Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Thinner 15-Inch MacBook Pro Coming with Retina Display and USB 3.0?

Freeks said:
No Firewire????
All PRO audiointerfaces use FW connection. There is no way that i would take USB audio interface to stage.

Grr! I was waiting next MPB line to update, but now i need to buy current model just to have FW.

I also have 10+ FW hard drives that would become obsolete with this.
Click to expand...

Hold your horses :) This is a rumor after all. I can't see Apple abandoning FireWire quite yet. Not on the Macbook Pro – after all, it's way too important for quite a huge number of pros:
Music, Photography, Video.

I know, there's thunderbolt. But there's not many devices so far which support thunderbolt (for example digital cameras & audio devices).

If anything, they'll include a FW / TB converter. But is it possible to convert ALL the FW functionality to TB?
 
goosnarrggh said:
If your display does not have Thunderbolt, and just operates through a DisplayPort connection (or through a DisplayPort-to-HDMI, DisplayPort-to-DVI, etc adapter), then there cannot be any intervening Thunderbolt displays preceding it in the daisychain.

It must either plug directly into the Mac's Thunderbolt port without any daisychaning at all, or else plug into the final slot of a daisychain consisting of only "non-Display" Thunderbolt peripherals.
Click to expand...

Ok thanks, so having two would at least be beneficial with poor people like me that can't afford a thunderbolt display.
 
bdavis89 said:
I love everyone bashing Apple for being forward thinking. In 5 years the same people will praise Apple for removing the Ethernet port and old technology in order to advance their products. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Gigabit ethernet may have been around a while but the new technology is 10 Gigabit ethernet which is not really an affordable option on client machines for many professionals. Gigabit ethernet is the sweet spot price versus performance and in the real world will beat any WiFi including 802.11ac.

Ditching current networking technology that is the technology to use to connect to a wired network is not a good move in the Pro market. Also wireless networks are congested enough as it is in many office environments and some office environments don't allow wireless at all for security reasons.
 
bdavis89 said:
Any true "pro" uses a 17 inch screen anyways. I'm an auditor, and we're constantly moving our computers and external monitors, and we have 17 inch hp computers. We need the real estate. Nobody who is working on a laptop should be using anything less than 17 inches. Maybe Apple has realized this and is removing things like the Ethernet from the 13 & 15 inch models.
Click to expand...

"Pro" users are not defined by screen size, but processor usage:
- Software developer (for compiling, running VMs, simulator, several IDEs)
- Graphic designer (Photoshop and RAM)
- Audio engineer (probably similar to graphic)
- etc.

If you need eleventy Excel windows, that is not pro use, in my technology-elistist mind...
 
ZballZ said:
Why on earth would Apple waste space on TWO thunderbolt ports??? Especially when there is so much hype around the daisy-chaining numerous devices!?

...and I really hope they wont sacrifice the FW800 just yet - although it could probably push thunderbolt ahead faster...
Click to expand...

Maybe it means SSD as the default configuration, you can use one TB for display and another one for HDD, maybe better than USB3
 
filmantopia said:
Yes, just like any woman knows that for a man to be a true "pro" in bed he must have a 9-inch piece. Amirite?
Click to expand...

Unnecessary.

charlieegan3 said:
in your world there are no professionals that use UK trains?
Click to expand...

I don't know what trains have to do with this. In the UK and Northeast US trains are a commonly used form of transportation because the layout lends itself to trains.

salmoally said:
Everyone stand back, we have a badass over here!

What the hell is a "true" pro anyway? I see more people in my field (design) with 15" than 17". I guess they aren't "true" enough for you.
Click to expand...

What makes me a badass? At least post a cool picture, otherwise it doesn't work. :rolleyes:

I was speaking from my experience. If yours is different, so be it. No reason to be a dick.

koolmagicguy said:
Laptops are for portability. Otherwise we'd all be using desktops. You're not the only "pro" but I'm glad you find the 17" MBP satisfactory for your needs.
Click to expand...

Don't even have a MBP. I was simply speaking from a profession that is constantly moving laptops, that even we still use a 17 inch to do our work, in addition to an external monitor. If we are constantly moving our laptops to different clients, and still opt for 17 inch screens, how many professionals who don't move their laptop as much are opting for a smaller screen? Not many I'm guessing, but if you're in the minority that is fine.
 
All I see is a significant loss in functionality with nothing gained in return.

Retina display and USB 3.0, sure, but these things can be added to the existing platform.

Hoping these rumors do not come to pass.
 
charlieegan3 said:
Although I agree with you, Ethernet is market standard not an outdated tech.

However as long as they have an adapter it's good for me.
Click to expand...

The people behind the Ethernet standard are discussing the future of the port and transfer speeds since Gigabit is no longer considered fast enough as a mainstream networking tech. Outdated? Kind of, but still better than USB 2 or wifi.
 
charlieegan3 said:
you must be joking... ha, ha (i'm not laughing)

you know that most iOS devs use MBPs to make YOUR APPS!

Now head over to the iOS forums.
Click to expand...

Yes, I was joking. Poking fun at the people that post the opposite every time there is a iOS, iPad or iPhone article...
 
akhbhaat said:
All I see is a significant loss in functionality with nothing gained in return.

Retina display and USB 3.0, sure, but these things can be added to the existing platform.

Hoping these rumors do not come to pass.
Click to expand...

What loss? Not having to buy overpriced external drives / enclosures with FW800 will be great.
 
GenesisST said:
"Pro" users are not defined by screen size, but processor usage:
- Software developer (for compiling, running VMs, simulator, several IDEs)
- Graphic designer (Photoshop and RAM)
- Audio engineer (probably similar to graphic)
- etc.

If you need eleventy Excel windows, that is not pro use, in my technology-elistist mind...
Click to expand...

First time I've heard a bean counter referring to themselves as professional computer user.
 
It's the usual thing - a majority of members complaining about the loss of features that only a minority used in the first place. So Ethernet is gone, and I had no idea that the Pro moniker rested on its shoulders...

Several weeks after these laptops have been released, we'll have members saying "Dude, you still use Ethernet? Why didn't Apple get rid of it earlier??"
 
ZballZ said:
Why on earth would Apple waste space on TWO thunderbolt ports??? Especially when there is so much hype around the daisy-chaining numerous devices!?
Click to expand...

How does one "daisy-chain" without 2 ports? Every device you have can't be at the end of the chain. Two ports will make it far more configurable.
 
USB to Ethernet? No, thanks.

Ethernet, as implemented in current MacBook Pros, has a theoretical maximum speed of 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps; 125 MBps). The current USB to Ethernet adapter is presumably only USB 2.0, which has a theoretical maximum speed of 480 Mbps (60 MBps). Currently (over 1 Gbps Ethernet and with a 7200 RPM drive), I can download files from my local server at speeds that peak over 720 Mbps (90 MBps). This speed exceeds that of USB 2.0, and would thus be bottle-necked by such an adapter.

New WiFi standards may have a theoretical maximum of over 1 Gbps, but that probably assumes new infrastructure, no interference, and numerous other laughably impossible conditions. Another thing WiFi lacks over Ethernet is signal consistency.

If a USB 3.0 to Ethernet adapter becomes available (which is likely), it won't be so bad. However, it means I have to carry yet another adapter with me. Having to carry extra stuff to shave a few ounces of aluminum does not help me. To "hook up" in a standard work place, I might need to carry a Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter, a USB to Ethernet adapter, a MagSafe adapter, and a Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter.

The "pro" market typically wants more [practical] options, not fewer.
 
charlieegan3 said:
I was never a fan of the built in SD slot, just room for dust to gather in my case.

I can see how it will be great for you photographers out there though.
Click to expand...

Why is it great for photographers since the camera has a USB cord for connection? Or you can get an external card reader for $20. It always struck me as an odd feature.
 
My, Apple sure loves to stir a hornet's nest. First it was the ODD with the MBA, then flash with ipad, now ethernet ports with their latest MBP offering?

Whatever it is, they sure have balls, I give you that. :D
 
So they managed to make it a tad slimmer, you just need to carry 40 USB to "XXX" Adaptors and an external Superdrive with you when you move around.
 
Macclone said:
Yes, I was joking. Poking fun at the people that post the opposite every time there is a iOS, iPad or iPhone article...
Click to expand...

phew, you had me in a cold sweat.:D

----------
theSeb said:
The people behind the Ethernet standard are discussing the future of the port and transfer speeds since Gigabit is no longer considered fast enough as a mainstream networking tech. Outdated? Kind of, but still better than USB 2 or wifi.
Click to expand...

But not thunderbolt?

----------
theSeb said:
The MBP's trackpad is the best I've ever used. I am not sure why anyone would want buttons. When I have to use other laptops, I use a Logitech mouse because the trackpads and buttons are horrendous.
Click to expand...

I hate the ones with a rough texture, or worse the little bobbles. ARGH!
 
call me freak, but personally i found a retina 2880x1800 (doubled resolution from 1440x900) a step back from a 1680x1050, because the actual space you have is the same as the normal 1440x900, just the fonts and GUI are rendered better, but, again, the working space is the same..
unless they come out with a resolution independent OS with 10.8..

and, 2 thunderbolt ports, what for? don't they daisy-chain each other?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back