Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Next MacBook Pro to Get New Case Design
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I think it will be a ULV Sandy Bridge and spec update for MBA but it's guesswork.
Interesting. I generally rely on the manufacturer to determine where something is made [compiled].
Yeah, pretty sure everyone got that.
Look, when the iMac came out, everyone said, "Ah, that is kinda nice..."
Repeat for all changes to date.
When mbps came out it was similar.
While you may not like the internals, the likely-hood is, it will be reasonably pretty regardless of colour.
Good thing I stayed with 2010, didn't even need quad core power... doubt anyone uses it to its full potential anyways 
Honest question...what do you mean by this? With the 2011 MBPs you're getting quad-core processors vs dual-core processors for the same price. Who wouldn't want that, especially when the performance of the Sandy Bridge chips bests the Arrandale chips regardless of how many cores are actually in use?Good thing I stayed with 2010, didn't even need quad core power... doubt anyone uses it to its full potential anyways
And by the way, almost every time I use my MacBook Pro I take advantage of all four cores (video encodes/conversions).
Farewell Superdrive, we hardly knew ye!
What we need is two (2, read it apple, at least 2) hard drives within.
The size of the ethernet port seems to dictate the overall height of the MBP more than anything else, though. So I wouldn't worry about it getting even thinner, unless apple goes ******* crazy and get rid of it because it's "too big" and it's "legacy".
What we need is two (2, read it apple, at least 2) hard drives within.
The size of the ethernet port seems to dictate the overall height of the MBP more than anything else, though. So I wouldn't worry about it getting even thinner, unless apple goes ******* crazy and get rid of it because it's "too big" and it's "legacy".
If they bundled a USB or (even better) Thunderbolt adapter, I wouldn't be against getting rid of the Ethernet port. Unfortunately, we all know that won't happen. Besides, Firewire 800 isn't much smaller than Ethernet.
With today's release of the Thunderbolt display with all of those ports, including ethernet, I think we're about to see a major shift in the MacBook Pro that took place with the Air. No Superdrive, no ethernet port. I'm expecting USB, TB, FW, MagSafe, SD reader. Thinner enclosure, maybe a shift to the wedge of the MBA?
I sure hope not. Hope even more it's not a sealed design.
Heck, I still want a high end notebook from Apple :-/
I think it would be great if they replace the optical drive with another HD bay and make the case smaller, but if they remove much else, then why bother having a pro machine at all? I'm not particularly interested in having a 15" MacBook Air.
Look at the relative port sizes. You'll only save about 2 mm by removing Ethernet and keeping Firewire 800. You'd save a lot more space just by removing the optical bay making the computer a slight wedge. Even better, you could use the extra space for more battery.
I doubt they will remove the SuperDrive on the MBPs. Though I prefer MDP, but since support for that interface is limited to mostly monitors, HDMI would be perfect for outputting to a TV.
But since no one expected the omission of the SuperDrive on the Mac Mini and the MacBook White...no one knows until they release 'em.
Hmm a lot of people are saying bye to the ODD but if they do that Apple should just delete the whole line! I mean everything will just be a MBA anyway. What difference would there be? They would just make MBA in 15 and 17 inch size if there is even a point to that.
I mean everything will just be a MBA anyway. What difference would there be? They would just make MBA in 15 and 17 inch size if there is even a point to that.
Why include an HDMI port when the ThunderBolt/Mini Display Port can already be used with HDMI? Not only that, but I can convert the TB/MDP to VGA and DVI as well. If a completely new connection comes out......then you'll be able to convert it to that as well. I think Apple did it best by making a do-it-all port instead of relying on slapping in only one port. Gives people choices as to what they want to connect to their Mac without having an entire side of the unit covered in separate connections. (and if a new connection comes out, you'd be SOL).
As for the Superdrive, it isn't necessary to have it be built into the notebook 100% of the time. Most people aren't using their Superdrives while they are on-the-go anyway. Most people who burn CD's/DVD's do it at their houses because that's where their blank discs are. So why not have a Superdrive there for when you need it? (or use the Remote Disc option if you have another Mac with a Superdrive). And most people only use their drives a handful of times throughout the year anyway.
Another excuse I hear is "I can't watch movies on the go." If you are watching movies on the go, and are carrying DVD's with you anyway, then what is the big deal with carrying an external drive as well? Most take up no more room than a standard CD Jewel case and are extremely light weight. Not to mention that you could just rip movies to your hard drive or a flash drive and just watch them from there. Seriously, who carries DVD's around with them still?
I sell Macs for a living, and have to deal with the whole "I don't like the Air because it doesn't have a DVD drive" B.S. all day long. I always ask them when the last time they used a CD/DVD drive and they can't remember, yet they are all afraid of buying a laptop without a disc drive? Seriously? I think most people don't realize just how dead optical media really is (for computers anyway).
Last edited:
Nah, Apple will remove it and sell you the MBA USB to Ethernet adapter lol
...that's only 10/100 speed when Gigabit has been standard on Apple machines for over 10 years.
Apart from small details (ahem, more USB ports), I really really like the unibody macbook design.
That being said, I don't mind a redesign... but I just hope it's a good one that can top the unibody!
That being said, I don't mind a redesign... but I just hope it's a good one that can top the unibody!
In a laptop ??? Dell Latitudes offered that ability, and almost nobody used it, even in the days of 20GB disks. 2.5" disks are up to a TB now. Anyone needing more can easily slap on a small external device.
If the height of the MBP were to be squeezed, it'd approach the MBA's niche a bit more closely. Apple already EOL'd the white/black MacBook, so I don't see them decreasing distinction between the product lines.
As for RJ45 height ... back when I was stuck with the Dell, I had a PCMCIA ethernet card with a skeletal pop-out RJ45 connector that the plug clipped through. It was very fragile, though, and I suspect 100/1000Mbit speeds would have electrical issues. Most other cards had a small nonstandard connector to which one attached an RJ45 pigtail -- these were also touchy and awkward. I'd really hate to see either strategy make a comeback, but Apple has already shown willingness to require conversion/breakout cables for other interfaces.
TONS of systems have two hard drives. Almost all 17" or larger do-in fact the Macbook Pro is the only system I'm aware of that doesn't.
It's very handy for things like using an SSD as your main boot drive, and a second larger drive for storage, say videos and stuff.
The largest I'm aware of right now is 750GB at 7200RPM, and those are slower than the Momentus XT or something that's 500GB. We're not terrible with notebooks, but we're definitely not in a situation where tons of people wouldn't like more storage, or the option to use an SSD + mechanical drive.
