Share BestBuyer's profile
BestBuyer
BestBuyer's stats
- Review count13
- Helpfulness votes26
- First reviewJanuary 21, 2015
- Last reviewJuly 7, 2017
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.5
Reviews comments
- Review comment count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentNone
- Last review commentNone
- Featured review comments0
Questions
- Question count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First questionNone
- Last questionNone
- Featured questions0
- Answer count1
- Helpfulness votes0
- First answerMay 23, 2015
- Last answerMay 23, 2015
- Featured answers0
- Best answers0
With fourth-generation Intel Core processors, the latest graphics, and faster flash storage, the incredibly advanced MacBook Pro with Retina display moves even further ahead in performance and battery life.* *Compared with the previous generation.
Customer Rating
5
Comprehensive Review - Design, Photo, Video User
on January 25, 2015
Posted by: BestBuyer
Verified Purchase:Yes
MY USAGE
• I'm excited about the purchase because it's my first laptop. I've been using Mac's since 1989. All of them desktops and towers because of my power-user needs. This MacBook Pro Retina is up to spec.
• It handles Photoshop, Graphic Design apps, Video creation & playback very well. It would handle web design easily. I don't use it for gaming. So I don't know how that performs. 2.5GHz processing, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, 1 to 2GB VRAM all combined make this very a fast yet quiet machine. It hasn't had to use Virtual Memory yet. It probably won't need an external scratch disk. The 2.8GHz 1TB SSD step-up model would be nice. This is more than capable.
• I'm confident it can replace my old Mac Pro as a portable workstation. I can Network them in System Prefs File Sharing via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, thru a modem or router, or directly.
DISPLAY & GRAPHICS
• Retina Display is beautiful saturated & crisp. No backlight bleed. The glass helps contrast. It isn't so super-glossy to be too reflective in normal light. The screen is just the right size. You can connect a MiniDisplayPort or Thunderbolt-capable monitor to a Thunderbolt port for a dual or mirrored display. You can move the Dock and menu bar to one screen or the other. You can use it in clamshell mode with the cover closed.
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M GPU w/ 2GB VRAM turns on automatically for Photoshop, iMovie, video playback. Otherwise it defaults to the Intel Iris Pro GPU w/ 1GB VRAM. Rendering is smooth and fast.
• A soft cleaning cloth is included in a plastic sleeve.
POWER
• The Battery is rated for 8hrs. In a test, it went down from 100% (it's actually 103-105% fully charged) to 8% in 6hrs 15 min with lightweight apps. That also included 1.75 hrs of movie playback, iMovie, light Photoshop use, and occasionally a lot of apps open, and peripherals and backlit keyboard on. Otherwise it would have lasted close to as rated. It alerts you when it's on reserve power and it will shut down apps but keep System files from shutting down.
• Apple's tech said there's nothing wrong with leaving it plugged in nor draining the battery. There's no need to drain it occasionally. It's pre-calibrated. Note: The Mac comes with 1yr of AppleCare and 90-days free tech support. But the battery has to be defective to be replaced. Not discharged under normal use. It should last more than that. The battery cannot be replaced. But it's rated for 1000 cycles. A cycle is when it's discharged to any percentage. Then charged to 100%. For example, 80% one day, followed by 20% the next equals one cycle.
• The Finder menu shows when apps use significant energy such as Video, Graphics, and Photography. Safari with lots of tabs open can also qualify. But it normally doesn't. Wi-Fi drains any laptop's battery. Turn Bluetooth off and unplug peripherals to save battery power when not plugged in. Keep monitor brightness halfway or below. Backlit keyboard is a nice white LED. Turn it off if not plugged in.
• Apple's web site tells you how to extend battery life.
• The MagSafe magnetic power connector fits very tight. A small LED glows orange for charging or discharging and green when fully charged. The 3x3x1" power adapter has pieces that pop out to wrap the 4ft cord for travel. A thicker 4ft power cord with a 3-pronged plug hooks into a removable piece on the power adapter to extend the length. Otherwise a separate piece with foldable double prongs slides into place for shorter connections. I might recommend a portable surge protector for mobile use.
WI-FI AND ETHERNET
• High spec Wi-Fi works well. But mobile coverage can be spotty. Not the fault of the Mac. It finds locations very quickly. If locations don't show up right away then try System Prefs Network Renew DHCP Lease.
• The optional Thunderbolt-to-Ethernet adapter fits and works very well. Very reliable.
OTHER PORTS
• The two 3.0 USB ports are fast. Thunderbolt is faster. But this is still fast. I use a hard drive on the left and USB mouse on the right side. You can connect an optical drive like a Blu-Ray reader/writer. You need third-party software to playback Blu-Rays. HDMI connects to HDTV. Thunderbolt has better resolution for monitors. Five ports including an audio port are on the left yet all peripherals fit. Internal SDXC card reader for cameras and camcorders works fast.
BUILD
• Solid Aluminum build doesn't get hot. Fans don't have to turn on often. It's not too heavy. It fits in a bag perfectly. It's thinner than previous models. Which is why it doesn't have an optical drive nor Ethernet. I use the Ethernet adapter in the Thunderbolt port connected to a modem or could also be a router or Time Capsule.
• Keyboard has a really nice responsive feel. Easy to type on. It's not extended with numbers on the side but you get used to it. The function keys work well with OS X 10 Yosemite's features.
• Glass track pad is nice and solid. System Prefs have video clips of how to use the multi-touch. I'd use a mouse for Design, Photoshop, or Video.
YOSEMITE AND APPS
• OS X 10.1 Yosemite is pre-installed. You update it via About this Mac in the Finder menu. I don't like the Finder Translucency. So I went to System Prefs General > Use Dark Menu Bar and also Dock and Accessibility > Reduce Transparency. Otherwise I'm getting to like Yosemite. I read that it's best not to revert back to Mavericks since Yosemite's optimized for these latest Macs.
• The iLife and iWork Suites are downloadable from the App Store icon in the Dock so you can install only the apps you need. The others are always in the App Store Purchased Tab. BlackMagic Speedtest app is provide for free to marvel at the speed of the SSD.
• The installed apps include iTunes, iBooks, Maps, Reminders, Notes (both useful), Calendar (formerly iCal), Mail, Contacts, Safari, QuickTime, Activity Monitor, Terminal, Disk Utility, FaceTime (The Mac has a web cam), Messages, App Store, GameCenter, and other Apple standards.
• Apple Mail can send and receive gmail and others. Look at Help menus for correct account settings.
• I haven't used iCloud or AirDrop. But they're accessible from the Finder Sidebar.
• Spotlight is easier to use.
• Notifications from apps like Mail and Calendar slide out from the top right.
• Apps open extremely fast. Total boot time approx 45 sec.
• You may have to upgrade some of your third-party apps. But most older ones released within the last few years do work.
• The OS X installer can be downloaded from the App store should you need reinstall the OS or create a bootable USB with options to run Disk Utility or restore from Time Machine. Search Apple's site for instructions or call the free tech support. They answer promptly and take the time to answer all questions.
• This Mac won't run OS X 10.6 which is the last OS that includes Rosetta for legacy Power PC apps. But it will run it on this Mac with third-party virtual software and doesn't require rebooting.
CONCLUSION
• Bottom line if you need power, speed, and a top notch display that also can be used with another monitor, then this fits the bill. If you use a lot of apps that don't need the processing power, lots of RAM, or dual GPU's, then get the lower spec models.
• Great Open Box Geek Squad Certified price was less than online retailers even including tax. I received a fair amount of Rewards points. 15-day return or exchange period from the time you receive it is piece of mind. Buy with confidence. I hope this info helps. It's the type of info I like to read from actual owners.
• I'm very pleased with my purchase.
My Best Buy number: 0420575430
My Best Buy number: 0420575430
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+6points
7of 8voted this as helpful.
Easily and quickly record up to 100GB of data with this LG BP50NB40 8x external USB 2.0 Blu-ray Disc rewriter that features 6x maximum BD-R and 2x BD-RE write speeds to help you rapidly complete your tasks.
Customer Rating
4
Works Well as Blu-ray Player
on January 21, 2015
Posted by: BestBuyer
Verified Purchase:Yes
I only use it as a Blu-ray player. It works just fine with my MacBook Pro and old Mac Pro. Plug & play. Of course you'll have to buy third party playback and burning software separately. It has a dual USB 2.0 'Y' cable in case it needs more power from your laptop. Most modern one's should work with the single connection. It's relatively quiet when playing discs compared to other brands. I use headphones most of the time anyhow. The green LED is small, it's on the front, and unobtrusive. You have to get used to the front loading tray. It pops out slightly on it's own which is good. But I pull it out slowly (just I'm paying attention and don't potentially break it). You have to hold your hand underneath the tray in order to snap the disc onto the spindle. It fits very snuggly on the spindle yet is easy enough to take the disc off. I slowly slide the tray in. It locks well. Blu-rays show up fast on the desktop. USB 2.0 won't be as fast as 3.0 for burning or installing software. But I don't use it for that. Overall just be deliberate with the tray and the disc on the spindle and you'll be fine.
My Best Buy number: 0420575430
My Best Buy number: 0420575430
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+11points
14of 17voted this as helpful.
This Pioneer BDR-XD05S external drive allows you to archive up to 128GB of data on BD-R QL media and up to 100GB of data on BD-R TL media, plus supports DVD and CD formats, so you can burn your favorite movies and music to discs.
Customer Rating
3
Fast Solid But Noisey Works on Mac
on January 21, 2015
Posted by: BestBuyer
Verified Purchase:Yes
USB 3.0 is fast for reading (I used it to install software much faster than a USB 2.0 could) and writing. The spinning is very noisy when playing Blu-rays compared to another brand I've used. The top loader build is very solid. The silver lid matches the MacBook Pro perfectly. The Blue LED is extremely bright, larger than it needs to be, and blinks very fast quite often as it reads discs. I would tape over it with black electrical tape if it was in peripheral eyesight while playing Blu-rays or DVD's. It's that bright. I only needed to use the single USB connector not the secondary one. The 'Y' USB connector is pretty standard for these items just in case there's not enough power from a laptop. Of course you have to get Blu-ray or disc burning software separately. That's standard fare. The packing is more solid than most. It shows the Mac logo. There's no question it works. It's not exclusive though. Other brands work with Macs fine too.
My Best Buy number: 0420575430
My Best Buy number: 0420575430
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
1of 2voted this as helpful.
BestBuyer's Review Comments
BestBuyer has not submitted comments on any reviews.
BestBuyer's Questions
BestBuyer has not submitted any questions.
BestBuyer's Answers
The bullets have been flying for hours. Grenades explode in the distance as you take cover behind a bombed out car. You've been fighting to keep your k/d ratio up, but this battle has been one of the toughest scrapes you've ever encountered. Luckily, you have this Ear Force Sentinel Task Force amplified Headset on your side, which has immersed you in the action, while letting you communicate clearly with your teammates. Your squad's carefully planned tactics and on-the-go strategizing have proved beneficial tonight against these worthy adversaries. It's time to show them who's boss on the battlefield.Assault the leaderboards and experience the sounds of the game in an entirely new way with the power of the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Ear Force Sentinel Task Force Headset by your side. Full-range 50mm neodymium speakers deliver rich, thumping lows and clear, crisp highs, so you can hear every enemy footfall and respawn in your vicinity. Adjust bass boost and volume until you've achieved the ideal depth and realism in your game with the in-line controls. Clearly be heard while on the battlefield with the fully adjustable, high-sensitivity microphone on a removable boom. Take the gaming audio on the go by disconnecting the headset from the in-line amp to use it with your mobile phone, tablet or portable gaming system. Enjoy rich comfort while engaging in epic, marathon-session battles thanks to the adjustable headband, around-the-ear design and synthetic leather ear cushions. Plus, you can personalize the look of the headset with swappable speaker plates. Equip yourself for all of the gaming action you can handle with this Ear Force Sentinel Task Force Gaming Headset.
it works on laptops?
The 3.5mm plug goes straight into my 2014 MacBook Pro Retina headphone/mic jack (the MBP has one jack that passes both signals). I didn't need to plug the USB in. I didn't use the inline amp. Wasn't necessary for the audio I need. In fact it didn't work just by plugging in the USB. The mic and headset sound just fine plugged straight into the MBP's headphone/mic jack.
8 years, 11 months ago
by
BestBuyer