Apple updates MacBook Pro line with faster chips
While unveiling its much anticipated line of MacBook consumer notebooks on Tuesday, Apple Computer also upped the speed of its professional MacBook Pro line and added a new widescreen display option.
The company increased processor speeds on both models of the 15-inch MacBook Pro at no additional cost. The $2,499 model now includes a 2.16 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, up from 2.0 GHz, and the $1,999 model now includes a 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, up from 1.83 GHz.
Also as of Tuesday, both the 15-and 17-inch MacBook Pro models offer Apple's new glossy widescreen display as a CTO option on at no additional cost.
According to Apple, customers should choose the glossy widescreen display if they want to make their graphics, photos, and videos appear with richer color and deeper blacks. The new display is also great for watching DVD movies, the company said.
Meanwhile, those customers who prefer a display with anti-glare coating for a matte rather than glossy viewing experience, should stick with the standard widescreen display.
Apple says both widescreen displays options are significantly brighter than previous Apple notebooks. The 15-inch MacBook Pro is said to be 67 percent brighter than the 15-inch PowerBook G4, and the 17-inch model is reportedly 36 percent brighter than the 17-inch PowerBook G4.
The company increased processor speeds on both models of the 15-inch MacBook Pro at no additional cost. The $2,499 model now includes a 2.16 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, up from 2.0 GHz, and the $1,999 model now includes a 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, up from 1.83 GHz.
Also as of Tuesday, both the 15-and 17-inch MacBook Pro models offer Apple's new glossy widescreen display as a CTO option on at no additional cost.
According to Apple, customers should choose the glossy widescreen display if they want to make their graphics, photos, and videos appear with richer color and deeper blacks. The new display is also great for watching DVD movies, the company said.
Meanwhile, those customers who prefer a display with anti-glare coating for a matte rather than glossy viewing experience, should stick with the standard widescreen display.
Apple says both widescreen displays options are significantly brighter than previous Apple notebooks. The 15-inch MacBook Pro is said to be 67 percent brighter than the 15-inch PowerBook G4, and the 17-inch model is reportedly 36 percent brighter than the 17-inch PowerBook G4.
Comments
The graphics card is intel, does that mean its integrated?
Well even so, it can do an extended desktop. My iBook was only able to mirror. So it's a definite improvement!
Everything you order online from the Apple Store is considered BTO (Build to Order), because you've ordered it to be built, even if you don't change the specs. If you request any change in the base specs (additional RAM, bigger hard drive), you've made it CTO. So the screen change is a CTO option.
but i love that black finish
the MBP is a lot cheaper now:
15" MBP 2.0GHz 128MB GPU is about ? 150 cheaper than the previous 15" MBP 1.83Ghz 128MB GPU.
15" MBP 2.16Ghz 256MB GPU is about ? 200 cheaper than the previous 15" MBP 2.0Ghz 256MB GPU.
17" MBP 2.16Ghz is about ? 90 cheaper.
Originally posted by MacSuperiority
Only question now is when are they gonna up the speeds on the iMac to show the price reduction from Intel?
Or will they just drop prices?
Nice to see a (second!) speed bump so quickly.
I really, really hope it means no Brightness Enhancement Filter on the screen for increased viewing range . . . but it probably doesn't.
Originally posted by minderbinder
Or will they just drop prices?
Nice to see a (second!) speed bump so quickly.
Get used to it; unlike IBM/Motorola/Freescale, Intel/amd acctually increase proformance now and then. When that happenes it means that the older chips tend to fade from the supply line (or are availible in too small a quantity for a mass builder like Apple to use in several lines) so the party is just getting started -- look for speed bumps (or feature tweaks like faster bus, or more L2 cache) every 90-120 days.
Originally posted by lhvide
256mb VRAM on the MBpro blows away the piddly 64mb VRAM (shared) on the MacBook.....
but i love that black finish
If you are doing anything that needs texture memory like that, then you probably would benefit from a faster graphics chip anyway.
Originally posted by JeffDM
If you are doing anything that needs texture memory like that, then you probably would benefit from a faster graphics chip anyway.
Not to mention a bigger screen.
Originally posted by cinder
What the crap is "glossy screen"???
I really, really hope it means no Brightness Enhancement Filter on the screen for increased viewing range . . . but it probably doesn't.
I think it means a glossy top coat rather than a diffuse top coat on the screen surface. The difuse surface hurts the blacks because it scatters light from everywhere and reduces apparent contrast by washing out the blacks a bit.
Several notebooks and desktop screens have come out with gloss coated screens. I don't like it though, because it has a strong glare potential. There is a good anti-glare coating for CRT screens (I think similar to those optional on eyeglasses) but I haven't seen it used on LCDs yet.
*i promised myself i would at least wait till the 1st revisions came out
Originally posted by a_greer
look for speed bumps (or feature tweaks like faster bus, or more L2 cache) every 90-120 days.
We're getting close to the end of the line for ICD upgrades. Next stop, Merom. Hopefully coming our way in August.
Originally posted by backtomac
We're getting close to the end of the line for ICD upgrades. Next stop, Merom. Hopefully coming our way in August.
ICD?
Originally posted by minderbinder
ICD?
ICD= Intel Core Duo (yonah). It is supposed to max out at 2.3ghz if I remember correctly.
Originally posted by DeaPeaJay
I think that was a typo.
The graphics card is intel, does that mean its integrated?
Well even so, it can do an extended desktop. My iBook was only able to mirror. So it's a definite improvement!
You're talking about the Macbook, right. The Pro uses ATI 1600 mobile gpus.
Originally posted by kritikal
so could this be the Rev B Macbook Pros??? if so, now i can finally get one.
*i promised myself i would at least wait till the 1st revisions came out
No doubt Apple has been fixing problems, but there is no reason, as yet, to believe that it's a major revision. The chips just drop in.
it is nice to have options though!!! Lets just regain the OPTION of a smaller pro laptop though!!!!