Retina MacBook Pro

At Automattic we get to upgrade our computers once every two years or so, and a few weeks ago I got a brand new 13″ MacBook Pro with Retina display. This was my first reaction:

Even large sites like Facebook and Twitter are not Retina-friendly, despite the fact that it’s now been well over a year since the first Retina MacBook hit the shelves. It’s like looking at low-quality JPEG.

Working with screenshots is very painful, because when you take a screenshot and then share it, the image you get is twice as large and also low-quality. Well, low-quality as in non-HiDPI. I guess that’s an annoyance I can live with.

I’m still getting used to the slightly larger font size, down to 1280 width from 1440 (13″ MacBook Air), although the Display settings allow you to configure that, and bring it up to 1440 or even higher, thus bringing quality down. Not something I see myself changing, unless it’s for testing purposes only.

Other than that, the Retina laptop is not too different from my older 13″ MacBook Air. It’s slightly smaller and weighs a little more, but the battery lasts much longer, which is perfect for travel. I haven’t really measured it, but I think the Retina MacBook generates a little bit more heat.

Overall I’m happy with my new MacBook, especially since I now have more room for WordCamp stickers :)

About the author

Konstantin Kovshenin

WordPress Core Contributor, ex-Automattician, public speaker and consultant, enjoying life in Moscow. I blog about tech, WordPress and DevOps.

4 comments

  • I have already decided that the most suitable resolution for my 15″ macbook pro is 1920×1200. It doesn’t spoil the images and it is the same as on my 27″ monitor.

    World is not ready for Retina. Yet.

  • Welcome to the blurry web. :)

    I have the same issues with screenshots. Cloudup helps alleviate some of the pain, but when I’m saving jpgs out of PS or want local screenshots, the resize is terrible.

  • This probably shows that people around the world cannot care less about retina…

    Congrats on the new macbook and just adjust your resolution to make the web beautiful again :)