Help Spec'ing out a New Macbook Pro

[bogeybrown]

Alright Gents,

I know this is random, but certainly no more random than some of the shit that gets posted here, so I'm hoping to elicit the help of my fellow Hiders. Recent threads have confirmed that there are some VERY smart and tech-savvy folks amongst us, and I'm in need of assistance.

I've decided to purchase my first ever Macbook. I travel extensively, so for now I'm looking at the 13" Macbook Pro (Retina). With the new models, it's only slightly heavier than the Air, with better connectivity and "power". I realize the 15" model outperforms it, but it's big, and another pound heavier.

The new Retina models can't be upgraded later, so it's "easy" for me to just go through and max out everything, but at some point there has got to be a point of diminishing returns.

My main use is going to be as an all around "home computer" while I'm out of the States and have no place to put an iMac. I'll be doing the usual internet, word processing, etc plus I'll be running Lightroom 5 and probably one of the Photoshop versions to do post processing on RAW pics from my Canon 5DmkII (which can also do 1080p video).
When my situation allows, I'll end up getting a high quality display to make photo editing easier, but for now it's not a realistic option.

I'm currently looking at the 512GB version upgraded to 16gb RAM and the 2.8 i7 processor, which is an expensive set of upgrades. I can't justify moving up to the 1TB hard drive because I use external drives extensively and will eventually have the AirPort for backup as well.

SO, where is it worth it to upgrade the 13" Pro Retina and where am I pissing away money?

 

[BALLISTIC]

You are throwing money away by buying Apple...

 

[NevadaZielmeister]

Alright Gents,

I know this is random, but certainly no more random than some of the shit that gets posted here, so I'm hoping to elicit the help of my fellow Hiders. Recent threads have confirmed that there are some VERY smart and tech-savvy folks amongst us, and I'm in need of assistance.

I've decided to purchase my first ever Macbook. I travel extensively, so for now I'm looking at the 13" Macbook Pro (Retina). With the new models, it's only slightly heavier than the Air, with better connectivity and "power". I realize the 15" model outperforms it, but it's big, and another pound heavier.

The new Retina models can't be upgraded later, so it's "easy" for me to just go through and max out everything, but at some point there has got to be a point of diminishing returns.

My main use is going to be as an all around "home computer" while I'm out of the States and have no place to put an iMac. I'll be doing the usual internet, word processing, etc plus I'll be running Lightroom 5 and probably one of the Photoshop versions to do post processing on RAW pics from my Canon 5DmkII (which can also do 1080p video).
When my situation allows, I'll end up getting a high quality display to make photo editing easier, but for now it's not a realistic option.

I'm currently looking at the 512GB version upgraded to 16gb RAM and the 2.8 i7 processor, which is an expensive set of upgrades. I can't justify moving up to the 1TB hard drive because I use external drives extensively and will eventually have the AirPort for backup as well.

SO, where is it worth it to upgrade the 13" Pro Retina and where am I pissing away money?

My entire family is a big Mac family. I have the iMac and my wife has the Macbook Pro. The apple products are very intuitive and you will wonder why you ever used a Windows PC before. You pay a little bit more up front, but then save a lot down the road. My wife and I use our Apples DAILY and they get a lot of hard use.

I would go with the bigger RAM since that will keep the machine faster, especially in the future as programs get more and more complex, they always do. I have the Time Capsule for 2 TB. This item is amazing since it automatically backs up everything. I also have an Airport which links all of our machines together. It is easy to setup.

Another positive about Apple: When you call, you get a customer service representative in California. Sacramento to be exact. They answer usually on the first or second ring and there is no voicemail hell to go through.

One note of caution: Almost all of the ballistic software programs run on Windows. So you could get a Window's emulator like this one: http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/ and you will be able to run all of the programs without trouble.

With my recent purchase of a Kestrel with Applied Ballistics, I decided to resurrect by old HP PC running Windows XP and not incur any additional costs.

You will love your Apple purchase. I will never go back to a PC, ever again. From what I have read in various places, Frank also runs everything on a Mac. I also have a Canon. Now that I think of it, you might want the bigger hard drive to 1TB since each photo is like 25 megabytes. That fills up quick.

 

[Timberbeast7]

After years of using PCs we have two MacBooks now and will NEVER buy another PC. I'm typing on basically the computer you are looking at. 13.3" with Retina display. I have the preconfigured model with 256 GB SSD, 8 GB RAM and 2.4 GHz processor. I got a smoking deal on it at Best Buy and since we bought the Airport Time Capsule with 2TB hard drive and I have a portable 1TB hard I wasn't really worried about upgrading to the 512 GB SSD. I was told unless you are a serious gamer 16 GB of RAM would be overkill...not sure about the requirements for photo/video editing. I love this computer and don't think you'll be disappointed. We also have AppleTV and iPhones and its nice how everything seamlessly meshes with everything else and takes basically no configuring.

 

[bogeybrown]

Thanks Guys,

Nevada, I'm with you on the Kestrel/AB. Brian has said he's working on an Apple version, which hopefully comes along soon. I have a little Asus netbook I bought 4yrs ago as a "disposable" travel computer that flat out refuses to die, so if need be I can use it to manage my ballistic data. The 3TB AirPort is definitely in my future once I'm not constrained to govt internet restrictions that would negate all its benefits.

Timberbeast, about the only think I'll never do with it is gaming. My only real reason for the 16gb of RAM is that I've never bought a real computer before (my ex wife handled all that) so I'm unlikely to be buying another one anytime soon, so if I can deck this thing out to keep from having to replace it in the near future, then I guess it's worth it.

I'll admit that I'm terrified of Mac, never having used it. But I have the iPad and iPhone, and to have all those things talking to each other would be nice. Plus, the Retina display seems to be without peer in color rendition and image quality, especially if I'm doing alot of cropping/zooming on photos. I'll be using mostly external hard drives for photo storage. I have several other 1TB hard drives already that are full of movies and TV shows.

 

[Veer_G]

Someone that I know does a good bit of traveling, and has decided that the easiest thing to do is to purchase a "throwaway" machine, one that does just enough for his purposes, and then Craigslists it once he returns. With a minimal installation of necessary programs, it does what you describe, and then the files get disgorged onto something external, the drive gets a fast wipe, and off it goes. With as many places as he goes, he figures that it's like having a passport with no entrance/exit stamps. There's nothing there to freak out the constabulary, and cloud services are your friend. And no, I have nothing against MBPs. I'm typing on one.

 

[bogeybrown]

Thanks Veer,

That's exactly what I have now: a $200 Asus netbook with NOTHING on it. Everything is on externals and I don't care if if falls down a well, gets seized in some 3rd world airport, or gets blown up by a bomb squad mistaking it for an IED.

Unfortunately, it has ZERO performance for anything useful. Hence the Macbook.

 

[Timberbeast7]

I don't blame you for wanting to deck it out, if I had the money at the time I would have done the same although the one I got turned out to be so much faster than anything I've used I probably would have never noticed...but I'm also not doing a ton of video editing. There will be a little bit of adjusting going from PC to a Mac but in the end the Mac, IMO, is much easier and more intuitive to use.

 

[bogeybrown]

Timber,

I guess that's my question in a nutshell: at what point am I spending money on "performance" I'll never need/notice?

 

[Veer_G]

Thanks Veer,

That's exactly what I have now: a $200 Asus netbook with NOTHING on it. Everything is on externals and I don't care if if falls down a well, gets seized in some 3rd world airport, or gets blown up by a bomb squad mistaking it for an IED.

Unfortunately, it has ZERO performance for anything useful. Hence the Macbook.

Here's what I would do, then. Get yourself an early 2011 MBP, no older, max the RAM, do a HDD swap for something solid state, and think about a new battery, while you're under the hood.

https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Apple_MacBook_MacBook_Pro/Upgrade

https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/

Genuine Original Battery for MacBook Pro 15 inch Early 2011 MC721LL A MC723LL A | eBay

MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Battery Replacement - iFixit

You get a nondescript, older looking laptop with the heart of a tiger. 16GB of RAM and an SSD will get you where you want to be. Call OWC.

 

[Mike_Honcho]

<- Has 13" Retina 2.6 Hz / 8g and 13" Non Retina (not sure of the specs b/c it isn't close by)


Would buy NON retina again. Retina = not enough bang for the buck.

More memory is better than less memory (I would want at least 8, but think 16 makes for a better machine longer term).

Big HDs are great, but clouds and external backups are better.

On the whole I have had FAR fewer problems with Apple vs PC.

 

[bogeybrown]

Thanks Mike,

I agree that the Retinas are a series of trade-offs, but just like with guns, whether I "need" it or not, I WANT it.

I guess it's looking like I just max the damn thing out (other than HD) and suck it up. I've never financed anything (other than a car and house) but got approved for some interest-free credit with Apple that will cover a good bit of the cost of this bastid. JEEEEZUS I can't believe I'm looking at a 13" laptop for over $2k. WTF??????

 

[Veer_G]

JEEEEZUS I can't believe I'm looking at a 13" laptop for over $2k. WTF??????

Considering the fact that you're on a website where mere wants become desperate needs in milliseconds, and digits on credit cards get melted flatter than Kansas, that's funny!

 

[bogeybrown]

Considering the fact that you're on a website where mere wants become desperate needs in milliseconds, and digits on credit cards get melted flatter than Kansas, that's funny!

Buddy, I am a PRIME offender in emptying my bank account every 2 weeks to pay for some cool shit I found here. In fact, I just sent off final payment on another rifle I picked up here. I'm about to get hit with the perfect storm of paying this year's taxes, the BEAST I've had on order probably coming available, and a month's vacation in Oceania I need to pay for. Hence using credit for the first time in my life for the Mac. All the other folks need CASH.

 

[Veer_G]

If you need to go new, check these guys out: MacBooks | B&H Photo Video

 

[Kosmos]

Good choice on the platform - pimping it out that way will maximize the longevity of that MBP
You should be good to go for the next 3-5 on that. Not to mention the Retina display is gorgeous!!
Also since you have added the additional resources - you could always run a virtual machine (say with virtual box free from oracle)
and run anything from windows to linux and have the best of ALL worlds.... I love mine!! Go for it and never look back.
(suggest you get the AppleCare for it covered for 3yrs on anything that goes wrong with it)

 

[bogeybrown]

Thanks Kosmos,

I'm definitely buying the Apple Care.
I'm a complete techno-tard, so I don't even understand the virtual machine thing. The best I've gathered, it's possible for me to run Mavericks AND Windows on one machine?

I also take it that maxing everything but the HD isn't completely off the wall, despite the expense? I'd max the hard drive as well, but I can't justify an extra $500 bucks just to bump up from 512gb to 1TB when I'll be using externals for mass storage anyway.

 

[GUNNER75]

My stack of non apple laptops remind me how much I appreciate my Macbook Pro. It hurt bad, but so far no regrets other than saying yes I own another apple product. I kick and scream from time to time learning how to "apple it", but compared to Windows 8 I will deal with it.

Sure you will like it.

 

[bogeybrown]

Thanks Gunner,

I guess I'm just going to have to view this thing like quality optics and suck it up and spend the money. There's plenty of other "options" for less money, but at a certain point you're no longer looking at the right tool for the job, or you'll be tossing it to get what you SHOULD have bought the first time. Compared to what I spend on shooting/optics, this thing is closer to my ammo expenditures.

 

[ZiaHunter]

Two years ago I purchased a Mac Book Pro for home use and wish I had done so sooner. We use windows at work on a big network and I hate it. Always issues, never ending updates etc. The Mac communicates flawlessly with my iPad and IPhone and never locks up. For those applications I use which are Windows based I run Parallels such as Quickload and AB Loader. I would recommend getting as much RAM as you can afford.

 

[bogeybrown]

Thanks All,

Now that I've maxed this bastard out I'm at the price of the 15" model (with 512gb). I really wasn't looking to get the 15 because of size and weight, but for those of you that have experience with both, am I screwing up by going 13 instead of 15?

 

[Veer_G]

15" is more to lug, but it's also that much more real estate when you're juggling programs and site pages. Something to think about.

 

[hankpac]

However you spec it, look at Apples refurb program. Half the cost, same warrantee and same support. Fully up to snuff. Spec'ed the way you want it.
I am typing on a 13" refurb, that I replaced my dead 2006 Macbook pro. It's how I will buy my next one.

 

[bogeybrown]

Great advice Hank,

I've been browsing the refurbs on Apple for several days hoping that something pops up with the system configuration I'm looking for. No luck so far though.

 

[RugerSlinger]

This is what I did and if you have the know-how or good google-fu this is pretty easy. I bought the one with the fastest processor with the smallest HD and Memory and did the upgrade on the HD with a Samsung 840Pro (The 840EVO is just as good now) and used aftermarket Memory and sold off the stock HD and Memory. This is the cheapest way out of it and it is very easy to do. You also end up with a very fast HD and memory. The Samsung HD is blazing fast.

My 2 cents if trying to save some moneys

 

[bogeybrown]

Thanks Ruger,
Unfortunately, the new Retina models can't be upgraded, what you buy is what you got for the life of the computer.

What I ended up getting was the 13" Macbook Pro Retina model with the 2.8 i7 dual core, 512GB, 16GB RAM. That's the most topped out available without dumping the extra $500 into a 1TB hard drive, which I don't need because I'll be using externals for bulk storage.

For all those considering an Apple purchase, I "accidentally" found the Fed/Mil side of Apple's website which is open to all govt employees and contractors. It saved me SEVERAL hundred dollars off the price of the computer and Apple Care. It was still insanely expensive (I could have gotten a NICE iMac for less) but for my needs a portable power-house of a laptop fits my current needs better. Once I'm home I'll connect it to a badass monitor when need be.

I appreciate all the advice and guidance from my fellow Hiders. Y'all prove once again to be a pretty smart group of "knuckle draggers".