Ordering Monday: Need some advice, MBP v rMPB

Hi,

I'm looking to order a MacBook on Monday, however I'm having a dilemma on what to buy...

I have a high end custom built desktop for gaming with an SSD for windows and HDD for everything else, spotify for music and an external HDD for movies.

In September 2013 I'll be off to university for a computer science degree, where I may be required to install windows. I'm also concerned with the lack of retina ready apps but I love the thin design and the apps that DO work are BEAUTIFUL.

The two options are:

MacBook Non-Retina 15":
2.6 Ghz i7
8GB RAM that I'll upgrade to 16 myself
750 GB 7200RPM HDD
Anti Glare display

Or

MacBook Retina:
2.3 Ghz i7
16GB RAM
256GB SSD (I feel this may be too small despite where I said I store media in the above paragraph)

I REALLY don't want to shell out so much more for a 2.6 512GB retina. So what would you guys suggest.

It is really simple. Buy the best computer you can afford at the time.

Deckyon said:

It is really simple. Buy the best computer you can afford at the time.

Click to expand...

So out of the two?

I am getting the basic macbook pro with retina next week. I will buy the high-end version whenever I feel like I can afford it.

So go with whatever your conscience and common sense tells you.

jwyatt1995 said:

The two options are:

MacBook Non-Retina 15":
2.6 Ghz i7
8GB RAM that I'll upgrade to 16 myself
750 GB 7200RPM HDD
Anti Glare display

Click to expand...

I JUST went through this, and I ordered the machine exactly as you specified above. It will arrive on Monday or Tuesday. I already have the 16GB of RAM and 480GB Mercury Extreme Pro 6G SSD and data doubler that I ordered from OWC. I will make the stock 7200 rpm drive a second drive, installed in the optical bay.

I didn't want the retina due to the glossy display and "built in" ram and ssd. Only good thing about the retina as far as I am concerned is the lack of an optical drive.

I'd say go with the best Retina MacBook Pro you can afford. It is just awesome to use all the time on the go .When I connect it to my 55" LED TV it performs even better at the lower resolution of 1080p especially with D3. The cooling system is also top notch and keeps it cool under load. Definitely keeps it cooler than the non-Retina MBP.

The nice thing about a retina MB is you can look at yourself in the mirror all the time.

If that doesn't appeal to you, get the matte 15" MBP.

anynamewilldo said:

The nice thing about a retina MB is you can look at yourself in the mirror all the time.

If that doesn't appeal to you, get the matte 15" MBP.

Click to expand...

Stop exaggerating. You can't see yourself. They did a fine job of reducing glare since they had to give it a glossy display due to accurate color reproduction and non-washout of colors that you see in matte displays.

djweissman said:

Stop exaggerating. You can't see yourself. They did a fine job of reducing glare since they had to give it a glossy display due to accurate color reproduction and non-washout of colors that you see in matte displays.

Click to expand...

I checked it out in detail at the Apple Store. Didn't seem any different at all, in terms of being glossy, as my mid-2009 13" MBP.

SOOOOOO glad matte display is at least an option. I wish it was an option on the 13" machine, could have saved myself a lot of money.

anynamewilldo said:

I checked it out in detail at the Apple Store. Didn't seem any different at all, in terms of being glossy, as my mid-2009 13" MBP.

SOOOOOO glad matte display is at least an option. I wish it was an option on the 13" machine, could have saved myself a lot of money.

Click to expand...

That would be nice on a 13".

Personally, I'd stay away from the Retina MacBook Pro. I like to have the options to upgrade memory, HDD/SSD, etc. The optical drive comes in handy as well on occasion. Super high-resolution screens (particularly on a small panel) don't do much for me. It brings back memories of my old Inspiron 8200 with the 1600x1200 screen. Font scaling can only do so much... if I need something higher than 1440x900, I'll hook up an external monitor.

And since you plan on running Windows, you'll find few applications for that high of a resolution. So, unless thickness and weight are huge considerations, I'd stick with the non-Retina machine.

The expandability is a good reason - but I wonder how much it REALLY matters, at least in terms of RAM.

I'm putting in 16GB in mine (15" non-retina) as soon as it arrives.
a). I expect that will be plenty, for quite some time to come.
b). Given that 16GB isn't directly supported by Apple, is it even likely I'll be able to put more in it in the future, or is there an address space limitation that provides a hard limit at 16GB?

anynamewilldo said:

The expandability is a good reason - but I wonder how much it REALLY matters, at least in terms of RAM.

I'm putting in 16GB in mine (15" non-retina) as soon as it arrives.
a). I expect that will be plenty, for quite some time to come.
b). Given that 16GB isn't directly supported by Apple, is it even likely I'll be able to put more in it in the future, or is there an address space limitation that provides a hard limit at 16GB?

Click to expand...

Ram is certainly is a VERY VERY important consideration when purchasing the retina MacBook Pro. The ram is not upgradeable after purchase...so you have to buy all the ram you will ever need upfront. This usually means (if someone is going to keep the computer for a long time)...getting more ram than you might really need today.

16gig of ram is definitely supported by Apple with the retina MacBook Pro...16gig is an upgrade option on the pre-purchase configuration page.

And although 16gig may not be "officially" endorsed by Apple for the "regular" 15" 2012 MacBook Pro...it's totally stable. All the Macintosh info websites have tested the 15" 2012 MacBook Pro with 16 gig...totally stable. This really is not that uncommon. MANY Macintosh models (over the years) have been found to be stable with more ram than Apple endorses.

But I agree with you...for the average user...it's going to be a while before 16gig of ram will be necessary. But for a user Big Time into video & graphics...$200 extra for the 16gig ram upgrade may be worth it.

- Nick

You skipped the main point of my post

That is - although the RAM in the MBP 15" (non-retina) is upgradable, if you're starting out with 16GB from the get-go, will you ever actually be able to upgrade it to more in the future? If not, then it is no better than the MBPr, with respect to RAM expandability.

In other words, is the hardware architecture of the MBP15 even capable of more than 16GB, and if it is, can the os effectively use it, and even if it can, did Apple do anything sneaky to artificially limit to 16GB?

An example of what I mean from another forum...

16gb = the second gen i5/7 CPU's can only address up to 8gb modules meaning you can not have more than 2x8gb modules in a MBP thus 16gb limits

Click to expand...

So, if that is correct, there is currently a hard limit at 16GB. So, with respect to memory, a MBP15 starting out with 16GB from day 1 is no more expandable than a MBPr. That just leaves the drive storage.

anynamewilldo said:

You skipped the main point of my post

Click to expand...

You are correct. If the OP plans on upgrading (pretty much from the beginning) either MBP to 16gig (retina or non-retina)...then ram expandability should not be a major future expansion consideration (but this assumes that the OP does purchase a 15" 2012 rMBP with 16gig of ram).

- Nick