I balked on my Retina MacBook Pro purchase.

[onehandle]

Just couldn't convince myself to pay out the 3+ grand for the model I wanted for a number of reasons.

1) Not positive I want a 15-inch model. A 13-inch model is heavily rumored.

2) Not ready to invest in ThunderBolt technology. I have several FW800 drives that are doing well.

3) No Retina external monitors yet. I have to have a second monitor at home, and the 27-inch screens are likely not coming for a year.

4) Applications and the Internet are being slow to 'upgrade' to Retina level.

So my wife is going to get me a SSD for my three year old 17-inch MBP for my birthday. It will make it feel like a new machine. I'll put Mountain Lion on it and report back on the results.

[cbayer]

1. Is the Retina part really that much of an advance?

I had a friend over yesterday to look at my 13 inch pro (non-retinal) and we compared prices on the site. Even just moving up to 15 inches bumps the price, but going for the *retinal screen* makes it pretty outrageous.

At a time where people can pick up a laptop for $399, they are really pricing themselves out of the market.

[onehandle]

2. Yes, they are that much of an advance. All screens will be 'Retina' within a couple of years or so.

Apple is the worldwide market leader. That's why they are widely copied.

And a $399 laptop and a $3,000 laptop, not the same.

For one thing, the Retina models come with SSDs.

In one year, I will be trading up. That's how good and long lasting Macs are. My three+ year old model still runs the newest stuff, and at speed. I'm just adding a SSD to make it even snappier.

[cbayer]

3. You misread me. I have a mac. I love my mac. It is unlikely that I will ever

own anything else.

So you are preaching to the choir.

I was only making a point.

Good day.

[onehandle]

4. I didn't mean it that way.

Just trying to answer your query.

I know you're a Mac person.

I'm so used to detractors at DU, that I got a bit... preachy.

Sorry.

[mopinko]

5. i think really only if you are using it for

graphics of some sort. if i was editing video on it, yes, it would be worth it. but unless you make you living with your eyes, i don't see it.

[cbayer]

6. that's what I thought.

I don't see well enough for it to make any difference for me, I think.

[Agschmid]

17. I would love the SSD though... n/t

[Stinky The Clown]

7. We just got a shiny new 27" iMac. The display is (my term) "near retina."

Retina is 2880 X 1800.

The iMac is 2560 x 1440.

I have retina on my iPad. This is damned near as nice.

[onehandle]

8. The Retina iMacs will be 5120 x 2880.

But they aren't expected until next year. Those screens are still in development.

[Stinky The Clown]

9. Whoa!

I didn't know that.

[winstars]

10. I work in the music industry and most people seem to have migrated to the 13 inch MBP...

Some production managers and engineers still like the big boy 17 inch for stage plots and such... But most people like the fact that the 13 inch fits in virtually any bag and has a smaller footprint. Some band members have gotten the 15 inch Retina because they have the dough but like you, for most of us, 3k is too much to spend for a pretty screen. Traveling around a lot, the SSD is built for people like us durability wise but its still a little too pricey.

When the 13 inch Retina display with a 500GB SSD for max 2k comes out it will sell like hotcakes. Until then, most of people are happy with the 13 inch MBP with i7 chip which is about $1800.00ish with the applecare...

I have been to the Apple Store and the Retina display is amazing but not worth it price wise for me... yet

[onehandle]

11. The 13-inch Retina w SSD is expected next month. Probably 1800 to 2k.

But like I said, I ordered a 500GB SSD for around $500.

Gonna stick with the 3 year old 17-incher for one more year.

[robinlynne]

12. what is an SSD?

[onehandle]

13. Solid State Drive.

As I mentioned in the OP, I put a SSD in my three year old MacBook Pro.

Made it feel newer than new.

Starts up from completely off and is ready to go in 23 seconds.

[robinlynne]

14. oh. got it. Would it be worthwhile to buy a new drive for a G5? I'm about to buy

a mac mini. (waiting as long as possible because all my software is obsolete...) Can one just buy a new drive and leave everything else as is? or did you just add more power, as opposed to starting all over with a new OS? Sorry for my stupid questions.

[onehandle]

15. The SSD would cost more than the G5 is worth.

You would get a speed increase, but the older machine is not engineered to take full advantage of an SSD.

I would save the money for your newer machine.

I just pulled the original 7200rpm drive that had Lion, installed the SSD, and clean installed Mountain Lion. No added power beyond the original 8GB of RAM.

No questions are stupid if you simply need more information. My wife and I honestly wonder how we learned things before the Internet.

[robinlynne]

16. Thank-you.