Macbook Pro vs. Macbook Pro Retina Display?

The Retina display is amazing and a revelation. Photographer or not, it's a truly gorgeous display that will change the way you see everything you do. We use Macs for our software development at work and I usually don't even use my big monitor because the Retina display is so much nicer. Whether it's worth dropping to 13" Retina over a 15" non-Retina really depends on you. The Retina Pro will be nicer and more portable, but 15" will be convenient if you mostly want it to sit at a desk.

I'm sure I'll get some no votes for this, but don't listen to the people saying you should buy Windows machines. Most of us doing professional software developers in Silicon Valley use Macs these days: they are less hassle, more secure and the UNIX core gives you more power over the stuff that matters. (PCs aren't really more powerful for most use cases: they're just more fiddly.) Countless studies show that Apple pricing is quite competitive with PC pricing when you factor in things like repair costs and quality. Apple's multitouch trackpad is an unparalleled thing of beauty.

Don't get me wrong: Windows is pretty good these days, and even the failed experiment that is Win 8 isn't really bad. I use both on a daily basis and they both have strong points. For most people who aren't gamers, the strengths of Mac OS are more compelling than the strengths of Windows. (If you're a gamer, you'll be disappointed at how badly the trackpad works in BootCamp and you'll end up needing to use a mouse, though many laptop gamers do that anyway.)

Well if your a college student and not a professional photographer the retina display probably won't be anything really special for you. Since your a college student, you will probably be doing more school work/web browsing on it, or using it in class if the professor allows that. Personally I would just get the normal 13" because its more portable than the 15", but also you could take the other guy's advice and just get a windows laptop which would be much less expensive, unless your just dead set on having a mac. I can't talk either way because I own two macbooks even though I run windows on both of them the majority of the time (yes I know it makes no sense at all). The main point being you can save the money they charge for the retina display and dump that into a bigger hard drive for your music or the faster processor or more ram. I reccomend against the 15" only because of portability. Being a student you would want something portable, yet able to handle what you plan to do.

I would seriously consider getting a windows laptop. Not being a professional photographer you have 0 reasons to get a mac.

the retina display's clarity and crispness are worth it IF you feel you need it.