Skip to main content

Apple tweaks Retina MacBook Pro tagline thanks to Chromebook Pixel

Apple new Retina screen tagline_2013
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Say what you will about Google’s pricey Chromebook Pixel, but you can’t deny it has the highest pixel density of any laptop on the market right now – beating even Apple’s Retina displays on its latest MacBook Pros.

MacbookPro_retina_highest-res-ever
Image used with permission by copyright holder

And that’s why Apple has quietly changed its marketing lingo for its MacBook Pros with Retina displays on its website, as reported by Hot Hardware. To stay on the good side of the Federal Trade Commission’s strict laws against false advertising, Apple can no longer claim that its MacBook Pros are, “The highest-resolution notebook ever. And the second-highest,” as its website used to say.

With a 2560 x 1700 pixel resolution touch display, the Pixel manages to cram a whopping 4.3 million pixels into its 12.85-inch screen, which works out to be 239 pixels per inch (PPI) in terms of pixel density. By comparison, the 13-inch MacBook Pro’s 2560 × 1600 display, with just 227 PPI, is no longer top dog .

Now, the MacBook Pro with Retina’s landing page simply says, “High performance has never been so well defined,” on top of a photo of the 13-inch and 15-inch laptops. However, if you scroll to the section about the “Stunning Retina display,” and shown in the photo to the left, you can see that Apple is still referring to both laptops as, “The highest-resolution notebook ever.” This statement is only true for the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro, which has the highest resolution of the three at 2880 × 1800, but not the 13-inch’s display as the heading suggests.

That said, the pixel resolution of a display is not the only factor in what makes a great display. You also have to consider its screen size in relation to the number of pixels it packs. So while the 15-inch MacBook Pro’s Retina display has the highest resolution, its pixels are also spread over a bigger surface than the Pixel’s 12.85-inch screen. So, the 15-inch MacBook Pro’s pixel density is just 220 PPI versus the Pixel’s 239 PPI.

Apple’s legal department should probably get on that one as the Chromebook Pixel will be hitting stores in April. Considering that the Pixel’s display has touch capabilities, has the highest pixel density, and is second in resolution only to the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro, it is hard to argue that it isn’t the best laptop display on the market right now.

[UPDATE 10:12AM 3/26/2013: Provided more details on the resolution of the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro and additional factors in determining display quality.]

Article originally published on 3/25/2013

Editors' Recommendations

Gloria Sin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gloria’s tech journey really began when she was studying user centered design in university, and developed a love for…
MacBook Air M1 just hit its lowest ever price — Get it for $650
Apple MacBook Air M1 open, on a table.

Apple MacBooks do go on sale every so often, but the discounts and the prices are pretty much the same across the board. That is, until now. Best Buy just unveiled a deal that drops the 2020 MacBook Air M1 model to its lowest price ever -- it's just $650. Normally $1,000, you're saving quite a bit here, about $350, that you could put towards anything else you want, really. It's an excellent opportunity to upgrade to a newer model or grab a new computer you've been wanting for much less. Even though it's not one of the newest models, it still runs great thanks to Apple's software updates and is extra versatile. You can use it for work, play, casual browsing, and much more. Definitely capitalize on this deal if you're interested. It's one of the best we've seen in a long while.

Why you should buy the Apple MacBook Air M1
With the launch of the latest MacBook Air M3, it makes sense that the prices of the older models would come down a little. That's precisely why we're seeing these great deals, but between and , retailers are clearly willing to offer some competitive prices. Who benefits most from that? Well, you, of course, especially if you've been planning to get a new MacBook Air for some time.

Read more
MacBook sale: Get up to $700 off the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro
Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air placed on a desk.

If you've been waiting for MacBook deals on the latest versions of the Apple MacBook Air and Apple MacBook Pro, you should check out the discounts that you can get from Best Buy's MacBook sale. There are a dozen models on sale, with prices starting at $899 and savings of up to $700. You're going to have to be quick with your purchase though -- Apple's devices almost always get sold out quickly whenever their prices get slashed. Check out our recommendations below or browse through all the available deals -- either way, you need to move fast.

What to buy in Best Buy's MacBook sale
The cheapest option in Best Buy's MacBook sale is the 13.6-inch Apple MacBook Air M2 with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, which is instead of $999 for $100 in savings. You can also get the 13.3-inch Apple MacBook Pro M2 with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD for a , for savings of $300 on its original price of $1,299, and the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air M2 with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD also , with the same $300 discount on its sticker price of $1,299.

Read more
The MacBook Air 15 vs. MacBook Pro 14: the easy way to decide
Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air placed on a desk with its lid closed.

Picking out a new MacBook isn't as easy as it used to be.

The hardest choice in the lineup might be between the 15-inch MacBook Air and the 14-inch MacBook Pro. Both are now offered with the same M3 chip, despite there being a $300 difference in the base models. But when similarly configured, there's actually only a $100 difference between these two laptops.

Read more