iMac and MacBook Pro Upgrades in First Half of 2011?

[Yebubbleman]

MBP does not have "8 hours of battery". That is a best case scenario with very light use. If you are doing serious work you might get 4-5 hours if you are lucky. So yeah, there is certainly room for more battery.
I also gotta wonder at all the 13" MBP defenders. It's abundantly clear that the 13" space is overcrowded. Even before the anouncement/rumour that there will only be 4 SKUs of MBP I was pretty sure that one of the 13" Macs had to go. The performance gulf between the 13" MBP and the rest of the MBP line is pretty big. Its really very similar to the MB non pro and the Air. And for that matter the air eclipses the white macbook quite well. I cant think of any justifiable reason to buy a white macbook over a an Air (lighter, sexier) or MBP 13" (also sexier, plus more connectivity).
I would love to see the numbers for how many white macbooks sold after the air came out. Especially after the cheaper air came out.

Wired Ethernet, the optical drive, the polycarbonate enclosure (read: MORE DURABLE THAN ALUMINUM) and $300 are what the white MacBook has over the 13" Air. Were I given the option between the two, I'd go with the White MacBook as being given those features for $-300 more sounds to me like a good deal. Weight isn't an issue, I'm not so weak and frail that I can't carry the extra weight, and "sexy" really shouldn't ever be an issue when shopping for a computer, I'm sorry.

The 13" White MacBook is essentially the same machine as the 13" MacBook Pro, which is more or less on par, in terms of speed with the 13" Air. They're all more or less as fast as each other.

Yes, the 13" space is crowded. Yes, the 13" MacBook Pro is a gonner. No, it's not because the 13" space is crowded, though that's why Apple won't be hurting in its absence. The 13" MacBook Pro is a gonner due to the fact that unless that model, and that model only, is given a drastic redesign (which they likely won't do), Apple will be presented with two options [(a) stick with the Core 2 Duo and the GeForce 320M, or (b) move to a Core i series CPU, but endure the lacking power of an Intel IGP] neither of which are acceptable to a majority of their customer base for that product, and they know it.

 

[sebseb81]

13" Pro, I could see it purely using SSD storage. But I couldn't see it on the 15" and 17". All three sizes will have mSATA blade SSDs, the 15" and 17" will also have a 2.5" bay for a hard drive or a second 2.5" SSD drive. At least, that'd be how I'd do it. This would allow Apple to nix the hard drive bay on the 13" Pro, allowing for enough room for a discrete GPU, thereby giving that computer a distinct purpose from the 13" Air and white MacBook that isn't simply "it has x port/slot that I really need" or "because it's aluminum and aluminum LOOKS cooler".

I agree! MBP13 would definitely distinguish itself better by going with a flash drive.

No, MacBooks are aimed at students because they are cheap and durable. Neither thing could as easily be said about the 13" MacBook Pro or the 11" MacBook Air.

MB and MBA11 are the same price, with a trade-off in features that would be appealing to students. The old MBAs, yes, not so durable. The new MBAs look and feel rather durable.

Weight isn't an issue, I'm not so weak and frail that I can't carry the extra weight, and "sexy" really shouldn't ever be an issue when shopping for a computer, I'm sorry.

True, true... but we're talking about Macs, here, right? And if by "sexy" you mean to denigrate the importance of design/aesthetic, then that argument is missing out on a large part of Apple's appeal to consumers.

 

[Yebubbleman]

I agree! MBP13 would definitely distinguish itself better by going with a flash drive.

Well, more importantly, by going with an SSD, especially that of the new MacBook Air's, it allows them to remove the hard drive bay as that need is being served by the SSD (and I'm sure those that would want both, would be fine paying the premium to get it on a 15"), and give them the real differentiator, a discrete GPU; something that none of the 13" models currently have and that the 13" Pro desperately needs.

MB and MBA11 are the same price, with a trade-off in features that would be appealing to students. The old MBAs, yes, not so durable. The new MBAs look and feel rather durable.

Durability has nothing to do with the design there. Sure, the new ones are probably more durable than the old ones, but by a marginal amount. The real durability is with the white MacBook as the polycarbonate material is more durable than the aluminum. The latter dents where the former dings. Don't believe me? See it for yourself!

True, true... but we're talking about Macs, here, right? And if by "sexy" you mean to denigrate the importance of design/aesthetic, then that argument is missing out on a large part of Apple's appeal to consumers.

No one spends that kind of money on aesthetics or "sexy" in today's economy unless they either (a) don't know any better, (b) have that kind of money to burn, or (c) both, I'm sorry. This is why most people are content with the white MacBook over the 13" MacBook Pro and similarly, this is why the non-Pro customers buy the 13" MacBook Pro not knowing any better about it essentially being the same computer as the white MacBook, but with key differences that none of them will know or care about. Sure, those of us after that machine NEED its FireWire port and its SD card slot, but there are certainly far more of those that don't even know what those are.

 

[anomie]

You clearly missed the point of the thread; this wasn't anyone talking about the MacBook Air negatively, it was a response to people suggesting that the MacBook Pro gain MacBook Air-like qualities. No one here is ragging on the Air.

Oh. Sorry then, i guess I really got it wrong.

 

[UltimaLink]

Guys, since the iMac is going to get a new price point and new screen size, do you think we'll see 21.5, 24, and 27 inch size options? They'll probably re-use the 24 inch monitors, I've never seen one, how were they?

 

[crowsrock]

They should take the Optical Drive out and offer a external drive at a slightly reduced price. Put a Quad Core i7 sandy bridge processor in it and put more battery in the empty space for the power hungry Quad Core. Also maybe 6gb standard RAM upgradeable to 10-12gb.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

They should take the Optical Drive out and offer a external drive at a slightly reduced price. Put a Quad Core i7 sandy bridge processor in it and put more battery in the empty space for the power hungry Quad Core. Also maybe 6gb standard RAM upgradeable to 10-12gb.

Battery life won't be the issue with Quad Cores. It's heat, in the rare situation where the CPU and discrete GPU are both under load.

 

[Lesser Evets]

Guys, since the iMac is going to get a new price point and new screen size, do you think we'll see 21.5, 24, and 27 inch size options? They'll probably re-use the 24 inch monitors, I've never seen one, how were they?

I'm pretty sure if they have a "new screen size" with a price point for the mainstream market, it will be 15", maybe 17", and will be 1344x1008 or something in that region.

Apple would be well suited to make an iMac with such a screen, half the USB ports, no firewire, no other screen port, just USB and ethernet and headphone jack. Trim the whole beast down.

$899 I hope.

The world doesn't need big and bulk, but comfortable and functional. Every tech-nery wants MORE! MORE! MORE! however, most people never use the monitor port, the firewire, etc. A 1TB drive, 4 GB memory (perhaps more), 2 USB ports (more then provided on keyboard), and a lower end processor is enough. Just put the speakers/cam/mic on the structure and the computer is an all-in-one for most normal people.

I can't wait to see what comes out. It will be disappointing if Apple doesn't begin to modify their iMac line at the lower end.

 

[anomie]

Why should Apple do so? I know nobody who´d buy such a tiny iMac.
It´s the other way around: most people I know complain about the 21.5" to be a little too small to be comfortable.
It´s not just tech-nerds. My own mum (60+) decided for a used 24" instead of the actual 21.5" (the 16:9 format makes it look even smaller despite the high resolution).

Besides, Apple does not want to sell to the mass market. Plus the iMacs are selling good already.
There is absolutely no need to build such a castrated iMac.

 

[Yebubbleman]

They should take the Optical Drive out and offer a external drive at a slightly reduced price. Put a Quad Core i7 sandy bridge processor in it and put more battery in the empty space for the power hungry Quad Core. Also maybe 6gb standard RAM upgradeable to 10-12gb.

Not gonna happen. They'd need to make the whole body thicker. Removing the optical drive won't accomplish anything, plus they're not gonna do that on a "Pro" machine. Lower-end Macs, I could picture it. The only people who have it in for the optical drive are either (a) lurking in these forums, (b) MacBook Air fans, (c) delusional, or (d) any combination of a, b, or c.

I'm pretty sure if they have a "new screen size" with a price point for the mainstream market, it will be 15", maybe 17", and will be 1344x1008 or something in that region.

Apple would be well suited to make an iMac with such a screen, half the USB ports, no firewire, no other screen port, just USB and ethernet and headphone jack. Trim the whole beast down.

$899 I hope.

They killed off the 15" and 17" sizes for a reason, and frankly, I'm fine with 21.5" being the starting point, and I get the feeling that applies to just about every one in the iMac target market audience.

The world doesn't need big and bulk, but comfortable and functional. Every tech-nery wants MORE! MORE! MORE! however, most people never use the monitor port, the firewire, etc. A 1TB drive, 4 GB memory (perhaps more), 2 USB ports (more then provided on keyboard), and a lower end processor is enough. Just put the speakers/cam/mic on the structure and the computer is an all-in-one for most normal people.

Speak for yourself, man. I depend on that FireWire port for DV editing and target disk mode. What do you do with your iMac when the OS won't load, but the hard drive is intact? Or when you want to quickly transfer files from another computer onto it? I doubt you grab the suction cups needed to pry the glass off. What if you want to hook your iMac to a TV or another monitor? Just because YOU don't have a need for it, doesn't mean it wouldn't prove useful to other customers of the product line.

Also, no, give me the higher-end processor if I want to pay that much money for an Apple computer. Again, just because you won't use it doesn't mean that someone else won't either.

I can't wait to see what comes out. It will be disappointing if Apple doesn't begin to modify their iMac line at the lower end.

It's called a "Mac mini", not sure if you've ever heard of it, but it tends to serve the lower-end customers just fine.

 

[Bootstrap Bill]

Not that this means it'll never happen, but did you not see Jobs' speech unveiling the new MacBook Air models? He said Apple's research shows people much prefer touchscreens horizontally, not vertically, and that's why Apple came out with the touchpad.

Why not put a hinge on the Macbook Air that allows the screen to swivel 180 degrees? When it's horizontal, use the touchpad - vertical, use the screen.

 

[Bootstrap Bill]

Not gonna happen. They'd need to make the whole body thicker. Removing the optical drive won't accomplish anything, plus they're not gonna do that on a "Pro" machine. Lower-end Macs, I could picture it. The only people who have it in for the optical drive are either (a) lurking in these forums, (b) MacBook Air fans, (c) delusional, or (d) any combination of a, b, or c.



They killed off the 15" and 17" sizes for a reason, and frankly, I'm fine with 21.5" being the starting point, and I get the feeling that applies to just about every one in the iMac target market audience.



Speak for yourself, man. I depend on that FireWire port for DV editing and target disk mode. What do you do with your iMac when the OS won't load, but the hard drive is intact? Or when you want to quickly transfer files from another computer onto it? I doubt you grab the suction cups needed to pry the glass off. What if you want to hook your iMac to a TV or another monitor? Just because YOU don't have a need for it, doesn't mean it wouldn't prove useful to other customers of the product line.

Also, no, give me the higher-end processor if I want to pay that much money for an Apple computer. Again, just because you won't use it doesn't mean that someone else won't either.



It's called a "Mac mini", not sure if you've ever heard of it, but it tends to serve the lower-end customers just fine.

The Mac Mini only comes with a Core 2 Duo.

 

[Yebubbleman]

The Mac Mini only comes with a Core 2 Duo.

While nowhere near optimal, the Core 2 Duo still seems to serve the low-end just fine.

 

[Rovasa]

rumor

At an product presentation last month, they told us there's going to be a new 24" Imac.. I guess they are right.. But you never now!

Interested in the new Imacs though. I really want one, but i will wait till the updates. curious what size and price it will be!

 

[Yebubbleman]

At an product presentation last month, they told us there's going to be a new 24" Imac.. I guess they are right.. But you never now!

Interested in the new Imacs though. I really want one, but i will wait till the updates. curious what size and price it will be!

There was never an official word of the return of the 24" sized iMac. Even moreso, I'd say that it is probably unlikely that we'll see size changes as we just saw such a change just over a year ago (just two refreshes). Usually, that doesn't happen until about three of four years out (four or five refreshes).

 

[ericinboston]

Maybe a few of you can offer some advice/tips:

I'm in the market to get a new iMac. I saw this rumor that a new one will be out 1st 1/2 this year but that's a huge window. I would flip out if I bought one in early Feb and a new model rolled out in mid March.

1)Anyone hear any better timeframes?

2)Any rumors on exactly what the iMac will have for new features? All I really care about for new features are price, memory, and CPU. When I look for new models of computers, all I really care about is overall horsepower and a nice display.

3)I'm tempted to get the 27" as I already own a Windows XP box (and Mac Mini) pushing to a 24" and love it to death. But I do wonder if the 27" is just gonna be too large even though it's only 3 inches larger diagonally. I am aware of the tech specs on all the models.


Anyway, thought I would ask a few questions and see what people think. Thanks in advance!

 

[vbob]

I believe that maybe they will offer to the new macbook pro's the same or similar SSD disks, as they did in the new mbp air models.
That way they will gain more space for batteries and also they will somekind "force" people to buy those special "Apple SSD" space upgrades (more money will occur to apple because the normal ssd's will not fit on the mbp. People will have to buy the special ssd upgrades directly from apple if they want more space).
At the same time apple will be the 1st company on laptop battery life (with the longest battery life on laptops) and that will make more people to want to buy apple laptops.

Also due to the rumors having apple to make special agreements with the "Liquid Metal" company (a special alloy creation company with many patents) and buying patents from that company, I believe that maybe some time in the future we will see special new type of batteries from apple. Those special batteries will extent the battery life of the mbp's to "beyond the normal" rates and make the "line distance" between apple laptops and pc laptops longer.


So, Apple laptops in compare to other laptops will have
1. Better CPUS (i3, i5, i7) (better cpu is always "catchy" too, if we see it from the aspect of marketing hehe)
2. Better Battery life
3. Better Graphics (I hope. This is a weak spot even for the mac pro models. I would like to see more options for the graphics cards on a mac pro models too and also lower the prices. i.e. my GTX285 (mac version) had a price around 500 euros when I bought it, but the PC version of the same card (GTX285 chipset) had about 300-350 euros)
4. Faster HDD's (SSD's) inside them
5. Better OS (hehe, we have also the new Mac App Store to support it)
6. Better Design (Beauty+Sexiness)
7. Overall it will be a faster longer battery life and better designed laptop in compare to other companies laptops.

Apple will shine between other companies again...!!!!
The bitten apple (temptation) is something meaningful as apple's logo I believe...heheheh
Is there anyone that wouldn't like to have an apple laptop? What?? Yes? Think again please...!!!

 

[Yebubbleman]

Maybe a few of you can offer some advice/tips:

I'm in the market to get a new iMac. I saw this rumor that a new one will be out 1st 1/2 this year but that's a huge window. I would flip out if I bought one in early Feb and a new model rolled out in mid March.

1)Anyone hear any better timeframes?

2)Any rumors on exactly what the iMac will have for new features? All I really care about for new features are price, memory, and CPU. When I look for new models of computers, all I really care about is overall horsepower and a nice display.

3)I'm tempted to get the 27" as I already own a Windows XP box (and Mac Mini) pushing to a 24" and love it to death. But I do wonder if the 27" is just gonna be too large even though it's only 3 inches larger diagonally. I am aware of the tech specs on all the models.


Anyway, thought I would ask a few questions and see what people think. Thanks in advance!

My recommendation is to either buy right now or wait until the next refresh. We're currently smack dab in the middle of the release cycle on iMacs, so either get 'em now or hold off. Getting them any time between will provoke the "why didn't I just wait" facepalming.

 

[ThomBombadil]

My recommendation is to either buy right now or wait until the next refresh. We're currently smack dab in the middle of the release cycle on iMacs, so either get 'em now or hold off. Getting them any time between will provoke the "why didn't I just wait" facepalming.

I'm in the same position - ready to buy an i7 27" and have 3rd party RAM maxed and an ssd and eSATA port added, but I think I should wait for Lion and/or the new iMacs. Is it likely one or both might be a MacWorld Expo surprise? (why did Steve cancel peoples vacations - surely not the Verizon iPhone?)

 

[Yebubbleman]

I'm in the same position - ready to buy an i7 27" and have 3rd party RAM maxed and an ssd and eSATA port added, but I think I should wait for Lion and/or the new iMacs. Is it likely one or both might be a MacWorld Expo surprise? (why did Steve cancel peoples vacations - surely not the Verizon iPhone?)

Apple no longer participates at Macworld Expo, so the unveiling of a new iMac this month is pretty unlikely.

 

[Joshknightmare]

I'm about to buy the i7 iMac in about 1 - 3 weeks do you think I should get one or should I wait for the next update?
Also, I don't think blu-ray will be seen in the Mac line-ups because that would ruin the profits of iTunes. If you want to play blu-ray dvd's buy a PS3 or a blu-ray player and play it on a TV. Simple as that. I'm sure that if you can afford to buy a mac you can afford to buy a blu-ray player no?

 

[Joshknightmare]

Apple no longer participates at Macworld Expo, so the unveiling of a new iMac this month is pretty unlikely.

I'm hoping they'll unveil something next month.

 

[mrt209]

I'm hoping they'll unveil something next month.

I doubt it They're unveiling the iPad next month so very unlikely that Apple reveals a new iMac. Maybe in March, although wouldn't be surprised if they waited until June/July.

 

[Yebubbleman]

I'm about to buy the i7 iMac in about 1 - 3 weeks do you think I should get one or should I wait for the next update?
Also, I don't think blu-ray will be seen in the Mac line-ups because that would ruin the profits of iTunes. If you want to play blu-ray dvd's buy a PS3 or a blu-ray player and play it on a TV. Simple as that. I'm sure that if you can afford to buy a mac you can afford to buy a blu-ray player no?

Macs should have the ability to at least read Blu-Rays, though I'll agree that it is unlikely that we'll see them in the Mac anytime soon. This is why I'm holding off on buying a higher-end iMac to succeed my current and am instead going with a 15" MacBook Pro and a Mac mini Server (used as a normal Mac and not a server).

As for the i7 iMac, buy it as soon as you can as if you wait any while longer, it'll make more sense to hold off until the next rev.

I'm hoping they'll unveil something next month.

Yeah, the next iPad and the much-controversial MacBook Pro refresh are likely candidates for an Apple unveiling next month.

 

[Joshknightmare]

I doubt it They're unveiling the iPad next month so very unlikely that Apple reveals a new iMac. Maybe in March, although wouldn't be surprised if they waited until June/July.

Yeah but buyer's guide says MBPs are going to update soon so i'm guessing February. Since they *might* be updating the MPBs next month why not update the iMacs as well?