New Macbook Pros?
Hello, first time poster, long time lurker. 
I've been wanting to get a Macbook Pro for quite some time now, and was expecting to get one today with the hardware updates. I was hoping an updated and cheaper model would be announced, but it seems that there is none. Should I expect Apple to announce a new model sometime in the next month before the Holiday season and buy then? Or do you think I'd be wasting my time waiting for an update that may not happen this year?
I've been wanting to get a Macbook Pro for quite some time now, and was expecting to get one today with the hardware updates. I was hoping an updated and cheaper model would be announced, but it seems that there is none. Should I expect Apple to announce a new model sometime in the next month before the Holiday season and buy then? Or do you think I'd be wasting my time waiting for an update that may not happen this year?
Comments
Should I expect Apple to announce a new model sometime in the next month before the Holiday season?
This is a very good question! I think there's room left for Apple to update its MacBook Pro line to the same quad core-based Core i7s other competitors are introducing into their notebook lines. The only thing right now is that Apple doesn't have to rush because the competition has yet to ship a notebook with the Core i7 yet... The Dells and HPs of the world aren't shipping en masse with Core i7 mobile processors until next week. So it might be best to hold off a week or two...
However, if there's no refresh November, there will not be one in December due to the consumer cycle from holiday shopping. November is all or nothing.
My prediction is one change in November and another change in either April/May/June. If the November update is minor, then the spring update will be major (e.g., a switch to Intel Core i5/i7). Or the inverse will happen. I have a feeling they might also "stagger" the update like they're doing with the iMac, by having the i5/i7 on the most expensive line of MacBook Pros or as a build-to-order option, with the rest of the cheaper "default" MacBook Pros just being updated to the Intel Core 2 Duo ~3.00GHz like they did with the iMac.
Apple has skipped out on late fall revisions for the MacBook Pro before, however. Such as 2007-2008 where the update was June 2007 and not until February 2008. So it's not unprecedented if they just wait until Spring. But this seems like an unlikely scenario, and they very likely at minimum will refresh their processors for the MacBook Pro line, or else the just-released unibody polycarbonate MacBook will eat into their holiday sales for the MacBook Pro. Which is a no-no.
The next macbook pros are going to come at 20 inch and 24 inch screen sizes.
And be as thin as a piece of paper.
And be as thin as a piece of paper.
That is pushing it, but it will be less than half an inch.
The next macbook pros are going to come at 20 inch and 24 inch screen sizes.
I'm amazed that Apple hasn't introduced a 20-inch MacBook Pro. But now that Apple is switching to the 16:9 aspect ratio, it is possible that Apple could introduce an 18.4-inch MacBook Pro (with a 16:9 aspect ratio).
The Pro line won't see an update until January -- with the possible exception of the Mac Pro, which I expect to see with a 16 core setup and Blu-Ray available.
I'm amazed that Apple hasn't introduced a 20-inch MacBook Pro. But now that Apple is switching to the 16:9 aspect ratio, it is possible that Apple could introduce an 18.4-inch MacBook Pro (with a 16:9 aspect ratio).
I will be first in line for an 18.4" macbook pro (preferably quad-core & a blu-ray burner).
I'm amazed that Apple hasn't introduced a 20-inch MacBook Pro. But now that Apple is switching to the 16:9 aspect ratio, it is possible that Apple could introduce an 18.4-inch MacBook Pro (with a 16:9 aspect ratio).
Yeah- but that means a lower PPI screen than the 17" model (unless they go 1440p, which is insanity), not to mention a simply lower resolution screen. Not going to happen if the iMacs are any indication. And the bigger question is- if the 17" (or equivalent) MBP goes 16:9, what happens to the 15.4" model?
Hello, first time poster, long time lurker.
I've been wanting to get a Macbook Pro for quite some time now, and was expecting to get one today with the hardware updates. I was hoping an updated and cheaper model would be announced, but it seems that there is none. Should I expect Apple to announce a new model sometime in the next month before the Holiday season and buy then? Or do you think I'd be wasting my time waiting for an update that may not happen this year?
First time poster here also. I registered so that I can vent off some of my frustration. I have been equally eagerly as you in getting an upgraded MBP, possibly boasting a Core i CPU but it seems I've been waiting the last few months for nothing.
The worst to happen now is that I am unsure as to whether I should get the current MBP or wait... i can wait until xmas at most. Not sure if there is going to be a refresh of the MBP by then. I would think getting a Core i7-based laptop is the best investment at this point in time. Shouldn't consumers who are already paying a premium for an MBP be able to enjoy that"?
Being a PC user I am now seriously considering getting my hands on one of the newly released HP Envy, an MBP-lookalike.
Yeah- but that means a lower PPI screen than the 17" model (unless they go 1440p, which is insanity), not to mention a simply lower resolution screen. Not going to happen if the iMacs are any indication. And the bigger question is- if the 17" (or equivalent) MBP goes 16:9, what happens to the 15.4" model?
I don't think Apple would go larger than UXGA (1900 x 1080) on an 18.4" laptop but they could go 2560 x 1440. Apple may not use the larger 18.4" 16:9 panel, but instead use the 17.3" 16:9 panel at 1080p.
With the price drops in the spring, Apple opened up a slot on the high-end where the 17" was previously. So conceivably, Apple's line up could be:
13.3" @ $1,199
13.3" @ $1,499
15.6" @ $1,699
15.6" @ $1,999
15.6" @ $2,299
17.3" @ $2,499
18.4" @ $2,799
The question is would Apple give the 15.6" MacBook Pro the same 1080p display as the larger model?
It has the new Intel Core i7-720QM processor running at 1.6GHz, 4GB of memory, DVD burner, and two 320 GB hard drives. It also has a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M with 1GB GDDR3 memory.
Downside... 7.8lbs and 1.3-1.6" thick
This new Acer laptop, model G51J, has a 15.6" display at 1080p running Windows 7 Home Premium.
It has the new Intel Core i7-720QM processor running at 1.6GHz, 4GB of memory, DVD burner, and two 320 GB hard drives. It also has a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M with 1GB GDDR3 memory.
Downside... 7.8lbs and 1.3-1.6" thick
LOL what a piece of junk!
The question is would Apple give the 15.6" MacBook Pro the same 1080p display as the larger model?
No, not likely. That would eliminate one of the bigger selling points of the larger model. More likely is that this 15.6" MBP would be 1600x900.
This new Acer laptop, model G51J, has a 15.6" display at 1080p running Windows 7 Home Premium.
It has the new Intel Core i7-720QM processor running at 1.6GHz, 4GB of memory, DVD burner, and two 320 GB hard drives. It also has a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M with 1GB GDDR3 memory.
Downside... 7.8lbs and 1.3-1.6" thick
Hi. To be fair you should compare against the HP Envy 15!
Hi. To be fair you should compare against the HP Envy 15!
Yeah I have in another thread. The HP Envy is pretty much a copycat of the MacBook Pro design.
I am in the same position as the original poster. Personally I am still rocking my PowerBook G4 from mid-2005. Am I happy with my machine? Yes. Time for an upgrade? Absolutely. So I have been digging hoping to find a morsel of an indication that a new MBP will make an appearance soon. Unfortunately, a couple of things lead me to believe that the MBP will not be updated until February/March.
First, I found at one point a Mac Buying Guide that nicely tracks times of upgrades on Mac products. In particular for the MBP, recently Apple has been on a 8-month cycle, meaning the update will not come until Feb 2010 since the last update was in June 2009. The second reason I think this timing will be appropriate is the fact that many are speculating the maybe-not-so-tablet Tablet device will be released in early calendar year 2010, putting both the new device's release and a MBP update on the same timeframe. Isn't that how Apple normally does it?
Just my thoughts, and I have no real way to conceive what hardware will be packed into a new MBP, I am really just waiting to upgrade so the cost of going to a 128 SSD won't cost quite as much.
I'm in the same boat with you. After reading about the awesome performance of SSDs I think I'm going to wait it out a few more months and hopefully the price will drop a bit more, then I'll snag the bottom MBP. I assume if Apple doesn't release an update by Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, they won't release one at least until 2010, because for Xmas sales, they would want to hit that Black Friday sales day.