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Will the 13" MBP ever get a high res display?

T

tfm20

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 23, 2010
6
0
Hi all,

First time poster, long time lurker on the forum (since '05). Question's in the title really, will the 13" ever get the option of a high res display?

My reasons for buying the 13" are portability rather than cost. I could afford a 15", but it's too big to be slung in a bag and taken everywhere. I tend to use my current Macbook connected to a 24" display when at home, but when I'm out and about I'd really appreciate a higher screen resolution. The times when I use my machine away from my desk are often on trains and planes when I have limited space for the larger form factor, with the back of the seat in front for example often getting in the way...

So, am I wasting my time hoping for a higher res screen in the 13"?
 
The 13" is like a small taste of the 15". A sip.
Same price can get you a faster, higher res, probably lighter Viao or something. But then there's no OSX.

They'd never put in a higher res, Mac laptops have always had crap for screen res. Now that the tech is getting smaller and smaller, it is getting to the point where unless apple differentiates between it's models/price ranges, we will see 13"s 15"s and 17" that are exactly identical. What will the differences be if the Proc's and screen res are the same? A slightly faster but ultimately not-really-needed GFX card, and maby better quality speakers.

You gotta remember, Apple is one of those companies that will squeeze every penny out. Highres 13" screen will cost 10 dollars more, but that's ten whole dollars, that means that if apple sells a million 13" MBPs, then it just lost ten million dollars. (If they bumped the price to compensate it'd mess with customer perceptions) Macbooks are starting to come down in price, if the entry level machine went up it'd be a lot worse than the 15" going up in price. That is at least justified with the new GFX card and i5...
 
When the ipad evolves into the entry level portable, then the 13 inch can move up market in features... and price.
 
You wouldn't be wasting your time. It's going to happen in the next update or the one after that for sure. You have to remember that one con with being a "Mac Follower", so to speak, is that Apple no longer seem to want to be the ones to take technology forward, but follow far behind and learn from the mistakes of the ones in front to make their own version better.
 
miles01110 said:
Yes. Apparently Apple can't even be bothered to put the next generation of processors in the 13" models, much less a better display.
Click to expand...

What would be "high resolution"? Maybe 1366 X 768? (not far from that now) 1440 x 900? There are 14" with that, but a 13"?

Intels fault -- i got this from another forum, wonder how many more times I will have to copy/paste it in.

For Intel's previous mobile CPU lines, they have offered 3-4 classes of chips: standard/full voltage (~35W), medium voltage (~25W), low-voltage (~17W), and ultra-low-voltage (~10W). Clockspeeds on standard and medium voltage parts are nearly comparable, with SV parts going a step or two higher than MV and MV otherwise just being highly binned chips. Meanwhile clockspeeds quickly start scaling down for LV and ULV.

Intel is currently only offering SV and ULV Core i3/5/7 parts, which means you either put up with a 35W chip, or you get a chip that only runs at 1.06GHz. However Apple has always used MV parts in the 13" line in order to preserve battery life and to keep heat down. Without a MV i3/5/7 chip from Intel, Apple doesn't have a suitable chip to put in to the 13" MacBook. Worse, Apple needs an OpenCL-capable GPU (which Intel doesn't offer), which means there also needs to be an allowance for a discrete GPU when it comes to the i3/5/7.

If you look at the reviews for the existing i3/5/7 laptops, they're almost universally 14" or bigger. For the few smaller models they all have terrible battery life and often have awkward batteries that protrude from the laptop itself due to size.

You're not going to get a core i3/5/7 CPU into a 13.3" laptop with today's technology and meet Apple's high standards. Intel simply doesn't offer a mid-power chip suitable for such a device.
 
Badger^2 said:
You're not going to get a core i3/5/7 CPU into a 13.3" laptop with today's technology and meet Apple's high standards. Intel simply doesn't offer a mid-power chip suitable for such a device.
Click to expand...

You are not going to get a A4 processor inside an iPad that is AMAZING, oh wait you can. If you actually want something designed right then it can happen but if you say from the start let's not innovate just renovate then you will get a 13" MBP with core2due that is a killer..

Last post for me on this 13" update. Now when does the new iphone come out and will we have a mini refresh soon? The talked about 27" Cinema Display should be fun if it comes out, now with sound in the minidisplayport.
 
Badger^2 said:
What would be "high resolution"? Maybe 1366 X 768? (not far from that now) 1440 x 900? There are 14" with that, but a 13"?

Intels fault -- i got this from another forum, wonder how many more times I will have to copy/paste it in.

For Intel's previous mobile CPU lines, they have offered 3-4 classes of chips: standard/full voltage (~35W), medium voltage (~25W), low-voltage (~17W), and ultra-low-voltage (~10W). Clockspeeds on standard and medium voltage parts are nearly comparable, with SV parts going a step or two higher than MV and MV otherwise just being highly binned chips. Meanwhile clockspeeds quickly start scaling down for LV and ULV.

Intel is currently only offering SV and ULV Core i3/5/7 parts, which means you either put up with a 35W chip, or you get a chip that only runs at 1.06GHz. However Apple has always used MV parts in the 13" line in order to preserve battery life and to keep heat down. Without a MV i3/5/7 chip from Intel, Apple doesn't have a suitable chip to put in to the 13" MacBook. Worse, Apple needs an OpenCL-capable GPU (which Intel doesn't offer), which means there also needs to be an allowance for a discrete GPU when it comes to the i3/5/7.

If you look at the reviews for the existing i3/5/7 laptops, they're almost universally 14" or bigger. For the few smaller models they all have terrible battery life and often have awkward batteries that protrude from the laptop itself due to size.

You're not going to get a core i3/5/7 CPU into a 13.3" laptop with today's technology and meet Apple's high standards. Intel simply doesn't offer a mid-power chip suitable for such a device.
Click to expand...

I completely agree with this. I just did the research myself with various laptop sellers and have seen few 13 inch laptops with iX processors.
 
tfm20 said:
Hi all,

First time poster, long time lurker on the forum (since '05). Question's in the title really, will the 13" ever get the option of a high res display?

My reasons for buying the 13" are portability rather than cost. I could afford a 15", but it's too big to be slung in a bag and taken everywhere.

So, am I wasting my time hoping for a higher res screen in the 13"?
Click to expand...

Wasting your time on waiting? Probably.

Your statement that says that the 15" can't be slung in a bag and taken everywhere I think isn't very true as I, having owned both a 13" and 15", have no problem with the extra 2" and 1 pound. Just make sure that you get an ergonomic bag to carry the laptop and it makes almost no difference. Sure the 13" is nicer to carry, but the 15" is anything but unwildy.
 
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