Michal Ždanský As expected, Apple today unveiled a new generation of its laptops to mark co-founder Steve Jobs' 56th birthday (Happy Steve!). Most of the expected news actually appeared in the MacBook update, some did not. So what can the new MacBooks boast about?
New processor
As expected, the current line of Intel Core-branded processors found their way into all laptops Sandy Bridge. This should bring much higher performance and also a very powerful integrated graphics card Intel HD 3000. It should be slightly better than the current Nvidia GeForce 320M. All new MacBooks will have this graphic, while the 13” version will only have to make do with it. Others will use it for less demanding graphics operations, which will significantly reduce battery consumption.
The basic 13” version boasts a dual-core i5 processor with a frequency of 2,3 GHz with function Turbo Boost, which can increase the frequency to 2,7 GHz with two active cores and 2,9 Ghz with one active core. A higher model with the same diagonal will then offer an i7 processor with a frequency of 2,7 GHz. In the 15" and 17" MacBooks, you will find a quad-core i7 processor with a frequency of 2,0 GHz (basic 15" model) and 2,2 GHz (higher 15" model and 17" model). Of course they support you too Turbo Boost and can thus be worked up to a frequency of 3,4 GHz.
Better graphics
In addition to the mentioned integrated graphics card from Intel, the new 15" and 17" models also have a second AMD Radeon graphics card. So Apple abandoned the Nvidia solution and bet on the competitor's graphics hardware. In the basic 15" model, you will find graphics marked HD 6490M with its own GDDR5 memory of 256 MB, in the higher 15" and 17" you will find HD 6750M with a full 1 GB of GDDR5 memory. In both cases, we are talking about fast graphics of the middle class, while the latter should cope with very demanding graphics programs or games.
As we mentioned above, both 13” models have to make do with only the graphics card integrated in the chipset, but given its performance, which slightly exceeds the previous GeForce 320M and lower consumption, it is definitely a step forward. We are preparing a separate article about the performance of new graphics cards.
Thunderbold aka LightPeak
Intel's new technology did happen after all, and all new laptops got a high-speed port with the brand name Thunderbold. It is built into the original mini DisplayPort port, which is still compatible with the original technology. However, now you can connect to the same socket, apart from an external monitor or television, also other devices, for example various data storages, which should appear on the market soon. Apple promises the ability to chain up to 6 devices to a single port.
As we already wrote, Thunderbold will offer high-speed data transfer with a speed of 10 Gb/s with a cable length of up to 100 m, and the new hybrid port also allows 10 W of power, which is great for using passively powered storage devices such as portable disks or flash drives.
HD Webcam
A pleasant surprise is the built-in HD FaceTime webcam, which is now capable of capturing images in 720p resolution. It therefore offers HD video calls across Macs and iOS devices, as well as the recording of various podcasts without the need to use any external technology in high resolution.
To support the use of HD video calls, Apple released the official version of the FaceTime application, which until now was only in beta. It can be found on the Mac App Store for €0,79. You might be wondering why Apple didn't offer the app for free. The purpose seems to be to bring new users to the Mac App Store and get them to link their credit card to their account right away.
FaceTime - €0,79 (Mac App Store)
What changed next
Another pleasant change is the increase in the basic capacity of the hard drives. With the lowest MacBook model, you get exactly 320 GB of space. The higher model then offers 500 GB, and the 15" and 17" MacBooks then offer 500/750 GB.
Unfortunately, we did not see an increase in the RAM memory in the basic sets, we can rejoice at least with an increase in the operating frequency to 1333 MHz from the original 1066 MHz. This upgrade should slightly increase the speed and responsiveness of the entire system.
An interesting novelty is also the SDXC slot, which replaced the original SD slot. This enables the reading of the new SD card format, which offers a transfer speed of up to 832 Mb/s and a capacity of 2 TB or more. The slot is of course backwards compatible with older versions of SD/SDHC cards.
The last minor change is the third USB port on the 17″ version of the MacBook.
What we didn't expect
Contrary to expectations, Apple did not offer a bootable SSD disk, which would significantly increase the speed of the entire system. The only way to use an SSD drive is to either replace the original drive or install a second drive instead of the DVD drive.
We didn't even see an increase in battery life, rather the opposite. While the 15" and 17" model's endurance remains at a pleasant 7 hours, the endurance of the 13" MacBook has decreased from 10 hours to 7. However, this is the price for a more powerful processor.
The resolution of laptops has not changed either, so it remains the same as the previous generation, i.e. 1280 x 800 for 13", 1440 x 900 for 15" and 1920 x 1200 for 17". The displays, like last year's models, are shiny with LED technology. As for the size of the touchpad, no change has taken place here either.
The prices of all MacBooks also remained the same.
Specifications in brief
MacBook Pro 13 ″ – resolution 1280×800 points. 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5, Dual core. Hard disk 320 GB 5400 rpm hard disk. 4 GB 1333 MHz RAM. Intel HD 3000.
MacBook Pro 13 ″ – resolution 1280×800 points. 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5, Dual core. Hard disk 500 GB 5400 rpm. 4 GB 1333 MHz RAM. Intel HD 3000.
MacBook Pro 15 ″ – resolution 1440×900 points. 2.0 GHz Intel Core i7, Quad core. Hard disk 500 GB 5400 rpm. 4 GB 1333 MHz RAM. AMD Radeon HD 6490M 256MB.
MacBook Pro 15 ″ – Resolution 1440×900 points. 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7, Quad core. Hard disk 750 GB 5400 rpm. 4 GB 1333 MHz RAM. AMD Radeon HD 6750M 1GB.
MacBook Pro 17 ″ – resolution 1920×1200 points. 2.2 Ghz Intel Core i7, Quad core. Hard disk 750 GB 5400 rpm. 4 GB 1333 MHz RAM. AMD Radeon HD 6750M 1GB.
The fate of the white MacBook is uncertain. It did not receive any upgrade, but it was not officially removed from the offer either. For now.
Source: Apple.com
About the battery in the MB Pro 13" - You need to keep in mind this paragraph regarding battery life from the Apple website "Apple is using a new, more rigorous battery test that measures the results you can expect in the real world — ...". Apple already talked about this when introducing the MB Air, and the joke is that it simply uses "harder" (more realistic) tests. Hence the jump down. Let's face it, who with the previous MB Pros lasted 10 hours on the battery after turning on Wi-Fi and a few programs... :)
There is certainly some truth to that. With the new MacBook Pro 13″ 2010 I never got over 8h
Yes, but it was at night when I was writing the article, everything was at a minimum (keyboard and display brightness) and WiFi was turned off... it even showed over 11 o'clock, but in such a situation I just want to write for half an hour and go to sleep.
Tech 7:30 (it's showing right now, I took it off the charger about 20 minutes ago) is real with WiFi, and in this category of notebooks, in my opinion, it's well above average :)
But back to the topic, I once read that HD webcams have been installed in MBs for about three years, but then the software is limited to VGA. Any news on this?
You may have read it here, I wrote a separate article about it some time ago. However, nothing has changed in this regard yet, and FaceTime will not make higher resolution available.
Of course, it can't just be the processor, it would have to increase the power consumption of the entire notebook by 43% compared to the previous model (nota bene only when browsing the web). Interestingly, Apple is returning to the new measurement methodology - it's been a few years since they announced more realistic tests, if I remember correctly.
Thunderbolt - I was hoping that Apple had a good reason not to move to the second rehashed USB standard - and they do. An additional point that it is basically not a new port, but a (thunder-lightning) extension of an already existing monitor output.
Do you think that they will start producing and selling cables that would connect to thunderbolt, but the end would be HDMI, so that I could possibly connect it to a TV?
Such already exist, DisplayPort will continue to function as Displayport, only Thunderbolt can also be connected to it
There is a high probability that it does. If not Apple directly, then the competition... Or there will simply be a reduction from Thunderbolt to HDMI from Apple or another manufacturer and an HDMI to HDMI cable will be connected to it :)
ce to 1333 MHz from the original 1066 Hz. The one - mistake?
Sure, fixed :-)
Well, I'm quite disappointed, I want a better resolution and ATI at 13' and unfortunately I didn't get it, I also hate the ssd boot.. So I'll wait another year..
I still have a two-year-old MBP 15" and I'm thinking about upgrading, but I don't want the 15 to be too heavy and big. I have a question: how much more powerful is the 13, if it even exists and when will it arrive in the Czech Republic?
Thank you
We are investigating sales in the Czech Republic. In any case, it should definitely be more powerful, if only because of Sandy Bridge, which is completely different compared to the old Core.
YOU NEED TO WAIT FOR FACETIME, JUST LIKE THE NEW MBP
(I know that no one will want to read a long post)
I think that Facetime will be on sale for free on some American holiday, so there is no need to rush to download it. As for the new MBP board, there has definitely been an acceleration. Is it worth replacing your old machine with a new one? LightPeak will probably be even less useful than the minidisplay port, so Apple made a very good move by combining these two "holes". The usability of this port will be slightly increased. The HD camera is certainly a great feature, but video calls are not what people buy MBPs for. I doubt that anyone has a video conference scheduled for every week, and that people will be happy if you set up their connection with your new 720p broadcast. Increasing the hard disk is always welcome, because almost everyone currently stores data in an external solution. There is always less space, and with an increase of half a terabyte in our cabinets, the notebook line will certainly not disappear.
On the other hand, processors and graphics cards in higher models cost more. It will surely please even the most demanding.
Basically, I expected a bigger boom in the form of an increase in operating memory (even if the frequency is also pleasing) and especially ssd disks.
I just summarized it and don't want to throw new products down. I believe that I will bring even more comfort and quality to work, but the upgrade for ordinary people, who are not such big fanatics of all Apple products, is not worth it in my opinion. I don't want to compensate for the lack of financial resources. I just wrote what was on my mind while reading this article.
Thanks for the interesting opinion. I also hesitated for a while about upgrading, although I have a MacBook Pro 13″ from 2010, but I was very tempted by a processor from the Sandy Bridge family. But the way I see it, I will probably also wait for the next generation, which will hopefully come with a bootable SSD disk, especially when LightPeak/Thunderbolt will be a more experienced technology with many times more support than it is today.
The new MacBook Pros are especially great for new users or owners of older machines, who can thus justify their investment from CZK 27 (the lowest price for which a MacBook Pro 000″ can be found in the Czech Republic) much better, mainly thanks to the Sandy Bridge processors.
you're right, it's too long for me to read, but it's probably going to be some kind of nonsense, so I'll disagree with you as a precaution :)
Muchal - thanks for agreeing and for reading it
Snopek - thanks for the unsettled disagreement
I am thinking about a new MacBook, I used the Win platform until now, I was very interested in the new MacBook Pros, especially the quad-core i7, I think that having such a processor in a laptop must be a luxury and a full replacement for a desktop, which is my main requirement. I'll wait to see how things work out financially in the Czech Republic and maybe I'll buy something this year :-)
After the launch of the 13″ Air with a resolution of 1440×900, I couldn’t wait for the new generation of 13″ Macbook Pro. When I saw the final configuration, I have to say that it was a huge disappointment - I really don't understand this step, after all, even the 11ka Air has a higher resolution. I was really looking forward to it, but let Apple shove this somewhere, I'm really screwed. :-(
Full agreement. I wanted to upgrade my MBP 15 to 13 but no luck with this.
For me, the resolution of 13k is also disappointing, I also expected it to be like Air. Because I'm only thinking about the 13 size (the 15 size is too big for me, I want a little more mobility), so I'm sorry. Unfortunately, the performance of the 13 Air is not too much for me :(
lenny - we are exactly the same. The Air is underpowered and I don't want anything bigger than 13, so I have no choice but to wait for the next generation :-(
From what do you conclude that the 13″ AIR with 4GB of memory will be worse than the new 13? I mean the SSD, it gives a lot. I'm at the exact same decision, I was waiting for the release of the 13″ MBP, but I don't like this resolution at all... and Thunderbird can't be mined there yet. year to use.
Marys: well, it's more about the processor, for working with Aperture and large photos, in my opinion, the weaker processor is not exactly a hit.
Marys - although I primarily process my photos on a classic computer, when I'm traveling or when I'm taking photos for someone, I need Lightroom to work properly (if only for tethering), unfortunately Air is weak for that. For the same reason, the 1280×800 resolution bothers me, the 1440×900 would be about something else entirely. I don't understand why they don't offer a better display at least as an option.
I think this upgrade is adequate. in my opinion, with an SSD, I wait on purpose. I will explain. This upgrade is probably the last for this generation of MBpro. The next generation will probably "zair", i.e. release the optical drive. Of course, Apple needs a reason for media marketing, similar to AIRi, i.e. to suppress the fear of faulty mechanics with some other "bonus" news. In this case, I expect flash memory to be integrated on the motherboard rather than an SSD disk (to save space).
So, with this upgrade, apple followed the following: the need for an upgrade, therefore an increase in performance, but rather "classically" through new disks, etc. In this regard, I was rather surprised that the higher boards did not receive the standard 8 GB of RAM. But maybe it's part of the strategy "how to sell MBpro without optics" and I need the next generation to be a fundamental leap. That's why I was surprised by the inclusion of Thunderbolt. Perhaps the issue here is that it is a really fundamental technology and it is necessary to prepare both the user base and the peripheral market for it. Enforcement will be much more difficult than accepting the absence of an optical disc. One "trial" port may indicate that Apple is planning to deploy this technology more massively, i.e. replacing Ethernet and Firewire and limiting USB, which in itself would be quite a leap.
So, in my opinion, everything indicates that the next generation of MBpro will be "bombastic". looking forward :)
Hello, could someone please explain to me more precisely how to replace the DVD drive with an SSD drive? thanks a lot
You need to buy a 2,5" SSD disk and a special frame that fits exactly into the space where the drive was. A good guide was written by Petr Mára: http://petrmara.posterous.com/dva-disky-sdd-and-hdd-v-macbooku-pro
Hello,
for a new user, can you think about buying MB pro 13 2010 version? Or is it 100% better to pay the extra 4 for the latest version?
Díky
Good day,
I want to ask if anyone has experience with a US keyboard on an mbp, and to what extent is it possible to tell the difference (advantages/disadvantages) compared to a cz keyboard during normal work,
thanks for the info
If you can't type perfectly with all ten fingers, you will have problems. Here in the picture you can see a direct comparison of us and cz keyboards: http://cl.ly/1s153U0s2W2t0h231d2A