What Are You Expecting for the MacBook Pros Late 2011/Early 2012?

[hcho3]

13 inch needs to get 1440X900 resolution Standard
15 inch needs to get higher resolution standard

Faster CPU and Better GPU is always expected on Refresh.

Also, I am hoping for redesign. Apple redesigns their laptops every 3 years. Last one was done in October 2008. We have 3 months before the October. HMMMM.

 

[Roman2K~]

Also, I am hoping for redesign. Apple redesigns their laptops every 3 years. Last one was done in October 2008. We have 3 months before the October. HMMMM.

Their current designs (MBA, MBP and even the MB) are so good (always in awe whenever I watch my MBA or my sister's MBP), I tend to forget they can improve it. There is room for improvement on the thermal design front, but the exterior is perfect as it is. And it takes a lot for me to find something perfect . I'm eager to see what they will come up with.

 

[daneoni]

For the 13"

ODD out, 2.5" HD out

blade SSD in, discrete gpu in, IPS screen with MBA res

They already have that product, it's called the MBA

Discrete GPU will never make it into the ultraportables and IPS i doubt will ever make it to anything outside of the iPhone/iPad/Desktop screens.

 

[mark28]

What is definitely coming for the 2012 MBP:

1. 28nm ATI GPU's ( expect a big jump in GPU performance and heat management from this die shrink )
2. 22nm Ivy Bridge ( 20-30% faster than Sandy Bridge while being more cool and less power hungry )
3. USB 3.0 ( yes, USB 3.0 is on the chipset of Ivy Bridge. So USB3.0 will replace USB 2.0 since USB 3.0 is backward compatible )

 

[Roman2K~]

1. 28nm ATI GPU's ( expect a big jump in GPU performance and heat management from this die shrink )

The current AMD Radeon HD 6750M (40 nm), as found in the better of the 2011 15" MBPs:
- is extremely power hungry: battery life basically halved when active
- runs super hot: raises to 60-80°C just by plugging in an external display with no 3D or H.264 decoding, plain desktop. That wouldn't be a problem in itself if not for the fact that its heatsink is connected to the same heatpipe as the CPU's, so a raise in temperature in either, raises that of both. As a result, the CPU runs hotter when the 6750M is active.

So, hopefully they won't be greedy on performance with the new 28 nm and keep similar performance levels as current mobile GPUs, but at (way) better temperatures and power requirements.

 

[rekhyt]

The current AMD Radeon HD 6750M (40 nm), as found in the better of the 2011 15" MBPs:
- is extremely power hungry: battery life basically halved when active
- runs super hot: raises to 60-80°C just by plugging in an external display with no 3D or H.264 decoding, plain desktop. That wouldn't be a problem in itself if not for the fact that its heatsink is connected to the same heatpipe as the CPU's, so a raise in temperature in either, raises that of both. As a result, the CPU runs hotter when the 6750M is active.

So, hopefully they won't be greedy on performance with the new 22 nm and keep similar performance levels as current mobile GPUs, but at (way) better temperatures and power requirements.

Do you think they'll switch back to nVidia GPUs then?

 

[Hellhammer]

Do you think they'll switch back to nVidia GPUs then?

Of course.

Okay okay, I'll stop. These Fermi jokes just never get old

Anyway, NVIDIA wouldn't provide cooler GPUs. In fact, I would say their GPUs are hotter than AMD's. We should see a nice reduction in heat with 28nm process though.

 

[BluAffiliate]

New case ffs!

 

[Roman2K~]

Do you think they'll switch back to nVidia GPUs then?

One can only hope (for Linux driver quality at least), but I don't see that happening any time soon with their chipset-related license disputes with Intel.

Like Hellhammer said, nVidia GPUs don't run any cooler, it's just that I would rather have a single GPU, whether AMD or nVidia, even if it's less powerful than a 6750M, than have a cool one (HD 3000) backed by a hot and hungry beast (6750M) that wakes up too often.

 

[Killery96]

I dunno, I sure hope for a GPU update, but Apple always makes sure to update so they can say at least "1.5x" as fast. So therefore, if they're keeping with AMD, they'll probably go into the late 6xxx series, like maybe what's in the present Imacs, or perhaps a 7xxx series. Who knows.

 

[NiCk-]

I think that Apple will remove the optical drive from the MBPs in the next update ( whenever that happens ) .. They seem to be moving towards the Cloud direction ..

Mac mini is designed without an optical disc drive. Because these days, you don’t need one. It’s easier than ever to download music and movies from the iTunes Store. And you can download apps from the Mac App Store with a click.

If Apple believes that the Mac Mini doesn't need it, there is nothing keeping them from removing it from the MBPs .. With Macbook Air replacing the standard Macbook as the lower entry point laptop, I would say that come 2012, Apple's laptops will be optical drive free

 

[jlc1978]

I think that Apple will remove the optical drive from the MBPs in the next update ( whenever that happens ) .. They seem to be moving towards the Cloud direction ..
If Apple believes that the Mac Mini doesn't need it, there is nothing keeping them from removing it from the MBPs .. With Macbook Air replacing the standard Macbook as the lower entry point laptop, I would say that come 2012, Apple's laptops will be optical drive free

While I agree the optical drive, at lest as we know it today, will eventually disappear, I think it will be later rather than sooner. Each generation of media has been replaced when something with lower costs and higher storage capacity came into broad acceptance. We aren't there yet with optical media, the cloud not withstanding. Bandwidth caps, slow connections, and the availability of a variety of material on DVD mitigate against its demise.

Of course - you can always use an external drive - true - but that adds cost and the hassle of traveling with it. Companies have tried and failed to gain acceptance for that model - showing how hard it is to get people to change. Right now, it's not about the technology it's about psychology.

Apple could reduce the price of the mini by leaving out an ODD - and adding one to a device that is not portable is pretty straight forward and a once and done.

I could see Apple developing a hybrid approach - SSd / HDD / ODD - using the SSD for performance gains while keeping the storage space and flexibility of an HDD / ODD - all at a decent price point.

 

[Driver8]

I think apple is going to kill the 13 MBP (because now the 13 MBA is comparable in speed) and upgrade only the 15 and 17 MBP. It will be like when they when from powerpc to intel and killed the 12 powerbook and came out with the new 15 and 17 macbook pros.

 

[yly3]

I honestly hope (and doubt) that the 13 will be killed, especially when the MacBook is already dead for average users..

Should I expect a better GPU (the same or slightly better to 2010's Pro) and 1440x900 for the 13" ? Because to be honest that's the only thing which keeps me away from buying the current model..and the thermal issues of course. I think I can wait another 3 months, I will be busy with studying anyway.

 

[silent11]

hopefully an anti-glare display for the 13 inch!

 

[Philflow]

Late 2011 is only a spec bump.

2012 is redesign.

That's what my glass ball says anyway.

 

[2hvy4grvty]

The current AMD Radeon HD 6750M (40 nm), as found in the better of the 2011 15" MBPs:
- is extremely power hungry: battery life basically halved when active
- runs super hot: raises to 60-80°C just by plugging in an external display with no 3D or H.264 decoding, plain desktop. That wouldn't be a problem in itself if not for the fact that its heatsink is connected to the same heatpipe as the CPU's, so a raise in temperature in either, raises that of both. As a result, the CPU runs hotter when the 6750M is active.

So, hopefully they won't be greedy on performance with the new 28 nm and keep similar performance levels as current mobile GPUs, but at (way) better temperatures and power requirements.

6750m "sips" 30-35 watts at peak performance. This has been the standard for over 4 years now. A step down to the 540m, you get the same 30w usage. You'd have to go all the way down to IGP levels of performance to see a dramatic drop, to about ~20w for the 520m. However, the next step up, the 560m is rated at 75w, and the king of the hill 580m uses 100w.

The reason why this is so is because the ATI/Nvidia feel like they can satisfy the "battery/eco" side of the consumers with their graphics switching capability, and just pump out more power for the other users. Makes sense. I wouldn't expect TDP to drop at all.

Still doubting 2011 update. Macs just aren't the priority they use to be, at ~20% of Apple's revenue.

I do dearly hope they keep on producing 16:10 laptops, and not conforming to the idiotic 16:9 resolutions that all PCs have adapted.

One wish that I doubt will be implemented is to remove the optical drive for a better cooling solution, as LG have done with their P3xx line. They're equally/even more thin than MBPs, the same performance, yet offer much better heat management because of this decision.

 

[1move]

I wish they put the scratch resistant glass like in the new Iphone, and a better selcetion of SSD

 

[macsit]

The idea of a late 2011 redesign is growing on me...
I don't know if Apple want to combine new architecture and redesign on the same refresh (probably Spring 2012 based on latest news on Ivy Bridge).

When is the last time Apple introduced a new architecture and a redesign on the same model?

A redesign and a speed bump this fall/winter and Ivy Bridge next spring (maybe at WDDC in early june) seems logical to me...

Your thoughts?

 

[Mac-key]

The idea of a late 2011 redesign is growing on me...
I don't know if Apple want to combine new architecture and redesign on the same refresh (probably Spring 2012 based on latest news on Ivy Bridge).

When is the last time Apple introduced a new architecture and a redesign on the same model?

A redesign and a speed bump this fall/winter and Ivy Bridge next spring (maybe at WDDC in early june) seems logical to me...

Your thoughts?

^^^ This makes sense to me, doesn't mean that it'll happen, but it seems logical.

Here's the deal, if Apple waits until IB, then that would mean the MBP would go like 13/14 months between any REAL updates. I definitely don't see that happening - as it's never happened before according to the buyer's guide here on MR.

just my thoughts

 

[jbg232]

The idea of a late 2011 redesign is growing on me...
I don't know if Apple want to combine new architecture and redesign on the same refresh (probably Spring 2012 based on latest news on Ivy Bridge).

When is the last time Apple introduced a new architecture and a redesign on the same model?

A redesign and a speed bump this fall/winter and Ivy Bridge next spring (maybe at WDDC in early june) seems logical to me...

Your thoughts?

They have only updated the macbook pro line once with a case redesign and it wasn't a huge processor upgrade so they could very conceivably only upgrade the externals and not do that much with the internals and people will still buy it happily.

^^^ This makes sense to me, doesn't mean that it'll happen, but it seems logical.

Here's the deal, if Apple waits until IB, then that would mean the MBP would go like 13/14 months between any REAL updates. I definitely don't see that happening - as it's never happened before according to the buyer's guide here on MR.

just my thoughts

They could do a spec bump to hold the model over to the next upgrade. Those upgrades are very common for apple.

 

[Nostromo]

They have only updated the macbook pro line once with a case redesign and it wasn't a huge processor upgrade so they could very conceivably only upgrade the externals and not do that much with the internals and people will still buy it happily.



They could do a spec bump to hold the model over to the next upgrade. Those upgrades are very common for apple.

The 2011 upgrade will be minor processor update, and I don't expect a GPU update. Why should this happen? The current GPUS were updated in February and are excellent.

Makes sense, except if the case update happens because there the MBP will be SSD only.

But I don't see this happen in 2012. SSDs are still too expensive to provide 500 Gb of storage.

Sure Apple could drop the optical drive and put in two 250 Gb SSDs. But this is still too expensive.

How about a new line of MacBook Air Pro that will slowly take over from the MacBook Pro? We could see a first model of this in 2012, but, like the MBA, with less storage space.

 

[paolo-]

I'm expecting the superdrive to be gone. Perfect timing, the MBP design is at the end of it's cycle, MBA and the Mini are serious performer without their dvd drive. I hope they don't go the MBA route and make it thinner while sacrificing performance or user serviceability, it's a pro computer after all. I think there are two main possibilities (mainly thinking of the 15" here) :

1- Single storage (probably a user replaceable SSD), wedge design, a bit more space for battery/heat dissipation.

2- Dual drives, probably a soldered SSD drive with a user replaceable storage HDD. There would be a marginal space gain so probably a similar design as what we have right now.

They basically have no choice but to go SSD as the HDD are becoming an ever bigger bottleneck. But they can't keep a reasonable amount of storage and keep the price down. I would like to see a single SSD and use the rest of the space to put in even faster CPU/GPU, a bit bigger battery to deal with the higher power consumption of those which might leave enough space to put a bit of the wedge design in. But that's just me.

 

[bencnorden]

I think Apple will always keep the "pro" sign on them. I imagine though they will bring out a line which is much more air looking much thinner with stripped down port perhaps. Almost certainly we will see the end of the optical drive, the lack of disk drive on the latest mac mini is proof of this I think. An SSD as standard would also be nice.

 

[Nostromo]

For 2012:

No more Superdrive, but a start-up SSD (you choose how big) and a second hard drive (spinning) where there used to be the Superdrive.

Practically Apple adopting the optibay solution.


I also expect processors and GPU not much faster (the juice is already very good), but cooler running.

Connectors: Maybe USB 3.0 (get rid of this pathetic USB 2.0 speed).