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Say goodbye to 15in Non-retina MBP

pigoo3

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Hi guys, here's a review. Thoughts?

One thing that's missing (maybe because of availability)...is how well the Iris Pro integrated graphics performs vs. the new top end 15" rMBP with the discrete graphics (Nvidia’s GeForce GT 750m with 2GB of dedicated video memory).

Otherwise...very informative.:)

- Nick
 

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Which is disappointing to say the least, particularly with the battery. It's now clear that this wasn't just a mistake in design, but a very deliberate move to keep users from even replacing the wear components.

I'm with you 100% Chris. If a person keeps a laptop computer long enough...a new battery eventually will be needed.

I'm assuming the battery in the newest rMBP is still a 1000 cycle battery...which is still a lot of cycles...and should take a while to accumulate under average usage patterns.

But even if the original owner doesn't need to replace the battery...what about owner #2, #3, etc. In other words...someone like me who only buys used??;) Someone along the line will eventually need to get a new battery.

Of course if the cost of a replacement battery from a 3rd party supplier...and the cost of a new battery from Apple (installed) is about the same...then that wouldn't be too big of a deal! We shall see.:)

- Nick

p.s. This possibility is sort of the case with Unibody MacBook Pro's. The cost of a battery replacement (installed)...is about the same as what a replacement battery used to cost for older Mac laptops with the user replaceable battery's ($129).

Of course users were/are able to replace the batteries in Unibody MBP's...Apple just wanted us to think we couldn't!;)
 

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CWA, that is exactly what I was thinking was inside. Thanks for that URL. I was going to search but don't have to now. If it keeps on working it's a great machine but battery's no matter what else happens have a limited life.

To Nick, keep an eye pealed for an Anandtech test on the MBP. One will be sure to come and he will go into much detail about that Iris Pro.
 

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To Nick, keep an eye pealed for an Anandtech test on the MBP. One will be sure to come and he will go into much detail about that Iris Pro.

I will. Those guys are always...SUPER technical & detailed!:)

- Nick
 

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It's not the cost of the battery per se. It's the cost of labor plus the battery that will turn out to be an expensive replacement. Also, did you notice what ifixit said about the headphone jack: "Break it and you're looking at a $1000 repair". And the display - no protective glass.

No thanks. $2600 ? :Angry-Tongue:
 

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Agree Charlie. they say taking it out will probably break the Trackpad cable leave alone the battery. Very poor design.
 
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I asked Apple typical replacement cost for logic board and battery on the rMBP.

Logic Board is ~$500 for either.

Battery for 13in is about $100
For 15in it's $180
 

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Here's the link for battery replacement cost from Apple. I believe the cost includes the install (labor):

- click on "Battery Replacement" in the upper left of the link
- then expand the "How much does battery replacement cost?" question

Battery replacement cost for 13" or 15" rMBP (in the US) is $199 + tax.

Apple - Support - Service Answer Center

- Nick
 

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I asked Apple typical replacement cost for logic board and battery on the rMBP.

Logic Board is ~$500 for either.

Well, that's not what ifixit claims. They're saying if you break the headphone jack you're going to be out $1000 since the entire board will need to be replaced. Maybe they're including the labor and some other parts that go along with a new logic board?
 

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Well, that's not what ifixit claims. They're saying if you break the headphone jack you're going to be out $1000 since the entire board will need to be replaced.

If this is true...I can see all the liquid spill threads coming...with VERY unhappy folks that have to pay $1000 to get their notebook fixed (instead of the previous price of $500) for a replacement logic board on regular MBP's!:eek:

Or a lot of liquid-damaged rMBP's hitting e-Bay!;)

- Nick
 
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****, I feel as if I made the best decision possible. In July I picked up the Mid-2012 MBP 2.9GHz i7, 4GB RAM, 256 GB SSD not retina. Put in 16GB of RAM later on. I knew that apple was going to try to phase out this line, just as they did with the standard Macbooks.

I knew that Apple was going to be releasing knew computers this fall, but I couldn't wait, seeing as the semester was about to start, and I needed a machine. I was royally pissed when I saw that the 15" standard MBP had been deleted from the line up. Not that it effects me, but I know people that need that power for not only recreation, but for their jobs.

It really troubles me to see what direction Apple is heading in. The creativity, the innovations, it just isn't there anymore. They have had the same logic for the past few years. "Oh lets make something thinner, better resolution, more battery, more power, more megapixel camera". And they have slowly started to remove the products that made them so popular.

The MBP non retina was still selling even though the retina was out for over a year. Some people need a strong powerful machine, and that just isn't going to be available in a notebook form anymore, at least from Apple.

Overall, I think I made the right decision, and I know this computer is going to last me a good 4-5 years. After that.... well we will see where the popularity of the company is.

As of right now, Apple is essentially a Social Status symbol. People just get the products to show off their wealth. A "$1000 facebook machine" is absolutely correct!!! I got it because I know what is on the inside, and I need the software made by apple (Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro X).

Well thats my rant....
 

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****, I feel as if I made the best decision possible. In July I picked up the Mid-2012 MBP 2.9GHz i7, 4GB RAM, 256 GB SSD not retina. Put in 16GB of RAM later on. I knew that apple was going to try to phase out this line, just as they did with the standard Macbooks.

It probably was a good idea to buy when you did if you really wanted a non-retina MacBook Pro that was still upgradeable & had a battery you could replace fairly easily.:) But supplies of these haven't completely dried up yet. Still plenty available via the Apple refurbished store online. But of course eventually this supply will be gone.

As of right now, Apple is essentially a Social Status symbol. People just get the products to show off their wealth.

Like it or not...this has been part of the Apple allure/experience for a very long time (for those folks who pursue this sort of thing). Certainly not something new.

Remember...you own an Apple product (notebook). So when you go to Starbuck's...and whip your MacBook Pro out of your backpack (or "Man-Purse");)...just think what all those other folks at Starbuck's are thinking about YOU (whether it's true or not)!;)lol

- Nick
 
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Remember...you own an Apple product (notebook). So when you go to Starbuck's...and whip your MacBook Pro out of your backpack (or "Man-Purse");)...just think what all those other folks at Starbuck's are thinking about YOU (whether it's true or not)!;)lol

- Nick

-No thanks, I will make sure to take my super-duper loud Sony Vaio EA from 2011. If I was to go to Starbucks with that thing, I would get the cops called on me for a noise complaint, the fan is that uncontrollably loud. I would do it just to **** people off, for it not being an apple product. I would add this though....

‘Apple Macbook’ | I New Idea Homepage


Taking my beast of a computer to a Starbucks would totally dishonor all the hard hours I worked to be able to buy it. Plus having it near people, drinking hot/cold BEVERAGES! Electronics and liquid do not mix.
 
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but I know people that need that power for not only recreation, but for their jobs.

Sorry, the rMBP is any less powerful than the MBP?

The creativity, the innovations, it just isn't there anymore.

No? How many steps forward have they taken in the latest series of products, both hardware and software? Latest processors, graphics, efficiency, SSD performance and yes, resolution.

Some people need a strong powerful machine, and that just isn't going to be available in a notebook form anymore

Please read the review I quoted above.

As of right now, Apple is essentially a Social Status symbol. People just get the products to show off their wealth. A "$1000 facebook machine" is absolutely correct!!!

Well it is a symbol in a sense. It says that I've got taste, I enjoy an excellent product and that I'm prepared to pay for it - and I am. A $1000 Facebook machine? Um, no.
 

pigoo3

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Electronics and liquid do not mix.

You don't need to tell me this.;) I've probably responded to hundreds of folks that have spilled liquids of all sorts onto their Apple laptops (hoping for a miracle). And in many of those responses I've unfortunately had to say:

Liquid + Laptop = Dead Laptop:(

- Nick
 
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Sorry, the rMBP is any less powerful than the MBP?



No? How many steps forward have they taken in the latest series of products, both hardware and software? Latest processors, graphics, efficiency, SSD performance and yes, resolution.



Please read the review I quoted above.



Well it is a symbol in a sense. It says that I've got taste, I enjoy an excellent product and that I'm prepared to pay for it - and I am. A $1000 Facebook machine? Um, no.




I am talking about things that most people don't take into consideration. I might have worded it a little wrong, and for that I apologize. What I meant to say was this. Let me give you a brief background.

Back in the day, my cousin, who is a music producer, used exclusively Logic Pro. He had the 17" MacBook Pro, because of the screen real estate. He was able to have many things open in Logic because of the size of the screen, making it easier for him to produce. Right about the time when he was about to upgrade to a newer 17", it was discontinued. Many, and I mean MANY, people where ticked off when this model was discontinued. People needed the screen size. They needed to run multiple things at once on one screen. People don't always have the luxury of hooking up their computer to an external monitor.

In addition, how are you going to burn CD's efficiently? The retina does not have a built in drive, and having an external drive is a hassle for many.

People just don't classify these new computers as Pro anymore.

The older MBPs where basically a portable version of the Mac Pro tower. The reason people on here love them so much is that the RAM is upgradable, as well as the CD drive can be taken out for more HD space.

With the retina, that luxury is not there. It still is powerful, but wonderfully useless. Why do you need that high of a resolution? Unless you are editing 2.7k Cinema video, or are a professional photographer, that screen is useless. It does nothing but strain your eyes quicker. THAT is a FACT! Also, without a dedicated graphics card, like the 650M in the now extinct 15" MBP, how are programs going to run? A little choppy? The Iris is nothing but a glorified Intel graphics 4000 card. Look at he benchmarks.

Even if you are a photo/video guru, the retina is still useless. Spending that much money on a notebook, should be going towards the MacPro itself.

What are you going to to with a $1200+ rMBP when the battery is no longer able to be charged? What are you going to do with a $1200 rMBP when the RAM is fried? What about the CPU? GPU? Things don't last mate, they simply do not. I would much rather have the opportunity to have a solid machine, that after 2-3 years I can replace the battery for an affordable price.

What are you going to do when the retina has some problems? What are the tons of people with retinas going to do when they encounter a minor problem? If the audio jack is messed up you have to pay a Boatoad of money just to get that fixed. On top of that, there is no protective glass for the screen, and it is remarkably thin, which after some time, something will happen to it. Somebody might hit your bag at Starbucks at an awkward angle, you never now.

All I am trying to say is that the non retina MBP was a very very functional computer for many, and many are now having to switch to other platforms, because they need to. They cant afford to pay a third of the retail price, just to fix a minor problem. With a standard MBP it could be fixed at a lower cost.

My cousin had to switch to PC, to use FL Studio 10 at the time. He had to learn a whole new software, just so he could start making money again.

It's not just specs that make a computer what it is mate, it is what you use that computer for, that make it valuable.

R.I.P. MBP

Do you understand?
 

dtravis7


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I Agree with you iTz inThezone. Although the new rMBP is a fine computer in most ways, will it be in 2 years? Can the average person afford a new computer in 2 years?

To the other posters, do you feel iFixit is lying? Exaggerating? They are not. They are calling the shots as they see them and are pros at their job.
 
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I Agree with you iTz inThezone. Although the new rMBP is a fine computer in most ways, will it be in 2 years? Can the average person afford a new computer in 2 years?

To the other posters, do you feel iFixit is lying? Exaggerating? They are not. They are calling the shots as they see them and are pros at their job.

Somebody who understands!!! The average person, can't keep up with Apple pumping out products like this.

Thank you for understanding!

-iTz
 

dtravis7


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My main issue is I love OSX so much. Makes it hard! :D
 
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iTz, I get the sense of what you're saying.

I think the hard reality here is that what used to be the traditional Pro user was just too small a portion of the market. That's the trouble when products become more mainstream - the original niche becomes a small portion of the total client base.

It's clear (from user's comments) that creative Pros have felt neglected for many years, but at least in the new Pro, Apple has addressed this issue. I'm guessing now, but maybe the logic for the screen real-estate and general creative requirements, the thinking is: either a rMBP with TB display OR a Mac Pro + TB Display + rMBP for the cases when on the move. But that's purely speculation.

Something that has been on my mind is the following and I think it goes to the real meat of the matter. I have a 2011 21.5" iMac and a 2012 15" MBP with hi-res option. While the MBP absolutely whips the iMac in performance, I far prefer working on the iMac. So the question on my mind is always: why do I need such a powerful mobile machine? Is possibly two iMacs + 13" MBA not a better option? So possibly the market for a true mobile desktop is getting smaller. I'd guess that in most cases, the bulk 'crunching' can be done in the office, with some refinement done on the move.

So is it not possible that the entire face of computing is changing? We work in different ways today with telecommuting, bring your own device, etc, so possibly the entire approach to productivity needs a re-think. From a PC perspective, we still live in a predominantly MS world where MS would have you work on a (terrible) desktop and worse notebook. If there is a company I would trust with reading the trends and what will work, it's Apple. Now before you guys climb into me: I know change isn't an easy thing and not nice to have it rammed down your throat, but it's coming through gradually, giving us time to think, evaluate and adapt both ourselves and our approach to work.
 

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