And I’m still not entirely sure which one I’m going to get.

Regarding the 15 inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display, it’s very frustrating that shipping times from the Apple HK web site remain at 3-4 weeks.  Several times I’ve tried calling the Apple store in the morning to see if they’ve gotten any stock in – the answer is always no.  I was thinking that it might be a similar deal as when the last iPhone 4S was released, that they might get regular shipments to the store over and above what people have ordered online.  But the iPhone Store app doesn’t provide a way to reserve one in-store (as they did with the iPhone).  One grey market retailer in Hong Kong is offering it to me at a price about HK$600 cheaper than Apple’s price – but they want me to pay when ordering and they say it will take “1 to 2 weeks.”  No thanks.

Here’s a round-up of recent reviews for those who might be curious.

The Verge – “If you’re in the market for a premium OS X laptop right now, it’s hard not to recommend the new MacBook Pro with Retina display. If, however, power isn’t your ultimate goal, may we suggest shaving a few pounds and specs for the MacBook Air.”

Mashable – “You get what you pay for, though, and in this case it’s a ticket to the future.”

 ABC (US) News – “Now, if you have the money for a high-end laptop, the answer is simple: this is the one to buy.”

 Andy Ihnatko – “But is it this the best MacBook for everybody? Oh, dear, no.”

TechCrunch – “In other words, if you’re seriously debating it, it’s hard to see how you can go wrong with the Retina MacBook Pro.”

Cult of Mac – “The Retina MacBook Pro is the best Mac Apple has ever made, but it’s not necessarily the best Mac for you.”

Engadget - If you can afford the premium and aren’t set on a 13-inch model there’s no reason to buy any Pro other than this Pro.

There are rumors that there will be a 13 inch MacBook Pro with Retina display coming out later this year.  On the one hand, the size and weight of a 13 inch laptop makes it more attractive to me than a 15 inch model.  On the other hand, since I have a 24 inch monitor on my desktop, when I use my old 13 inch MacBook Air, I feel as if I’m peering through a keyhole; the extra 2 diagonal inches might make a positive difference for my old eyes.

Having seen the Retina Display screen in action at the Apple store, where it was of course being demoed exclusively with apps that had been recoded for the higher resolution (which means the Safari browser and Aperture – Chrome & Adobe products aren’t there yet), the screen was gorgeous.  The best I’ve ever seen on a laptop.  Nothing else even comes close.

As a photographer, I think it’s the screen I should have.  And yet, is it the screen I need?  The size and weight of the MacBook Air remain incredibly appealing to me and it’s pretty clear that the latest MacBook Air would be more than powerful enough to run the software I want to run on it.

So which do I need more?  An amazing display or a computer that’s light enough and small enough that I can carry it with me every day without having to think twice about it?

A couple of MacBook Air reviews:

The Verge – “if you’re in the market for a new laptop and don’t need the power (or the price tag) of the new Pro, you’d be hard-pressed to do better than the Air.”

Engadget – “those tweaks Apple made on the inside amount to some significant performance enhancements, and place the Air at the head of the (very crowded) pack …. as an all-around performer, the Air triumphs. It ticks off the most boxes, and in particular, succeeds in the areas that matter most to shoppers: speed, longevity and comfortable design.”

So sense and logic would seem to dictate the MacBook Air.  Except once you’ve seen that Retina display screen, it’s hard to go back.  And also the top of the line MBA is the same price as the bottom of the line MBP.  So I keep thinking to myself – same price, larger screen, higher resolution display.

Aaaarrrrggghhhh!

What about you?  Did you buy one of the new Mac laptops?  Which one did you get?  What were the deciding factors?