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will new macbook pro 15" non retina be outdated in a few years?

T

tntech92

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 29, 2011
1
0
Ok so I'm kind of the type of person who doesn't like to have a very outdated machine, but i don't need to have the latest one either. I'm finally moving from PC to Mac and need to make sure i get one that will last me for about 3-4 years and wont become super outdated by then. I was thinking of get the new 15" macbook pro (non retina) with these specs:

15" macbook pro: 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz) with 4 GB ram

but after looking at some retina reviews im scared that in a year or two everything is going to be retina or close to that, and im going to be pissed at spending $1700 on my non retina macbook pro that isnt really all that anymore. also i heard they might be making a 13" retina macbook pro by the end of this year, is it smarter if i wait for that? or should i go ahead and get the 2012 macbook pro non retina?

thanks!

:apple:
 
I hate to break it to you, but it's already outdated. As soon as a piece of technology is put on the market for sale, another faster better sexier version is in the queue for next year.

Based upon your questions, it doesn't look like you even have a need. If you don't have a need, why are you pressuring yourself to buy something? A computer should not be a vanity purchase, you should buy what gets the job done. As long as you keep asking these types of questions, you don't really need a computer and probably shouldn't buy one.

tntech92 said:
Ok so I'm kind of the type of person who doesn't like to have a very outdated machine, but i don't need to have the latest one either. I'm finally moving from PC to Mac and need to make sure i get one that will last me for about 3-4 years and wont become super outdated by then. I was thinking of get the new 15" macbook pro (non retina) with these specs:

15" macbook pro: 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz) with 4 GB ram

but after looking at some retina reviews im scared that in a year or two everything is going to be retina or close to that, and im going to be pissed at spending $1700 on my non retina macbook pro that isnt really all that anymore. also i heard they might be making a 13" retina macbook pro by the end of this year, is it smarter if i wait for that? or should i go ahead and get the 2012 macbook pro non retina?

thanks!

:apple:
Click to expand...
 
It's already outdated, in my opinion. The Retina represents the new MacBook Pro design. The non-Retina's days are certainly numbered. That said, I bought one anyway, because I was looking for upgradeability and repairability, and I had my reservations about the GPU potential with such a high resolution display. My next MacBook Pro will be a Retina. It is hoped that by then, retina will be the standard, and Apple will have come up with a more elegant solution to replacing the battery.
 
As everyone else has said, the computer will be outdated shortly after you open it. I think a better question would be "Will it be too slow to run current software in a few years?" Probably not, but who knows. If it is, sell it and use what you make towards a new model.
 
I agree it is already outdated. The macbook pro looks so archaic and oversized next to the retina.
 
The Machines are dated the time they're released. Always a new and greater thing coming.
 
All two year old designs are outdated, the Classics just a little more. There is nothing wrong with it though. We all paid too much for these things, keep using them as long as you can. :)
 
it's not like an older machine ceases to function when a new model comes out, so it won't really be "outdated". but since I do want a retina notebook the. I decided to get the absolute cheapest and powerful machine I could which turned out to be an Amazon deal for a 2011 MBP13 upgraded to SSD and an HDD replacing the optical drive.
 
Outdated maybe. I still use my core2duo macbook pro and it does whatever I need it to for the most part! Just depends on your needs I guess...
 
I find it best to flip a coin when I cant make a decisive decision on my own.

I think a cMBP with 2.6GHz, 16GB (user upgrade for $100), 256GB SSD (user upgraded for $300ish) with a 1GB or 2GB GPU will last a few years easily.

It will be dated as soon as you walk out the door with it though, but regardless it will be a fast machine. Its not like the technology it has is going to WORSE, it will just be dated.
 
As already stated the current model becomes outdated as soon as a new one is released. However, that doesn't mean that it's still not a really decent laptop. You never really stated your usage, so it seems your primary concern is having a retina display. I'm totally satisfied with my late 2011 15' MBP and plan to hold onto it for 2-3 years at least. By then I should be able to purchase a decent retina model and forego the issues some of the early adopters have been posting about.
 
It's not outdated yet. The classic MBPs have been updated with Ivy Bridge CPUs and newer GPUs, and if you upgrade it yourself, you'll have a very quick machine that will easily surpass many other "new" machines in the coming years. It will be "outdated" in basic terms, but not at all slow. I was worried too before deciding to purchase the classic, but realized that I didn't need the Retina display (I hate glossy anyways) and would rather replace my SuperDrive with a large HDD than get rid of it altogether. Of course, the classic is thicker and heavier than the Retina, but I actually like it more that way (although having USB on both sides would be nice).
 
yeah agree with everyone else... but then as long as it serves its purpose and you can do what you wanna do on it fine, then it's not a problem.

my white macbook lasted me for 5.5 years and now i got a rMBP recently, i expect that to be outdated very soon too.. but probably won't look for a replacement till 5-6 years later
 
The actual "guts" are the same (or can be made the same with an SSD upgrade), the only non-aesthetic/ergonomic advantage of the rMBP is better heat management (based on hearsay i don't actually own one).


The rMBP isn't more powerful from a hardware standpoint (necessarily) but the screen and form factor are pretty incredible.

They'll be able to run the same stuff for the entirety of their useful lives (aside from the 512 compared to 1gb video memory from the base 15 cMBP to the rMBP)
 
The rMBP is outdated because there are many other windows machines that have a bit more power for a quite cheaper price. Maybe the screen might last a few years but you never know!:confused:
As far as I know it is the latest MacBook Pro in the Apple line
 
Well it's obviously outdated by apple standards. But as a laptop it's still one of the best out there. PC manufacturers are just starting to reach the top of the ladder that matches the aesthetic of the regular MBP.

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DarthVader1213 said:
The rMBP is outdated because there are many other windows machines that have a bit more power for a quite cheaper price. Maybe the screen might last a few years but you never know!:confused:
As far as I know it is the latest MacBook Pro in the Apple line
Click to expand...

Yup, But I wouldn't wanna be lugging this thing around.

145721-samsung-s-refreshed-series-7-gamer-laptop.jpg
 
Yes it will be outdated in a few years (most likely in 1 year) but so will this years rMBP be too, so who cares ;). Buy what you want now, if something cool comes out next year you deal with it then.
 
When the current standard MBP can be considered out dated to will the retina MBP.
You can add a SSD or two and there is nothing else in the rMBP save the screen.
If you don't need the screen now you won't in the future either. It will stay a nice to have feature. The hardware is the same and the rMBP will be too slow sooner because of the high res display.
The only difference is that in the future the nice to have retina feature is going to come in cheaper. I doubt though that the switch to retina will go all that quickly and full range.
They still consume too much power and are expensive. Those problems will lessen in a year but to disappear it probably needs two. I think the Air models will stay longer on standard low res for pure battery life reasons. There is just no place to store a much bigger battery like in the iPad and the Display is the biggest consumer in the Air so you'd need more % increase than the rMBP if battery life should stay the same.

Haswell will probably come in late 2013. Stuff is slowing down.
Retina only on Macs is unlikely to happen quite as fast as some think and depends a lot on the technology and it being ready. The current IPS panel isn't good enough for ultra mobile MBAs.
 
BlazednSleepy said:
Well it's obviously outdated by apple standards. But as a laptop it's still one of the best out there. PC manufacturers are just starting to reach the top of the ladder that matches the aesthetic of the regular MBP.

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Yup, But I wouldn't wanna be lugging this thing around.

Image
Click to expand...

Hahaha lol, true!
 
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