Thinner MacBook Pro Models in 13-Inch and 15-Inch Sizes Coming in April?

[thekev]

When did I make such a comment ? You're confusing me with someone else.

Again, I'm only taking exception to people who say the "Air" is not a "Pro machine" because "Pros needs optical drives or a dedicated GPU or a platter based spinning hard drive or insert your favorite feature here". I'm a professional, I use my MBA to work, and I have no need for that stuff.

It's the grand sweeping generalization and pigeon holing I'm talking about.

I'll reread that part of the thread later. Sorry if I made a mistake. I kind of hate the attachment to the naming convention of computers myself. With platter drives, the issue seems to be one of having as much storage as possible. Sometimes an external drive is necessary, but it's just how much you can get before you must grab another item (which is annoying for a mobile computer). I think they'd burn more people with lack of a dedicated gpu. Intel graphics have such a stigma, and many opengl intensive applications and games don't really optimize toward those models. Up to this point OpenCL hasn't even been a feature of the integrated gpus (supposed to change next generation). I think that one might be more of a sticky point because it affects a number of overlapping groups, and then there are even more people who believe they're affected by the change even if they're not(as in many people overstate the role of the gpu in certain things).

 

[Murgatroyd314]

What's so bad about a thinner MBP? Why would you not want a portable computer to be more compact, lighter and more portable?

Only if it doesn't come at the expense of capability.

 

[Liquinn]

Should I just buy a 17" MBP now? As it seems there's no rumors about the 17 :/

 

[Pukey]

If you want a paper thin model get the air, A pro machine should not be undercut by features just to make it thin. Apple needs to keep their models separate, why bother at all making a pro line if it will be identical to the air. Pro's don't want light weight and thinner. I don't undertand Apple's fixation on making everything look the same.

Here here! I heartily concur! Many pros need a portable machine with processing power! Not to mention good battery life, plenty of ports, an optical drive (very useful for making copies of music, demo reels, etc. that art and media studios (at least) still expect from potential talent). I can only assume these rumors about a MacBook Air-style MacBook Pros are just that...rumors. I hope that's all they'll be. Judging from this thread's main article, they're just talking about thinner MacBook Pros and not necessarily "Air-thin". Though I have a 2008 MBP, it seems plenty thin if you ask me, still thinner than a lot of other laptops I see out there!

For those who want a thinner machine, just get the Air!

 

[bn-7bc]

"I'm a super-pro, been in the business for 500 years, and I edit 50,000x50,000 megapixel photos with my first generation Macbook Air all the time. Hasn't even hitched once yet. I don't know why anyone thinks they need more. It just works. I should know. I'm a super-pro". But the really truly honestly serious ones are fairly rare. Usually only posting on the days when the asylum lets them have access to the internet or something.

<knitpick>Hmm 2.5 Gigapixels what kind of camera does these people use??
Eh did you really mean 50,000x50,000 megapixel (as in 50,000 megapixels in each direction) not that I have any basis for my assumption but i guess you meant 50,000 Megapixels total or 50,000 pixels in each direction
</knitpick>

 

[.mac.]

Here here! I heartily concur! Many pros need a portable machine with processing power! Not to mention good battery life, plenty of ports, an optical drive (very useful for making copies of music, demo reels, etc. that art and media studios (at least) still expect from potential talent). I can only assume these rumors about a MacBook Air-style MacBook Pros are just that...rumors. I hope that's all they'll be. Judging from this thread's main article, they're just talking about thinner MacBook Pros and not necessarily "Air-thin". Though I have a 2008 MBP, it seems plenty thin if you ask me, still thinner than a lot of other laptops I see out there!

For those who want a thinner machine, just get the Air!

I still don't understand this argument with the optical drive. The drive makes the CPU work harder, utilizes more RAM when in use and restricts the size of the entire unit. You can purchase the external drive for $79 and either load programs, copy cd/dvds at home or bring the drive with you. If this is purely a personal preference, then buy the external.

 

[twoodcc]

april will be here before you know it. i just hope they have high resolution screens

 

[darthraige]

God I hope they come out in April. I want a 13" MacBook Pro, now. Can't wait.

 

[tymberwolf]

As someone else said, physical media is still around and probably will be for quite some time. But needing an optical drive to occasionally install software doesn't necessitate having the optical drive be a part of your computer. It makes more sense to have an external drive for something like that. Why include something that most people only use a couple times a year? That's what externals are for.

Spot on! This is what I've been saying for years. It makes sense to have an external ODD. I mean, it's not like people drag their toasters with them everywhere just because they like toasted bread every now and then.

 

[Pukey]

I still don't understand this argument with the optical drive. The drive makes the CPU work harder, utilizes more RAM when in use and restricts the size of the entire unit. You can purchase the external drive for $79 and either load programs, copy cd/dvds at home or bring the drive with you. If this is purely a personal preference, then buy the external.

Hey there ".mac.", with all do respect, I believe you overlooked the very last line of my comment. I would refer you to that point.

 

[Boo The Hamster]

I'm torn. I want to replace my Macbook with a 15" MBP, but I use the DVD drive every day as a DVD player at work. I don't want to have to sit there and rip stuff to the HDD ahead of time, I just want to be able to put a disc in and watch it.
And by the same token, I still buy CD's and rip them to iTunes. The whole point of a laptop is that it's portable, and if you have to lug round an external drive, then it kind of defeats the object.

Popped into the Covent Garden Apple Store at lunch and made enquiries about the possibility of the new versions losing the optical drive, but the guy, as I expected, said 'We'll know as soon as you do.'

No idea whether to go ahead and order one, or wait, see what any forthcoming announcement says, and hope that if they do lose the drive, I'll still be able to order an old-spec model before they shut down production.

 

[BobCollins]

Keep the hard disk!

I'm more concerned about possible loss of the HDD than I am about the optical drive. Most people don't use their optical drive on a regular basis anymore, so it makes sense to get rid of it and expect that they'll use an external drive when needed. If the MBPs move to all SSD, however, that will be a huge issue for a lot of people. Many (myself included) can't make due with 128GB or 256GB as our main storage, and expecting people to carry around an external HDD at this point isn't practical. Until the price of SSDs comes down enough to allow more capacity, there still needs to be an HDD.

I wish I could up-vote this many more times!
I can certainly live with an external CD/DVD drive for the few times I need it, but I do need more internal "hard drive" storage capacity than is currently economic for SSD.

 

[fleawannabe]

God I hope they come out in April. I want a 13" MacBook Pro, now. Can't wait.

Im with you, im about to sell my late 2007 imac so I can buy a MBP 13, with my needs the dual core is fine but I would hate to buy a dual 13 and have a quad 13 come out with in a month or two. I would like to see the 13 get a quad core and a dedicated GPU. As for taking away with the ODD im fine with that as long as I can have a a SSD and a HDD. I would like to keep the Ethernet but if they dont I would still buy as long as it has either the ODD or enough room for both a SSD and a HDD, but if they make it just a more powerful MBA ill get a late 2011 MBP. Hope it is here buy April 8th

 

[mrobit]

I'm torn between a 27" iMac and the new 15" to be released on xx date. My mid-2008 15" MBP is still holding on, and to be honest, it still runs decently well for what it has gone through. (Had the ol' nvidia gpu failure, so I got a new logic board from that for free )

BUT, the battery life at this point is pretty terrible, and while most of the time I keep my laptop plugged in, I would love the ability to have my laptop unplugged for longer amounts of times than 1.5 hours (and that's with LIGHT usage, currently).

I'm all for dropping the ODD. However, what they replace it with is tough. Assuming the space is used for more battery storage, the best step for Apple to take right now to appease damn near everybody (in terms of storage) is to just offer either SSD or HDD as a choice for one drive. However that leaves Apple the ability to drive the SSD prices through the roof. Wee.

Overall, I'm just waiting for a spec bump. I'd like to see a redesign in the case, but I really like the current gen's case as it is

 

[mganai]

I wish I could up-vote this many more times!
I can certainly live with an external CD/DVD drive for the few times I need it, but I do need more internal "hard drive" storage capacity than is currently economic for SSD.

They should offer a combo, if possible. SSDs are just faster and non-volatile. They're practically the reason the Air can keep up with the Pro as well as it does.

 

[MarkBubba]

why would apple release new macbook pro's when they are releasing the new OS in the summer...theyre not going to make everyone upgrade even if it is for free.

YES they will, they did it last year with Snow Leopard to Lion free upgrades.

 

[Fandongo]

Not sure if they would put USB 3 on Macs, just like how they never supported eSATA and BluRay. Isn't TB twice as fast as USB3?

I sure hope they include native usb3 support. As does everyone requiring mass storage.

TB really is the port to end all ports... But only when the TB desktop adapters are readily available, and not $180. twice the cost of the drive itself.

Plus the cost of the cable.

Ideal situation is 2x 1 Terabyte ssds raid 0 17" retina MBP.
Every external for additional media storage/backup.

Also, it needs to keep the 3/4 expressed plz. Don't want the $150 TB adapter when it can be internal... The perfect all-in-one audio/FCP/photoshop computer.

 

[mscice]

If they really do come out in april, i doubt they will have the updated broadcom AC wifi chip.. Ill wait till the new wifi standard is in the MBP.. defeats the purpose upgrading when AC wifi is the future..

New MacBooks will have indeed new samsung sad drives... so that's a good thing.

 

[eric44]

Has anyone seen what John Lewis are doing in the UK?
Firstly they have little stock of imacs, macpros, macbook airs and macbook pros.
In addition they are are offering all models with a three year guarantee for free.
This offer ends on 16.4.2012!
This looks to me like stock clearance ahead of an April refresh...

 

[Newyorkjsw]

Matt screen is needed on 13"

Not having a macbook pro able to play a BD (bluray) is still the achilles heal of all apple macbook pros. I know the history of why then have not included it but it is never the less a major mistake. totally wrong!

I am waiting for a 13" macbook pro with the Matt high res screen, that I have on my girlfriends 15" unit that I bought her. The difference from having no glass or glass is a HUGE one when it comes to true beauty & visuals.

OLED or Retina display with matt on a 13" and u got a sale!

 

[mattkilla420]

Should I just buy a 17" MBP now? As it seems there's no rumors about the 17 :/

i would wait until they release the new macbook pro, they will probably upgrade the 17 with better cpu, hopefully better gpu and maybe more ram. they have in the past not updated the 17" model until a later refresh but usually they do it at the same time.

 

[jCurve]

Whatever goes down with this release, as long as it's an upgrade on my current 17 inch i'll be happy. Bigger HDD, Faster Processor, Better Bus Speeds, Better Resolutions, not to flimsy, at least 3 USB ports, Thunderbolt, FW 800, Ethernet, enough grunt to handle serious Video Editing and VFX work as well as Dual displays. Not so fussed about the ODD even though I use mine heaps. Anything less and I'll be going a different direction and it won't be MAC. because it has to be portable.

Here's Hoping