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Extremely Detailed Review of the rMBP
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Great article Andy, many thanks for posting.
[Andrew Richards] “This is the bit I was most dissuaded by. Bear in mind that you can get the same Ivy Bridge + Kepler guts in a old-school MBP, albeit with the old-school screen to go with it. But without all those built-in pixels to drive, GPU-hungry apps might likely fare better on the non-Retina MBPs. You can always get a fast SSD in the MBP to match (or exceed) the rMBP’s storage performance, pack it with 16 GB RAM after-market (maybe even 32 GB?), and swap out the ODD for a second HDD, which can be had up to 1 TB these days. Granted, the screen won’t be able to deliver as much real estate, but the Retina MBP apparently really has to strain its GPU just to do all the scaling necessary to drive 1920×1200 mode.”
I had a similar take-away. Clearly the MPRr is a technological marvel, bleeding edge in every respect. But despite the amazing job Apple’s done pushing the state-of-the-art, Intel and Nvidia still need to catch up.
I priced a new system for myself and and for everything I’d need (including new TB display) even with a discount, I’m still looking at more than a $4700 investment. For that kind of money, overall system performance needs to be awesome above and beyond the other offerings on the table. Little things like laggy browser scrolling isn’t OK, actually. I take that as a sign that this laptop is a transitional device. I’m sure for many it will be fantastic, but I have a feeling for me it’s not a great value yet. Better to wait until Intel and Nvidia produce chips that are designed for high density screens.
I’m not happy about waiting. CS6 really needs more than I can give it and I’m ready to buy something. But I really want state-of-the-art. I’m willing to pay for it, but it feels like this is about a year too early. Maybe something used and cheap as a interim machine?
I’m pretty confident Apple will build a laptop I’ll want. More confident than I’d be if I needed a tower. But it’s definitely a weird, transitional time for hardware. Lots of promise in the future but hard to drop big bucks now.
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David Lawrence
art~media~design~research
propaganda.com
publicmattersgroup.com
facebook.com/dlawrence
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[David Lawrence] “I’m not happy about waiting. CS6 really needs more than I can give it and I’m ready to buy something. But I really want state-of-the-art. I’m willing to pay for it, but it feels like this is about a year too early. Maybe something used and cheap as a interim machine?”
I’ve got to tell you, I’ve been very happy with my last on the line 17″. It preforms favorably against the current chip release. And, 2010 17 still preforms well too, though without TBolt. If they were still selling a next gen MBP 17, I would probably choose it over the MBPr. So, there might be some bargains out there.
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[David Lawrence] “I’m not happy about waiting. CS6 really needs more than I can give it and I’m ready to buy something. But I really want state-of-the-art. I’m willing to pay for it, but it feels like this is about a year too early. Maybe something used and cheap as a interim machine?”
Do you want state of the art, or speed?
Once cs6 is retina, won’t much of the scaling go away?
As long as you aren’t browsing Facebook and editing at the exact same time, won’t you be OK? He explains why Facebook lags.
Look at the ray trace tests: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/lv?key=0AuE_AZZfskx3dHotTzVGamhiUkIySTUteGlzeG9xMEE&pli=1
If you really need speed, why not a PC?
Have you looked at the HP laptops? They are 7+ pounds, but sport a Dreamcolor.
Double the ram, triple the HD capability, similar price.
😉
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[Jeremy Garchow] “Do you want state of the art, or speed?”
Both!
I remember when one meant the other and visa versa. I don’t think that’s too much to ask, especially when you’re dropping close to $5K.
[Jeremy Garchow] “Once cs6 is retina, won’t much of the scaling go away?
As long as you aren’t browsing Facebook and editing at the exact same time, won’t you be OK? He explains why Facebook lags.”
Yes he does:
“The GPU has an easy time with its part of the process but the CPU’s workload is borderline too much for a single core to handle. Throw a more complex website at it and things get bad quickly. Facebook combines a lot of compressed images with text – every single image is decompressed on the CPU before being handed off to the GPU. Combine that with other elements that are processed on the CPU and you get a recipe for choppy scrolling.”
He then goes on to write about how it’s much better in Mountain Lion:
“Whereas I would consider the rMBP experience under Lion to be borderline unacceptable, everything is significantly better under Mountain Lion. Don’t expect buttery smoothness across the board, you’re still asking a lot of the CPU and GPU, but it’s a lot better.”
I think it’s great that Mountain Lion is more efficient, but for the money this machine costs, I’d much rather have a CPU and GPU that was totally up to the task. I want my buttery smoothness in hardware!
[Jeremy Garchow] “If you really need speed, why not a PC?
Have you looked at the HP laptops? They are 7+ pounds, but sport a Dreamcolor.
Double the ram, triple the HD capability, similar price.
;)”
True dat. If I had the resources for a dedicated work machine, I’d think seriously about Windows. But thing is, I use my one machine for everything — work and everything else in my life. Not gonna give up Mac OS for the non-work everyday stuff. I mean would you? 😉
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David Lawrence
art~media~design~research
propaganda.com
publicmattersgroup.com
facebook.com/dlawrence
twitter.com/dhl -
[David Lawrence] “I remember when one meant the other and visa versa. I don’t think that’s too much to ask, especially when you’re dropping close to $5K.”
Kinda. Macs have never really been the fastest or most expandable. 🙂
The retina is fast, but it also has some really new features, and it’s not cheap.
[David Lawrence] “True dat. If I had the resources for a dedicated work machine, I’d think seriously about Windows. But thing is, I use my one machine for everything — work and everything else in my life. Not gonna give up Mac OS for the non-work everyday stuff. I mean would you? ;)”
Moi? Well, no but clearly I don’t know what I am missing on the windows side, it’s supposed to be the bees knees.
Too bad figuring out how to enter a simple IP address takes 4 screens and a chant.
Seriously though, I’d wait to see if someone has used cs6 with it. I’ve heard prelim reports that openCL kinda works. It will of course take an official update from Adobe to “bless” it but in since Ps CS6 was shown, it must be on their radar.
You can still buy refurb 17″ that has official openCL support.
Jeremy
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[Jeremy Garchow] “[David Lawrence] “..But thing is, I use my one machine for everything — work and everything else in my life. Not gonna give up Mac OS for the non-work everyday stuff. I mean would you? ;)”
Moi? Well, no but clearly I don’t know what I am missing on the windows side, it’s supposed to be the bees knees.
No, MAC is the bee’s knees – unless you’re lumpy, wear a suit and comb your hair. If 3 years of Justin Long isn’t enough to convince you of that, you’re beyond hope.
Too bad figuring out how to enter a simple IP address takes 4 screens and a chant. “
Dude, he asked about your OS for non-work everyday stuff. If you’re adding IPs for non-work, everyday stuff, I’m not sure I want you bringing desserts to my next pot-luck dinner.
Besides, who uses a computer for non-work stuff anymore? LOL
And in an uncharacteristic bit of on-topicness, I have a 15″ HP WORKstation with a Dreamcolor monitor, and it’s insane. I’m definitely a 15″ guy (ahem), but I’ve seen the 17″ and it’s even insaner…But note the emphasis on WORK-station, rather than LAP top. You would not want this on your lap for very long. It is definitely not the holy grail of a single, sleek monster device that gives you tippy-top performance in a form that will make you feel all tousled hair, t-shirt, Drew Barrymore’s boyfriend.
Tim Wilson
Associate Publisher, Editor-in-Chief
Creative COW Magazine
Twitter: timdoubleyou -
[Tim Wilson] “Dude, he asked about your OS for non-work everyday stuff. If you’re adding IPs for non-work, everyday stuff, I’m not sure I want you bringing desserts to my next pot-luck dinner. “
Actually, we are talking laptop and paid work, and life work.
While I work on my laptop sometimes, I also have my life stored on there as well, and I think that’s what David is saying.
For my laptops (and I realize that not may people have to do this) I need multiple locations as our SAN requires specific IPs.
[Tim Wilson] “And in an uncharacteristic bit of on-topicness, I have a 15″ HP WORKstation with a Dreamcolor monitor, and it’s insane. I’m definitely a 15″ guy (ahem), but I’ve seen the 17″ and it’s even insaner…But note the emphasis on WORK-station, rather than LAP top. You would not want this on your lap for very long. It is definitely not the holy grail of a single, sleek monster device that gives you tippy-top performance in a form that will make you feel all tousled hair, t-shirt, Drew Barrymore’s boyfriend.”
I wasn’t kidding when I recommended it. I stand by my DreamColor as a monitor, and to have it in a computer would be totally awesome. I’ve looked really hard at it. If I was sure about the hell I was doing, that’s what I would get.
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[Jeremy Garchow] “For my laptops (and I realize that not may people have to do this) I need multiple locations as our SAN requires specific IPs.”
I think it’s inefficient to manage IP addresses on the computers themselves. From an administration standpoint, I think it’s far better to manage the assignment of IP addresses on the router and allow all the computers to use DHCP and be assigned the same address every time they connect. It’s like centrally-managed static IPs.
This does not negate your original objection that setting a static IP in Windows is stupid hard.
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
[Walter Soyka] “I think it’s inefficient to manage IP addresses on the computers themselves. From an administration standpoint, I think it’s far better to manage the assignment of IP addresses on the router and allow all the computers to use DHCP and be assigned the same address every time they connect. It’s like centrally-managed static IPs.”
That sounds totally out of my league.
It’s much easier to have a document stored on the SAN that has an IP number that I can simply cross off (I have blocked x.x.x.1 – 50 on the incoming router. You also have to add this IP number to the “host” file in Windows (which is actually much easier to do in Windows than on a Mac, so there, OSX sucks).
In metaSAN, you have to add specific IPs to the software by hand. If a server was generating this, it would make it that much harder as I’d still have to type it in at some point.
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[Jeremy Garchow] “That sounds totally out of my league.”
It’s really easy on my router; YMMV. I need the MAC address of the network interface (which is C&P-able from that same administration page by looking at the DHCP client list), and then I can assign the IP address and hostname it will receive.
The computers all stay on DHCP and that IP and hostname are assigned them by the router when they connect.
[Jeremy Garchow] “In metaSAN, you have to add specific IPs to the software by hand. If a server was generating this, it would make it that much harder as I’d still have to type it in at some point.”
You have to type it twice, no matter what.
I’m just suggesting you type it once in the SAN and once in the router instead of once on the SAN and once on the PC.
This gives you only two places you’ll ever have to change IP addresses (SAN and router), instead of potentially dozens (SAN and individual computers).
Do I have to apologize on this forum for off-topics?
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events
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