Yesterday,Apple finally decided to release updated MacBook Pros with the newest Penryn processors from intel. I headed to the apple store to purchase a 17″ baby for myself. So far, it has been amazing! The 17″ screen (matte) is brighter and bigger than I thought! All my applications launch instantly. The hard drive upgrade to 250Gb (from 160) in this generation of Macbook Pros is also a great benefit as well as the 512Mb VRAM they upgraded the 8600 to.Now, as opposed to a hackintosh I built, I have a real genuine Apple computer. I’m very impressed with the build quality. I don’t have one complaint about it.Later, I will post information such as benchmarks, etc. With this post will come a more indepth review of the laptop.
Jan
15
Well,
That was disappointing! Sure the new MacBook Air is cool and all, but who really needs it? It has less power than the MacBook and how many people really need that much portability? I was hoping a for a new MacBook Pro as previously discussed.
I’m willing to guess that new MacBook Pros will arrive shortly anyhow. Most probably had to do with the short amount of time they have had since Penryn was launched and also not taking the limelight off of the MacBook Air.
The MacBook Air does, however, give a few clues about whats to come in the next MacBook Air. The keyboard for sure. A Back-lit MacBook style chicklet keyboard. The casing will probably stay the same. If they are going to change the case, it would make more sense to have a new motherboard (Logic Board) that fits with it. The new MacBook Pro will use the same Santa Rosa chipset as the current rev. MacBook Pro. For intel’s next generation mobile chipset, Montevina they will have to change the motherboard. Montevina also supports the next generation Wi-fi, WiMax. Montevina is expected Mid-2008… Please Apple, don’t wait that long before another revision!
I’m estimating updates will come for the MacBook Pro sometime within the next month.
Jan
5
Hello again,
Long time no see! I can’t beleive I let myself go 5 days without posting! I will never let that happen again. Anyways, winter break is almost over and I get back to school on Monday. It really sucks, break went by way to quick. Tuesday, January 15, however is a day I’m looking forward to. I am expecting Mr. Steve Jobs to announce a brand new MacBook Pro. With the new Penryn processors out from Intel, now would be an ideal time. The MacBook Pro’s haven’t seen an update from apple in well over 200 days. Although the current 2.2/2.4/2.6 Ghz Merom Mobile processors are blazing fast, these new Penryns are a 45nm die shrink with new technology. They are smaller, faster, and more energy efficient.
Intel is releasing 5 mobile penryn processors.
X9000 2.8 GHz, 44W, 6MB, $851
T9500 2.6 GHz, 35W, 6MB, $530
T9300 2.5 GHz, 35W, 6MB, $316
T8300 2.4 GHz, 35W, 3MB, $241
T8100 2.1 GHz, 35W, 3MB, $209
The MacBook Pro’s would get the T9500 for the high-end 15″ and 17″, and the T9300 for the low-end 15″ if price points were to stay the same. I wish Apple would make the X9000 available as an option, but I don’t see that happening. However I see something more than a mere processor jump because the chipset (Santa Rosa) will stay the same. Maybe an upgrade from 8600M GT to 8700M GT? Although the 8700M GT happens to be just an overclocked 8600M GT, it would be nice to throw in there anyways? Or maybe the 8600M GT from 128/256Mb (low-end/high-end) of V-RAM to 256/512Mb? Or, how ’bout a case redesign. I personally love how the MacBook Pro looks already, but I know there are some things they can fix. They could remove the case latch and replace it with the magnetic, latch-free design from the MacBook. Maybe offer a black anodized aluminum MacBook Pro? I wouldn’t pay the extra premium to get a black computer instead of silver but there are definitely people who would.
Either way, MacBook Pros aren’t the only products of Apple that are expecting updates. A brand new Ultra Portable is rumored too. Something In between an iPhone and laptop perhaps. Numerous patent applications seem to point to it. Mac Pro’s also haven’t seen an update in 277 days!
In the mean time I have to finish up a week of school then right after finals, hopefully I will have my own. It’s been a long few years. Currently I’m on a 3 1/2 year old windows machine I built for myself. Specs are: AMD XP 3000+ (Yep, 32 bit, single core), X800 Pro AGP, Asus A7N8X, 1 Gb RAM. I can’t wait to get rid of this thing and install Linux on it.
