Inside Apple's New MacBook Pro

[nfl46]

Ugh, these prices...are so high. Apple needs to come out with a 799/899 Macbook.

 

[fouzy17]

will they update the 13inch to an iX processor?

hi,

i was really looking forward to this update, but im kinda disappointed that the 13inch doesnt have the new intel processors. do you think they will update just the 13 inch again soon with those processors? is it worth it to wait for that, or should i just buy the 13inch they have now?

 

[Eidorian]

Maybe no one explained it to you, but the i5 and i7 are stopgaps, too. Some day, there will be faster processors.

I didn't realize we weren't talking about the 13" Macbook logicboards.

Look at people still arguing "it's a legitimate trade-off"

i'm sorry, i'm paying for a 1k+ product. I DON'T WANT A TRADE-OFF. TWO YEAR PRODUCTS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE TRADE-OFF.

god.

$999 once it's refurbished.

 

[oddfactor]

Hey, everyone.

I was wondering if there would be any benefit from upgrading to the 1680x1050 for me aside from better movie/video experiences. The only work-related thing I can think of that requires good resolution is viewing fMRI images of the brain. But I don't know if I'd benefit significantly from the jump. Thoughts?

 

[lilo777]

hi,

i was really looking forward to this update, but im kinda disappointed that the 13inch doesnt have the new intel processors. do you think they will update just the 13 inch again soon with those processors? is it worth it to wait for that, or should i just buy the 13inch they have now?

The soonest for Apple is 6 months. But then it is not clear what may change in the nest 6 months that would make Apple to change their mind. So, most likely, it'll take at least a year.

 

[edoates]

Here it is

Mostly I agree, but that Toshiba weights almost 10 pounds. It's not really a laptop except for the morbidly obese. The MB Pro 17" weighs 6.6lbs.

That said, Apple: where's blu-ray? Yeah, I know you want us to download movies, but 720p is NOT 1080p no matter how you slice it; and my 500GB drive will fill up real fast with HD movies. I routinely carry 10 to 20 DVDs or more with the family while traveling, and would like to do the same with BD.

I guess we must wait.

Eddie O

 

[FrozenDarkness]

I didn't realize we weren't talking about the 13" Macbook logicboards.

$999 once it's refurbished.

I don't think he knows what a stopgap is.

 

[fouzy17]

The soonest for Apple is 6 months. But then it is not clear what may change in the nest 6 months that would make Apple to change their mind. So, most likely, it'll take at least a year.

ok, so nothing in the next 1-3 months then huh?

 

[tvh13]

Shaking my head, 1 of the best selling Mac book Pro's of all time was the introduction of the 13" with that being said. why was it left out of the refresh. I would have thought of all the Mac books this 1 would have gotten at least the i5 or the option to upgrade. Perhaps USB 3 and/or a solid state drive. Just something to push it over the top. Either apple is getting stupid or they think we are. Being a proud owner of a 13" already I don't see the need to update as I'm not missing out on much. I'm guessing by Christmas a real update will come.

It was updated in my country. Where are you from?

Just curious how old are you?

 

[pcconvert]

What planet are you from?

If you wouldn't mind, could you please post a link to a laptop with all of the specs you listed above (QC i7, 1080p, 1TB drive, 6 GB RAM, Bluray, USB3) for less than $2300?

Or less than $4000 for that matter?

If you can even FIND a laptop with all those specs period, I'd love to know the price.

$2277 @ HP will get you

Components
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-720QM Quad Core processor (1.6GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 2.8 GHz
• 8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 756GB 7200RPM SATA Dual Hard Drive (SSD 256GB + 500GB 7200RPM)
• 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 230M
• 18.4" diagonal High Definition HP Ultra BrightView Infinity Display (1920x1080p)
• Lightscribe Blu-ray ROM with SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support
• Webcam + Fingerprint Reader with HP Imprint Finish (Espresso Black)
• Intel Wireless-N Card with Bluetooth
• No TV Tuner w/remote control
• HP Color Matching Keyboard
• Extra 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (standard)
• System Recovery DVD with Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
• Norton Internet Security(TM) 2010 - 2 Year Subscription (activation required)
• 1-year HP Care Pack House Call Service with Accidental Damage Protection for HP Pavilion Laptop PC

True - it's ugly
True - it's heavy
True - battery life isn't quite great
True - can anything beat/match Apple's touchpad? Afterall it's our main interface isn't it?

True - when rendering FCP or working with RAW @ A3 the above truths probably don't matter that much.

Probably true - there isn't QC which would fit into the MBP architecture at present. Bummer.

 

[baryon]

Inertial scrolling? Why the hell is this a HARDWARE feature? Detecting the speed at which the fingers are moving can be done by tracking the position of the fingers and knowing TIME. That's all you need to measure speed: TIME and POSITION. Any idiot can do this. As far as I can tell, my MacBook Pro can tell the position of my fingers when I scroll, since it can scroll the document I'm scrolling at the relative speed I am moving my fingers, and therefore it could calculate the SPEED using a mathematical equation even a 4th grader could do. This is the funny thing about Apple that I hate: They sell software features with new hardware, saying that it's thanks to the hardware that the given feature is possible.

There is even some application for Macs that makes your normal mouse have inertial scrolling.

 

[december]

since when does Apple raise prices when adding new features? it's a shame the low end 15" is now $100 more than it used to be.

 

[LesQQmorePewPew]

I'd like to think that I'm a very objective person.

But the fact of the matter is, Apple sticking with the Core 2 Duo is indefensible. It's your money, please waste it as how you like, but not upgrading the processor for the 13" is a slap in the face. It'll probably sell like hotcakes and i don't think anybody cares about the extra power, but it's still a slap in the face. an upgraded graphics card, more RAM? That's just part of technology, they're merely "moving with it" instead of offering you something more. I think Apple fanboys are truly blind and I have never felt so bad for a group of fanboys in my life.

Oh also, It's sad that there's no resolution bump, but I realize that is probably very very farfetchd so that's fine. this is why anybody who gives a **** about computers don't buy mac. not because of how expensive it is. i'd spend the money if i felt like apple cared enough to not slap me around whenever there's a refresh.


that said, 15" seems to be the good buy. My only guess is that the i3 is backordered so maybe if we wait a couple of months, it'd be upgraded.

+9000

 

[thedarkhorse]

Sure - if you don't mind stealing intellectual property. Fortunately, most of the world is more honest than you.

Not to mention, of course, that your hacked solution may well have problems with bad drivers and/or upgrades.

Since no one here has ever illegally downloaded an mp3, found a work around for trial software, or watched a movie they don't own on the internet.
Oh no, my hackintosh is breaking some rule buried in the 300 page user agreement nobody reads! call homeland security!


Seriously though I can't believe they didn't put i3 in the 13".
At this rate I bet the plastic macbook will get i3 before the 13" pro, with an extra firewire port to boot.


ps: my hackintosh has had 0 issues with bad drivers and has had 0 issues with software updates.

 

[Salacion]

What planet are you from?

If you wouldn't mind, could you please post a link to a laptop with all of the specs you listed above (QC i7, 1080p, 1TB drive, 6 GB RAM, Bluray, USB3) for less than $2300?

Or less than $4000 for that matter?

If you can even FIND a laptop with all those specs period, I'd love to know the price.

You fell for it senior.

Yep Dell has been running core i5's and i7's for months now with way better graphics then what these MBP's have. And way better screens such as a 1920x1080 resolution with the option of RGB led's.

And it's not a parody its the truth.

It's parody to those who complain, complain, complain.

I think you forgot a really crappy plastic enclosure.

:O How'd you do that?

 

[lilo777]

since when does Apple raise prices when adding new features? it's a shame the low end 15" is now $100 more than it used to be.

Since they started thinking different

 

[50548]

Let the crybaby whining begin!!!

oh, wait....

It's already begun, don't worry

Since I've just got home from work, I ask you objectively (and I don't care about buying one because my iPad will be more than enough for my current mobile needs):

Are these solid updates to the whole line? My perception is YES, for the following reasons:

- Longer battery life all around;
- LED-backlit displays all over;
- Core i5 and i7 options apart from the 13" (after all, why i3 if the C2D is pretty much the same?);
- on-the-fly GPU switching for 15" and 17";
- MUCH better integrated GFX for the 13";
- same leading design and build quality.

And please, don't come with Blu-Ray crap as this is a stillborn technology for laptops.

What are your thoughts?

 

[PandaOnslaught]

since when does Apple raise prices when adding new features? it's a shame the low end 15" is now $100 more than it used to be.

yeah i was kinda sad when i saw that, but i used the edu discount and got the screen for free, essentially. but still a 100$ price drop instead of increase wouldn't have killed them ?

 

[Eidorian]

I don't think he knows what a stopgap is.

I believe we've more or less come to an agreement on Apple's hardware choices for the 13" Macbooks given the logic boards. Your original post is over two hours old as well. Things change rapidly with civil discourse and debate. I hope I've been able to explain Apple's motivations to you.

I'm willing to accept the limitations to move up from my GMA X3100 to a GeForce 320M. My interests are in the GPU for the most part. In the other notebook solutions I've been looking at the processors are Core 2 as well. I prefer Apple's overall solution to be honest.

I'd love to see Arrandale but I love a good GPU more.

 

[NeuralControl]

The inertia scrolling is a really cool feature. It's a shame Apple is only implementing it in the newest models. I'd be nice if they offered it as a software update. Of course, I doubt that will ever happen.

 

[ValSalva]

It's already begun, don't worry

Since I've just got home from work, I ask you objectively (and I don't care about buying one because my iPad will be more than enough for my current mobile needs):

Are these solid updates to the whole line? My perception is YES, for the following reasons:

- Longer battery life all around;
- LED-backlit displays all over;
- Core i5 and i7 options apart from the 13" (after all, why i3 if the C2D is pretty much the same?);
- on-the-fly GPU switching for 15" and 17";
- MUCH better integrated GFX for the 13";
- same leading design and build quality.

And please, don't come with Blu-Ray crap as this is a stillborn technology for laptops.

What are your thoughts?

Agreed. It's not so bad an update. In comparison to everyone's fantasies it would of course suffer. It's just too soon for USB 3.0 and SATA-6.

Just wish the Express Card would have made a comeback.

 

[LesQQmorePewPew]

You may think you're an objective person but you're fooling yourself.

The C2D is a reasonable design tradeoff (see below). Do you think that Apple simply had some shipping clerk choose what CPU they installed? No one ever considered any alternatives or tested anything? It was chosen solely because some secretary thought 'Core 2 Duo' sounded sexy?

Apple has been building personal computers for a long time (probably longer than anyone else in the business now that IBM isn't making PCs anymore). They understand their customers far better than you do - and are smart enough to realize that it's not all about specs any more. ANY modern computer is more than fast enough for 90% of users. It's about the total balance between features, performance, ease of use, price, battery life, weight, etc. And they chose this particular combination.

The fact that it's not what you wanted isn't a slap in the face to anyone. It is just an indication that your needs to not mesh exactly with what Apple offers. Either you compromise on some features or you find a supplier who offers what you want. Simple.



Could be any one of several reasons. Price, perhaps (I suspect Apple would have been able to negotiate very low pricing on C2D). Or the graphics explanation you've been given. Or some other tradeoff.

Does it matter? The new 13" MBP is 30-80% faster than the old one on the apps shown on Apple's web site. For 99% of consumers, that matters more than some silly spec game.



You're free to choose the i5. Just buy a 15".

Apple's market research has apparently shown that very few people buying a 13" computer care enough about minor performance differences to justify the cost.



The i7 is a bto option, so there's nothing stopping you from getting an i7 on 17" MBP.



Here's a hint: Look at the entire package. Does it do what you need better than the alternatives? If so, then you buy it and stop worrying about buzzwords. The 13" is 30-80% faster than its predecessor and has significantly better battery life. It's probably AT LEAST as fast as an i3 with integrated graphics (which would probably be about the same price), so why do you care which cpu is in it?



That's nice. Does it have a 10 hour battery life? Does it run Mac OS X (legally)? Does it match the MBP's form factor and weight? Does Asus match Apple's proven reliability and customer service?

Since the answer to all those questions is 'no', I'll pass.



It's actually due to Intel's design decision and failure to license nvidia. That created some constraints which affected Apple's choices.



That's nice. Does it have a 10 hour battery life? Does it run Mac OS X (legally)? Does it match the MBP's form factor and weight? Does Asus match Apple's proven reliability and customer service?

Since the answer to all those questions is 'no', I'll pass. If you want to place price above everything else, go right ahead, though.



Apparently, the number of people who want to carry a 10 pound 'laptop' is too small to be worthwhile. Furthermore, the high end MBP will do just about everything that that Dell does - and does most things much better.

As for Premiere - you can blame Adobe for that. Adobe software has been turning into overpriced junk for some time. I hope cs5 is better.





Finally - someone who understands that there are design tradeoffs.

I'm getting really tired of people who pick one spec and claim that their $799 system is a better value because it has the same processor as Apple's $1599 system - ignoring all the other features, build quality, service, support, weight, battery life, and the other 1000 factors that need to be considered.

It's not all about silly spec games, folks.



What kind of God complex would make you want to call a supplier and tell them that you don't like their products and will wait till a future version? Do you really think they care what one outspoken individual has to say?

Did you call BMW and tell them you're not buying a new 7-series, too?



Well, if you're not interested in buying the Envy, it's not really keeping you from buying a MBP, is it?

It's NOT all about silly spec and price games, folks. It's about the total package. If you don't think this version offers enough incentive to upgrade, there's nothing wrong with that. But if no other system offers you reason to upgrade, either, then you're not a real customer and your opinion doesn't matter.



Sure - if you don't mind stealing intellectual property. Fortunately, most of the world is more honest than you.

Not to mention, of course, that your hacked solution may well have problems with bad drivers and/or upgrades.

i've never seen so much hate and internet maliciousness in a person.

 

[Yixian]

It boggles the mind Apple went with an Nvidia 3XX card instead of the vastly superior and far more efficient, and cooler, ATI 5XXX cards.

My initial thought when I saw "330M GT" was "sigh... fail", then I checked the becnhmarks and some vids of it in action, and my reaction has changed...

Sigh.... FAIL.

 

[50548]

I believe we've more or less come to an agreement on Apple's hardware choices for the 13" Macbooks given the logic boards. Your original post is over two hours old as well. Things change rapidly with civil discourse and debate. I hope I've been able to explain Apple's motivations to you.

I'm willing to accept the limitations to move up from my GMA X3100 to a GeForce 320M. My interests are in the GPU for the most part. In the other notebook solutions I've been looking at the processors are Core 2 as well. I prefer Apple's overall solution to be honest.

I'd love to see Arrandale but I love a good GPU more.

A positive conclusion towards Apple? Is that a first from Eidorian? Congratulations and enjoy your new MBP!

 

[Eidorian]

A positive conclusion towards Apple? Is that a first from Eidorian? Congratulations and enjoy your new MBP!

Not yet. I still need to sell my Macbook first.

I also want it refurbished at $999 as well. I'll use the difference to buy some Apple stock or something.