Review Notebook MacBook Pro 13 Retina (Late 2013)

In short – this is one of the best devices Apple during the existence of the brand. Laptop is very fast, very tenacious, very beautiful, very easy and done by engineers at work causes enormous respect. In the world of laptops with Windows is nothing like that, and probably will not appear in the coming years …

Design

Appearance compared to the previous generation remained unchanged, the laptop is really small and relatively light. What is surprising if you know what there stuffing. Dimensions are 31.4 x 21.9 x 1.8 cm, weight 1.57 kg, five hundred grams heavier than the MacBook Air. I carry a laptop bag, the difference between the MBP 15 and 13 Retina Retina very noticeable, especially the hand does not draw. This is especially noticed by those who moved by public transport – I’m not just saying about Air, MBP Retina 13 weighs a little more, but the possibilities are broader than his younger brother. Laptop thin, elegant, perfectly assembled – metal, glass, no gaps and scratches, perfect sound quality built-in speakers (perfect for laptop). The slots are on the bottom sides, cover dynamics is unlikely to succeed, unless you put the laptop on the carpet with a very long nap. The keyboard is the same size as that of MBP 15 Retina, as you can see in the photo, on the sides there are no perforated domains. Above the display is the camera lens cover can be folded with one hand, the opening angle is large. On the right side is a connector for the power supply, two ports Thunderbolt, USB, mini-jack, works as audio output (digital / analog). Two microphones, voice quality at excellent Retina MBP 13 in Skype can easily communicate without a microphone. Right slot for SD, HDMI port and one USB. I note that I do not understand people complaining about the small number of USB-ports in laptops, how many devices need to be connected? And why? Well, let’s say it’s an external drive, a mouse, but there does not need a mouse, the touchpad works fine. Flash card? Okay, what else? Camera? Headset with USB? Well then easier to buy USB-hub and not complain, do not you?

In this regard, I note that the Retina MBP 13 has everything you need for work, speech about connectors.

Housing with a special coating is not so easy to scratch, you need to make an effort. Small scratches or scrapes can be washed, this feature from Apple laptops I personally love. On the cover glowing apple, goes out when you close your laptop. Very pleased with the speed, “Wake up,” literally immediately after opening the lid 13 MBP Retina ready. By the way, OS X Mavericks when you press the power button once the device goes into sleep mode, the ideology is similar to iOS.

Well, again – smart packaging, brand new fragrance technology Apple (not be confused with anything) and banal pleasure of using high-quality things.

Keyboard, touchpad and a little lyrics

Very comfortable backlit keyboard, the number keys differs from region to region in the U.S. is 78, for the other 79 keys. Everything is traditional and familiar control buttons on top off button in the right corner, next to volume control, playback control and so on. Backlighting can be adjusted independently. Keyboards for all Apple laptops are incredibly comfortable to print from the Windows world analogues can not pick up – like the keyboard before in Sony notebooks but now they apparently deteriorated. Judge can experience set on new VAIO Pro. Short key travel, strange cover, like Pro, but only professionals daily gaining tens of thousands of characters are unlikely to appreciate. If you are such a person and still have not tried the MacBook – highly recommend.

Touchpad eliminates the need for a mouse and that says it all, it can support multiple gestures connect MagicMouse thought did not appear for the time never use. I note that when typing the touchpad does not touch the palms are on the left and right fields, after 15 Retina MBP have to get used to the other body size. In general, working with text laptop fits perfectly – of course, this applies to the address and reference documents, and everything else. My task is to write articles well and lawyer (if he is a good lawyer and demanded) daily have to shovel the pile of documents, write them yourself – here Retina MBP 13 is an ideal tool for population characteristics.

However, here it is necessary to take into account the whole range of characteristics. On the official website of the use cases very well said, the laptop can be a good device for a designer or coder, for those who work with video or photos, for people already mentioned, a bunch of texts concerned – ultra-mobile workstation. Accordingly, each element must work closely with each other and that’s just the magic begins here somewhere Apple, when all system devices exist in unison and the user solves the problem calmly and not the tasks associated with the device.Let me explain what I mean, we have recently included a woman laptop Sony VAIO, to copy photos to an external drive. Laptop a couple of years.But it’s not that. Include did not really work, because started installing updates Windows. Then there were some pre-installed software updates VAIO. Then a dozen any notification messages from the antivirus and other stuff. Literally have to wade to the goal, through the thorns to the stars. I understand that in today’s devices with Windows has not changed anything.

To do something using the MacBook just need to open the cover. That’s it. Many accuse me of excessive love for laptops Apple, but I am upset because of another – much worse that many still live in the stone age and willing to put up with the inconvenience and “masterpieces” of employees Microsoft. That’s really very, very strange. Try another platform and then to make a judgment – but otherwise it’s just stories about Aboriginal flying bird in the sky rail. Certainly it brings only pain and suffering, so will her curse in absentia and taboo.

And finally, about the keyboard. If you buy the “American”, as in the pictures, the worst thing you can do – ruin the look of engraving. Learn to type blindly, it is useful knowledge. Moreover, you can not believe that no engraving will live a normal life, but his hands everybody remembers – just try it out. Remember – engraving normally made only on devices that Apple released for our market. In all other cases, it looks pathetic.

Display

Frankly, I’m much more comfortable working at a laptop with a diagonal of 17 inches – that’s all waiting for the MBP 17 will Retina. It seems to me wanting to buy such devices exist, earlier in fact were eager for makbukov large, they have not gone away now. On such a display is convenient to work with text, photos, videos, more convenient to operate windows programs – and do not break eye. So anything that is less than fifteen inches I personally perceive as only device on the verge of convenience after prolonged use. Long – that is, during the day. For example, I can start work at noon and end at three o’clock, when the last letter or send the last text was finishing. With Retina MBP 13, I spent more than a month and my opinion has not changed, want maximum convenience – choose MBP 15 Retina. A laptop is considered a niche solution for those who need a minimum and maximum body size in-class performance.

Now the facts. Display size 13.3-inch, 2560 x 1600 pixels, LED-backlight, IPS-technology when compared to the MBP 15 Retina first generation, the screen will become brighter to me it became much more when you first start (clearly visible at maximum brightness) . The screen is not yellow, very nice black color, traditionally Retina pleases clarity. I recall that after meeting and working on such a regular laptop screens do not perceive, immediately apparent loose fonts, icons unclear. Incidentally, even in my set of software still meet utilities that are not optimized for the Retina, such is Audacity.

In general, the screen is fine, I have no complaints. What about all of the above resolution, are thinking of buying MacBook Pro – think thrice what diagonal suit you. Performance MB Pro 13 and 15 are similar (for working with video in any case better MBP 15 Retina), but a slight difference in the diagonal for many may be critical. Good option – compare device in the store.

Performance

How can we evaluate the performance of the computer in our time? Did someone say something benchmarks and other dry figures? For example, here I am telling you that Retina MBP 13 can be installed here these processors:

• Dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with a clock frequency of 2.4 GHz (Turbo Boost acceleration to 2.9 GHz) with 3MB shared cache in the third level \


• Dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with a clock frequency of 2.6 GHz (Turbo Boost acceleration to 3.1 GHz) with 3MB shared cache in the third level


• Or here – dual-core Intel Core i7 processor clocked at 2.8 GHz (Turbo Boost acceleration to 3.3 GHz) with 4 MB of shared cache in the third level

Three variants, participated in the testing sample with Intel Core i5 (2,6 GHz), in my opinion, is the best option. Depending on the version equipped with modifications RAM 4GB or 8GB (DDR3L), used SSD 128, 256 or 512 GB, GPU Intel Iris Graphics. So that’s how it all measure, measure and understand how to give the dear reader, that is all right with the performance (or not)? Honestly, I do not know the way. Benchmarks do not tell about the main thing about the experiences in actual operation. Let’s say the last 13 MBP Retina too, everything was ok with the performance but in fact even watching YouTube in full screen mode caused the brakes.

There is no such. Moreover, the last model could not try to play on the network in the same CoD: BlackOps, but here I will do this periodically.Laptop heats up, but even with the graphics settings to maximum brake is not in sight. Clearly, not a toy is not new, but we can assume that everything will be okay with games for the upcoming OS X (for example, that The Elder Scrolls Online).

And what else? Programs run fast, two browsers with a bunch of tabs is causing slowdowns when clicking on a blank picture (or video, or document) instantly preview – on my MBP 15 Retina first generation sometimes takes almost a second to start. I do not know what it involves.Wireless Interfaces: Bluetooth 4.0 and W-Fi (new 802.11 ac, compatible with IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n)

Operation time

Sometimes there is a feeling that the laptop does not shrink at all if you zasyadet in the cafe, connect to Wi-Fi and at least a little (one-third) to a lower level, you will be able to sit there until closing. Well, or until such time as the staff will have to endure. It’s an endless laptop! The same impression iPad, especially after a couple of days resemble a tablet based on Android – these things sit on the eyes, Air even in active use should be charged only three times per week. Well, it’s someone like – I like that.

I do not know what’s going on in the world of Windows, what trends, what time works fine for devices with similar characteristics. Most likely, no competitors, because in the world of Windows like underlay mines consumers. Written in the characteristics of “Time of 7:00.” Footnote below about what you need to turn off WI-Fi, brightness and completely remove it is better to do nothing with the laptop. That’s when – seven o’clock. But the thing is that the people working on laptops. And Apple diligently to increase year after year one of the main functions of a modern laptop, each generation of “live” longer than previous MBP and 13 Retina startling figures, here are the official data:

• Up to 9 hours with the included Wi-Fi


• Up to 9 hours when playing movies in iTunes


• Up to 30 days of operation in the standby mode

And in practice figures are roughly consistent with the stated. In the morning you take a laptop, disable, MagSafe, the next time to connect the power supply in the evening. It was the first computer with such impressive features, I’m not afraid to take with you without charge. It simply is not necessary if you will be a couple of meetings and a couple of hours for a laptop – for many it is the daily routine. In this mode, you can even charge the device every two or three days.

Yes, a few words about 2 MagSafe magnetic connector, if you pull the cable it just fly out of the nest, the laptop will remain in place. Power supply is small, the size is becoming increasingly similar to BP for MB Air. Included is the extension, but I never do not use it, just do not need.

I want to draw your attention that the updated MBP Retina 15 runs less than an hour (claimed figures), but in reality the difference is not particularly noticeable. It also can carry with you without charging all day.

Findings

The official Apple online store minimum configuration costs 52990 rubles, one must understand that the word “minimum” is not bad, it’s a great device for the money. Other versions are 61990 and 73990 rubles. Second generation MBP Retina Positioned perfectly in terms of prices, MBP Retina 15 is much more expensive (minimum configuration 79990 rubles). The difference is significant, agree? Moreover, I can safely recommend to pay attention to the configuration for 52990 rubles – top versions of this device makes little sense, it’s better then immediately look closely to the MBP 15 Retina. Smaller diagonal display makes MBP 13 Retina attractive solution for those few opportunities MB Air 13 and 15 Retina MBP is too big to carry around constantly. Many such people to be typed? Ask those who are constantly on business trips. On the show I work for MB Air 11, but dealing with the updated “retina” increasingly begun to think that the extra five grams of weight does not matter – but the performance and the display is really important.

Competitors have no laptop, you can pick up something similar in performance, but what about the running time and the display? Okay, let’s say, and there’s something in the world comparable to Windows, how to deal with design and materials? What to do with the operating system and programs? Analogues do not exist and if past 13 Retina MBP I did not like and I could not recommend it, the second generation was very pleased.Then resolved the issue with the performance and on the background of his elder brother laptop does not look pale. Yes there is a very nice device and a tool capable to serve you for years to come. Highly recommend, but once again I remind you – before you buy it makes sense to compare both versions of the MacBook Pro with Retina in the store.

Review Notebook MacBook Pro 13 Retina (Late 2013)