Thinking about switching to a MBP from Windows:

[Eileen89]

Hi Guys,

I have always owned and loved Dell Windows desktop computers. However, with my kids always doing homework and playing games on the only one left in our house, I am looking into getting something more portable for myself like a laptop. I went to BestBuy last week to check out the latest Window laptops and while I was there l used a MBA and MBP for the first time. I ended up liking the MBP much more then I thought I would which is now high on my list of laptops to get. I LOVE the MBP retina display compared to the non retina display on the MBA, however, the MBA that I tried seemed faster than the MBP....... Here's my question; is the MBP coming out with a faster processor soon? If so, maybe I will wait for it because I would rather my first laptop have both Speed and a Retina display. I am a little nervous about making the switch though, because the Windows OS is all I have used and I am not sure how long it will take me to pick up and use a MBP with Apple OS....

 

[phreddyl]

Hi Guys,

I have always owned and loved Dell Windows desktop computers. However, with my kids always doing homework and playing games on the only one left in our house, I am looking into getting something more portable for myself like a laptop. I went to BestBuy last week to check out the latest Window laptops and while I was there l used a MBA and MBP for the first time. I ended up liking the MBP much more then I thought I would which is now high on my list of laptops to get. I LOVE the MBP retina display compared to the non retina display on the MBA, however, the MBA that I tried seemed faster than the MBP....... Here's my question; is the MBP coming out with a faster processor soon? If so, maybe I will wait for it because I would rather my first laptop have both Speed and a Retina display. I am a little nervous about making the switch though, because the Windows OS is all I have used and I am not sure how long it will take me to pick up and use a MBP with Apple OS....

I can answer the last question. A few years ago I made the switch and replaced my desktop with an iMac. I was nervous to make the change but did it anyway. My husband was not happy at first with my decision. Now we both cant imagine using anything else. It did not take long at all. Maybe a week or two. I use office for Mac and that probably helped the smooth transition.

 

[Just_Me_D]

Hi Guys,
...(snipped)...Here's my question; is the MBP coming out with a faster processor soon? If so, maybe I will wait for it because I would rather my first laptop have both Speed and a Retina display. I am a little nervous about making the switch though, because the Windows OS is all I have used and I am not sure how long it will take me to pick up and use a MBP with Apple OS....

I'm sure the MPB will be introduced with a faster processor at some point, but don't get caught up in that. The current crop of MPBs will serve you or should serve you for many years. I am still using a MacBook (early 2009) that I purchased years ago and it still has no signs of being slow, and I'm running the latest version of Mountain Lion. I, too, was a longtime Windows user before making the switch and I, too, had reservations about it, but the reservations quickly subsided. I was always upgrading / building a faster Windows machine, but I found out that I didn't have to do that with a Mac. Besides, if you were to get a MBP with an SSD, it will be a tad faster than one with a regular HDD. Lastly, if you're not going to be doing graphic intensive stuff or playing graphic intensive games, don't sweat it. Buy the one that pleased you at Best Buy, in my opinion...

 

[Fausty82]

Rose, with Intel's release of the Haswell chips, I fully expect them to be rolled into the MBP and iMac product lines soon - certainly in time for Christmas shopping... so hang on just a bit longer and see what goodies Apple brings.

As far as switching, many of us have, so it can’t be that hard. I picked up a book back when I switched called "Switching to The Mac - The Missing Manual" by David Pogue... I have the Snow Leopard edition, but it continues to be updated for each iteration of OS X. It’s pretty good about walking you through how to do stuff, and uses direct comparisons between how you did it in Windows and now you do it in OS X... really helpful.

Good luck, and feel free to ask questions to help you make the best choice for yourself... that’s why we’re here!

BTW, once you go Mac, you never go back...

 

[sanc333]

Hi Guys,

....... Here's my question; is the MBP coming out with a faster processor soon? If so, maybe I will wait for it because I would rather my first laptop have both Speed and a Retina display. I am a little nervous about making the switch though, because the Windows OS is all I have used and I am not sure how long it will take me to pick up and use a MBP with Apple OS....

Yea , we can expect a haswell MBP sometime in october if the rumours are true.

 

[Eileen89]

Thank you for all of these great replies. They do help, especially the ones who used Windows in the past and are now using a MBP. I've been doing a little research and it looks like there will indeed be a faster MBP with Retina coming out around October. I can wait till then.... I will mostly be using the MBP for Web content, emails and picture storage, therefore I think the MBP should be able to handle these things just as well as my Dell desktop. Since I won't be taking it outside the house very often if at all, I believe the 15" screen should be the right size for me..... What should I look for in terms of hard drive space and memory? Since I plan on having this for a long time I'm willing to spend more to get one that is best for me... Thanks again.

 

[Fausty82]

Thank you for all of these great replies. They do help, especially the ones who used Windows in the past and are now using a MBP. I've been doing a little research and it looks like there will indeed be a faster MBP with Retina coming out around October. I can wait till then.... I will mostly be using the MBP for Web content, emails and picture storage, therefore I think the MBP should be able to handle these things just as well as my Dell desktop. Since I won't be taking it outside the house very often if at all, I believe the 15" screen should be the right size for me..... What should I look for in terms of hard drive space and memory? Since I plan on having this for a long time I'm willing to spend more to get one that is best for me... Thanks again.

It really depends on which model you buy. The MBP/retina is NOT user upgradeable (or upgradeable at all, at this point - proprietary SSD and soldered in memory)... so if you go that route, max it out... (as well as your wallet). If you go with the standard MBP, you can add memory and upgrade the hard drive yourself and save some cash. Personally, my rMBP has to last me a long time, so I went with the 768GB SSD and 16GB RAM... paid handsomely for it, but am very happy with my purchase...

 

[Fausty82]

I was also a windows to Mac switcher. As long as you are curious enough to try things out and see what's different then you shouldn't have trouble switching. I'd say it only took a couple of weeks and I was completely used to it. Even though I still use windows at work, so I'm used to both now, I often find myself cursing at the windows PC because something's not working like it should.

For home use 15" is good and you can always hook it up to a larger monitor if you need more screen real estate.

Be warned though…now that you have an iPhone and you're getting a Mac, they will start breeding and soon your house will be overrun with Apple products.

Anyway the hard drive and ram on a retina MBP are not user upgradeable without voiding your warranty. So max those out as much as you can based on budget. I have 16GB ram and a 512 SSD and I have about 200 GB free space. But YMMV depending on how many photos and videos you have. But external hard drives are cheap of you ever need one.

One other thing to think about is getting Parellels or VMWare and running you existing windows PC as a virtual machine. It can sort of be a safety blanket in case you forgot to get something off of your windows PC and you find you need it.

If you need software suggestions for specific tasks on the Mac, I'd be glad to help.

Well stated, Karen... and you are absolutely correct about Apple devices breeding in your home. They’re more expensive than coat hangers, but they do seem to multiply almost as fast!

Rose, we’re all here for you!

 

[Eileen89]

I was also a windows to Mac switcher. As long as you are curious enough to try things out and see what's different then you shouldn't have trouble switching. I'd say it only took a couple of weeks and I was completely used to it. Even though I still use windows at work, so I'm used to both now, I often find myself cursing at the windows PC because something's not working like it should.

This is what I am counting on.

For home use 15" is good and you can always hook it up to a larger monitor if you need more screen real estate.

I didn't know you could hook up a larger monitor on a laptop so this is good to know.

Be warned though?now that you have an iPhone and you're getting a Mac, they will start breeding and soon your house will be overrun with Apple products.

A MBP would actually be my 3rd Apple product since I currently use an iPhone 5 and iPad Mini.

Anyway the hard drive and ram on a retina MBP are not user upgradeable without voiding your warranty. So max those out as much as you can based on budget. I have 16GB ram and a 512 SSD and I have about 200 GB free space. But YMMV depending on how many photos and videos you have. But external hard drives are cheap of you ever need one.

Right now I have about 12 or so videos and over 1000+ pictures stored on my iPhone 5 that I would like to store on the laptop as a backup. Running out of room would be a concern to me especially given the amount of pictures that I take of the kids. Probably more space will be better for me in the long run.

One other thing to think about is getting Parellels or VMWare and running you existing windows PC as a virtual machine. It can sort of be a safety blanket in case you forgot to get something off of your windows PC and you find you need it.

Is this an App for the MBP or something that I would download on my current desktop? Sorry if this question sounds dumb, but I haven't heard of it before and right now I don't have a whole lot of extra things downloaded on the Dell that my kids are using.

If you need software suggestions for specific tasks on the Mac, I'd be glad to help.

Karen, thanks a lot for all of your helpful responses on this so far and I will definitely ask for more help when I get the MBP.

 

[Eileen89]

It really depends on which model you buy. The MBP/retina is NOT user upgradeable (or upgradeable at all, at this point - proprietary SSD and soldered in memory)... so if you go that route, max it out... (as well as your wallet). If you go with the standard MBP, you can add memory and upgrade the hard drive yourself and save some cash. Personally, my rMBP has to last me a long time, so I went with the 768GB SSD and 16GB RAM... paid handsomely for it, but am very happy with my purchase...

Fausty, Is 16GB of RAM the highest amount for the MBP? If so this is the route that I will likely take as well.

 

[Fausty82]

This is what I am counting on.

When I converted to Mac/OS X, I copied all of my files from my Windows laptop to an external hard drive and put the Windows laptop away in a drawer. I didn’t pull it out for anything - just forced myself to learn how to accomplish the task at hand on my MBP. By having the files on an external drive, it eliminated the need to use the Windows laptop, and removed the temptation to "cheat"... in the end, it was the best way for me. I was totally converted and comfortable with OS X in about a week or so.

I didn't know you could hook up a larger monitor on a laptop so this is good to know.

You will need an adapter to convert the Thunderbolt connection to VGA, DVI or HDMI, depending on what your monitor supports. Apple sell them for about $30 each, and Monoprice.com has quality adapters cheaper, as well. I have a whole box full of different connectors - you never know when you’ll need one.

A MBP would actually be my 3rd Apple product since I currently use an iPhone 5 and iPad Mini.

See, that iPhone and iPad WERE gateway drugs.

Right now I have about 12 or so videos and over 1000+ pictures stored on my iPhone 5 that I would like to store on the laptop as a backup. Running out of room would be a concern to me especially given the amount of pictures that I take of the kids. Probably more space will be better for me in the long run.

You can also store your photos on an external drive/network drive, if you are trying to save internal storage...

Is this an App for the MBP or something that I would download on my current desktop? Sorry if this question sounds dumb, but I haven't heard of it before and right now I don't have a whole lot of extra things downloaded on the Dell that my kids are using.

Both Parallels and VMWare are external programs that you’ll have to purchase to allow you to install a Windows virtual machine. The cost is under $100 and the process is pretty simple.

 

[Fausty82]

Fausty, Is 16GB of RAM the highest amount for the MBP? If so this is the route that I will likely take as well.

It is as of now. The imminent product announcements for the Haswell processors may also include a new memory offering... time will tell...

 

[Eileen89]

^ Thanks again everyone. I've got this thread bookmarked for future reference. Hopefully the next MBP will come out as expected this Fall and further feed my addiction to Apples great products. :laughing:

 

[Eileen89]

Also don't forget that the retina MBP and MBA don't have built in DVD drives so if you think you need one, make sure you pick up and external USB powered drive. The Apple SuperDrive works well, but you can get USB DVD drives for a lot less as well.

I don't use mine very often just when the kids want me to rip a DVD so that we can play it on the Apple TV.

I don't use the DVD drive in my Dell PC that often if at all now. Usually the only time that I do is when I purchase new software or the kids need it for something school related. Since the MBP will only be used by myself or my husband once in a while (if he can pry my hands off of it) maybe I won't need it.

 

[Trees]

All great advice from everyone. My setup closely mirrors what Karenkcoulter shared. External 25" monitor for Safari or any app that needs more real estate than the 17" MBP can provide. Maxing out memory is great "insurance" to help get even more life out of the system if you choose one that has a non-upgradable board.

As for Retina vs. non-Retina, we got our oldest daughter the 15" non-Retina MBP version this spring for two main reasons. Built in SuperDrive and upgradable RAM. This setup should serve her well for college that starts next week.

One thing to consider if you go the Parallels route for your current Dell Windows system, is whether or not the OS instance on the Dell will still be licensed properly. With Parallels or VMware Workstation you're going to do a P2V, or physical to virtual migration. So if there ends up being a licensing risk, then the kids may be out of a system. But what I did was pickup a refurbished 2010 Mac Mini and connect that to an external 20" monitor and standard USB keyboard and Bluetooth mouse. The youngest uses that for games and I expect soon more homework. The cool thing about getting the kids on a Mac is that you can remotely manage their system from yours using native OS X tools. OS X also allows you to setup Parental Controls, lock down the desktop, Finder, Dock, and all sorts of stuff. Given that I recently bumped up the RAM to 8GB, I see the Mini lasting her for years.

 

[Eileen89]

All great advice from everyone. My setup closely mirrors what Karenkcoulter shared. External 25" monitor for Safari or any app that needs more real estate than the 17" MBP can provide. Maxing out memory is great "insurance" to help get even more life out of the system if you choose one that has a non-upgradable board.

As for Retina vs. non-Retina, we got our oldest daughter the 15" non-Retina MBP version this spring for two main reasons. Built in SuperDrive and upgradable RAM. This setup should serve her well for college that starts next week.

One thing to consider if you go the Parallels route for your current Dell Windows system, is whether or not the OS instance on the Dell will still be licensed properly. With Parallels or VMware Workstation you're going to do a P2V, or physical to virtual migration. So if there ends up being a licensing risk, then the kids may be out of a system. But what I did was pickup a refurbished 2010 Mac Mini and connect that to an external 20" monitor and standard USB keyboard and Bluetooth mouse. The youngest uses that for games and I expect soon more homework. The cool thing about getting the kids on a Mac is that you can remotely manage their system from yours using native OS X tools. OS X also allows you to setup Parental Controls, lock down the desktop, Finder, Dock, and all sorts of stuff. Given that I recently bumped up the RAM to 8GB, I see the Mini lasting her for years.

Thank you for this informative post. More great things for me to keep in mind. Hope your daughter has a nice time in collage and enjoys her MBP.


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2.

 

[wolfedude88]

There's really no way the MBA was faster than the retina MBP. Even though the MBA had an upgraded chip, the MBAs are all only dual core with on board graphics and the retina MBP are all quad core and the 15" has discrete and on board graphics. I have the 15" retina released last fall and use it heavily for video conversions and the like and it never lags. Even while Handbrake is maxing out all the cores I never notice lag while doing anything else and I often have 10+ programs open on various states of use.

The MBA is powerful, but it's processors are clocked slower to maximize battery life. However depending on your intended use (i.e., do you just use a PC for web browsing, mail, office applications, watching video, light photo editing) an MBA will have all the power and speed you need. At that point the decision between a MBA and MBP comes down to form factor/weight and how important battery life is to you (if the MBP or MBA is primarily for home use the longer battery life might not be as important).

There will also inevitably be new MBP models out later this fall so it depends on how urgently you want or need a new computer. But even the current generation should serve you well for many years to come.

I dont think this is100% accurate. Op never stated if she was playing with 13 in or 15 inch. Standard 13 is dual core i5, I believe the same as the MBA. So it might appear the MBA is faster because of less pixels to push.

 

[Eileen89]

I dont think this is100% accurate. Op never stated if she was playing with 13 in or 15 inch. Standard 13 is dual core i5, I believe the same as the MBA. So it might appear the MBA is faster because of less pixels to push.

I was using the 13" one.

 

[John Yester]

I switched about a year ago. Best choice I ever made...

 

[Eileen89]

That explains it then. The 13" Air with the newer Haswell processor may have seemed faster then the 13" retina MBP with the older processor. The 13" retina MBP doesn't have the discrete graphics card which may have made more of a difference than the processor though.

I knew there had to be a reason why. The BestBuy Rep. said he didn't know and told me I would have to wait for the Apple Rep. to return, but I didn't have time to wait.