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Questions about this 13" MacBook Pro

T

tokyodan

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 2, 2010
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I am interested in buying this new MacBook to replace by broken Mac Mini. And not being an expert about MacBooks I have a few questions.

1. Although it is 'new' I think it is a Mid-2012 model. Is that so?
2. Can this run an external display in extended mode?
3. Can it do so with it closed?
4. Can it drive an external 1080p monitor in full 1080p?

http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/
 
Last edited:
I don't want a Retina, especially with the older GPU. I just want a low cost Mac Mini replacement for xcode that I can also carry around.
 
tokyodan said:
I don't want a Retina, especially with the older GPU. I just want a low cost Mac Mini replacement for xcode that I can also carry around.
Click to expand...

This is a decent machine. If I were you, I'd grab one from the Apple refurb store and save a couple hundred bucks - it's same as new, same warranty, but cheaper.
The great thing about this model is you can easily replace the hard drive with a Samsung 850 evo and install more ram, both of which will take this from an 'average' performer to a truly modern day machine.
 
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I bought a refurb 2012 non-Retina MBP in December and a serial number lookup said it was manufactured in November. So if you buy one from Apple, it should be newly-manufactured. If your late Mac Mini was the 2012 2.5GHz i5 model, then the base MBP has the same processor (including iGPU).

I haven't tried clamshell mode, but: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201834

The 2012 MBP should be able to do an extended desktop and I tried it and got two separate desktops but it wasn't very intuitive. I was just poking around so I didn't go any further. The Apple docs say it should work, it seems a good number of people have problems.

I connected my 2560x1440 display via MiniDP without a problem - 1920x1080 should work. (I didn't take a look when connected to my MBP, but on my 2012 i7 Mini, which has the same HD4000 iGPU, it drives the 2560x1440 display at 59Hz.)
 
robeddie said:
This is a decent machine. If I were you, I'd grab one from the Apple refurb store and save a couple hundred bucks - it's same as new, same warranty, but cheaper.
The great thing about this model is you can easily replace the hard drive with a Samsung 850 evo and install more ram, both of which will take this from an 'average' performer to a truly modern day machine.
Click to expand...

Really! Are you sure the HD and RAM can be upgraded? If so, I'll definitely buy one!
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treekram said:
I bought a refurb 2012 non-Retina MBP in December and a serial number lookup said it was manufactured in November. So if you buy one from Apple, it should be newly-manufactured. If your late Mac Mini was the 2012 2.5GHz i5 model, then the base MBP has the same processor (including iGPU).

I haven't tried clamshell mode, but: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201834

The 2012 MBP should be able to do an extended desktop and I tried it and got two separate desktops but it wasn't very intuitive. I was just poking around so I didn't go any further. The Apple docs say it should work, it seems a good number of people have problems.

I connected my 2560x1440 display via MiniDP without a problem - 1920x1080 should work. (I didn't take a look when connected to my MBP, but on my 2012 i7 Mini, which has the same HD4000 iGPU, it drives the 2560x1440 display at 59Hz.)
Click to expand...

Thank you so much.

Is there a possibility that these refurb models are scratched, or are they 'refurbed' so much that they are like new?
[doublepost=1460600343][/doublepost]
robeddie said:
This is a decent machine. If I were you, I'd grab one from the Apple refurb store and save a couple hundred bucks - it's same as new, same warranty, but cheaper.
The great thing about this model is you can easily replace the hard drive with a Samsung 850 evo and install more ram, both of which will take this from an 'average' performer to a truly modern day machine.
Click to expand...


Is there a possibility that these refurb models are scratched, or are they 'refurbed' so much that they are like new?
 
I bought the base model - 4GB RAM, 500GB HD and put in 16GB RAM and 2x240GB SSD's (took out the optical drive).

My refurb looked new. When I opened up the bottom and everything there also looked new. I think there was a post in the past few months where somebody got a scratched refurb and wasn't allowed to return it. That didn't sound right as their refurbished policy doesn't have such stipulations.

There are numerous threads here about the Apple refurbished products. One thing - don't expect to get the same Apple box you get when you get a new product. So if you like your Apple boxes, stay away from their refurbs. (The Apple accessory box is still included.)
 
On another note...I am a developer and need to run latest versions of OSX and Xcode. My old 2005 MacBook won't allow anything newer than Mountain lion to be installed. So I wonder how long it will be before this 'new' mid-2012 MacBook is phased out as far as OSX/Xcode support is concerned. Probably a lot earlier than the latest MacBooks. Weird and the 2012 is also being sold as a 'new' computer.
 
Closingracer said:
What older gpu? Forb$100 bucks more you get a better laptop
Click to expand...

I'm not really sure about the MacBooks but my 1st generation Retina iPad was slower that the previous generation non-Retina iPad because although the number of pixels quadrupled, the hardware to drive that display didn't have what it took to equal the video performance of the previous generation non-Retina version. It is well known as a dog in gamer circles.

So for the same reason I presume that unless the Retina MacBook is a few generations newer than the non-Retina, all other things being equal or near equal, it will be slower in graphics performance for games. About four times the video memory is required for all those extra pixels, not to mention gobs more GPU power to move those pixels around.
 
tokyodan said:
I'm not really sure about the MacBooks but my 1st generation Retina iPad was slower that the previous generation non-Retina iPad because although the number of pixels quadrupled, the hardware to drive that display didn't have what it took to equal the video performance of the previous generation non-Retina version. It is well known as a dog in gamer circles.

So for the same reason I presume that unless the Retina MacBook is a few generations newer than the non-Retina, all other things being equal or near equal, it will be slower in graphics performance for games. About four times the video memory is required for all those extra pixels, not to mention gobs more GPU power to move those pixels around.
Click to expand...

You assume wrong then HD4000 iGPU in the ivy bridge CPU was pretty rubbish when it came out and has never been any good for games. The IRIS graphics in the newer machines is a vast improvement especially running games at lower resolutions.

I wouldn't pay more than $600 for a second hand 2012 MBP, it's just not worth the money to buy them new and you'll probably get one already upgraded with an SSD for that money.
 
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tokyodan said:
1. Although it is 'new' I think it is a Mid-2012 model. Is that so?
2. Can this run an external display in extended mode?
3. Can it do so with it closed?
4. Can it drive an external 1080p monitor in full 1080p?
Click to expand...
1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.
4. Yes. It can drive up to two monitors of 2560 x 1440 in addition to the built-in display.
 
Samuelsan2001 said:
You assume wrong then HD4000 iGPU in the ivy bridge CPU was pretty rubbish when it came out and has never been any good for games. The IRIS graphics in the newer machines is a vast improvement especially running games at lower resolutions.

I wouldn't pay more than $600 for a second hand 2012 MBP, it's just not worth the money to buy them new and you'll probably get one already upgraded with an SSD for that money.
Click to expand...

Thanks. That's good to know.
[doublepost=1460632418][/doublepost]
JTToft said:
1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.
4. Yes. It can drive up to two monitors of 2560 x 1440 in addition to the built-in display.
Click to expand...

Thanks.
 
Samuelsan2001 said:
You assume wrong then HD4000 iGPU in the ivy bridge CPU was pretty rubbish when it came out and has never been any good for games. The IRIS graphics in the newer machines is a vast improvement especially running games at lower resolutions.

I wouldn't pay more than $600 for a second hand 2012 MBP, it's just not worth the money to buy them new and you'll probably get one already upgraded with an SSD for that money.
Click to expand...


Basically said it for me
[doublepost=1460639204][/doublepost]
tokyodan said:
I'm not really sure about the MacBooks but my 1st generation Retina iPad was slower that the previous generation non-Retina iPad because although the number of pixels quadrupled, the hardware to drive that display didn't have what it took to equal the video performance of the previous generation non-Retina version. It is well known as a dog in gamer circles.

So for the same reason I presume that unless the Retina MacBook is a few generations newer than the non-Retina, all other things being equal or near equal, it will be slower in graphics performance for games. About four times the video memory is required for all those extra pixels, not to mention gobs more GPU power to move those pixels around.
Click to expand...


The iPad 3 is rubbish. The 4, Air, Air 2 and Pro 9.7 are all superior to the iPad 2 though. Remember the non retina was last made in 2012. Newest Retina model is 2015 with 2 generations better CPU's I believe ? If I remember Haswell was next and then Broadwell which is what the 2015 model has. This also comes with an improved GPU as well with the Iris graphics .
 
OP:

If you -DON'T- want a retina display, and -DO- want a MacBook Pro, then the 2012 version is your ONLY choice.

The "2012" designation means that was the last time the design was updated. If you buy one of these, either new or refurb, it will almost certainly have been assembled much more recently.

If you want a design that's "newer" and you want a MacBook Pro, you'll have to accept the retina display. No way around that.
 
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