Lust for a design change for rMBP. The design remains unchanged for almost 3 years. the current 13-inch rMBP is good, but only with incremental hardware changes internally. Even if they update the 15-inch model, it would be no big deal. I'm not saying that the design for the current rMBP is obsolete, but it's time for them to redesign and refine the rMBP. I don't want to buy the current rMBP and get in huge disappointment when the next model comes out.
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Waiting for a design change for rMBP?
- Thread starter lachero23
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I see a 14-inch MBP with Iris Pro graphics only. If they killed the Air lines 11" and 13" by joining to make a 12" then why not kill the 13" and 15" and make a 14"...
While Mac sales are doing well, there exists a ceiling to which sales can continue before it plummets. Thus, by having one line for a 14" for the "Pro's" they can save money while still providing excellent performance. Sure, not having a dGPU sucks but this is Apple. Every single time I got excited for an announcement in their Mac line they always metaphorically punch me in the guts with their choices. So this time I'm pre-punching myself and lowering my expectations.
Will I buy it? Sure.
While Mac sales are doing well, there exists a ceiling to which sales can continue before it plummets. Thus, by having one line for a 14" for the "Pro's" they can save money while still providing excellent performance. Sure, not having a dGPU sucks but this is Apple. Every single time I got excited for an announcement in their Mac line they always metaphorically punch me in the guts with their choices. So this time I'm pre-punching myself and lowering my expectations.
Will I buy it? Sure.
You mean the current model? I think the new MacBook dwarfs the other lines in terms of looks, be it pro or air. And the new MacBook has a thinner and better screen with bigger apertures for the pixels, more energy-efficient. It's got a new keyboard and a new battery, and a metal hinge.
Yeah. A 14-inch pro makes sense. The 13-inch screen is too small while the 15-inch model is too chunky. I wonder if they can fit 15-inch model in an enclosure that has similar or smaller dimensions than that of a 13-inch MacBook Air.
- It's at least theoretically possible. The Air is 15.6" diagonally, leaving 0.6" for bezels - though only 0.2" if you assume a 15.4" display, and then it starts getting really difficult.
Highly doubt it, Apple doesn't care about having many different models (look at the actual gamma of laptops). If they did care, they'd have ditched Macbook Airs instead of updating them with broadwell processors and double speed SSD's. That, plus having only a 14" model would mean only having quad-core (less margin benefits than they have now in the 13" rMBP) or going dual-core (the end of a "profesional" laptop, and no more professionals/high performance users buying it).
A 14" MBP with 15" screen (or similar), mantaining the 13" model (or going to 12" with 13" screen in future)? That's much more probable. I'd bet for that and just hope they let you choose Space gray color, I simply love it.
The non-unibody Macbook Pro had a body that had remained nearly unchanged from the Powerbook days (so about 2001 to 2008). Then came the unibody, in 2008 until 2012. The retina isn't so much a redesign as it is just an evolution, it went a bit thinner, added a few vents and that's it.
Apple doesn't change designs all that fast. I wouldn't hold my breath.
I share your desire for a design change, preferably one that shaves weight and bulk from the Macbook Pro. I bought a 15" MBP last August and the size and weight is noticeable when I move it around or take it on trips. However, given that the 13" Macbook Pro was just updated without any significant change to the form factor, it seems unlikely Apple would unveil a new body for the rest of the Macbook Pro lineup anytime soon. I think the eventual introduction of USB-C in the Macbook Pro lineup will be the game changer that will allow Apple to dramatically put the Macbook Pro on a diet. It won't be as thin or light as the Macbook if the Macbook Pro continues to use CPU/GPU that need a fan but I don't think there's any doubt Apple will use USB-C to replace the power/Displayport/Ethernet/USB-A ports on the Macbook Pro and that will allow the chassis to be slimmed down.
While it's true the form factor has remained stable for a long time, just look at what happened to the Mac Pro. The old Mac Pro case was unchanged from its introduction in 2006 till Apple turned it into a cylinder a year and a half ago. And that old Mac Pro case was basically the same as the case used in the Power Mac G5 from its 2003 introduction.
In short, I think it's inevitable the Macbook Pro will change along the lines of the Macbook but if you're waiting for that to happen, you probably will have to wait at least a year or two.
While it's true the form factor has remained stable for a long time, just look at what happened to the Mac Pro. The old Mac Pro case was unchanged from its introduction in 2006 till Apple turned it into a cylinder a year and a half ago. And that old Mac Pro case was basically the same as the case used in the Power Mac G5 from its 2003 introduction.
In short, I think it's inevitable the Macbook Pro will change along the lines of the Macbook but if you're waiting for that to happen, you probably will have to wait at least a year or two.
But I think it's possible for them to evolve the rMBP by taking the design cues from the new MacBook. A thinner, smaller and lighter design, a metal hinge, a better speaker just like the new MacBook, terraced battery, new keyboard, etc. I don't know how long it will take. And, I want the space grey colour.
And then in another 3 years, they can release a new MBP. It'll be a 13", killing the 12" MB and the 14" MBP! Thus, by having a single line of laptops period, Apple's profits will skyrocket to new extremes.
Different things for different people. 13" is really a beautiful size for me. 14" is too much and 12" is too little.
It's not doable with current technology if you want any kind of computing power. It's okay to dream, but you've got to be realistic. Heat has got to be extracted. One of the reasons the new Macbook is thinner is the lack of a cooling system. If you want your rMBP to keep being a powerful little beast, that's simply not happening any time soon.
Wow, thanks for sarcasm in your answer. You must be really original and creative.
Like it or not, it is what will happen. If not this year, then next, or the year after that. If it were up to people such as yourself our market would be stagnant and no push for creating things.
Didn't realize that creating a new screen size was a push in creating things. Sorry for not wanting a larger laptop
, but I guess consumer needs doesn't matter.Edit: Forgot to mention, despite the sarcasm I'm not wrong. You realize Apple had a 12" and 14" laptop before, right? They discontinued those, and we got a 15" and then 17". Then Apple got a 11" and a 13". Then they got rid of the 17" and brought back a 12". It's a cycle. So like it or not, Apple will likely bring back the 13" and 15" if they do what you said they will do. May be several years, but it's gonna happen.
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I can't see one...
...until Intel release canonlake in 2017, But by all means you wait...
...until Intel release canonlake in 2017, But by all means you wait...
Didn't realize that creating a new screen size was a push in creating things. Sorry for not wanting a larger laptop
Edit: Forgot to mention, despite the sarcasm I'm not wrong. You realize Apple had a 12" and 14" laptop before, right? They discontinued those, and we got a 15" and then 17". Then Apple got a 11" and a 13". Then they got rid of the 17" and brought back a 12". It's a cycle. So like it or not, Apple will likely bring back the 13" and 15" if they do what you said they will do. May be several years, but it's gonna happen.
If needs change, sure. But consider these are the guys who shrunk the Mac Pro into its current form. I don't know, your guess is as good as mine. But if they managed to stick a ~14 inch into a 13 inch body that would be great.
Apple will ultimately produce what the market wants. Whether that is one unified model line or multiple lines/screensizes depends on the market. But you can't say "if not this year, then next, or the year after that" and call that a prediction or even an informed guess. That's like me saying it's gonna rain sometime between now and 2018...
If they were going to do it, don't you think that the 13" would already have been done???
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Agreed. I will not be happy if they reduce the number of ports and will be hanging onto this rMBP until it breaks...
That would be impressive, kind of like the new Dell XPS. Actually surprised Apple didn't try to do something similiar with the 12" MacBook (13" in a 12" body).
