Non-Retina Mid-2012 MacBook Pro Torn Apart

[Yebubbleman]

Frankly, this is why the non-retina unibody MacBook Pros are the best designed and engineered laptops on the market today. It's rugged, sturdy, practical, and of course, easy on the eyes. No component is hard to get at. The worst is probably the battery, but acquire a tri-lobe screw-driver and that even that problem is solved. This is probably my biggest complaint and fear with the new retina models (second only to the removal of ports, requiring me to buy $30 dongles AND the removal of the optical drive). In terms of design and engineering, in my truly honest opinion, the retina models are a step down from the non-retina models.

 

[HishamAkhtar]

What did you mean to say?

He's making it seem that you're locked into the SSD memory you buy but that's not the case.

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If you return your rMBP to Apple with failed RAM soldered on the board they could possibly remove it and replace it with a larger capacity stick (in theory). I'm not saying they would give you the option though.
My biggest concern about non upgradeable/removable RAM or SSD is not just the lack of upgrade but the hassle of getting it repaired when a removable version of either would be very easy and probably much cheaper to do yourself after the 3 year mandatory Applecare package has run out. Don't think the Applecare is mandatory? Go ask Apple how much a replacement retina screen costs.

Yeah that's a really good point. You're riding on thin ice after AppleCare runs out...

 

[professorjay]

So what you're saying is, that $2,200 Retinabook isn't actually $2,200. It's $2,550 because Apple Care is almost mandatory.

That's how I look at it.

We have no idea what the repair costs for the screen, HD, ram, or battery are. If one of those things goes wrong on a regular MB Pro at least I know the HD, ram & battery are going to be reasonable for me to do myself.

Not to mention you are still on your own after 3 yrs w/ the Apple Care. And I would prefer to keep my next computer for 5 yrs (especially at that price tag) just like the one I'm using now.

Add that this is the first version of a totally new model, which has a higher chance of problems, the amount of risk at the regular price (w/out Apple Care) is not worth it to me. All those factors put together: I'm getting the non-retina. That's how I came to my conclusion, even though I initially had my finger on the buy button for the retina. It wasn't easy to talk myself out of it.

 

[KingYaba]

I'm getting the non-retina. That's how I came to my conclusion, even though I initially had my finger on the buy button for the retina. It wasn't easy to talk myself out of it.

And another MR article said that the full 2880x1800 resolution isn't supported by Mac OS X which, in my mind, sort of defeats the main purpose of buying this notebook. Maybe the next version of OS X will include support.

 

[unplugme71]

So what you're saying is, that $2,200 Retinabook isn't actually $2,200. It's $2,550 because Apple Care is almost mandatory.

No, but offer a 4 or 5 yr term instead of 3yr for Apple Care

 

[to002010]

thats sick

 

[CogitoEAS]

Does anyone know if the NVIDIA graphics is soldered to the logic board? Or is it replaceable?