Apple retina display and flash drive

[HDNitehawk]

I know this subject has been circulated before, since it has been out a while maybe there are more with experience to share.

A Few Questions;

1, Retina display, gives more pixels for viewing. It is supposed to be closer to what the human eye can see. (not to start a debate on the human eye, just mentioning what Apple says). So is there a difference in this and the normal screen? Will it help my pixel peeping? Is it worth the extra money?
2, The two equal versions of Apple's 15" on their website are the non Retina for $1,999.00 and the Retina for $2,799.00. They have one other diffrence. The cheap version has to be upgraded to get a SSD.The expensive $2,799.00 version has a 512gb flash storage. From what I have read, the SSD would be the same as flash storage, only the flash storage can not be removed and is permanent. To get the 512gb SSD in the cheap version would bring the cost of the $1,999 version over $3K without Retina. So is this description correct, or is their other differences that would matter?
3, Will Retina display only apply to the laptop's display? There doesn't appear to be any benefit if you are using a monitor, from the cheap version to the expensive.

[M_Six]

The Retina display Macs (all of them) cannot be serviced by anyone except Apple and cannot be upgraded after purchase. When the battery dies (approx 2 years), you have to send it back to Apple for a new one.

For what it's worth, I have the last non-Retina generation 15" MacBook Pro. It was about $1700 and cost another $85 or so to upgrade to 16GB RAM from Crucial.com. (Apple really screws you on RAM upgrades.) Then I grabbed a 512GB SSD for about $412. So about $2200 for the non-Retina model you described above. The RAM is very easy to install in a MBP and the hard drive was simple if you're careful to follow the directions.

I've seen the Retina displays and was not terribly impressed, but I didn't have a chance to look at images with Photoshop on a Retina model, so maybe that would have highlighted the difference more clearly. I can tell you that my MacBook Pro is lightning fast when it comes to opening RAW files in ACR. The SSD makes all the difference. It's also very quiet and runs a bit cooler with the SSD. And when the battery dies, I can take it to the local Apple store and have it replaced without mailing it off to Cupertino.

The Retina display means nothing on an external monitor unless the external monitor is also Retina-capable (read: $$$$$).

[ahab1372]

1)
I tried to compare them once in the Apple Store, but it was a crowded day and they were on different sides of the table, so I did not do an extensive pixel-peep comparison. I think I saw a slight difference, but it for sure did not strike me like lightning by just having a quick glance at the screen. If you go to an Apple store, they have iPhoto and Aperture installed with sample pictures so you can see for yourself.

2)
One other difference (IIRC) is that the Retina model does not have built-in ethernet, you would have to buy a Thunderbolt-Ethernet adapter if Ethernet is important to you.

3)
Yes, the Retina applies only to the laptop screen. External monitor is what it is, regardless of the model you choose.

I personally went for the non-retina model because I edit my pictures most of the time on the external monitor, and I don't miss the extra SSD speed. Maybe I would if I did a lot of Photoshop or video editing, but coming from a 2007 Macbook (white), the current MacbookPro is lightning fast even without SSD

[M_Six]

Just FYI, there is a note in the news section on the front page here about a sweet deal on a 480GB SSD.

[HDNitehawk]

Thanks guys.

My complaint with the wife's 13" MacBook Pro it is slower than the other computers in the house. Limited storage as well, but the main complaint is that it is slow when processing and viewing files in Bridge and LR.

It is almost 4 years old, I think we bought it early 09. I wonder if I upgraded (if it can be) to a SSD if it would solve the problem.

[ahab1372]

Thanks guys.

My complaint with the wife's 13" MacBook Pro it is slower than the other computers in the house. Limited storage as well, but the main complaint is that it is slow when processing and viewing files in Bridge and LR.

It is almost 4 years old, I think we bought it early 09. I wonder if I upgraded (if it can be) to a SSD if it would solve the problem.

Bring up the Activity Monitor (in /Applications/Utilities) when you perform tasks where it is slow. That gives you an idea if it is the processor or RAM that slows things down. If not, then a faster drive should help. Once you're at it, you might be able to put in more RAM as well if you are not already at the maximum

[ahab1372]

btw, the Apple premium for RAM is not as bad any more as it used to be (I upgraded to 8GB through Apple), but they don't offer more than 8. M_Six made a good point about upgrading the SSD yourself if you choose the non-Retina, and putting in more than 8GB RAM. If you primarily use an external monitor, I don't see a huge benefit in choosing the retina model.

[M_Six]

Amazon has the Crucial m4 512GB SSD on Gold Box today for $349. That's the one I have in my MBP. That's a really good price for it. Check the link from the main page here.