Cracking Open the MacBook Pro with Retina Display Video

Cracking Open the MacBook Pro with Retina Display Video Transcript

Apple's MacBook Pro with Retina Display is one of the most powerful and portable laptops on the market and it's screens pretty nice clear. But in today's episode of cracking open I'll show you why it's also nearly impossible to upgrade. A real pain to work on -- and lacks what many consider an essential pro feature. There's a lot -- of the retina MacBook Pro and it's thinner and lighter than the traditional MacBook Pro. This two USB three ports and a full sized HDMI port. It sports an Intel ivy bridge core I seven processor. And an Nvidia GT 650 M graphics chip. And as its main implies it has a gorgeous -- -- 880 by 18100. Resolution Retina Display. Unfortunately as I mentioned in the intro all of these positives are offset by some serious negatives. For starters this is the first MacBook Pro with -- case speakers. You know those annoying tamper resistance -- used on the MacBook air and iPhone forest. Apple doesn't want you inside this machine and once I -- off the back cover a -- why. Unlike the standard MacBook Pro which is designed to be upgraded and serviced by you should you so choose the written a MacBook Pro isn't. -- so let's start with the battery. Instead of being single removable unit. Each cell is glued to the machine's case this makes the battery nearly impossible to remove without damaging it or the component underneath. It also means you can't get to the components under it like the track -- The situation doesn't really get any better when we look at the mother board. There's a proprietary solid state drive which means you won't be able to swap it out for a larger third party one. And the ram is so -- to the motherboard so you won't be upgrading that -- And -- all this wasn't enough. Apple also dropped two features that -- the MacBook pro apart from the thinner but less professional MacBook Air. And ethernet port and optical drive. Now I don't think losing the optical drives will anger many pro -- I have an optical drive on my 2011 pro and can't remember the last time I use. But ethernet port is another matter. When I asked tech republic members if they -- -- co workers still needed machines -- ethernet port a resounding 88% said yes. Sure you can use at thunderbolt ethernet adapter. But that's one more thing you need to buy and care. Honestly this new machine is more like a MacBook Air than -- MacBook Pro. And as -- you'll need to plan your purchase carefully it may be pricey. But make sure you -- all the ram storage and processing power you'll need for the life of the machine. Now -- of this -- Apple still sells traditional thirteen and fifteen inch MacBook pros ethernet ports optical drives -- all. But I can't imagine they'll keep both pro lines around for very long once the price of solid state drives and the Retina Display are low enough. All MacBook pros will probably look like this one at least until all that hardware will fit into an air. For more information on the retina MacBook Pro including performance and battery life benchmark tests check out Dan Ackerman polls CNET review. And to see more tear down photos and read my full hardware analysis. Go to tech republic dot com forward slash cracking. I'm -- -- -- thanks to watch. And an independent think. -- -- -- entertainment content and content.