User profile for user: HiTeR202
HiTeR202 Author
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MacBook Pro with Retina or Without?

Hey Guys,


I figured I'd ask the apple experts (you guys). I am in the market to purcahse a MacBook Pro, but I am hung up on whether I should get the Retina display or not. I do NOT do much gaming, barely any to be quite honest with you. I am planning on running bootcamp for work purposes. i am also planning on using it for basic computer use. This will be my first Mac, so I am a newbie when it comes to this. I love how crystal clear the Retina display on it is, but the price seems quite steep. I was looking at the 2.7ghz + 16GB + 512/or/768GB SSD = A CRAP LOAD OF MONEY compared to the non retina which I can get with 2.7ghz and the rest stock and just upgrade myself and it comes out to be quite alot cheaper, but then I dont have the crisp display.


Any thoughts on this? I know it probably has been discussed alot, but I am clueless here. This computer is for my girlfriend to be quite honest with you, but since she's not used to mac nor does she like to learn new technology, it will be mostly mine of course, hence the bootcamp for my work.


I was also thinking, if I do get the non retina one, I can always get a thunderbolt display and that way I will have a laptop on the go, and a "desktop" at home. BUT another question comes up in that case. When it is connected to the thunderbolt display, will the thunderbolt display be as crisp as the Retina display on the MacBook Pro? or will the thunderbolt display be the same as my non retina MacBook Pro?


Please shed some light on this to help me with my discion. Keep in mind, I've been waiting to hit the "CHECKOUT" button for quite some time LOL


Thanks in advance guys ๐Ÿ™‚

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.1)

Posted on Aug 28, 2012 11:48 AM

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30 replies
User profile for user: Bimmer 7 Series
Bimmer 7 Series
User level: Level 6
10,337 points

Aug 28, 2012 12:01 PM in response to HiTeR202

I actually own the 2.7/16/768 retina.....My feelings are mixed - not that i'm saying I wasted my money in purchasing one.


When watching videos - great screen......When doing my online stock trading - works great.....


Browsing the web - that looks good too......


My issue however, is with Photoshop and MS Office - which is what I use after i'm done for the day with my day trading - using excel and when i do my daily sales update in my restaurant - I find excel to be blurry, so there are times i get my numbers mixed up. I don't have this issue with my non-Retina Macbook Pro.


Same goes with Photoshop - some images, I find blurry and some just ok....Again, I don't experience this with my non-Retina.


It's not Apple's fault that i have these issues - it's more of being Adobe and Microsoft not releasing an update to suppport the Retina Display.


If your primary use includes working in Photoshop, Word and Excel, I suggest you go the other way....It's quite an expensive purchase for something that you can't take advantage of.


However, if you can live with the few issues - it's a good purchase since sooner or later, more Retina apps will be out there.


good luck

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User profile for user: Barry Fisher
Barry Fisher
User level: Level 3
697 points

Aug 28, 2012 12:34 PM in response to HiTeR202

I would say spending the extra $250 for the 2.7 is overkill. Microsoft Office and Photoshop Apps are not real pretty yet and will require those programs to be updated which will happen eventually. Apple apps like Aperture and Final CutX look amazing. I've read if you set the res higher when working with Office, things look much better but are smaller on the screen. You can even spend a $100 bucks less and get the 2.3, though the sweet spot appears to be at 2.6. Also you should be able to get by with a 500GB drive over the 750, for another $500 savings.


Re the Thunderbolt display, no it won't be as snappy. As the current model is not yet a retina display. They are good decent monitors that give you a lot of screen space. But you can also get one of the excellent Nec monitors that will work or any other makers screens. If you can live without having the fastest highest end version of the rMBP, you can almost pay for your external monitor.


Ohhh. don't forget Apple Care, don't leave home without it! ๐Ÿ™‚

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User profile for user: HiTeR202
HiTeR202 Author
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Aug 28, 2012 1:56 PM in response to HiTeR202

Thanks guys, this is pretty much what I have been reading. Office I use alot. Photoshop I use a few times a week for small personal crap, or when I make a website. Dont do any video editing, but the 2.6 is the one I would go for most likely. If Office and Adobe were to come out with all the necessary updates to fix this issue, I'd probably be leaning more towards the rMBP, but I still dont know ๐Ÿ˜Ÿ


Such a tough choice. I read that the hi-res anticlair for the non retina is very good as well, so that is my second option. I would only get that one in 2.7 because its an order (non retina) and I would rather have it top of the line when it comes to that, but I'd be putting in a 480GB Kingstone SSD and 16GB or ram in it. Or get the Retina fully loaded off the bat and call it a day. The weight factor of the retina is a plus as well. so this might be one of the hardest decisions that I've been faced to make this year LOL

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User profile for user: HiTeR202
HiTeR202 Author
User level: Level 1
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Aug 28, 2012 2:07 PM in response to Courcoul

LMAO trust me, my girl tells me the same thing lol only most of the time she does it =P


As for the Apple Care...Never Leave Home without it is correct, I might just fork up the extra 300 now and less crap to worry about, just because I might forget after those 11 months after buying the computer ๐Ÿ˜Ÿ


THIS IS A HARD CHOICE ... NOT TO MENTION ... A VERY HARD ONE! ๐Ÿ˜

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User profile for user: Bimmer 7 Series
Bimmer 7 Series
User level: Level 6
10,337 points

Aug 28, 2012 2:21 PM in response to HiTeR202

HiTeR202 wrote:


THIS IS A HARD CHOICE ... NOT TO MENTION ... A VERY HARD ONE! ๐Ÿ˜

with all these hard talks - i better go and get some viagara happening....


because we're not sure when Microsoft and Adobe will be updating their software - it'd go with the non-Retina with the Kingston 480GB SSD upgrade you're planning on doing....


however, if you still have something that's useable - why not wait it out until a software update is released by both Microsoft and Adobe before you go with the Retina....

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User profile for user: HiTeR202
HiTeR202 Author
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Aug 28, 2012 3:11 PM in response to HiTeR202

yeah, I was thinking of that, but then something newer will come out, thats how it always is....Thats what I was thinking, just going with the non retina and doing my own customizations, BUT on the antiglare, i dont like that the frame of the screen is not black like the one with the regular display. Its sort of like Apple did not put the additional plastic screen on the lid to make the screen matte rather then gloss, but it doesnt look as good ๐Ÿ˜Ÿ

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User profile for user: HiTeR202
HiTeR202 Author
User level: Level 1
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Aug 29, 2012 9:23 AM in response to HiTeR202

Well after yet another useless trip over to the Apple Store, im still confused what I want.


I did notice that the Thunerbolt display compared to the iMac is not as bright as the iMac is a great letdown ๐Ÿ˜Ÿ


The retina MBP is still amazing, and I did open up Excel on it to see how blurry it actually is, and for me, i dont htink its "that" blurry, pretty much, something that I can live with until the update comes out, then went over to the anti-glare non retina, and i liked it too....I jus tdont want to regret my decision down the line. Afterall, this will be a computer for about 2-3 years until I decide to get a new one.


So its pretty much:

  1. rMBP - 2.7 // 16GB // 768GB // Purchase with American Express to double your warranty, and later down the line get the Apple Care = $3,454
  2. MBP - 2.7 // Stock Ram // Stock HDD // Personally upgrade to 16GB // 480GB SSD // Thunderbolt Display // Purchase with American Express to double your warranty, and later down the line get the Apple Care = $3,263
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User profile for user: Bimmer 7 Series
Bimmer 7 Series
User level: Level 6
10,337 points

Aug 29, 2012 9:29 AM in response to HiTeR202

HiTeR202 wrote:


rMBP - 2.7 // 16GB // 768GB // Purchase with American Express to double your warranty, and later down the line get the Apple Care = $3,454

This is the one I own - and if you're ok the way excel is - then go for it.....


Your 2nd choice is pretty good too. If however, you have no use for the optical drive - then the Retina is perfect choice for you


In any event, if you're not happy with your first purchase, you do have 14 days to return it and exchange it for the one you want.


Good luck

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MacBook Pro with Retina or Without?

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