More Claims of MacBook Pro Adopting MacBook Air Form Factor in 2012 Redesign

[steelmarco]

Change of the target but same price-tag?

We've seen the slow moving from the professional niche products to the mainstream consumer/prosumer ones, as of the discontinued XServe and the neglected Mac Pro. It seems the forthcoming MBP will follow the trend, by being rebranded to MacBook and loosing some pro features (like FireWire, Ethernet and powerful discrete GPU on behalf of improved battery life).

Ok, now my question is: they want to change they're target but how can they maintain the same prices? Why would someone pay more for something that's not anymore Pro?

 

[swagi]

Rip the DVDs.

End of discussion.

Yeah - and don't forget to get an Windows PC for your BluRays.

No optical, no buy. Just my 0.02$.

I want a real PRO machine, not some shiny, thin teardrop POS that has dumbed down internals just to get the design right (i.e. I want Apple to break away from their computer anorexia cult).

 

[Robert Mizen]

Thats my issue as well, I do like Win7. Win8 I am reserving judgement. Apple really got me by the balls with OSX, I got real accustomed to it and like the eye candy and the elegance of it. If I was CEO I would be using these machines, and I would want some power systems along with the thinner ones. So the people there beating this thin drum for every freaking thing would get the shoulder. I could hear them now

"Steve said..."

me coldy looking away "Steve isnt here anymore is he?"

I pretty much use windows ONLY for 3D Studios Max and Lumion. Thats it.

I own my own company and in next month i will get macbook pros for the staff. but this approach worries me...Apple wake up please

 

[Fazzy]

it would be weird getting used to a macbook air in 17" form..

 

[Eidorian]

Configurable TDP may be nice but if the enclosure (laptop case) is too thin there won't be enough room for a fan (that doesn't sound like a jet engine) to remove the heat from the device.

That is quite different from an enclosure that can support the higher TDP within a lower sound decibel constraints that just uses less power (and lower TDP) when operating on batteries to extend "on battery" run times.

The current MBP's are relatively thin (compared to most laptops.). Not sure what the upside is in making them anorectic to the point eliminate performance just for a couple of millimeters. A "shift to outside" mode might be useful where the internal discrete GPU is turned off and an extenal one (through TB) is turned on. At that point perhaps can run the CPU package hotter and leverage some of the cooling that would have gone to the discrete GPU to keep a lid on the temperature.

Similarly, that lower TDP comes at the cost of performance.

If the OEM offers an optional dock or high-performance cooling mode that could cool a higher wattage chip, the CPU can't take advantage of it. Ivy Bridge changes this.

I would love to see one of these docks. Jet engine mode sounds just plain annoying to tinker with and I am an enthusiast that likes to tinker...

 

[macuserx86]

I don't think it's possible to bitch more... The product has not even been announced yet and people are already bitching about it. Wait for Apple to release the final specs and then bitch. It's not logical to bitch about a product that does not exist yet.

It's also not logical to defend a product that doesn't exist yet

In all seriousness though, we get inflamed and "bitchy" because we care. We want Apple to keep making hardware that meets our needs. For me personally, I've had a hard time adjusting to the new iOS mentality; Back in the PPC days, Apple seemed more committed to "pro" users since they were a large percentage of Apple's user base. Apple has a new user base now and myself and others are worried that Apple has forgotten their most loyal customers in favor of their new iOS masses.

 

[bagelche]

I use my Macbook Pro for audio and video work. I fairly regularly produce DVDs and CDs of what I'm working on. Having said that, I'd be perfectly happy to jettison the internal optical. The times I need it are far fewer than the times I don't and it'd be fine to have a slim external drive (perhaps aftermarket Bluray) for when I need it.

I'd love a thinner form factor--presumably with an air-style SSD, but still retaining a second, standard 2.5" bay for a larger data drive or SSD.

 

[spcphd10]

What about HD and IO?

I'm all for thin notebooks and long battery life, but I need a laptop with full I/O and a healthy amount of disk space. I don't want to pay $2000 for a SSD drive either, no matter how fast it is.

Let's hope Apple has customers like me in mind with their laptop plans.

 

[Dan--]

Yup, it's criminal.

$212 with a quick Google shopping search. Its ridiculous.

http://www.google.com/products/cata...=X&ei=yII1T_GQEqe62gWiwdCcAg&ved=0CLwBEPMCMAU

Umm, despite the appearance that these are for 512GB drives, (and not to mention that Apple's drives are probably still are overpriced, clicking on any of the links will show they are for the lowly 128GB model.

Bigger drives are MUCH more expensive. AKA, from OWC, a 480GB drive is over $1000. http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Aura_Pro_Express

 

[steelmarco]

They could make a special laptop: a unique MacBook Pro, just for Pros. No compromise, upgradable in BTO from Apple Online Store.

 

[Dan--]

As a photographer, I'm looking for portability in the field and power at home. A 17" MacBookAir would be a dream in the field. Dual 27" displays at home with HDDs and a firewire hub plugged into the back of the display's Thunderbolt port.

Sorry, you're not really looking for portability - you're looking for power, in a barely portable form.

 

[carlgo]

This thin, disk-free, iOS-like vision is quite impractical for a huge number of people around the world, those who do not live where fiber optics are happening any time soon. Perhaps Apple has some plan of their own to provide this connectivity. Otherwise, how can it happen?

 

[Robert Mizen]

I'm all for thin notebooks and long battery life, but I need a laptop with full I/O and a healthy amount of disk space. I don't want to pay $2000 for a SSD drive either, no matter how fast it is.

Let's hope Apple has customers like me in mind with their laptop plans.

We will see, past trends have shown they don't really care. i love my iPhone and iOS. But i am getting sick of Apple concentrating on iStuff. would not be surprised if at Apple HQ the hardware department for computers and even most of OSX department has gone stale and has mould on the walls.

 

[MacintoshMan]

I hope they don't get rid of RJ45 port. I use it every day

 

[scottsjack]

Pretty much guarantees I wont be getting a new Macbook pro.

If they some how make/allow user replaceable parts, then I will change my mind.

Right. The essence of a MBP is that it can be customized and upgraded. If the new model only has soldered-in memory and expensive, low capacity drives it will be more of a casual use laptop than a professional machine.

 

[Robert Mizen]

They could make a special laptop: a unique MacBook Pro, just for Pros. No compromise, upgradable in BTO from Apple Online Store.

They could, but doubtful. Choice is a forbidden dirty word at Apple.
Over the years the word has become more dirty and its now about consumers and pro-sumers if you can really call them that.

----------

Right. The essence of a MBP is that it can be customized and upgraded. If the new model only has soldered-in memory and expensive, low capacity drives it will be more of a casual use laptop than a professional machine.

If they actually solder in the drives, and not let us upgrade the hdd or ssd etc, then that rules out a very large percentage of pro users. if a ssd or hdd fails and we have to send it to Apple to be unsoldered and replaced with a new one, which will take at least 1-2 weeks and cost a arm and leg.

Must haves for Apple to have mine or my companies money:

Dedicated/Discrete/Non Shittel (What ever you want to name it) Graphics Card
Upgradeable SSD or HDD - This i can live without, but i would not be happy.

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

Blu-Ray is pretty dead in the near future.

You should watch some real BDs. Best quality on the market (with a few exceptions).

 

[righteye]

The Expresscard slot should be functionally replaced by thunderbolt. A few vendors already sell (or plan to soon) external PCIe boxes connected via TB. Not quite as elegant as a simple eSata Expresscard, but you'd have an external box that can hold an eSata PCIe card (or multiple drives even if more than one port).

The express card slot is a sleek way to be able to add various extra fire wire,usb,SD card reader,CF card reader,esata port and iam sure i have missed some.
All these options are compact and light weight,ideal for laptop use.
The TB option is great but not so if on the move.
Have both thats fine but i would like see the express card slot remain and preferably be included in a 15" variant like it used to be.

 

[Lesser Evets]

Makes sense. I thought they would have done this over a year ago.

While a lot of people whine about the lack of optical drive, I think the time has come for optical to be worked out. If someone needs one, an external is fine. Having owned 3 Mac laptops, I found myself using the optical drives about 1% of the time, or less. I would have rather had a thinner, lighter notebook with a thin external drive shoved in a backpack or at the desk.

What is more curious is that they aren't leaping toward an AirTablet where they chop and compress these laptops down into chunkier iPad-like devices which work OSX. I think Apple would find an amazing market for such a device, since many notebook owners find the semi-portable form a burden.

 

[superduperdom]

A leap forward in speed,weight,portability.Disk drives are redundant.But storage is gonna be a pain for some time,
while Apple has a big mark-up on ssds.I have a 1tb drive on my macbookpro and it's gonna be sad climbing that hill again, each year a little bit more for a little bit less.Maybe 3-5 years before prices drop to a reasonable level for storage, and I do like having everything on one
main pc instead of spread out over several devices.

 

[sseaton1971]

Jeez People

Just because Apple might lose the optical drive and go to SSD or SSD+HDD does not mean the form factor will be exactly like an Air. I am guessing it will be closer to an Air than a current Pro, but there very well could be plenty of room for updatable RAM and better graphics, etc. I am, personally, just fine with losing the optical drive, but I would want large storage space that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. The SSD+HDD option would likely fill that requirement.

For those who don't like change... I am sure you are happy the original clamshells are gone and the crappy original PowerBooks and even the original MacBook Pros. I do like my current MacBook Pro, though... but I know this will change as well.

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

We've seen the slow moving from the professional niche products to the mainstream consumer/prosumer ones, as of the discontinued XServe and the neglected Mac Pro.

Neglected? Which CPUs should they use in this Mac Pro?

 

[damir00]

I highly doubt Apple would release a produce that has worse performance compared to its last revision/generation.

I agree. Very curious to see how they'll meet all the criteria - looking forward to seeing this released!

 

[jlc1978]

Exactly. It should have Blu Ray.

Never happen. I doubt Apple would buy into the DRM schema. OTOH, Apple could make an ODD thinner.

 

[blackhand1001]

256GB is fine for work and I work in Video/HD at a post house. There are plenty of eternal drives that are fast and small that you can carry with you in your MBPro bag.

We've moved to almost all external storage for projects because that is how they are delivered to us. We copy the assets to our machines, we do the job, and when the job is completed days or weeks later, we then put it back on the external drive and put it on a shelf.

In fact, our library has gone from tape to almost all external HDs sitting on shelves or with their account managers and we require the client to supply a drive for their project if they want it archived..otherwise they have to bring a drive in and they take their project back with them and it's not our responsibility anymore.



They won't have the same internals....new design and technology. That's what happens each year.

You are aware of what a 256gb ssd costs right? I have tons of ssd's, mostly 120 and 64gb models. All of them are combined with a hard drive in some way or another for storage. They make great upgrades for systems, but I use a seperate hard drive for storage of videos music and pictures as well as a steam library.