What is the MacBook Retina Display and Should You Buy One


The very first MacBook was released in 2006. Since then, Apple has updated and refreshed its line, offering the standard MacBook as well as the lightweight and portable MacBook Air and the powerful MacBook Pro. Global sales of the Apple laptop brand reach approximately 15 million a year, or higher. In 2018, Apple sold around 18.21 million MacBooks around the world.

A big part of the MacBook’s success is that Apple has added so many great, high quality features to it. One of these new features is the Retina display that features on many of the company’s newer MacBooks.

What is the Retina Display on MacBooks?

The Retina display is a type of screen that Apple debuted back in 2010. The iPhone 4 was the first device to feature display type and it was later added to the MacBook line of computers as well as the iPad and the iMac desktops.

Apple explains that Retina displays offer densely packed pixels that provide a higher quality of image for users. There are so many pixels that they are imperceptible to the human eye. It would mean that images could offer greater detail. This was great for MacBook users who often watch downloaded videos and streamed content on YouTube while they’re on the go.

Is Retina Better Than the Glossy Display?

Newer models of the Apple MacBook feature the Retina display and this replaces the old Glossy display technology. It also replaces the anti-glare technology. Glossy displays are good for watching things in rooms with poor lighting while anti-glare displays can prevent the light from ruining the viewing experience.

Each MacBook screen type has a fanbase who think that each type of display is better for something. With the Retina display, images are more detailed and have more clarity, and similar to the anti-glare technology, it is well suited for watching things in bright lights or direct sunlight. Whether it’s better than a glossy display really depends on what you need, but there is a lot to like about Retina displays.

How Much Do MacBooks with Retina Displays Cost?

Retina displays offer brilliant quality but this means that they are more expensive than other screen types. When buying brand new, Retina will cost you a lot more than a MacBook with a Glossy or anti-glare screen. MacBook Pros are already more expensive because of their technical specs and you can add on a few hundred dollars for a Retina display version.

However, there are ways that you can save money on a MacBook with a Retina display, such as by buying refurbished. Deals of refurbished MacBook Pros with Retina displays start at around $500 – $600 for the 13-inch model of the laptop that was released in 2012. These refurbished MacBooks come with warranties and many have free shipping but because they aren’t brand new, you can save up to $1,000. Refurbished MacBook Pros with Retina displays do sell out quickly because of the popularity of the display type and the savings on offer, but they are worth buying if you can find the stock.

Who Needs a MacBook With a Retina Display?

MacBooks with Retina displays aren’t just useful to those who watch a lot of TV on their laptops. The Apple computers are also incredibly useful for professionals and those who use MacBooks every day at work.

There are lots of reasons why designers prefer Apple MacBooks to Windows laptops, such as the better font rendering, the brilliant user experience, and the design of the hardware. Retina displays are also part of that as the detail offered by Retina makes it easier to make design changes and to see the finer points of their work. There are nearly three million customer service professionals in the United States and there are good reasons for them to use MacBooks with Retina displays too. They spend much of their work day in front of a computer but Retina displays can help to reduce the eye strain that they may get from working on so many customer requests and messages.

The Retina display is one of the most popular and well-known screen types in the world. Apple has also improved it with the Super Retina display found on the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. The resources that Apple has invested in making its displays high quality is another reason why people like the company’s devices so much.

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