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New MacBook Pro adds power, graphics might


Almost eight years ago, Apple introduced the Titanium PowerBook, and with it the company ushered in a wave of industrial laptop design that in many ways, is still unmatched. Although the 2003 and 2006 refreshes to the lineup changed the material (from titanium to aluminum) and processor (from PowerPC to Intel), the basic design has remained essentially the same.

It's time for a change. Last night we got a tip showing off the new design (a design that closely mirrors the leaked Deutsche Telekom images from last month), now we finally have the hardware details. Apple did mention that the rumored "Brick" manufacturing process is, in fact, what they are using for the new notebooks.

15" MacBook Pro

Price: $1999

Specs:

  • 15.4" LED-backlit display
  • 2.4 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo (with 3MBs of L2 cache)
  • 2GBs of DDR3 RAM
  • NVIDIA GeForce 9400M + 9600M GT with 256MB
  • 250 GB hard drive
  • Slot-loading Super Drive

15" MacBook Pro

Price: $2400

Specs:

  • 15.4" LED-backlit display
  • 2.53 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo (with 6MBs of L2 cache)
  • 4GBs of DDR3 RAM
  • NVIDIA GeForce 9400M + 9600M GT with 512MB
  • 320 GB hard drive
  • Slot-loading Super Drive




Almost eight years ago, Apple introduced the Titanium PowerBook, and with it the company ushered in a wave of industrial laptop design...
 

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zack

lame.. still can't get more than 1400 x 900 resolution... lame.

October 15 2008 at 12:29 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Doyle Clark

These macbook pro's are absolute powerhouses. Apple should do a hard rock commercial with these things in them. Couldn't be happier that they have the express card slot as well.

doyleclark.com

October 14 2008 at 10:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Matt Kern

This is how I feel about this release...

Pros-
- GPU
- SSD
- New case strength (supposedly)
- More environmentally friendly (supposedly)
- Brighter Display
- The weight is only slightly better, but it's better.

Cons-
- No option for matte display
- New Design
- No BluRay (not even the option, without using FastMac drives)
- No more RAM
- Only 1 FW800 port
- No FW400 (WTF, are you kidding me, how do you connect any tape
deck?! Don't get me wrong, I love FW800, but some products don't
support it, so there's an adapter you have to carry around with you.)
- MiniDVI means one extra adapter you have to carry around with you.

Basically, Apple has compromised again. Apple has disappointing me
with it's product intros for the past three years... and I'm a loyal
customer. The only major revision that the MBP has gotten in since
switch to intel was the intro of core duo, and the addition of one
extra Gig in the RAM department. I am definitely not impressed with
this introduction. How can Apple be a BluRay supporter with no
products that support BluRay?

October 14 2008 at 7:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Marc Jones

Hmm.

Was looking to replace my G5 MacPro PowerPC with the 'new' 17". Guess I'll wait and see what they do. At the moment the 17" on offer is a dud.

I need that screen real estate (InDesign mainly) - and whilst I could mirror/dual in the home studio visiting clients with work was a bonus the 15" doesn't offer. Will go look at the 15" in store and ponder my next move. Oh, and glossy only sucks big time. Horrid for colours in pre-press.

October 14 2008 at 6:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Sir. Poopy Pants

It feels like the MBP is now useless. $700 more dollars for what? 2 more inches on the display, a 9600M GT (not much better than the 8600M) and a firewire port? It's a joke.

The $1299 Macbook looks very, very attractive now.

October 14 2008 at 5:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Sir. Poopy Pants's comment
chris

Well... the biggest difference is no firewire on the MacBook. I'm not going to get stuck with USB 2.0. Plus you get the additional 9600 NVidia chip along with the integrated 9400 chip. That should be a considerable speed boost vs. the MacBook. Those two things and the slightly larger size is worth the $700.

October 14 2008 at 5:16 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rob

This is not true. The WHITE Macbook still has a Firewire 400 Port! Check the specs on the Apple site!!

October 14 2008 at 8:33 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jon

I do like the design and that now you can change the HDD easier, but no matte option, and you have to pay $100 to use a 30" display?
You pay over $2000 for a laptop that is able to drive a 30" display, and have to pay extra for the cable?
That is unacceptable, they should at least include these cables on the Macbook PRO.
I just hope that my 2 year old Macbook Pro will last a couple more years of punishment until Intel releases the Haswell Architecture which uses less power than Nehalem and Sandy Bridge.

AND they removed Firewire from the Macbooks, now we won't have Target Disk Mode on the Macbook, and if you don't have a video camera that uses USB you're sol (On the "non Pro" Macbook)

October 14 2008 at 4:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
chris

Does anyone know if the Intel chip is the newest ones available from them? I think it's the Centrino 2? From what I read in the tech specs, it appears to be.

October 14 2008 at 4:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
paul

I'm excited about the graphics cards, ease of access for hard drive, and the cosmetic upgrades. I'm disappointed by the glossy screen, display port that seems to be a ploy to get us to buy an Apple display, and lack of Firewire 400. I'm also disappointed they still haven't upgraded the speed much. For $2,000, a 3.0 Ghz laptop isn't too much to ask.

I'm interested in finding out how easy it is to switch from one graphics card to the other. Is it in the system preferences? Is a restart required? I'd assume so.

October 14 2008 at 3:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to paul's comment
Burt

Seems 2.8 ghz is the fastest Intel makes at this point. See http://processorfinder.intel.com/List.aspx?ParentRadio=All&ProcFam=2643&SearchKey=

Anyone know power consumption on 2.53 vs. 2.8 ghz cpu? Debating whether to max out but wondering how it would affect battery life.

October 15 2008 at 2:42 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Magnus

What a disaster. Only glossy displays? No way the new MBP will work for me on a stage with all the lights glaring. No FW400? So, how will everyone with FW400 audio interfaces, DV cams etc use these? (Maybe it's possible on the MBP with a FW400 to FW800 cable, I don't know but seriously... just let us use any goddamn off-the-shelf regular cable!). Also of course possible with an FW400 expresscard, but that should NOT be necessarly IMO.

I really can't understand what they're doing. Completely removing FW capabilities from the MB? Great, just great... a lot of mobile audio solutions just went up in smoke. Not to mention how happy all graphic designers/photographers will be over no more matte displays even on the MBP. I thought they cared at least a little bit about their creative professionals, but NOOOO.

October 14 2008 at 3:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Magnus's comment
xyzlene

thank you for addressing my concerns as well...


apple screens are looking very PC/Dell...


They seriously think the art field will accept the "superior clarity". give me a break.

October 14 2008 at 3:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jash Sayani

Nice... But I prefer the MB for its 13.3" inch display......

October 14 2008 at 3:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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