15" MacBook Pro V. 13" MacBook Pro (Retina)

I have a brand new 15" non-retina display right now but I may be able to trade it in for the 13" retina. The 13" is cheaper by $100 but I would be eating the cost difference. I just do normal things on the computer with the occasional graphic and photoshop work. I also already have an iPad and a iMac. here are the specs on both.

13" Retina:
MacBook Pro "Core i5" 2.6 13" Retina 2013 Specs (Retina Early 2013, ME662LL/A, MacBookPro10,2, A1425, 2672) @ EveryMac.com

15" non-retina
MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.3 15" Mid-2012 Specs (Mid-2012 15", MD103LL/A, MacBookPro9,1, A1286, 2556*) @ EveryMac.com

I could choose to just sell the unopened 15". I could probably get around $1600-$1700 for it if I find the right buyer on Craigslist. I'd rather not sell it on ebay and have to eat more than $150 in fees and shipping. I think I could live without a laptop but I hate having to use the iMac in my office and until now it really just acted as a media server for my house.

The 15" was a gift from my mom and it was just replaced in the last week of its 3 year applecare (that's why its brand new now). I kinda feel that if I sell it, I will never notice the money and it will just absorb into my bank account and get spent on normal things, then I will have nothing that I didn't have otherwise.

For the record, my mom thinks I should sell it but it just doesn't feel right not having a laptop because I like to do some computing that doesn't work on the ipad in other places than my office. It also doesn't feel right selling a gift. I could probably get used to not having a laptop but I don't think I want to.

I'm not even sure that the apple store will do the exchange but if they do, I'd be willing to eat the $100 in value. I just don't know which way to go.

Shocksmybrain said:

I have a brand new 15" non-retina display right now but I may be able to trade it in for the 13" retina. The 13" is cheaper by $100 but I would be eating the cost difference. I just do normal things on the computer with the occasional graphic and photoshop work.

Click to expand...

I didn't see a question anywhere...so not sure what sort of info you're looking for.

One question I would ask...Why do you feel you need a 13" retina MBP?

By the way...if this 15" MBP is brand new (a replacement from Apple for a 3 year-old MBP)...if you sold this new one...you would be WAY AHEAD money-wise. Because your old 15" MBP would have been 3 years old...lost a bunch of it's value...so the new 15" is worth way more.

* Nick

Thanks for the reply. The question is really what should I do? I originally got the 15" when I was doing graphic work for a web development company. I don't really do much of that anymore. I think I've decided to keep a laptop because after I pay eBay fees, PayPal fees and shipping the payoff just isn't enough to sell it. I'm just wondering if its worth eating the $100 in value to do the switch and lose the hard drive space and processing power. I have one friend with the 15" retina display but we have different needs and he seems unable to put himself in my shoes and help me figure this out.

Shocksmybrain said:

Thanks for the reply. The question is really what should I do? I originally got the 15" when I was doing graphic work for a web development company. I don't really do much of that anymore. I think I've decided to keep a laptop because after I pay eBay fees, PayPal fees and shipping the payoff just isn't enough to sell it. I'm just wondering if its worth eating the $100 in value to do the switch and lose the hard drive space and processing power. I have one friend with the 15" retina display but we have different needs and he seems unable to put himself in my shoes and help me figure this out.

Click to expand...

Here's my understanding of the situation:

1. You got a 15" MBP as a gift.
2. Something went wrong with the "older" 15" MBP...and Apple replaced it at almost the end of the 3 year Applecare it had.
3. You now have a brand new unopened 15" MBP.
4. You think that you would rather have a 13" retina MBP.

And it seems that your main concern is the "dollars & cents" of getting rid of this brand new 15" MBP...and getting a 13" retina MBP.

Here is one fact that you are over-looking. Let's say that your previous 15" MBP (the one Apple replaced) sold for $1799 when it was brand new (a 3 year-old "Mid-2010" model). If you still had it today...it would be worth about $1000.

Now you have just gotten (via Applecare) a brand new unopened replacement 15" MBP which is worth $1799.

How are you losing money if you sold the replacement 15" MBP? If you still had your old 15" MBP it would be worth about $1000...now you have a brand new MBP worth $1799.

The bottom line is...if you were able to sell this new 15" MBP for anything greater than $1000 (which you certainly could)...you're in the positive from a profit perspective.

And if you wanted either the $1199 or $1499 13" retina MBP...you just need to sell the new 15" MBP for that amount or greater...with no extra money out of your pocket.

I hope that this makes sense.

- Nick

Makes sense to me Nick. But if he wants to sell that new 15" MBP to me and take a $100 loss, I'll be very happy to take it off his hands! ;P

My point is the "dollars and cents" don't matter here. The difference is only $100 as the computer I currently have is $1799 and the 13" retina is $1699. I couldn't sell the one I have and have enough after fees and shipping to buy the 13" so this would be a switch if apple allows it. My concern is if the retina display is that much better that its worth it for me to sacrifice the screen real estate, computing power, and storage capacity for resolution, weight, double the ram (not upgradable on the retina).

chscag said:

Makes sense to me Nick. But if he wants to sell that new 15" MBP to me and take a $100 loss, I'll be very happy to take it off his hands! ;P

Click to expand...

If OP decides to sell...you better be ready to "pony-up" the cash!

- Nick

chscag said:

Makes sense to me Nick. But if he wants to sell that new 15" MBP to me and take a $100 loss, I'll be very happy to take it off his hands! ;P

Click to expand...

If you are interested I would be willing to sell for $1700 plus real cost shipping and insurance. This would save you well over $100 as the tax alone on $1799 would be $100-$150. I would guess that the shipping and insurance would be around $20. I would eat. The PayPal fees. Doing this through PayPal would offer both buyer and seller protection. I could ship as soon as tomorrow.

If I do this, than I can just hold onto the money until I decide on the computer I want.

Shocksmybrain said:

My point is the "dollars and cents" don't matter here. The difference is only $100 as the computer I currently have is $1799 and the 13" retina is $1699. I couldn't sell the one I have and have enough after fees and shipping to buy the 13" so this would be a switch if apple allows it.

Click to expand...

Of course the "dollars & cents" matter...you just explaned that the "dollars & cents" matter!

I still don't think that you get it. You just had a major windfall. You had a 3 year-old 15" MBP worth about $1000...and now Apple gave you a brand new replacement 15" MBP worth $1799. That's at least $799 increase in value for you!

Options:

1. You don't have to get the more expensive $1499 13" retina MBP...you could get the less expensive $1199 13" retina MBP.
2. You could get something from the Apple refurbished store. For example this:

Refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Pro 2.5GHz Dual-core Intel Core i5 with Retina Display - Apple Store (U.S.)

I'm done now. If you cannot understand the logic I have suggested...then no further suggestions on my part will help.

- Nick

Obviously if you're able to sell the computer for $1700 cash...then you're good to go!

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

Of course the "dollars & cents" matter...you just explaned that the "dollars & cents" matter!

I still don't think that you get it. You just had a major windfall. You had a 3 year-old 15" MBP worth about $1000...and now Apple gave you a brand new replacement 15" MBP worth $1799. That's at least $799 increase in value for you!

Options:

1. You don't have to get the more expensive $1499 13" retina MBP...you could get the less expensive $1199 13" retina MBP.
2. You could get something from the Apple refurbished store. For example this:

Refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Pro 2.5GHz Dual-core Intel Core i5 with Retina Display - Apple Store (U.S.)

I'm done now. If you cannot understand the logic I have suggested...then no further suggestions on my part will help.

- Nick

Click to expand...

Nick, I appreciate the responses and I'm sorry if I'm not being clear. I understand the windfall that I received but I was never intending to sell the old computer. My only question and concern is whether the benefits of the 13" retina (more ram, higher resolution, lighter) outweigh the downfalls (quad core vs dual core, i7 vs i5, less screen real estate, smaller storage capacity, super drive vs no optical drive). I thought I could get some insight on this question here. I don't wanna look at the dollars and cents. This computer was a gift and I don't wanna think about it as currency. If I were to sell it, it would only be to fund another computer. I kinda think its bad luck not to mention tacky to sell a thoughtful gift.

Also, you may have the educational discount because the retinas that are available to me are not $1199 and $1499.

Kevin

Shocksmybrain said:

My only question and concern is whether the benefits of the 13" retina (more ram, higher resolution, lighter) outweigh the downfalls (quad core vs dual core, i7 vs i5, less screen real estate, smaller storage capacity, super drive vs no optical drive). I thought I could get some insight on this question here. I don't wanna look at the dollars and cents.

Click to expand...

I don't think this was made clear in the first post. The way I read post #1 was...that you sort of wanted to sell the 15" to get the 13".

Shocksmybrain said:

This computer was a gift and I don't wanna think about it as currency. If I were to sell it, it would only be to fund another computer.

Click to expand...

You keep saying that you don't want to sell it...that you just want info regarding the 15" MBP vs. the 13" retina MBP...and that it would be "tacky" to sell a gift. Yet you still keep bringing it up (selling it).

Either you ARE NOT considering selling it to fund a 13" retina MBP or you ARE. And if you're NOT going to sell it 100%...then there really isn't a need to continue discussing things in this thread.

Shocksmybrain said:

I kinda think its bad luck not to mention tacky to sell a thoughtful gift.

Click to expand...

If I understand things correctly...the original computer was a gift 3 years ago. I think that the "statute of limitations" or "tactiness" of selling an item that was a gift...ran out a long time ago!

Does this mean that when this computer is 50 years old...you're still not allowed to sell it because it was a gift??

The 15" you have now is only new because Apple replaced it via Applecare.

Shocksmybrain said:

Also, you may have the educational discount because the retinas that are available to me are not $1199 and $1499.

Click to expand...

Sorry...my mistake. I was quoting the prices for the "regular" 13" MBP's.

- Nick

My only question and concern is whether the benefits of the 13" retina (more ram, higher resolution, lighter) outweigh the downfalls (quad core vs dual core, i7 vs i5, less screen real estate, smaller storage capacity, super drive vs no optical drive). I thought I could get some insight on this question here. I don't wanna look at the dollars and cents.

I really would appreciate some input or advice on this conundrum.

Shocksmybrain said:

My only question and concern is whether the benefits of the 13" retina (more ram, higher resolution, lighter) outweigh the downfalls (quad core vs dual core, i7 vs i5, less screen real estate, smaller storage capacity, super drive vs no optical drive).

Click to expand...

If you were to start this thread over again...that's what you should have asked initially...and skipped all of the other unnecessary info.

Firstly...the basic difference between the "regular" 13" MBP's and the 13" retina MBP's is the display (you're basically paying for the higher resolution display). Yes there are other differences...but that's the main one.

As far as the 15" MBP vs. the 13" retina MBP. Regarding the parameters of

- screen real estate (13" vs. 15")
- optical drive vs. no optical drive (FYI...the super drive & optical drive are the same thing)
- 13" being lighter

These three things are TOTALLY personal choices. No one other than you can make these choices (weight, optical drive, screen real estate).

Regarding the optical drive & screen real estate. You can always use an external monitor & get an external optical drive.

The 15" is more user upgradeable (ram & storage).

But...the biggest difference between the 15" and 13" (retina or non-retina)...is the 15" has dedicated graphics hardware. None of the 13" models have dedicated graphics.

Also regarding the 13" retina MBP...why do you want the higher resolution display? Do you have a special need for it? Just asking so you can think about it...to help you make a decision.

- Nick

p.s. But again...the bottom line is. If you're NOT going to sell the 15" MBP because you got it as a gift. And you don't have the extra finances to buy a 13" retina MBP...then we're just "blowing smoke" with this discussion!

Here's my opinion, FWIW.

I kind of feel the same way about Retina displays as I do about SSDs. Both have obvious clear advantages, but have some limitations and are hella expensive.

While clearly a Retina display is nicer, there are *at the moment* relatively few apps that really take advantage of that or "need" that resolution.

But putting aside the resolution thing for a minute, the other advantages of the 15" appear to me to far outweigh (heh) the 13" *except* if you are very concerned about weight (and don't care about the optical drive, but then who does?).

So to me this is an easy decision: keep the brand new 15". Sell it in a year or two if you want, you'll still get a lot of money for it.

PS. Awesome mom you got there.