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Do you think the MacBook Pro's need a design update?

few changes

Kalach said:
Specs, specs and more specs please! :) Design is nice... but redesign only to fit the tech specs!
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1 change hdd to sdd
2 new optical drive - Apple should be ashamed of the super drive
3 switch to 32nm technology
4 more steady os X - tiger could be open for month and working well for all that time. With leopard there is always something. MAybe leo will bring some stability:)
5 redesign few things - I've got big hope Apple go back to alluminium keyboard

when I see all this changes I'll be the first one to buy new MBP
:apple:
 
Nope. I like 'em the way they are. I have no need or desire for a new design or form factor. I would not mind seeing them as is until 2012 or further.

I definitely do not want to see an unnecessary thinning of the mbp just to make it look more "innovative". The mbp is thin enough as it is. I remember opening my 13" back in April and being awed by how thin it was compared to the PC laptops I have laying around.
 
uhcaj said:
1 change hdd to sdd

when I see all this changes I'll be the first one to buy new MBP
:apple:
Click to expand...

So many people want this, but it should just be an option. The price goes up, storage capacity goes down. I'm not a fan!
 
You know what would be really awesome?
1) The bottom case of the computer is still made of unibody aluminum.
2) However, the top of the case (where the trackpad and keyboard are) is finished with the black-backed glass that is found on iOS devices.
3) The trackpad would be invisible until the computer is powered on, at which time white LED lines would fade into view, outline a single rectangle; the trackpad. The keyboard could be black or silver, depending on what the user wanted. The screen bezel would be thinner and still be black, keeping with the color of the case top.
4) The speaker grills are silver aluminum plates that are flush with the surface of the glass case top - that would be friggin awesome.
5) The power button is integrated into the keyboard as in the new Macbook Airs - That seems to greatly clean up the design of the Macbook a lot.
 
w00t951 said:
2) However, the top of the case (where the trackpad and keyboard are) is finished with the black-backed glass that is found on iOS devices.
3) The trackpad would be invisible until the computer is powered on, at which time white LED lines would fade into view, outline a single rectangle; the trackpad. The keyboard could be black or silver, depending on what the user wanted. The screen bezel would be thinner and still be black, keeping with the color of the case top.
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Sounds like a Sony Vaio with Acer-like tackiness.
 
Can't believe this hasn't been mentioned...one thing we need is a Matte screen option for 13 inch
 
I don't see why not. PCs get updated on a regular basis so why not the more premium laptop. I don't think they need a change though and it's the least of my concerns regarding the MBP. It still looks pretty nice.

The MBA got updated after 3-4yrs so it should not be a complete surprise if the MBPs get a new look too.
 
e5volcano said:
Can't believe this hasn't been mentioned...one thing we need is a Matte screen option for 13 inch
Click to expand...

I really hope this becomes an option, but I doubt it.

I think there will be some significant design changes with the next refresh however. They'll still keep the unibody theme but I wouldn't be surprised if they do a lot to make them thinner (i.e. remove optical drive and use flash storage). I mean, there's gotta be a reason why it's taking so long to update the line.
 
grahamnp said:
I don't see why not. PCs get updated on a regular basis so why not the more premium laptop. I don't think they need a change though and it's the least of my concerns regarding the MBP. It still looks pretty nice.

The MBA got updated after 3-4yrs so it should not be a complete surprise if the MBPs get a new look too.
Click to expand...

Apple flies quite good with its current one update per year model as it seems, even though newer GPUs and faster CPUs are released in between.

And the MBA was first released in January 2008 and got a new design two years and nine months later.
The Aluminium design of the PBs and MBPs stayed with us for five years and nine months. The current Unibody design of the MBPs is "just" two years and three months old and the current MBA was just redesigned to match the line more.

I doubt we will se a major redesign soon, as the current Macs seem to match each other quite good, except with the white MacBook (in colour and material, though not in costruction) or the MP (though quite close).


shoebobs said:
...
I think there will be some significant design changes with the next refresh however. They'll still keep the unibody theme but I wouldn't be surprised if they do a lot to make them thinner (i.e. remove optical drive and use flash storage). I mean, there's gotta be a reason why it's taking so long to update the line.
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To make them thinner will be hard to do, unless they use thinner materials in all elements and may even get rid of the Ethernet port, as it is the biggest port currently.
Though from some posts in this thread, it seems that port is still needed for users without wireless LAN access or user, who transfer more than just some GBs.
 
To make them thinner will be hard to do, unless they use thinner materials in all elements and may even get rid of the Ethernet port, as it is the biggest port currently.
Though from some posts in this thread, it seems that port is still needed for users without wireless LAN access or user, who transfer more than just some GBs.
Click to expand...

Good point. So I guess any changes won't be about making them thinner, but I do think this will be the first time they really push a MBP with no optical drive. I think the 13" will no longer have an optical drive and they will keep it as an option for the 15" and 17" to appease the true pro users. This will be similar to how the 15" and 17" have the option for an antiglare screen as pro users find that important.

With iTunes and especially now the Mac App Store, apple has a good argument that you don't need an optical drive for most daily use and can get by with an external drive. Add in smaller evidence like making OS X easily installable by USB drive (as included with the MBA), and it really seems like they are ready to kill the optical drive.

I probably use my optical drive much more than most average users as I refuse to buy music through iTunes and therefore need to burn CDs to my machine. However, if getting rid of it means room for a larger battery, more power, better cooling, or whatever, I'm fine with just using an external drive when needed.

Whatever they do, I hope they do it fast. I sold my pre-unibody MBP last summer and have been getting by with a 1st gen mac mini. So I'm ready to buy...
 
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Yeah I think it's kind of due. The hardware inside will be changed soon. I think apple will go super driveless at least on the 13/15". They need the Sandy bridge processors in all the MBP, so they all need dedicated GPU. They'll probably need something with much better ventilation in the 13" in order to get a half decent dedicated GPU.

Sounds like a perfect time to alter the design. I think that'll be a great time to get a consistent notebook line up too, possibly set the record straight with the white macbook, get rid of it? keep it as a cheap 13" option? Because of the way the unibodies are made, altering the design is not that big of a deal. It's all CNC, just change the code and go. Okay, it's not the easiest thing, but much more than making new plastic molds.
 
Apple will replace the keyboard (and trackpad) with a touchscreen alternative rather than getting rid of ethernet ports, the superdrive or HDD altogether.
 
The optical drive should go away! It uses a massive amount of space and is being used less and less today. So put in an SSD + hard disk and bigger battery for the new Sandy Bridge and GPU.

If anything needs to be removed then it is the optical drive, after it the Firewire port. Add USB 3.0, 3 ports in the MBP 15".

And God no, don't remove the Ethernet, are you people crazy?
 
I'd like to see all the MBPs to have one of those 'blade' type SSD drives that the MBA has, alongside a regular HDD.

Take the lowest range 13" for example. There could be a 32GB SSD, which should be cheap enough to not put prices up too much, along side a 250GB HDD which are dirt cheap. 32GB would be more than enough to install the OS and enough apps for the average user, with the HDD used to store the user's data, like their iTunes library, etc.

It should make a good compromise between affordability, storage space, and speed gains from the use of an SSD. The 15" 17" could have larger SSDs and HDDs.
 
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