What configuration on new MBP?

I'm thinking about buying a new 15" MacBook Pro. I'm a graphic artist and work on some huge Photoshop files (layered posters), complex Illustrator files (many transparancy effects), 3D work (rendering), etc., and I also do some motion graphics and video editing (various apps). So I do want a fast machine. I've looked at some benchmarks, but does anyone who has hands-on esperience doing this type of work on any newer MacBook Pros want to weigh in? As I also do web design, I'm wondering if a retina display is a good thing (just to see test sites look on high-res screens), or a bad thing (I should focus on how majority will see sites using standard-res displays -- though with high-res tablets, maybe high-res screen will soon be the majority of )... In particularly, I'm wondering about:
Retina vs. standard display (I know a lot of apps have yet to take advantage of retina display)
Drive
RAM
Processor Speed
Order low-end RAM and Drive and upgrade?
And I'm sure there might be issues or benefits I have't thought of yet
Note that a quick test of PSD and AI in an Apple store showed a 15" MBP Retina was much much quicker than my slow-seeming 4yo MBP, but about the same speed as my 4yo Mac Pro. A new Mac will also be my first step into Mountain Lion, so I'm sure that might mean some issues with legacy printers and software I use.
Thanks!

Display: The Retina screen is better, but as you said, not all apps take advantage yet. The primary disadvantage of the Retina display is actually that if you get that model, you eliminate the ability to upgrade the rest of the machine after purchase.
RAM: If you use Adobe stuff, 8GB is good, 16GB better for the long haul, and when running multiple apps, or if your PSD files are large or heavily layered.
Processor speed: You probably don't need the top end CPU that costs a couple hundred extra. Just below the top of the line is fine. Put the money into RAM and disk instead.
Order low-end RAM and disk and upgrade? I do this, but you can do it only if you get the non-Retina MBP. If you get the Retina, that is impossible.
Other factors: What are your old devices that you have to connect? I would still pick up the non-Retina for me personally, because I need Gigabit Ethernet and FireWire and don't want to use the Thunderbolt adapters that are needed by the Retina MBP. Also because then I could not use those Thunderbolt ports if they were taken up by adapters. And, if you get the non-Retina MBP, you have the option of removing the optical drive in the future and replacing it with a second internal drive.

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Still Have v. 10.4.11 but am configuring a new MBP and I need some advice..

hey-
I am replacing my 3 year-old MBP which never made it to the Leopard stage, because I was chicken. This one is going to be cleaned up and given to a family next door from a real poor area of Mexico and until they saw this had never seen a notebook. So I am excited about this.
anyway, I am configuring a new MBP together and I have a few questions that are probably pretty basic, but still questions. I should have thought of this before, but is getting a new MBP with Snow Leopard installed on the machine (and I was old by the support guy who helped me with the configuration since it will be used for a graduate school of architecture, planing, and preservation program too.
any feeling on jumping from 10.4.11 (which I guess is Tiger OS X) to Snow Leopard and totally bypassing Leopard? It sounds like Snow Leopard is pretty much a major "update" to Leopard, but that is probably wrong. (Just a side questions, what does the Operating System OS X mean and do all of the operating system have OS X or did it start at OS 1 and will keep going up?)
Is there a time when a person who wants to try and focus on school or other important things can pretty much be sure that a new OS has had sufficient time for the major bugs to be worked out and most likely can feel safer about making the purchase than if they had not waited and did not really care-thinking that Apple would get them fixed and the updates would fix the problems? I do not tend to think this way, but in this situation I am going out a bit from my usual "way" and living or should I saying hoping that this has happened and is true? Does that make sense? So, any feeling if SL has been out long enough now that Apple has had a chance to make sure it is doing well and has pretty much been integrated into the hardware and properly functioning of the notebook as a "single unit?"
thanks in advance for any feedback and I apologize if the wording was incorrect or I did not explain myself clear enough.

You should not find it hard to jump from using Tiger (Mac OS 10.4) directly to using Snow Leopard (Mac OS 10.6). Some things are a little different, including a few changes to system preferences & how the Finder handles changing views from one folder to the next, but it is fundamentally the same from a user interface standpoint. In fact, there are very few interface differences you would notice between using Leopard (Mac OS 10.5) & Snow Leopard.
What you will most likely notice the most when going from a 3 year old MBP to a new one is that its response is substantially quicker: startup is quicker, apps open faster, Finder tasks complete in less time, etc. This is due both to the more powerful CPU & other components in the new machine & to the new OS, which is more efficient than previous ones.
"Mac OS" is the generic name for Apple's proprietary operating system that runs Macintosh computers. There were versions 1 through 9 of this operating system, starting with the one developed by Apple for the first Mac that appeared in 1984, but the first version to get the "Mac OS" designator was Mac OS 8, released in 1997. It was followed by Mac OS 9, released in 1999. All of these versions can be considered decedents of the first one, with strong family resemblances both in their internal structures & graphic user interfaces. Mac OS X is much different internally, incorporating many components of the venerable UNIX operating system first developed in 1969 at AT&T's Bell lab, plus a graphic user interface update (named "Aqua") more suited to its greatly improved capabilities. It is not a "pure" UNIX variant but instead a synthesis of UNIX & Apple's old & current technologies.
Each major revision of Mac OS X has had a cat name & a "point number" like Cheetah for 10.0 or Tiger for 10.4. Each revision has brought new features to the OS as well as under-the-hood improvements. Unfortunately, these improvements come at a cost in terms of legacy support. Some applications require revisions to work with each new major version, as do some of the drivers for external hardware. Generally speaking, fairly current apps & hardware drivers have gotten or will get revised for Snow Leopard if needed, but there are no guarantees that all ever will.
There are also bugs in every major OS release from every OS maker. Generally, these are obscure, affect few users significantly, & are eliminated in updates released after the first major version, but even the updates can introduce new bugs. Snow Leopard appears to be more bug free than any prior Mac OS major release, but the possibility exists that some bug will affect you in some critical way.
That said, the chances of this are low, & you should not read too much into reports here of problems unless they are widespread & describe very closely the same problem. Keep in mind that there are already several million copies of Snow Leopard in use; any really widespread problems would result in tens of thousands of complaints & probably make the evening news as well.

What if the new mbp looks exactly the same as the late 2011 ones,

Can I find a way to take the motherboard off mine, and put the motherboard from the new one in there, what other internals would I need to put in the newer motherboard? i dont know very much about the internals of mac laptops so go easy. I think i mean the motherboard from what I've read, im basically asking if i can put the whole internals of a 2012 with the ivy-bridges (if thats whats there) into my current model mbp?

Nope, no can do.
Apple doesn't make things interchangable in that regard.
If you want to hardware hack, then it's your business, but good luck you likely will need a larger case.
Warrantly and AppleCare voided of course.

New MBP - configuration thoughts?

Going to dive in with a new MBP as my main studio machine after upgrading from old C2D 2.4Ghz
Couple of things on the Apple store configuration :
1. I'm looking at 2.2Ghz i7 15" - is the upgrade to 2.3Ghz worth it? is 0.1Ghz really worth another 200 quid?? (I'm thinking not?)
2. For same price I can have 750Gb 5400rpm int HD or 500Gb 7200rpm int Hd? I use some ext drives for libraries (fw800)so not sure which is best?
In both HD cases, I've heard that MBP int 7200rpm run a little hot as its extra speed inside the machine?? so the 750Gb 5400rpm would be fine. BUT then thought of sticking maybe one library on the Int HD (ie East West) so that I could run some sounds whilst out and about, (without dragging ext drives around) so with a library I then thought the 7200rpm maybe a necessity?? - or would the 5400rpm be ok at streaming a library should i ever need it?
Any thoughts?

Hello, I opted for both of the options you are looking at. It depends on what you intend to use your machine for. I am big into gaming and I am a developer so to me the extra horsepower was a no brainer. If you intend to use the machine for word processing, basic photo editing, web browsing, and other light usage then don't bother with the upgrade. However, if you intend to do more processing intensive tasks definitely upgrade to the 2.3Ghz CPU. The extra 100Mhz alone per core is not worth.
However, the 2.3Ghz chip also includes an extra 2MB of L3 Cache. This becomes key when heavily utilizing the CPU as it can keep more instructions in fast access memory to help process through them quicker.
As for the 7200RPM vs 5400RPM argument, in my personal opinion 5400RPM is never sufficient. The faster the drive the faster the machine. After all, the primary bottleneck on most machines today is the Hard Drive.

My new MBP is really messed up and I am wondering what I should do.

(sorry for the mess of a post. I just had the good news of having brain cancer and they put this dressing all over my entire head I can barely see, but I want to post this, so I am going to give it a shot.)
I went to see a genius at the local apple store. After spending 1 hour trying to fix all the software and hardware issues, he went to the back of the store, came back and said we are getting you a new MBP with all the equivalant upgrades you had with the other one (the one that had all the problems). I received the new MBP, the same genius said if I leave my old MBP with him he will transfer all the data over and call me when it is done. I got the new MBP, have had it for about 3 weeks and there are more problems than ever. I have no idea what this would do to a new computer but the genius transfered all my data/files/settings over to my new MBP and he did this before or without fixing all the software problems I was having on the computer he transfered my date from.
Now my software updates... is not working. I read the article, trashed 3 apple.softwareupdates.com preferences wit no help. I find out that he said after I asked about iLife; "yes you will get iLife, all Apple computers come with iLife. There is no iLife 09 just my old iLife 08. When I spotlight iLife 09, no iLife comes up only in emails. It does not even pick up my old 08iLife that is in a folder which was transfered over from my old computer.
The manager at the apple store said to install iLife09 from the gray disk. However, for some reason the new updates my computer needs are not triggering the software updater telling me there are new updates. It looks like the genius did an update before I picked it up and it updated one security issue, but no iTunes 9/1/1 or any other updates I should have received when I look at all the recent MBP update (Apple updates only) list.
When I do go to look at the current updates for this computer it brings me to an Apple website that has all my old updates from the old MBP and in a Finder file it shows all the updates from the old computer and just the one that the genius updated for me.
Does any body have any idea what I should do? It is frustrating. I would like to just start from the beginning with the new computer, wipe everything off and install it all new and get rid of all the stuff from my old MBP that was transfered to my new MBP.
Thank for any help.

I would wipe the hard drive and start from scratch. The only thing I would save from the old comp are documents, movies and music also make sure you have any passwords or mail that you need to keep. I would avoid Time Machine and just do a normal backup. Boot from the installer and go to disk utilities in the menu and erase the hard drive. When that is done do a custom install and avoid any demos and software you don't use. Install QuickTime 7 from the optional installs.
Then manually download and install the OS updates before installing any third party apps avoiding the combos. Depending on your install OS version you may not need all those below.
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/macosx_updates/macosxv1061update.htm l
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/macosx_updates/macosxv1062update.htm l
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1018
When you are done run software update and install the security updates only. When you are done with those you can install whatever application updaters there are and then move on to installing your third party apps.
Hope everything works out for you.

What configuration of the new macbook pro do I need to run FCS 3 without choppy playback.

Yep, just wondering what configuration of the new macbook pro do I need to run FCS 3 without choppy playback or lagging. I'm thinking about the 7200rpm, 2.2ghz, antiglare, 4gb ram, with 1gb GPU graphics card configuration

Nothing wrong with the computer. Playback is dependent on the media and the drives.

What is the best way to connect my new MBP to monitor - DVI, VGA or HDMI

What is the best way to connect my new MBP to a computer monitor? DVI, VGA or HDMI? Thanks

I recommend the Apple MiniDisplay Port to DVI adaptor. I would avoid VGA. MiniDisplay Port to HDMI will work as well (3rd party).
http://www.apple.com/search/?q=dvi%20adaptor&section=mac&geo=us

What kind of Intel chips does new MBP have?

...or even an iMac for that matter.
I tried to look at Intel website to try to identify both the codename and the processor type.
For example the best MBP processor you can get is the 2.8 GHz one and that might be either the Penryn 2.8 GHZ with L2 cache of 6144KB or the Merom one with the same frequency but with L2 cache of 4096 KB.
Also If that is the case both of the procs are rated Intel Core 2 Extreme (one is X7900 and the other is X9000). So if that's the case can we assume that the new MBPs can be fitted with intel core 2 extreme mobile procs?
Also the same story applies to the new iMac Intel 3.06 GHz...what kind of processor is that? best guess is that it is an E8400?
Thanks.

Hi Andrei,
Stefan...you're implying that the iMac uses a notebook proc? And yes i couldn't find the 3.06 GHz proc anywhere on Intel's website.
Follow the link I provided to the X9100.
The Intel iMacs were always based on Notebook technology ever since they came out.
Only exception is the usage of a 3.5" harddisk.
Mainly because of the integrated design of the iMacs and the need to have a decent cooling of the CPU and GPU made it a neccessity for Apple.
Andrei
PS: Come to think of it, i think it's the PC side of me still talking and asking useless question like what core 2 duo quad extreme blah blah proc does it have... Still new to Mac world.
No need for explanations of your intentions to ask.
This is the place to ask and as you can see you usually get answers.
Stefan

Any Bootcamp issues with the new MBP? What about right clicking?

Tried out the new MBP at the Apple store... was wondering how Bootcamp would work with it. I use Bootcamp all the time for work so I'm interested to here the pro's and con's for the new models. Seems like the new trackpad clicking would be cause issues with the "two-finger click" in Bootcamp.

Right clicking issues galore!
(at least in the windows side of things...)
The 64bit windows worked fine....
The 32bit windows had many issues, even after 2 attempts. (via boot camp)
The main issue: the functions keys are locked on. Normally, I would hold down "fn" and push "f10" to mute but that doesn't work. All I have to do is hit "f10" and its muted. That is all good until I have to right-click using the "shift+f10" method since the bottom-right-of-trackpad and two-finger-clicking doesn't work whatsover. The "shift+f10" method won't work now since the fn keys are locked on. We have NO IDEA what the problem is. Could it be a driver issue...though it works fine with x64bit and OS X side of things.
Oh, and mac doesn't give support if one installs Vista and Microsoft won't give support since it isn't on a 'native' pc, so we are screwed. They have both protected themselves and blamed it on the other and the customer is left out to dry.

Bought the new MBP today, but don't know what to do now! Imperfect machine

Ok. I ran down to my campus computer store today and bought a base model MacBook Pro. Then, I returned home with lots of excitement. But after I opened up the laptop, all my excitement disappear shortly after I found 3 imperfections on the new MBP.
1.there is a dent on the edge of the front end (see pictures please). I'm so so disappointed and continued setting up the machine.
2.After all the noisy installation from an external hard drive. I realized that the fan is making a unpleasant noise which can only be heard in a quite environment. (I assume they have no way to hear it in store)
3.The speakers' wholes look very strange and looks like it's been used and covered with dust. -see in pictures
So I'm wondering what are my options. Is it possible to get a exchange or refund at the store or through Apple support?
Please help... I'm so screwed and don't know what to do now....
see pictures here:
http://gallery.me.com/epeng#100114
Thanks for any input

Hmmm, someone's "right" to be upset - and - the content over which they are upset, are two different things. I never questioned the Op's right to be upset - he/she can be as upset as they want to be, that is their right.
I'm just saying that my perspective of aesthetic complaints around here has shifted - and they no longer cause me to call into question Apple's quality standards. I can understand wanting something to be perfect - but implicit in the complaint was the statement that Apple committed some harsh violation, which now I think they did not.
So again, I was reading the board and getting quite upset (internally) with Apple - because I love them as a company and I want them to do well - because it's not often that you get "truly" innovative corporate entities in this world - most corporations just want to "homogenize" existence - distilling it down to a few basic variations which are easy to reproduce; all for the sake of the bottom line. The fact that Apple is forcing innovation into the market - causes a corporate strata that doesn't tolerate vanilla design ethics - and I think that is a good thing.
I don't want to live in a neighborhood where the only choices I have for food are, McDonalds, Starbucks, Olive Garden, etc. anymore than I want to use the same old square black laptop with Windows on it.
So now I see that there are imperfections in the manufacturing - but they aren't indicative of serious neglect on Apple's part, which is why said "whew..."

My brand new MBP 13"got the error "there is not enough memory or disk space to convert this document". What gives? Help please!

I am trying to use mail merge in Word for Mac on My brand new MBP 13". And I get the error "there is not enough memory or disk space to convert this document". What gives? Help please!

Why do I get there is not enough memory...: Apple Support Communities
Error message in MS Word opening a .docx file "There is not enough - Microsoft Community

Brand New MBP Retina dropped onto concrete... What would you do?

Feeling like a complete moron right now.
A week ago, I was really pleased to receive my new upgraded Macbook Pro Retina, and had it delivered with a hardcase.
Having found a great padded crumpler bag online, I ordered it and expected it early next week, but in the mean time I've been going to an from work with it in the hardcase, in my backpack.
Today, in possibly the most unfortunate circumstances, the strap on my backpack snapped (new backpack) and my new MBP slammed into the fresh car park floor. The concreate cut through the corner of the bag, and just so typically, into the only corner of the mac the hardcase doesn't provide complete protection. (if only I have put the mac in the backpack the other way round..)
The damage cosmetically, really isn't dreadful, although I'm seriously ****** at myself & the seemingly stupid circumstances. I'm also really worried that I may have internally damaged this £2500 beauty as the fall was from quite some height and the impact seemed so forceful.
I have insurance that covers my all my kit, (cameraman) including my macbook, as well as 3 years applecare.
If anyone is able to offer me any advice on what they would do in this situation I would be really grateful.
Idiotic feeling fool, signing out.
Picture:
http://imgur.com/GPXE8

Report it to your insurance company. Apple Care does not cover accidental damages.

New MBP (OS X Lion) and can't use dial up. Now what?

New MBP with OS X lion and found out I can't use dial up. It appears I can't use an external modem. What are my options? Satelitte, mobile hot spot with Verizon, ??? I live in a very rural area in North Idaho so no cable or broadband. I currently have iphone5 with Att but at my home it's on extended network so I don't think having a moble hot spot with them would work? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Novice Mac user

Hi babowa, OS X Lion is not compatable with Apple USB external modem as sated on other threads and on Apple support. My land line company is Frontier and they do not offer DSL service. Believe me I have been checking with them every 2 months for the last 2 years and I keep hearing its not slated for your area yet.
I do have an ethernet port on my MB but only a standard phone jack on my wall so a ethernet cable wouldn't do me any good.
When I bought my MBP a couple of weeks ago I said I only had dial up internet connection and the store personell said I needed a "56k to USB adapter" which they didn't sell but I could pick up at Best Buy. They had one for $50 (I forgot the brand) but I didn't want to shell out the money until I knew for sure thats what I needed and because of their return policy. like I said I'm a novice so maybe I'm confused on the terminalogy. Is the "56k USB adapter" the same as an external modem?
thanks for your help and patience!

What type of wireless router w/new MBP C2D??

I have a new 17" C2D MBP on order and I would like to sort out my wireless home network before it arrives...
As I am new to the wireless world, I do not understand what wireless router would work for this new MBP. I have read about it having 802.11g technology, but I have also seen something about N technology... my local computer shop says that they don't have N technology yet, but will soon.
What is this all about? Is 802.11g G technology? What do I get to have wireless internet access with my new MBP at home?

If you have the MBP C2D and you would like to get a wireless router. I suggest that you get a 802.11n router, as it works for both 802.11b, 802.11g as well as 802.11n. It is common knowledge by now that the wireless card that is used in the MBP with the C2D is an Atheros AR5008 802.11n. Though it is recognized as an 802.11g in the current OSX 10.4, this wireless card has the possibility of being used at its native state of 802.11n. What does this mean to you? Well, the 802.11n is ~ 650% faster than 802.11g and has about 5X the range of it as well. Though 10.4 does not recognize the card as such, windows vista will (that is if you plan on installing it onto the system) and OSX 10.5 might (I don't if Apple, will support draft N [802.11n] of the new wireless standard, even though they put a wireless card in the system that is a Draft N card). So get a wireless router that uses 802.11n. It'll save you money in the future.
Ok, now I'm done explaining why you should get the 802.11n router. Now, as for those who might say otherwise. If you think the 802.11n draft standard is going to change much from now, until the standard is finalized, then you may or may not be right. But from what my professor explained to me about how the technology works, it probably won't change that much. If I were to explain it to anyone on this board about how the standard works, it would be a hopeless matter unless you have taken classes in state variables or control systems. But I guess there are more than enough resources online to find out about how the Draft N standard works. And that is my 2 cents.

New MBP - what games should I get?

I haven't played a single game on my new MBP since buying it - most apple games seem quite dated. Are there any good recommendations out there? I'm open to pretty much all genres.

whats wrong with "dated" games... just cuz a game is newer doesn't mean its more fun.... most of mine... if not all, are "old" to someone
lets seem what games I have on mine
Age of Empires 2
Age of Mythology
Alchemy
Armagetron
Bejeweled
City of Heroes
Civilization 4
Jedi Knight: Jedi Outcast
Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (Windows version ran in Wine)
Knights of the Old Republic 1 (Windows version ran in Wine)
Knights of the Old Republic 2 (Windows version ran in Wine)
Lords of the Realm 2 (Windows version ran in Wine)
Master of Orion 3
Monopoly
Neverputt
Neverwinter Nights 2 (Windows version ran in Wine)
Oblivion (Windows version ran in Wine)
Pangea Arcade
Privateer Remake
Risk II
Rocket Bowl
Scrabble
Second Life (is it a game? yes/no)
The Ur-Quan Masters (Star Control 2 open source remake)
Beyond that I have a LOT of old DOS games I run in DOSbox... same with a lot of Nintendo and Super Nintendo old games I have with emulators...
I think thats all i have right now anyways... probably some I'm missing...

What configuration on new MBP?

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