Everything you need to know about the new MacBook Pro line

Last week at WWDC Apple renewed the whole line of MacBook Pro notebook computers. Now all aluminum unibody MacBooks are considered a MacBook Pro. With price ranging from $1,199 for 13-inch to $1,699 for 15-inch and finally up to $2,499 on the 17-inch model. These models are now available and I was told that itechia will have them in Saudi Arabia within a week.

new-macbook-pro-line

Battery

The batteries on all the MacBook Pro models are now non-user-replaceable just like the 17-inch models. Supporting up to 7 hours for 13-inch, 7 hours for 15-inch, 6 hours for 15-inch with 9600M GT video card enabled, 8 hours for 17-inch and 7 hours for 17-inch with 9600M GT video card!

AnandTech, a well-known PC enthusiast website analyzed the MacBook Pro battery and the results were impressive:

Six and a half hours, out of a 5.5 lbs notebook. For comparison, the older MacBook Pro could only manage 3 hours and 17 minutes in the same test. The new notebook lasted almost twice as long. Mathematically, this doesn’t make sense. There’s only a 46% increase in battery capacity, there shouldn’t be a ~100% increase in battery life…ever.

SATA

MacRumors has discovered that the some of the new MacBook Pro machines are using the slower SATA 1 (1.5Gbit speed) unlike the previous unibody models which had SATA 2 (3Gbit speed). These will effect Solid State Drives (SSD) and not regular hard drives though.

CPU

The new MacBook Pros are equiped with Intel’s Core 2 Duo processors with 1066MHz frontside bus. The CPU models are: P8400 at 2.26GHz, P8700 at 2.53GHz, P8800 2.66GHz with 3MB L2 cache and T9600 2.8GHz, T9900 3.06GHz with 6MB L2 cache.

DDR3

The machines support 1066MHz DDR3 up to 8GB which is more than enough. The 8GB upgrade will cost $1,000 from Apple and OWC announced that they are selling 8GB DDR3 1066MHz memory upgrades for $640.

FireWire 800

FireWire returns to the 13-inch MacBook Pro. Apple has removed the FireWire port in the unibody MacBooks and now FireWire 800 (800 mbps) is in all models of the MacBook Pro.

More information

iFixit teared down the 13-inch MacBook Pro and took a look at the components.

TQB took unboxing pictures of a 13-inch MacBook Pro.

New Macbook Pros can boot from SD card.

New 13″ MacBook Pro drops digital audio input for FireWire and SD.

Apple has cut the prices of older MacBooks and MacBook Pros

Reviews and Benchmarks

PC Magazine reviewed the 13-inch MacBook Pro and gave it an Editor’s Choice award as well as “Greentech Approved”. They also reviewed the 15-inch MacBook Pro and gave it 4 stars (to be honest I didn’t like their reasons for not liking it, ExpressCard is used by a minor percent of people).

Macworld updated their benchmark results with the new MacBook Pro numbers.




Related posts:

  1. New 17″ MacBook Pro
  2. Macbook and Macbook Pro clearance sales
  3. MacBook battery update 1.4
  4. The New MacBook
  5. Boot from MacBook Pro SD card slot

29 Comments

  1. Abdullah N

    nice collection….
    but .. when we can see it here .. in saudia arabia stores??

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    • I was told by itechia that they will have it next week…

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    • Ian

      Hi, i have only recently came to KSA, i want to buy a MB Pro, i have looked at some of the sites mentioned here, my concerns thus far are as follows, how would i know what model i am buying ( I am not a mac user at this stage) so i wont know one model from another based on features etc. what is good value for money in the 15″ pro range, i have looked at the spec on the Apple site, i see some people buy direct from Apple, is that advisable ? if so what is the import tax and does apple pay the shipping i see they say free shipping on their site but does it include to here, Thanks for a Great site, Keep On Maccing :) Sorry could not resist that

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    • unfortunately the online Apple store won’t ship to Saudi Arabia :(
      I suggest checking out http://www.itechia.com/ or http://www.adamsa.com

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  2. Abdullah N

    any news about the new macbook pro …
    is it arrived yet??

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    • Sameer

      I visited itechia but they have not received the new ones yet. I was told the price would be same as the existing ones!!! Surprised although apple have reduced their price considerably. Anyone here gets discount from Itechia? We can visit and buy together. I am willing to buy the 15″ macbook pro either 2.53 or 2.66 on the day of its arrival.

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    • I would assume the old $2000 will be replaced with the new $2000 model and so on.

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    • 10,000? That’s too much for the $1999 model.
      Usually the $1999 would be sold for 9000sr.
      Did you call them or actually gone there?

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  3. Abdullah N

    did you ask them about 13″ new macbook pro sameer ?

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  4. sameer

    i got a call from itechia saying that the 2.53ghz mbp has arrived and the price has tagged at sr. 7999/-. i am going to buy it tomorrow!!!

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  5. Sameer

    UPDATE : just visited itechia now (28/june) at 10.30am and they only have 13inch mbp at 6999sr. they dont know when they will receive the 15-inch mbp. the price for 2.52 13-inch is $1499 x 3.75 = 5621sr in usa. so itechia is charging extra 2377sr. dont know whether its worth or not.

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  6. Sameer

    global store is selling 13inch macbook pro at 7500sr.

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  7. Sameer

    Sorry, I did mistake. itechia is selling 13-inch macbook pro (inbuilt battery) at 7999sr while global store is selling 13-inch macbook pro (inbuilt battery) for 7500sr. none of the stores have 15-inch mbp (inbuilt battery) which i am looking for.

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  8. They reduced the 13″ Mbp from 7999 to 7449…

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    • Sameer

      the price for 2.8ghz at apple store is $2299 x 3.75 = sr. 8621. so istyle selling at sr 9800 is very reasonable. so i grabbed it immediately. its really super fast.

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  9. njouba

    Any idea how much the latest 15″ MBP would cost in Dubai.
    I am new to all this so the more clear info the better.
    Thanks

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  10. Sameer

    The approx. price given to me by itechia salesman was Sr. 10,000/- for 2.66ghz. I believe the extra of Sr. 2500/- is really big, what do you think?

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  11. Sameer

    I visited them at Tahlia street on 23/June to buy Two Mirror Screen Protectors for iphone 3g, which they are selling at 199Sr. Same time, I asked the salesman for the price of the new macbook pro 2.66 and he said, around 10,000sr. I understand that they are selling at the price from US plus Sr. 1500/- which is reasonable. I wish they keep this level of price for the new line of MBPs too. If so, the price for 2.53ghz, 15″ should be – $1700 x 3.75 + 1500 = 7875Sr. Since you will get pre-information from them, please do let comment.

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