In plus to the stock configurations of its Macs , Apple offers a number of make - to - rules of order ( BTO ) upgrade choice that let in more RAM , more depot capacity , and fast processors . An “ ultimate ” configuration is a customise machine with the fastest options available . We ’ve tested the ultimate configuration of the13 - inch Retina MacBook Proand found that the operation — as well as the monetary value tag — were both considerably high than the standard high - end configuration .

Our $ 2699 BTO 13 - inch Retina MacBook Pro wasloaded for bear . It starts with a fast 2.9GHz dual - core Core i7 CPU ( a $ 200 choice ) , which put back the 2.5GHz dual - pith Core i5 C.P.U. in the $ 1999 standard configuration manikin . A 512 GB flash storage drive ( $ 500 ) replaces the parentage 256 GB flashgun storage . Our ultimate system has the same 8 GB of RAM and desegregate Intel HD Graphics 4000 as the stock constellation .

To see if these upgrades are worth the meaning cost , we put the ultimate 13 - inch Retina MacBook Pro through the paces of our new Speedmark 8 scheme performance benchmark entourage .

13-inch Retina MacBook Pro: Speedmark 8 Scores

All termination are scores . high score are better . Best result inbold . Reference models initalics .

Overall , the ultimate 13 - inch Retina MacBook Pro with a 2.9GHz dual - core i7 central processor was 11 percent faster than the received 13 - inch Retina MacBook Pro with a 2.5GHz dual - inwardness Core i5 processor . The BTO organization was degenerate in every trial run , but to depart degrees .

In CPU - intensive test such as MathematicaMark and CineBench CPU , the ultimate Retina MacBook Pro was 13 and 14.5 percentage quicker , respectively , than the standard organisation . Our graphics test also ascertain a boost , with 9 percent higher frames per second in Portal 2 , and 13 percent higher frame rates in the Cinebench OpenGL test . Our iPhoto moment psychometric test was 19 percent quicker on the ultimate model . file cabinet copy and file uncompression test results between the ultimate and received modeling were close .

The ultimate Retina 13 - inch MacBook Pro was a walloping 69 percentage quicker overall over the standard 13 - in non - Retina MacBook Pro with a 2.9GHz three-fold - core Core i7 CPU . The strong parkway in the non - Retina MacBook Pro took more than 5 times as long to nail the data file copy and unzip test as the ultimate MacBook Pro ’s zippy flash computer storage . Photoshop was 35 percentage quicker on the ultimate system , and MathematicaMark was 14 percent quicker . Graphics tryout results were very similar between the two .

But its not all lollipops and roses for the ultimate 13 - inch Retina MacBook Pro . The $ 2199 15 - inch Retina MacBook Pro — price the same as the eminent - end 13 - inch Retina MacBook Pro with the $ 200 processor climb — was 25 per centum faster overall than the BTO 13 - column inch MacBook Pro . The 15 - inch example has a quad - marrow 2.3GHz Core i7 C.P.U. and distinct nVidia GeForce GT 650 M art . The 15 - inch laptop finished the CineBench CPU test 41 percent quicker than the ultimate 13 - inch laptop , and displayed more than doubly as many frames per second in our Portal 2 timedemo .

The $ 2799 15 - in Retina MacBook Pro costs just $ 100 more than our ultimate 13 - inch laptop and was 34 percent quicker overall . The 15 - inch Retina laptop was also 65 percentage faster in our MathematicaMark examination .

13-inch Retina MacBook Pro: Individual application scores

issue are in seconds . Lower result are better . Best solvent inbold .   Reference example initalics . Macworld research laboratory testing by James Galbraith , Albert Filice , Kean Bartelman , and William Wong .

answer are in second . small results are good . salutary result inbold . mention good example initalics .

iTunes and Cinebench CPU results are in bit , ( lower result are better).VMware PCMark andMathematicaMark 8 are scores ( higher result are good ) . Best event inbold . book of facts models initalics .

13-inch Retina MacBook Pro: Graphics tests

Results are in frames per second . high results are better . Best result inbold . acknowledgment models initalics .

13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display/2.5GHz Core i5 256GB flash storage (Late 2012)

Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display