802.11 ac will do nothing for your internet speed unless your isp offers something like 500mbit/s speeds or you transfer or stream files.
There are three possibilities.
1. The retina has three wires connected to the wireless card (from what I can see). This is good. In the past Apple has been nice remember g to n in the old MacBooks? Apple will make the card!
2. The retina is capable but Apple says no, a third party eventually releases a internal card!
3. The retina is not capable because of the antennas and you need to buy a usb 802.11ac device.
I have a 15 retina and hope that apple made this work for ac. However its really not like my 802.11n with time capsule is slow in anyway. Its really only for file transfers. I have a very fast internet speed compared to most 100mbit/s download. My 802.11n is more than capable to get the most out of the speed I have. So remember unless you transfer a lot of files over a network or have a 1gbit/s internet speed which I doubt, this upgrade will do little to nothing for you in speed increase on the network.
14 Comments
Take a look at these answers. 13" MacBook Air and more on MacBook Air 13"
by Dan
I read those thank you but I want to try the Macbook Air's 802.11ac card in a Retina Macbook Pro 15''. Could you please try it?
If it works, I'm sure you would have a lot of people purchasing this upgrade kit. Me being the first!
by tilhas
Sorry to say its going to be quite awhile before anyone is going to even get access to these new boards (I'm sure they are in very short supply as Apple just consumes parts like a vacuum). As to someone testing this out, this is the self help forum of iFixIt not the store its self. Maybe you might want to add a comment note in the teardown presentation of your wish. Thats the best place to ask.
by Dan
I think it won't be possible... like the Retina Display... you want 802.11ac you'll have to either buy a new laptop OR look for a wireless dongle/external card. At least (AFAIK) the antennas in machines for the past two years (or more) will support the standard.
by originalmachead
Good point! The antennas may not work or may limit you depending on which model you are trying to force fit the 802.11ac board into.
by Dan
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