Does it really matter if you don't get the newest Apple laptop?

DoctorMedicine

Hello there!:)

I see that the MacBook Pro/Air is reduced in Currys and indeed elsewhere because I think the newer model of those are coming out in the next few weeks. Their prices are now within my range, but does it matter that I choose the older model? What is the main difference between the current Apple laptops and the upgraded ones which will be released shortly?
Many thanks:)

Jarren

I think that the new models are available to buy from the Compu b Dundrum.

http://compub.com/

Overheal

DoctorMedicine wrote: »

What is the main difference between the current Apple laptops and the upgraded ones which will be released shortly?
Many thanks:)

The biggest thing that should scream to mind is Retina Display, this is a resolution density that is higher def than 1080p. To put it into perspective for you your average 80" LED TV has a resolution of 1920x1080 (pixels x pixels, about 2.07mil of them) - The iPad 3 has a 9.7" screen with a resolution of 2048 x 1536. The new Macbook? 2880x1800. Thats well over the 1080 standard, by a couple orders of magnitude (well over 5mil pixels). That tech alone is fairly boggling.

Plus it has the new Ivy Bridge i7 processor (a beast, with decent IGP graphics) and yet also a nVidia GT 650m, which is not shabby at all. It can blast full resolution on the laptop screen and up to 2 external monitors. 650 should be more than capable of running any current gaming content and has at least a few years of vitality in it.

Plus they've managed to make it thinner and lighter, it's almost as thin as a macbook pro (at it's thickest point) which is an improvement.

Granted, it's going to cost €2200 (2800 if you want 512GB storage and a faster clocked i7), which at some point ought to be considered. Judging from the specs though, the actual quality of the chassis, and the love-to-hate-it OSX hand manicured to run on apple hardware, you're easily looking at a machine that could run for the next 6-8 years without complaint, and probably would have a long 'retirement' period after that where it will make a spiffy email terminal. the only big hurdle in its wonder years would be the storage which will end up becoming a constraint.

avalon68

If mainly using for college work as indicated in your previous post, then I wouldn't worry too much about having the latest model. It's more important to buy the best you can afford, not spend loads extra for something that will probably not impact it's performance for you very much. I have a 2010 model and it handles everything I throw at it with ease. A 2012 would also do that, but really, for me, having a document open a few seconds faster is not worth the cost of upgrading. You would be able to pick up a bargain on the older model right now, and it will still be a great laptop and will see you through college. The thing with apple is, as soon as you buy they launch something newer very soon after.......no need to always have the newest model.....it's like buying a new car every year....some people do, but the rest of us don't.

silvine

Overheal wrote: »

Granted, it's going to cost €2200 (2800 if you want 512GB storage and a faster clocked i7), which at some point ought to be considered. Judging from the specs though, the actual quality of the chassis, and the love-to-hate-it OSX hand manicured to run on apple hardware, you're easily looking at a machine that could run for the next 6-8 years without complaint, and probably would have a long 'retirement' period after that where it will make a spiffy email terminal. the only big hurdle in its wonder years would be the storage which will end up becoming a constraint.

In theory, yes, in practice that's bloody optimistic. I've yet to meet the Mac owner who is happy with using hardware that's six or even eight years old. This is how Apple make their money and they excel at marketing their innovations. There'll be some change to the hardware or OS which will warrant an upgrade long before 2020.

Also retina is a little overkill for college work unless you're college work involves video or photos.

AlmightyCushion

Overheal wrote: »

The biggest thing that should scream to mind is Retina Display, this is a resolution density that is higher def than 1080p. To put it into perspective for you your average 80" LED TV has a resolution of 1920x1080 (pixels x pixels, about 2.07mil of them) - The iPad 3 has a 9.7" screen with a resolution of 2048 x 1536. The new Macbook? 2880x1800. Thats well over the 1080 standard, by a couple orders of magnitude (well over 5mil pixels). That tech alone is fairly boggling.

It's not a couple of orders of magnitude. One order of magnitude would mean it's 10 time as much. The new screen has about 2.5 times as many pixels as 1080p give or take so nowhere near even one order of magnitude.

Overheal wrote: »

Plus it has the new Ivy Bridge i7 processor (a beast, with decent IGP graphics) and yet also a nVidia GT 650m, which is not shabby at all. It can blast full resolution on the laptop screen and up to 2 external monitors. 650 should be more than capable of running any current gaming content and has at least a few years of vitality in it.

Plus they've managed to make it thinner and lighter, it's almost as thin as a macbook pro (at it's thickest point) which is an improvement.

Granted, it's going to cost €2200 (2800 if you want 512GB storage and a faster clocked i7), which at some point ought to be considered. Judging from the specs though, the actual quality of the chassis, and the love-to-hate-it OSX hand manicured to run on apple hardware, you're easily looking at a machine that could run for the next 6-8 years without complaint, and probably would have a long 'retirement' period after that where it will make a spiffy email terminal. the only big hurdle in its wonder years would be the storage which will end up becoming a constraint.

That 650M is a good laptop graphics card but pushing that many pixels will really hurt performance. For gaming the standard 15" would make more sense seeing as it has the same card but a lower resolution display.

@DoctorMedicine - There are a few differences in the standard models (non-retina version). The newer ones will have usb3 (a newer faster version of USB) on board. Not a big deal but still handy, although I imagine a thunderbolt->USB3 adapter will be realised so if you want that it might be an option down the line. The new ones also have a new fan design that should make them quieter. That would be a bigger advantage in the 15" than in the 13". Spec wise the base models both get a better processor and better graphics. The newer processors are more power efficient and a bit faster (probably about 5% faster at a guess, I haven't looked into it yet).

If you're looking at the 15" version and plan on gaming (or any other graphics intensive tasks) then the newer one would have better performance there so may be worth considering. The old ones have had a nice reduction and are at a pretty good price. If you're not doing anything very processor/graphics intensive then I'd say go with the older models. What are you using it for?

Overheal

Okay so I dont know wtf a magnitude is

U_Fig

I don't see what the big hype about having a mac... I agree that they have fantastic build quality and OSX is brilliant but this this justify the enormous premium in price.. like in fairness nearly twice the price...seems way too much for me...be smart go get your self and ASUS or something of similar spec and use what you'll save for something else..