I decided to write this series due to the overwhelming amount of questions I got about the 15″ MacBook Pro with Retina display. Since people are curious about it, why not help them?
First of all, a brief introduction. I’ve been a Mac user for many years and I always had a desktop + laptop setup. It was working fine until recently, when I started being on the road a lot and my iMac got subtilized, while my MacBook Air didn’t have enough power to perform all the tasks I require. So, it was time for a change and, after a lot of research, I decided to go for a Retina MacBook Pro.
MacBook Pro with Retina display: 13″ vs. 15″
The first question most people asked was: “Why did you get the 15-inch model?”. For me, it was a no-brainer — I like games, and the 15″ MacBook Pro is equipped with a nVidia GT650 graphics card, which is much more suitable for gaming than the Intel HD 4000. If gaming (or any other GPU-intensive task) isn’t in your priority list, then you have to think thoroughly.
First thing to consider about the 13″ model is the 13″ MacBook Air. If the basic configuration of the 13″ MacBook Air suits your needs, then it isn’t really worth it to pay $400 more just to get the Retina display. Sure, you get double the RAM and a faster processor, but if you are not going to use all that, you are effectively spending 36% more just to get the display.
On the other hand, if you need 8GB of RAM and a faster processor, then a maxed out 13″ MacBook Air will cost you $150 less than the entry-level 13″ MacBook Pro with Retina display. This is a difference worth paying for, since the MacBook Pro weighs only 27g more, so portability isn’t really an issue. You don’t get the exceptional battery life from the current (Haswell-powered) MacBook Air, but the MacBook Pro battery is far away from being crap — my 15″ unit comes very close to the advertised 7-hour duration.
Of course, I am excluding the built-to-order models here. If you add those to the equation, then you should weigh all the pros and cons from the configurations you are planning to order. Use the same rationale: set up the machines the way you need them (RAM, processor, SSD), then compare the final price tags to see if it’s worth paying the difference for the Retina display.
But what about the 15″ MacBook Pro?
Another question that I was asked: “Couldn’t you get a 15-inch MacBook Pro and max it to the specs you need? Wouldn’t that be more cost-effective than getting the Retina display model?”. This is a very clever question, and it requires careful thought.
If you max out a 15″ MacBook Pro at the Apple Store, you will get the same configuration as the $2799 15″ MacBook Pro with Retina display, except for the 16GB of RAM (Apple only allows 8GB, although the notebook supports 16GB). But the price: $3149. So, it’s a no-go.
Now, let’s simulate another situation. If you buy the base model for the 15″ MacBook Pro and add only the higher resolution display (1680×1050), that will cost you $1899. Then, if you buy 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD from Amazon, it will cost you an extra $455, yielding a total value of $2354. That’s a $445 price difference, or 16% less than the $2799 MacBook Pro with Retina display. Relatively to the total price, that’s a difference I’m willing to pay to get the awesome Retina display and a thinner and lighter notebook.
My next posts will be some sort of diary. Since I’m a bit behind schedule (I got the notebook last Friday), you may see me posting some of these diary entries as a batch. I hope you enjoy!
* all images are property of Apple Inc. Used with permission.