retina

What I'd like to see on next year's MacBook Pros

We knew new MacBooks were on their way sooner or later, and anyone who held back to buy a new model (myself included) found themselves rewarded with an across-the-board set of updates.

I had my own wish list for what I wanted to see in the next MacBook, and surprisingly, many of my requests were met...in the Retina Display MacBook Pro.

Aside from that exciting and extremely expensive $2,199 machine, however, Apple's new lineup of MacBooks doesn't differ all that much from last year's lineup. Unless you want to spend north of $2,000, your Apple upgrade path for laptops involves choosing either an Air or a thicker Pro.

The future of Apple's MacBook Pros looks to reside in that newly designed Retina Display model, whether you like it or not. If that's the case -- and in the future these redesigned Pros become the core of Apple's product line -- here's what I'd want to see.… Read more

The 404 1,074: Where it's not you, it's us (podcast)

The new Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display announced earlier this week just got an Editors' Choice review on CNET, but some die-hard tinkerers are upset about the lack of upgradeable components inside. According to iFixit.org, the latest MacBook Pro is the least reparable Apple laptop to date.

For starters, users are locked into the amount of RAM they choose at the purchase date, as the memory is actually soldered to the logic board. The proprietary solid-state hard drive is staying put as well, and watch out for a couple of booby traps concealed underneath the lithium-polymer battery! The laptop certainly remains incomparable in terms of display, I/O ports, and chassis, but keep in mind that your upgrade options down the line are severely limited if you go with this model.… Read more

A 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro is coming soon, analysts say

If you want a MacBook Pro with a Retina Display, your current options are limited to a single 15-inch size. However that might not be the case in a few months time.

AppleInsider today relays a note from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI, who suggests that Apple is about three months from running up production on a 13-inch model of its new, top of the line MacBook Pro.

Kuo suggested that the smaller machine was originally intended to debut alongside the 15-inch version Apple unveiled on Monday, but that things didn't come together in time.

The information is similar … Read more

Thin is in for PC, MacBook -- upgrades out

The upgradable computer is under attack.

In case you haven't noticed, Apple and every other first-tier PC maker on the planet are pushing thin laptops, not to mention even thinner tablets. Problem is, really thin computers are, by design, "sealed." That means, fewer and fewer upgradable computers.

In fact, these days the only chance you'll have to upgrade most ultrabooks and MacBooks is when you order them online. After that, you're stuck with the configuration.

As is the case with the Retina MacBook Pro. "Unlike previous generations of MacBook Pros, the MacBook Pro with … Read more

Apple playing hard to get with the newest MacBook Pro

One line I've made a point to throw into numerous launch stories about the iPhone and iPad is how nobody is having trouble getting their hands on one of Apple's computers the first few days it's out.

Right now, you can't say the same about the company's newest notebook.

The top of the line MacBook Pro, with its Retina Display and $2,199 starting price tag, is a hot item. Apple announced it at its annual developers conference on Monday and went put on sale immediately, but boy is it tough to get one.

If … Read more

Retina MacBook Pro is the least repairable to date

Following the release and immediate availability of the next-generation Retina MacBook Pro at the WWDC 2012 keynote address, the folks over at iFixIt jumped on the opportunity to take it apart and see exactly what makes this new computer tick. While the MacBook Pro contains some new and convenient features, Apple's approach for it has left out many user serviceable options and made it the least fixable MacBook Pro that Apple has ever made.

A welcome feature of the new MacBook Pro is, of course, its high-quality display, but in addition Apple has included some other neat features. The … Read more

Apple's Retina MacBook Pro ad: Lest you forget it's 'radical'

That new Retina MacBook Pro is a radical design. Apple's new TV ad doesn't want you to forget that.

The commercial, with a voiceover by Peter Coyote, seems effective in getting across the idea that Apple has fused the eye-popping Retina Display with an "impossibly thin" chassis.

And -- if the ad is indeed an accurate representation -- shows that the 15.4-inch IPS display has pretty decent viewing angles, which is IPS tech's calling card.

It will be interesting to see how many of the $2,200-and-up laptops Apple sells. Will it be just … Read more

Inside the 2012 MacBook Air: Apple overhauls the engine

The updated MacBook Air doesn't look new on the outside, but the inside is a different story.

That story mostly revolves around Ivy Bridge, Intel's new 22-nanometer processor that boasts upgraded graphics silicon ("up to 60 percent faster graphics," says Apple). But there are a few more subtle changes, too, according to iFixit's teardown.

Intel's new engine: iFixit found a Core i5-3427U 1.8GHz chip. That comes with Turbo Boost, which can ratchet up the speed to 2.8GHz, and Intel's HD 4000 graphics. Not surprisingly, the Core i5 is Intel's most … Read more

Why go Retina? Apple dishes out lots of reasons

Wondering whether you should part with $2,199 for a MacBook Pro Retina? That is, after all, a lot for a laptop these days.

Apple is trying to make that decision easier by offering lots and lots reasons to buy a MacBook Pro Retina. While professionals may need little convincing, will the average user care?

Here is the list of core benefits Apple is claiming for the Retina MBP:

Raw specs: 15.4-inch, 2,800x1,800 pixel density, 220 pixels per inch (ppi). By comparison, the third-generation iPad is 2,048x1,536 and 264 ppi. Contrast, viewing angle: Higher contrast … Read more

Five ways to spend $2,199 on a MacBook

The MacBook Pro with Retina Display is Apple's new high-end flagship laptop. It's thin and powerful, includes an Nvidia graphics card and solid-state storage, and even has a unique (on a laptop) high-res Retina Display.

But it also costs $2,199, making it a sizable investment, even for a MacBook (the least expensive being the 11-inch MacBook Air, starting at $999).

With expanded configuration options, including new Intel Ivy Bridge CPUs and larger-capacity SSDs, you can also take that same $2,199 and spend it on just about any other MacBook. Depending on your needs, you might even end up with something that's a better overall deal for you.

Presented below are a few different ways we found to configure various MacBooks to cost (roughly) $2,199.… Read more