Agreed. Schools do still go for the non-retina, as well as the occasional budget-minded consumer who also wants upgradability and a fast CPU, and as long as there is demand Apple won't discontinue it.
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Why does Apple still sell the non-retina MacBook Pro?
- Thread starter vineetb
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Agreed. Schools do still go for the non-retina, as well as the occasional budget-minded consumer who also wants upgradability and a fast CPU, and as long as there is demand Apple won't discontinue it.
And companies like mine. My IT director buys them buy the boatload because of the repairability, upgradability, and ports. People seem to lose dongles like they are pencils, and my company requires hard wired ethernet.
Agreed. I was in the market for a MBP right around the time the Retinas started coming out (2012) and I wasn't horribly impressed. Sure the display is better, but to call the classic displays "crappy" is simply disingenuous. I instead ordered a cMBP with the optional upgraded (1680x1050) display. I tried buying one in person but baffled every "genius" I dealt with as they couldn't comprehend that there was a "middle step" between non-Retina and Retina. Rather than end up with the wrong thing...
I just installed a new SSD and moved the HDD to the optical bay, and now I have an external optical drive that I can now use on any of my Macs (none of the silly restrictions inherent to the external SuperDrive). "Only" 8 GB of RAM (originally came with 4), but the upgrade to 16 is available if and when I deem it necessary. Even after 2 RAM upgrades I'll probably still end up paying less than if I had had 8GB installed by Apple at the start.
It now boots slightly quicker than my wife's brand new MBA and I liked the experience so much that I bought a new SSD and replacement HDD for my upgradeable 2011 MacMini.
They're the best thing for those of us with PC backgrounds who, while usually not wanting to be bothered with it, still do like to dabble in hardware every once and again.
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I suppose I can understand both sides of it.
On the one hand, some people like the upgradability and don't care about the aging hardware. I almost went that route when my mid-09 13" MBP was dying but ended up with a late-13 rMBP. There's also business and education purchases (really, I'm not sure how many schools are even buying MBPs when iPads and Chromebooks are more modern options).
On the other hand, I think it's a bit underhanded of Apple to put the cMBP from 2012 even close to the 2014 rMBP. Renaming the cMBP back to MacBook would make more sense to me.
I had thought I read somewhere a while back that Apple had set an approximate date for the cMBP to be discontinued. Can anyone confirm?
On the one hand, some people like the upgradability and don't care about the aging hardware. I almost went that route when my mid-09 13" MBP was dying but ended up with a late-13 rMBP. There's also business and education purchases (really, I'm not sure how many schools are even buying MBPs when iPads and Chromebooks are more modern options).
On the other hand, I think it's a bit underhanded of Apple to put the cMBP from 2012 even close to the 2014 rMBP. Renaming the cMBP back to MacBook would make more sense to me.
I had thought I read somewhere a while back that Apple had set an approximate date for the cMBP to be discontinued. Can anyone confirm?
No confirmation, it's all just speculation at this point. They are obviously still making them, because people/companies are still buying them.
The 2012 mini backlog in the refurb store clears out immediately, whenever they do manage to make an appearance. And the cMBP(even the 13") still sells. But both are against apples new push for disposable(not very earth friendly, BTW) initiative as of late.
I am very saddened to see this happen. And will have to face a VERY tough decision, the next time I am due for a computer upgrade.
The 2012 mini backlog in the refurb store clears out immediately, whenever they do manage to make an appearance. And the cMBP(even the 13") still sells. But both are against apples new push for disposable(not very earth friendly, BTW) initiative as of late.
I am very saddened to see this happen. And will have to face a VERY tough decision, the next time I am due for a computer upgrade.
Apple sell them because people still buy them.
It's a very capable machine that offers upgradability, longevity, and better value than any of the Airs or the base retina models. The fact that it is still faster than the most common Air models is either sad or funny, depending on which you prefer.
What is pathetic of Apple is to use 128 GB storage in the base rMBP. That would be a joke if it weren't such blatantly cynical margin padding.
It's a very capable machine that offers upgradability, longevity, and better value than any of the Airs or the base retina models. The fact that it is still faster than the most common Air models is either sad or funny, depending on which you prefer.
What is pathetic of Apple is to use 128 GB storage in the base rMBP. That would be a joke if it weren't such blatantly cynical margin padding.
You are quite right, cost of manufacturing is also low, hence an added incentive for Apple to continue selling while demand holds up. It's a good model.
I strongly disagree. I've had a few Mac laptops with 128GB of SSD and it was always more than I needed. I'm glad they dropped the 64GB SSD in the base configuration MacBook Air. It is difficult to imagine that 64GB would suffice for most customers.
So you are one of those that lug around an external drive everywhere you go? Or are you just saying that you do not have digital library of any kind(music, movies, videos, pictures, etc...)?
I have never come close to filling 128 GB either. I don't have any music or videos and the only pictures I have are a few wallpapers.
No, I do not lug around an external drive. My digital library fits very nicely on a 128GB Mac.
Yikes. I have something like 2 TB of music alone. And my work requires I have access to ~350 GB of material not accessible over the web. I don't know anyone who can fit everything in 128 GB.
You must not have a very large one then. My Aperture photo library is larger than 64GB. My iTunes library (music alone, not counting videos, podcasts, or apps) is over 140GB.
All completely depends in the individuals workflow and usage. Personally my next MBP will be 1Tb SSD, 256Gb is now too small and 512Gb is presently ok; just a few movies and about 30Gb of music the rest is work related. My Mac`s pay the way, so cost of the system is academic, reliability performance and portability are the key factors for me.
Apple clearly continues to sell the cMBP as there is a market for it, their margins are likely very good on this system as it`s yesteryears tech, equally for many it`s good enough for what they need.
Q-6
You forgot...
...the Kensington lock FTW!
But seriously, it's still good value, IMHO. The processor is still fast, plus you have a ton of ports and stuff like 555fmjoe just said. Heavy as hell, but it surely ain't flimsy.
...the Kensington lock FTW!
But seriously, it's still good value, IMHO. The processor is still fast, plus you have a ton of ports and stuff like 555fmjoe just said. Heavy as hell, but it surely ain't flimsy.