The Student Room Group

Is a macbook pro good for student use?

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They are expensive, but as others have said, the quality is right up there. If you willing to shelve gaming, I'd say a 13 inch Macbook Air might be a bit more suitable, as the Pro is substantially heavy.
Reply 41
Original post by Teenage Pirate
15 inch screen (14 inch for Alienware) -
Alienware setup (gaming specs only): i7 with turboboost up to 3.6ghz (and it's got a fan so you can actually run it!), GeForce GTX 650M w/ 2GB gfx memory, 8GB memory, 750GB HDD
MBP setup (NO RETINA DISPLAY - CHEAPEST POSSIBLE SETUP): i7 with up to 3.3ghz with turboboost, GeForce GT 650M with 512MB gfx memory + Intel onboard gfx (irrelevant for gaming really), 4GB memory, 500GB HDD

Alienware price (without discounts. I'm sure Dell have some sort of student discount): £1,298
MBP cheapest possible price: £1,499

Basically, for 80% of the price you get a significantly better gaming machine when you buy Alienware.

I could run this same exercise by speccing up an Alienware machine to match a retina Macbook, but the price difference would be embarrassing for you (hint: it's bigger than the £200 here)


We all know that Apple loses the spec-game, so what? It's the total package you get. Aluminium unibody, Mac OS, high quality display, backlit keyboard, small but useful details like the Macsafe adapter, an unmatched touchpad and very good keyboard ...

For almost every category (except for the Macsafe and touchpad) you can find a machine which is on the same level or sometimes even better but you cannot find a machine which combines all these features, not even talking about the same price.

With its Zenbook Prime UX31A Asus, for example, has been the first one to match the MacBook Air (beating it in terms of the screen, still being second to the touchpad etc.) and what's the result? The Zenbook is even more expensive than the MBA :wink:
Reply 42
Is a macbook pro good for student use?

Yes they are great, it got me through 4 years of uni and I'm glad I bought it. A macbook pro is more than fine for gaming too. My 2008 macbook pro is fine for all the games I play on it, crysis was playable on it with decent settings.
Original post by Sir Fox
We all know that Apple loses the spec-game, so what? It's the total package you get. Aluminium unibody, Mac OS, high quality display, backlit keyboard, small but useful details like the Macsafe adapter, an unmatched touchpad and very good keyboard ...


No, we clearly don't. This gets forgotten by the Mac faithful on this forum in just about every thread there isn't someone to set them in their place. See below for the quote I was responding to:

Original post by PVisitors
A same specced Alienware as the MBPR costs £1500, the same price a student could pay for the MBPR with their student discount. Not really 75% the price of a Mac


When in fact £1300 buys you a better specced Alienware than £1500 gets you in a Mac.

As for your other "features": Yes, I get it, it's a nice computer to look at. So is the HP Envy series, a lot of Lenovo machines and so on. Backlit keyboard? Do you really think this is unique to Macs? (ps the Alienware I posted has that). The Retina display is high quality, but a standard MBP display is nothing special - once again, if you're in the market for a near £2000 laptop then sure, Apple's got the best display. The touchpad is much better, yes - but once again, I'm completely fine using other touchpads - it would be nice if I could pinch the mousepad to get all my applications on the screen at the same time but since I can't, I'll just resort to F6 or alt tab or win+t depending on the situation.

There's very little substance to justify the price differentials of that magnitude. Apple's profit margins are much fatter than any other computer manufacturer's because of the insane premium that people will pay for the little fruit on the back of the computer. NOT the hardware, don't kid yourself.
Reply 44
Original post by Teenage Pirate
15 inch screen (14 inch for Alienware) -
Alienware setup (gaming specs only): i7 with turboboost up to 3.6ghz (and it's got a fan so you can actually run it!), GeForce GTX 650M w/ 2GB gfx memory, 8GB memory, 750GB HDD
MBP setup (NO RETINA DISPLAY - CHEAPEST POSSIBLE SETUP): i7 with up to 3.3ghz with turboboost, GeForce GT 650M with 512MB gfx memory + Intel onboard gfx (irrelevant for gaming really), 4GB memory, 500GB HDD

Alienware price (without discounts. I'm sure Dell have some sort of student discount): £1,298
MBP cheapest possible price: £1,499

Basically, for 80% of the price you get a significantly better gaming machine when you buy Alienware.

.


1) The MBPR is running fans, your point? I've played Diablo 3 for around 8 hours continuously (oh summer holidays) using the 2800x1800 resolution and the GPU will cap at 60c with fans running on full. The laptop is warm, but the keyboard area is relatively cool and I could put it on my leg without burning myself. I don't see how this is an issue? The same can be said when I'm doing video editing.

2) The MBPR is technically overclocked to perform slightly better than a 660m. (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1393606).

3) Add Dell's SSD: +£360.

4) Total cost Alienware: £1498
Total cost MBPR w/ edu discount: £1508

Now ask yourself. For a laptop with the same specs, better resolution, better battery, better dimensions + weight, trackpad. Do you think that £10 extra is worth it. (Of course we need to exclude the gaming issue and look at this in terms of tech/specs standpoint)? Especially for someone doing video/photo editing.

The cheapest price for a Macbook with education discount is off the top of my head £1200. So even then we're talking of laptops being equally priced with an Alienware spec for spec.

Edit: Dell's student discount on Alienware is 1%..
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 45
OP, I would not recommend one for student use. Mostly because of price.

I'm not going to list specs and price, but you're going to be a student with (I assume) limited funds. Save the money, if you look after it any decent laptop will last you the duration of your courses.

Also, don't pay extra for the retina display if you can, there's not much out there at a resolution greater than 1080.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my E15i
Reply 46
Reply 47
Original post by Teenage Pirate
No, we clearly don't. This gets forgotten by the Mac faithful on this forum in just about every thread there isn't someone to set them in their place. See below for the quote I was responding to:



When in fact £1300 buys you a better specced Alienware than £1500 gets you in a Mac.

As for your other "features": Yes, I get it, it's a nice computer to look at. So is the HP Envy series, a lot of Lenovo machines and so on. Backlit keyboard? Do you really think this is unique to Macs? (ps the Alienware I posted has that). The Retina display is high quality, but a standard MBP display is nothing special - once again, if you're in the market for a near £2000 laptop then sure, Apple's got the best display. The touchpad is much better, yes - but once again, I'm completely fine using other touchpads - it would be nice if I could pinch the mousepad to get all my applications on the screen at the same time but since I can't, I'll just resort to F6 or alt tab or win+t depending on the situation.

There's very little substance to justify the price differentials of that magnitude. Apple's profit margins are much fatter than any other computer manufacturer's because of the insane premium that people will pay for the little fruit on the back of the computer. NOT the hardware, don't kid yourself.


http://www.hm.com/gb/product/99540?article=99540-A

A pair of Vans that look like that would cost £40+, and for what? "OFF THE WALL" on the back? :lol: People overpay for things all the time because of the brand or any other superficial reason. It isnt limited to Apple products. But for some reason its less acceptable to pay premium for Apple products if there is a cheaper but less aesthetically pleasing alternative.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 48
Original post by Teenage Pirate
As for your other "features": Yes, I get it, it's a nice computer to look at.


It's more than just 'looking at'.

So is the HP Envy series, a lot of Lenovo machines and so on.


They're not comparable. They look similar, yes, but nothing else.

Backlit keyboard? Do you really think this is unique to Macs?


No and I didn't say so. It just adds to the overall package.

The Retina display is high quality, but a standard MBP display is nothing special ...


Oh yes, it is. Other laptops might have the same or higher resolution but all the independent, respectable review websites usually rate the MacBooks' screens as excellent.

The touchpad is much better, yes - but once again, I'm completely fine using other touchpads - it would be nice if I could pinch the mousepad to get all my applications on the screen at the same time but since I can't, I'll just resort to F6 or alt tab or win+t depending on the situation.


Just because you are completely fine with your touchpad doesn't mean other people are. Before I recently got my MacBook I had a standard Windows laptop and never had issues with the touchpad. It worked fine and I didn't miss anything. Now I have my MacBook and even though I still like my other laptop's touchpad I have to say that the MacBook's touchpad is by far superior. Scrolling with two fingers and all the other gestures are much smoother etc.

Sure, I could also resort to combinations but that's not really beneficial to the workflow. You will always find other ways to accomplish certain tasks but in the end it all adds up to a worse experience.

Why should someone choose an Audi over an old Toyota. The Audi has an AC, so what, I'll just open the window. The Audi has better acceleration and top speed, so what, I'll just arrive a little bit later. The Audi features a great sound system, so what, I don't like music anyway ... Don't kid yourself, there are reasons why some goods are more expensive than others.

There's very little substance to justify the price differentials of that magnitude. Apple's profit margins are much fatter than any other computer manufacturer's because of the insane premium that people will pay for the little fruit on the back of the computer. NOT the hardware, don't kid yourself.


I don't need to kid myself to see that it's not only the little Apple on the back (I'd remove mine if it would be possible the way you can order your car without the writing on the back displaying the machine inside). Maybe Apple earns more than other manufacturers and maybe the prices are not 100% justified, but they are justified to a reasonable extent.
Oh how cute, you've decided to bring the battle to the even higher priced category:
Original post by PVisitors
1) The MBPR is running fans, your point? I've played Diablo 3 for around 8 hours continuously (oh summer holidays) using the 2800x1800 resolution and the GPU will cap at 60c with fans running on full. The laptop is warm, but the keyboard area is relatively cool and I could put it on my leg without burning myself. I don't see how this is an issue? The same can be said when I'm doing video editing.
err the point was that the Alienware has a better cooling system allowing the processor to actually overclock.

also it's kind of cute how you decided that the Alienware desperately needed a SSD (lol) but the MBPR is ok using a weaker processor. +100 pounds to your MBPR price (90 with student discount)


2) The MBPR is technically overclocked to perform slightly better than a 660m. (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1393606).
That's only difference between the gfx cards here is that Dell has 2gb gfx memory, MBPR has 1gb.



3) Add Dell's SSD: +£360.
Actually, add £300 from the base model I was working from... Alienware -£60


4) Total cost Alienware: £1498
Total cost MBPR w/ edu discount: £1508

You've somehow come up with very silly prices for both. Without edu discount:
Alienware: £1,598
Apple WITH DISCOUNT (note I used the schools discount since I'm not on my uni network): £1,747.20
+cost of installing Windows for games
+cost of optical drive if you plan on buying the games from the shop

These are absolutely identical configurations!!! Same processor, Alienware has a better gfx card, same SSD (Dell you can choose HDD instead, save money get storage), same screen size. Given taht with Windows and the Optical drive you're well into the £1800 range on the MBR, you've once again saved £200 and that's if you think the gaming improvement of using a SSD is worth it over the 500gb lost space. Anything with a HDD favours the Alienware. Need anymore space? MBPR has 2 UBS ports that are supposed to somehow cover 1) USB adapter (if living in uni halls), 2) optical drive adapter, 3) external HDD adapter, 4) mouse. I guess you can mix all those around and make it work somehow, I mean Apple is all about ease of use, right?

I mean you just can not win this one!


The cheapest price for a Macbook with education discount is off the top of my head £1200. So even then we're talking of laptops being equally priced with an Alienware spec for spec.
what the hell are you talking about? your £1,500 mbp (not retina) failed to match my £1,298 config alienware spec for spec but somehow you think a £1,200 one will???
Original post by Sir Fox

Just because you are completely fine with your touchpad doesn't mean other people are. Before I recently got my MacBook I had a standard Windows laptop and never had issues with the touchpad. It worked fine and I didn't miss anything. Now I have my MacBook and even though I still like my other laptop's touchpad I have to say that the MacBook's touchpad is by far superior. Scrolling with two fingers and all the other gestures are much smoother etc.

Sure, I could also resort to combinations but that's not really beneficial to the workflow. You will always find other ways to accomplish certain tasks but in the end it all adds up to a worse experience.

Why should someone choose an Audi over an old Toyota. The Audi has an AC, so what, I'll just open the window. The Audi has better acceleration and top speed, so what, I'll just arrive a little bit later. The Audi features a great sound system, so what, I don't like music anyway ... Don't kid yourself, there are reasons why some goods are more expensive than others.

It's funny you bring up "workflow" and convenience like that but when it comes to simple tasks such as keyboard shortcuts and proper compatibility in Office, a Window management system that's actually useful for multitasking (much harder to arrange windows around for instance side by side using a mac than windows because of msft patents), running one of the millions of apps available for Windows but not Mac ("I'll just dual boot") and so on Mac users are able to make so many sacrifices, but when it comes to using Windows keyboard shortcuts over Apple mouse gestures, it's such a massive waste of time and you can't ever imagine having done it.

edit: I forgot the most obvious one: RIGHT CLICK! "oh it's ok, I can always press the little apple and click - it doesn't take much longer!!!"
double edit: apparently this is now fixed? or you have to double click or something? still sounds a bit inconvenient.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Mr Smurf
http://www.hm.com/gb/product/99540?article=99540-A

A pair of Vans that look like that would cost £40+, and for what? "OFF THE WALL" on the back? :lol: People overpay for things all the time because of the brand or any other superficial reason. It isnt limited to Apple products. But for some reason its less acceptable to pay premium for Apple products if there is a cheaper but less aesthetically pleasing alternative.

rarely does a usergroup have as inflated sense of their products as Apple users do, as seen by this thread.

i mean i think people who wear expensive clothes are stupid, but i've never seen such a large group be so proud of being stupid as some of the people here. the way they'll reach and try to find some obscure example (lol £300 SSD on a gaming computer) to convince themselves that they havent been ripped off is quite something
Reply 52
I would just like to add that there are more to laptops than just specs. Apparently no one values great usability and user-experience anymore, Apple are perfectionist's when it comes down to this. This is why they are so successful. I was brought up on windows PC's and was very reluctant to switch but I don’t regret my choice one bit because the OS is a genuine joy to work on and its been problem free for the 4 years I have had it. Again experience may vary because we are all different and appreciate different things.

Every time when someone asks whether they should get a mac these mac vs other pc wars crop up and don't achieve anything. They go on forever. OP just choose what you think will be most beneficial to you.
Reply 53
Original post by Teenage Pirate
Oh how cute, you've decided to bring the battle to the even higher priced category:
err the point was that the Alienware has a better cooling system allowing the processor to actually overclock.

also it's kind of cute how you decided that the Alienware desperately needed a SSD (lol) but the MBPR is ok using a weaker processor. +100 pounds to your MBPR price (90 with student discount)

That's only difference between the gfx cards here is that Dell has 2gb gfx memory, MBPR has 1gb.


Actually, add £300 from the base model I was working from... Alienware -£60


You've somehow come up with very silly prices for both. Without edu discount:
Alienware: £1,598
Apple WITH DISCOUNT (note I used the schools discount since I'm not on my uni network): £1,747.20
+cost of installing Windows for games
+cost of optical drive if you plan on buying the games from the shop

These are absolutely identical configurations!!! Same processor, Alienware has a better gfx card, same SSD (Dell you can choose HDD instead, save money get storage), same screen size. Given taht with Windows and the Optical drive you're well into the £1800 range on the MBR, you've once again saved £200 and that's if you think the gaming improvement of using a SSD is worth it over the 500gb lost space. Anything with a HDD favours the Alienware. Need anymore space? MBPR has 2 UBS ports that are supposed to somehow cover 1) USB adapter (if living in uni halls), 2) optical drive adapter, 3) external HDD adapter, 4) mouse. I guess you can mix all those around and make it work somehow, I mean Apple is all about ease of use, right?

I mean you just can not win this one!

what the hell are you talking about? your £1,500 mbp (not retina) failed to match my £1,298 config alienware spec for spec but somehow you think a £1,200 one will???


The problem you have is that you're comparing this from a gaming perspective. I explicitly stated that I am coming from a hardware perspective. Of course if OP wants to game heavily on his PC then a Mac is not the right choice. There are other things people need a good processor and video card for other than gaming you know.

1) I didn't decide it desperately needed one. I decided to compare spec by spec. The MBPR has a SSD as default. To make a fair comparison one has to then give the Alienware a SSD. Fair is fair right? Why is the SSD suddenly irrelevant? Is it because the SSD is the reason which inflates the Alienware's price and makes your point less credible?

2) The MBPR is using the same i7 2.3ghz processor as customised. You put the 2.6ghz in your price; I put in the same 2.3 i7.

3) I've used the same 1gb 650m video card in both the MBPR and in the Alienware. The only difference is that the 650m in the MBPR is stock overclocked to perform just as well, if not better than a 660m. Funny how the cooling system can cope with that overclocking done by Apple when you seem to claim otherwise.

4) The MBPR edu discount is £1528 (you can find a bypass around the uni network if you look hard enough to double check that) and the Alienware with a 2.3 i7, 256gb SSD, 8gb Ram is £1488. I used the student discount because we're posting on a student forum so it is safe to assume you and I are both eligible for it. There is also the issue that Apple use the student discount as a way for people to get it on the cheap without watering down their original RRP value but that's rather contentious. Indeed even then I think at £1800 to get the same specs as an alienware but in a hugely thinner chassis with a significantly better screen, better battery life, trackpad etc is a reasonable price to pay extra (assuming you're actually wanting these things) given it is one of its kind in terms of technology right now. You're adding dualbooting windows and an ODD as necessities for the MBPR; is this really the case? I've already said I want to discuss this from a hardware perspective not about gaming practicality as someone buying a Mac to game needs to reassess how they're spending their money.

HDD favours the Alienware? Not really considering this is simply a trade off of what you need. I personally prefer having a computer which can cold boot in less than 10 seconds, wake up from sleep instantly, write and copy files over than needing a 1tb drive. I have my pogoplug or file server for anything else. You can't excuse the SSD when you're comparing the prices between two devices. IF the Macbook Pro Retina has an SSD, the newer technology which is more expensive then I am sorry the Alienware needs an SSD for comparison purposes regardless of whether they suit your needs or not.

Finally over your point about adaptors:
- Ethernet adaptor is thunderbolt
- ODD adaptor is USB
- External Harddrive is USB
- Mouse is USB.
This is more than enough ports as you're not going to have all these connected at once as if this is the case then clearly the MBPR isn't a product for you. I have no need for an ODD as I haven't used one for years and in the case I do need to use one then I simply use remote disc sharing built into OSX to install things from my desktop which has an ODD. I only use a mouse when I'm casually gaming (basically Civ5/Diablo 3 only) and the external hard drive doesn't need to be connected 24/7. The only issue I would have liked an ethernet adaptor thrown in for free with the laptop given the price. Ports are really not an issue for me and for users who are actually going to buy the MBPR.

Edit: In relation to the classic Macbook Pro, I assumed they were using the same 1gb video card as the Retina. This isn't the case so I'll drop that point. It's a shame because if we compare the classic MBP to the previous refreshes it has been largely gimped which I have no doubt is to try and boost sales of the 15" MBPR which offers the best value for money within the 15" mac lineup.

TL;DR: A student can pick up a Macbook Pro Retina which will have the benefits of better battery life, weight, dimensions and of course a significantly superior screen for £40 more than an equally specced Alienware.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 54
TL;DR, for typical student use - facebook, Office, Youtube, light gaming, you probably couldn't give a **** about a 2880x1800 resolution, better trackpad (and to whoever said MB was better for mouse gestures, get out of the 90s. All pads for the last 5+ years have had multitouch) and would rather spend the £1000+ difference on alcohol, get a Windows laptop for £300-500.

And guess what Macbook gamers, your GPU is going to run like crap at that resolution.
Reply 55
Original post by Teenage Pirate
rarely does a usergroup have as inflated sense of their products as Apple users do, as seen by this thread.

i mean i think people who wear expensive clothes are stupid, but i've never seen such a large group be so proud of being stupid as some of the people here. the way they'll reach and try to find some obscure example (lol £300 SSD on a gaming computer) to convince themselves that they havent been ripped off is quite something


What do you expect when people are constantly ridiculing them for buying a Mac? Do people who buy Vans over those H&M shoes I posted constantly get people laughing at their decision and calling them stupid for paying three times the price? People pay premium for things all the time. I bet you have done so in the past and will continue in the future. It might not be with a laptop. It could be anything from clothes to a car.
Reply 56
Original post by tooosh
TL;DR, for typical student use - facebook, Office, Youtube, light gaming, you probably couldn't give a **** about a 2880x1800 resolution, better trackpad (and to whoever said MB was better for mouse gestures, get out of the 90s. All pads for the last 5+ years have had multitouch) and would rather spend the £1000+ difference on alcohol, get a Windows laptop for £300-500.

And guess what Macbook gamers, your GPU is going to run like crap at that resolution.


Are you really suggesting that most PC OEM brands match the level of a Macbook touchpad, I'm not claiming it is the be all and end all but this simply isn't true. It's a point most rational people will concede on both sides of the field. And it really isn't for the last 5+ years they've had multi-touch gestures.

And guess what "I'll pass judgement without really researching" contrary to popular belief one can change the resolution while gaming. You would have to be pretty naive to expect a mobile GPU to run games flawlessly at 2800x1800. However I am more than happy playing Diablo 3 at 2800x1800 at a frame rate I deem playable (of course what you want with FPS is entirely subject and I know Diablo 3 is hardly cutting edge), but 2800x1800 is certainly playable on a very popular title on what is a limited games platform with OSX.

Also the problem with you not reading is quite funny because my actual post was to do with a hardware price comparison, not about 'average student use'.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 57
Original post by PVisitors
Are you really suggesting that most PC OEM brands match the level of a Macbook touchpad, I'm not claiming it is the be all and end all but this simply isn't true. It's a point most rational people will concede on both sides of the field. And it really isn't for the last 5+ years they've had multi-touch gestures.

And guess what "I'll pass judgement without really researching" contrary to popular belief one can change the resolution while gaming.

Also the problem with you not reading is quite funny because my actual post was to do with a hardware price comparison, not about 'average student use'.


It really is for the last 5 years.
I never said anything about OEM touchpads matching the MB. I referred to multitouch gestures, don't put words in my mouth. Or words... on my keyboard.

If you turn down the resolution down then why did you even get such a high res screen? To go on facebook? To go on youtube which caps out at 1080?

My whole post wasn't in response to you specifically, I would have quoted you if it was.

As for your edit, yes you would have to be naive. But the 650 doesn't come close on some games (I would imagine, haven't looked this stuff up recently). GPUs just haven't caught up to that resolution yet. Maybe it does pass on some games, but other systems will play it better at their monitors native res. Yes you can turn the res down, but then that brings up the question of why you bought such a high res monitor in the first place.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 58
well i know nothing about spec or anything in depth about software but from a relatively uninformed point of view, i used pc's up until i was about 14, to be honest i didnt know any better, but i used to get annoyed by the fact they always crashed, and were a little slow and got virus's easily despite having updated norton etc. my dad was actually a computer technician at the time so it wasnt like we were operating on run of the mill machines. they were fine for gaming, word processing etc was fine and they were simple enough to use and applications functioned well when the computer wasnt being attacked by a virus (which i have to admit was a majority of the time, which was a mystery to everyone because as a family computer with technology conscious users was a little confusing) and it served us sufficiently.
when our pc broke down, we tried a mac desktop. it eliminated any problems with virus' and without the investment of norton, which was inefficient on our pc anyway. in general that computer has been far easier to maintain - its never gotten a virus and hasnt been in need of a repair at all. that said however, four years on, it is suffering a little, but nothing a memory tidy up wouldnt solve. i also have a macbook pro which i personally love. it functions well, is surprisingly hardy, has done me well through secondary school and sixth form and the applications available for download are impressive. it also looks nice which is a plus (although not important).
i still work with pc's at work and worked on them in college. i prefer my mac, but pc's suffice for browsing and schoolwork. i personally find microsoft office on mac easier to navigate, but thats possibly just what i'm used to. an addition which is worthwile investing in is applecare. i'm not sure if microsoft offer a similar thing, but with applecare, apple will repair your product free of charge (in most cases as far as i know) which at uni will be a life saver if something drastic happens and you cant afford to pay for a product to be fixed.
my dad who has been a pc user his whole life and was once pretty anti mac now wants to buy a mac. his work supplies him with pc's of the highest spec and he says he is constantly disappointed by the deterioration of the laptop within two years.
to be perfectly honest, if you can afford a mac, i'd buy one, purely for the quality of customer service. if anything goes wrong, mac will sort it asap. in that sense i think macs are less hassle, however in terms of general student use, you'd be fine with either. maintain a pc and spend time on making sure it is functioning to its best and i'm sure it will survive long enough to last you through uni
Reply 59
Original post by tooosh
It really is for the last 5 years.
I never said anything about OEM touchpads matching the MB. I referred to multitouch gestures, don't put words in my mouth. Or words... on my keyboard.

If you turn down the resolution down then why did you even get such a high res screen? To go on facebook? To go on youtube which caps out at 1080?

My whole post wasn't in response to you specifically, I would have quoted you if it was.


Apologies then, I just saw you using TL;DR which came below mine (I also signed off with that) and assumed it was you being sarcastic.

No, I turn the resolution down when I want to play a more graphically intense game than something like Diablo 3. The actual UI performance and general use for Video/Photo editing is perfectly fine and doesn't tax the dGPU at all. You're not understanding how the OS deals with a 2880x1800 resolution. Basically 2880x1800 native is way too small for the average person to use so it is scaled to a resolution which works like 1400x900, where it is given a ratio of 4:1 for pixels. This is what gives it the clearer/sharper images and typography. Likewise you can scale up the resolution to 1920x1200 to show off more screen estate. And so on.

Really? I'd be curious to see a trackpad from 5 years ago which has the likes of two finger scrolling anywhere on the pad etc or a unified trackpad button which can act as a left click or right click depending on where the pad is touched or how many fingers press down.

The only 'multi touch' I can think of (granted I only really follow Android/iOS/Mac/Thinkpad recent news) is that the likes of tapping the pad for a click and scrolling by moving to the right hand side to scroll has been around for a while.

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