Apple - MacBook Pro with Retina display - 13.3" Display - 8GB Memory - 256GB Flash Storage - Silver

This is my 3rd MacBook. I got it on sale and saved several hundred dollars. Once I got used to Mac, I much prefer it to the PC. My first MacBook never got a virus in 2-1/2 years. My second somehow froze, HD crashed -- but had most backed up on the cloud. This one got hit with malware after a month, which didn't harm anything but was a bit of a pain. The Geek Squad chatted me through it and got rid of it and tweaked my Virus Protection. As long as I back up, I'm good. This one is smaller and lighter than my last -- I finally gave up the disk drive. I had to admit to myself that I almost never used it. This fits in a medium messenger bag and I carry it with me wherever I go. I'm happy with the screen, resolution, everything. And today I just connected it to my wireless network via Apple TV (kind of an adaptor that lets you mirror your computer TV screen). I can now play Amazon Kindle Fire movies and personal videos on my 54" TV screen, look at pictures, presentations, etc. (Apple TV does a lot of other things, but I'm just talking about what it does with my Mac.) When I say I wish it was a bit more user friendly, there are things, e.g., that I find easier to troubleshoot on a PC, etc. Regardless, I'm staying with Mac.

Love this computer--meets all needs for school and personal life. Plan to keep it as long as my last mac, 8 yrs!

This laptop was my graduation present and will primary be used for college next year. I had researched MacBooks for a long time and decided on this. It runs very fast, the Retina Display is amazing (other screens will look dull to you after this), and it is extremely light but powerful. I am definitely an Apple person, and this was the perfect computer for me.

Macbooks are an investment. If you have money to spend at will then the price will not be a problem. If you are like me, a student, and need to budget, believe me this is an investment. The MacBook is absolutely beautiful. The design is great and the display is one of a kind. It's a powerful machine! It is very lightweight and the battery is a beast. To charge it full it does not take so long. The best thing about MacBooks is you get what you paid for. This is a premium machine for a premium price but you will not be having to buy another computer for 3-4 years. This technology will not be obsolete until a long while

This is my first apple mac and after using it, I don't think I will ever go back to window's based PCs. Runs very fast and smooth. Never had any problem with initial set up. Everyhing worked and was set up the way it should have been from Wifi, bluetooth to printer and email initial set up did not take more than half an hour( if that). I am very pleased with the overall quality of this laptop. If you are thinking of getting one make sure you spend the extrra money to get one with higher memory than 128 G and get the retina display. It is amazing. The only drawback is not all softwares are compatible with IOS.

I bought this one for my father. He is an Apple guy and we gladly picked up the Macbook Pro Retina at a Best Buy store. A significant upgrade from his 2010 Macbook Air. My reasoning is that this newest model has the retina display, which is great for editing photos and videos, and it is powerful enough for any task and much faster than an Air. It actually doesn't sacrifice a lot of weight--looks and feels slim, yet pretty sturdy. What is good about Apple products is that everything comes in one integrated part: the software and hardware work, feel and look seamlessly. It doesn't try to do too much, but does what's expected in an almost-perfect way. The moment you get an Apple, you know you can count on it to be consistent and reliable.

So, my journey to finding this computer was a long one. Needless to say, for the first time in quite awhile, I am truly satisfied with a tech purchase, something that I see lasting for at least a few years. My primary need for a device stemmed from media consumption: news websites, social media, Netflix, etc. I started a few years ago with a Chromebook that just wasn't enough (lacked the offline experience I wanted), then sold it. Tried a few different Android tablets with add-on keyboards, but it just didn't do it for me. I had always been a Windows-guy, and though I found the Apple products appealing (multiple iPads, iPhones, iPods in my purchase history...), I had trouble justifying a purchase that was easily close to double what I'd pay for a Windows equivalent. But--equivalent is not what I got. There is no Windows PC that matches the experience of running a Macbook Pro...and anything that comes close is priced just as high (or higher) than Apple's product. My review involves the following elements: - Tactile experience - Visual experience - Computer performance - Physical Aesthetics - OS Experience TACTILE EXPERIENCE: On a Macbook, the touchpad and keyboard experience cannot be matched, save for maybe e some Logitech products. Dell and Lenovo are also coming around--but the best "hands on" experience is still Apple. VISUAL EXPERIENCE: Retina displays are very good. BUT...they are not by any stretch the best thing you can pack into a 13" screen. I spend most of my time with the display scaled to show a simulated 1680x1050 resolution, which is the "smallest" I can make the text and images (or, conversely, the "largest" I can make the screen). There are days when I drop the resolution down to the native suggested resolution, especially if all I'm doing is watching Netflix. But make no mistake: the display is crisp, clear and gorgeous. Performance in sunlight isn't the best, but no glossy screen will perform well in those situations. COMPUTER PERFORMANCE: Most of the time I spent researching this purchase was concentrated on whether or not I should upgrade the RAM and Hard Drive. I went with 8GB RAM and the 256GB SSD, and have been nothing but pleased with the decision. In the past, I purchased a Macbook Air with 4GB of RAM and the experience left me wanting a bit better performance, so I ended up returning that computer. The best way it can be explained is this: because Apple controls every aspect of the manufacturing process for their products, the hardware has been optimized to use the processor and RAM in an efficient way that outperforms similar specs with Windows-based machines. In that sense, 4GB RAM should have been just fine. Fortunately, I got this on sale so was able to maximize the upgrade versus additional cost. I would suggest "future proofing" yourself with at least a bit more RAM, but keep in mind that Macbook Pro's can always be upgraded at a later date (not so much for the Macbook Air's). PHYSICAL AESTHETICS: This is a bigger deal to me than it should be. The machine itself weighs in at just under 3.5 pounds, and considering the body is 100% aluminum (NOT PLASTIC), there is an obvious premium feel to the unit. I carry it and my work computer with me every day, and between the two don't feel it's too much weight. If you're stuck between this and a Macbook Air, it's a no brainer to me to go with the Pro...it is more money, but barely adds any weight, gives you upgradability in the future, and if I'm being honest, is a much cleaner design...I don't care much for the "wedge" look of some ultrabooks. It's a beautiful, simple, elegant design that I want to be seen carrying. That's important to me. OS EXPERIENCE: Real quick here...I know this review is for the machine, not the OS, but they go hand-in-hand. As a life-long Windows user, I've had no difficulty adjusting to a different OS. Also...OS X Yosemite is awesome, especially paired with an iPhone running iOS 8.1. Anyway, there are a few Windows shortcut keys that I still find myself using, but beyond that, I'm loving what Apple has put together. If you're unsure...spend some time at an Apple store or at Best Buy playing around with it...it is a fun experience.

As far as value to performance goes this one's the perfect MacIntosh for the average guy, it's got the retina IPS display (reason 1 over the air), HDMI output another lack for the air ( you could use an adapter, not a fan though), it's also got 8gb of ram stock vs the air's 4gb (for future updates the pros going to have the upper hand), and lastly often overlooked both the air and pro may have i5 processors though the pro in an ultrabook body gives the clock speed that rivals alienware intro models vs the air that rivals the ultrabook lineup. Air may have better battery life though for me the compromise was to high, this by the way was my first Mac and wanted a no compromise experience as once you've chosen there is no option to upgrade components! Just to be safe and ready for the future I did go with the 256gb model as in my experience falling short would be a big risk.