Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch (2012)

performance

90% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

performance, usability, price, design, portability

89% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

83% of the reviews on Amazon.ca give this product a positive rating.

Incredible screen ; Ivy Bridge processors ; Fast solid state storage ; Gestures trackpad ; Great battery life

Very expensive ; No FireWire 800 or Ethernet ports ; No optical drive ; Very difficult to repair or upgrade ; 15-inch model might be better value

We can't say it came as a surprise.

New processors ; Better integrated graphics ; Unibody build ; USB 3.0 ; Excellent screen

No discrete graphics ; Limited upgrade options ; Only a small speed bump ; Slow hard drives ; Cheaper model only Core i5

Apple upgraded its entire range of notebooks with the mid-2012 refresh. Although the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display has grabbed most of the headlines, the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro shouldn't be overlooked.

Stunning Retina Display ; Fierce processing power ; Effortless multi-tasking

Lack of Retina optimised apps ; No optical drive ; Very pricey

Screen, design

No discrete graphics

There is no doubting that the MacBook Pro is a lovely machine. For day-to-day tasks it breezes by with little sign of effort, while still being light enough to take with you on the road. However, as soon as you start doing any real heavy lifting it...

Classic design, USB 3.0, Thunderbolt, responsive OS makes light work of your day-to-day projects, beefed up on the power front, sturdy build quality, backlit keyboard with brightness adjustment, great screen brightness and viewing angle

"Sharp" wrist-rest edge, spacing between connection ports, undeniably expensive, screen resolution could be higher (but Retina model has that covered), the Retina model overshadows this "standard" release, no SSD as standard

There's no doubt that the MacBook Pro (mid 2012) is one great-looking, powerful machine that will serve many professionals well. The user experience is smooth thanks to the latest operating system, and the Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 transfer speeds are a...

Screen, speed, performance, battery life, design

Not upgradable, expensive

The MacBook Pro with Retina display is comparable to Apple’s MacBook Air from 2008. Apple uses this to show what it can achieve, and what is in store for the future. There is no doubting that within a couple of years the screen technology seen here...

Stunning, super high definition screen; slimmer and lighter than previous model; sturdy build quality.

Ludicrously expensive; performance is only average; no Ethernet port; no option to upgrade RAM.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro boasts a superb high-resolution display and a slimmer, lighter physical design than its predecessor. Sadly, its average performance doesn't justify the astonishingly high price.

Plain brilliance ; Fastest performer to date ; Top quality speakers ; Slimline 18mm thickness

The £500 mark up for Retina novelty ; Not all apps are Retina ready ; Disappointing battery life

Apple’s new MacBook Pro is a remarkable laptop. It’ll be remembered for that searing display but there are many more reasons to admire it

Claimed 7 hour battery life. SD card slot. New 13in version

No ExpressCard slot

In the spring of 2012, Apple made a breakthrough on the laptop market and released its first MacBook Pro with a Retina display, boasting a really high resolution of 2880x1800 pixels. Moreover, the much thinner novelty offered the same performance as...