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Apple releases new MacBook Pros with Intel Core i7, i5 processors - Page 4

post #121 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quadra 610 View Post

**insert obligatory Apple complaint here**

WTF?? No sparkly Unicorn? Wah...
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post #122 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:28am
Does anyone know if these are already at the Apple Stores? I was planning on picking one up this morning. Can any east coasters verify if they have already been delivered to the stores?
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post #123 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh.B. View Post

"Good enough for the sweet spot in the market" is what they have stressed now for a long time.

If that's true, they're starting to sound like Bose. Their philosophy is to sell to the 60%-70% of the public who wants audio gear that's "good enough". That's the "sweet spot" in the market and I think Apple makes products that are better than just "good enough".
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post #124 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:29am
I predicted this! http://twitter.com/franktinsley/status/12066748136
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post #125 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:29am
Perhaps even more telling is that I had just preconfigured my ideal MPB 17 C2D two days ago in the event Apple did not provide the refresh.

Even with the same maximized options, the new model will be nearly $500 cheaper.
Pity the agnostic dyslectic. They spend all their time contemplating the existence of dog.
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Pity the agnostic dyslectic. They spend all their time contemplating the existence of dog.
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post #126 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh.B. View Post

Convenience trumps quality. Every time.

This is America. Look at the coffee market for a good example. Or the take-out food industry. There are a million McDonalds for every fine restaurant. Or the prevalence of MP3s over SACDs.

Quality is a niche. Convenience is mass-market.

This is the unfortunate truth. We're always settling for less.
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post #127 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by debusoh View Post

Weird, I was just configuring my 15" model and noticed there is no option to pre-install Bento.

You don't save any money with a pre install and when has Apple software ever been that hard to put on yourself.

and it's a pretty good program when your needs are light.

Quote:
Originally Posted by BenRoethig View Post

Apple really isn't a professional minded company anymore. Its for lifestyle consumers with money to burn.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh.B. View Post

Easy to use, looks good, lightweight, long battery life.

Those are the important aspects, with geeky performance fantasies taking a back seat.

I don't know a single professional or geek that gets less than a 15 inch laptop for their serious machine. Half of the ones I know go for a 17 inch

so that the 13 inch is left for hobby folks, students etc isn't an issue for them. and probably isn't for most like them

Quote:
Originally Posted by 1984 View Post

Yeah because something basic like Blu-Ray, which EVERY OTHER MAJOR PC MANUFACTURER OFFERS is unobtainable "pixie dust" when it comes to Apple. If they ever do offer it I'm sure it will be described as "magical"


Quote:
Originally Posted by 1984 View Post

He's full of it. Why is it not a "bag of hurt" for any other manufacturers?

Because they can spread out the licensing costs over thousands of units and not hundreds.

as for your magical, they will skip bluray and go to smaller better quality digital files on SD cards and then (when the size is small enough) direct downloads. that will be Apple's magic.

Quote:
Originally Posted by q dude View Post

Sadly, however, digital copies available for download currently do not offer the audio/video quality of a blu-ray disc. Until parity is reached, I for one have no interest.

Most folks will agree. but the fault of that is not on Apple completely. Yes part of the issue is file size. but the bulk of it is simply that the studios don't want it. they are clinging to the old world of DVDs and Bluray to the point of changing contracts so places like Netflix can't rent even optical discs until at least a month after the sales start. They cling to the outdated tv ratings system and won't embrace ideas like itunes (in part cause they are too lazy to do the math to pass out the proper credits to each show) and so on
Until the studios join the revolution they will keep gimping digital downloads with no fewer features and lower quality to not hurt their precious discs
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post #128 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by nht View Post

Two interesting points for buyers:
2) The performance delta between the i5-540M and the i7-620M is in the low single digits. The power delta between the i5-540M and the i7-620M is huge.

This post was extremely useful and changed my decision of what to buy. Stock 17" FTW. Thank you!
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post #129 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:36am
It's been a long time coming, and while the new updates aren't quite as exciting as a brand new design, those of us looking for an upgrade will really welcome the improved specs.

As great as today's MacBooks look, it's interesting to remember that they weren't always so sleek. Here's a photo tour of some of today's MacBook predecessors!

http://thebusride.com/ride/macbooks-through-the-years
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post #130 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:38am
Theories as to why the 13" didn't at least get an i3?
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post #131 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by nht View Post

Two interesting points for buyers:

1) The price difference between the Core i7 17" and Core i7 15" is very slim if you're going to pay $100 for a higher rez panel in the 15". There's even more rez and you have a expresscard slot in exchange for a SD slot, $200 (for the i7 upgrade) and a little weight and size.

2) The performance delta between the i5-540M and the i7-620M is in the low single digits. The power delta between the i5-540M and the i7-620M is huge.





http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-...e.25085.0.html

Given both have turbo boost and hyperthreading and both are dual-core I'm getting the i5 unless MBP specific benchmarks show a clear advantage for the i7 MBPs.

17" vs 15" I don't know yet.

Thanks for the great information here. Based on this, I'm looking to save $300 by getting the base 15" rather than the top-end 15" (student discount makes the $300 rather than $400). The one question I have is concerning upgrading the memory...

Basically, can I add 4GB of RAM to the 15" MBP later, or would this be a replacement of the base 4GB RAM? Are there empty memory slots? I just don't know that I need 8GB of RAM, but it would be nice to know I can upgrade without throwing away the 4GB that it comes with.
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post #132 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ff11 View Post

MS Office Home and Student Edition $149.95 (Business Edition $399.95)
iWork only $79.00

OpenOffice.Org $Free
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post #133 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by uluvbs View Post

Theories as to why the 13" didn't at least get an i3?

Aleady explained. To go to i3 means foregoing Nvidia IGP, which means Intel HD IGP. Probably no room in case and surely no room in price for discreet GPU.

It's better than it was yesterday and just be glad they got a special IGP from Nvidia instead of sticking with the 9400M.
Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"
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Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"
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post #134 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Onhka View Post

Absolutely. Read the Apple Store spec sheet.

Hint: It is here http://store.apple.com/us/browse/hom...CBOOKPRO-INDEX

I fully admit to not knowing enough about this topic, but I'm not seeing a performance comparison on that page. It seems that there is a wide variety of core i5s and i7s out there with some i5s being pretty well comparable to i7s.
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post #135 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh.B. View Post

Bose is hugely successful. They used to have audophile pretensions, but the sound quality wasn't there. They now make "good enough" sounding stuff in compelling form factors. And sales are through the roof.

Tell me about. The custom integration firm I worked for became a Bose dealer in 2004 (for only 2 years) and I was sent to one of the kool-aid sessions. "Good enough" was their mantra. But then, that's where all the money is. I can't tell you how many people I've talked to over the years that thought Bose was "high-end" stuff. They're all marketing.
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post #136 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by svnipp View Post

Basically, can I add 4GB of RAM to the 15" MBP later, or would this be a replacement of the base 4GB RAM? Are there empty memory slots? I just don't know that I need 8GB of RAM, but it would be nice to know I can upgrade without throwing away the 4GB that it comes with.

In the past there have only been 2 slots. I'm sure it will be 2x2GB so you will need to purchase 2x4GB in order to upgrade to 8GB of ram.

It's a bummer, but it costs apple way more to do 1x4GB vs 2x2GB.
blog: http://plzkthxbai.com
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blog: http://plzkthxbai.com
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post #137 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by minderbinder View Post

Thanks for the link. Still, odd that there's no mention on the tech specs page, which would seem to be the first place to look for that.

The only Core i7 chips that are quad core are the Clarksfield chips, but they are 45nm and 45-55W, which is outside the levels Apple wants to use. They probably didn't see the need to specify that any of them were dual core since now their entire pro line is made up of dual core chips.
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post #138 of 335
4/13/10 at 8:59am
Is it a typo that the FW 800 port is "not" 400 compatible like on the 13" and 17"? They left it out of the spec for that port.
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post #139 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:03am
Damn......no UK iPad or iPhone 4G then....
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post #140 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by gcam067 View Post

Is it a typo that the FW 800 port is "not" 400 compatible like on the 13" and 17"? They left it out of the spec for that port.

Where does it say it's *not* compatible? FW800 spec is designed to be backwards compatible with FW400.
Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"
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Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"
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post #141 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by nht View Post

Two interesting points for buyers:

1) The price difference between the Core i7 17" and Core i7 15" is very slim if you're going to pay $100 for a higher rez panel in the 15". There's even more rez and you have a expresscard slot in exchange for a SD slot, $200 (for the i7 upgrade) and a little weight and size.

2) The performance delta between the i5-540M and the i7-620M is in the low single digits. The power delta between the i5-540M and the i7-620M is huge.





http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-...e.25085.0.html

Given both have turbo boost and hyperthreading and both are dual-core I'm getting the i5 unless MBP specific benchmarks show a clear advantage for the i7 MBPs.

17" vs 15" I don't know yet.

Excellent chart. Nice find.

Now that I see how close the i3 is in performance compared to a 2.9 ghz C2D (t9800), I'm certain I'll wait for the 13" MBP to get a nehalem cpu.

For me, it makes little sense to go from a C2D cpu to a slightly faster C2D cpu. I agree with the other poster who expressed similar sentiments.
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post #142 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KBeat View Post

After waiting months for Apple to finally update their MacBook Pro line to catch up in performance with Dell and HP, they finally release new models. However, while they finally went i5 and i7, they only used the new dual core models. You can't even get a quad core version as a BTO. Considering you've been able to buy a quad core laptop from Dell and HP since 2009, this is a pretty big let down.

I had been waiting for quad core models to assist with all the heavy duty RAW work I do, but looks like Apple intends to keep that as a desktop only option. The dual core i5 and i7 don't represent that much of a leap over the 3.06 GHz dual core processor they replace. Even Apple's own tests, which are notoriously generous, peg the improvement in Aperture 3, a performance hog, at 1.1 times faster. 1.1? That's likely not noticeable in real world use.

Looks like the gap between PC and Mac laptop performance is only going to grow given Apple's decision to keep the laptop line at dual core.

In general Apple does not surf the crest of the performance wave. Their systems never have leading edge components or performance. It is not their design philosophy or marketing strategy to release new products merely to brag about speed gains etc. No doubt a Quad core MBP would be nice, but I bet it would have terrible battery life and be hot and heavy. All three of those conditions are non-starters for Apple.
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post #143 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ff11 View Post

I fully admit to not knowing enough about this topic, but I'm not seeing a performance comparison on that page. It seems that there is a wide variety of core i5s and i7s out there with some i5s being pretty well comparable to i7s.

You missed the difference in the size of the hard drive.

$1799: 15-inch Intel Core i5

  • 2.4GHz
  • 320GB hard drive


$1999: 15-inch Intel Core i5

  • 2.53GHz
  • 500GB hard drive
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post #144 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh.B. View Post

Very few Apple customers have your needs. The light weight and the battery life are the most important things in a Mobile Device. Everything else is secondary.

If you need raw performance, there are desktop solutions for you for the time being. It is unknown whether Apple will ever make more high-powered machines, now that they are a mobile device company.

I don't really understand you.

Apple have the MacBook and entry models of iMac for these people.
The MacBook Pro and Mac Pro are machines that's supposed to be used by people who work with their computer - pro stands for professional, right?

I'm baffled with the choice of 256 MB VRAM not only the entry model of the 15", but also for the mid. This is the same amount that was available in MacBook Pro's three years ago. The entry level MacBook Pro 15" should have 512 MB and the more expensive ones 1 GB.
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post #145 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:13am
Its funny, despite all the complaints about Apples macbook products, they're selling extremely well compared to their pc counterparts. I wonder why that is.
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post #146 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:14am
Very nice laptops (save the lack of BD, media card readers, and i3 processors)... Absolutely Horrendous Pricing
"Why iPhone"... Hmmm?
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"Why iPhone"... Hmmm?
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post #147 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:17am
If anyone buys one or looks at them in the stores today can you check System Profiler » Serial-ATA » Link Speed. With SSDs getting 6Gbps is pretty important if I were to consider an SSD.
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post #148 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Onhka View Post

You missed the difference in the size of the hard drive.

$1799: 15-inch Intel Core i5

  • 2.4GHz
  • 320GB hard drive


$1999: 15-inch Intel Core i5

  • 2.53GHz
  • 500GB hard drive

Sorry about the confusion, my question wasn't about hard drives but the performance difference between core i5 and core i7.
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post #149 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by zindako View Post

Its funny, despite all the complaints about Apples macbook products, they're selling extremely well compared to their pc counterparts. I wonder why that is.

Fact: Windows (based) laptops sell in exponentially greater numbers than Apple laptops, if for no other reason than their exponentially more models/manufacturers from which to choose.
"Why iPhone"... Hmmm?
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"Why iPhone"... Hmmm?
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post #150 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ff11 View Post

Sorry about the confusion, my question wasn't about hard drives but the performance difference between core i5 and core i7.

My only complaint is on how Apple marginalizes the product refresh, I mean seriously, how many versions of a laptop do we need? They should just sell maybe two versions of their laptops and call it a day, going from 2.4GHZ to 2.53GHZ is just stupid.
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post #151 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaHarder View Post

Fact: Windows (based) laptops sell in exponentially greater numbers than Apple laptops, if for no other reason than their exponentially more models/manufacturers from which to choose.

Fact: There are more stupid people in the world than there are smart ones, there is far more quantity than there is quality in the universe.
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post #152 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob55 View Post

Tell me about. The custom integration firm I worked for became a Bose dealer in 2004 (for only 2 years) and I was sent to one of the kool-aid sessions. "Good enough" was their mantra. But then, that's where all the money is. I can't tell you how many people I've talked to over the years that thought Bose was "high-end" stuff. They're all marketing.

It's a shame that the perception still exists. Their products and brand image seem to be opposing each other. The "high end" people think they're getting comes from visibility in large retailers and deception, like powering 1000 dollar home theatre speakers (built like 200 dollar ones) with 30000 dollars worth of amplification equiptment.
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post #153 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:23am
i need to stop reading US-based news sites, seeing as it reminds me that the US prices are TWENTY-EIGHT PER CENT lower than those in the UK

*sigh*
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post #154 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:24am
Hi All,

Quick question before I order a 15" -- I am thinking of getting the hi-res display. But is it going to make everything look really small??? I know OS X won't have resolution independence until 10.7 I assume. On some very hi-res PC laptops I've seen stuff is simply to small. It's almost unusable. And I am wondering, if I get the hi-res, would I be able to ramp it down to the medium setting say 1440x900 or something and have it "native" and still look good? Is that 1440 also a native res on the hi-res option? Because usually when LCDs go down in resolution they look like complete garbage. Thoughts?

I'm stoked!

Also anyone know whether the SD reader is that new faster SDXC or whatever? And with SD I/O? That'd be icing on the cake. Also the prices are bit steep but I'm going to fork it over and like it. Hah.
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"Overpopulation and climate change are serious shit." Gilsch
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post #155 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh.B. View Post

Faster backups is a plenty good reason.

What does the MBP that will allow backups as fast as eSata?

I said Apple doesn't have a reason. I didn't say we don't have a reason. eSATA pales in popularity compared to USB. I suspect it just doesn't make sense for Apple.
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post #156 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:26am
Ok, it's time for Apple to embrace an external SATA port or get going on USB 3. Firewire just doesn't cut it anymore.
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post #157 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh.B. View Post

Very few Apple customers have your needs. The light weight and the battery life are the most important things in a Mobile Device. Everything else is secondary.

If you need raw performance, there are desktop solutions for you for the time being. It is unknown whether Apple will ever make more high-powered machines, now that they are a mobile device company.

Agreed, but it's a bitch trying to bike around with a MacPro strapped to my back. It makes weaving through traffic and avoiding cell phone yapping peds especially treacherous.

Yes, I bike to clients' offices with my MBP. Yep, in Manhattan. In traffic.
There's no machine gun mount that fits my bike frame, either.


Macintosh: It just WORKS!
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Macintosh: It just WORKS!
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post #158 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by zindako View Post

My only complaint is on how Apple marginalizes the product refresh, I mean seriously, how many versions of a laptop do we need? They should just sell maybe two versions of their laptops and call it a day, going from 2.4GHZ to 2.53GHZ is just stupid.

Unless you can prove to me that you are more than capable of defining definitively the difference, I will wait for the expert testing and reviews.

I would be stupid not to.
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post #159 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by zindako View Post

Fact: There are more stupid people in the world than there are smart ones, there is far more quantity than there is quality in the universe.

We're not talking about the iPhone here
"Why iPhone"... Hmmm?
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"Why iPhone"... Hmmm?
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post #160 of 335
4/13/10 at 9:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by zindako View Post

Its funny, despite all the complaints about Apples macbook products, they're selling extremely well compared to their pc counterparts. I wonder why that is.

Because they are uninformed fools, you see. But only the complainers and whiners can have that view without being accused of being arrogant.
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