What's your opinion on the MacBook Pro not being a professional's computer?

[nateo200]

Turns out different programs report wildly different values for temperatures.

Things like iStat Pro and Temperature Monitor report values in line with what I reported earlier.

smcFanControl reports ~102 degrees C under 100% load.

Temperate Gauge Pro reports an average of 91 degrees C under 100% load.

Which are correct? I don't know. Some of this may be apps like iStat Pro and Temperature Monitor reporting on the "proximity," which I take to mean the sensor next to the heat sink, versus the temperature on the die itself. Without an understanding of what's being measured and how that intersects with recommended tolerances, this discussion is somewhat pointless. But it's been pointless for 5 pages now...

Yeah I've noticed the various programs reporting different....I think it was iStat Pro I had (it was a demo) that specified if it was showing the die temp, or proximity temp while another didn't specify but both widgets did show semi-accurate readings proximity wise. Either way gamers have used cooling pads for a while now and while I have one I don't really need it unless I want to be "nice" to my rMBP or if I'm working from my bed where hot heat shouldn't be blowing into blankets and what not (I use a breakfast in bed table and cooling pad Hard drives and capture deck sit right next to it, yes I'm single haha). Either way I've done some pretty insane rendering from 3 programs at once just because I could and it didn't kill my computer, I did it on my old MacBook Pro too and it always ran wayyyy hotter then my rMBP. Maybe heat wears down parts faster but seeing as the RAM in this thing is soddered its not built to last 20 years, I mean its going to last me a long time but in 3-5 years I'll probably end up with a with a real workstation and my rMBP will be doing less heavy lifting. I always like to have a desktop and a laptop but right now I am using just my rMBP because Mac Pro options weren't looking too nice 4 months ago and I can't really afford it (or fully justify it) yet. I think allot of these concerns are a bit over worry some.

 

[MacSumo]

You guys do realize that this guy is purposely trying to defame Apple?

This entire thread is meaningless - other than one man trying to support his singular view.

Apple provides good hardware in the rMBP, but the display and heating issue is terrible. Why is it defaming the company if I'm speaking the truth??

----------

Just watching a flash video cooks my nuts... I think it gets a lot hotter than the Ivy Bridge model.
I'm pretty happy with it otherwise.

I also think Windows + their apps are more stable (PS CS6 crashed on me just yesterday, and all I could do was hold down the Pwr button)... but I've been using Windows for 20 years and Macs for 6 months.

Some members here just don't take issue with the heating. They assume anyone speaking against the rMBP's heating and display issues is on a vendetta to defame apple.

 

[Pompiliu]

Who said it's a professional computer? Just because it's called MB Pro, doesn't mean it's for pros.

iPad has pad in its name, but i'm pretty sure it's not what women use during menstruation.

 

[Polyphonie]

Heck, to the last point, rmBP 15" is 1920x1200. That is no way "Retina" the way most people think of high resolution.

The desktop size is 1920*1200 max on the 15" but the display resolution is actually 2880*1800 (or 5 Megapixels). That's more than what you normally find in 27" WQHD/WQXGA displays (2560*1440/1600).

That means the screen density is 220 ppi and at a distance of 15 to 16", you will not be able view the individual pixels ie. Retina.

 

[john123]

Either way gamers have used cooling pads for a while now and while I have one I don't really need it unless I want to be "nice" to my rMBP or if I'm working from my bed where hot heat shouldn't be blowing into blankets and what not (I use a breakfast in bed table and cooling pad Hard drives and capture deck sit right next to it, yes I'm single haha). Either way I've done some pretty insane rendering from 3 programs at once just because I could and it didn't kill my computer, I did it on my old MacBook Pro too and it always ran wayyyy hotter then my rMBP.

I agree with you 100%. I've never been able to get any of the Retinas I've owned so far to an uncomfortable temperature. And, even if the 100 degree numbers are right, that's the Tjunction value according to Intel anyway, which means it's fine up to about that point. That's the whole point of the Tjunction values anyway—to specify "about here is as high as things should go without me throttling myself down or shutting down." I think the OP doesn't understand that.

The thermal paste and its application suck in MBPs, but that's always been the case, and it's the case for most laptop manufacturers unfortunately. Nevertheless, the CPU itself is still going to heat up about the same. The paste just affects the conductivity to the heat sink and, in turn, the ability to dissipate that heat.

 

[Meister]

Who said it's a professional computer? Just because it's called MB Pro, doesn't mean it's for pros.

iPad has pad in its name, but i'm pretty sure it's not what women use during menstruation.

Win!

----------

Apple provides good hardware in the rMBP, but the display and heating issue is terrible. Why is it defaming the company if I'm speaking the truth??

----------



Some members here just don't take issue with the heating. They assume anyone speaking against the rMBP's heating and display issues is on a vendetta to defame apple.

I dont think there is anything wrong with the retina screen.

 

[The Mercurian]

If you're running stats (I assume SPSS or R), then you can have the best of both worlds on a Windows machine, while R will work just fine on a Linux machine.

SPSS....no chance. R, Stata, & and some more specialised software for the insane stuff.

http://www.amazon.com/Dell-XPS-XPS15-6842sLV-15-6-Inch-Laptop/dp/B00FEE78GG

Dell ??? AHAHAHAHAHA
Had many Dells int he past. Super unreliable - especially the laptops. NEVER again - they had their chance.

Samsung Ativ with the ultra HD display

This appears to be an i5 machine ? Next.

or the Thinkpad W530, with the following specs

• Intel Core i7-3840QM Processor (8M Cache, up to 3.80 GHz)
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64 - English
• 15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready with color calibration sensor
• NVIDIA Quadro K2000M Graphics with 2GB DDR3 Memory
• Color Sensor
• 32 GB PC3-12800 DDR3 (4 DIMM)
• Keyboard Backlit - US English
• UltraNav with Fingerprint Reader for Color Sensor, Smart Card Reader
• 720p HD Camera with Microphone
• 256GB Solid State Drive, OPAL SATA3
• DVD Recordable
• Express Card Slot & 4-in-1 Card Reader & Smart Card Reader
• 9 Cell Li-Ion TWL 70++
• 170W Slim AC Adapter - US (3pin)
• Bluetooth 4.0 with Antenna
• Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 AGN
• Mobile Broadband upgradable
• Publication - US English

Hmmmm. Potentially interesting. Lenovo is the best pc laptop maker I think and would be my first choice if I went that route. I have to go to work but I will research this later with a fine tooth come. The processor better be up to spec - I hope you are not wasting my time just because you don't like apple.

 

[MacSumo]

SPSS....no chance. R, Stata, & and some more specialised software for the insane stuff.


Dell ??? AHAHAHAHAHA
Had many Dells int he past. Super unreliable - especially the laptops. NEVER again - they had their chance.

This appears to be an i5 machine ? Next.



Hmmmm. Potentially interesting. Lenovo is the best pc laptop maker I think and would be my first choice if I went that route. I have to go to work but I will research this later with a fine tooth come. The processor better be up to spec - I hope you are not wasting my time just because you don't like apple.

If you don't need the 32gb ram or extra processing power, stick with a rMBP 15" with dGPU. The screen might be bad (e.g. bad uniformity, yellow tinting), but it's portable, and people care about that the most.

----------

I agree with you 100%. I've never been able to get any of the Retinas I've owned so far to an uncomfortable temperature. And, even if the 100 degree numbers are right, that's the Tjunction value according to Intel anyway, which means it's fine up to about that point. That's the whole point of the Tjunction values anyway—to specify "about here is as high as things should go without me throttling myself down or shutting down." I think the OP doesn't understand that.

The thermal paste and its application suck in MBPs, but that's always been the case, and it's the case for most laptop manufacturers unfortunately. Nevertheless, the CPU itself is still going to heat up about the same. The paste just affects the conductivity to the heat sink and, in turn, the ability to dissipate that heat.

The CPU throttles as it hits 100C. I haven't researched whether Mavericks assists before 100C, but the cpu definitely does. I've hit 100C PLENTY PLENTY PLENTY PLENTY PLENTY PLENTY PLENTY of times when rendering videos in after effects.

It's just a useless machine to render videos, or to convert videos. It's also useless for professional photography work where color accuracy is needed.

I also don't like how bad the backlight uniformity is, and I'm not too pleased with the rate at which yellow tinting and ghosting occurs after ~6 months on the rMBP.

I don't want a portable computer where the display has to be set at 60% or more just to be legible. There are plenty of laptops that are legible when at 20% brightness.

 

[Meister]

If you're running stats (I assume SPSS or R), then you can have the best of both worlds on a Windows machine, while R will work just fine on a Linux machine.

Options:

http://www.amazon.com/Dell-XPS-XPS15-6842sLV-15-6-Inch-Laptop/dp/B00FEE78GG
Samsung Ativ with the ultra HD display

or the Thinkpad W530, with the following specs

• Intel Core i7-3840QM Processor (8M Cache, up to 3.80 GHz)
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64 - English
• 15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready with color calibration sensor
• NVIDIA Quadro K2000M Graphics with 2GB DDR3 Memory
• Color Sensor
• 32 GB PC3-12800 DDR3 (4 DIMM)
• Keyboard Backlit - US English
• UltraNav with Fingerprint Reader for Color Sensor, Smart Card Reader
• 720p HD Camera with Microphone
• 256GB Solid State Drive, OPAL SATA3
• DVD Recordable
• Express Card Slot & 4-in-1 Card Reader & Smart Card Reader
• 9 Cell Li-Ion TWL 70++
• 170W Slim AC Adapter - US (3pin)
• Bluetooth 4.0 with Antenna
• Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 AGN
• Mobile Broadband upgradable
• Publication - US English

----------



you're not debating. you're trying to debase the speaker.

yellow tint = below average

if display has yellow tint, then below average.

The thinkpad above does not get 32gb of ram cuz it only got 2 ram slots.
Its also bulky, obtrusly heavy and has bizarre features like a dvd drive and a vga port!
They should also add a zip drive and a 3.5 and 5.25 floppy. Just in case.
Who wants to carry around all this junk?

It also runs windows. mac folks buy macs for the OS.
U r comparing apples to tomatoes.

I dont think u are trolling but people are thinking u r defaming apple because uf nitpicking at some minor issues.
Apple doesnt suit your needs and if u recommend the thinkpad above then u really shouldnt buy an apple.
Apple doesnt cater to every single niche professional.

 

[Ryan1524]

If you don't need the 32gb ram or extra processing power, stick with a rMBP 15" with dGPU. The screen might be bad (e.g. bad uniformity, yellow tinting), but it's portable, and people care about that the most.

----------



The CPU throttles as it hits 100C. I haven't researched whether Mavericks assists before 100C, but the cpu definitely does. I've hit 100C PLENTY PLENTY PLENTY PLENTY PLENTY PLENTY PLENTY of times when rendering videos in after effects.

It's just a useless machine to render videos, or to convert videos. It's also useless for professional photography work where color accuracy is needed.

I also don't like how bad the backlight uniformity is, and I'm not too pleased with the rate at which yellow tinting and ghosting occurs after ~6 months on the rMBP.

I don't want a portable computer where the display has to be set at 60% or more just to be legible. There are plenty of laptops that are legible when at 20% brightness.

Not sure what screen you're using, but mine is perfectly readable at 10%. I can't go above 70% brightness without it being too bright for comfort.

If you have so much qualms about the rMBP, use something else. I'm not sure why you're still here. Get what serves your needs.

 

[MacSumo]

Not sure what screen you're using, but mine is perfectly readable at 10%. I can't go above 70% brightness without it being too bright for comfort.

If you have so much qualms about the rMBP, use something else. I'm not sure why you're still here. Get what serves your needs.

I like to learn. Is there a better site that discusses mac, preferably highly tech/engineer oriented?

I'm also looking out for the next rMBP 15"+ 2014 model, maybe late 2014 if early 2014 isn't good enough.

 

[Ryan1524]

Depending on the topic, there are probably more in-depth discussions available elsewhere. For example, I'd probably go to POTN or DPReview for Photography related things, mac or not. The tools fade into the background, the way it should.

I'm sure similar communities exist for Videography, 3D modelling/CAD, etc

Generally, if you're learning, it's better to ask questions than to make statements. Statements invite rebuttals. Questions get you to the truth.

 

[Wuiffi]

or the Thinkpad W530, with the following specs

• Intel Core i7-3840QM Processor (8M Cache, up to 3.80 GHz)
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64 - English
• 15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready with color calibration sensor
• NVIDIA Quadro K2000M Graphics with 2GB DDR3 Memory
• Color Sensor
• 32 GB PC3-12800 DDR3 (4 DIMM)
• Keyboard Backlit - US English
• UltraNav with Fingerprint Reader for Color Sensor, Smart Card Reader
• 720p HD Camera with Microphone
• 256GB Solid State Drive, OPAL SATA3
• DVD Recordable
• Express Card Slot & 4-in-1 Card Reader & Smart Card Reader
• 9 Cell Li-Ion TWL 70++
• 170W Slim AC Adapter - US (3pin)
• Bluetooth 4.0 with Antenna
• Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 AGN
• Mobile Broadband upgradable
• Publication - US English

That thing is 2900€*here in Austria (nearly 4000$)
and for that money you get a 256GB SSD?...

 

[sonyisawesome]

You guys do realize that this guy is purposely trying to defame Apple?

This entire thread is meaningless - other than one man trying to support his singular view.

If you are one of those fanboys who can't deal with valid criticisms, then you should go to apple defense forum, not here.

 

[MacSumo]

That thing is 2900€*here in Austria (nearly 4000$)
and for that money you get a 256GB SSD?...

I don't deny that the ultrabook market sucks. rMBP is one of the best that's out there, but it's just not good enough. There are too many trade offs being made if one goes for a rMBP versus a larger traditional laptop with 16/32gb ram, and large storage.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Define "professional"

You will encounter a plethora of different classifications of what one deems professional.

If it gets the job done in a timely manner and is beneficial to your own workflow, then by all means use the machine that best matches that criteria. Playing the min/max game on specifications and/or theoretical performance is a lesson in futility.

I work in the oil and gas industry. Bought a MBPr for the job. You know what? It's pretty effing perfect. And this is speaking as a guy who's been Windows-only for many a moon. Maverick is the best iteration of OSX I've run into and the software suites are more than adequate.

Could you get the same hardware for less on a PC? Of course. But IMO it's a worthwhile purchase.

 

[MacSumo]

Could you get the same hardware for less on a PC? Of course. But IMO it's a worthwhile purchase.

Actually, I couldn't.

No where could I find a 512gb PCIe SSD, 2k (or 4k, I'm not sure) resolution monitor (albeit, downsized to slightly better than 1080p), i7 quad core CPU, and dedicated 750m gpu laptop for $2600.

 

[sinc26]

The CPU throttles as it hits 100C. I haven't researched whether Mavericks assists before 100C, but the cpu definitely does. I've hit 100C PLENTY PLENTY PLENTY PLENTY PLENTY PLENTY PLENTY of times when rendering videos in after effects. It's just a useless machine to render videos, or to convert videos.

As far as I'm aware, the MBP's CPU maintains high frequencies when under full CPU load. It just isn't able to maintain the absolute max turbo frequency for long periods of time. This sort of "throttling" does not induce some major failure or a significant slowdown, so the MBP should be fine for rendering videos. The main concern is that the laptop (and all other thin laptops with 45W CPU's) will get hot under this kind of load. As I mentioned earlier, this is a compromise many people make for the sake of portability.

 

[MacSumo]

As far as I'm aware, the MBP's CPU maintains high frequencies when under full CPU load. It just isn't able to maintain the absolute max turbo frequency for long periods of time. This sort of "throttling" does not induce some major failure or a significant slowdown, so the MBP should be fine for rendering videos. The main concern is that the laptop (and all other thin laptops with 45W CPU's) will get hot under this kind of load. As I mentioned earlier, this is a compromise many people make for the sake of portability.

Understandable that it generates a lot of heat.

Though, not understandable that Apple can't do a better job. Check this out: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1678812/

 

[PDFierro]

Actually, I couldn't.

No where could I find a 512gb PCIe SSD, 2k (or 4k, I'm not sure) resolution monitor (albeit, downsized to slightly better than 1080p), i7 quad core CPU, and dedicated 750m gpu laptop for $2600.

And thus why the rMBP is awesome.

----------

You guys do realize that this guy is purposely trying to defame Apple?

This entire thread is meaningless - other than one man trying to support his singular view.

Exactly. Someone gets it. He's just creating his arguments out of thin air and carrying on.

 

[ElderBrE]

I'm in the film industry and just moved from a Mac Pro to a rMBP. It's making me even more money than before because now I can work from anywhere, not to mention that I can improve on my life since I am now able to take it around and I'm not stuck to the office.

Personally, it's a great investment and I'm completely happy with it.

Then again, I haven't read half of the thread and pretty much ignored feeding the troll that started this thread.

 

[stevemiller]

weird. somehow i've been making a living the past 5 years using a macbook pro as my daily workhorse, and doing the exact stuff (video, design) that apparently this machine is incapable of.

 

[sabbyp]

You guys do realize that this guy is purposely trying to defame Apple?

This entire thread is meaningless - other than one man trying to support his singular view.

it's not just this thread either, he's banging away about how the it gets too hot on your lap now.

I'm considering that the guy doesn't actually own one, or his mother/wife won't let him have one so he's very mad about it all indeed.

 

[The Mercurian]

It also runs windows. mac folks buy macs for the OS.

I don't. Speak for yourself!
Some of us are software agnostic. Some of us have to run windows on the thing (at least virtualised). Mac OsX played almost no part in my deacons to go mac (in fact if anything the early versions sucked both balls and ass)

 

[PDFierro]

I don't. Speak for yourself!
Some of us are software agnostic. Some of us have to run windows on the thing (at least virtualised). Mac OsX played almost no part in my deacons to go mac (in fact if anything the early versions sucked both balls and ass)

So then why buy a Mac in the first place?