Does Apple ever do this?

[PaulWog]

The 13.3 inch Macbook Pro has HD 3000 graphics. Which, as we know, is good... but not great. Does Apple ever update their Macbook Pro lines with sort of a small update? Like, not new Macbook Pros... but new upgrade options?

I am almost 100% certain I'll be looking to purchase a Macbook Air (since its processing power will be almost on par with a Pro... not quite... but close enough, given the assumed/rumored refresh). However, I'm just wondering about the Pro and any possibilities.

I mean... my mom's laptop is actually just as thin as a Macbook Pro. Hers is 13.3 inches as well. Hers runs on an i5 processor (however it's the previous gen i5). And her laptop came with a Radeon 6550 graphics solution, which is amazingly powerful for on-the-go graphics in a 13 inch laptop. So I just don't see why Apple... being the great company that they are... wouldn't offer such an option.

Sorry if this is a repost of a commonly asked question or anything like that... I'm posting this on a whim, but it's a serious question I'd love to have answered. I'm planning out a future purchase... and I don't want to impulse buy. I've already done some impulse buying in the past which have costed me (Craigslist them later once I realize they're not quite for me... but I lose 5-20% of what I paid usually). I want to buy the right Macbook for me. Graphics would be the only reason I'd go with a Pro as opposed to an Air. But I wouldn't go for anything above 13 inches in size.

 

[ayeying]

They do updates, small ones, just like processing speed bump but nothing that major.

 

[marshallbedsaul]

^ agree
I usually see spec upgrade and a case update, but in next drop will prob have upgrades in procs too. I think thunderbolt was the new "big thing" for apple.

 

[Aldaris]

I concur, We will occasionally see minor spec bumps, either within processor, memory, storage, occasionally a graphics bump, or slight price reduction. Apple also is getting really good at predicting product demand within a given product cycle, with that said, anything can happen.

Macgasm reported on an image of a possible updated pro with a new 'arrow key configuration' with 'home' and 'end' keys above the left and right. I wouldn't be completely surprised to see Apple update or spec bump all their product lines within the next few months to really entice buyers with lion. Remembering that Apple is a hardware company, and not a software company.

 

[ayeying]

Macgasm reported on an image of a possible updated pro with a new 'arrow key configuration' with 'home' and 'end' keys above the left and right. I wouldn't be completely surprised to see Apple update or spec bump all their product lines within the next few months to really entice buyers with lion. Remembering that Apple is a hardware company, and not a software company.

You can use FN + Right for "End" and FN + Left for "Home"

 

[Philflow]

The 13.3 inch Macbook Pro has HD 3000 graphics. Which, as we know, is good... but not great. Does Apple ever update their Macbook Pro lines with sort of a small update? Like, not new Macbook Pros... but new upgrade options?

Yes there will be upgrades in specifications. And no I don't think we'll see a dedicated GPU in this MBP 13" model.

The next redesign might bring a good GPU to the MBP, most people expect a redesign in 2012.