Some Thoughts on the Retina Macbook Pro
Having lived with my new 13″ Retina Macbook Pro for nearly a week, I wanted to share some quick hardware observations on the new unit as compared to my previous (early 2008 model) Macbook Pro.
1. I like the wider keyboard layout on the newer MBP much more, but it takes a little getting used to.
2. The glossy screen doesn’t bother me. The screen reflectance seems much lower than that of earlier glossy Macbook Pros. I can’t comment on the glare because I haven’t used it outside.
3. The new MBP runs much cooler, but still feels warm to the touch on its underside.
4. The retina display is a pleasure to look at and has eased my eyestrain.
5. Going from a 15″ display to a 13″ display was easier than I thought.
6. The new MBP is very light, when compared to my old MBP.
7. The magnetic latch is really nice and beats the old “hook / clasp” mechanism on my older MBP.
All in all, my first impressions so far have been a positive one. I plan on testing the rMBP as a travel companion in the next two weeks.
Incidentally, within two days of setting up my new Mac, my old Macbook Pro started displaying video glitches and artifacts (thanks to a flaky Nvidia chipset). Of course, it’s out of warranty, but I plan to bring it to the Apple store anyway to see if they can help me.
-Krishna
Jean Austin Rodriguez
September 21, 2014 at 7:12 amI also bought mine just yesterday but unlike you, it’s my first Mac machine coming from a PC. It’s thin and light compared to many laptops with the similar specs that’s why I like it. I chose this over MacBook Air for future-proofing. The Air I think has low specs that I might regret having in the long run.
I’m also getting used to the gestures and keyboard shortcuts. I have yet to see how it performs with a virtual machine running in the background.
Krishna
September 21, 2014 at 9:57 amCongrats, Jean! It’s a great machine – I haven’t really put mine through its paces as yet, but it is light and very comfortable to work on. I love the clarity of the Retina display.