Which features would you like to see in the forthcoming MacBook Pro?

[Xcallibur]

Only low-end (what I would call low end anyways, i.e. not professional) screens have gone to 16:9. If apple were to go to 16:9 on the MBP they would have to essentially redesign the whole laptop around it. Otherwise just increase the bezel around top and bottom of the screen. You still see all "pro" monitors using 16:10, and still a lot of laptops other than Apple's. With the exception of 27" monitors, which I believe is really due to the cost to manufacture them since they're so few.

1680x1050 is better than 1920x1080 IMO. I think you'll notice more screen real-estate with 16:10 vs 16:9, regardless of resolution. I would anyways, but a majority of apps I use have toolbars along the horizontal part of the screen and I use split screen a lot.

For designing I love using 1680x1050 but for watching movies/videos I definitely prefer 16:9 (1920x1080); therefore having said that, I think I would prefer the new Macbook Pro's to have 16:10 screens.

 

[kockgunner]

Production cost may still be too high. A new 512 GB SSD costs US$ 600 or more. That's about one third of the price of a 15" MacBook Pro.

It would be cool if they stuffed a 256 GB SSD as base and let there be custom orders for HDDs. I think it would be huge and push the whole market forward if the world's largest tech company pushed SSD as standard.

IPS would be nice, but Apple's TN panels are very high quality as is. Of course, I don't do pro work so I wouldn't really know.

The main thing would be weight. The Air is nice, but it still feel it can't be my main machine, but a lighter pro would do the trick.

Also, a keyboard with better feedback and maybe cupped shaped would be welcome.

 

[pandamonium54]

While OSX is relatively snappy with a HDD, I think SSDs are almost a necessity to keep up with speeds/experiences in the PC world.

I'd like a retina display with discrete graphics to power it and blu-ray to watch HD content, but I think that's too much to ask for without a significant price increase.

Ivy bridge is practically a given at this point. I figured Apple would be the first manufacturer with IVB machines on the market but I guess that won't be happening this round...

 

[ATLCarGuy]

In order of importance...

I'd really like to see a 1TB HDD, with an SDD boot drive.

8GB of RAM standard would be great.

1GB dedicated GPU standard on all 15"+ models (dedicated GPU at the very least on 13".)

Longer battery life.

Retina Display.

Thinner/lighter.

More durable material.

External CD drive included in the box.

Ivy Bridge is pretty much a given at this point.

 

[skaertus]

Well, this is the outcome of the 142 votes of this poll. Here are the features listed by order of votes:

1. USB 3.0 (73.97%)
2. Ivy Bridge (76.45%)
3. Retina Display (69.01%)
4. Larger battery (64.88%)
5. 8 GB as standard (61.16%)
6. Redesign (57.02%)
7. Quad core processors on all models (52.07%)
8. Dedicated video card on all models (49.59%)
9. Thinner (49.17%)
10. Lighter (47.11%)
11. 802.11ac wireless support (43.80%)
12. IPS Screen (42.56%)
13. Replace HDD with SSD (41.32%)
14. Upgradable components (not soldered) (40.91%)
14. Cheaper (40.91%)
16. Reduced bezel (40.08%)
17. Bluetooth 4.0 (39.26%)
18. High resolution webcam (37.60%)
19. NVIDIA video cards (34.71%)
20. Better sound system (32.64%)
20. Hybrid SSD + HDD (32.64%)
22. 2 Thunderbolt ports (32.23%)
23. Keep Ethernet port (31.40%)
24. Keep SDXC card slot (28.10%)
25. Matte screen as standard (26.45%)
26. Keep FireWire (19.83%)
27. Larger resolution without being Retina (18.60%)
27. Blu-ray support (18.60%)
29. Larger trackpad (14.88%)
30. AMD video cards (13.22%)
31. Merge between MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lines (12.40%)
32. Keep optical disk drive (10.33%)

Now here's whether Apple implemented them in the retina MacBook Pro:

1. USB 3.0 (73.97%) - YES
2. Ivy Bridge (76.45%) - YES
3. Retina Display (69.01%) - YES
4. Larger battery (64.88%) - YES
5. 8 GB as standard (61.16%) - YES
6. Redesign (57.02%) - YES
7. Quad core processors on all models (52.07%) - YES
8. Dedicated video card on all models (49.59%) - YES
9. Thinner (49.17%) - YES
10. Lighter (47.11%) - YES
11. 802.11ac wireless support (43.80%) - NO
12. IPS Screen (42.56%) - YES
13. Replace HDD with SSD (41.32%) - YES
14. Upgradable components (not soldered) (40.91%) - NO
14. Cheaper (40.91%) - NO
16. Reduced bezel (40.08%) - YES
17. Bluetooth 4.0 (39.26%) - YES
18. High resolution webcam (37.60%) - NO
19. NVIDIA video cards (34.71%) - YES
20. Better sound system (32.64%) - YES
20. Hybrid SSD + HDD (32.64%) - NO
22. 2 Thunderbolt ports (32.23%) - YES
23. Keep Ethernet port (31.40%) - NO
24. Keep SDXC card slot (28.10%) - YES
25. Matte screen as standard (26.45%) - NO
26. Keep FireWire (19.83%) - NO
27. Larger resolution without being Retina (18.60%) - YES
27. Blu-ray support (18.60%) - NO
29. Larger trackpad (14.88%) - NO
30. AMD video cards (13.22%) - NO
31. Merge between MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lines (12.40%) - NO
32. Keep optical disk drive (10.33%) - NO

Apple implemented most requested features on the retina MacBook Pro. But note that only the 15-inch model has been released so far., so some things may change in the upcoming 13-inch model (such as quad-core, 8 GB as standard, and dedicated video cards). The top 10 features were all implemented in the 15-inch model, though. The battery is larger, although it does not necessarily mean that the laptop gets more battery life than the previous generation.

Apple didn't put 802.11ac wireless support (the #11 feature). And it made the laptop cost much more than the previous generation either by making it more expensive and making components non-upgradeable by users (contrary to the #14 wishes of posters).

As for the rest of the MacBook Pro line, Apple kept things as they were, but they will probably turn all to retina in the future. Still, here's how Apple managed to implement the desired features in the rest of the line:

1. USB 3.0 (73.97%) - YES
2. Ivy Bridge (76.45%) - YES
3. Retina Display (69.01%) - NO
4. Larger battery (64.88%) - NO
5. 8 GB as standard (61.16%) - NO (only on top range)
6. Redesign (57.02%) - NO
7. Quad core processors on all models (52.07%) - NO
8. Dedicated video card on all models (49.59%) - NO
9. Thinner (49.17%) - NO
10. Lighter (47.11%) - NO
11. 802.11ac wireless support (43.80%) - NO
12. IPS Screen (42.56%) - NO
13. Replace HDD with SSD (41.32%) - NO
14. Upgradable components (not soldered) (40.91%) - YES
14. Cheaper (40.91%) - NO
16. Reduced bezel (40.08%) - NO
17. Bluetooth 4.0 (39.26%) - YES
18. High resolution webcam (37.60%) - NO
19. NVIDIA video cards (34.71%) - YES
20. Better sound system (32.64%) - NO
20. Hybrid SSD + HDD (32.64%) - NO
22. 2 Thunderbolt ports (32.23%) - NO
23. Keep Ethernet port (31.40%) - YES
24. Keep SDXC card slot (28.10%) - YES
25. Matte screen as standard (26.45%) - NO
26. Keep FireWire (19.83%) - YES
27. Larger resolution without being Retina (18.60%) - NO
27. Blu-ray support (18.60%) - NO
29. Larger trackpad (14.88%) - NO
30. AMD video cards (13.22%) - NO
31. Merge between MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lines (12.40%) - NO
32. Keep optical disk drive (10.33%) - YES

Some people will probably miss the upgradeable components, the lack of FireWire and Ethernet and only a few will miss the optical disk drive... but, all in all, Apple seems to be making a positive move here, at least taking into account the votes above.

 

[jcpb]

Not enough pixie dust.