The new MacBook Pro with Apple Retina Display has been out for a few weeks. What are the critics saying?
David Pogue at the New York Times: MacBook, a Point Shy of Perfect
“How does the new laptop fare on the Ultimate Laptop Wish List? Extremely well. It tops the charts on screen, keyboard, sound, start-up time, looks, battery life and fast/thin/light. It can have copious memory (up to 16 gigabytes) and storage, for a handsome fee.”
“Inexpensive? Not even close.”
Andy Ihnatko at the Chicago Sun-Times: Retina MacBook Is Apple’s Best, But Could Be Better
“I’m comfortable declaring it the best Mac Apple’s ever made….But is it this the best MacBook for everybody? Oh, dear, no….Apple’s never made a machine in this price range that demands so many sacrifices from the user.”
“Many familiar — and damned useful — MacBook Pro features are missing in action. There’s no FireWire port, the optical drive is gone, and the gigabit Ethernet jack has been 86ed as well.”
“…By continuing to make choices that only address the majority of consumers, Apple will one day wind up with a line of hardware that’s Adequate for everybody but Great for nobody.”
Chris Foresman at Ars Technica: Pixelpalooza: 15” Retina MacBook Pro Reviewed
“Apple is betting on the future needs of professionals with the Retina MacBook Pro….The Retina MacBook Pro is a solid machine with plenty of pro performance, a pro-level display in nearly every sense of the word, and for most users, plenty of high-performance ports. Your needs may require one or more dongles, but like every other port standard Apple has pushed, it’s ready for the future if not exactly covering all the needs of everyone today.”
Christina Bonnington at Wired: Apple’s Retina-Equipped MacBook Pro is a Sight to Behold
“Whether you’re a fan of Apple hardware or not, it’s difficult to deny that the new Pro’s stunningly crisp, high-resolution Retina display is a significant jump forward in the notebook space.”
“Of course, frontline tech like this is costly.…Fence-sitters will be swayed by the device’s extremely sharp and detailed display, which is truly jaw-dropping.”
“So what we have here is an expensive, factory-sealed machine that’s the first of its breed….For now, the Retina display-equipped Pro is still a luxury item, and may not be worth the price for average users.”
Tim Stevens at Engadget: Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display Review
“This is a laptop that stands poised to kill an existing one, one that Apple has dominated. The new Pro is good enough to make the old Pro (even the updated version) look and feel obsolete. It pushes and redefines the category, raising the bar higher than even its brethren can jump. If you can afford the premium and aren’t set on a 13-inch model there’s no reason to buy any Pro other than this Pro.”