Apple reveals new specs for MacBook Pro laptops
You can say this about Apple: The Cupertino, Calif. company certainly knows how to dominate a news cycle. First came the much-buzzed Apple iPad. Next, Steve Jobs unveiled a hotly-anticipated update to the iPhone OS. Now Apple has refreshed its MacBook Pro line with faster processors and a range of upgraded hardware – and predictably the Interwebs are ablaze with Apple gossip.
Can't keep up with all these updates? You're not alone. Here's the CliffsNotes: The entire MacBook Pro line – including the 13-inch, 15-inch, and 17-inch models – is getting a reboot. The 13-inch MacBook now gets an NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics processor, which Apple says will run graphics 80 percent faster than the current model. The smallest MacBook will also come equipped with a 10-hour built-in battery.
Meanwhile, the 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros have been upgraded to Intel Core i5 and i7 processors and Apple’s proprietary graphics switching technology. That tech toggles quickly between the NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M – the same processor on the new 13-inch MacBook – and a Intel HD Graphics processor. Bottom line: The MacBook line is getting a major hardware boost.
Prices for the new MacBooks remain relatively consistent. The most expensive model is the 2.53 GHz, 17-inch MacBook Pro, which goes for just under $2,300. The cheapest is the 2.4 GHz, 13-inch MacBook Pro, which gets a price tag of $1,199. Apple says that all the new MacBook Pros will come with the Snow Leopard operating system, and "inertial scrolling" for the trackpad.
Apple reps called the scrolling function "an intuitive way to scroll through large photo libraries, lengthy documents and long web sites."
The Apple Store closed for a while late last night, but it opened early on Tuesday with the new line of MacBook Pros. "The new MacBook Pro delivers both performance and efficiency," Apple exec Philip Schiller said in a statement. Apple expects to begin shipping updated MacBooks within 24 hours, according to copy posted to the Apple site.
