Apple Bumps MacBook Pro with Processor, Graphics, Storage Upgrades

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Apple Bumps MacBook Pro with Processor, Graphics, Storage Upgrades

Apple today quietly released a minor update to its MacBook Pro line, offering upgraded processor, and in some cases graphics and/or storage options at the same price points as the previous models. Portions of the improved specs had been leaked to 9to5Mac by reliable source Mr. X late yesterday.

Among the key changes:

13-inch MacBook Pro:

- Processor options move from 2.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 and 2.7 GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 to 2.4 GHz and 2.8 GHz options.

- Hard drive options offer increased capacity, moving from 320 GB in the low-end configuration and 500 GB in the high-end configuration to 500 GB and 750 GB respectively.

15-inch MacBook Pro:

- Standard processor options move from 2.0 GHz and 2.2 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 to 2.2 GHz and 2.4 GHz options. The high-end custom processor option at 2.3 GHz has now become a 2.5 GHz option.

- For discrete graphics, Apple had previously offered the AMD Radeon HD 6490M with 256MB of memory on the low-end configuration and the Radeon HD 6750M with 1GB of memory on the high-end configuration. Apple has now moved the 6750M to the low-end configuration with 512 MB of memory and given the high-end configuration a Radeon HD 6770M with 1 GB of memory.

- The previous build-to-order option of a 500 GB hard drive running at 7200 rpm has been bumped to a 750 GB drive at the same speed.

17-inch MacBook Pro:

- Processor speeds have been bumped from a base 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7 with a 2.3 GHz upgrade option to a 2.4 GHz base processor with a 2.5 GHz option.

- Graphics have been improved from the AMD Radeon 6750M with 1 GB of memory to the Radeon HD 6770M, also with 1 GB of memory.

- The previous build-to-order option of a 500 GB hard drive running at 7200 rpm has been bumped to a 750 GB drive at the same speed.

Source: Mac Rumors

[guru]

nice but still no 15" Macbook Air

[Konstanov]

nice but still no 15" Macbook Air

Until Apple has more competition in the ultrabook market from Windows laptops, I doubt the Macbook Air line of laptops from Apple will change from the 11" and 13" to anything but those offerings. Once manufacturers get 15 and 17 inch ultrabooks out to Best Buys and Future Shops and what have you across the world, Apple fits a niche perfectly for ultra portable laptops where there is really no major competition for Apple.

[DrCheese]

nice but still no 15" Macbook Air

When the MBP gets a proper design refresh, expect it to be a ton thinner and the DVD drive thrown under a bus. Then that'll be the closet thing to a 15ins macbook air.

[+virtorio MVC]

I really feel that any computer labelled as a "Pro" computer should come standard with a 7200 RPM drive.

[giantsnyy]

I really feel that any computer labelled as a "Pro" computer should come standard with a 7200 RPM drive.

They're probably looking to optimize battery life on the non-custom models. I threw a 7200 RPM drive in my 2008 Unibody MacBook Pro (same size, 320GB) and my battery life dropped from ~3.5/4 hours to about 2.5. Big drop... I regret selling the 5400RPM drive for a marginal performance upgrade.

[threetonesun]

I really feel that any computer labelled as a "Pro" computer should come standard with a 7200 RPM drive.

I would say that any computer labelled as "Pro" should come with an SSD these days. As noted above, a 7200 RPM really tanks battery life, which is pretty important on a computer like this.

[+virtorio MVC]

They're probably looking to optimize battery life on the non-custom models. I threw a 7200 RPM drive in my 2008 Unibody MacBook Pro (same size, 320GB) and my battery life dropped from ~3.5/4 hours to about 2.5. Big drop... I regret selling the 5400RPM drive for a marginal performance upgrade.

Thats odd. My 13" MacBook Pro (from 2009) has a 500 GB 7200 RPM drive and 8 GB RAM and I still get 4 - 5 hours of battery time (around 3 - 4 hours when running Windows 7 in Parallels). When I changed the components over (when the machine was fairly new) there was no pretty much no change at all (maybe 10 minutes) as I used to do a full day at work on a single charge.

I would say that any computer labelled as "Pro" should come with an SSD these days. As noted above, a 7200 RPM really tanks battery life, which is pretty important on a computer like this.

SSDs are still too expensive, especially at large sizes. A 7200 RPM drive isn't. As for power consumption, 7200 RPM drives use the same or only tiny amounts more power than 5400 RPM drives.

[Xtreme $niper]

They're probably looking to optimize battery life on the non-custom models. I threw a 7200 RPM drive in my 2008 Unibody MacBook Pro (same size, 320GB) and my battery life dropped from ~3.5/4 hours to about 2.5. Big drop... I regret selling the 5400RPM drive for a marginal performance upgrade.

That seems like an unnatural drop in battery life. What drive did you choose? If you went with (for example) a WD Caviar Black instead of a Caviar Blue, then you were just asking for trouble because though both drives are 7200rpm, one uses more power than the other for the sake of performance.

[iKenndac]

I'm not sure if Pro machines should have an SSD by default. An SSD large enough for a Pro photographer or videographer to use out in the field is really expensive.

[acnpt]

Just ordered one, with student discount + 3yr Applecare. 25th - 28th estimated delivery :D

Probably be selling again once Ivybridge is released.

Feeling happy to be rid of my awful Acer laptops

[threetonesun]

I'm not sure if Pro machines should have an SSD by default. An SSD large enough for a Pro photographer or videographer to use out in the field is really expensive.

Compared to a "Pro" camera? Probably not. Not to mention, at some level of "pro"-ness, you can charge someone else for the equipment.

But really, I said a Pro model should have an SSD because it's silly to try and argue spec based on "Pro-ness", not to mention there is no Macbook non-Pro any more... so what can really expect except the two lines to blend some. iMac versus Mac Pro, sure, there's an obvious professional-use difference between the two. Macbook Air versus Macbook Pro? I dunno, I guess professionals need DVD drives still.

How pro is a 1280x800 resolution screen?

[DeadEndAccount]

Compared to a "Pro" camera? Probably not. Not to mention, at some level of "pro"-ness, you can charge someone else for the equipment.

But really, I said a Pro model should have an SSD because it's silly to try and argue spec based on "Pro-ness", not to mention there is no Macbook non-Pro any more... so what can really expect except the two lines to blend some. iMac versus Mac Pro, sure, there's an obvious professional-use difference between the two. Macbook Air versus Macbook Pro? I dunno, I guess professionals need DVD drives still.

How pro is a 1280x800 resolution screen?

Depends on how you define what makes a pro machine a pro machine :p When I bought my 15inch MacBook Pro I went for the HD upgrade for a few hundred which put the resolution at 1680x1050 which is pretty good for me IMHO (which is 132.08 PPI). I'm pretty happy with mine and the ATI GPU is super stable and reliable - I'm happy to have left the world of nVidia in favour of ATI, a good decision on Apple's part IMHO.

[Rudy]

nice but still no 15" Macbook Air

Personally I think we'll start seeing new models (new iMac design, maybe new 15"MBA) in the new year around March/April

[+virtorio MVC]

not to mention there is no Macbook non-Pro any more...

Yes there is, it's called the MacBook Air.

Macbook Air versus Macbook Pro? I dunno

Dedicated video card, larger screen size, the ability to have > 4 GB RAM, easy to replace hard disk, faster CPU at the higher end, firewire, matte display option, the ability to add another hard-disk if you take out the optical drive?

[threetonesun]

Yes there is, it's called the MacBook Air.

Dedicated video card, larger screen size, the ability to have > 4 GB RAM, easy to replace hard disk, faster CPU at the higher end, firewire, matte display option, the ability to add another hard-disk if you take out the optical drive?

Two completely different markets. The Pro moniker made sense when the base Macbook existed, it doesn't any more.

I have a 13'' Macbook Pro. It is, essentially, a Macbook in a fancy case with a fancy keyboard. They should call the 15''+ models Pro, as they actually offer features a professional might want.

[Chasethebase Veteran]

Yeah, only thing is that resolution. If it were bumped as well I would have highly considered the MBP, but now I'm more interested in the Air.

[Premgenius]

Excellent just in time for my brothers purchase

[bbfc_uk]

If only i'd waited another month!! :(

[acnpt]

Just ordered one, with student discount + 3yr Applecare. 25th - 28th estimated delivery :D

Probably be selling again once Ivybridge is released.

Feeling happy to be rid of my awful Acer laptops

Posting from it now :D

I love the attention to detail, which is what you're paying extra for.

[cyrl]

Just wondering will they refresh this line up again beginning of next year? or will this last long until ivy bridge is out?

[Stetson]

Just wondering will they refresh this line up again beginning of next year? or will this last long until ivy bridge is out?

Since Ivy Bridge will probably be a pretty major upgrade (and is supposed to be available next summer I think) I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't a refresh until then.

[cyrl]

Since Ivy Bridge will probably be a pretty major upgrade (and is supposed to be available next summer I think) I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't a refresh until then.

Is it next summer I thought it was supposed to be on the Q1 of 2012? Apple will refresh the lineup if new processors are released(like sandy bridge). But I highly doubt if apple would add bluetooth 4.0 before ivy bridge refresh is out though. They might keep adding speed bumps till then.

[+Warwagon MVC]

I really feel that any computer labelled as a "Pro" computer should come standard with a 7200 RPM drive.

So you buy the "Pro Version" with the 7200 RPM drive and then your friend buys the Non-Pro version that comes with an SSD drive and his system runs circles around your pro machine. Sounds like a great idea!

[+virtorio MVC]

So you buy the "Pro Version" with the 7200 RPM drive and then your friend buys the Non-Pro version that comes with an SSD drive and his system runs circles around your pro machine. Sounds like a great idea!

So I buy a Pro version when an SSD, go, oh this thing won't fit half the stuff I need for my work and go and buy a standard hard drive.

Most "Pro" users (not rich kids that want a MacBook to look cool, but people who actually use the thing for a purpose), working with virtual machines and image/video/sound, development environments and so on don't especially need lightning fast speed, they more often need the space to do their work. A 7200 RPM drive provides a meaningful performance improvement over a 5400 RPM while providing the space Pro users often need.