15" Macbook Pro with or without Retina?

Go to an Apple store and look at both of them.

Note the MacBook Pro non-retina has replaceable memory and hard drive. The MBP with Retina you choose your memory and hard drive size when you buy it, and they cannot be upgraded. If you go Retina, choose memory and flash carefully.

As BGreg Says " have a look at both of them "

jojocino wrote:

15" MacBook Pro

$2,399

• 2.6GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz
• 8GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x4GB
• 1TB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
• SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• MacBook Pro 15-inch Hi-Res Antiglare Widescreen Display

This is what i would go for......I have the new Retina and a Late 2011 15 Inch MB Pro and as of right now, the Adobe Photoshop and MS Office doesn't look that great in the Retina - waiting for Adobe and Microsoft to update this.

Aside from that, processor is the same so speed wouldn't be the issue.....I like the freedom of having to upgrade my Macbook any time I want.....Only reason I purchase the Retina is because it's paid for by my business.

If however, if i have to do the purchase out of my own pocket and have to do it over again, I'd take the non Retina at this time......Until software companies have upgraded their software to support the Retina Screen.

Good luck

There you go....Good luck......

if you wish to do so - go SSD in your Macbook and you'll see a big difference in speed.....

14 sec boot time from start.....

Don't get it from apple.....

buy it after you get your Macbook - for $200 - you can get a 256GB Crucial M4 which is being use by a few of us here....

for around that price - you can also go with a 240GB Sandisk Extreme which is currently one of the fastest SSD out there....

Purchase your macbook with the 1TB if you want and go with the SSD solution after....That way, you can use our 1TB as an external drive to save your files in.

no worries - good luck.....

just a suggestion - to confuse you even more......

why not just get the base 2.3GHz 15 Inch Macbook Pro with the Anti Glare screen.....

since you're upgrading the RAM to 16GB - with the money you'll save, you can go ahead with the SSD....

once you've done that - till blow away the 2.6GHz with the RAM and SSD upgrade....

just a thought though - not trying to confuse you even more...

Ordered (7/16/2012) the 2012 15.4" Macbook Pro (NON retina)

With:

2.6GHz i7 CPU

8GB RAM

1GB GPU

HR Antiglare Wide Screen

750GB 7200 RPM HDD (installed Crucial M4 256GB SSD with a fresh install of Mountain Lion)

I really wanted the rMBP but just could not see the real value of the Retina display when the (HR) 1680 X1050 is really ideal for me. I also have the late 2011 Macbook Air that has 1440 X 900 resolution, it's not antiglare and not glossy either. I also have a 2006 Black Macbook with 1280 X 800 and it's not antiglare and not glossy. If the rMBP offered a antiglare display I'd probably still be deciding (took 3 weeks already).

The thoughts that keep me on the fence between the 15" rMBP and 15" MBP was "I need to buy the future and not invest in the past". For sure the rMBP is the future.

Since I made the decision Im glad I did (15" MBP Antiglare WS).

my Pros/Cons list

rMBP MBP

• Speed X X (tie, adding SSD) (Im getting 285 Write & 502 Read)
• Expansion X (increase RAM and HDD or SSD)
• Weight X ( rMBP about a pound lighter, not impressed)
• Generation X (decided long ago to NOT buy 1st generation anything, if possible)
• Repairability X (replace battery on MBP and other parts, but not the rMBP, yet)
• Resale X (not sure here but makes since, new beats old)
• Antiglare X (no contest)
• Cost X (my configuration was about $320 more than the retina)
• Ports X (FW800, Gigabit Ethernet, DVD/CD drive, have HDMI adapter)
• Value X ( rMBP display would be a waste of money for me)

BTW, my GeekBench highest score is 12096

the 2.6GHz is a more suitable Macbook for you....

i just added the 2.3GHz since you're planning on going SSD and 16GB......just trying to save you some $$$...

jojocino wrote:

Thanks, that is helpful. Retina is the future which is what had me wanting to get it, but I also do not like buying first generation. I like to wait until the kinks are known and fixed.

One question - why did you get the 750GB 7200 instead of the 750GB 5400 if you upgraded it anyway?

With my discount I upgraded for $45. For the price a 7200 RPM HDD was a good upgrade even if it's going into a USB 3.0 drive (for me) .