MacBook Pro Retina Early 2013

The MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.4 15-Inch (Early 2013 Retina Display) is powered by a 22 nm "Ivy Bridge" 2.4 GHz Intel "Core i7" processor (3635QM). It has four independent cores on a single chip, a 6 MB shared L3 cache, 8 GB of onboard 1600 MHz DDR3L SDRAM (upgradable to 16 GB only at purchase), and 256 GB of flash storage. It features 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 and a high-resolution 15.4-inch LED-backlit widescreen 2880x1800 (220 ppi) "retina" display in a sleek, thin case weighing just under 4.5 pounds (2.02 kg). 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. In addition, this model has a backlit keyboard, a "no button" glass "inertial" multi-touch trackpad, a "MagSafe 2" power adapter, and an internal, glued-in battery providing an estimated 7 hours of life.

The Early 2013 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro was a refinement of the groundbreaking 2012 model. This specific configuration, with its 2.4 GHz Ivy Bridge Core i7 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics, provided robust performance that handled professional creative workflows with ease. The stunning Retina display remained its main attraction, setting a high bar for screen quality. While praised for its power and sleek design, it also carried forward the controversial aspects of its predecessor: the non-upgradable RAM and the move towards a less user-serviceable machine. It was a solid, powerful workstation, but represented an iterative step rather than a major leap forward, soon to be eclipsed by the more efficient Haswell models later in the year.