Computer on the Horizon... Thoughts?

[klb1122]

So my funds are coming together and I'm on my way to stepping up to a MacBook Pro. My question is, which one? Basically all I'm going to be using it for is surfing the net and editing photos on Lightroom, maybe CS6 in the future.

At this point I think I'm ruling out the retina display version. No CD/DVD drive, no hard drive? and I think the resolution is almost too much. I'm never going to be able to take a good enough picture for it to actually look good on there.

I'm not a big computer guru, but right now it looks like I'm deciding between the 15 inch 2.3 GHz and the 2.6 GHz version. Am I going to notice a difference between the two?

I'd love to hear other's opinions. Just don't try to talk me into any other brands, I'm going to regret it if I don't get a Mac.

[STScott]

Either one will be good..just stuff as much RAM in whichever one you buy as you can afford to add. CS6 is a RAM pig.

[budzrex]

I have a 15'' 2.6 Mac Book Pro and love it will probably never go back to a Windows based system again.

[Duke]

I love my 2011 15" Mac Book Pro (2.3, 750GB & 8GB Ram), I recommend it without any reservations. Make sure to get the Matte display vs. the Glossy. This is my 3rd MBP, bought my first one in 2006. Have never regretted the move from windows to Mac once.

I agree with you on the Retina display models. I thought real hard at getting one as the display is AMAZING, but for me I will wait until the second generation of them I think.

I use LR4, CS6 and FF as my primary applications. However I do use it as my work machine when I travel as well as I HATE my work provided Dell laptop, so I run the mac versions of Power Point, Excel, and Word several times a week, as well a CITRIX to remote into my office server all without issue.

If you have any specific questions or just want to put your hands on one before you buy one yourself, just ask and we can meet up for a cup of coffee or something and I will bring mine with me.

Later.

[WoodButcher]

The upside to the retina version is the ssd drive instead of a hard drive. Speed and reliability. If you travel on the bike that is a real plus not having a mechanical hard drive. Downside is fixed memory and even the ssd drive. What you order is what you get, no upgrading. So order the most memory and most storage.

On the non-retina macbook pro's you can still add memory or swap drive later. In fact, you can replace the hard drive with a ssd. So, they win for flexibility.

For lightroom and CS6, memory is important. Go for 8 gigs to start with.

[james.cain]

I purchased the 15-inch: 2.3 GHz and added the anti-glare hi-res display, then ordered a Seagate momentous Hybrid 750 GIG disk drive and 8 GIGS of Corsair ram from Amazon. This thing runs circles around my iMac (i5 version). I agree any form of SSD will greatly boost your computing experience.

[klb1122]

Thanks for the feeback everyone.

Thanks for the offer as well, Duke. I'm really leaning toward your setup.

That was going to be my next question, the screen. I've seen the glossy vs. anti-glare debate. I was thinking I was just going to go glossy until you both just said anti-glare.

[solorider]

As stated, if you do get Retina get as much RAM as you can get. SSD also has the benefit of being faster (near instant on?).
I use Macbook pro as the primary machine/human interface, I work in IT so most other machine/servers are Linux/Windows/etc. I wish I had SSD for the quick boot, not that's regular drive is slow compared to some other machines but still slower than SSD!

My optimum setup would be MBP with RAM maxed out and SSD, as I don't save stuff locally on MBP much anyway and always have access to network drives for large date storage.

[WoodButcher]

Glossy looks good for video, like watching movies, but I find I like the anti-glare for working on it. Less reflections to deal with. I will admit that I'm on a older macbook 13" and use a 24" external monitor most of the time. And I'm almost 50 and wear reading glasses...age seems to favor the antiglare where youth likes the crispness of the glossy.

[klb1122]

Gotcha. I'm getting this as my 30th birthday present as well. So, I'm not sure where that puts me on your chart. I'm going with the anti-glare though.

I told my wife I kwow what I want, she says were going to get it tomorrow.

[DFW_Warrior]

And for me I am a glossy kind of guy. Rachel has the anti-glare on her 15" and I have the glossy on my 13" and much prefer the glossy in every way.

[Duke]

Originally Posted by DFW_Warrior

And for me I am a glossy kind of guy. Rachel has the anti-glare on her 15" and I have the glossy on my 13" and much prefer the glossy in every way.

I agree that the glossy does look good, for me though I just don't like the glare that it permits.

[1TallTXn]

I wouldn't get the Retina. It's too expensive with not enough benefit. That's my personal thought.

If you got with a Pro, skip getting extra RAM from Apple. They charge too much.
Look at MacSales.com their 8GB upgrades are currently going for ~$60. Apple is asking $100 for 8GB.

As for the 2.3 vs the 2.6, You're gaining 4GB RAM, 250GB of hard drive space (still at 5400RPM) and another 512MB of video RAM.

You probably won't notice the difference between the 2.3 and the 2.6. Performance differences would come from the extra RAM and the Video RAM.

If it were me, I'd either go with the 2.3 and upgrade the HDD and RAM aftermarket. IF you don't want the hassle of copying your install from the OEM drive to the new drive, opt up for the 7200RPM, 750GB drive.

[1TallTXn]

Side note on the Glossy vs Matte. What Apple does to make it Matte, is remove the glass from in front of the display.
I don't like the glossy, but I want the protection of the glass, so I deal with it.
Tried one of those stick-on, make-your-glossy-display-matte things, and it worked okay, but distorted too much for my liking. So I just deal with the Glossy.

[klb1122]

Well, computer has been ordered as of this past Saturday. I went with Duke's setup. It's supposed to get here on the 13th.

[james.cain]

Originally Posted by 1TallTXn

Side note on the Glossy vs Matte. What Apple does to make it Matte, is remove the glass from in front of the display.
I don't like the glossy, but I want the protection of the glass, so I deal with it.
Tried one of those stick-on, make-your-glossy-display-matte things, and it worked okay, but distorted too much for my liking. So I just deal with the Glossy.

Buying a new MBP with anti-glare display increases the video resolution over the standard display, then you can choose Hi-res glossy or anti-glare.

From Apple:
"Display The 15-inch MacBook Pro comes with a 1,440-by-900-pixel LED-backlit, glossy display. You can also choose a high-resolution, 1,680-by-1,050 glossy or anti-glare display that gives you 36 percent more pixels."

[1TallTXn]

Originally Posted by james.cain

Buying a new MBP with anti-glare display increases the video resolution over the standard display, then you can choose Hi-res glossy or anti-glare.

From Apple:
"Display The 15-inch MacBook Pro comes with a 1,440-by-900-pixel LED-backlit, glossy display. You can also choose a high-resolution, 1,680-by-1,050 glossy or anti-glare display that gives you 36 percent more pixels."

Looks like they've modified the options slightly.
To get matte, you have to upgrade to the higher res screen. No worries, still not a bad deal. Still don't like them removing the glass. Would rather have them etch the glass slightly to remove the glare.

I do find it interesting that they reference Final Cut Studio in the display description

[klb1122]

It's a done deal, the wife picked it up today.

[Kit_McConnico]

Congratulations! These things rock the socks off a windows based system. I can't believe no one mentioned the touch pad, it's probably my favorite feature.

Now to set that dock to "hidden", touch pad to "tap to click", and your on your way...

Lastly, if you don't know how to do something just think about it. "hmm if I hit the command key and this..." it will usually happen. The command key is your friend.

[Duke]

Kit is 100% correct. I find it very intuitive and the Command Key is your friend.

Also... CMD+Shift+4 takes pictures like this.