display makes the whole package feel a lot more enjoyable, more enjoyable than my similarly specced cMBP did. And looking at the classic Macbook Pro, I got a lot more bang for my buck in getting 16GB RAM and a fast 256GB SSD. It'd be $300-400 more to spec the same machine from Apple.

I wasn't saying this machine just blows everything out of the water, but you get a lot of bang for your buck and you get the best mobile display on the market. Period.

 

[cmChimera]

yeah they made a notebook that has NO optical drive and almost ZERO upgradability, fantastic revolution there...

This is why I asked if you were trolling. I can't figure out if you're just oblivious to how technology works. You can be mad all you want about how there's no upgradability, but that doesn't mean the product isn't revolutionary.

You might as well say the company that put the first wide screen LCD or a 1080p display in a notebook "revolutionized" the laptop as well.

Actually, I WOULD say the manufacturer that first put a high definition panel on a notebook, so long as it didn't diminish the practicality of the notebook, would be an important step for laptops. However the difference here is that Apple introduced a laptop with the highest resolution seen on ANY computer, and a resolution that is not feasible on nearly ANY consumer product. To top it all off, they did it without losing a single hour of battery life, and made the overall product one pound lighter, and much thinner than the old version. That's an accomplishment. You may not want it, but it's a revolutionary product.

The retinia display is nothing more than the next step in display technology, its not revolutionary. its still a freaking LCD display.

You're arguing semantics, and poorly. Bringing the next step in display technology to the consumer is the very definition of revolutionary. Since I have a feeling you'll argue this point, nonsensically, I'll provide the definition.

Revolution: a sudden, complete or marked change in something

Not ONE manufacturer had anything close to this. It is clearly the future of displays. That's a revolution.

 

[squeeks]

If you're going by your logic then which ever MFG was the first to use a core i7 in their machines was "revolutioinary" and should sue every other MFG. Because that is what you are saying.

 

[Jiten]

double post.

 

[Jiten]

The retinia display is nothing more than the next step in display technology, its not revolutionary. its still a freaking LCD display.

Apple's implementation of hi-res display is quite different from how the rest of the computer industry implements high-res. Here is a good explanation what makes the MBP retina screen" different from the high res screens of other manufacturers:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6023/the-nextgen-macbook-pro-with-retina-display-review/6

 

[squeeks]

Apple's implementation of hi-res display is quite different from how the rest of the computer industry implements high-res. Here is a good explanation what makes the MBP retina screen" different from the high res screens of other manufacturers:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6023/the-nextgen-macbook-pro-with-retina-display-review/6

Thank you for posting that, that was a really cool read. If i read this correctly It seems like Apple has been working for the past 4 years to bring retinia to their machines?

 

[lockerc18]

The rMBP is a very nice offering, but you need to assess it against its intended audience to see if it's really revolutionary. To the early adopters who bought it, they will see new features and capabilities which are major steps forward, so they may think it is. But to the masses of relatively unsophisticated users, they won't. What they'll see is a very nice display, a great form factor, a high price, and maybe some of being locked in to a system which can't be upgraded and has a potential for built-in obsolescence about it. To them, who will comprise the major class of purchasers for the system once it gets through the early phase, they see an incremental set of improvements, which makes it evolutionary, not revolutionary. It's still a laptop, it still has a keyboard, it still has standard wireless, it uses the same processors that other systems use, it has a somewhat restricted set of peripherals / internal components supported, etc. What's really "revolutionary" about it? A great display doesn't make it any more than a new system with a great display. It won't drive the industry to any radical new levels of computing.

 

[Trey M]

The rMBP is a very nice offering, but you need to assess it against its intended audience to see if it's really revolutionary. To the early adopters who bought it, they will see new features and capabilities which are major steps forward, so they may think it is. But to the masses of relatively unsophisticated users, they won't. What they'll see is a very nice display, a great form factor, a high price, and maybe some of being locked in to a system which can't be upgraded and has a potential for built-in obsolescence about it. To them, who will comprise the major class of purchasers for the system once it gets through the early phase, they see an incremental set of improvements, which makes it evolutionary, not revolutionary. It's still a laptop, it still has a keyboard, it still has standard wireless, it uses the same processors that other systems use, it has a somewhat restricted set of peripherals / internal components supported, etc. What's really "revolutionary" about it? A great display doesn't make it any more than a new system with a great display. It won't drive the industry to any radical new levels of computing.

Agreed, I don't know who said "revolutionary" but it's definitely a nice machine. It won't change computing, but I think the combination of the screen and form factor is a big deal. This is a powerhouse, mobile machine, and it's the first one to be this thin, sturdy, and with such a good screen. In the end this machine will just lead to better choices for consumers.

 

[squeeks]

...they see an incremental set of improvements, which makes it evolutionary, not revolutionary. It's still a laptop, it still has a keyboard, it still has standard wireless, it uses the same processors that other systems use, it has a somewhat restricted set of peripherals / internal components supported, etc. What's really "revolutionary" about it? A great display doesn't make it any more than a new system with a great display. It won't drive the industry to any radical new levels of computing.

Agreed, I don't know who said "revolutionary" but it's definitely a nice machine. It won't change computing, but I think the combination of the screen and form factor is a big deal. This is a powerhouse, mobile machine, and it's the first one to be this thin, sturdy, and with such a good screen. In the end this machine will just lead to better choices for consumers.

I'm glad someone finally agrees with me that this is an evolutionary step forward not a revolutionary step. Remove and replace the LCD with an eye piece, or a hologram..THAT would be revolutionary.

 

[cmChimera]

If you're going by your logic then which ever MFG was the first to use a core i7 in their machines was "revolutioinary" and should sue every other MFG. Because that is what you are saying.

No it's not. Using the obvious and expected choice of processor is the OPPOSITE of innovative and revolutionary. Using a display that no one had any plans to release and was completely unexpected (rumors don't really count) is innovative and revolutionary. By your logic, if someone made a tire that reinflates and heals itself after being damaged then it would be no big deal because someone already invented the tire.

As a more realistic example, you're the guy that sat there with a 56k modem and thought broadband was no big deal.

 

[matrix07]

...But to the masses ..

this is not intended for the mass. The mass will get the taste of it when the hi-res screen come to MBAs which is still years away and when it comes the mass will love it. They will not care one bit about the upgradability. This is intended now for the elites.

 

[A Hebrew]

...am I REALLY the only person who does not see much of a difference between HD screens and Retina...

 

[jhyt89]

the biggest gripe for me is heat.

using a macbook pro on a hot summers day on your lap on your bed is not the most comfortable. I hope in the future they can find a way to cool these machines to the extent that the machine doesnt feel warm at all.

 

[lockerc18]

this is not intended for the mass. The mass will get the taste of it when the hi-res screen come to MBAs which is still years away and when it comes the mass will love it. They will not care one bit about the upgradability. This is intended now for the elites.

The "elites"? Well... I call them the "early adopters", a la Geoffrey Moore, those folks who just have to have the newest technology. I wouldn't attribute any kind of superiority or sanctification to that.

But products don't survive on only the early buyers. They survive because their acceptance scales to the mainstream, general class of buyers. The rMBP isn't some kind of sandbox experiment. It's a real system, meant for real users, to do real work on. The features of the rMBP will become "normal" before long.

I have a new 13 inch MBA, and I have to say, the display on it (an LG, BTW) is really very sharp when the right calibration profile is used. It is totally sufficient for almost every type of app I can find to use on the system. If anything, I think the form factor of the Air is a more revolutionary characteristic than the Retina display of the rMBP, as nice as that is. The Air really has driven a shift in the industry away from big, bulky desktop replacement laptops and toward a standard of thinner ultraportables. For me, anyway, the Air is the PERFECT system.

 

[leenak]

The rMBP is a very nice offering, but you need to assess it against its intended audience to see if it's really revolutionary. To the early adopters who bought it, they will see new features and capabilities which are major steps forward, so they may think it is. But to the masses of relatively unsophisticated users, they won't. What they'll see is a very nice display, a great form factor, a high price, and maybe some of being locked in to a system which can't be upgraded and has a potential for built-in obsolescence about it. To them, who will comprise the major class of purchasers for the system once it gets through the early phase, they see an incremental set of improvements, which makes it evolutionary, not revolutionary. It's still a laptop, it still has a keyboard, it still has standard wireless, it uses the same processors that other systems use, it has a somewhat restricted set of peripherals / internal components supported, etc. What's really "revolutionary" about it? A great display doesn't make it any more than a new system with a great display. It won't drive the industry to any radical new levels of computing.

I'd disagree and agree with you somewhat. To the masses... many of which don't realize whether they have video cards, what is upgradeable if anything on laptops, etc, I don't think many of them would get far enough to realize what can be changed on an average laptop vs an rMBP.

I think to the masses, in general, MBP are expensive devices that they don't see the value in purchasing them. The MB Air is more their style and yes, I've known quite a few people that know nothing about computers that bought the old Macbooks and the MB Airs and loved them. Did they care that the Air is locked down? Nope. Of course then there are the masses that want to spend no more than $500 on a computer and they still see Apple as too pricey.

Although you do get the users that know nothing about computers and buy the rMBP simply because it looks cool. Those are the same people in the Alienware crowd. Those people as well won't care (or possibly know) what is locked down and what isn't.

For me, what is revolutionary about the rMBP is the lightness and thinness combined with a powerful system. Those were the reasons I bought the system. Retina/no Retina, wouldn't have mattered to me.

 

[Slivortal]

The rMBP is a very nice offering, but you need to assess it against its intended audience to see if it's really revolutionary. To the early adopters who bought it, they will see new features and capabilities which are major steps forward, so they may think it is. But to the masses of relatively unsophisticated users, they won't. What they'll see is a very nice display, a great form factor, a high price, and maybe some of being locked in to a system which can't be upgraded and has a potential for built-in obsolescence about it. To them, who will comprise the major class of purchasers for the system once it gets through the early phase, they see an incremental set of improvements, which makes it evolutionary, not revolutionary. It's still a laptop, it still has a keyboard, it still has standard wireless, it uses the same processors that other systems use, it has a somewhat restricted set of peripherals / internal components supported, etc. What's really "revolutionary" about it? A great display doesn't make it any more than a new system with a great display. It won't drive the industry to any radical new levels of computing.

Anyone who doesn't look at the specs won't care whether it's user-upgradeable. You expect someone who doesn't know what RAM or SSD is to suddenly come across a specific type of screwdriver and start fiddling around with the innards of their computer, putting in pieces having no idea what they do?

 

[mark28]

The retina is so revolutionary that most "other" manufacturers are still recovering from the shock of such clarity.

I disagree with your time line, it will probably take the others somewhere between 8 to 10 years to catch up.

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There's no way they will reverse engineer something like the MBPr, Apple will have them locked up in a law suit.

Samsung makes retina displays for Apple? And they also make laptops?

 

[ixodes]

Samsung makes retina displays for Apple? And they also make laptops?

Yes they do, my response was just a joke in response to someone trashing windows, saying it would take them 2 or 3 years to catch up. Little did that person realize that hi-res IPS displays are nothing new. The only difference is Apple has theirs built to a higher resolution for bragging rights.

 

[terraphantm]

Yes they do, my response was just a joke in response to someone trashing windows, saying it would take them 2 or 3 years to catch up. Little did that person realize that hi-res IPS displays are nothing new. The only difference is Apple has theirs built to a higher resolution for bragging rights.

What is new is the software support for high PPI displays.

Also I think I would consider Apple's marketing "revolutionary" - no other company has been able to get people to give a crap about display quality. Now thanks to Apple, people want high pixel density and IPS displays. I'm confident that because of that, the whole industry will eventually switch to "retina" displays.

 

[pgiguere1]

I don't think you could call the rMBP "revolutionary" since you could have predicted this kind of computer years ago. This is basically a MacBook Air on steroids, and it could have been made even before if people would have been willing to pay even more for SSD and high-res diplays which were more expensive before, but still technically doable.

It was the next logical step, they just made it available sooner than expected at a price higher than expected. Apple is a forward-thinking company that attracts a lot of early adopters, I don't think this could have worked with other manufacturers, they knew they had a large market of early adopters with a high budget.

While I think no laptop made in the last decade could be said "revolutionary" like some devices like the iPhone were, I think the MBA was more revolutionary since it brought to the mainstream market ULV processors, the lack of optical drive and ethernet port and SSD standard pretty early. People were in shock by the form factor, everybody was talking about this ad with the MBA fitting in an envelope.

The rMBP, in the other hand, is evolutionary. Bringing the next logical evolution first doesn't mean something is revolutionary. I'm sure some company could release a laptop with 2TB of SSD and a 3840*2400 display right now for 10,000$ but that wouldn't make it revolutionary.

For something to be revolutionary, you have to reinvent its core functionality, it has to give you another way of doing things, not just let you do them like before but faster and on a sharper display.

The release of the rMBP is an important event in laptop history and will surely impact the rest of the industry for years to come, but it isn't a revolutionary device. The iPhone was one. The first Macintosh was one. Not this.

 

[Trey M]

I don't think you could call the rMBP "revolutionary" since you could have predicted this kind of computer years ago. This is basically a MacBook Air on steroids, and it could have been made even before if people would have been willing to pay even more for SSD and high-res diplays which were more expensive before, but still technically doable.

It was the next logical step, they just made it available sooner than expected at a price higher than expected. Apple is a forward-thinking company that attracts a lot of early adopters, I don't think this could have worked with other manufacturers, they knew they had a large market of early adopters with a high budget.

While I think no laptop made in the last decade could be said "revolutionary" like some devices like the iPhone were, I think the MBA was more revolutionary since it brought to the mainstream market ULV processors, the lack of optical drive and ethernet port and SSD standard pretty early. People were in shock by the form factor, everybody was talking about this ad with the MBA fitting in an envelope.

The rMBP, in the other hand, is evolutionary. Bringing the next logical evolution first doesn't mean something is revolutionary. I'm sure some company could release a laptop with 2TB of SSD and a 3840*2400 display right now for 10,000$ but that wouldn't make it revolutionary.

For something to be revolutionary, you have to reinvent its core functionality, it has to give you another way of doing things, not just let you do them like before but faster and on a sharper display.

The release of the rMBP is an important event in laptop history and will surely impact the rest of the industry for years to come, but it isn't a revolutionary device. The iPhone was one. The first Macintosh was one. Not this.

Whoever originally called this laptop revolutionary, I'm too lazy to look, really ruined this discussion lol

 

[nuckinfutz]

The Retina Macbook Pro is revolutionary.

5 years from now we'll all sit around and laugh about the days we put up with pixellated displays.

Sometimes Revolutions hit with a bang and sometimes they require time to swell up but make no bones about it this is a revolutionary move by Apple.