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Retina Display MacBook Pro Q&A
Published November 16, 2012
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What are all the differences between the 13-Inch Retina Display "Late 2012" MacBook Pro and the 15-Inch Retina Display "Mid-2012" MacBook Pro?
Please note that all notebooks mentioned in this Q&A have been discontinued. However, this Q&A is up-to-date and can be quite helpful for anyone buying or selling one of these models on the used market.
At first glance, it appears that the 13-Inch Retina Display "Late 2012" MacBook Pro models -- the MacBook Pro "Core i5" 2.5 13" (Retina) and "Core i7" 2.9 13" (Retina) -- are merely smaller versions of the 15-Inch Retina Display "Mid-2012" models -- the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.3 15" (Retina), "Core i7" 2.6 15" (Retina), and "Core i7" 2.7 15" (Retina).
Although size is one differentiating factor, there are many other differences that are not as obvious. Consequently, an in-depth evaluation can be quite worthwhile to determine whether one or the other, or neither, are the ideal Mac notebook for your needs.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Retina Display MacBook Pro - 15" Left, 13" Right)
External Differences
These 13-Inch and 15-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro models use similar and essentially "sealed" wafer thin aluminum and glass designs. Unlike the MacBook Air models, which are tapered from back to front, the Retina Display MacBook Pro models are uniformly thick. The 13-Inch models are 0.75 of an inch thick, 12.35 inches wide, and 8.62 inches deep when closed and weigh a little more than 3.5 pounds (1.62 kg), whereas the 15-Inch models are 0.71 of an inch thick, 14.13 inches wide, and 9.73 inches deep when closed and weigh a little less than 4.5 pounds (2.02 kg).
Both lines have high-resolution LED-backlit widescreen "Retina" displays without a brand printed on the display bezel (both only have "MacBook Pro" printed on the bottom), but as one would expect, the display size and resolutions are different. The 13-Inch models have a 13.3" widescreen 2560x1600 (227 ppi) display and the 15-Inch models have a 15.4" widescreen 2880x1800 (220 ppi) display. By default, the 13-Inch and 15-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro models run "pixel doubled" at 1280x800 and 1440x900, respectively, but with four times the detail of a "traditional" display.
Both lines have a full-size "chiclet-style" backlit keyboard, a glass "no button" trackpad with "inertial scrolling" support, integrated stereo speakers, dual microphones, and an integrated 720p FaceTime HD webcam. Neither has a built-in optical drive, although an external one can be purchased at extra cost, if needed or desired.
Connectivity Differences (or Lack Thereof)
Connectivity is the same for both the 13-Inch and 15-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro models. Both lines include 3-stream 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, two USB 3.0 ports, two "Thunderbolt" ports, an HDMI port, an audio out port, an SDXC card slot, and a "MagSafe 2" power connector port.
Neither has Gigabit Ethernet or Firewire "800," although Apple offers Thunderbolt-to-Gigabit Ethernet and Thunderbolt-to-Firewire 800 adapters at extra cost.
Identification Differences
At the time this Q&A first was written, the 13-Inch "Late 2012" Retina Display MacBook Pro models could be identified externally by the unique Model Number A1425 and the 15-Inch "Mid-2012" Retina Display MacBook Pro models can be identified externally by A1398.
Likewise, in software, the 13-Inch models originally also could be pinpointed by the shared Model Identifier MacBookPro10,2 whereas the 15-Inch models can be pinpointed by MacBookPro10,1.
However, as subsequent models share model numbers and model identifiers, EMC Numbers are better for long-term identification. The 13-Inch models have EMC number 2557 on the bottom of the case and the 15-Inch models likewise have EMC number 2512. EveryMac.com has painstakingly hand documented these details for your convenience.
Finally, EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Lookup feature additionally can uniquely identify each one of the Retina Display MacBook Pro models by their serial numbers.
Internal Differences
Internally, these systems have some similarities -- they both use Intel's "Ivy Bridge" architecture, 1600 MHz DDR3L SDRAM that is soldered in place, SSD modules that can be upgraded, and batteries that are unfortunately glued in place -- but there are critical differences, too.
The 13-Inch models have dual core Intel "Core i5" or "Core i7" processors, 8 GB of onboard RAM that cannot be upgraded at all (later or even at the time of purchase), and an "integrated" Intel HD Graphics 4000 graphics processor that shares system memory.
The 15-Inch models, by contrast, have much faster quad core "Core i7" processors, 8 GB of onboard RAM that can be upgraded to 16 GB, but only at the time of purchase, and dual graphics processors -- a NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory as well as the same integrated graphics processor as the 13-Inch model. They have larger default SSDs, too.
The internal flash storage is not intended to be upgraded in either model after purchase, but can be upgraded after purchase. The 15-Inch model has the SSD as a removable module and the 13-Inch has the pleasant surprise of welcoming more upgrade options. The 13-Inch model uses the same removable module as the 15-Inch by default, but the system has a "drive caddy" of sorts, so physically larger 2.5" SSD modules are an option, as well.
Both modules use internal batteries that provide approximately 7 hours of runtime in Apple tests, and both are glued in place, but at least replacing the battery in the 13-Inch models is not the atrocious process that it is for the 15-Inch models.
Comparison Chart
The differences between the 13-Inch and 15-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro models are summarized below:
 13-Inch Retina |
 15-Inch Retina |
|
|---|---|---|
| Processor: | I5-3210M I7-3520M* |
I7-3615QM I7-3720QM |
| Cores: | 2 | 4 |
| Speed: | 2.3 GHz, 2.9 GHz* | 2.3 GHz, 2.6 GHz |
| Turbo Boost: | 3.1 GHz, 3.6 GHz* | 3.3 GHz, 3.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache: | 3 MB, 4 MB | 6 MB |
| SSD Capacity: | 128 GB, 256 GB* | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| SSD Upgrade: | 2.5" Drive Caddy** | Proprietary |
| Std RAM: | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Max RAM: | 8 GB† | 16 GB† |
| GDDR5: | Integrated Only | 1 GB |
| Display: | 13.3" | 15.4" |
| Std Resolution: | 2560x1600 (227 ppi) | 2880x1800 (220 ppi) |
| Battery Life: | 7 Hours | 7 Hours |
| Battery Design: | Glued | Glued†† |
| Height (In): | 0.75 | 0.71 |
| Width (In): | 12.35 | 14.13 |
| Depth (In): | 8.62 | 9.73 |
| Weight: | 3.57 lbs | 4.46 lbs |
| Order No (US): | MD212LL/A MD213LL/A |
MC975LL/A MC976LL/A |
| EMC No: | 2557 | 2512 |
| Model ID: | MacBookPro10,2 | MacBookPro10,1 |
| Original Price (US): | US$1699, US$1999* | US$2199, US$2799 |
* By default, the 13-Inch "Late 2012" Retina Display MacBook Pro models were offered with 128 GB of storage for US$1699 (MD212LL/A) and with 256 GB of storage for US$1999 (MD213LL/A). Either of the default configurations could be customized with a faster 2.9 GHz Core i7 (I7-3520M) processor for an extra US$200. EveryMac.com documents this custom configuration as the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.9 13" (Retina).
** The 13-Inch "Late 2012" Retina Display MacBook Pro models have the SSD module mounted in a 2.5" drive caddy so upgrade options are more numerous and less expensive than "blade" style SSDs.
† The 15-Inch "Mid-2012" Retina Display MacBook Pro models could be upgraded to 16 GB of RAM, but only at the time of purchase. The 13-Inch "Late 2012" Retina Display MacBook Pro models could not be upgraded to more RAM even at the time of purchase.
†† The battery design in the 15-Inch "Mid-2012" Retina Display MacBook Pro is particularly awful and requires the disposal of unrelated, working parts just to replace the battery.
So, which is best for me?
The more difficult decision is to determine whether or not a 13-Inch "Late 2012" Retina Display MacBook Pro is for you at all -- rather than a 13-Inch "Mid-2012" MacBook Air or MacBook Pro or alternately a 15-Inch "Mid-2012" Retina Display MacBook Pro -- and EveryMac.com provides separate in-depth comparisons to help with both of these decisions.
The 13-Inch "Late 2012" Retina Display MacBook Pro is a compromise in many respects. It is best suited for those who want a very high quality display and more performance than its 13-Inch MacBook Air contemporary, but don't mind effectively less viewable area (due to dividing the pixels by four), don't mind equally slow integrated graphics that struggle more so due to the high-resolution display, don't mind modestly more weight and don't mind paying a higher price. It's for someone who finds the 15-Inch MacBook Pro Retina Display too heavy, large, or expensive and who doesn't need or isn't interested in the significantly faster overall performance and graphics performance that the 15-Inch models provide. Finally, with RAM permanently limited to 8 GB, it's for someone who essentially doesn't care about future upgrades, expansion, or an optical drive.
Ultimately, if you really want a beautiful, high quality display in a relatively small physical package, and none of the above downsides are a concern, then the "Late 2012" 13-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro is the best choice for you. Those most concerned about upfront price likely would prefer the entry-level model whereas those most interested in performance should consider the processor upgrade option (or better yet, get a 15-Inch Retina Display MacBook Pro instead).
Of course, subsequently released models also are well worth considering, although they cost more, naturally.
Used MacBook Pro Purchase & Sale Options
There are any number of places to purchase a new or used MacBook Pro. However, purchasing from a quality company -- that also offers solid after sales support -- will provide the best experience and save you money and time, too.
In the US, site sponsor Adorama sells new MacBook Pro models with free shipping. Other World Computing sells used and refurb MacBook Pro models at bargain prices with free shipping, as well. On the other hand, if you need to sell a MacBook Pro, A+ BBB-rated Cash for Your Mac and GoRoostr will buy your older notebook with an instant quote and prompt payment.
In the UK, site sponsor Hoxton Macs sells used MacBook Pro models with a one-year warranty and free next day delivery throughout the UK. Delivery across Europe also is available starting at just £9.99 for two-day delivery to France and Germany.
Please refer to EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison feature to dynamically compare any MacBook Pro model to any other Mac.
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