New MacBook Pro's on Tuesday, June 5th 2007?

[Manfr3d]

You mean you haven't put your pre-pre-order in yet?

* ^ France has 5 days on both 15" MBP
http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObj...se&mco=D2D493CA&node=home/macbook/macbook_pro

and Norway all 5 days
http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObj...se&mco=D2D493CA&node=home/macbook/macbook_pro

You mean I should order the current MBP with 5 days delivery and hope I'll get an updated version instead for the price of the old one? I mean I can't seem to find a preorder button anywhere
If it would be possible to get the new mbp for the price of the old one this way it would be awesome, because here in germany we currently have a 15% discount on mbp in the edu store.

 

[Detlev_73]

Remember...

Any word on what the back to school/education specials are? Bundles, discounts, rebates, free iPods?

A lot of states have Tax-Free Shopping Weekends around July/August period for the "back-to-school" rush (sorry European readers, I'm actually Pro-EC [my BA is in German/Spanish language/literature]). At least in Georgia this also includes computers, printers, peripherals etc...whoopee!!!

 

[BenRoethig]

-2.2 and 2.4ghz Core 2 Duo CPUs
-PM965 Chipset
-Radeon mobility HD 2600 or GeForce 8600M. 256mb in 15", 512mb in 17"
-2GB Ram standard across the board
-Same hard drive capacities, 250GB 5400RPM drive places 200GB 4200RPM drive as BTO
-No external changes or price changes.

Significant update, but not significant enough for a stage announcement. Plus, announcing something like this before WWDC will really hype up the event itself which should be focused on Leopard and Desktops. If a new desktop line below the Mac Pro is being announced, I could also see iMacs being announced along side the MBPs.

 

[JFreak]

-2.2 and 2.4ghz Core 2 Duo CPUs
-PM965 Chipset
-Radeon mobility HD 2600 or GeForce 8600M. 256mb in 15", 512mb in 17"
-2GB Ram standard across the board
-Same hard drive capacities, 250GB 5400RPM drive places 200GB 4200RPM drive as BTO
-No external changes or price changes.

Is this a guesstimate or leaked facts?

 

[hvfsl]

The HD 2300 is shocking. It is a renamed X1450, and is much inferior to the X1600.
The HD 2400 should be OK, probably slight improvement on X1600. If a subnotebook comes around, that's what will be in it. It is described as a graphics card for "Thin and Light" computers.
The HD 2600 is described as for "Performance Thin" notebooks. As was the X1600.
The HD 2600 XT is for "Performance" notebooks, and as it is just an overclocked version, probably won't find its way into the MBP. The normal HD 2600 I believe is an excellent bet, assuming that AMD have given Apple sufficient numbers of these cards.

Yeah, you are right. Was getting the HD2300 and HD2400 mixed up.

 

[headfuzz]

I wish Apple would do something new with the case of MBP, carbon fibre would be nice.

As much as I still love the aluminum Apple have used for the AiBooks and MBPs thus far, carbon fibre would be very very cool indeed

Apple today introduced the GhettoBook - with a moulded carbon fibre shell it's touted to be the world's first bulletproof notebook.

Apple followed this bombshell with the news that a new Apple Store will be opening in Compton next Tuesday.

Oh, and of course it's powered by a G5.

 

[ltcol266845]

The more I read these comments, the more I think that a MBP update isn't going to come until the Leopard release. If the MBP can't utilize the ITM of the Santa Rosa platform, that what is the point of putting it in there now and giving the MBP that significant of an update, only to do it again 3 months down the road.

As much as I hate to say it, there is likely ONLY a small update in the works, *maybe*. I hope I am very wrong, because I am hoping *crosses finger* to pick up a MBP very soon. I too would like to see a new enclosure (though the current is still hot and steamy), new graphics, LED screen with a resolution bump (I know Apple prolly wont bump the resolution, but I can wish!) and of course the Santa Rosa platform (WITH the Robson Flash technology. I know it has been said to reduce the performance in certain situations, but that I feel is more likely an error on Microsofts end, as their ReadyBoost system does not really work all that well yet. I am confident that Apple could make it actually useful).

*Here's to hoping!*

 

[BenRoethig]

Is this a guesstimate or leaked facts?

Educated guess.

 

[astonius]

Gpu

Considering what I've been reading about ATI's most recent offerings in both the mobile and desktop markets, I really hope Apple goes with NVIDIA for the next MBP update. They seem to get better performance with less power. I've always been an ATI fan, but since the merger with AMD both companies have been slow to release newer, better hardware.

I'm speculating:
Santa Rosa Chipsets (Robson possible, but not probable)
LED Backlit Displays
2.4GHz Core2Duo with 800MHz FSB (maybe 2.6GHz in the upper-range models)
2GB DDR2 800 RAM (4GB BTO option)
160GB HDD (200GB & 250GB BTO options)
Nvidia GeForce 8600M 256MB GPU (possibly 512MB in upper-range models)
Maybe a slight resolution bump? (1680x1050 in 15.4" models and 1920x1200 in 17" model)
I also like the idea of a magnetic latch (seems likely)

The only thing I would love to see different is a higher end GPU (like an 8800M), though I'm sure it won't happen.

 

[ltcol266845]

I'm speculating:
Santa Rosa Chipsets (Robson possible, but not probable)
LED Backlit Displays
2.4GHz Core2Duo with 800MHz FSB (maybe 2.6GHz in the upper-range models)
2GB DDR2800 RAM (4GB BTO option)
160GB HDD (200GB & 250GB BTO option)
Nvidia GeForce 8600M 256MB GPU (possibly 512MB in upper-range models)
Maybe a slight resolution bump? (1680x1050 in 15.4" models and 1920x1200 in 17" model)

If these happen... I think I will wet myself! These are all the updates I am hoping for... Apple, please don't disapoint!

 

[Dicx]

Any word on what the back to school/education specials are? Bundles, discounts, rebates, free iPods?

Usually the BTS promo is a dollar amount off an iPod. This year I would think in would be $199. That way you could get a 4GB nano for free.

Once in awhile they add a printer to that also.

 

[Eidorian]

-2.2 and 2.4ghz Core 2 Duo CPUs
-PM965 Chipset
-Radeon mobility HD 2600 or GeForce 8600M. 256mb in 15", 512mb in 17"
-2GB Ram standard across the board
-Same hard drive capacities, 250GB 5400RPM drive places 200GB 4200RPM drive as BTO
-No external changes or price changes.

Significant update, but not significant enough for a stage announcement. Plus, announcing something like this before WWDC will really hype up the event itself which should be focused on Leopard and Desktops. If a new desktop line below the Mac Pro is being announced, I could also see iMacs being announced along side the MBPs.

That's my educated guess as well.

But is that due to Robson Caching or due the fact that the OS does nut fully utilize Robson?

Intel "reports" gains in battery life and speed. None of the third part tests that I've seen support it though.

 

[bryharv]

price drops?

I was going to pull the trigger and buy a refurbished MBP 15"c2d today for $1599 from the apple store. good thing I checked this thread at the last minute...

what kind of price drops might I expect, if any, on this model if I wait til next week? also, will these new models be available immediately or would i have to wait several months for actual release if I decided to go with a new model?

thanks,

bryharv

 

[Half Glass]

Isn't the MacBook a more likely choice for a back to school promotion?

--HG

 

[headfuzz]

Isn't the MacBook a more likely choice for a back to school promotion?

--HG

Not if you're studying anything that requires a proper GPU, eg graphics/film/media...

 

[gregorsamsa]

If a new desktop line below the Mac Pro is being announced, I could also see iMacs being announced along side the MBPs.

I'll welcome a new desktop, but I continue to believe it won't happen. I expect we'll probably see new iMacs &, soon enough, a new laptop. I think the 17" iMac combo will remain & probably see a further price reduction to make it more attractive to switcher types.

Steve Jobs (2 days ago): "I can see a time when notebooks are 80, 90 per cent of what we sell."

Most of us either want to keep the Mini, or to see a new low-end desktop. Sadly, it's unlikely. It makes far more sense financially for Apple to release new laptops. Maybe an ultra-portable &, later, a 15.4" consumer laptop.

 

[andiwm2003]

I was going to pull the trigger and buy a refurbished MBP 15"c2d today for $1599 from the apple store. good thing I checked this thread at the last minute...

what kind of price drops might I expect, if any, on this model if I wait til next week? also, will these new models be available immediately or would i have to wait several months for actual release if I decided to go with a new model?

thanks,

bryharv

dare you to buy the MBP C2D 2.16 GHz that I want to buy for ~$1399 as soon as new MBP are out!

seriously i expect a drop by 150-200 bucks and a lot of people will try to get one.
unless the new MBP's are truly revolutionary i expect that they will be only about 10-15% faster that the old ones (except of special applications like gaming and only IF there is a new GPU). that would not justify 600-700 dollar difference for me.

and apple somewhere said they want new models to be availabe immediately. so i expect you can have it within 1-2 weeks. but the demand will be huge so delays are possible.

 

[badcrumble]

I hope this is true. I want WWDC to be all about Leopard and new form factor iMacs. Fine by me if the MBP only gets a little bump.

 

[juice78]

-2.2 and 2.4ghz Core 2 Duo CPUs
Significant update, but not significant enough for a stage announcement. Plus, announcing something like this before WWDC will really hype up the event itself which should be focused on Leopard and Desktops. If a new desktop line below the Mac Pro is being announced, I could also see iMacs being announced along side the MBPs.

You hit it right on the head. I doubt that Steve/Apple/anyone would think an update to the MBPs would be worth announcing at WWDC. A new shell/design; new processor supplier; a new OS; etc -- these are things announced at WWDC and such. A chipset/cpu platform update isn't stage-worthy. So we will probably see this update on the 5th, advertised on apple.com the same way the MBs are/were advertised: "faster speeds". They know that the only people who care about or know about Santa Rosa, chipsets, GPU models, etc are a minor portion of their market segment and won't bother mentioning it on the apple.com store except buried in the spec pages.

So, now that we've speculated and postulated the MBP to death, let's wonder what (if any) hardware change will be stage-worthy at WWDC (aside from more iPhone pushing). The new iMacs?

Which begs the question: if Apple indeed re-designs the iMac case, to a thinner model as speculated, will they switch to 2.5" laptop drives? Will a new design be too thin to house faster, larger 3.5" HDDs?

juice

 

[juice78]

I'll welcome a new desktop, but I continue to believe it won't happen. I expect we'll probably see new iMacs &, soon enough, a new laptop. I think the 17" iMac combo will remain & probably see a further price reduction to make it more attractive to switcher types.

Steve Jobs (2 days ago): "I can see a time when notebooks are 80, 90 per cent of what we sell."

Most of us either want to keep the Mini, or to see a new low-end desktop. Sadly, it's unlikely. It makes far more sense financially for Apple to release new laptops. Maybe an ultra-portable &, later, a 15.4" consumer laptop.

...which would be the nail in the coffin for Apple-based designers. MBs and even MBPs are not sufficient for most designers. And I'm only talking performance issues. the other issue of screen real-estate is just as important to design (most designers use no less than 20" screens). unless they plan on reinstating the docking-station mentality vis-a-vis ACDs interfacign with notebooks via some specialized cable to provide "docking" extension capabilities (ie. USB, Firewire, LAN connections, etc.)

 

[juice78]

I was going to pull the trigger and buy a
what kind of price drops might I expect, if any, on this model if I wait til next week?

price drop on refurbs? None. look through the refurb site, notice how they advertise the discounts based on ORIGINAL selling prices (as opposed to post-price-drop prices). Like how they're selling a refurbed 15" MBPro 2.16 : 1GB : 100GB for $1549 based on its "original" price of $2799 - a "savings" of 45% ($1250)

Now go and look at the price of a similar MBP today...
15" : 2.16GHz : 1 GB : 120 GB

sells NEW for $1999

so, in June 2007 prices, this refurbed Macbook Pro is selling for $450 less, or 22% off

 

[eXpress]

So I had a dream last night that Apple released the new MBPs and they had LED screens and nVidia GPU. Maybe partially a good sign?!

 

[mags631]

So I had a dream last night that Apple released the new MBPs and they had LED screens and nVidia GPU. Maybe partially a good sign?!

More likely a sign that you are thinking way too much about it.

 

[gregorsamsa]

...which would be the nail in the coffin for Apple-based designers. MBs and even MBPs are not sufficient for most designers. And I'm only talking performance issues. the other issue of screen real-estate is just as important to design (most designers use no less than 20" screens). unless they plan on reinstating the docking-station mentality vis-a-vis ACDs interfacign with notebooks via some specialized cable to provide "docking" extension capabilities (ie. USB, Firewire, LAN connections, etc.)

Not really. Many Apple-based designers are likely to use Mac Pros or 20" & 24" iMacs, which I'm sure Apple won't be abandoning. They'll probably just expand their laptop range & not add any new models to their desktops. Going by current trends, they'll expect laptop sales to increase exponentially over the next few years, whilst seeing desktop sales continue to dip.

Apple not bringing out a new desktop, etc., but concentrating on expanding their laptop range, needn't affect the kind of relatively niche ("designers") market you mention. As laptops continue to get more powerful & cheaper by the year, more people will be using them as desktop replacements anyway. I think what Steve Jobs says (about a time when Apple will sell "80, 90 per cent" notebooks) looks exceedingly likely!

 

[Bizmac]

Not a good news for those who were expecting a 12"MacBookPro...an update before WWDC will not bring our dreamed mac...

Will need to wait for WWDC to know if Steve has some news about it.