Apple Predicted to Discontinue 17-Inch MacBook Pro

[dasmb]

The 17" is quite a luxury. I've loved mine, $3000 well spent.

But the primary benefit was the res -- keyboard was the same, speakers the same, PC card port but nobody used that. A high DPI 15" of similar quality to the new iPad would probably do me BETTER than the 17."

That said, if they pull the card on the line, I got a hard choice: buy the last of the great 17s, or the first of the great 15s.

 

[WardC]

If this is really true -- and Apple is actually planning on doing this, AND then they discontinue the Mac Pro as well (as many have predicated) -- it would designate a sharp departure of Apple from the Pro machine market altogether...the 17" MacBook Pro is clearly the only choice for working with mobile high-resolution graphics and video due to its > 1080p resolution 1920x1200 display, it's the only MacBook Pro that can handle displaying and working with 1080p video at full native resolution. It is also a choice for many Pros working with high resolution photography.

Apple has been heading in this direction lately due to its recent software changes (FCPX) as well as discontinuation of XServe and XSan, going out of server and enterprise, and its focus on more consumer-related ventures such as iPhone, iPad, and MacBook Air, which have been dominating the scene lately.

This news does not surprise me one bit.

 

[MovieCutter]

You want 17" buy a desktop.

Oh yeah, one that I can carry into a client's office or post-production house in my backpack? Now which desktop would you be referring to?

 

[Chupa Chupa]

maybe they realise that the 13/15" is comparable in power, and they can hook them up to external monitors when at work for serious work. If you really need real estate, then a 17" isn't really going to cut it either.

That is certainly what I'm suggesting, mostly with the top end 15" (I don't see the 13" as a pro machine, and I own one and love it) but the poster I was responding to disagrees.

The reality is there are always going to be "hangers on" when lines or features are EOLed. Some people are extreme creatures of habit or have super-niche needs. I remember when the original MBP was launched and it didn't have an internal modem. Most people were unfazed but there was a vocal minority that lit up the various Apple forums with their protest. Of course MBP users survived, Apple prospered, and I assume the complainers adapted.

 

[scottsjack]

if both the 17in MBP and the Mac Pro are discontinued the main thing preventing pro/power users from switching to Windows is Microsoft itself. The folks on the Windows 8 team seem to be doing a great job of really screwing up Windows. Apple and Microsoft appear to be engaged in a race to the bottom.

 

[terraphantm]

I wouldn't be too surprised if this ends up being true. Currently the 17 isn't any more powerful than a maximized 15. The 15" screen should be sufficient for portable work ( especially if they get retina displays soon), and anything else can be done on an external monitor

 

[felt.]

my 17" hasn't left my desk in years. Replacing it will be a tonymacx86 build. I use my iPad for portability.

 

[wankey]

Can anyone ask yourself if there even is a requirement for the pro market?

How many other manufacturers make "pro" machines? And what are "pro" machines in this day and age of 16gb ram, 240gb SSDs and quad cores?

Basically, the 17 inch is just a screensize issue, whereas the 15 inch with retina display will obliterate that completely.

IMO, if they can release a MBP 15 inch with retina display, capability to watch 1080p video in 1:1 quality, I don't see the point of a 17 inch.

I work in the smartphone industry, and there really isn't a need for "pro" machines, everyone just uses a regular Dell for their latest work requirements.

 

[doctor-don]

How is the 17" non-beneficial?
The benefits aren't "only the resolution and express card slot" - it's 2" of extra screen real-estate.

Honestly, if I were going to use a laptop as a desktop (without an external monitor) I would go with the 17". I actually have before, it was my first Apple computer ever. 17" Macbook Pro. And I loved it.

The HD display of the 17-inch MBP is 30.6% greater than the HD 15-inch MBP.

However, one of the main drawbacks would be the RAM limitation of 8GB - in either MBP.

 

[bit density]

They shouldn't discontinue them, just produce fewer of them for the people who really need and use them like people who do professional video editing etc.

You mean like they do now? This is currently exactly the same position. 1.5 million 13" 500k 15" 50K 17" How is your plan any different?

 

[pauljbax]

20 Inch

Go ahead, replace it with a 20 inch MBP.

 

[bit density]

Basically, the 17 inch is just a screensize issue, whereas the 15 inch with retina display will obliterate that completely.
\

Um no it won't. It's not just DPI. And HiDPI will not give you more "screen size", it will make the existing screen size sharper.

 

[anthony8400]

The HD display of the 17-inch MBP is 30.6% greater than the HD 15-inch MBP.

However, one of the main drawbacks would be the RAM limitation of 8GB - in either MBP.

Which can actually be extended - unofficially though - to 16 gigs.

I also have a 17" MBP and I absolutely love it, even though I do not use it for high-end purposes. I bought it when I graduated from University as a little treat and I mainly use it to watch movies in my bed.
Lately I wanted to sell it to buy an Air, but I did not because I would miss the screen estate, and the 15" with its poor resolution did not meet my needs neither.

But we will not know for sure until Apple announces the discontinuation of the 17", but if they do, I will cherish mine even more ;-)

 

[iBug2]

The 17" is quite a luxury. I've loved mine, $3000 well spent.

But the primary benefit was the res -- keyboard was the same, speakers the same, PC card port but nobody used that. A high DPI 15" of similar quality to the new iPad would probably do me BETTER than the 17."

That said, if they pull the card on the line, I got a hard choice: buy the last of the great 17s, or the first of the great 15s.

Agreed. I always used 17" but the only reason for me was res. Give me a 15" with the same or higher res and I'll buy the 15".

 

[phyzics101]

this makes me want to get another 17" Pro. I do miss the screen size.

 

[iBug2]

Um no it won't. It's not just DPI. And HiDPI will not give you more "screen size", it will make the existing screen size sharper.

For me it was only DPI. I wanted a screen where I could watch 1080p content without scaling down. I can do that on a Retina 15" just as well.

 

[cvaldes]

They shouldn't discontinue them, just produce fewer of them for the people who really need and use them like people who do professional video editing etc. This is really the only crowd of people that this size laptop appeals to I think? I rarely see anyone with a 17" laptop, Apple or otherwise.

They already make fewer of them. Apple does not stockpile large amounts of inventory of the 17" computer (or any other device for that matter).

The problem here is declining interest from the marketplace. Apple is offering a high-quality, 17" notebook that people consider, then don't buy.

Apple isn't in the business to satisfy the whims and needs of several thousand individuals. Their business model is to make millions of something.

From a supply chain and manufacturing perspective, it costs Apple a lot to produce and distribute these 17" notebooks.

 

[DesertNomad]

The HD display of the 17-inch MBP is 30.6% greater than the HD 15-inch MBP.

However, one of the main drawbacks would be the RAM limitation of 8GB - in either MBP.

All my machines for the past 5 years have been 17" MBPs. I have two of them on my desk right now and another a few steps away. I've upgraded mine to 16GB and use them for software development.

The large screen is essential.

 

[gopnick]

If they bump up the resolution on the 15", I might be okay with this. But if they just scale every thing up, I'll be ticked.

I must have at least 1920x1200 these days. Without it my work flow slows.

Before I judge too harshly, I'll wait for this to really happen. Analysts suck at predicting these things. How many years have we been hearing about the demise of the Mac Pro, the demise of the Mac Mini, the intro of a smaller/larger iPhone, the intro of a smaller iPad, etc, etc, etc...?

 

[RogueWarrior65]

I have a bad feeling about this...

I felt a great disturbance in The Force. As if 50,000 voices cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.

My last three Macbook Pros were 17-inch. I don't know how anyone does anything useful on a 13-inch.

 

[WardC]

I did not think about about this -- if Apple DOES switch to a Retina display on the new 15" models with a 2560x1600 resolution or greater, this would be even more incentive to discontinue the 17" MacBook Pro models: the 15" will be able to handle much greater resolution than even the 17" predecessor, as well as deliver much greater portability. Apple is striving for performance and portability these days with its mobile offerings, and frankly, the 17" is just not THAT portable when it comes down to it...plus, it only offers roughly the same performance as the 15" models (while offering a larger display). Processor-wise, RAM-wise, and Drive-wise, there are virtually no benefits of a 17" over a 15" currently.

 

[iBug2]

If this is really true -- and Apple is actually planning on doing this, AND then they discontinue the Mac Pro as well (as many have predicated) -- it would designate a sharp departure of Apple from the Pro machine market altogether...the 17" MacBook Pro is clearly the only choice for working with mobile high-resolution graphics and video due to its > 1080p resolution 1920x1200 display, it's the only MacBook Pro that can handle displaying and working with 1080p video at full native resolution. It is also a choice for many Pros working with high resolution photography.

Even the iPad has a higher resolution than 17" MBP now. Obviously Apple will have 13" and 15" Retina MBP's sooner than later so the resolution argument will be void. Although the cancellation of Mac Pro would be bad for certain professionals, the cancellation of 17" MBP basically has nothing to do with that. The top of the line 17" and 15" have exactly the same configurations. And no video professional uses their notebook screens for doing critical video or photography work. They always have external monitors of high quality.

 

[Primejimbo]

No, they are buying it because they want a CD Drive.

That and you can upgrade the RAM in a pro, and the HD. That is the only thing keeping me from an Air. I read Lion needs 4GB or RAM to run smooth in some cases, I'm afraid Mountain Lion WILL need at least 4GB to fun normal.

I don't get taking the optical drive out of Pro models also, maybe on the 13 inch, but not the 15 or 17. I see a lot of photographers who make the discs on site for people. I know you can carry an external, but it's more to carry. Someone told me on here they can use a USB drive, but DVD's are STILL a lot cheaper. In some cases after a rebate, I get a pack of 20 for FREE.

 

[nikhsub1]

However, one of the main drawbacks would be the RAM limitation of 8GB - in either MBP.

SB can handle up to 32GB in the laptop - I have 16GB in there now. What 8GB limitation?

 

[Zendokan]

The 17"MBP will not be discontinued:

It's not "heavy" compared to the 15" MBP, it's exactly 1lbs heavier and if someone is complaining about that weight difference my standerd response is: "eat steak, go to a weights gym and a boxing gym, so you can HTFU!"


Yes, the recent years Apple Inc has been focussing on iOS devices, but how many Apps have been developed on an iPad, iPod touch or iPhone?

In combination with the ratio of Apps developed by Apple Inc in comparission to the Apps developed by third parties, Apple Inc can't afford to alienate developers and designers who, while being just a fraction of the MBP buyers, are the ones that fit the 17"MBP users profile.
It would be for Apple Inc the business equivalent of shooting themselfs in the foot, because the real power behind the succes of iOS devices is the content of the App Store.
While I love the build quality of my Apple products, I buy them to do specific tasks and it's the software that is used that make me accomplies those tasks. Without software all the iOS devices are just (beautiful) paperweights and your iMac 27" a sculpture.


I still predict a 11", 13", 15" MBA line and a 13", 15", 17" MBP line.
No 12", 14" and 16" of anything because these dimensions are so of the beaten track that they will never be made.