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Thinner 15-Inch MacBook Pro Coming with Retina Display and USB 3.0?

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Apr 12, 2001
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Following the appearance of a benchmark potentially signaling a near-term launch for Apple's much-rumored thinner MacBook Pro, 9to5Mac reports that it has received specific information on the new 15-inch MacBook Pro's design from a source who has handled prototype casings and other components.

thin_mbp_15_comparison.jpg



Mockup of thinner 15-inch MacBook Pro design (left) compared to current design (right)​
The most obvious change for the new machine is its design, and while the report's source indicates that it will be considerably thinner than the existing MacBook Pro due to the removal of the optical drive, it will look essentially like a thinner version of the current MacBook Pro rather than adopting the tapered design of the MacBook Air as had been rumored previously.
While many have speculated that the new 15-inch MacBook Pro will pickup the design from the late-2010/mid-2011 MacBook Air, sources familiar with the prototype units say that this is untrue. Instead, the new 15-inch MacBook Pro is described as being an ultra-thin version of the current MacBook Pro. Basically, the prototype design is a thinner, yet more robust, version of the late-2008 design. It has no tapering like the MacBook Airs.
Click to expand...
The casing of the forthcoming MacBook Pro reportedly includes ports for the MagSafe power connector, two USB ports, and audio in/out jacks along the left side, with a battery level indicator also included along the same side. The right side is said to offer a pair of Thunderbolt ports, another USB port, an SD card slot, and a Kensington lock slot.

thin_mbp_15_ports.jpg



Mockup of port layout on thinner 15-inch MacBook Pro​
The machines are said to lack a dedicated Ethernet port, with users apparently needing to rely on the USB-to-Ethernet dongle introduced with the original MacBook Air if they wish to use a wired connection. Given its height, the Ethernet port is one of the primary features limiting how thin the MacBook Pro can be, and it appears that Apple may simply have removed the port entirely in order to achieve the thin design it desired. The new MacBook Pro may also forgo FireWire connectivity, although the report appears unsure on that point.

In line with previous rumors, the machine is said to include a "Retina" display, a development that has been rumored for some time and for which evidence has been showing up in builds of OS X Lion and Mountain Lion. According to the report's source, OS X will simply offer a set of resolution quality options for the new machine ("such as big, small, or optimal") to allow users taking advantage of this new "HiDPI" support to select their desired combination of sharpness and resolution.

The report indicates that the USB ports on the new MacBook Pro will support USB 3.0, a feature some had questioned whether Apple would adopt given the move to Thunderbolt connectivity. But last September it was reported that Apple was still considering support USB 3.0 alongside Thunderbolt, and that appears to be the route the company has taken as Thunderbolt peripherals have been rather slow to roll out in many cases. A fresh report from Digitimes also claims that Genesys Logic has won a contract to supply USB 3.0 chips for a forthcoming MacBook Air revision, and it seems likely that such compatibility would also be coming to the MacBook Pro.

A launch timeframe for the new MacBook Pro remains unknown, with the company expected to be able to introduce updated machines any time now as Intel's Ivy Bridge production ramps up. With Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference just four weeks away, it is possible the company could use that event for a major product introduction, although Apple typically limits its hardware announcements at the event in order to focus on iOS and OS X discussion Digitimes claims that Apple's MacBook suppliers will begin increasing their shipments in June with production peaking in July, suggesting that Apple may indeed be targeting a major push for June.

Article Link: Thinner 15-Inch MacBook Pro Coming with Retina Display and USB 3.0?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/05/14/thinner-15-inch-macbook-pro-coming-with-retina-display-and-usb-3-0/
Really could use that dedicated ethernet port, especially for the workplace. Ah well, it'll go the way of the dial-up modem :eek:
 
Surely they can make it thinner than the mock-up if they have taken out the optical drive and ethernet port. Should be about the depth of the thick end of the current MBAs.
 
Having used both the current 13" MBA and MBP, for me anyway, the macbook air is a lot nicer to type on. I'm a big fan of the tapered design, because it puts the keyboard at a much nicer angle for typing, it also means that the front lip of the wrist rest does not cut into your wrists. (Although saying that, my friend cut himself on his air...)

Even if it's not as thin as the Air (more room for batteries and other internals), I would still like to see a tapered design.
 
USB3 (as I've predicted in previous postings) eclipses firewire, just as firewire ended SCSI.

Perhaps there will be a "thunderbolt-to-firewire" adapter available for a while...
 
well, if that is true it will indeed stretch the current thunderbolt display cable, which is already a tight splayed fit around the 13" air. I assume that the resolution in this one will be so high that no one will want to use a thunderbolt display with it. Or they're updating this one too...
 
Why on earth would Apple waste space on TWO thunderbolt ports??? Especially when there is so much hype around the daisy-chaining numerous devices!?

...and I really hope they wont sacrifice the FW800 just yet - although it could probably push thunderbolt ahead faster...
 
miles01110 said:
...and the total discreditation of the "Pro" moniker is complete!
Click to expand...

On the Thunderbolt Displays you have a Gigabit ethernet port, so presumably it would be possible to have a Thunderbolt to ethernet adaptor to give you Gigabit ethernet speed via one of the Thunderbolt ports. That may explain why it has two Thunderbolt ports.
 
Am I the only one who would prefer a larger usable desktop resolution rather than a "retina" display?
 
Good, they could also support 2 Apple Cinema Displays (if there are 2 Thunderbolt's) and then I gotta say - Apple you got my money for this MBP!:rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
miles01110 said:
...and the total discreditation of the "Pro" moniker is complete!
Click to expand...

could use the ethernet too. I network my computers and sometimes wifi is painfully slow. Does this mean we will get 802.11ac in the pro's to compensate? I hope so. But that means I will need a new modem/router.
 
not a fan of the usb to ethernet but I am glad they didn't go with the tapered design of the MBA.
 
Any true "pro" uses a 17 inch screen anyways. I'm an auditor, and we're constantly moving our computers and external monitors, and we have 17 inch hp computers. We need the real estate. Nobody who is working on a laptop should be using anything less than 17 inches. Maybe Apple has realized this and is removing things like the Ethernet from the 13 & 15 inch models.
 
I’ve been saying for some time the new MBPs would be symmetrical front-to-rear like the current design, but thinner vs. the tapered MBA design. Gives the engineers much more flexibility with internal component placement, cooling, port position, etc.

One thing I’m surprised never surfaced is a smaller physical spec ethernet port. USB shrunk constantly over the years (USB “standard”, Mini, Micro), it would’ve been pretty simple to introduce a smaller modular jack (even smaller vs. a phone/RJ11/14 size), since it’s just a physical connector (i.e., no conversion, just proper pinouts).
 
Loss of Ethernet is a big no no.

If Apple includes a free TB cable in every box, enables Target Disk mode over TB, that would be nice.

EDIT: also an enhanced 'Target Disk Mode', but you can use the slave machine's ports. Now...that would be a killer app.
 
MacRumors said:
The machines are said to lack a dedicated Ethernet port, with users apparently needing to rely on the USB-to-Ethernet dongle introduced with the original MacBook Air if they wish to use a wired connection. Given its height, the Ethernet port is one of the primary features limiting how thin the MacBook Pro can be, and it appears that Apple may simply have removed the port entirely in order to achieve the thin design it desired.
Click to expand...

And Apple can wave goodbye to the professional market.
 
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