Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-Inch Retina Display 2014 Latest Review

By Dean Colin 27/12/2014 Notebooks 0 Comments

The newest and latest version of the Apple’s popular notebook is the Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-inch now with Retina Display, powered with the latest Intel Core Haswell processor with Intel Iris Graphics processor. To be honest, Apple’s naming scheme is quite confusing since the product name is still basically Apple MacBook Pro.

The only difference is that they added “with Retina Display” on the naming to separate it from the previous generations of MacBook Pro. Of course, the model numbers are different as well but model numbers are difficult to memorize and it’s confusing for the many. Anyway, let’s check what the new 13.3-inch Apple MacBook Pro has to offer. See its features, specifications, prices, and where to buy below. There are also review videos below to help you with your decision making.

Table of Contents

Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-Inch Retina Features

Basically the new Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-Inch Retina now features a stunning 13.3-inch IPS Retina Display (obviously) with a resolution of 2560×1600. On the external, the design is basically the same as the previous generations, but it is now slimmer and lighter at 0.71-inch and only 3.46 lbs. The display is significantly much better compared to the previous generation, thanks to its IPS Retina display, offering much wider viewing angles and with very little glare.

The Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-inch Retina, as well as its bigger 15.4-inch brother, is the first notebook ever to include two Thunderbolt 2 ports, two USB 3 ports, and an HDMI port, giving you more connectivity options. Under the hood, you get the latest Intel Core Haswell Processor with Intel Iris Graphics.

The 13.3-inch models are powered by an Intel Core i5-4278U with a base clock speed of 2.6GHz, a Turbo Boost speed of up to 3.1GHz, 3MB Cache, and features Intel Iris Graphics 5100 graphics processor. The 128GB MGX72LL/A and 256GB MGX82LL/A models share the same processor. Meanwhile, the 512GB MGX92LL/A model is powered by a tad faster Intel Core i5-4308U with a base clock speed of 2.8GHz and a boost clock of 3.3GHz, also with Intel Iris Graphics 5100.

Meanwhile, the bigger Apple MacBook Pro 15.4-inch Retina is powered with a more powerful Intel Core i7-4770HQ clocked at 2.2GHz with 6M Cache, up to 3.40 GHz boost for the 256GB model, and Intel Core i7-4870HQ clocked at 2.5GHz with 6M Cache, and up to 3.70 GHz Boost for the 512GB model. If your work requires multitasking, image or video editing, or something more demanding than the usual, better get the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro Retina instead.

You Can Also Read: Apple MacBook Pro with Intel Haswell

Aside from the newer Intel Core Haswell processor, the Apple MacBook Pro Retina also features PCI-E based SSD storage drive (Solid State Drive) which is faster than SATA based SSDs. It also features faster 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity with speeds up to 1300Mbps.

You’ll learn more details about the new Apple MacBook Pro Retina 13.3-inch on the video reviews below. Meanwhile, check out the rest of the specifications below.

Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-Inch Retina Specifications

Specifications	13-Inch Retina	15-Inch Retina
Operating System	OS X Mavericks	OS X Mavericks
Display	13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2560-by-1600 resolution at 227 pixels per inch	15.4-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2880-by-1800 resolution at 220 pixels per inch
Processor	128GB: 2.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz) with 3MB shared L3 cache	256GB: 2.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.4GHz) with 6MB shared L3 cache
	256GB: 2.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz) with 3MB shared L3 cache	512GB: 2.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.7GHz) with 6MB shared L3 cache
	512GB: 2.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz) with 3MB shared L3 cache
Memory	8GB of 1600MHz DDR3L onboard memory	16GB of 1600MHz DDR3L onboard memory
Storage Capacity	128GB, 256GB, 512GB PCIe-based flash storage. Configurable to 1TB flash storage.	256GB, 512GB PCIe-based flash storage. Configurable to 1TB flash storage.
Graphics	Intel Iris Graphics 5100	Intel Iris Graphics 5100
Graphics		NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M with 2GB of GDDR5 memory and automatic graphics switching
Camera	720p FaceTime HD camera	720p FaceTime HD camera
Connectivity	MagSafe 2 power port	MagSafe 2 power port
	Two Thunderbolt 2 ports (up to 20 Gbps)	Two Thunderbolt 2 ports (up to 20 Gbps)
	Two USB 3 ports (up to 5 Gbps)	Two USB 3 ports (up to 5 Gbps)
	HDMI port	HDMI port
	Headphone port	Headphone port
	SDXC card slot	SDXC card slot
	Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter (sold separately)	Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter (sold separately)
	Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter (sold separately)	Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter (sold separately)
Wireless Connectivity	WiFi 802.11ac IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible with Bluetooth 4.0	WiFi 802.11ac IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible with Bluetooth 4.0
Audio	Stereo speakers	Stereo speakers
	Dual microphones	Dual microphones
	Headphone port	Headphone port
Keyboard	Full-size backlit keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys (inverted “T” arrangement) with ambient light sensor	Full-size backlit keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys (inverted “T” arrangement) with ambient light sensor
Trackpad	Multi‑Touch trackpad for precise cursor control; supports inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, three‑finger swipe, four‑finger swipe, tap, double‑tap, and drag capabilities	Multi‑Touch trackpad for precise cursor control; supports inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, three‑finger swipe, four‑finger swipe, tap, double‑tap, and drag capabilities
Dimensions	Height: 0.71 inch (1.8 cm)	Height: 0.71 inch (1.8 cm)
	Width: 12.35 inches (31.4 cm)	Width: 14.13 inches (35.89 cm)
	Depth: 8.62 inches (21.9 cm)	Depth: 9.73 inches (24.71 cm)
Weight	3.46 pounds (1.57 kg)	4.46 pounds (2.02 kg)
Battery and Power	Up to 9 hours	Up to 8hours
	Built-in 71.8-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery	Built-in 95-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery
	60W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter	85W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter
Operating Requirements	Line voltage: 100V to 240V AC	Line voltage: 100V to 240V AC
	Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz	Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz
	Storage temperature: –13° to 113° F (–25° to 45° C)	Storage temperature: –13° to 113° F (–25° to 45° C)
	Relative humidity: 0% to 90% noncondensing	Relative humidity: 0% to 90% noncondensing
	Operating altitude: tested up to 10,000 feet	Operating altitude: tested up to 10,000 feet
	Maximum storage altitude: 15,000 feet	Maximum storage altitude: 15,000 feet
	Maximum shipping altitude: 35,000 feet	Maximum shipping altitude: 35,000 feet
Warranty	90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty	90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty

Price and Where to Buy

The new Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-inch Retina with Haswell and Iris Graphics are now widely available. Below are the models available with their respective best prices and links where you can buy.

128GB Model (MGX72LL/A) – See the best price on B&H Photo and Video here.
256GB Model (MGX82LL/A) – See the best price on B&H Photo and Video here.
512GB Model (MGX92LL/A) – See the best price on B&H Photo and Video here.

Meanwhile, if you prefer the larger and faster 15.4-inch model, below are the respective models available with their prices.

256GB Model (MGXA2LL/A) – See the best price on B&H Photo and Video here.
512GB Model (MGXC2LL/A) – See the best price on B&H Photo and Video here.

The Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display is also available on Amazon UK here for UK customers.

Which Capacity Should I Choose? 128GB vs 256GB vs 512GB

Some of you might be wondering what capacity you should get. In my experience, a 128GB storage capacity is very much limited and you will need an external storage drive, or cloud storage for your other files. The 256GB and 512GB variant offers more room, not to mention the 512GB capacity is powered by a slightly powerful processor. If you plan to store more files and install more applications, better get the one with a larger capacity.

Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-inch vs 15.4-inch Retina

The Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-inch Retina is pretty much what most people will be using. The Core i5 dual-core processor is not that weak (but not powerful either) and it’s very much capable of doing office work and other non-demanding tasks. It’s also smaller and lighter to carry around.

Meanwhile, if you need a powerful Apple MacBook Pro Retina, better get the 15.4-inch model since it is powered by a more powerful Intel Core i7 quad-core processor with 4 cores and 8 threads, perfect for content creation, heavy multitasking, video, and photo editing and rendering. This model is much suited for content creators and professionals who need a laptop that can meet their needs.

Why Not Yosemite OS?

As of today, all models come with OS X Mavericks. The OS X Yosemite v10.10 is the latest and yet to be released OS. It’s currently on beta stage and it will be released late of 2014. But don’t worry, once the Yosemite is released, you will most probably be able to upgrade your current OS X to the latest one.