MacBook Pro Retina Mid-2012

Touted as the "most advanced Mac ever built," the "MacBook Pro with Retina Display" models feature a stunning high-resolution 15.4-inch widescreen 2880x1800 (220 ppi) LED-backlit "retina" display in a sleek, thin case weighing just under 4.5 pounds (2.02 kg). Notably, these systems lack the branding on the display bezel seen on earlier MacBook Pro models.

Somewhat controversially, these Retina Display models have an essentially "sealed" design. The RAM is soldered in place and cannot be upgraded after purchase, the storage is not intended for user upgrades, and the battery is not easily replaceable by users or third parties.

This specific model, the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.3 15-Inch (Mid-2012 Retina Display), is powered by a 22 nm "Ivy Bridge" 2.3 GHz Intel "Core i7" processor (3615QM). It has four independent cores on a single chip, a 6 MB shared L3 cache, 8 GB of onboard 1600 MHz DDR3L SDRAM (not upgradable), 256 GB of flash storage, and dual graphics processors: a NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory and an integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 sharing system memory. It also includes a 720p FaceTime HD webcam. It lacks an internal optical drive.

Connectivity includes 3-stream AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, two USB 3.0 ports, two "Thunderbolt" ports, an HDMI port, an audio in/out port, and an SDXC card slot. Gigabit Ethernet and Firewire "800" require extra-cost adapters.

Additionally, this model has a backlit keyboard, a "no button" glass "inertial" multi-touch trackpad, a "MagSafe 2" power adapter, and a sealed internal battery providing an estimated 7 hours of use.

The Mid-2012 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display was a revolutionary machine that set a new standard for professional laptops. Its groundbreaking, high-resolution Retina display was universally praised for its incredible sharpness and clarity. The slim and light new design, which shed the optical drive, was a significant step forward in portability for a Pro-level machine. Performance was strong, thanks to the quad-core Ivy Bridge processor and NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics. However, the move to a sealed chassis with soldered RAM and a proprietary SSD was highly controversial, as it eliminated the user upgradability that had been a hallmark of the Pro line. Despite this, its stunning screen and powerful internals made it a landmark product.