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Apple MacBook Pro 13"

One of the many MacBook Pro series laptops with Retina display from 2012-2015, the last 13” model with Intel processor before the tragedy of the 2016-2019 models.

At the end of 2012, Apple introduced the new MacBook Pro with Retina display, which had a completely new chassis and display for the first time since 2009. The laptop gained a screen with a huge resolution that puts to shame even today's Windows laptops, which usually have 1920x1080 or 1920x1200.
The chassis has become much slimmer, making the MagSafe charging port redesigned and, unfortunately, deleting the Ethernet port, DVD drive, the ability to replace RAM sticks, battery indicator and power status LED. The battery was glued to the case, making it very difficult to replace, unlike its predecessors. There was, however, an NVMe SSD instead of SATA, but with a non-standard connector. A number of these changes stirred up a lot of controversy among customers, and fans of the 2012 models without a Retina screen are still around today.

In hindsight, however, it's still nothing compared to later incarnations of the MacBook Pro, which had a modest number of USB-C-only ports, a soldered-in SSD and a design flawed screen, or the infamous “butterfly” keyboard. Against their background, the 2015 model shines and also has its group of admirers using it despite Apple's slow withdrawal of support for Intel processors.

The 2012-2015 MacBook Pro Retina differs virtually nothing except for the components on the motherboard, as was the case with previous model series or the first MacBook. Years later, fortunately, solutions to the problem of the non-standard SSD connector have emerged in the form of simple and inexpensive adapters for the M.2 connector, making it much cheaper to add new, larger data storage space to one's laptop.

As usual, there is no rose without thorns. MacBook Pro's with Retina display suffer from wearing off anti-reflective coating, which causes disturbing and eye-unpleasing stains. The solution is only to remove the entire coating from the surface of the display, which is quite time-consuming. My unit does not suffer from this affliction, but I suspect that the previous owner took care of the problem.

The last officially supported version of macOS for the 2015 model is 12 Monterey, but resorting to the OpenCore Legacy Patcher one can even install macOS Sequoia, which works flawlessly.

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