17" Unibody MacBook Pro with Non-Removable Extended-Life Battery

[Digital Skunk]

Apple keeps on getting lamer and lamer.. shame shame.

The thread should have been closed right here. This sums up what the new Apple is and how they have turned computers into novelties instead of hard working tools.

Take out the optical drive, put in a second hard drive bay, and up the max ram to 8 gb.

This would have been wonderful. I actually wouldn't mind the book being a tenth of an inch thicker so we can not only have both, but have larger GFX cards more ports and maybe, just maybe a full sized _________ there.

Place what you want to be full sized in the blank guys and gals.

If this horrible rumor turns out to be true, I either hope Apple reverses their decision in the second revision, or I really hope Windows 7 turns out to be a real Mac OS X competitor.

I have a feeling that I should brush up on my Lightroom, Premier Pro, and Encore DVD skills.

 

[Padraig]

Absolutely terrible idea. So far I've had three laptop battery recalls from Apple, can you imagine the uproar if there was an issue with these?

I really don't understand the current obsession with thinness, when we're at the current size what does a few millimetres matter - for me form should always follow function, not the other way around.

Somebody mentioned above the proposed EU regulation on consumer removable batteries; If it comes to pass - and I hope it does - it'll be a major headache for Apple.

 

[MrCrowbar]

How do you know that's a 17" being manufactured, and not just the regular 15" Pro?

Here's an official picture of the 15" keaboard.

Compare the left hand Tab, Capslock and Shift keys and compare them to the width of the fine drilled speaker grille. On the 15" model, the grille is about as wide as the Tab key.

I can't really tell if the one from the video is the 17" model. The angle and lack of detail (can't make out the tiny speaker holes) as well as the fact the holes for the keys might not be finished yet (i.e. the holes are further widened when the precise machines go to work) make it hard to determine.

The port-holes to thickness ratio are plausilbe though so this just might be the 17" model in the video. I'll do some measurements and let you guys know.

EDIT:

Well, starting at the outer edge of the recessed area with the keys, you can fit 1 tab key and 2/3 of a number key. I kept the key spacing so I get all the distances right. So I think it's the 15" in the video after all. Maybe the on other video picture, the unibody looks thicker. But maybe there's some excess aluminum there that has to be shaven off.

alleged 17" unibody from the promotional video

official 15" Macbook from the Apple website

 

[guzhogi]

I could see Apple doing something like this, with a whole lot of people applauding it for the "style" of it.

On the downside, I don't entirely like it. I'll admit, I lean more towards the function-over-form side. What about people who need to use their MBP for hours that aren't near a power outlet?

 

[Digital Skunk]

makes sense to me, the 17" is a desktop replacement. It isn't truly portable in the way the MB and MBP 15" are. Generally used to move from home to work and then back again. The Air justifies not having spare batteries because it is meant to be as light and compact as possible, if you were wanting to carry extra batteries the Air isn't for you anyway. The 17" is already big and heavy enough

First off you must have never used ANY 17" laptop EVER

Second you must have REALLY never used the 17" Powerbook or MBP.

Third off you must have absolutely no knowledge or experience of the difference between 5.4 pounds and 6.8 pounds.... just for the record it's only a 1.4 pound difference between the 15" and 17"

And fourth of all there must be no knowledge of OTHER offerings in the desktop replacement category. For the record they ALL have removable batteries and quad core processors with dual GFX cards.

So tell me why this rumored decision makes sense again? And why anyone would think 1.4 pounds is a big difference in weight without getting into how they commute by bike and can't deal with the weight because they are flimsy couch potatoes that use their machines for Facebook.

p.s. Don't take this to heart, I am just pissed right now. And people that automatically assume 17" means heavy brick piss me off as well. So no hard feelings are meant....

 

[MattG]

I certainly hope this isn't true. I for one would never buy a laptop that didn't have a user-replaceable battery.

 

[MikeELL]

Could it be?
https://www.macrumors.com/2008/05/26/solar-lcd-powered-ipods-iphones-and-laptops/

One can only hope

 

[Digital Skunk]

im cool with this idea if the battery life is 6 hours +

i get 2 hours from my current 17inch battery (200 cycles)

Time to get a new battery. I get a steady 4 hours or so even when running Aperture. Not so much with the more pro apps I have running, but surfing the web and even photoshop gets me 3 hours standard.

This being on a Penryn model.

 

[dernhelm]

A 17" laptop with a non-removable battery? Sounds like Apple is floating BS around to see what rumor sites end up with it.

Someone's going to get it....

On a lighter note - a 17" unibody would be a welcome if predictable addition. Even if this one isn't a "Steve-note" like everybody wants, it sounds like Apple will have more than enough announcements of interest.

 

[kolax]

I think this is true (but I don't want to be true). Let's take a look in the MacBook video, which shows some 17" Unibody MacBook Pro cases being made.

Here's the 17" Unibody MacBook Pro case

Look at its thickness (pay attention to the audio hole)...

Compare with this MacBook case, and I think that 17" Unibody MacBook Pro is really thinner:

That is the 15" MacBook Pro.

It hasn't had the speaker grills drilled yet, and the perspective from your edit shows that the tab key etc does line up perspective wise to make it the 15".

 

[Digital Skunk]

Some of you people are so incredibly silly....

Its like you don't even think WHY, not even once, before open your know-it-all mouths. Its really quite astounding.

FACTS: The only reason for a removable battery in a laptop in the first place, is because said batteries suck miserably and need to replaced more than underwear. If the need for such frequent replacement is removed (such as an internal battery than will last 6 - 7 hours under heavy use), then an internal battery makes absolutely no difference.

Unless of course you ENJOY wearing out a $2500 laptop's battery in one year and paying through the nose to replace it. Your call.

And once again people aren't thinking rationally.

So, say for instance that great battery of yours runs out after say 3 hours, and you need to replace it?

WTF do you do then?

Or it's defective.... bam! Your whole machine is in the shop.

Or how about trekking through the back country of Jamaica on photo assignment? Boom! You have to find power somewhere, can't just take extra batteries with you.

Oh, and it makes no common sense because it would have been a better option for the Macbook, which is more geared toward those that don't do too much with their machine and want it to last all day.

Even if it never does happen, I hope people will stop trying to justify taking functionality OUT of a $2800 laptop. If Apple removes FW completely from the 17" this next revision, I know there will be some f***wad that will say it's a great idea.

 

[lftrghtparadigm]

however, why would an removable vs non-removable design make any difference in its life?? ultimately, the external is just a thin shell.

^ Here is a good example of why few of you even know enough to have an opinion on this one way or the other.

It makes all the difference in the world because its a completely different technology. Removable batteries do not use the same quality connections to the motherboard as built in. Also, we have no knowledge presently of what kind of batteries would be used. Non-removable opens them up to an unlimited selection of battery types, all of which perform better than removable.

As battery technology has stampeded forward, we've been sacrificing battery life for YEARS now for the "advantage" of having a removable battery. The Irony is that the need for removable (at least the last 2 years) has been also the result of removable.

Hell, just moving to a built in, non-removable Silver Zinc battery, untweaked will yield another 1-2 hours of battery life from a 17"Pro.

 

[MrCrowbar]

That is the 15" MacBook Pro.

It hasn't had the speaker grills drilled yet, and the perspective from your edit shows that the tab key etc does line up perspective wise to make it the 15".

Agreed (see my post above). The angle is tricking your mind.

 

[strangelogic]

optimistic

I'm really getting excited about this - especially based on the speculation that it could be the zpower battery technology previously mentioned in this thread.
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/10/07/zpower_major_laptop_design_win/

Are the Nehalem notebook chips shipping? I'm so out of touch with that, but it seems to me they use less power also.

It seems to fit with Apple's recent 'green' goals, addresses the issues with battery flame-outs (since they contain water by design), and could allow for a thinner/lighter product.

Might want to put the zpower bit in the main article? Since that is the one way this would really be 'good news' -- oh wait - except for the people afraid of first-generation new-tech.

 

[CyberBob859]

Have been reading up on ZPowers statements, and their news article in the New York Times.

The way I see it is, this will be used across the range of laptops and filtering its way down to the iPods and iPhones.

The MacBook Air will get a 50-60% more battery life and still be non-replaceable, but stay the same size and weight. The MacBook will go the way of the Air and have a sealed battery compartment, eventually, though not yet. This will enable a light and longer lasting battery giving gains of 25-40% extra runtime. The McBookPro will still have a replaceable battery, but will be smaller and hence lighter. Maybe adding an extra 10-20% longer battery time. If the 17" went to the likes of OLED displays then the increase would be more like 18-30%.

This isn't going to be just a single product but a hugh announcement with regards to all products and with a 95% recycle rate.

As ZPower puts it: "The primary materials of ZPower batteries (i.e. silver and zinc) are fully recyclable. That means that the materials derived from recycling process are of the same quality as the materials that went into the initial creation of the battery." Hugh+ for Apple with Greenpeace.

Still looking forward to the Apple event, even if Jobs reality distortion field isn't on stage, I reckon his presence will still be felt.

Any word on how many powering cycles this new technology can take before the battery dies? From my perspective, this is an important stat, especially if a battery is going to be sealed in a laptop.

Longer life between recharging is fine, but if the number of recharging cycles is lower, then the total life of the battery won't last much longer than what we have now.

 

[lftrghtparadigm]

And once again people aren't thinking rationally.

So, say for instance that great battery of yours runs out after say 3 hours, and you need to replace it?

WTF do you do then?

Or it's defective.... bam! Your whole machine is in the shop.

Or how about trekking through the back country of Jamaica on photo assignment? Boom! You have to find power somewhere, can't just take extra batteries with you.

Oh, and it makes no common sense because it would have been a better option for the Macbook, which is more geared toward those that don't do too much with their machine and want it to last all day.

Even if it never does happen, I hope people will stop trying to justify taking functionality OUT of a $2800 laptop. If Apple removes FW completely from the 17" this next revision, I know there will be some f***wad that will say it's a great idea.

or how about ya....plug the damn thing in like every other product under the sun. Unless you have an unlimited supply of replacement batteries, you have no argument...at all.

You'd be better off buying a mini portable rechargable battery accessory to plug into after your several hours of battery life has depleted. Or, at that point, just take a break from burning your eyes out with LEDS.

The whole point is to get as much time from a single charge as possible, and make things simple for the consumer. A well-known battery replacement NEED, is NOT good for the consumer.

A Battery that does not need replacement, is good for the consumer.

 

[Digital Skunk]

^ Here is a good example of why few of you even know enough to have an opinion on this one way or the other.

It makes all the difference in the world because its a completely different technology. Removable batteries do not use the same quality connections to the motherboard as built in. Also, we have no knowledge presently of what kind of batteries would be used. Non-removable opens them up to an unlimited selection of battery types, all of which perform better than removable.

As battery technology has stampeded forward, we've been sacrificing battery life for YEARS now for the "advantage" of having a removable battery. The Irony is that the need for removable (at least the last 2 years) has been also the result of removable.

Hell, just moving to a built in, non-removable Silver Zinc battery, untweaked will yield another 1-2 hours of battery life from a 17"Pro.

If this is the case then they should be working on making a better removable battery with better connections, not turning my professional 17" book into an Air.

They didn't replace the horse and buggy with a car with that went slower, and had NO way to put gasoline in it.

or how about ya....plug the damn thing in like every other product under the sun. Unless you have an unlimited supply of replacement batteries, you have no argument...at all.

You'd be better off buying a mini portable rechargable battery accessory to plug into after your several hours of battery life has depleted. Or, at that point, just take a break from burning your eyes out with LEDS.

The whole point is to get as much time from a single charge as possible, and make things simple for the consumer. A well-known battery replacement NEED, is NOT good for the consumer.

A Battery that does not need replacement, is good for the consumer.

Sorry dude, I do have an argument. There is no discussion about my argument because it makes perfect sense to everyone here.

But as a favor, could you link us to some of the sites you are getting your info from about how an internal battery is far better than a removable one. Even if you have to replace the internal one for defects.

 

[lftrghtparadigm]

Or how about trekking through the back country of Jamaica on photo assignment? Boom! You have to find power somewhere, can't just take extra batteries with you.

And FWIW, there is always someone who makes this ^ type of argument when talking about batteries, and its absolutely pointless. This is the type of the thing you actually expect Apple to account for when designing their next product? Amazing.

 

[lftrghtparadigm]

If this is the case then they should be working on making a better removable battery with better connections, not turning my professional 17" book into an Air.

They didn't replace the horse and buggy with a car with that went slower, and had NO way to put gasoline in it.



Sorry dude, I do have an argument. There is no discussion about my argument because it makes perfect sense to everyone here.

But as a favor, could you link us to some of the sites you are getting your info from about how an internal battery is far better than a removable one. Even if you have to replace the internal one for defects.

Well #1 They aren't turning YOUR laptop into anything else, unless you've hallucinated Steve and Phil coming to your house and taking it.

#2 I must be mistaken, the decision made by the multibillion dollar industry leading company MUST be bad for future sales, whereas you, one who simply doesn't like the idea, must be correct. I'm ashamed I didn't realize that from the start.

#3 Why you think you've covered all angles and know exactly what you're talking about is BEYOND me. Google Silver Zinc batteries for christ sake. THERE ARE NO Silver Zinc removables yet, so unless you've invented that in your spare time, they would have to be soldered in. And yes, raw without tweaking, you can get 40% more power out of SZ than standard LI. Google it if you can't take being wrong.

it never fails, people who think they know everything because their opinion is STRONG, ignore facts even if easily proven. Google it, thats your job not mine. I already learned this crap.

 

[polarix]

Hi,

Oh, they'd better not! I'd rather have a removable battery than a larger capacity one... or even better, two batteries in at the same time, so I don't have to shut down the machine to swap batteries.

Just closed the lid, wait for sleep, replace battery and turn on MB(P) after a minute you on the same place, like nothing had happend.

polarix

 

[Padraig]

A few people people here are actually touting the non-removable battery as part of Apple's green movement- that's just ridiculous. A non removable battery is a big no when it comes to environmentally friendly products, regardless of how the batteries technology. Hence, the proposed EU legislation.

 

[akbc]

Hmm.. Sounds quite... stupid.

Just add another USB and maybe one more FireWire to the existing 15". And maybe a Quad-core option and better graphic card option would be nice.

The whole "solar-panel" recharging thing doesn't make sense yet. And non-user replacement battery doesn't make sense either. What the hell?

I hope 9to5mac is wrong on this one. Like, 100% wrong.

 

[vandlism]

Or how about trekking through the back country of Jamaica on photo assignment?

Really? Taking a 17-inch MacBook Pro trekking? I understand the desire to have a removable battery. Sometimes you just need the luxury of being able to swap it out. As it stands, however, the 17" MacBook Pro has limited market appeal. It's size and power come at a premium price. It's simply too large of a computer for any person to be carrying it with everywhere. Because of it's specs and performance, price is not likely to come down much if any. If size is the reason people are turned off by the 17, then size is what must change. The 17 MBP will always have a market in people who need a large screen mobile workstation on set.

 

[Tallest Skil]

Just closed the lid, wait for sleep, replace battrie and turn on MB(P) after a minute you on the same place, like nothing had happend.

No... that shuts it down... It works when you're plugged in, but what if you aren't?

 

[kolax]

No... that shuts it down... It works when you're plugged in, but what if you aren't?

No it doesn't.

When you put your Mac to sleep, it writes the RAM contents to the hard drive as well as keeping the RAM active. That way, you can wake from sleep quickly, or if you want to change your battery, when you wake your Mac, it'll take about 20 seconds while all the data on the hard drive is put back into RAM and you are where you left off.