Is there a specific reason the 15-inch rMBP has a speaker grille?

[PDFierro]

Just something I've been curious about. How come the 15-inch rMBP still has a speaker grille? I know this used to be normal on a MBP, but it seems like Apple is removing stuff like this from now.

And from what I can tell, the sound on the 15-inch is not that much better than on the 13. The grille just kind of contributes to the large size of the 15, so I was wondering.

 

[B...]

It needed something next to the keyboard, and the screen is the main thing that contributes to its large size.

 

[borgqueens]

I personal think the speakers on the side looks nice and for me it is a better place to have the sound comming out rather then from the backside as it is on my MBP 13"

 

[ValSalva]

It needed something next to the keyboard, and the screen is the main thing that contributes to its large size.

Yes, I agree. It just has room for it.

 

[sammich]

Just something I've been curious about. How come the 15-inch rMBP still has a speaker grille? I know this used to be normal on a MBP, but it seems like Apple is removing stuff like this from now.

And from what I can tell, the sound on the 15-inch is not that much better than on the 13. The grille just kind of contributes to the large size of the 15, so I was wondering.

Okay. Either your logic is extremely twisted, or you have committed major fallacy.

I think they should've removed the grilles on the 17" MBP as well, that way the MBP would have the same footprint as the 13".

 

[takeshi74]

Is there a specific reason the 15-inch rMBP has a speaker grille?

So you can hear the speakers.

The grille just kind of contributes to the large size of the 15, so I was wondering.

It's not just the grille. It's the stuff behind it as well.

 

[Chuck-Norris]

it has larger speakers plus wheres the sound gonna come out?

 

[Interstella5555]

In my limited understanding of how speakers function that's where the sound comes out.

 

[zipur]

I agree with the OP's comments. If they removed the speakers they could add a number pad to the keypad.

 

[Stetrain]

I agree with the OP's comments. If they removed the speakers they could add a number pad to the keypad.

Apple specifically doesn't put number pads on their notebook keyboards (even on the 17" MBPs) because that would put the main typing portion of the keyboard off center from the laptop and the trackpad.

 

[PDFierro]

Okay. Either your logic is extremely twisted, or you have committed major fallacy.

I think they should've removed the grilles on the 17" MBP as well, that way the MBP would have the same footprint as the 13".

That was not the point I was making. Also, to other comments, you don't need visual speaker grilles in order to hear the sound. They can be hidden, obviously.

 

[Astroboy907]

Okay. Either your logic is extremely twisted, or you have committed major fallacy.

I think they should've removed the grilles on the 17" MBP as well, that way the MBP would have the same footprint as the 13".

Actually this very well could've happened, had apple gone for a tiny screen bezel.. The 17" could really have had the footprint of at least a 15"

 

[Zeov]

i think thats where the sound comes out.. but i could be very wrong... who knows? there might be a hidden thunderbolt 2.0 port under there.

 

[tgi]

That was not the point I was making. Also, to other comments, you don't need visual speaker grilles in order to hear the sound. They can be hidden, obviously.

I think they did it for aesthetics only.

Poor paint job.

 

[laurihoefs]

I agree with the OP's comments. If they removed the speakers they could add a number pad to the keypad.

Luckily they didn't, at least I'd have passed the rMBP if that was the case. With the numpad the main part of the keyboard would not be centered anymore, and to make typing without accidental mouse movement possible the trackpad would have to be moved too.

Your preferences might be different, but I might need a numpad maybe once or twice a month, so the slightly more inconvinient typing that the off-center keyboard brings really would not be worth it.

As for the speaker grills: the size of the chassis is pretty strictly limited by the display. Apple has a very good habit of making all their keyboard as similar as possible, so with a larger screen there's bound to be space around the keyboard. So why not make that space useful?

 

[tgi]

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/denvog/numlock-os-x-app-to-enable-number-lock-on-mac-keyb?ref=search

NumLock is an app that enables you to use the standard keyboard as a number pad. Might be worth checking out.