Does the next MacBook Pro REALLY need to be thinner?

[dba415]

The MacBook Pro is thin enough as it is, I think Apple is forgetting that it is a PRO line after all. There is no need for Apple to make it thinner.

The point of the Pro line is to have it powerful and feature-rich. Instead of removing the optical drive, they should have blu-ray in there. They should have lots of ports like HDMI, like ethernet etc.

Let the MacBook Air be for people who want portability, the Pro line should be still for people who want power on the go.

 

[Astroboy907]

The MacBook Pro is thin enough as it is, I think Apple is forgetting that it is a PRO line after all. There is no need for Apple to make it thinner.

The point of the Pro line is to have it powerful and feature-rich. Instead of removing the optical drive, they should have blu-ray in there. They should have lots of ports like HDMI, like ethernet etc.

Let the MacBook Air be for people who want portability, the Pro line should be still for people who want power on the go.

I really think its fine as it is, but the market is going for more power in a smaller case.

But a thinner one will wreak havoc with temperature and battery life

 

[ivanpk]

The MacBook Pro is thin enough as it is, I think Apple is forgetting that it is a PRO line after all. There is no need for Apple to make it thinner.

The point of the Pro line is to have it powerful and feature-rich. Instead of removing the optical drive, they should have blu-ray in there. They should have lots of ports like HDMI, like ethernet etc.

Let the MacBook Air be for people who want portability, the Pro line should be still for people who want power on the go.

Why would they put a HDMI port in the macbook when they already sell a Mini Display Port -> HDMI cable. Personally I like having the ease of being able to plug in the adapter rather then just take up space with a port I will never use.

 

[AlphaDogg]

As said earlier, including more ports would cut into Apple's profit margins... If they include the functionality without having to buy a separate adapter, they won't make money from selling said adapter (nobody will want to buy it). Also, Steve Jobs HATED Blu Ray. He called it a "bag of hurt." I really hope that Tim Cook respects his wishes and does not include anything that Jobs hated.

 

[JohnnyChao]

even the current macbook is thinner thna most other laptops

 

[Krazy Bill]

they should have blu-ray in there.

Thank god they didn't. That medium is dying a slow death like all disk media.

Down vote me if you want but this can't be disputed.

 

[Astroboy907]

Thank god they didn't. That medium is dying a slow death like all disk media.

Down vote me if you want but this can't be disputed.

Quantum Extreme Pseudo Storage Mk III > Flash > HDD > Optical > Floppy >Linear Magnetic storage

The middle 2 are beginning their dying days...

 

[swingerofbirch]

I would like them to keep it the same size and for them to improve the cooling. Add extra fans if they must. The fact is that no matter how fast the processor, if it has to idle a core or down clock when hot, you're not getting all that processor has to offer.

I've often wondered if you could examine whether a processor in a laptop is able to be used at its advertised potential. It seems like you can't, but I'm not sure. But if you use each core of a processor at 100% utilization, you're going to have a lot of heat. So, it's the exact scenario when you want to use your processor the most that you can't.

Plus, I am serious when I say my MBP 13" can burn someone. It *has* burned me. I'm thinking of getting a temperature gun to measure the heat just because I'm curious how hot it actually gets. I'm pretty sure you could cook food with it, at least warm it very well.

 

[PAPO]

I remember the "bag of hurt" comment being related to licensing issues and the like, I think the BD accosiation has tidied things up a little, I would love to see BD in the next MBP but I'm not holding my breath, until internet speeds around the world can support the digital distribution of high quality HD content (or better with the advent of 2k & 4k) BD will not and CAND NOT die why would I wait 3 days to download something when I can go get a physical copy (which I prefer anyway) in less than 1/2 an hour

 

[nuckinfutz]

Bluray does not denote Professionalism in any way. It's a consumer playback format that is going to have a shorter life than DVD. We're already going to move towards 4k rapidly as profit for 1080p stuff is gone.

Digital distribution is more adept at making changes.

Apple is about making things thin but keeping power. The MBP will still have Quad Core and Retina displays potentially will up the ante.

Laptops really need to move away from moving parts which lower reliability. The stuff that moves (mass storage) can be made redundant for safety.

 

[dusk007]

I've often wondered if you could examine whether a processor in a laptop is able to be used at its advertised potential. It seems like you can't, but I'm not sure. But if you use each core of a processor at 100% utilization, you're going to have a lot of heat. So, it's the exact scenario when you want to use your processor the most that you can't.

Actually most Notebooks run it full speed and cool enough. The MBP 2011 does too. That can be tested in Windows and maybe also in OSX.
Unless there is some badly designed notebook they do run at the advertised speed. Negativ examples are some Dells. Every-time that one doesn't it is easily visible when watching temps and comparing benchmark scores to similarly equipped but better cooled notebooks. That usually is noted in reviews and is not good marketing.

 

[intervenient]

I love the current thinness of the Pros. Just make them lighter and I'll be happy.

 

[dusk007]

Me I would prefer this characteristics for a redesign to the perfect notebook
not much different in size

• very thin display bezel and still 16:10.
• a double the battery capacity (given what fits into the Air, ipad3, a lot more is possible if they care to make room for it)
• no OD drive
• improved cooling
• small SSD slot mSATA
• 2.5" HDD slot
• ability to drive external screen of the Intel GPU (much less heat->noise for 2D work, I never need two screens for GPU intensive stuff)
• nvidia optimus proxy driver system for graphics switching (not the multiplexing crap that Apple implemented)
• retina display would be nice but more important would be
• high contrast (>1000:1), high brightness (min 400 nits, 500 would be nice) IPS panel or other decent non TN like PLS

 

[PAPO]

Bluray does not denote Professionalism in any way. It's a consumer playback format that is going to have a shorter life than DVD. We're already going to move towards 4k rapidly as profit for 1080p stuff is gone.

Digital distribution is more adept at making changes.

Apple is about making things thin but keeping power. The MBP will still have Quad Core and Retina displays potentially will up the ante.

Laptops really need to move away from moving parts which lower reliability. The stuff that moves (mass storage) can be made redundant for safety.

BD has the capability to handle more than just 1080P, a dual layer BD can fit more than enough for 2K and maybe even 4K, and is extremely useful for backing up or moving an entire project, while digital distribution can adapt more rapidly, most internet connections still can't handle good quality 1080P content, and until that time comes (I give it AT LEAST 2 years) BD isn't going anywhere and will likely hang around for a little while longer after that as well

 

[azentropy]

As I posted on other threads - If they make it thinner by taking out the ODD but still leave room so you can put in a second SSD/HD and keep the GB Ethernet I'd be happy. But if they take out the ODD and the Ethernet port just to make it thinner then I think many are going to be upset.

 

[maflynn]

Personally I don't see the need to make it thinner but apple does seem a bit obsessed with thinness. My only concern is that by thinning it out further you make the overall structure weaker. Aluminum is a malleable material, I hate to risk seeing more dents or bends in the laptop just because apple made it thinner.

There were a number of threads out when the unibody models first came out where people who picked up the laptop by the ethernet port with one hand was able to deform that portion.

 

[NutsNGum]

I don't understand the logic behind Pro equals Fat. It only makes sense that items that are routinely carried around are lighter. If the GeekBench scores are getting better, and machines are becoming faster than ever, what's to complain about if it loses a pound or so, also?

 

[maflynn]

what's to complain about if it loses a pound or so, also?

I have no problems with that, as long as the laptop isn't running hotter or there's no weakness in the hinge or the structure.

 

[thekev]

[*]ability to drive external screen of the Intel GPU (much less heat->noise for 2D work, I never need two screens for GPU intensive stuff)
[*]nvidia optimus proxy driver system for graphics switching (not the multiplexing crap that Apple implemented)
[*]retina display would be nice but more important would be
[*]high contrast (>1000:1), high brightness (min 400 nits, 500 would be nice) IPS panel or other decent non TN like PLS
[/LIST]

Well you can drive an external display off the intel GPU. It's just not always great. I will say that high contrast doesn't always mean a better picture. Contrast ratios remind me of the mhz/ghz war. Low end consumer displays were being marketed with high levels of sharpening and crushed shadows just to get slightly better contrast ratios, yet that is pointless in terms of your visual experience.

I don't understand the logic behind Pro equals Fat. It only makes sense that items that are routinely carried around are lighter. If the GeekBench scores are getting better, and machines are becoming faster than ever, what's to complain about if it loses a pound or so, also?

Those damn things already run so hot under load. If Apple really wants to push laptops, something that might help is the ability to buy a nice silent machine. They're often thinner than the competition, but that amount of noise is incredibly annoying. Also if you're doing any work on one, staying further away from throttling temperatures under normal conditions would be a good thing. The thinner you go, the smaller the fans. If they kill the ODD, there are plenty of things they could do with that space rather than the unimaginative always thinner thing. I doubt they'll bump up the graphics. I know intel is improving, but they're still not totally there in combined hardware + drivers. They could use it for a larger battery. Thinner is probably the long term direction, but it doesn't always have to be their sole priority when you can check email and facebook off your phone.

 

[Queen6]

I am happy enough with my high end late 2011 15" MBP, less weight is always desirable, then again I have a 13" Air for mobility. Like many have echoed not everyone has access to enough bandwidth for HD media over the web. Where I am presently located the infrastructure is simply too old and 3G & 4G services offering much more bandwidth at a cost, equally Apple without any doubt will offer an external ODD, should the internal one be cut disks as form of media are far from being obsolete for the majority.

A thiner machine for me is little more than bragging rights, I would prefer stronger performance in the same form factor and I definitely want to see the 17" to differentiate other than display size & resolution. All said and done Apple is a consumer based company and will deliver what will is most profitable to Apple...

 

[skaertus]

The MacBook Pro is thin enough as it is, I think Apple is forgetting that it is a PRO line after all. There is no need for Apple to make it thinner.

The point of the Pro line is to have it powerful and feature-rich. Instead of removing the optical drive, they should have blu-ray in there. They should have lots of ports like HDMI, like ethernet etc.

Let the MacBook Air be for people who want portability, the Pro line should be still for people who want power on the go.

It's just not the philosophy of Apple. A laptop may be powerful without lots of ports.

 

[imahawki]

Its already been said... I don't have a problem with the dimensions, its the weight. If they could make them lighter I would be thrilled.

 

[Zeov]

Yes we need to make it thinner, and no, we dont need an optical drive, it's the past.. If you really need a blueray drive they should make a usb 3.0 -> Blueray, i don't want a larger laptop because 10% of the people want a blueray drive.

i'd see much more people benefit from a thinner Pro with 2 harddrives, like a 256GB ssd and a 1TB drive (in the DVD bay) for movies (blueray!).

 

[baypharm]

Well I don't really need a Blu-ray recorder in my MBP. Blu-ray is becoming somewhat extinct and I have only watched one Blu-ray dvd in my existence. Perhaps others like yourself may want one.

I don't think it needs to be thinner but if they rumors are correct, the next MBP will be in the form of a MBA. Even the veritable 17" version. Obviously, when it goes that thin, it will have a 512gb flash memory as opposed to rotating HD. Some advantages there. Problem is right now there are no affordable 1TB SSD's or flash memory modules. If the price of 1TB flash memory sticks were reasonable, it would be an awesome machine.

 

[pacman7331]

The MacBook Pro is thin enough as it is, I think Apple is forgetting that it is a PRO line after all. There is no need for Apple to make it thinner.

The point of the Pro line is to have it powerful and feature-rich. Instead of removing the optical drive, they should have blu-ray in there. They should have lots of ports like HDMI, like ethernet etc.

Let the MacBook Air be for people who want portability, the Pro line should be still for people who want power on the go.

No it does not need to be thinner.
But I dont think it needs an optical drive they are too fragile.
I think it needs more durability.
And max out at lower temperatures.