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I would be happy with the new 13" MBP if ...

C

CopperX

macrumors member
Original poster
I would be happy with the new 13" MBP if it just was the MacBook Air + Backlit keyboard + Firewire + Ethernet.

That's all I ask.
 
Sounds like what you want is more like a MacBook Air with backlit KB and USB 3.0 or Light Peak. MBPs are aimed at different people. Not everyone prefers lightness and smallness over power and upgradeability.
 
ECUpirate44 said:
Hey Hellhammer, would Apple adopt USB 3.0 or Light Peak?
Click to expand...

Apple has been a strong supporter of Light Peak. I would expect Apple to be an early adopter although there are still things we are not aware of (e.g. availability, price, size...) so predicting the time of adoption isn't easy. Possibly this year if everything goes okay.

Ivy Bridge's chipset (Intel 7-series) will support USB 3.0 natively so Macs should have USB 3.0 in early 2012 at the latest (assuming Apple does not replace everything with LP)
 
I see the major thing that the 13" MacBook Air has over the MacBook Pro currently is the 1440x900 native resolution (1280x800 is simply not enough), and yes, the built-in SSD which is standard.

For these reasons alone, I wouldn't want a 13" MacBook Pro. The only real advantage the Pro has over the Air at this point (other than Ethernet and FireWire) is the ability to upgrade to 8GB of RAM and have an optical drive internally. Yes, you might say you can add a large internal hard drive or a 512GB SSD to the MacBook Pro also. But, standard, as most people have it, it has a slow 5400rpm HD and you can't upgrade the display past 1280x800 resolution, which is the same as the White MacBook.
 
WardC said:
For these reasons alone, I wouldn't want a 13" MacBook Pro. The only real advantage the Pro has over the Air at this point (other than Ethernet and FireWire) is the ability to upgrade to 8GB of RAM and have an optical drive internally.
Click to expand...

I would consider the ability to have +256GB of storage for a reasonable amount of $ to be one of the major reasons why people buy the 13" MBP instead of MBA. Some people may not be ready to fork out 1599$ for the MBA with 256GB just to get the bigger SSD which is as big as the HD in 1199$ MBP.
 
Correct me if i'm wrong but isn't USB 3 just a faster USB? Light Peak on the other hand seems to be a one shop stop port. Charging, connection, display, ect.
 
ECUpirate44 said:
Correct me if i'm wrong but isn't USB 3 just a faster USB? Light Peak on the other hand seems to be a one shop stop port. Charging, connection, display, ect.
Click to expand...

Basically, USB 3.0 is just faster than USB 2.0 though it does provide more power as well (900mA vs 500mA IIRC). In theory, Light Peak provides lots of things but a lot is up to the industry and how it adopts LP. On paper, LP sounds better of course
 
Hellhammer said:
Basically, USB 3.0 is just faster than USB 2.0 though it does provide more power as well (900mA vs 500mA IIRC). In theory, Light Peak provides lots of things but a lot is up to the industry and how it adopts LP. On paper, LP sounds better of course
Click to expand...

It will be interesting to see who wins this one. Reminds me of Blu Ray Vs. HD DVD.
 
WardC said:
I see the major thing that the 13" MacBook Air has over the MacBook Pro currently is the 1440x900 native resolution (1280x800 is simply not enough), and yes, the built-in SSD which is standard.

For these reasons alone, I wouldn't want a 13" MacBook Pro. The only real advantage the Pro has over the Air at this point (other than Ethernet and FireWire) is the ability to upgrade to 8GB of RAM and have an optical drive internally. Yes, you might say you can add a large internal hard drive or a 512GB SSD to the MacBook Pro also. But, standard, as most people have it, it has a slow 5400rpm HD and you can't upgrade the display past 1280x800 resolution, which is the same as the White MacBook.
Click to expand...

The other advantage the Macbook Pro has over the Air is the damn fine external hardware and aluminium. I'm in love with the Macbook Pro.
 
USB3 on my next computer will not be an option. USB3 is stupidly faster than USB2 and already, USB3 items are showing up in brick and mortar stores. Given we have fast hard drives, lightning fast SSDs, massive print jobs, huge levels of data, etc, it is a technology that will be well utilized. Also, the new MBPs should use SATA3 and if not this next gen, then certainly the next. You will not be maximizing the newer SSDs without SATA3.

The next MBP also needs to have HDMI that does sound and video. That is an industry standard and there is no reason for an Apple to not have it. Even the newer digital headphone ports are showing up on some laptops. For MBPs, which are used by video and music professionals, having HDMI, and maybe even an optical out, makes complete and total sense.
 
NickZac said:
The next MBP also needs to have HDMI that does sound and video. That is an industry standard and there is no reason for an Apple to not have it. Even the newer digital headphone ports are showing up on some laptops. For MBPs, which are used by video and music professionals, having HDMI, and maybe even an optical out, makes complete and total sense.
Click to expand...

It already has this. You just need a fairly inexpensive adapter for MDP -> HDMI (have to make sure it supports audio), and any MBP from the current generation will output sound through HDMI. Also, they have included optical out for some time now, as I know mine has it. It's combined with the headphone jack, so all you need is a mini-toslink cable.
 
alust2013 said:
It already has this. You just need a fairly inexpensive adapter for MDP -> HDMI (have to make sure it supports audio), and any MBP from the current generation will output sound through HDMI. Also, they have included optical out for some time now, as I know mine has it. It's combined with the headphone jack, so all you need is a mini-toslink cable.
Click to expand...

I guess the 13s don't have the optical😕
 
I couldn't care less about USB 3.0, as my external HDDs are all mechanical anyway. I never use FW either, but Ethernet would be nice if included.

Anyway, it's the backlit keyboard (correction: a lack thereof) which keeps me away from buying a MBA. Since Apple has included this "10-dollar-feature" in all previous revisions, I see no reason for them to suddenly skimp on it. After all, the ultimate 13" MBA costs $1800 in the U.S.
 
I'd like a complete mash-up that I know will never happen. I can still want, though 😎

Plastic body with rounded edges (no worries about dents, anodizing coming off, etc.)

Firewire (must have my target disc mode)

External battery monitor

Long-life battery

SSD sounds nice (have never used one though)

Backlit keyboard

Those are the biggies.

Also nice,

Ethernet

SD card

I find that the only times I'm using the optical drive are for installing software and watching movies. Since I hook up external speakers for the movies... having an external optical drive seems like it would be fine. Just one more thing to chuck in the bag.

Basically, I guess I want a plastic Air with Firewire, external battery monitor, and backlit keyboard 🙂 I wouldn't mind if it were a tiny bit thicker, say halfway between the Air and the Pro.
 
I would be REALLY happy with the 13" mbp if....... It could effectively print me currency in small untraceable denominations.
 
I would be happy with my new 13" MBP if it would censor out all the useless threads with people complaining about how there MBP they purchased isn't a MacBook air or at least randomize a cocky response automatically...
 
Hey, I didn't say I don't like the MacBook Pro. My next purchase WILL BE a MacBook Pro -- but it will be the 15" model, not the 13" one. I don't think 1280x800 resolution is a fair compromise for having a more compact package. The technology for having a 1440x900 display and something better than a Core2Duo is there, and Apple isn't offering it in the 13"...at least yet.

Yes still, having 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD and an optical drive, and yes, onboard Ethernet and FireWire 800 are all fair advantages that the 13" MacBook Pro has over the 13" MacBook Air....but you are still stuck with a pixelly, glossy 1280x800 display!!! But all in all, it's not THAT bad, but still Apple could be offering higher resolution on their PRO model...when they DO offer it on the 13" MacBook Air, which is a lesser-grade of laptop.
 
WardC said:
Hey, I didn't say I don't like the MacBook Pro. My next purchase WILL BE a MacBook Pro -- but it will be the 15" model, not the 13" one. I don't think 1280x800 resolution is a fair compromise for having a more compact package. The technology for having a 1440x900 display and something better than a Core2Duo is there, and Apple isn't offering it in the 13"...at least yet.

Yes still, having 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD and an optical drive, and yes, onboard Ethernet and FireWire 800 are all fair advantages that the 13" MacBook Pro has over the 13" MacBook Air....but you are still stuck with a pixelly, glossy 1280x800 display!!! But all in all, it's not THAT bad, but still Apple could be offering higher resolution on their PRO model...when they DO offer it on the 13" MacBook Air, which is a lesser-grade of laptop.
Click to expand...
We cannot know for sure yet if the upcoming 13" MBP (if any) will have the same resolution as the current 13" MBP (1280x800) or 13" MBA (1440x900). The latter is more likely, i.e. 1440x900 for the 13" MBP. I'm also fairly sure that the upcoming 15" MBP will have 1680x1050 by default.
 
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