MacBook Pro Non-Retina or Retina model?

[emachado99]

Hey guys,

Before you bring on the hate, if you don't like Apple or are just gonna comment here to say "I don't like Apple" or "I hate Mac.. Eww" just leave. I just want serious answers.

Anyways I am not sure if I would want to get the non-retina model of the MacBook Pro or the Retina model... The non-retina model is from 2012, it has a 1280x800 pixel screen, 4GB of RAM, 500GB HDD, Intel Core i5 @2.5GHz and Intel HD Graphics 4000.

The current Retina model is from late 2013, so it's more recent, it has a 2560x1600 screen resolution, 4GB of RAM, 128GB PCI-E SSD, Intel Core i5 @2.4GHz and Intel Iris Graphics.

Here is where I am stuck. The non-retina model is a bit older, has a lower screen resolution, thicker, but it CAN be upgraded by adding more RAM, a bigger HDD or a SSD, and it has an optical drive. The current Retina MacBook Pro, is newer so I can keep up with things more, it has a PCI-E SSD, Haswell processor, more battery life, thinner and just a down right beautiful screen, but it CANNOT be upgraded. Everything is sodered to the motherboard. I heard Intel Iris Graphics are an upgrade and better then the HD 4000, but it's just I don't know if I want to stick with only 4GB of RAM and an 128GB SSD. Optical drive doesn't really matter to me. Most things are downloadable or I can just buy a external optical drive. I have played with both in the store and I think I prefer the Retina one a bit more but it's just upgradability...

Let me know what you think Thanks for reading

[Snickerzz]

retina, 1280x800 hurts

 

also, unless your going to play intensive games on a macbook, which you won't be with intel graphics, 4gb ram should be fine, and if you need more storage im sure theres cooling pads that have a slot for external hdds so it wont dangle off

[AMD Lover]

Alright so I didn't read the whole post but the main difference between the two for me is that the RAM and SSD are NOT user replaceable on the Retina which is a deal breaker for me, I can deal with a 720p screen but not being stuck with 4GB of RAM for the rest of my life.

 

Don't quote me on the SSD part of that but I know the RAM is not user replaceable because its soldered to the logic board.

[AMICLG]

If the extra horse power is important get the 2012, if you want a beautiful display with better battery life get the 2013 or if your open to getting a laptop with windows you can have the best of both worlds with an upgradable laptop and a 1080p+ display.

[emachado99]

Alright so I didn't read the whole post but the main difference between the two for me is that the RAM and SSD are NOT user replaceable on the Retina which is a deal breaker for me, I can deal with a 720p screen but not being stuck with 4GB of RAM for the rest of my life.

Yeah I stated the upgradability thing, but yeah that's the thing. I mean I have my gaming PC, which is my main PC. So this MacBook wouldn't be like my main and all I am stuck with. I have got an Intel Core i5 4440, 8GB of RAM and a 64GB SSD and a 320GB HDD and also a GTX 660. This is pretty good for what I use it for, so I don't know if I need to go "all out" on a MacBook, but I also don't know if 4GB of RAM and 128GB will be to low for me.

[emachado99]

If the extra horse power is important get the 2012, if you want a beautiful display with better battery life get the 2013 or if your open to getting a laptop with windows you can have the best of both worlds with an upgradable laptop and a 1080p+ display.

I currently have a Windows desktop and laptop so, I don't really think I am in the market of buying a second Windows laptop but I understand your point

[AMD Lover]

Yeah I stated the upgradability thing, but yeah that's the thing. I mean I have my gaming PC, which is my main PC. So this MacBook wouldn't be like my main and all I am stuck with. I have got an Intel Core i5 4440, 8GB of RAM and a 64GB SSD and a 320GB HDD and also a GTX 660. This is pretty good for what I use it for, so I don't know if I need to go "all out" on a MacBook, but I also don't know if 4GB of RAM and 128GB will be to low for me.

Well I find 4GB suitable on Windows and also take into account that if you use Safari and Apple programs they are optimized well enough that you could run the laptop on 2GB of RAM so you would probably be fine there, the 128GB probably wouldnt be enough for me as I would probably buy and download Aperture (Apple Photo editing software) and also Lightroom and would use it too edit pictures on the go but Google Drive and Onedrive are cheap enough now that those are viable options or Macsales.com has some great external M.2 drives that fit in the palm of your hand, ill get you a link.

 

External Drive http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Air-Retina/Apple-MacBook-Pro-Retina-2012-Drive-Internal-Flash

[Darth_Klein]

Go with the Non-Retina because you will be happy with the upgradeability and sad if you don't have it.. 

[AMD Lover]

Yeah I stated the upgradability thing, but yeah that's the thing. I mean I have my gaming PC, which is my main PC. So this MacBook wouldn't be like my main and all I am stuck with. I have got an Intel Core i5 4440, 8GB of RAM and a 64GB SSD and a 320GB HDD and also a GTX 660. This is pretty good for what I use it for, so I don't know if I need to go "all out" on a MacBook, but I also don't know if 4GB of RAM and 128GB will be to low for me.

That link I just gave you in the post above is a SSD and a external CASE, so I read a little more and the Retina does have a upgradable SSD, Cheers

[79wjd]

Alright so I didn't read the whole post but the main difference between the two for me is that the RAM and SSD are NOT user replaceable on the Retina which is a deal breaker for me, I can deal with a 720p screen but not being stuck with 4GB of RAM for the rest of my life.

 

Don't quote me on the SSD part of that but I know the RAM is not user replaceable because its soldered to the logic board.

The ssd is upgradeable--although, its not a really standardized design as its a pci-e based. 

Go with the Non-Retina because you will be happy with the upgradeability and sad if you don't have it.. 

The only difference is that you can't upgrade the ram. 

 

@emachado99

You can upgrade it to 8 of ram. 

Spend the extra $200, get the $1500 rMBP w/ 8gb of ram and 256gb ssd and be done. 

[AMD Lover]

The ssd is upgradeable--although, its not a really standardized design as its a pci-e based. 

The only difference is that you can't upgrade the ram. 

You can get them here at macsales with Reads/ 555MB/s and Writes/ 530MB/s on the standard version and come in 240GB ($159) and 480GB ($299)

[minimoose]

Whatever you do, get an SSD, my sister has an the old one, and it takes forever to boot, and to open even chrome.

[79wjd]

You can get them here at macsales with Reads/ 555MB/s and Writes/ 530MB/s on the standard version and come in 240GB ($159) and 480GB ($299)

Thats for 1st gen retina. 

[Darren]

I had this dilemma also. I looked at the Retina, then the non-retina, then I couldn't resist. Definitely get a Retina model with an SSD. You will NOT regret it. My use case is fairly power-user, programmer, remote admin of Linux machines.

[AMD Lover]

Thats for 1st gen retina. 

Buy the SSD and the Envoy and make a sleek aluminum external drive

 

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/SSDA12K240/

[Thebman712]

Im sure you can open up the retina sone how and upgrade the ssd, but i would go non retina and put in a ssd and more ram, and if you are bot gaming iris will be useless

[Boatiy]

This *

Go with the Non-Retina because you will be happy with the upgradeability and sad if you don't have it..

 

And my friend had his when it first came out and yea its nice but the content for it is not there, just like 4k gaming and videos its just not the standard yet, think about like SD and HD the transition when like 720p and 1080i were just coming out and the craze, its in the early stages but progressign slowly.

[Boatiy]

please do yourself the favor and get the non retina, and upgrade the s*** out of it as it ages. My friends macbook pro from 2011 is still kicking hard with its 500GB HDD and i5, the batterly life on it is amazing so amazing and i will never understand why. I really want it because if you throwan SSD in it it would be so so god damn fast

[79wjd]

please do yourself the favor and get the non retina, and upgrade the s*** out of it as it ages. My friends macbook pro from 2011 is still kicking hard with its 500GB HDD and i5, the batterly life on it is amazing so amazing and i will never understand why. I really want it because if you throwan SSD in it it would be so so god damn fast

You can only upgrade the ram and the ssd, both of which can just be done upfront on a rMBP, and the ssd will also be upgradeable down the road. So, the only difference is that you'll be able to upgrade to more ram at a later point--which is just irrelevant. Just get enough ram to start off with and you're good. 

[Boatiy]

The really only difference is $ if you got $ then F it but i know me personally would love to save the $ and just upgrade a basic macbook pro. I like Optical drives, i still burn CDs for my car lol and idk.

 

You could even ditch the drive and use it externally and get the OWC data doubler and put your HDD in the spot of the optical and have ur SSD boot drive along side a HDD thats what I really would do IMO

 

 

:SADFACE: I am so jealos, I would love a 2011-13 MBP 13' with an SSD n extra HDD with 8GB ram

[Swndlr]

I would go for the retina, I like the slimmer form factor + screen on the old one is blehhhhh. I guess im too used to the Blade's 3200x1800 already to go back something else

[emachado99]

That link I just gave you in the post above is a SSD and a external CASE, so I read a little more and the Retina does have a upgradable SSD, Cheers

Yeah I was just reading up on that. So I can upgrade the SSD (sweet ) but not the RAM.

[ShadowCaptain]

100% the retina, why not spend a tiny bit more and get the 8gb upgrade

 

it still runs great on 4gb, its more powerful, better graphics, one of the best displays on the market, thinner ligher, its better in every way

 

hve a read about apples compressed memory near the bottom of this page, its like having doube the ram, it compresses the ram from inactive programs in the backfround freeing up space for running apps , very clever

http://www.apple.com/uk/osx/advanced-technologies/

[Redheadsrule13]

As everyone already has said, go with the retina. If you're not gaming, it'll be just fine (especially if you pay a bit more and nab 8GB of RAM).

[emachado99]

As everyone already has said, go with the retina. If you're not gaming, it'll be just fine (especially if you pay a bit more and nab 8GB of RAM).

Yeah I'll look into getting the 8GB model... Plus that'll bump the SSD to 256GB.