Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display Review (2012) Discussion

Overview

The next-generation MacBook Pro with Retina Display - it's a mouthful of a name. Apple's latest notebook represents the culmination of a number of trends from one of the industry's most visible players - from unibody aluminum construction to soldered-in components; from solid-state storage to the much-vaunted Retina Display.

Apple clearly has a vision for where they want to take portable computing, and while impressive, it has its drawbacks, too. Let's jump into things by taking a look at the MacBook Pro's most talked about feature: its stunningly high resolution display.

Read the full content of this Article: Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display Review (2012)

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So how do you really feel? Nice detailed coverage there on the screen, quite obviously the most important and unique buying aspect of this notebook.

But more importantly, how does this fair in a backpack? Is it as fragile and breakable as your MacBook Air

 

This one feels harder to break, man.

 

So it's better than DreamColor 2 from HP? How about when you use 1920x1200 on the rMBP, still better than DC2?

 

Why was this machine given a star and half in Upgrade Capabilities? It should be only half a star.

 

Resolution wise - yes. everything else - nope. The DC2 is still miles ahead in terms of color depth. The Retina screen can only cover sRGB.

 

I honestly feel that between 2 thunderbolt ports and 2 USB 3.0 ports that you can definitely expand upon the capabilities and resources of the base model. Future laptops from any manufacturer will probably rely on this more and more, and if there were a stronger Thunderbolt ecosystem, the rMBP may have scored higher here.

This is a good point, which someone has already answered. I did neglect to cover the color depth of this display - which is not, honestly, better than HP's DreamColor setup.

I find the increased resolution and screen sharpness more useful in my day-to-day, though, since I don't have to do color critical print work. Thanks for bringing it up, since it's something I should have discussed.

 

@J.R.,

Great review, BTW!

Did you try repasting the CPU/GPU? I wonder if this would reduce the temps by some 5-10c...

 

sincerely it should! the paste job that apple did in the early 2011 models was just awful, people reduced around that with a proper paste job, however this was not for the faint of heart, the cables were so thin and I was constantly afraid that I would snap one, but in the end was wroth it.

In this model this should be extremely easier, when compared to the older models.

Good review!

 

Thanks!

And no, I just moved and lost my Apple-don't-try-to-open-your-notebook set of screwdrivers; I need to find some more - I smell a future article, maybe?

 

Is an upgrade to the next MacOS included with this laptop?

 

Yup! You'll be able to install Mountain Lion free of charge.

 

I don't fully agree

It depends a lot on what part of the display is most important. If its resolution and contrast ratio, its much better than just about every other panel out there. But gamut and color accuracy are actually a bit worse compared to the normal MBP15.

 

Hey pseudorandom - yeah, I addressed that in an earlier comment. Color accuracy is sufficient for everyone who isn't doing color critical work, but I'm betting that most people in that niche will probably be aware of the necessity.

 

I really wish I could get one. But, even if I had $2200 allotted to tech toys, it would be hard to justify the purchase. I'll probably wait until this is a year or so old, then purchase one.

Awesome review!

 

Really nice review. I like the RMBP but it is way too expensive for what I need and I would have to spend at least $2800 on one as I would require 512GB SSD in that category (I'm fine with the 128GB SSD in my MBA but that was also only $1200 so a little less on-board storage is fine). Right now I just can't justify spending that much money to essentially get a high resolution display. I also have a feeling that Apple is going to do the same thing they did with the MBA. Back when it was launched, it has some nice features but carried a demanding price (just like the RMBP). Apple updated it, dropped the price, and made it a much better option albeit with a previous generation processor.

Then Apple updated it again, dropped the price even more, and added a few new features that were either taken away or entirely new (backlit keyboard and thunderbolt). Apple has done the same thing again with the MBA and it is an extremely affordable and competitive notebook. It might take them 2-3 years but I have a feeling the RMBP will follow the same path. It's nice now but consumers are paying an extremely high premium to be the first to own such a product.

Either way, I enjoyed the review.

 

I'm making do with the 256GB SSD for now, but we'll see. One thing, since Apple FINALLY updated things to include both USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt, I'm a lot less annoyed at limited storage on this machine than I am with, say, the first 11-inch Air: the fastest way to get files on and off of that was over Wi-Fi. :|

Also, I forgot: if you guys want me to take any extra pictures of the screen with some image on it, just let me know.

 

I was taking a look regarding pricing on the macbooks, in 2008 the unibody one was actually more expansive than the macbook that it was replacing, 2100.

2009 enters and we see a price drop 2 models being listed one at 1699 and the other at 1999, 2010 and we raise it to 1799 and 1999.

I sincerely expect a price drop next year.

 

A similar Dell XPS 15(the new one) is $1699. You can stick a 256GB SSD in it for less than $200. Additionally, Dell will probably drop the price after a few months.

Sent from my HTC One S

 

there is a good gap in gpu performance

 

Err... am I the only one troubled by the very high temperatures focused right on the screen??

 

The screen itself stays a fair bit cooler than you might think. The way the vents are set up, hot air is funneled more parallel to the screen than hitting it straight on.

I don't think we need to worry about temperatures actually affecting the scren in this model.

It's also substantially heavier. It does have an optical drive though, with the option for Blu-ray - which may be important to some.

 

Too bad it's a 15'' they release first. Having a retina display on the 13'' would make more sense to me. But it was fairly obvious they would do it this way. The people who can't resist will go out and buy it now, even though a 13'' would suit them better. Apple tests the water with this model.

Later, probably by late Fall, they will update the 13'' with retina display. So, more waiting...

 

I don't know, this seems like when they try to sell you the true coat at the dealership. While I'm sure the display is very nice, you can only ramp the resolution up so far before it become irrelevant or unreadable. I think my X220 at 1/3 the cost offers far better value. Since I'm not Bill Gates' kid, I probably won't be getting one and would Bill Gates' kid get a Mac anyway?

 

So it's a review of the new Macbook Pro with Retina display, yet the prices and links refernce the Macbook Air? These machine are twice the price of those quoted... Please fix this. Thanks.

 

While the "more space" option adds alot of functionality, the quality doesnt seem anything special. Going from a retina MBP to my precision was easy and no noticeable change in quality. The space though is something to lust after.

 

What can I say about this macbook?

Finally I know Why do I need Camera with 10-16 Megapixels!
It must be a pleasure to look photos on 16:10 retina display!

 

The review is indeed overly effusive.

I have no doubt that the retina display looks awesome.
But the truth is retina display is not ready for primetime and does not make sense in 2012 due to the limitations of graphic cards and batteries.

It isn't even well supported for most applications, offering an inferior experience than with a standard full hd panel.
On the one hand the resolution is way too high to work confortably at full res on such a small screen. On the other hand what is the point of scaling everything 4x?

So while it will certainly be of interest to see an overview of a high res photography, most retouching is done at high levels of zooming making the retina display of limited use.

An analogy can be found with digital cameras' sensors.
They pack more and more MPixels every year, but in the same surface. This simply doesn't make much sense, with pixel sensors getting smaller and smaller, i.e. getting less and less light and causing other troubles (i.e. need for very high def lenses that simply don't exist at these price points).

So the truth is there is a point where only a bigger sensor makes sense to shoot better higher res photos: full frame then medium format then stitching or multishot.

In the same way there comes a point where only a bigger screen makes sense, such as a 30" on a desktop when you need more pixels.

 

I disagree - it's as enjoyable as high-resolution screens are on phones and tablets - it's easier to read text, and you can take advantage of doubled UI elements at the same time as viewing native, or nearer-to, photos and videos.

Your camera sensor metaphor doesn't hold water - this is not analogous to the worsening response you get for pushing the megapixel count on the same sized sensors. Given that all other things are equal, a higher resolution panel is almost objectively better than a lower resolution one - especially one that is sufficiently high to precisely double a useful lower count (e.g., 2880x1800 to 1440x900).

The one thing I think I can agree with, though, is comparing it to other screens. If you are the sort of user who would only buy a 15-inch notebook with a 1920x1080 or 1920x1200 screen, or run the new MBP at a similar resolution, then I don't think you're going to see a lot of difference between this screen and an alternate (assuming both are decent IPS panels).

 

Well advertising 2800x1800 and having it really only be 1920x1200 (although I lust after WUXGA) is a crappy thing to do. SHould give people the choice to use 1:1 ratio if they so choose...

 

you still have the space of 2880*1800, but at least you can see the text at a decent distance.

And you could always install/create an app that can put a 1:1 ratio on the screen. Even 3840*2400 is possible in that screen.

 

With the more space setting the resolution is 1920x1200 effective with pixel mapping scaling it down from 2800x1800 for "clarity". In order to use the full 2800x1800 you have to do a non apple approved work around/hack. Which is is apple spitting in the users face. "Hey we have X resolution but you can only use it at X - y resolution...". As for the clarity argument, while the screen is nice its nothing special, I have 20/10 vision and even on a large high resolution screen inorder to tell the difference between pixels is hard to impossible. On my 24in WUXGA I have to get much closer then you would ever realistically use the screen and on my 15.4 WUXGA well you might as well touch your eye to the screen...

I applaud apple for keeping 16:10 alive, and also for the great screens. But they arent the cream of the crop and selling "crab apples" at a "red delicious" price and branding is wrong. (sorry no better analogy I could think of ).

 

given that you can do 3820*2400 thats how the scaling on the 1920*1200 works.

Take a look at how the images scale on the screen at different settings.

And indeed there 2 great things about that screen, the res, and the IPS. color gamut aint nothing out of what apple has done. But its still an improvement to most 1080p screens. I can think of 2 screens at 15'' that are better, the auo 95% gamut screen and the dream color 2

 

If you set the thing to "best for retina" - it runs in 2880x1800. They also changed the raster graphics / UI elements to account for the dramatic reduction in pixel size. "looks like 1920x1200" makes everything extremely small, and 2880x1800 using the old notions of pixel size doesn't make any sense at all.

If you want to run in 2880x1800, just use the default. That is 2880x1800. If you pick "looks like 1920x1200" - it runs 3840x2400 and downscales to 2880x1800. Because they are using different raster graphics for the UI elements, text, etc. - the physical size of elements corresponds to what they were in the past (or would have been in the past) using 1920x1200 resolution. That doesn't mean the thing is running in 1920x1200 (it isn't).

The only travesty here is the convoluted display preferences that doesn't really give you a good impression of what's going on with the resolution.

 

Anyone who says that the Retina Display isn't ready with the current GPU and battery limitations: You might be correct, which is why Apple offers the classic MacBook Pro models still. If you want a piece of the future, although with a quirk or two, get the Retina.

 

apparently the lag is mostly gone in ML GM, regarding battery life, I hope that they get those sharp displays

 

You can. Download a quick 3rd party app, and it's a setting or three. It's also a really awful experience, and this is coming from someone who loves those weird hi-res screens.

The real bonus to the retina display is when you have a savvy app developer. The UI will be doubled or scaled, providing sharp text and a nice feel, while the working area will be at native res - like if you were manipulating a photo in Aperture, or something.

Also, games have no issue rendering at that screen res, if they support it.

You can also run Windows out of the box at the 1:1 setting. Which is honestly a bit painful.

The only real lag is with web browsing, and Safari ML is quite fast. Facebook is still a bit of a dog, though (running ML now).

 

To be fair, Facebook is choppy even with my "low res" 2011 17" Macbook Pro on MT. I presume its a common problem not unique to the retina.

 

The soldering everything down thats just super wrong i mean we all know how much more expensive the ram and all are when you buy them apple branded so to say. and 2 year apple care for 350 lol. Here in europe there are laws against that, cause a laptop is supposed to last for at least 2 - 3 years so you have rights as a customer anyways. I almost feel sorry for the people that actually consider to buy such a laptop. Sure that screen must be amazing to justify this price..lol and that an employee of apple already say its wise to get that applecare cause it will probably break and without apple care you will go bankrupt to let it be fixed.. With this macbook it shows again that apple thinks of apple before their customers.

 

I really want one of these but cant see myself paying that ridiculous price for the hardware you get. My gf is drinking that coolaid though so I'll probably end up with one in the house soon. I just wish some of the other OEM's can take a page from the retina book and make a screen as beautiful as it.

 

Might want to check out this thread:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4034848?start=0&tstart=0

 

Nothing infuriates me more than when manufactures pull a bait and switch. I bet all the professional review sites got the nice Samsung screen, but now they using more LG than Samsung. I wouldn't touch anything with LG inside, everything I have ever bought either under the LG name or LCD panels made by LG have been utter garbage.

I was actually considering this laptop as well, but I don't want to play the lottery game with screens. With my luck I'd get the LG anyway.

 

sometimes the ghosting happens on the samsung screens as well.

 

Very excited to test this out

 

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4034848?start=0&tstart=0

Its not just the ghosting they are discussing on this thread when it comes to the LG screen (it is the worst offender though compared to the amount posts about the Samsung screen). The LG screen has spotty back lighting and yellowish whites as well. Its typical LG (lack of) quality when it comes to LCD screens.

 

At best for Retina it runs at 1440x900, making the display shine with 1/4 of a pixel size. It means that the stuff on the screen is using tthe 2880x1800 resolution, but the screen real state is not going to be bigger than 1440x900. Things will only look sharper, nicer and clearer, but you won't gain the space the native resolution gives you.

 

I would check anand review

AnandTech - The next-gen MacBook Pro with Retina Display Review

 

Apologies, I meant natively, the "best for retina" is the screen real state of 1440x900 at full resolution for stuff to look better. However some programs, like photo editing ones, have the images at full resolution

 

The retina display notebook does look nice, but man, almost 3k for a decently configured laptop is on par with an alienware M18x with decent settings, the pricing is just to steep to be justified !

 

As an owner of the last generation Alienware M15x, I got this computer for one reason: portability. After using it however, I realized I got a whole lot more. I recently started back up in the university for a graduate degree and showing up in class with the alienware certainly got the desired response from my fellow students (ooo glowy alien head!) but carrying around that tank of a machine is cumbersome and not ideal. I can imagine how much less ideal an 18inch version of that monster would be!

For those looking to compare this to a comparable Alienware configuration, ask yourself what your usage will be. Are you a heavy gamer and demand the best performance every day and every time you play and doesn't mind the extra weight? Or are you a power computer user that needs the maximum flexibility in your daily usage and isn't worried about sacrificing on performance. My view with the alienware is that you did not buy a portable computer, you bought a desktop computer that is 50% easier to take with you.

Having used my new retina mac for a week I have a hard time going back to the alienware for anything (Except maybe Guildwars2). For my work and studies, the light weight easy portability of this machine and the battery life (easily over 8 hours of normal office/academic use) gives me the flexibility to work anywhere anytime I need to without carrying loads of supporting gear. For the times I want performance, I switch to discrete and get just about the same level of graphical performance if not better as the alienware.

Its hard to describe the moment when I realized how much more flexible my life got after I bought this machine. I love the alienware but over the years its weight and bulkiness has not become easier to deal with.

And for pure bliss, download the parallels 8 trial and install Windows 8 with it. Running Mac OSX and Windows 8 side by side with absolutely flawless integration on top of a gorgeous display is the most amazing thing I've witnessed in computing in a long time. Far greater than the joy of unboxing the alienware, to be sure.

I purchased the base model configuration. With student discount it came to 1999 before taxes. Absolutely worth it. Student discount lasts until late September, I believe.