Windows 8.1 on retina Macbook Pro

[g-a-c]

I know it seems a bit perverse, but I've been looking around for a new laptop recently and I'm finding it hard to find something I "like". My current one is 13". Great size for carrying round, great weight, I want to keep those attributes. Terrible screen resolution (1366x768) though. So I've been looking at changing it.

Problem being that I can only find a handful of laptops with 13" 1080 screens (or above). Further compounded by the fact that the Macbook actually represents quite good value for money against them. The most recent example I looked at was the Lenovo X1 Carbon - lower res screen than a 13" rMBP, tops out at less RAM, 8vs16, but costs more than the Apple configured with the maximum 16GB in it. I've always been a bit against Apple because I thought they charged an extortionate amount for what is essentially "standard" high-quality laptop hardware these days and that I wouldn't get any value for my money with OSX over Windows/Linux anyway. But now it seems like a quite attractive option just to get the specs compared to other manufacturers. Similar story with Dell's XPS 13 - you can get the Developer Edition for a reasonable price but it's 8 GB maximum and still lower resolution screen than a retina one.

My remaining question would be whether anyone's using Boot Camp or whatever it is to replace OSX full time on one? I'm familiar with OSX and I'm sure that if I did buy one I'd get used to it very quickly - but equally I wouldn't want to be left with something I'd paid a fortune for and couldn't really use. Is it actually feasible to use the retina screens with Windows 8.1?

 

[Tom]

You'd have to use bootcamp and you need a full copy of 8.1

There is NO reason to only use 8.1 unless you really like terrible operating systems.

 

[Jack!]

Yes, either with bootcamp, or using VMware Fusion or Parallels.

 

[g-a-c]

You'd have to use bootcamp and you need a full copy of 8.1

There is NO reason to only use 8.1 unless you really like terrible operating systems.

Yeah, I know I'd need the right license etc. Let's assume that's not a problem (again, I'd have to look into the prices, it's still early days at the moment). I kind of figured that would be the response I got to the choice of OS but I'm not really bothered about the OS; for me the OS doesn't "do" much except let me run other stuff. If it turns out that I can't run other stuff I want on OSX then that's where the issue would lie rather than with OSX itself. I can't actually think of anything right now that I couldn't do on OSX (apart from manage work's firewall which comes with a Windows-only admin app, but I can deal with that) but just wanted to find out a bit more about whether it's possible

 

[Tom]

Everything is possible

 

[Sargara]

Have you worked out the cost after adding an 8.1 license to the MBP? Dell XPS do a 1920x1080 13" but its touchscreen and you certainly pay a premium for it:
http://www.dell.com/uk/p/xps-13-9333/pd?oc=cnx9311&model_id=xps-13-9333

 

[g-a-c]

Have you worked out the cost after adding an 8.1 license to the MBP? Dell XPS do a 1920x1080 13" but its touchscreen and you certainly pay a premium for it:
http://www.dell.com/uk/p/xps-13-9333/pd?oc=cnx9311&model_id=xps-13-9333

Nope, as I said, I'll look into it. I didn't bother yet in case it wasn't actually an option. That's a cheaper price than I've seen before for the Dell, and I'm sure the Apple prices have come down since I last looked at this so it looks like I've missed a recent price adjustment or whatever. Shame it's touchscreen really, as that doesn't interest me at all but it's still cheaper than the MBP is. Looks like I have some more browsing to do...

 

[Sargara]

Well of course you dont have to use the touchscreen but unfortunately you have to pay for it regardless

 

[zeta]

Sony vaio pro laptops are very affordable now. Not sure on current specs but I'd certainly take a look if I were you

 

[Nik]

I run Windows 7 on my rMBP with bootcamp VMWare Fusion. I use it quite a lot for some apps that aren't available on OSX (Corel Draw mainly), and can't see any reason why you couldn't use it full time as a windows laptop. Windows 8 is better at scaling up icons and text to a more comfortable size on a retina screen too I believe.

I guarantee that you'll start using OSX more and more and eventually boot up Windows only when you really have to though.

 

[g-a-c]

Sony vaio pro laptops are very affordable now. Not sure on current specs but I'd certainly take a look if I were you

I can only find one range of Vaio Pro 13" models, all of which are limited to 4GB of RAM (so barely enough for now, let alone futureproofing)

I run Windows 7 on my rMBP with bootcamp VMWare Fusion. I use it quite a lot for some apps that aren't available on OSX (Corel Draw mainly), and can't see any reason why you couldn't use it full time as a windows laptop. Windows 8 is better at scaling up icons and text to a more comfortable size on a retina screen too I believe.

I guarantee that you'll start using OSX more and more and eventually boot up Windows only when you really have to though.

That may well be the case, like I said, I can't think of anything I couldn't currently do on OSX but that's because I've never bought an OSX machine personally before so I probably have loads of stuff I just take for granted because it's always been there on Windows. Going the other way around is easier IMO, if you're a current Apple user you could pick up a Windows laptop for ~£200 and try it if you wanted, and if you want to make the leap then you sell that and your current Apple (which seem to hold value better than non-Apple products) to fund a decent Windows laptop. Being a Windows user with a 2-3 year old average spec laptop that isn't worth a lot and wanting to potentially jump into the higher cost Apple market is a bit more difficult and requires a bit more thought...

 

[Munson]

VMware Fusion scales Windows for Retina. If you use Bootcamp you'll be relying on Windows 8.1 to scale, which it will do with varying degrees of success, and it'll be largely application dependent. My advice is to run it in a virtual machine. You can then swipe between OSX and Windows as full screen apps.

The only problem I've had with VMware is the way in which in sometimes handles Ethernet networking. Using fixed IP addresses doesn't always work properly with some professional applications and external equipment. I believe there is a workaround that will force a truly static IP for Windows to use in these cases. This is a relatively minor thing that most users probably won't encounter.

 

[Goodj]

Sounds like the best trolling PC plan in the whole of time.

Oo, get a load of your swanky Macbook!
Yeh, I found that Internet Explorer works much better on this than my old Mac.

Given that it's just another Intel PC, just in a white case, surely you can just wipe SugarKitteh (or whatever the new Apple OS is)it and install a proper OS anyway?

 

[Tom]

noooo

 

[Munson]

White?

 

[g-a-c]

Given that it's just another Intel PC, just in a white case, surely you can just wipe SugarKitteh (or whatever the new Apple OS is)it and install a proper OS anyway?

No, hence the thread. There are tools to get Windows working on it (i.e. Boot Camp) but as I don't currently own an Apple product I don't know how good these are. Do they make it into a proper PC equivalent, or are they more like the "XP compatibility mode" in Windows 7 which turned out to be a crippled Virtual PC image of XP? Makes a big difference to whether to even consider one.

Believe me, I used to think people that did this were having a laugh - I've worked with people who've spent thousands on a Mac Pro and then installed Windows on it making it an insanely expensive, average-spec workstation. But in this case, the price is actually comparable/better than some of the Windows equivalents I've been browsing (and with a higher spec) so it almost makes sense.

 

[Nik]

Even as a windows only MBP it's still a good purchase, particularly if as you say the price is comparable to the similarly spec'ed windows based laptops you've been looking at.

It's also about build quality, and I've yet to see any other notebook compare. My main reason for purchasing a MacBook was very little to do with the brand or OSX to be honest, it was the fact that I was fed up of seeing my heavily used laptops falling apart and also being worthless after 2 years. A year into MBP ownership and it looks brand new.

And running windows using on it using bootcamp is just like any other windows laptop, other than the keyboard differences which you get used to.

 

[cava83]

Even as a windows only MBP it's still a good purchase, particularly if as you say the price is comparable to the similarly spec'ed windows based laptops you've been looking at.

It's also about build quality, and I've yet to see any other notebook compare. My main reason for purchasing a MacBook was very little to do with the brand or OSX to be honest, it was the fact that I was fed up of seeing my heavily used laptops falling apart and also being worthless after 2 years. A year into MBP ownership and it looks brand new.

And running windows using on it using bootcamp is just like any other windows laptop, other than the keyboard differences which you get used to.

Same thoughts here.

I used to love OS X and now not too bothered, however, I am excited about the latest release, specially supporting GSM calls and text messages. That's ace.

I've had and used many laptops in the past, of various brands and price levels. The two best models I have found are the XPS and the top of the range HP laptops, however as an overall purchase (taking into consideration resale value) I would really consider the rMBP as stated. Their quality is great, support has been great throughout all my years of use.

I am still using my MBP which was purchased in October 2009 and it's superb. Slight issue with the battery after nearly 5 years, but most other laptops lasted me 2 years if that.

Regarding Windows 8.1, there are some frustrating elements and if the rMBP had a touch screen, you really would be at an advantage with that OS, but I would consider Windows 7 if you don't like the GUI elements of 8.

Munson also made a good recommendation of using the Windows OS as a virtual machine, that is what I would do, unless you need full grunt, which then use bootcamp. But you can use the same bootcamp installation as your VM if you want, so it's not like you have 3 O's to maintain.

Good luck