Photos of Claimed New 15-Inch MacBook Pro Logic Board Show NVIDIA GT 650M, Retained Layout

[MacRumors]

M.I.C. gadget points to a pair of posts from Chinese forum WeiPhone.com showing portions of what is claimed to be the logic board and graphic hardware from the next-generation 15-inch MacBook Pro set to be introduced tomorrow.

New MacBook Pro logic board with NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M (left) and current MacBook Pro logic board (right)​

The images show an NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics chip and 1 GB of GDDR5 graphics memory, which many have expected would make an appearance in the new MacBook Pro. Interestingly, the posters have also compared the leaked photos with the logic board of the current MacBook Pro, finding the layouts to be nearly identical all the way down to the screw holes on the board.

New MacBook Pro logic board with 1 GB GDDR5 graphic memory (left) and current MacBook Pro logic board (right)​

One of the reports also claims that the new 15-inch MacBook Pro will arrive with 2.3 GHz and 2.5 GHz chip options on stock models, with a 2.7 GHz chip available as a high-end custom configuration. The exact chips to be offered are not detailed by the poster, but some attempts at matching up to Intel's Ivy Bridge offerings can be made.

At the 2.3 GHz level, Apple would have its choice of the Core i7-3610QM or Core i7-3615QM. For a 2.5 GHz chip, the only appropriate Ivy Bridge processor currently available is a dual-core Core i5-3210M, which would actually be the low-end chip. And at the high end, Apple would apparently be offering the Core i7-3820QM as had been seen in benchmarks that appeared last month.

Apple has been widely rumored to be introducing a redesign MacBook Pro with a Retina display and a thinner profile. But if the leaked photos are genuine they may indicate that no redesign of the body is forthcoming, as Apple would be expected to make significant changes to the logic board to accommodate rearranged internals in a thinner enclosure.

An alternative explanation relates to claims put forth late last week by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who indicated that a thinner, Retina-capable Mac notebook would appear as a third member of the MacBook family with Apple continuing to offer the existing MacBook Pro alongside the new model for the time being. In that case, these leaked photos could represent the updated version of the current MacBook Pro with the new notebook still remaining under wraps.

Article Link: Photos of Claimed New 15-Inch MacBook Pro Logic Board Show NVIDIA GT 650M, Retained Layout

 

[Comeagain?]

It's so...logical...

 

[Xscapes]

We will find out in 12 hours.

 

[swb1192]

"Apple has been widely rumored to be introducing a redesign MacBook Pro with a Retina display and a thinner profile. But if the leaked photos are genuine they may indicate that no redesign of the body is forthcoming, as Apple would be expected to make significant changes to the logic board to accommodate rearranged internals in a thinner enclosure. "

No no no! Don't let it be true!

 

[wikus]

That pretty much puts all the rumors of a macbook pro redesign to rest. Looks like the optical drive will continue to be used.

Glad I didn't do anything with my 15" Sandybridge MacBook Pro, I had plans of selling and upgrading but now theres even less incentive to do so.

 

[appleguy123]

Looks like all the hopes of a redesign are unfounded. We didn't really have any solid evidence for it anyways. Just analysts and wishes.

 

[jamswirl]

Would the logic board have to be rearranged for the mbp to be made thinner?

 

[MOKHAN]

Oh man! I'm super psyched.

 

[Prodo123]

By where the screw holes are, they're not doing a redesign of a MacBook Pro.
Yet.
If it ain't broke, why fix it?

 

[gatortpk]

Why couldn't the current Unibody MacBook Pro with this logic board have a Retina Display?

If this is real, I certainly hope this is simply an updated Logic Board for the current MacBook Pros with the addition of Retina Display.

If there is a New MacBook logic board, then this isn't it, and we still may see a thinner Unibody MacBook with a Retina display also.

 

[Rudy69]

I have a hard time seeing how a Retina Macbook would fit in the current product line. If it's true, I don't see why someone would purchase a non retina macbook

 

[nagromme]

Three lines of laptops seems really odd (though I suppose it could be a temporary transition... an omelet that requires breaking eggs).

If the MacBook Pros keep the same basic design (as suggested here) then maybe all the NEW machines will be branded as Airs.

in other words, maybe instead of “thin Pros” we’ll get “fat Airs”? The Airs will be as slim as ever on the low end, but new higher-end Airs will have Pro-level power (retina too) while the old Pros (maybe keeping the DVD even) get a spec boost to serve during the rest of this transition.

And then later (6-12 months?) these new Pros get discontinued, and only the high-end Airs remain: same full power, not as thin as the low-end Airs, but still very thin and no DVD. Probably no more 17” if they truly don’t sell. (At which time, I can see “Air" being dropped from the name, and they might all just be “MacBooks”.)

I’d bet that low-end (11-13”) Airs don’t get retina displays yet—but eventually they will.

 

[appleguy123]

It would be a logistical nightmare to keep the logic board exactly the same and redesign the computer to be significantly thinner, and let's not even mention a possible removal of the optical drive.

If this board be real, there's no redesign. That's it.

 

[rgarjr]

Oh man! I'm super psyched.

you sound like that samsung commercial

 

[myrtlebee]

Not happening- why would the new MacBook have a better display than a Pro machine? Somethin's a brewin' for tomorrow, but not that...

 

[QuarterSwede]

I have a hard time seeing how a Retina Macbook would fit in the current product line. If it's true, I don't see why someone would purchase a non retina macbook

Price. Same reason the 13" MacBook existed while the 13" MacBook Pro was added.

 

[blow45]

if they don't bring retina to the pro that will be a major let down.

 

[DrJohnnyN]

Praying that this is not true.

 

[iMikeT]

Why would Apple go back to using NVIDIA GPUs instead of sticking with AMD? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using the next-gen GPU of either manufacturer?


----


*Full disclosure, I am currently holding a long position in AMD.

 

[dethmaShine]

Honestly, I was expecting a redesign, but given that the aluminium unibody notebooks are simply excellent, I don't see why Apple would bring us a redesign.

But nonetheless, I expected the optical drive to magically disappear as if it never existed. Looks like the magic is set for next year.

 

[1finite]

This is gonna be the same kind of let down that the iPhone 4s was. All the hype for a big redesign, but it's actually just an incremental upgrade. So lame...

 

[Rmafive]

These "day before" leaks tend to be true, so I'm pretty upset right now. I wanted a redesign! Maybe I should consider an iMac and an air instead of a new MBP.

 

[Rachel Faith]

650M??

BOGUS !!

The 680M is like 800% better.

Give us an option for the love !!!!!!!!

 

[busterbluth]

How can a company that prides itself on innovation take so long to change the design of a laptop. This would be huge disappointment. This was one of the expected announcements, although I knew the claims that everything would be updated were
fake. It's just not apples style. They like to draw things out.

 

[daneoni]

Well thats unexpected but typical Apple. So much for all the hyped up rumours.

How does the GT650M compare to the 6750M/6770M?