I have first hand experience with Windows 7 on my own rMBP. I do not feel it’s really usable at the moment. The system defaults to 150% DPI, but lots of applications like browsers do not adjust to the new DPI setting. This means that stuff like Google is shown at the full 2880×1800 native resolution. This is so small it’s even hard for me to read.
I’m not sure if Windows 8 solved this problem, but even if it did I do not want to give my grandpa the new Metro interface since it will probably be too alien for him.
I know I’m being a hard-ass, but it’s hard to find really good laptops out there. Perhaps I should just force him to try and use my retina MBP with OS X for a week or so and come up with my conclusions then.
Well, there’s the other thing that the Asus UX51 is not really available in my country (The Netherlands). It would be a great laptop though. The more midrange laptops all share mediocre build quality. Also, the screen should be really good since my grandpa’s eyesight isn’t what it used to be. He loves my retina MBP for that matter.
Although that KiraBook is just 13" it looks really nice! However, even AnandTech’s review states in their conclusion that it’s hard to buy a KiraBook over a 13" MBP retina. Which is exactly my point in my opening post.
I used to think that people who don’t do heavy duty stuff on their PC’s need mediocre hardware specs. However, in my experience people who aren’t that good at using a computer should never be held back by the speed of their equipment. It’s way easier for my grandpa to use a superfast computer than one that’s not quite fast enough. Also, high-end laptops tend to have a LOT better build quality, which is really important.
Well, the nice thing about the retina MBP is that by default it’s a really sharp 1440×900 screen at 15" which is perfectly readable. A lower resolution at 15" means less sharpness which can lower readability as well.
