Nearly 6 months ago I purchased a 15″ Macbook Pro with Retina Display, and after a few days of using it, I returned it to get a brand new 13″ Macbook Air.
At the time, I was madly in love with the Air’s lightweight design, and the portability that it had. To be honest with you, there was no doubt that I’d ever use another machine again.
Here’s some proof of what I was thinking back then:
I’m starting to believe in this: “Once you go Macbook Air, you never want anything else.”
— Brian Gardner (@bgardner) June 22, 2012
It’s pretty funny for me to look back, because at the time I was convinced 100% that this was true. And there many folks who agreed with me on Twitter when I posted that.
The Retina Display
One of the things I was most heavily conflicted about was the pure beauty of the retina display. It was undeniable how much better the screen looked with it, and I tried my best to get over the weight different between the two.
Because I had purchased an iPad 3, I had some experience viewing on the retina display — which made the idea of having a 15″ Macbook Pro with retina more appealing.
However, as you can clearly see, I just couldn’t let go of my Air:
Loving the retina display in the 15″ Macbook Pro. Hating the fact that it’s not, well, a 13″ Air.
— Brian Gardner (@bgardner) June 22, 2012
So I brought back the machine and picked up a new 13″ Macbook Air. Life was back to normal, and I was a pretty happy guy.
Until Apple did the unthinkable.
The 15″ Macbook Pro with Retina Display felt heavy. Much heavier than the 13″ Air did. In the same way a 17″ PC laptop feels like a tank. Which made it much easier to trade in.
The Air Experience
A few weeks after the 13″ Macbook Pro came out with Retina Display I decided to drop by the Apple Store. I should have known better, because bad things happen when I do that.
Anyway, I brought my 13″ Air with me, just to do a side-by-side comparison.
So I walked into the store and went straight to the new Macbook Pro section. I pulled out my Air, and placed it directly next to the 13″ Macbook Pro with Retina Display.
I had to do a double take, because for some reason they looked practically identical. In fact, I think the Macbook Pro is a bit smaller, even though it weighs more.
There were only two things that mattered to me — weight and screen display.
The Macbook Pro vs. Macbook Air
I picked up the 13″ Pro with one hand, and was fairly impressed at how light it was. Then I grabbed the 13″ Air in my other hand, and tried to feel the difference.
The fact of the matter is there is a weight difference between the two. The 13″ Macbook Air weighs 2.96 pounds and the 13″ Macbook Pro weighs 3.57 pounds.
However, with the 15″ Macbook Pro weighing in at 4.46 pounds, the 13″ Pro is much more comparable to the 13″ Air than it is the 15″ Pro.
After feeling a negligible weight difference between the two, I compared the visual displays. All I can say is that it literally took me 3 seconds before I asked the Apple employee to grab me the 13″ Macbook Pro. The difference in display was outrageous.
I knew the iPad 3 looked really good, but in the context of a laptop, and especially next to a non-Retina laptop, this was clearly a TKO. (Technical Knock Out, for non-boxing fans.)
The 13″ Macbook Pro Conclusion
It’s funny how life works. The goal I had when I walked into the Apple store that day was to validate that I didn’t need (nor want) the 13″ Macbook Pro. I wanted to remind myself of the previous experience that I had so that I could put this one to rest as well.
I was blindsided by the fact that the 13″ Macbook Pro felt like a 13″ Macbook Air, with the only difference being the crisp viewing experience of the retina display.
In fact, I consider myself a display snob now. Last week I went to the Apple store to check out the iPad Minis, and forgot that they weren’t retina when I went to buy it.
Before I told the guy to get one, I picked it up and opened up Safari and nearly threw up when I saw how “horrible” the screen looked with it being non-retina.
The Temporary Agreement
Even though I dearly love my 13″ Macbook Pro with Retina Display, we have this agreement between us (yes, me and the machine) that it’s only a temporary thing.
I’m desperately hoping that the unveiling of the “perfect machine” will take place during the next Apple event. Please, please, please let it be so.
I really don’t care if it’s a 13″ or a 15″, but the ultimate prize in my opinion will be an Air with Retina Display. I know for a fact that I’m not the only one holding out here.
And if for some reason it’s not in the cards, the 13″ Macbook Pro is a such a beautiful ride that I’ll be driving it for some time. Maybe even long enough to spin 100,000 miles on it.
Macbook Pro/Air Discussion Time
I’d love to know what you guys think about the 13″ Macbook Pro with Retina Display.
Are you like me and had the 13″ Air and swore you’d never switch from it? Are you also like me and made the switch?
Let’s geek out in the comments, and be Apple fanboys (and girls) by talking about this!
I honestly didn’t think my old laptop was heavy till I got an MBA. I carry everything in my backpack. I mean everything I might conceivably need including: toothbrush/paste, hairbrush, various meds, gloves, dry socks, cables for any device I own, multiple USB chargers, some tools ……… I also have my iPad and MBA. It is easy to carry around with all of that stuff, but from time to time my wife needs me to get her laptop (my old laptop) and I think that thing weighs about what all my other gear including the MBA and iPad weigh combined.
That might be an exaggeration but it is very noticeable when I have to carry it.
Two other features I love on the MBA, the SSD makes it blazing fast and I can go unplugged for several hours. How does the 13″ MBP+retina compare in that?
I haven’t had to work on the battery much since I bought it. Whether I’m at home or at Starbucks, I pretty much always have access to a power cord. I’m on my machine pretty much all day, and don’t notice any difference in speed between the two. For me, this is a great machine and doesn’t hold me back.
Your comments about weight are absolutely not an exaggeration. I recently tried carrying a 13″ Pro with me for a few weeks to see how battery life would fare with an SSD upgrade. Battery life was awesome, but the extra 2 pounds left me with a back ache 4 days out of 5. I’d like to say it was all in my head, but I know there were days I forgot I was carrying the heavier computer and it was only the back pain that would serve as the reminder.
I would estimate, though, that SSD drives are about 2/3 of formula for extending battery life. The CPU is the other 1/3. Just an estimate, but based on my own field trials and back pain.
Invest in a better backpack trust me its worth it. I got a Northface that has more adjustments than I can shake a stick at. I really notice the difference now that I am able to have the weight focused on my shoulders instead of pressing against the small of my back.
I don’t know why after getting out of college why everyone feels their bags are heavy
While in college i use to carry a laptop, a head first series book, nexus7, a nootbook, cardboard, sports shoes and track pants :p
Try Surface Pro. then you’ll know what portability + power actually meant!
Well, I have a 15″ Mac Book Pro, but I don’t have the Retina display. Your post makes me want to go to the Apple store and check it out. I think I am pretty much stuck with this one for a while anyway.
Technology change so fast. It is extremely difficult to keep up with the tech Jones.
Liz, do not go to the Apple store unless you want to come home with one. The visual display between retina/non-retina is ridiculous, and will make you wish you never had to work on a non-retina ever again.
bought the Macbook Pro last week and was a Windows boy (cough) for so long. I also bought the Thunderbolt 27 inch display and to be honest I am in tech heaven since I moved. What you didn’t mention was the well hidden feature of the fact that it ends up being glued to your hand 24×7…
But really even when not connected and the retina display it is absolutely an amazing piece of work.
The retina display Macbook with 15 inch with 16 gigs of Ram was my best purchase of 2012 for sure. I am a video editor and teacher so this makes things so much easier for me. And my photographs look just great. I bought two iPad mini’s for Christmas and yes, the display is not crisp.
My name is Chip Dizard and I am display snob.
As a video guy it makes a lot of sense that you’d want to stay with the Pro over the Air. For me, the 15″ just feels too big and clunky compared to the 13″.
Nice to know I’m not the only display snob around.
Chip, you just confirmed my decision for June, when I trade my iMac for either the 13″ or the 15″ Retina, and I’ve been worried about how much memory the machine will max out at. I’ve been afraid the number was 8; 16 is very, very good, since with 12, FCP X still gets bogged down.
And what is a site without video?
Ok…I am curious WHY you love the air so much
Other than the lightness factor! I am in the market and your post has me intrigued 
I was going in with Air on my mind as I think that is what I need!
I loved the Air so much because it was so lightweight, but when the 13″ Pro came out recently with the Retina Display, it became a no-contest thing. The new Pro feels light AND has the benefit of the retina display. Which in my opinion. makes it a no-brainer.
Awesome! Now to just go in focused and not come out with a new iMac as well
Love my iMac but the iPad is not the best tool for everything so still need a laptop for traveling, etc. Yes…I am a crazy apple fan! LOL
Nothing wrong with being a crazy Apple fan. I just picked up an iMac for my son to have, so that was my fun excuse to get one!
I feel the same way with HD television. We have DirecTV and since we upgraded to HD, it pains me to watch HD. If it’s not in HD, I probably won’t watch it. As far as Apple goes, my iPhone 4S has Retina Display. Probably not a good idea to buy another Apple product without it, right?
Oops. Typo alert! I meant to write “it pains me to watch SD.” Sorry…couldn’t see where I could edit my post.
i love my air. i have thought about the rMBP 13″ (I have the 15″ rMBP) but I don’t miss it when I’m using my air.
love this post though! I sent it to a few people.
Thanks John. You’re a pretty crazy Mac fan if you have all 3… for some reason, I can’t do that. I considered the new iMac that just came out, but I really don’t want to manage two separate machines. Even if there’s a way to easily sync between them.
You would miss it if you worked with a retina MBP. They make everything else look awful. Not just text sharpness but over all color and contrast.
Giggling, because I remember these tweets and your internal conflict over this.
This is a perfect example of ‘ignorance is bliss’ – because I have an Air and I absolutely love it and think it displays beautifully. But I know I’d be shocked and envious if I compared to the retina display of the Pro.
*fingers crossed they do an Air with retina display soon*
Yeah, the ignorance is bliss thing is spot on. That’s why I knew walking into the Apple store that I was in trouble, because I had a hunch I’d be walking out with one.
If you don’t want to fight the urge, stay away from the store.
I agree with you here, Brian. I bought my iPhone on November 21st and immediately fell in love with it. Then I decided to go to Apple store for the first time. Luckily for me, I didn’t have cash and I don’t use credit…so I was able to leave without buying. But that’s not to say I don’t want to!
I usually send Randy there on his own. He behaves better there than I do.
I do 80% of my work on an iMac, but I love my 11″ air travel computer. If that was retina I’d be super happy!
A 13″ Air with Retina would be ideal for you. Then just pick up a 27″ LED and you don’t need an iMac anymore.
Considered it – I used a macbook pro for a while
I’m not sure if the laptops have the power for things like adobe premier, after effects etc?
I’m on a 2009 24″ iMac, been seriously looking at the new 27″
I just came across this post as I’m holding out for the Air refresh in June. Anyways, I don’t know what processor your 2009 imac has, but it would be interesting to see just how well a 2012 Air compares seeing as an iMac (Late 2009) Core 2 Duo E8600 3330 MHz (2 cores) scores 4632 GeekBench and an I5 air scores 6037. The I7 does 6828
I will not go look at the 13″ MacBookPro. I love my Air. I will not go look at the 13″ MacBookPro. I love my Air. I will not go look at the 13″ MacBookPro. I love my Air.
… I’m just going to try repeating that to myself over and over again. Hopefully it will work.
Honestly Christine, don’t go to the store or you WILL walk out with one. I swore I wouldn’t but the moment I laid my eyes on it…
How could you ever had traded in a retina for non-retina!?
I have to ’15 inch retina and I’m in awe every time I use it. There’s absolutely nothing like it.
When I got to work and have to use a company iMac I’m like ‘yuck.’ It’s a bummer.
For some reason the 15″ felt so much bigger, and I didn’t like that. But yeah, I hear ya know with the 13″ Retina. Never again will I work on a machine that isn’t one.
The “Which Mac?” issue is a HUGE quandary for me. I’m a big believer in the efficiency gained by having as much screen real estate as possible, so, I use a 27″ iMac … but … I want to spend most of next year as “nomad”, working as I travel around the world, so, I need to pick a Macbook.
My current position is that the productivity boost of the best possible screen is worth the extra weight but I also tend to travel with only one carry-on bag, so, obviously, saving weight and space is still important.
I know that a lot of people are hoping for Retina Airs but, for a number of technical and strategic reasons, I suspect that won’t be happening anytime soon. In the short term, a more important trend is that Apple will continue to transfer over Air-like improvements to their Retina Pros.
Remember, a big part of the weight difference between the 13″ Retina and the 15″ Retina is down to the fact that the 13″ came 4 and a half months later after the 15″. They are likely to release a new 15″ before the end of February and I have a hunch that it will be a lot sleeker, closing the weight gap quite a bit and making it the perfect choice for mobile workers.
As for the iPad, the pocketable Mini is the perfect form factor and an essential complement to a larger laptop (for when you are on a plane, when you just want to sit back and relax etc) but I’ll hold out for a Retina screen, I have no idea is it is even possible to fit enough battery in there for that.
Donnacha, you raise a great point in that the next machine to come out might not be an Air with Retina, rather a much lighter (and sleeker as you call it) 15″ Pro.
That’d be quite the quandary for me, as it would be a pretty big pull to go after if they can shave off enough weight.
For your own use, why not use a 27″ external to use at home, and then have a 13″ retain for nomad’ing?
Well, with nomad’ing – as opposed to traveling for a few days to a conference, or popping down to Starbucks etc – you are looking at spending full working days on that laptop for months in a row, probably at least six months, and probably staying in each place for a month or two.
So, what you’re essentially doing is setting up an office in your hotel room and leaving the laptop there almost permanently – it’s not wise to pop out for a few hours work on an expensive laptop in a cafe when you are in, say, Asia or South America (that’s another reason why an iPad, preferably Mini, is an important part of the equation).
I spent about two hours in the Amsterdam Applestore last week, lifting the various Airs and Retine Pros, trying to figure out, beyond simple screen size, how the different weights and shapes would make me FEEL, how they might even affect my motivation – I am sure the security staff must have been highly distressed by my palpably insane behaviour
My conclusion was that, as it stands today and with my current travel plans, I would go for the 15″ Retina but the possibility of an improved form factor is important enough to usher me into the fool’s game of waiting for Apple to release a new one.
If I planned to stay in just one place or even just one country for the entire six, eight or maybe nine months, I would take a 13″ Retina with me and buy a Thunderbolt display there.
Great post topic, by the way
They made a mini Apple store in the mall near here. And yes – in the city, not out in the boonies where we *used to* live. ;D
Ipad with Retina display? Yes, I totally get what you meant by almost throwing up comparing it to the non-retina display. Holy Moses.
Before I had Apple products, I was indeed one of those “What’s the big deal?” people. Now when I have to use one fo the other laptops in the house, I cringe. The usability is just.. unparalleled as well.
And the Air is lightweight for travel.
The last laptop I had lasted 4 months before I broke a key off it. It went downhill from there. The simple fact the Air has lasted this long without any wear & tear (other than a rapidly filling hard drive) makes it completely worth it for me.
Thanks for this post, Brian. I just came over to the right side (Apple) from the dark side (Android) and I have an iPhone 4S (love it!) and now have on my list an iPad with Retina Display, a MacBook Air and an iMac. But thanks to your post, I will have to hope that there is a MacBook Air with Retina Display by time I purchase a laptop (I am one of only 12 Americans who don’t own a laptop) or else I’ll have to get the new MacBook Pro with Retina Display.
As with the other article, this article provides insight that was infinitely valuable to me, and I thank you. I’m definitely a display snob, but retina displays have not, no way no how, converted me. Do I enjoy it on my iPad? Love it. Have to have it? Nope. A new standard? Not even close. What is wrong with me, I keep wondering!? I wear glasses for reading, but not usually when I’m using the iPad (yet). Could this be why? (And what’s wrong with me that I /want/ to be converted and be on this bandwagon so badly?) I am such a visual person and I’m so bewildered why this hasn’t hooked me in!
I additionally appreciate that you were so taken with the retina display considering that there was already a high resolution display in the Air. That says something. It’s not like you had a standard display and saw a stark difference, you had a high resolution display and were taken that quickly.
I know cost is not a concern to you, but for me it has to be a balance, too: for what I would choose, there is an $800 cost difference to get a retina display (with that comes a far faster processor, too). I have only paid $800 for a display once. For $800 that display has to tickle me in places that I haven’t been tickled in a very long time, you know?
I have a question and I hope you get it so you can answer it – What happens on retina when you’re in a situation where scaling the display to 1440×900 or 1280×800 ? Sometimes I don’t want to zoom a web page, or an app can’t zoom, and for the purposes of getting something done, I bring my resolution down. Apple does this “scaling” thing that isn’t right – lower resolutions are blurry. On Windows computers, if the display resolution is supported, every resolution is as crisp as the highest resolution. I know most people don’t do this, but the way Apple lists the supported resolutions and then scales them as if they were not supported resolutions, seems a bit deceptive in my opinion. If anything, a lower resolution should be more vivid on a higher resolution display, and the fact that it’s the opposite isn’t the norm in my experience. (Don’t get me wrong I put up with this, but I think it’s wrong – I’d switch resolutions more often if it wasn’t scaled.)
Weight is a huge issue for me too and the information you gave across both experiences helped me immensely, for which I thank you again!
I see why you say the Air with retina would be the ultimate machine… but I have a feeling from all the great info you provided that this 13″ Pro with retina display might just be ultimate machine for me. The question will be if I could still possibly use it at a lower resolution without too much frustration. And if I’d fork over the extra $800…
I’m torn, though I shouldn’t be. I have a 27″ iMac with 16 GB RAM, a fast SSD and a 6 TB RAID 5 connected to it. All that stuff works well for my photography. The Mid-2009 Macbook Pro sits on my couch for surfing while I’m watching TV or basically not doing anything that taxes the system. A 13″ MBP with Retina would be perfect for that. Except…
When I go on trips and I load my photos onto the notebook, I convince myself that the 13″ doesn’t have the resources I want/need for my photography workflow and I want the larger screen. While that may be true, the fact is that I only go on such trips a couple of times per year. Most of the time, that notebook is sitting on the couch without any stress whatsoever.
I should just get over it and get the 13″ MBP with Retina.
William, that was my thought process for a while. I thought I needed a laptop and a desktop. However, once I had an iPad with a Retina Display I realized that I could do most of what I wanted with the iPad. The MacBook was superfluous. I wish my iMac had a Retina Display. Soon …. soon …
Fortuitous circumstances came my way and now I have a 13″ rMBP. Not technically mine, as it’s for work. Even more alarming is that I bought it as a Windows machine, not for Mac OS X. It works quite well running Windows 7, too.
The screen is absolutely beautiful and the performance is fine. Although I’ve used my iPad for some things at work, it’s not a complete solution. There are times when you need a full-fledged computer, particularly in my line of work (IT).
I also bought a Lacie 1TB Thunderbolt drive to go with it.
I use a 15″ macbook pro (2011) and was thinking about switching to the 15″ retina next time around, but when I was in the Apple store this morning, I noticed that there was no ethernet port on the retina model. Occasionally I end up in a client’s office where there is no wifi and need to plug in, so that might be a deal breaker for me. I also like to use an antiglare display, but the retina display is so beautiful that I could probably get over my annoyance with glossy screens pretty quickly!
How does the performance compare between the 13″ Air and 13″ Pro?
hi bryan, truth is i had never (and i mean NEVER EVER) used a macbook and the only times i get to see that retina display is when i “drive test” those ipads at bestbuy. i’m sorry, i have nothing useful to add to the discussion. just grateful that i had learned something about pro vs air from your post. it will take away that (clueless) blank look on my eyes whenever somebody brings up the topic of macbook.
I’ve recently had this “fight” in my head too. I wanted a smaller laptop for travel, but a lot of my work needs hardcore processing, I run an IDE (PhpStorm) that loves a decent processor and my spreadsheets are big enough to make a fully specced out 16GB 15″ rMBP go mad… So in the end I opted for that.
Some day though, I’ll grow up enough to let other people do the hard work so I can suffice with an Air and I’m hoping that by that time, it’ll have a retina, because I’ll never want a laptop without a retina display again.
Call me a display snob too. I bought an iPad Mini to use solely for work (I am a real estate broker ) as it size is a real advantage for me out in the field. But the difference in display compared to Retina is shocking. Shocking that Apple put it on the market. But, when the Retina Mini is released sales will boom.
I’m not sure how Apple could release a Retina Display with a device that has no Display.
I really like my 13″ Retina Display too. Got it literally a couple of days after it was out. Wasn’t planning to, but I got tired of my Air’s small screen and wanted a bigger screen. The problem was that the Thunderbolt display wasn’t compatible with my Air, so I had to get a new laptop too. So that was one expensive afternoon.
A retina Air? Hmm you’re basically just asking for a thinner MacBook Pro. It might happen, I dunno. I’m almost thinking Apple needs to phase out one of these. As the salesperson told me, Apple is selling more products in more sizes than ever before.
Did you end up buying an iPad mini, or did the muddy screen talk you out of it?
Hey Brian, Honestly, I’ve never even demoed a Mac at all…
What’s the big deal?
Go to an Apple store, and you’ll see plenty of reasons why.
Well, I have a Mac Mini, and still don’t see what’s the big deal.
Brian,
Can you carry your latte in one hand and your new 13″ Macpro in the other? (Smile)
Yes, I can. All is good in the world.
I tried the rMBP 15″ and found it too big and heavy. Was waiting for the 13″ rMBP to come out and it finally did, then I found all the complaints on Apple’s website. I’m going to hold off on buying one until they resolve the image retention problems and color bleeding. Has anyone here had these problems on a rMBP 13″?
Kim,
No Problems for me with my 13″ MacBook Pro Retina! Love it!!
T Roberts
See an example of comments posted here:
https://discussions.apple.com/message/20622532?tstart=0#20622532?tstart=0
I had a hard time deciding between the 13″ and 15″ rMBP (26% more screen area at a cost of 26% more weight). I decided on the 13″, which I love, but I sometimes wonder whether I should have got the 15″. I was moving from a 2009 13″ MBP, which I always carry in my knapsack. So the weight of the 15″ rMBP would have been what I’m used to, but the thought of a lighter and smaller package appealed to me.
I’m curious about what resolution you usually set your 13″ rMBP at. I find the native “looks like” 1280×800 easiest on my eyes, but I like the extra real estate of 1440×900. I’m now alternating between them on different days. I’m also toying with the idea of trying out computer glasses with 1680×1050 (dumb idea?).
Most of my works are done on iMac. However, I would love to carry the MBA 13″ while I have to go (travelling or working outside). It’s light and all I need is a laptop with internet connection, so MBA 13″ is a nice choice.
Brian, I have a question; perhaps you can help me out. As you know, I’m on a massive book deadline – February 1, to be exact (a little over a month). My 3-year-old MBP keeps not turning on, and I have to do that weird start-up thing where you hold certain keys at the same time and wait 10 seconds before it turns on three times, or whatever. (Not making much sense, but hopefully you get what I mean.) My point is: I need a new laptop soon, and for now, I’m saving all my chapters in DropBox. A little scary.
So I’m looking at what to get next. As you (may) also know, my family and I are traveling around the world for nine months starting fall 2014 (one school year). It’s for my next book, but in addition, I’ll also be running the blog business with Kyle. I’ll need a powerful but lightweight machine—we’re hoping to mostly live out of our backpacks.
What would you recommend? Does retina display outweigh weight (that sounded weird) for someone like me—a writer and an amateur designer, but mostly a writer who travels a lot? Should I wait a year and hope my current MBP doesn’t fritz on me? Or should I get something now and upgrade in 18 months, when we leave for our trip?
Hey Tsh, yes, without a doubt Retina outweighs weight. The 1/2 lb isn’t as noticeable as the display is, so for sure I’d recommend going with a 13″ Macbook Pro. It’s also more powerful and is overall a better machine.
You do bring up a point, though, in that the trip is 18 months from now. Which, as you know, is an internet lifetime. With that said, there’s a pretty good chance that at least one or two or three better machines will be out before then.
So at this point, I’d still consider the 13″ MBP, and then see what’s available then. If it’s better, then give Kyle your hand-me-down and buy yourself that machine then!
All i know is i love my Mac Book pro 15″ retina, i tried my friends Air 15″ its really good, but in comparison to spec i would like to choose pro over air.
This is funny. I made the exact same purchases for the exact same reasons. My team members thought I was crazy…. it was great to run across this post.
Thanks Brian for this post.
I just bought the 15″ retina, 512GB SSD and I’d say that everything about it simply blew me away. I considered the 13″ a couple of days ago, but the price per feature on the 13″ is much higher than the 15″. For starters, the low-end 15″ is just $200 more expensive than the high-end 13″ but the former definitely packs more power which is more than the $200 it is touted for. Having said that, i decided to get the 15″.
I’ll also keep my 2-yr old Air 11.6″ until a compelling 11″ upgrade comes along.
Speaking of Retina displays, Brian, do you implement a specific WP plugin to retina-ize your Genesis site?
I’ve been wondering if there is an official recommendation from StudioPress about the best way to prepare Genesis sites for retinazation of the web.
As of right now, no we don’t. That’s probably something that will fall under the 2.0+ territory with Genesis.
Definitely +1 from me on tackling this in Genesis 2.0 if possible
I stopped using my 13″ White Macbook once I had my hands on an iPad. I bought the original iPad, then upgraded to the iPad 2 then the new iPad with Retina Display. The Retina Display is gorgeous. As a photographer this is the only way I would want to show my photographs.
Because of my iMac and my third generation iPad, the MacBook saw very little use. It sits in the basement covered in dust. It hasn’t seen much use in over two years.
Recently, the new super thin iMac with Retina Display was released. The new iMac is the main reason I am avoiding the Apple Store. Once I see it, I know I’ll want it.
the new iMac doesn’t have the retina display.
i have the older MBP 13″ (2009) the 13″ air and now the 13″ MPB retina. yeah there are definitely big weight differences but as for carrying them..i notice no difference when on my back..some guy above said he got back ache from carrying the heavier models…please! you need to get to the gym if you can tell the difference when on your back!
the retina is no doubt a beautiful display but will it make a difference in my life?? no, probably not. I’m quite lucky as I didn’t pay for any of my laptops so have the benefit of answering the common questions unbiased..no one wants to say they bought a piece of crap now do they.
Dont get me wrong, i love the new 13″ retina, the display is very nice, the weight and dimensions are better but there are issues that come with this. the main one is the glass protecting the screen..it is incredibly thin, there are hundreds of people waiting for new panels after accidentally breaking theirs. the new magsafe 2 with the cable coming straight out…what a piece of crap idea! the right angle magsafe was way better. I read one guy knocked the magsafe out, didn’t notice and closed the lid on the connector and cracked his display…poor guy! The cable from my adapter seems very stiff too, probably a cheaper cable compared to the older style magsafe which was more flexible.
Rick, you seem like the perfect guy to give an opinion on PERFORMANCE of the machines. The 1.8 GHz processor in the Air scares me when compared to the 2.4 GHz in my current MPB mid-2010 (of course, that’s an i5 processor against an i2, but I don’t know how relevant that is).
A few months late, but oh well.
There is *a lot* more to processor speed than the clock speed itself. The MacBook Air will most likely (read: will definitely) outdo your MBP in pure processor performance. This is for many reasons.
1. Newer mobile Intel processors (i5, i7) come with HyperThreading. This allows the 2 core i5 to look like it has 4 cores (granted, a pure 4-core i5 would have more raw computational ability than a HT 2 core, but the HT does make a significant difference).
2. Architectural improvements have been insane recently. Basically, processors are really complex little beasts, and the folks at Intel and AMD are working hard to make processors go faster. One way they do this is adding new features to make tasks quicker, and the other is optimizing old features. Intel has been *very good* about making their processors *significantly* faster year after year for the last few years.
3. The i5′s/i7′s in MacBook Airs have special states. When your computer is plugged in and the processor notices that it needs more speed, it’ll boost itself to up to 2.8GHz (if I recall). Granted, this takes a lot more power than 1.8GHz, and generates more heat. So, when the computer is not plugged in, the processor will be more power-conscious and stay scaled lower.
–
Long story short, yes, the MBA’s processor will be quite a bit faster than your MBPs. But generally (unless you’re doing some heavy photo editing, or movie editing, or code compilation… Often.) processor speed isn’t an issue. MacBook Airs (and the rMBPs) come with what’s called Solid State Drives built in. These are significantly different than traditional hard drives, and I’ll go into how they work a bit to give you some reasons behind their advantages and disadvantages WRT traditional hard drives.
>> Traditional hard drives work a lot like CD drives (except they’re metal, and magnetized, and other things. But at a basic level, they’re similar
). So there’s a spinning platter flying around at 5400-7200RPM, and a small head that reads from this platter. The advantage of this is storage density: You can fit *a ton* on that platter. The disadvantage is speed: it can take up to ~10ms for the head to get to a certain position on the platter and start reading. This doesn’t sound bad, but because of how these things called file systems work, your drive head may need to read from 3 different places before it can start reading the file.
Also, lots of programs require ten or more of files to be read in before they can start. While Windows/OS X has things in place to guarantee that this goes ASAP, when you consider it takes 30ms just to find a file in some cases… you end up spending upwards of 300-600ms just locating files on a hard drive (not incl. the time it takes to read the file in) so your program can start.
>> Solid state drives (SSDs) remedy this problem. You can essentially think of them as a really fast, really sophisticated flash drives. There are no moving parts, so the “seeking” time for a file is reduced down to anywhere from 1-10us (that’s 0.001-0.01ms). Additionally, the sequential (i.e. one giant file at a time) read/write speeds for modern SSDs is generally in the 500MB/s range (for comparison, hard drives hover around 70-90MB/s). However, the two disadvantages to SSDs are these: storage capacity and lifetime.
First, capacity. Long story short, it’s difficult to cheaply fit 750GB on a single SSD chip. So you’ll find that a 128GB SSD costs about the same as a 750GB laptop hard drive, or a 1TB desktop hard drive. Granted, SSDs can be significantly more compact than traditional hard drives, because you just need to cram the little flash chips in a small space. With traditional hard drives, you need to cram a metal disc, disc motor, read head, read arm, and arm motor (and more) into the same space. Clunky, right?
Finally, lifetime. When you save a file to an SSD, the SSD needs to write the file to itself. The only way it can write a file is by erasing a part of itself and rewriting it. This takes what’s called a “write-erase cycle”. Modern SSDs have 3000 of these for every tiny chunk (around 4KB) of data they store. Once you’ve used them up, you can’t write to parts of your SSD anymore. Fret not, though — many people have done calculations, and you would need to write over 40GB/day to your SSD for 7-8 years to completely cripple it in such a way. Granted, you have a different longevity problem with traditional hard drives — because there are moving parts, if you drop it, you may damage it/kill a motor, which would make it immediately useless. If you can’t write to a part of your SSD, you can still read from it for up to a year after that part “dies”. But that’s a talk for another day.
–
Well, that was significantly more longwinded than I thought it would be. I apologize for that.
Long story short, the MBA will outpace your current MBP in just about every application, no doubt. The only thing you’d miss is the bigger screen, but if that’s an issue, go with the rMBP 13. That’s going to be what I purchase when Apple releases the next refresh of them in about a month at WWDC.
Best of luck,
John
I have a late 2011 15in macbook pro. After reading all these posts, I feel as if I spent over $2,500 for a completely inferior product, compared to the macbook pro with retina display. Next time I will absolutely do more research before purchasing any mac. I’m not nearly as computer savvy as the rest of you seem. I also bought the classes that came as a package during my purchase. The classes are absolutely fantastic as you can customize them for any and all of your needs. But I am seriously distressed that I don’t have the retina display
Its way to soon for me to make that kind of investment again right now considering my MBP isn’t even a year old yet… However, I will in no way leave the apple family that I have completely grown to love. It started with a simple iPod touch, then an iPhone (3) at the time, then all the upgrades, and have recently purchased the 5. I’m seriously going to stay away from the apple store so I don’t have to see how much better the retina display is compared to my computer 
How was I to know that the retina display was literally right around the corner, and could have had that instead?? Anybody??
Erica, if you spent $2500 on your 15″ MacBook Pro, then your system specifications are probably very good, and I don’t think you made a mistake. I’ll tell you easily 2 reasons why it’s by no means a loss: your hard drive and memory are upgradeable where you don’t have to go to Apple directly and you won’t void your warranty if you upgrade those parts later. For the hard drive, you could upgrade to an SSD anytime, which would improve speed a bit, but greatly enhance battery life. Your RAM is upgradeable to 16GB (even though I think Apple says it’s only able to take 8, it will take 16.). And we all know you love the display even if it’s not retina
But in the event that you did want to upgrade, you’ll be happy to know your unit, with its upgradeability, will have excellent resale value. (The retina computers have limitations on ram and HD sizes, upgrades at the time of purchase are EXPENSIVE, and you can’t upgrade anything later.)
Thank you so much Rob. Your absolutely right, I do love my display. I love everything about my computer. This is my first Mac, and I’ll never go back. Your post made me feel much better about my purchase. As I said, Im not nearly as tech savvy as some, but I’m learning. From what you describe in your post, I think I’m actually very happy to have this model. I am planning on buying an iPad in the next couple months. I can get the retina display with that. Lol. Tech envy? Jeez, whats wrong with me…Thanks for the info Rob
My partner was so excited about the lightness of the new Air’s she came home all excited and wanting to drag me to the Apple Store. I mentioned to her that I personally saw the Retina displays and how I didn’t think she’d be happy with one. Later at the Apple Store she put the non-Retina Air next to the Macbook Pro (with Retina Display). I almost started laughing, they were so ridiculously different. But she swore that she didn’t see a difference and I downplayed my observations. I made up an excuse why we had to come back the next week and double-check. I wrote down URLs of different webpages I am sure would make her prefer the Retina display. But, she STILL preferred the weight advantage of the Air over the Retina display Macbook Pro. I felt humbled that I almost talked her out of what she wanted. Since then she has commented several times on how much better her back feels. She is petite with a small frame and I am not. So, it is important to not do what everybody else says sometimes, and don’t let others opinions make you feel bad.
Lastly, I have a non-Retina display older Macbook Pro with the matte screen upgrade, it looks surprisingly better than the standard, glossy screen–so maybe you have one of these better-than-average screens yourself.
sorry, 2nd sentence should of said, I didn’t think she’d be happy withOUT a Retina display.
I guess I could buy the new iPad with retina display? Jeez, what a cry baby. LOL.
I stopped by the Apple Store today and the place was hopping ~ totally mobbed. As I was checking out the 13″ Air, I overheard customer after customer agreeing to buy whatever the salesperson suggested.
Honestly, I was looking at the 13′ Air after deciding the 15″ Pro was simply too big but now I’m going to head back over for another looksee.
Hey Brian,
Excellent topic, the right thing I was looking for.
I’m confused as to buy the 13″ MBA or the rMBP. What concerns me most is heat. Does the rMBP produce more heat than the Air ? I suppose it would, but can you still use the rMBP on your lap for more than an hour ?
Perfect machine = MacBook Air with cellular data. Waiting. Hoping.
Hey Brian, I have exactly the same thoughts in my mind when I do my next laptop upgrade (currently on a 13″ Macbook Air) – and have also become a Retina snob too about all my other products – so your post was like something taken directly from my head! Cheers, Nick
Thinking of buying the Macbook Pro Retina yesterday, will probably head back to the store tomorrow to check it again, and maybe get one
I specifically bought the 13″ rMBP over the cheaper refurb 15 rMBP because of the smaller size and lighter weight. After using my ipad 4 I just couldn’t handle the MacBook Air screen. All I kept thinking was how it would be like buying an iPhone 3GS instead of a Retina iphone, but worse because its so much bigger. And unlike a phone which you don’t always look at (music, talk etc), the computer is all about the screen.
I had actually bought a 13″ MBA and returned it the next day after it seemed everything I read had fuzzy text. But the real kicker for me was how color pictures seemed almost to float on the screen, like there is no glass and you could reach into the picture. And the reduced glare is almost worth the extra money alone.
After my Powerbook broke down I had to switch to windows because as a student I was on a tight budget. So tight that I had to get an EEE-PC which in my opinion is the worst thing ever. It got so horrendously slowly after a year, that I hated even starting it up. Then I started working at Apple and of course I got a MacbookAir 13″. I love that thing. I don’t think I would ever want to use anything else, but well that’s what I said about the powerbook. I’m sure in a year or two Apple will come up with a new mobile machine that will grab my attention. For now I am seriously considering getting the new iMac, because it is so skinny and sexy and I figure the girl would love it for her photography work. Anyways, I agree that an MbA with retina display would be irresistible.
Well, my first impression was that you are making us Apple users look bad; being the envy of the coffeehouse does not come without the neigh-sayers, for certain. That your piece began with the explanatory, “Why I sold my 13” Air…” then tell how you bought a Macbook Pro with Retina Display and returned it for a Macbook Air only serves to perpetuate the stereotype that Apple users have more money than sense. But I was able to look past that little Pro/Air mixup to toss my two cents in about this otherwise well-written article.
This billet-doux for my beloved Macbook Air goes back to my days as a new PC user, and how quickly I became an expert trouble-shooter for PC issues inasmuch as there was quite a bit of trouble to shoot that quickly came about nearly every time I turned on my new PC. I first started small – a 4th generation iPod Touch impressed me with its power so neatly packed into tiny spaces with absolute reliability. This reliability inspired faith in that I would find such reliability in greater investments, and a subsequent iPad 2 proved to be faith well-placed. When the time came to replace the PC, it was the Macbook Air that fit the bill quite nicely. The most impressive aspect of this wonder device has its roots in all I learned about computer ever since my first Commodore Vic-20. I knew enough about computers to know just what the Macbook Air had to be – technologically speaking – to even exist at all, much less with such reliability. This sounds odd, I know, but most people do not know how computers work, and that’s fine – one need not know the ins and outs of a combustion engine in order to drive after all; anyone can watch TV without even ever having heard of Quantum Mechanics before, hmm? The screen on a Macbook Air is one-eleventh to one-sixteenth of an inch thick; my Macbook Air has an SSD drive that can store two-hundred, fifty-six gigabytes. How? Well, I know – and I am impressed.
The Retina Display is great (though I had to do a bit of research to learn just what was meant by a ‘Retina Display’), but in light of costs and the ever-evolving computer industry, I find the diference negligible. Computer years are worse than dog years, you see, and these costly devices are quickly left in the dust by the afore-mention computer industry. What’s more, these Notebook devices are not greatly expandable, and upgrades to keep up are not performed. My Macbook Air, a 2011 model, had the highest specs available at the time, and now the unit cannot be expanded to compete with the specs available in newer models. And cheaper, too – my Macbook Air was about two-thousand dollars. At least the dimensions are the same; the greater power of the newer models do not use any more (or any less, as is often the case) space as does the Macbook Air I own. All Macbook Airs from 2010 to one just assembled yesterday will look the same.
My Macbook Air has lost none of its prestige, and the first month I had it, I seemed to learn some new and interesting thing that the device is capable of. I can have it read anything I select to me, and I can control the DVD from a few feet away by using hand gestures in front of its camera.
I have no desire to give my Macbook Air up for anything at the moment, though I would have to think that the Retina Display will become the standard in the Macbook Airs yet to come. And as soon as they are available I will be seeing you in line to get one, but as of now, I will keep my tiny technological marvel just the way it is.
The difference between the MacBook Air and retina screen is certainly not “negligible”. The Retina screen is like comparing a car vs a bicycle. It is so much better that i returned my Air. You could make the argument that its not worth the extra $, but you lose credibility when you say it’s not much different. I’ll admit a BMW 545i is better than my Chevy van, but its not worth the extra $ to me.
Great post! The Apple store is a dangerous place. I am holding out for the quad-core 13″ MacBook Pro Retina and/or the Quad MacBook Air. If they can do it in cell phones then they can jam it into computers as well!
I was debating the same thing, I am on the road a lot so I wanted something small but ultimately decided on the macbook pro since I needed everything including a DVD burner in a small package
Everyone seems to be dancing around the elephant in the room. The 13″ Retina display still treats the screen real estate as 1280×800 (when using the default resolution) which is exactly four pixels per pixel, so to speak. If you decide to use any of the “scaled” resolutions, the display is using multiple pixels (actually -portions- of multiple pixels) to present single pixels and will not provide adequate accuracy when, for example, you edit actual size in Lightroom.
Okay, so buy the 15″, right? Well, that display is using 1440×900 as its non-scaled resolution (2880×1800 actual pixels).
Well, I have 1440×900 in my 13″ MacBook Air and, while it is not a Retina display, it is the same Hi-Res PPI as the Hi-Res 15″ (1680×1050).
I’d actually prefer to have a 15″ MBA with the 1680×1050 resolution and know that when I zoom in to see the pixels, I see reality and not some dithered compromise.
IMHO, the Retina Macs are a misguided attempt to smear some iOS technology over what are otherwise mediocre machines.
I’ll stick with my 13″ MBA until Apple sees fit to release a 15″ MBA with a 1680×1050 screen (which is technology they already have).
Do I have to remind people that the Retina MacBook Pros are the lease repairable machines iFixit has ever encountered? When your AppleCare runs out, be prepared to throw the machine away if the screen breaks as it will cost almost as much as a new one to fix it.
Barry – thank you. A voice of reason at last!
Hi Brian, such an enjoyable post… I could feel your struggle and feeling torn…. !! I had my Macbook Pro 15″ (Coco) for 2+ years when we decided to upgrade. We travel a ton so my hubby insisted that I go with the 13″ Retina display but I wanted the 15″ – I never wanted the air …. but it was a decision between the size of the Retina and I settled it by buying a Thunderbolt
So when I am home I have a giant 27″ screen and when traveling a light Retina.
)!
Cheers and good luck!
He did want the Air but it didn’t have the processing power he had hoped for video. I am sure it would have sufficed but it just didn’t make the cut so he went with a 13″ Retina too (Note: We did not get him a Thunderbolt
I am sure your Mac understands the agreement ….
I’m in the market for a new laptop – one that just ‘works’. This means that I’m switching from the PC world to the Apple world. I’ve been researching/reading every article I can find in regards to the 13″ Air and Pro w/Retina. Most articles state if you’re going 13″ Pro w/Retina, to bite the bullet and jump to the 15″.
I think this article, and subsequent comment section has helped me make my final choice. The 13″ Pro w/Retina should have enough staying power to keep me going for a few years. Question is… and this is where I need the help from the Apple folk: do I spring for the extended support package? Is it worth the extra $250?
Hi, I’m doing the same thing. Just bought the 13″ rMBP. Still finding the best way of selling my MBA though.
Hi Brian,
Have you noticed any performance issues with the processor (or graphics card) trying to drive the retina display over the less intensive regular display? I’m about to buy a new Mac and I’m 100% sure I want retina. But I’ve heard a few stories of MacBook Pros that cannot cope with the load of driving the retina display. Mind you, this might be for the 15″ and not the 13″, but I’m not sure. It’s just rumors from friends. I’m aiming towards the 15″, mainly because I do tons of photography and design. Thanks, Danny
I’m in the exactly same situation. I need a new macbook and these issues rumors keep holding me back.
I have a question, the new Mac books with retina have a intel core i5 – not the i7 unless you pay to upgrade. Expensive. Does this make a huge difference? Also, 128 SSD compared to 750 hard drive…the 750 just seems like a lot of room… If I buy the retina and only have 128 SSD space, will I find myself needing more space??
If Apple made an option to have 16Gb of RAM and Nvidia video card on a 13″ MBP to replicate the same experience as 15″ MBP I would be sold. May be they will do it this summer. Until then 13 MBP with Retina is in the weird place: if you want thin and light you go with MBA, if you want power and speed you go with 15″ MBP. So 13″ MBP with retina had a lot going for it but absence of 16GB of RAM and Nvidia card makes it a fall out choice.
I don’t think we’ll see a Retina Air until next year at the earliest. With how small the design of the Air is it will take the apple engineers time to figure it out.
I’m sure Apple could put a Retina display on the MBA, they just don’t because it’s probably not cost effective at this point. No one would buy it if it were on the market right now because it would be too expensive to produce.
I just received my refurbished rMBP 13″ from Apple yesterday, it’s still in the box because I am hesitating whether to return and order the Air model. Now thanks to you guys, I decide to keep it since it’s only $260 difference.
Thank you.
Using a MacBook Pro 15 inch w/ retina display. More bang for the buck than the 13 inch and non-integrated graphics. ‘Nuff said.
Yeah, configured my rMBP and has been using it for just 1 day but the screen is UNBELIEVABLY GREAT!!! Plus it’s pretty light, I’m very happy.
Brian was right since day 1!!
My daughters have MBA , my wife and I have MBP, I spent an hour today explaining that the cracked MBA LCD screen had not been impacted by something left on the keyboard when closed, I would never by another MBA because of this. The MBP have much stronger lid and are only a little heavier, cost to repair MBA screen and a logic board Is $922
Its not only me waiting for the perfect retina display Air laptop but my wife, boss and some other 5 work partners!! Hope it comes in the next 2013 release
I’m so torn. I need a recommendation. I thought I wanted the 13″ Macbook Air because of the weight and still good performance, but now I’m not sure between the 13″ Macbook Air 2.0GHz, 8GB, 512GB vs the 13″ retina Macbook Pro 3.0 GHz, 8GB, 512GB since it’s more powerful and better display. The MBP has an extra .61lbs which is a big deal for a petite person with a bad back and neck. I was waiting for that retina 13″ Macbook Air which would be the holy grail! However, I need to buy a laptop so I need help. Good timing this week. Apple just dropped their prices on both the Airs and Pros this week!
Allison,
Go with the 13″ MacBook Pro Retina Display. You will not regret it. Awesome!!
I purchased my MBA 13″ in September 2011. I got the base model with the 1.7 i5, 128 SSD… you guys know the drill. Anyways, I swore up and down every day that this was the best computer on the planet, and I could never understand the sea of Macbook Pros that would light up the classroom as lecture began (I’m a college student, btw). The Air is beautiful, faster than my 2011 iMac when it comes to the tasks I perform on a regular basis, and weighs next to nothing. Add the awesome battery life and it’s a no-brainer. With the recent price drop on the 13″ MBP with retina display combined with my student discount, I decided to take a look. I walked out of the store with a shiny new computer in tow. Two days in and I don’t regret the decision at all. The Pro is noticeably heavier and slightly thicker, but is not as wide or as long as the Air. There’s actually room left over inside the carrying case that my Air used to fill. I’m selling the Air privately, so I still have the two to compare side by side. When I purchased the Air I was impressed with the screen because of its relatively good resolution for a screen of its size, but I didn’t realize how washed out the colors were until I started using an iMac. Now that I have been working on the Pro with retina display I’ve noticed that not only is everything fabulously more crisp and vibrant, but with the scaleable display settings I can fit a LOT more on the screen. This is especially helpful when I’m on the go and I need to be able to take notes on readings, since I am actually able to have a PDF and Evernote open side-by-side on the 13″ screen. It was probably a frivolous purchase in the end, but the upgrade is night and day. The real rub is that, after my student discount and Apple’s recent price drop, the retina MBP was only $100 more than I paid for the Air! Count me in as another die-hard Air fanatic who got swooped up in the retina frenzy.
Hi Brian,
My son currently has a 2009 15″ mbp. He wanted to switch to the 13″ MBA bc he commutes to the city for school. He is studying to be a writer/filmmaker and also wants to be able to edit skits for posting. I inadvertently talked him into the 13″ rMBP because from what I’ve read seemed better for his needs and that it might last longer. Is this the right decision vs the portability of the Air?
Hey Brian,
I love your article on the 13″ Macbook Pro Retina. I just recently picked up one myself.
Here is my story. I had the MacBook Air and then they released the 15″ MacBook Pro Retina Display. I was blown away. But then in traveling and such I realized that the Pro was not as light to carry around as was my MacBook Air. So I took the MacBook Pro back and picked up the Air. I also bought the new iMac 21.5 that was recently released with that incredible thinness. Loved the machine and now I have the iMac and The MacBook Air and iPad Mini. World complete right? Wrong. I really miss the retina display, however I don’t miss the weight. So here I am decision time. I noticed they dropped the price on the 13 inch Retina. WOW! So I boxed up the iMac and The Air and took both of them back to the store and bought the 13 inch Retina. Best thing I ever did.
Like you Brian this will do for now. If Apple releases an Air with Retina Display, well we will have to see what happens at this point. Right now I am VERY pleased with my 13″ MacBook Pro Retina and iPad Mini. ( Still
miss the Retina display on the iPad ) But love the mini!
Thanks, T. Roberts
Somebody may have already mentioned this since it’s such a long set of comments, but for me, to go from a 13inch Air to a 13 inch pro was not an option because of the difference in screen resolution (ie. 1440×900 vs 1280×800). Losing that 100px in screen height just made me feel like someone had chopped off part of my screen.
So ended up selling my 13inch air and buying a 15inch Pro Retina and love it! I know you had tried that and just couldn’t get past the extra bulk, but I guess for me, since I’m either at my home office or “office” office, it just ends up going in my backpack between locations. So it’s really not an issue for me. And that extra 2inches of screen real estate is HUGE, at least to me.
But yes, it’s insane how much better the Retina display is. And it’s not just the crispness, but the color depth. Now when I glance at my wife’s 11inch Air I feel the old stomach churn, just a bit.
And yes, the iPad Mini, which I owned and then returned, just doesn’t suffice when you’re used to every other device you own being Retina.
Amazing new site design, btw!
Eric
I am not sure why that was an issue? You can change the resolution to 1440×900 on the retina macbook pro. You can also change to an ever higher res. That’s the beauty of the retina display.
Yeah, but I’m super picky about Retina displays and I figure if I’m going to pay for a Retina MBP then I’m going to use it (in most cases) in the mode that is “Best for Retina display”.
In other words, why buy a Retina MBP and then immediately tweak the display to not quite look as crisp my changing it out of its native res.
But sure, I’m definitely aware of this feature as it’s a huge benefit to say the least. And I use it on occasion when I need more screen real estate. But for day-to-day use I want it to look as crisp as it can.
But like I said, I’m super picky.
Eric
But 1440×900 on the rMBP looks waaaaaay better than 1440×900 on the fuzzy dull-colored MBA. It’s still crisper than the air. I don’t understand your logic. Even discounting the resolution, the colors are truer and the black shading is much better than MBA which suffers from horrible banding.
Maybe you’re misunderstanding me. I moved away from a 13inch MacBook Air and went to the 15inch MacBook Pro Retina. So the 13inch MB Pro Retina at 1440×900 may be crisper than a MB Air at that same resolution, but it’s even better looking on the MB Pro 15r since it’s the native res.
So min my case I’m not comparing a 13inch MBPr to a 13inch MPA, but a 13inch MPBr to a 15inch MBPr. And in the latter case, with both at 1440×900, the 15inch version’s screen looks better since it’s running that res natively while the 13inch version is not.
Eric
So I have been on quite a ride over the past few weeks. I went from a macbook air 13″ to a 15″ retina macbook pro to a 13″ retina macbook pro and back to my trusty 13″ macbook air.
The reason I didn’t stick with the 13″ retina macbook pro? It might sound silly, but it’s kind of two fold. Firstly because that 300 grams on weights for someone who carry’s their laptop around literally all day makes difference ( find the 11″ model to small), but i could have handled that for the screen.
The BIG problem is my hands. I have large hands, and i found the reduced palm wrest are so small that the front of the laptop was digging into my palms and it was extremely uncomfortable – Especially since i use my laptop to type for up to 8 hours a day.
Where to from here? It concerns me that this may happen with the next iteration of the 13″ macbook air, and if that’s the case – a pc alternative might be on the cards — which i can handle now since dropping final cut pro x for Premiere pro cs6.
Love to know if i’m not the only person with this issue.
Yes i agree with you the MBA 13″ is more comfortable in typing than MBP Retina and also i found out that the keyboard in MBA is better than MBP retina, the keyboard in MBP retina 13″ is feel plasticy and cheaper than MBA 13″ keyboard
I enjoyed reading this article and in fact, I had a similar mission that I was going to prove you wrong by saying there was no difference (or at least a subtle difference) between the 13 Macbook Air and the 13″ Macbook Pro Retina. I did what you did, I walked into the Apple Store and walked right over to the Retina. Played with it for a few minutes and then I found the Macbook Air. I was very shocked actually. The colors on the AIR display seemed so much more washed out. I couldn’t believe it. Like yourself, I have enjoyed using the AIR for a long time and thought that it couldn’t get any better….Wrong. Just fell for the Retina. There was just no comparrison in my opinion and what was horrible, (this is my disclaimer to everyone reading this is): You will never look at your AIR the same way after spending time with the Retina. I ended up buying one and have no regrets. I don’t really notice a weight issue. I will just say though and this was not really talked about in your post but there is a price to be paid for this. The Air’s are quite a bit cheaper then the Retina’s and from other reviews, that seems to be the major complaint folks have and what is stopping them from trading up. Thanks for the article.
I recently switched from to the 13″ MBPro w/Retina for 2 reasons
1) When it came out I assumed there would be no 13″ Air w/Retina (oops)
2) I REALLY wanted retina after seeing it
3) I couldn’t lug around my 17″ MBPro anymore…it was way to heavy
Coming from a 17″ monstrosity I’m probably the wrong person to judge but the 13″ is so much lighter to me that I don’t think I would change to the Air just for the weight difference. A year from now I might feel differently.
Either way, the 13″ pro is an awesome machine and one I’m glad I made…
For someone who is new to Apple products and has just bought their 1st iphone(5) believe it or not and an ipod touch 5G, I am now looking at getting a new laptop from Apple too.
My problem is which one to get?? I am only looking at the MBP with retina display as I have done enough research to narrow it down to this model. my Dilema is which size.
I have friends you have the MBP 13″ without Retina display and the old insert the CD/DVD in the side. But from their point of view, the 13″ is good enough for their uses.
I work all day at work on a lap top Packard Bell 15″ and this I will continue to use as it is supplied by the company and I have to use it. I am looking for my new laptop at home which I will use only, as my 9 year old has his own note book.
I will use it for emails, itunes, photos, videos – maybe films and the odd game. I am waiting for the ipad 5 as well, so I can take this with me when I travel on holiday to keep in touch with work emails, internet etc.. So the MBP would stay at home normally but then this could change and I take it as well.
As I am new to this, I am throwing this out to you all who have experience in the MBP and of course apple.
for my limited needs, which one would suit me best, considering I will not be on it all day like my work laptop and it will be just at home. Of course I will get the MBP 13″ with 256 if this was the one I would get. So my question is,which one should I get or best for me to get with what i will use it for, as I do not mind the cost so much but of course do not want to pay for something that I will not use all the functions.. ( may Video/photo edit and music edit)
Thanks in Advance
Steve
I guess if you do not have an extra screen at home for connecting the macbook, the 15 inch is better. If you do have an extra screen or screen size isn’t an issue for you, the 13 inch has enough horsepower for you.
Thank you colin for your input. I have decided to go with the 15″ retina as after hours of research and then spending an afternoon in the apple store while the wife was shopping, I have decided the 15″ would be a better choice for me.
Needless to say, I have bought the 15″ Retina and very happy with the choice. I got an early 2013 model and now just waiting for the new ipad 5 to come out and then my apple collection is almost complete.
One question I do have: Does the apple TV if bought out of the states or England work in the rest of Europe? reason for asking is, I live in germany and Netflix does not come on the German apple TV..
Thank you again for your responce… Now my nights are sat infront of the 15″ working on it and mazement how I have never had a mac book before.. Why would anyone buy anything else….
Thanks
Steve
I was just asked by my work which computer would meet my needs: MacBook Pro 13 or 15 inch or MacBook Air, 11 or 13 inch. I am a PC person until I took this new job a few months ago. I like them both (mostly because I know a PC very well and don’t know the Apple products so well yet). I use the computer for searching the web, writing grants, letters, email, I use microsoft office software, etc. I could carry the laptop with me to meetings, but I usually take the IPAD they gave me…I love it by the way!!!
What would be your suggestions?
Phew…what an exhaustive read, especially when I figure in all these interesting and varied comments as well. When I typed “Macbook Air vs Pro Retina 13″ into Google, little did I realize that I’d be spending so much time reading a single website article. Kudos to Brian, and all the readers for that!
With so much having been said already, there isn’t much for me to add.
But in my opinion, in terms of performance, hardware, ports, weight and user upgradeability…the 13″ Retina Pro is more of a 13″ Macbook Air Pro, if we can call it that. In fact, the way we are all wishing for a future 13″ Retina Air…the funny thing is, I think the 13″ Retina Pro is just what we ‘ve been wanting. Its basically an Air with Retina. Isn’t it?!? Why do I say so? That’s because, just like the iPad with Retina grew in thickness and weight compared to its predecessor…if the Air is to have Retina, its going to definitely add a few grams for a bigger battery which will be required to keep battery life the same as the earlier models. So if that is to happen…it basically reaches the weight of this 13″ Retina Pro…doesn’t it?
What would actually be a major update in their lineup is if, this 13″ Retina Pro could add Nvidia graphics; user upgradeability; 16GB RAM and yet keep dimensions as sleek. That would be the PERFECT laptop from Apple.
hi Brian,
Did you sell your air back to apple or to some other people?
Because I am considering selling my old macbook for a new one.
I sold it to our company, so one of our employees is now using it.
I’m a designer. Mostly vector or web design.
Had a 2009 13″ MBP for 2 years. It was perfect besides the slow and small HDD a the time. I upgraded to an SSD but the hardware lost its life after a few months. (not because of the SSD but because I mistreated it over time.)
Had a 11.6 MBA for a year. I was in love. I could do everything on the go and when i needed to work at home, I plugged my 27″ external samsung display.
I was sure I would never trade anymore the portability.
The 15″ MBP Retina came out. I wasn’t tempted at all. And then I heard the rumors for the 13″ MBP Retina. so i waited.
Bought the 13″ retina, I love it SO much. I compared the screens and the non-retina screens feel BAD in comparison. It feels perfectly portable, too bad it has an intel graphics chip for the retina screen. It can feel laggy at times.
Will sell it again when (I hope) we will see the 13″MBP Retina with non-intel graphics. But nothing until then.
I went for the Macbook Air with dual core 2.0Ghz i7, 8GB ram and 512 SSD. Faster and lighter and although it does not have a retina display, I connect to my 27 inch monitor when at home.
So far, the latest mac air is quite powerful for what i wanted, but I need the portability when travelling. Previously had a 13 inch macbook pro.
I use OSX, but also bootcamp with Windows 8 (Finally drivers are available from Apple) for work related programs and it runs fine.
Yes – I would love to buy a Macbook Air with Retina Display when it come out.
David
Which specs did you go for. I was going to get the 11″ Air today bu after reading your article I am going to get the 13′ Retina. Did you custom config or just normal
Hi there! First of all, congratulations Brian, because you got one of the MOST beautiful personal websites i’ve visited. I am an Apple fanboy too, and after reading many of the smart and sensible comments here an idea came to my mind.
Apple just released the 13″ rMPB, wouldn’t a 13″ rMBA render the first completely pointless? I mean the performance is almost on par right? (i’m no expert but both get only third generation Intel i7 processors at best without discrete graphics card)
I don’t think Apple would have brought the 13″ rMBP to the market to have it live 1-2 years. This leads me to think that a 13″ rMBA will appear only at about 4-5 years after the the 13″ rMBP release date bringing also the 13″ rMBP life cycle to an end.
What do you guys think?
Of course this comment is greatly unbiased due to my desire to acquire a Macbook Air this June and not regretting it soon hehehehe.
Good article Brian,
Im on the fence right now, having a MBA 13″ since mod 2011. I love it, but the retina display is so appealing, especially since im a web developer and need to develop for retina more and more. Of course the crispiness is also a major plus.
Now, i also think the MBPr 15″ is a little too big, but the performance gain is huge. On the other hand, my Air is more than enough performance-wise for what i do, so thats not an issue.
I have a couple questions, would really appreciate your input on it :
1. Did you experience any issues mentionned on apple’s support forum like ghosting, fan frenzyness, display problems on graphic intensive tasks (i red that even facebook lags on some machines) etc.
2. Do you work on scaled display? 1280×800 is too small for me, i would definitely scale mine to 1440×900 and even 1680×1080. Is the crispyness still good on those resolutions?
3. Comfort-wise, how is it for working extended hours? I dont like working with an external display, so the laptop is my sole workstation. I know there is no curve like the MBA in front, did you notice any discomfort or whatsoever?
Hopefully you can help me decide, sorry if im asking too much questions
Thanks!
Hi I’m not tech savvy at all but I have recently completely buggered the screen on my 13 inch white MacBook so am looking to upgrade. I use it mainly for web browsing and downloading tv shows etc but I don’t really want to fork out the extra money to get the 256gb over the 128gb in the rMBP model.
Do you think the smaller memory would be adequate for me? Or would you sacrifice the retina display and get a bigger memory MBPS or air?
Currently also have an ipad with retina display but that is useless for watching shows on
Any replies would be appreciated-thanks!
Hello. I hope it isn’t too late to post a comment!
I was doing random Google searches on Macbooks and I stumbled on this website. Needless to say, I got a good read out of both macbook air articles!
Now, my question to you guys: I’m currently using a Sony Vaio computer. I’ve had it for a while, and it has great specs and is in good shape (for the most part). I’m not extremely tech savy; I’m in college right now, and while I have no interest in majoring in graphic design, engineering, or anything that requires video editing, I’m conflicted as to whether or not I should purchase an Air or Retina display. I enjoy Photoshop as a hobby, though.
The last Macbook that I’ve used looked something like this: http://www.slashgear.com/gallery/data_files/1/4/6/gallery-big-05_491681.jpg
Basically, here are the things that I would want from a computer:
- Extremely sturdy: my current computer has survived years of damage, but I want a computer that I can literally toss into my backpack and not worry about. I also hate having to wait at least a minute for my current laptop to bootup!
- Snappy: I absolutely hate lag and I can’t bear it, especially when my computer decides to lag-spam during a lecture, for example.
- I need an AMAZING keyboard and trackpad. I type at least 6-7 essays per semester, and God knows how long I spend on forums! I know people who swear by Apple’s trackpads and keyboards, and others who can’t stand them. I know it would be great if I actually used one, but the more honest feedback I get, the better.
- Good hardware; though, I’m not very knowledgeable in this area.
- I don’t know about this concern either, but I want it to fit into my ecosystem. I don’t own any other Apple products; even my phone is a Samsung, so I don’t know if there are any other barriers that will need to be crossed(?).
Price is somewhat of a concern, but if I can get a great machine that will last me at least 5-7 years, then it will be a worthy investment.
I know, I know, I should definitely get to an Apple Store. I think there’s only one around where I live, though.
Thanks to whoever responds,
MS
@MS
I have had a 13″ MacBook Air since 2011 and, like Brian in mid 2012, can’t imagine using anything else. In my opinion, it is the best all-around computing device a person can own. It is lightweight, sturdy, easy on the eyes and awesome to type on and the trackpad is the greatest. I purchased an Apple BlueTooth mouse thinking I would use it a lot… I’m not really sure where it is now.
The MBA is the only device you will need and it will last you for years.
@MS,
Based on your needs, both the 13″ rMBP and MBA with minimum configurations should fit the bill for you. The only question is if you will be fine with the MBA display or gotta have Retina, in which case the difference is about a couple hundred $. If you really want to save money, I would suggest checking out the Refurbished Macs section in the Apple store website. Their inventory changes everyday, so you might find a configuration that will best suite your budget. I found some really good deals there, and they are 100% checked out and in most cases are brand new to begin with and comes with a full 1-year Applecare.
Good luck!
Dan
I currently own a Early 2011 MacBook Pro 15 inch laptop. I upgraded the RAM to 16GB and installed a Samsung 830 512GB SSD. I plan to purchase a laptop for travel as the 15 inch gets heavy to carry everyday. I edit family photos, not a professional photographer, and use my machine for DJ’ing and Ableton Live. I am a Network Engineer. What portable MAC laptop would you recommend, MacBook Air or 13 inch Retina? Or am I best waiting for the new Haswell models? I plan on docking my laptops to Thunderbolt display.
I have read the whole discussion from Brian’s first post clear to the end but still need reassurance about the following: And I know this will sound really stupid to the rest of you, but here goes…..
You’ve convinced me the of computer I want, the MBP 13″” with Retina, but my question is will I be able to install Microsoft Pro on it. The MBP I use now still has the DVD slots, and that is the way I’ve installed the program before. Is it possible to simply purchase and install the way one does with an APP?
If anyone answers, you have my thanks.
Susan
Sorry, I meant Microsoft Office.
I searched for this problem for a long long time.. Which one is better for me “Mac air 13 vs mac pro retina 13″
I don’t really use my computer for heavy programs but I want to get better one for sure! Weight is problem for me! Do u think Retina’s weight is light for girl? If it is really small difference, I want to get retina:(
At first when i heard about retina displays, i wasnt sold by it…until i saw it and my word is it beautiful. I am now eagerly awaiting delivery of my 13″ MacBook Pro with retina display. The problem is my iPhone 4 and iPad 2 are non-retina…I can see this has started an expensive upgrade movement to “everything retina or nothing”.
Great article, i am convinced I have made the best decision
Impressive how easy it is for one to burn money on technologically mainly outdated equipment. Yes, the retina display is very impressive and there’s not really much on the market which may be able to compete in this area – maybe the overprized Pixel from Google or the Sony Vaio Z. And yes, it has a beautiful design.
Anyhow apple hardware is from technological point of view sub-standard. Connectivity is mid-class, mobility is mid-class, performance is mid-class, the battery is mid-class, the maintainability is sub-standard and – since Lion and Mountain Lion the OS sucks more and more.
Finally it was the release of Lion which took me away from apple after around 10 years of usage. Now i own a Vaio Z with carbon case. A weight of 1.3 KG (2.4 lbs), 7 hours battery time, 3G modem, i7 CPU, Full-HD-Display (13″) nearly non-glossy and bright like the sun, if you want, a 512 GB SSD and only 16.6 cm of height. Out of the box you can connect 2 external displays (HDMI and VGA), ethernet is there, Wifi, Bluetooth and GPS. If you decide to attach a extension battery you get approx 14 hours battery time and a total weight of 1.6 KG (3.5 lbs) and if you connect the docking station you will get a BluRay Drive, more USB slots and the ability to connect even more external displays – up to 4.
In every aspect it outperforms the Mac Book Air and also the most Mac Book Pro Models. The drawback is it’s price. And it looks not as good as the mac books – but still impressive due to the very slim carbon case.
From a technical point of view, apple is more or less crap. From my point of view the way that they changed the OS versions after SL is wrong. What’s still an asset is this wonderful display and the timeless design of the devices they sell. But what apple really needs is innovation – that’s the biggest weakness since the death of Steve. There were no more innovations and only tiny evolutions – sometimes degenerations.
I’m confused!!
I’m a student and work with programs like MS Office, Photoshop and accounting softwares. I will bootcamp windows on the macbook.
What is the best choice for me? Please help!
The Macbook Air 13″ i7 processor, 4GB RAM and 256GB SSD, or
the macbook pro Retina 13″ standard model ?
They are the same price., with 6% student discount from Apple.
I live in the Netherlands.
I like the thinless of the MBA.. But the Retina on the Pro version keep me searching on the internet!!
Or waiting until June, for a new Apple Event ?
Thanks!
Lorenzo
Ps. excuse my English. Could be better
Hi, thanks for your post. I am about to order the 13″ rMBP, so I guess I just needed to back my decision. One thing I am wondering about is the performance and whether I should “pimp it” with extra RAM or processor. I don’t really do really strenuous work on my computer (like video editing etc), but I do want a machine that lasts for quite some time. I’ve had my old white MacBook since 2007 (I’m happy I doubled it’s ram) but am very ready for an upgrade. The money is a big discouraging factor in pimping it though.
So: Is the default version good enough to last some years?
Im a current college student, who is debating between the macbook air or the macbook pro…display to me its not really an issue however i think prior to making a final decision i will make a trip to the nearest apple store…my biggest issue is performance and weight….since i will be carrying around this laptop everywhere i go i was highly sold on the MBair, the performance seemed also pretty good….but now this article even though it leans more towards the display side and not the performance side has me a little confused again…. please any suggestion and opinion would definitely be welcomed….
I recently acquired a MacBook Air 13”. It replaces the Original 13″ Aluminum MacBook 2 Ghz. I cant belive how nice this MacBook Air is, light up keyboard (never had one), super thin and light, SSD (Holy S**T) from a 5400 rpm HDD, finally battery life (OMG). No need to even look at a MacBook Pro With Retina Display… yet. until GPU/CPU/RAM power is a necessity. But for the year (s) to come i’m super happy!!
I have a 2011 MBA that I thought was great. Then I had to work with a lot or documents and was doing video format conversions and bought a 27″ iMac, i7, loaded it with 3rd party RAM and SSD.
Its great and I installed Win 7 to run flight sims and it worked great for everything. Then I needed to travel a lot in Europe and Mexico and I was not happy with the 13″ screen, no GPU, and 2 core CPU, and the 256GB SSD was too small to allow a Win install which I need occasionally. So I ordered a 15″ Macbook pro Retina with a 2.6GHZ 4 Core/hyperthreaded i7 (pseudo 8 core), 16GB and a 512GB SSD.
My sons 2009 Vintage MBP was not usable as a portable computer any more so I bought him the same MBPR after a couple months.
Bottom line, even though I am traveling a lot and never check luggage, I carry the MBPR and its extra 1.5LBS happily. When I use the 13in MBA the screen looks washed out in comparison. The 13″ MBPR might be OK for some people but without a Video chip I dont want it and I will gladly carry the larger machine.
I would like a 17″MBPR if they could keep the weight under 5 LBS. My son talked me into buying an iPad Retina and the only reason I did was I wanted 4G LTE and was waiting for the iPhone 5. I traveled with the iPad and MBPR and iPhone 5 once. From my perspective the only thing the iPad is good for is looking at magazines and coffee table books. I am considering getting rid of both the iPad and the 13″ MBA and getting an 11″ MBA with 4GLTE stick but I probably won’t as between the iPhone and the MBPR, and a Kobo I dont need any more gear.
Telus just gave my a Samsung Galaxy Note II (big phone, small tablet) and I am pretty impressed. I wanted a droid device as I have two GF’s and my mother with Droids and I wanted to know more about moving data between Apple and Droid.
The tablets look cool but are really just big phones without the phone (Apple went out of there way to make the Ipad not be a phone as the H/W all supports it)
I dont think a lot of people understand that the iOS devices and Androids are designed to work with a computer not replace them. I have employees in Mexico with iOS devices (and no computer) and its a major limitation if they need to more than phone calls, FB, and basic email. I know all about the millions of iOS apps and Jailbreaking but they are not computers. The 11 MBA is a computer and its not much bigger or heavier than the useless iPad.
In my view the device needs to either fit in your pocket, be light enough to carry in a shoulder bag whenever you want a larger display, or be a decent computer that is Fast with big Display and big SSD.
If I had to pick two Apple devices for the rest of my life, I would pick the MBPR15 and an iPhone 5. If I had to pick two devices made by any company it would be a MBPR15 and a tough decision between the Iphone 5 and the Galaxy note II.
Oh the MBPF15 runs Win 8 great and the flight sims, and other games rock even with two display running at full res.
It is nice to be able to plug an HDMI display/TV into the MBPR15 at times for movies or games or presentations.
Hi! I’d like to ask about the performance of the Macbook Air 13″.. How long does the battery last with heavy usage? Does it still work just fine even with Adobe Photoshop installed? Im an everyday consumer and I always use the web for browsing and surfing, I also do a lot of streaming and downloading. Would like to know if the performance level depreciates after time. I’m a current user of the Pro 13″ and it kind of slowed down.
I’m glad that I came across this article since I’ve been thinking about returning a new Macbook Air I bought a week ago and get Macbook Pro with Retina Display instead. Apple gave me 2 weeks to play with the new machine and I’m already considering a change of mind. So what’s your thought?
Am just about to join this crazy Apple bandwagon as I am buying my first Apple product (MBA 13″) 2moro. Scheming through all these comments, I am tt convinced that Apple users have more money than sense as one of you commented earlier. Technology will always have smth new to offer and b4 you know it y’all be ditching those MBP retinas for the nxt big thing that will render it obsolete. Writing from Nairobi, Kenya (and NO am not typing on top of a tree) I hope it’s not too late for me to test that MBA swift ride. One thing am certain of is that after my first MBA am not upgrading until they release the next MBA retina display hopefuly soon enough *crosses fingers* I enjoyed this article though, good job brian.
- @ullopah
I was having a similar battle with myself, go to the Apple store, and end up coming home to order a refurbished iMac. Not a retina display, but the display is HUGE. Bigger than a T.V. I used to have. While I can’t go to Starbucks and hang out, it looks really nice on my Ikea corner table in the living room.