I wouldn't mind a 15" Pro with only the Intel HD 4000 graphics. I don't do any games or 3D programming, I'll take the extended battery life, less heat, and cheaper cost.
I think a lot of people feel the way you do, hence the potential 15" MacBook Air. That said, I don't think you are at all in any kind of majority as to necessitate something like this replacing the calibur of 15" MacBook Pro that we're all used to.
If this update is true, think they will update the Mac Mini as well at the same time? Typically they have similar specs as the base MacBook Pros.
The Mac mini is typically updated after the MacBook Pros, despite them more or less keeping in line with the specs of the 13" MacBook Pro. Similarly, if the non-Server Mac minis are to continue to use dual-core CPUs, that might be more of a reason to see a delay in release.
Blast! Looks like another generation of 13" MBPs without dedicated graphics!
Maybe I'll target a 15" instead...
The 13" MacBook Pros never have dedicated graphics and can't due to how small the main logic board is. If you ever get a chance to see a 13" MacBook Pro logic board side-by-side with a 15" MacBook Pro logic board, you'll see that there is a ton of extra room on the latter board. And before you or anyone else gets any wild "if they removed the optical drive ideas" it should be known that the removal of the optical drive won't offset the additional fan requirements to the machine, which would still not grant the room needed for the dedicated graphics and would make for a much louder and much hotter running 13" MacBook Pro. No thanks.
That said, I firmly believe that the 15" MacBook Pro is the way to go. If you work in such a style that you have a desktop fulfilling all of the roles that you'd ever need a discrete GPU-equipped Mac to fulfill and are fine with your laptop not having that for mobility's sake, then (and in my opinion, only then) does a 13" MacBook Pro make sense. Unless you just don't do much with your computer.
I still think the current coexisting MBA/MBP 13" situation will not survive the redesign. I also hope I'm wrong, (esp if the MBP gets dedicated graphics!).
The 13" MBP most likely won't ever get dedicated graphics. They don't have much room for it, if any. Given that, I'd say you're probably right about the 13" Air full on supplanting it. Though I'm not pleased. I've never thought that the Air was good as a primary machine.
Ok, this is blonde haired thinking.. but from a very superficial POV I'd say the MBP range hasn't been fully refreshed since the unibody design was introduced way back when.
am i the only dumb blonde thinking this? :/
That is pretty silly thinking given that the February 2011 refresh was the most significant MBP refresh since they first switched to it from the PowerBook G4, despite the lack of a cosmetic refresh (mind you, the last design lasted 6 years, and we're barely half-way through year 4).
When are we looking at seeing a generation of chips with ZERO chance of integrated graphics?
Given that Integrated graphics for Intel is now a standard feature to include on the CPU (and mind you, as far as integrated graphics are concerned, this is a good thing), probably never. But it's not like it is always in use, even when you are using a discrete GPU instead.
Once upon a time the smaller Pro laptops did have dedicated GPUs in them (such as this 12" PowerBook G4 that I'm ready to replace now).
If they lose the optical drive then I see no reason why they can't throw a low- to mid-range discrete graphics card in the 13" MBP. I would buy one in a heartbeat if they went this route.
The 12" PowerBook G4 was substantially thicker than the 13" MacBook Pro. People are already pushing for it to be even thinner, so while thinness is the primary objective, don't expect a 13" MBP with discrete graphics anytime soon. And no, removing the optical drive wouldn't be enough. Sorry.
The 13" MacBooks have always had integrated graphic solutions. The new MacBook Pro 13" uses an APU, and the intel HD 3000 is pretty damn good by Intels standards anyway.
Sadly, saying that it's pretty damn good by Intel's Standards doesn't say much.
There will be no discrete graphics in 13-ichers because HD4000 is (will be) as powerful as low-mid range discrete graphics nowadays.
That's the reason why Apple won't invest in it, but that's not the technological reason. The technological reason is that the machine is too thin and the logic board is too small for it. The machine would need to be thicker than it currently is. And again, no, removing the optical drive bay would still not produce enough space for it.
Get a PC.
You'll never get anything more than mediocre performance on a laptop, and it costs way more. Well, some manufacturers cram desktop components into laptops, but Apple won't.
You can buy a MacBook Air or Macbook Pro (whatever fits your needs), and splash out $1000 on a game PC that will probably beat a MacPro (due to more choice of cards, and better 3D drivers).
Or you can buy a top-end Mac which does everything badly.
Apple doesn't make a cheap desktop, which is the best form factor for gaming.
I'll agree that Apple's desktop line leaves much to be desired in terms of performance and what can typically be done to a desktop PC to make it that much more powerful. I'll also agree that a PC tower trumps any other kind of Mac or PC in terms of gaming. However, I won't agree with the notion that the 15" and 17" MacBook Pros won't perform well at all. For things like Diablo III, they'll be more than enough for higher settings and if you mainly play Blizzard, and Valve titles and don't mind the remaining in-betweeners coming to the Mac App Store months later, then a 15"/17" MacBook Pro is more than enough. Best? No, but for a laptop, it's pretty damn good. Though I have a philosophy of "if you build a PC tower, and if you buy a 15" MacBook Pro" you have the best of both worlds (both PC and Mac, and laptop and desktop).
These new 15" Pros with integrated graphics - does this mean theyre going to be replaced with a 15" Air like design. Then if you want discrete graphics you get the traditional design + optical drive option?
Who said anything about a 15" MacBook Pro with ONLY integrated graphics?
This will just be another boring update from apple on a notebook that hasn't changed for about 5 years.
Quad core on a notebook... Great more heat and less battery.. who has 8 threaded apps and not a few minutes to spare. - Pointless
i wish they had stuck with the dual core chips as they were less hot and battery lasted longer.
Will also be bundled with some crap GPU that will have some moniker like GT (which makes it sound fast) or something but will find it hard to run any native resolution game on high detail.
Probably have a 10% price increase also just to rape us a bit more.
Uh...it was changed drastically last year, and then drastically three years prior. And honestly, this refresh is only supposed to be a modest speed boost, nothing to write home about unless you haven't upgraded your Mac in years or are cross-grading from something like a Mac mini.
These MacBook Pros are sounding good, but with Mountain Likn comi g later this year, would it be better to ge a wa machine with the new OS preinstalled, or to upgrade on its arrival? Although any new models would be more than capable of handling the new OS, it would be cleaner to wait it out? What are general thoughts on when releases of hardware and software shave happened in the past, is it worth waiting until not are updated? Thanks
Personally, I like the idea of not having to perform an OS upgrade so soon on my Mac. But others like the option of picking when they move to the new OS and with it, the ability to skip the 10.x.0 release.
