Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Computers & Peripherals => Topic started by: Gellman on June 12, 2012, 03:34:39 pm
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I'm very disappointed with the design of the newly announced MacBook Pros. When it comes to computers, I want machines that are upgradable, not fixed in stone. The new MacBook Pros are available with Retina or non Retina displays. If I get a Retina display, storage space is set in stone. The flash drive is not removable/upgradeable. I can't replace it with the better ones that will surely be available during the period of a few years when I will be using the computer. If I get a non Retina display, the memory is not upgradeable beyond 8 GB. You can get up to 16 GB memory with a Retina display, but if you order one with 8 GB, it can't be upgraded to 16. Can you imagine buying a camera and not being able to upgrade the memory card that you first use with it? And there is no anti-glare option with the Retina Displays.
My 2009 era MacBook Pro was fine when I had a 12 MP camera, but it's too slow with my 22 MP camera's larger file sizes. The new MBP model with a Retina display and 16 GB memory would unquestionably meet my needs at this time, but what about next year and the year after that? When I buy a computer, I am looking for Mr. Right. All Apple is offering is Mr. Right Now. (Apologies to Robin Williams)
Apparently, Apple has become so successful that photographers are now a niche market that is too small to matter in their product development decisions. How disappointing!
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For those who want the most in upgrade flexibility or configurability, Macs have never been the best choice, by design (with the exception perhaps of the desktop pro line). I am a Mac guy, btw.
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I don't expect the most in upgrade flexibility. But some upgrade flexibility would be nice. Both the hard drive and the memory are replaceable/upgradable in my current (older) MBP. Apple is making too many compromises to be thinner. Contrary to the old saying, thinner isn't always better. I want a computer, not a featherweight extra-thin slice of aluminum.
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For every one person who has similar desires of their MacBook as you do, there are twenty or thirty who want nothing of the sort. Give it 6 months or so and Other World Computing or similar will have an upgrade kit for it anyway.
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If I get a non Retina display, the memory is not upgradeable beyond 8 GB.
Where did you get that idea? The non Retina MBP has two RAM slots just like the previous model. Apple is not currently offering two 8GB chips as an option, but I have no doubt that third party suppliers will in short order, if they don't already.
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I was slightly disappointed with the lack of a meaningful update to any of the desktop systems. I'm definitely in the market for one. That said, my current primary machine is a 17" 2009 MBP. I've got 4TB hanging off it on FW800 and a pile of USB2 drives used for backups. My point is that a lappy will almost never have enough internal storage for large media work. You'll always be hanging something off it.
As for memory upgrades and as other's have said, unless the memory is soldered on, OWC will have upgrade modules soon enough.
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As for memory upgrades and as other's have said, unless the memory is soldered on, OWC will have upgrade modules soon enough.
The memory on the Retina MBP is soldered on. No upgrading.
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For those who want the most in upgrade flexibility or configurability, Macs have never been the best choice, by design (with the exception perhaps of the desktop pro line). I am a Mac guy, btw.
+1. This is why I am not a Mac user.
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I, personally, am impressed with the new machine. Other than being as upgradable as the air models, it has excellent display, HDD-sized SSD, excellent CPU, good battery life and if I were shopping for a laptop right now, I'd be weighing my options between it and 13" air. But I am shopping for a desktop and if they put similar hardware in an 27" iMac, I'm game.
But I *really* hate not having an easy option to change hdd on the iMac. One should be able to pop it out and in as easily as in a standard laptop, IBM T43 for instance. Upgrading RAM and HDD are common operations expected during a computer's useful life and not being able to do it just sucks.