Apple quietly updates MacBook Pro lineup with faster CPUs, graphics

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  • Reply 21 of 74
    I just bought a 13" MBP a week ago. It works fine and is a big improvement from the 1G Intel Macbook. My question is do you think it's worth exchanging for this upgraded version? I see minor speed bump and a larger hard drive. Thanks.
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  • Reply 22 of 74
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by his blue period View Post


    I just bought a 13" MBP a week ago. It works fine and is a big improvement from the 1G Intel Macbook. My question is do you think it's worth exchanging for this upgraded version? I see minor speed bump and a larger hard drive. Thanks.



    You have 15 days to exchange it, so why not? Now if there's a restocking fee involved, I probably wouldn't bother. You won't notice the extra 100mhz, and for less money you can upgrade the hard drive yourself to not only have the 500gb of storage, but with a 7200rpm drive (which, believe me, you *will* notice).
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  • Reply 23 of 74
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by djames4242 View Post


    You have 15 days to exchange it, so why not? Now if there's a restocking fee involved, I probably wouldn't bother. You won't notice the extra 100mhz, and for less money you can upgrade the hard drive yourself to not only have the 500gb of storage, but with a 7200rpm drive (which, believe me, you *will* notice).



    With no restocking fee to get the newer machine it's a gimme. It does have some performance improvements, but I think most importantly it will be x-many months newer release thus increasing the resale value when you do eventually sell it for a new machine thus reducing your TCO.
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  • Reply 24 of 74
    Sorry, but 7200 RPM HDs and discrete graphics should be baseline features in any computer billed as a "Pro" machine.
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  • Reply 25 of 74
    Shhh... It's a secret!
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  • Reply 26 of 74
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DoctorGonzo View Post


    Sorry, but 7200 RPM HDs and discrete graphics should be baseline features in any computer billed as a "Pro" machine.



    I'm inclined to agree. FWIW, I did a lot of reading up on 5400 vs 7200rpm drives when I decided to upgrade my first-generation MBP with a larger drive. I'd originally paid extra for the 7200rpm 100gb drive, and when I ran out of room bought a 5400rpm 640gb drive because so many people had said there wouldn't be a discernible difference in speed. Those so many people were wrong. My machine felt like molasses had been poured inside...



    This time around I did it right - I moved the 750gb 5400rpm drive into the optical bay of my 2011 MBP and installed a 120gb SSD into the hard drive bay. My OS, Apps, and certain files (including a Windows VM) are on the SSD, my documents are on the traditional drive. Now my machine is quite fluid!
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  • Reply 27 of 74
    ssquirrelssquirrel Posts: 1,196member
    Of course some people dislike the increased volume level from the 7200 over the 5400 rpm drive. That is another concern besides battery life. I can't find any recent battery life tests
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  • Reply 28 of 74
    conradjoeconradjoe Posts: 1,887member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DoctorGonzo View Post


    Sorry, but 7200 RPM HDs and discrete graphics should be baseline features in any computer billed as a "Pro" machine.



    Agreed. But the marketing speak is meaningless. Those things belong in any computer at the MBP's price point.
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  • Reply 29 of 74
    conradjoeconradjoe Posts: 1,887member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by djames4242 View Post




    This time around I did it right - I moved the 750gb 5400rpm drive into the optical bay of my 2011 MBP and installed a 120gb SSD into the hard drive bay. My OS, Apps, and certain files (including a Windows VM) are on the SSD, my documents are on the traditional drive. Now my machine is quite fluid!





    Sounds like a great way to do it. The best of both worlds.
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  • Reply 30 of 74
    ssquirrelssquirrel Posts: 1,196member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post


    Sounds like a great way to do it. The best of both worlds.



    Honestly I'm hoping that if the next round of MBPs ditches the optical drive that that is how they will approach things. Even if it was the soldered on SSD strip ala the MBA, having a SSD and a scratch drive both inside would be very nice.
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  • Reply 31 of 74
    cory bauercory bauer Posts: 1,286member
    My solution to the 5400RPM dilemma is to no longer buy laptops; my current MacBook Pro rarely ever leaves the desk since the introduction of the iPad, so it's back to an iMac for me the next time I'm due to upgrade.
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  • Reply 32 of 74
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    Computer says no.



    LOL! Been watching Little Britain as well, have you?



    Cheers,

    PhilBoogie
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  • Reply 33 of 74
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SSquirrel View Post


    Of course some people dislike the increased volume level from the 7200 over the 5400 rpm drive. That is another concern besides battery life. I can't find any recent battery life tests



    I didn't notice any increased battery life when I put the 5400rpm drive in (that was one of the concerns I had read about with the faster drives). I also didn't notice any perceptible noise with the 7200rpm drive. Then again, the first-generation MBP had plenty of other noises that might have covered up the sound of the hard drive anyway



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post


    Sounds like a great way to do it. The best of both worlds.



    That was my thought. I also use the optical drive about three times a year. For those circumstances I picked up an external case for the optical drive (which is usb-powered). Very handy!



    In case you're interested: Total upgrade cost was a little over $300. Well worth it for the speed jump.
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  • Reply 34 of 74
    hmmhmm Posts: 3,405member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post


    All nice upgrades.



    They're just a mid generation spec bump. The new cpus retail for an identical amount to what the old ones did. They were designed as mid generation replacements.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SSquirrel View Post


    Of course some people dislike the increased volume level from the 7200 over the 5400 rpm drive. That is another concern besides battery life. I can't find any recent battery life tests



    The 7200s carry a noise factor? I don't think I've personally noticed on any that had them. The noisiest thing by far is the fan ramping up.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ConradJoe View Post


    Agreed. But the marketing speak is meaningless. Those things belong in any computer at the MBP's price point.



    I agree with you there. Those should be standard features on a premium laptop, and at the macbook pro price points it shouldn't be an issue budgeting for those features. Apple has never really catered to the low end market so I expect slightly more from them in baseline features (remember Steve Jobs saying they choose not to build low end machines?). On the 13" versions do you think it's an issue of space?







    Quote:
    Originally Posted by djames4242 View Post


    In case you're interested: Total upgrade cost was a little over $300. Well worth it for the speed jump.



    That sounds completely awesome. It makes me hope they don't go for a slimmer profile on the macbook pros because I now want that for my next one.
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  • Reply 35 of 74
    I'm still a happy camper with my early 2011 mbp 2.3 ghz



    8 gigs made a world of a difference
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  • Reply 36 of 74
    haggarhaggar Posts: 1,568member
    The previous low end 15 inch model had only 256 MB graphics memory, which was pitiful for a Pro laptop with discrete graphics. Especially considering the increasing use of GPU acceleration in many applications. Glad to see that it has been upgraded to 512 MB.
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  • Reply 37 of 74
    ssquirrelssquirrel Posts: 1,196member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hmm View Post


    The 7200s carry a noise factor? I don't think I've personally noticed on any that had them. The noisiest thing by far is the fan ramping up.



    That was why I was hoping to find some more recent data for testing related to the speed differences. I found several links of people back in 2006 talking about differences in battery life and noise, but hard drives have come a long way in 5 years. The old logic was the 7200rpm ate up more battery life, but the 5400 rpm drives have also come a long way as areal density has increased.



    If there are heat differences between the 5400 and the 7200, that could account for more time spent w/the fan on or the fan cranked higher, which would be the main likely noise difference anymore. Like I said, possibly no difference anymore, but still something to wonder about.



    EDIT: Found a couple of links:



    https://discussions.apple.com/thread...art=0&tstart=0

    http://www.gearslutz.com/board/music...0-5400-hd.html



    The second link provides 2 other links w/actual testing, rather than anecdotal information.



    http://www.barefeats.com/mbps02.html

    http://macperformanceguide.com/blog/...--ssd-hdd.html
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  • Reply 38 of 74
    still no discrete graphics chip for the 13" models...
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  • Reply 39 of 74
    Great, no way to hold back Lion and all it's OD bugginess now, I predict 3 people will want a new laptop by noon tomorrow. Sometimes working in IT sucks.
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  • Reply 40 of 74
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hezetation View Post


    Great, no way to hold back Lion and all it's OD bugginess now, I predict 3 people will want a new laptop by noon tomorrow. Sometimes working in IT sucks.



    I am not sure what you are referring to here (OD bugginess ). I know I for one, would appreciate an explanation.



    Not really sure I grok your post at all dude. \



    jOhn
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