Apple today unveiled an all new 15-inch MacBook Pro featuring a stunning Retina display, all flash storage and quad-core processors in a radically thin and light design. Measuring a mere 0.71 inches and weighing only 4.46 pounds, the completely redesigned MacBook Pro sets a new standard in performance and portability for pro users.
“The MacBook Pro with Retina display pushes the limits of performance and portability like no other notebook,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, in the press release. “With a gorgeous Retina display, all flash architecture and a radically thin and light design, the new MacBook Pro is the most advanced Mac we have ever built.”
The new MacBook Pro Retina display is the world’s highest resolution notebook display with over 5 million pixels, 3 million more than an HD television. At 220 pixels-per-inch, the Retina display’s pixel density is so high the human eye cannot distinguish individual pixels from a normal viewing distance, so text and graphics look incredibly sharp. The Retina display uses IPS technology for a 178-degree wide viewing angle, and has 75 percent less reflection and 29 percent higher contrast than the previous generation.
Featuring a precision engineered aluminum unibody design and an all flash storage architecture, the all new MacBook Pro is the lightest MacBook Pro ever and nearly as thin as a MacBook Air. Flash storage that is up to four times faster than traditional notebook hard drives enables the all new MacBook Pro to play four simultaneous streams of uncompressed 1080p HD video from internal storage.* The flash storage architecture also delivers improved reliability, instant-on responsiveness and 30 days of standby time.
The MacBook Pro with Retina display features the latest Intel Core i7 quad-core processors up to 2.7 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.7 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M discrete graphics, up to 16GB of faster 1600 MHz RAM and flash storage up to 768GB. Two Thunderbolt and two USB 3.0 ports allow pro users to connect to multiple displays and high performance devices, and a new HDMI port offers quick connectivity to HDTVs.
The MacBook Pro battery delivers up to 7 hours of wireless productivity, and uses advanced chemistry and Adaptive Charging technology to provide up to 1,000 recharges.** The MacBook Pro also features a FaceTime HD camera, glass Multi-Touch trackpad, full-size backlit keyboard, dual microphones, enhanced speakers, 3-stream 802.11n Wi-Fi and a thinner MagSafe 2 power port.
OS X Lion, iPhoto, iMovie, iTunes and other Apple apps including Aperture and Final Cut Pro X have been updated to take full advantage of the new MacBook Pro with Retina display. The updated Aperture 3.3 also includes revolutionary new image adjustment features and now supports a unified photo library so photographers can move seamlessly between iPhoto and Aperture.
The all new MacBook Pro ships with OS X Lion. Starting today, customers who purchase a Mac are eligible for a free copy of OS X Mountain Lion when it becomes available. Mountain Lion introduces innovative features including the all new Messages app, Notification Center, system-wide Sharing, AirPlay Mirroring, Game Center and the enhanced security of Gatekeeper. With iCloud® built into the foundation of OS X, Mountain Lion makes it easier than ever to keep your content up to date across all your devices.
Pricing & Availability
The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is available through the Apple Online Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The 15-inch MacBook Pro is available with a 2.3 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz, 8GB of memory and 256GB of flash storage starting at $2,199 (US); and with a 2.6 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz, 8GB of memory and 512GB of flash storage starting at $2,799 (US). Configure-to-order options include faster quad-core processors up to 2.7 GHz, up to 16GB of memory and flash storage up to 768GB.
Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at apple.com/macbook-pro.
*Testing conducted by Apple in June 2012 using preproduction MacBook Pro configurations. For more information visit apple.com/macbook-pro/features/.
**The Wireless Web protocol testing was conducted by Apple in June 2012 using preproduction MacBook Pro configurations. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings. For more information visit apple.com/macbook-pro/features/.
Source: Apple Inc.
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Apple on their new MacBook Pro laptops:
“It’s without doubt the very best computer that we’ve ever built.”
“It’s the most advanced Mac we have ever built.”
Has Apple unofficially announced the end of the Desktop Mac? The new MacBook Pro laptops with their solid state drives, high end Retina display, powerful cpu and graphics processor, FaceTime camera and the latest connectivity could seal the end of the desktop Mac. Apple did away with the floppy drive, hard drive, begun removing the optical drive and in affect has removed the big box from the desktop.
Not gonna happen.
We just witnessed the death of the desktop.
If you’d use an SSD you’ll never go back.
The slowest component by far is the hard drive.
Nonsense. The rise of iPad as the user’s primary mobile computer makes iMac, with it’s larger display and higher performance specs (for a lower price than MacBook Pro), a MORE attractive choice going forward.
And you can get an iMac with an SSD (or an SSD + hard drive), so that’s a NON-factor.
SSDs are obviously faster, but if you need TBs of storage, as many Pro users do, then you need some standard HDs.
There is some question as to whether today’s minor processor bump on the Mac Pros indicates that they are going away, but as Ken points out, the iMac is still a more economical option.
I guess the “pros” who get this MacBook (who need a lot of storage) will carry around a small external hard drive in their pocket. Hopefully, there will be choices that connect through Thunderbolt.
Also, it doesn’t have an Ethernet port. You use a Thunderbolt-to-Ethernet adapter. The same for FireWire; no port but there is a Thunderbolt-FireWire adapter. Good thing it has TWO Thunderbolt ports.
There are still many reasons for having a Mac Pro. As others wisely noted, if you need multiple terabytes or even petabytes of disk storage, hard disks are still quite viable. That said, you can opt to put one or more SSD sleds into the Mac Pro in the available drive bays. In addition, users needing a lot of RAM will appreciate the Mac Pro, and its faster bus, along with multiple 12-core processors put this at an entirely different level from a MacBook Pro.
Please don’t get me wrong: the MacBook Pro makes me drool. But for someone doing pro-level video editing, video compositing, heavy duty Photoshop work (and the best tip I can give is to have a dedicated scratch disk exclusively for large Photoshop files, and for no other use), gene sequencing, heavy data mart crunching or working with big data, nothing beats the sheer horsepower of a Mac Pro tower. Also, if you need one or more heavy-duty video cards, the tower will be your appropriate choice.
The audience for a tower has shrunken over time, and MacBook Pros and even the iPad are capable of things we only dreamed about a few years ago. But there are times when a monster machine is the right tool for the job. And this is it.
PS For those of you who wanted the faster Ivy Bridge processors, my sources tell me that they aren’t really ready yet. Apple had to make a tough decision and error on the side of caution and go with a more conservative Intel processor type for now. Watch for another big speed bump in a few months.
Well, at least those of us who have the current model MacBook Pro with its maxed out 750GB HDD can rest assured that we won’t be forced into a SSD capped at 512GB. 🙂 Still, given that they have a refreshed current model MBP that still has the HDD option (given that I didn’t watch the stream live and the online store is still down, I’m assuming that the refresh of the current MBP still has the HDD option) I think I would go with that just to be economical about it. After all, I don’t need the optical drive, but at the same time, I really don’t need the retina display either. And to be honest, I think I would have preferred they keep the same size, ditch the optical drive, and give us more internal specs, such as storage space or RAM.
Okay, I just saw the Apple website, even though the store site is down, and what makes me happy is that on the refreshed MBP, you can get an HDD with 1TB. That makes me happy. 😀
Go look at the specs on the new Retinal display MBP.
The which offers flash storage up to 768GB.
So I guess you’re ecstatic now, right?
Quite. Up to 1TB HDD on the refreshed MBP line, or 768GB on the new retina display line, this is a good thing. 🙂
Although like I said, while I personally don’t need an internal DVD drive, I also don’t really need a retina display, so the only thing that would pull me towards the new MBP is the fact that I can get 16GB RAM on it. Other than that, I might as well just save the money and get a refreshed version of what I’ve got now with the 1TB HDD.
Then again, I’m a couple years out from replacing my current MBP anyway, so maybe they’ll upgrade things further by then. 🙂
You can get 16GB on late model MBPs ( at least as far back as early 2011 models) from OWC. I think it costs about $160.
I can live with 250GB though would much prefer 500 but it ain’t worth $600 more.
With the SD card I could put movies on that for traveling. Unclear how well it plays but would save space on the drive.
2.2K is a bit steep but the alternative is $400 less without the improved display.
It will be a winner and I think I will get one 🙂
I think the fact that no Mac Pro was shown only indicates that there will be no new form factor. New processors, thunderbolt, SSD, and GPU options could still come with less fanfare. Keeping my fingers crossed. The only thing that keeps the new MB Pro from being an adequate pro desktop is the absence of PCI breakout box for using GPU of choice for big monitors. Anyone know of a device of this sort. I know Matrox makes something like this, but I’m thinking it is for their proprietary systems; not sure.
And looking at the online store now shows update Mac Pros.
Store still down ATM, no DVD drive correct?
(my niece is about to buy a MBP, if no DVD she’s getting an old one, she doesn’t want an external drive)
Engadget quoted Tim Cook saying “Yes, there is a DVD drive”, but MacWorld’s report on the new MBP says no DVD. There was no mention of the 13″ MBP in the presentation (as reported by Engadget).
The Apple store is down, but the rest of the website is up. The refreshed MBP still has the DVD drive inside, but the new MBP does not.
ahhh..
There looks to be a MBP with retina display… Ssd and no DVD.
There is still the MBP in the old/current design with DVD still.
So two options when you want a MBP now, with and without the SuperDrive.
And the MBA also.
That could get confusing..
Yes, there is a DVD drive. See apple dot com/macbook-pro/features/13-and-15-inch/
It’s in the photo.
Where is a new MacPro and new iWork? Sure I will buy the New MacBook Pro. But we pro users do need a MacPro 2012.
Correction: silently updated MacPro. Faster processor, little more RAM. But no Thunderbolt. No USB 3. Same old graphics. If that’s really true it’s really stupid. Don’t treat your pro customers this way. Most frustrating Apple day since Steve passed away.
The Apple strore lists the Mac Pro as “NEW.” Does anyone see what has changed?
They took away the RAID card for one. Soooo stupid…
Apple took the 2010 MP, added the 2010 step-up 3.2 processor option and the 2010 step-up RAM option ( 3 to 6) and called it new. Everything is still original 2010 spec.
Well the U.S. and Australian stores are back online – no sign of any 17″ MacBook Pro in the store! Looks like they’ve killed it off. Bugger!
does anyone know if the backplate is non-removeable like the MBA?
This to me better suits to be a MacBook Air on steroids. One for the reason that you can’t upgrade the Memory by the looks of the internals & the SSD. So if you buy a the base model with 256 MB / 8 GB Ram & later deem that it’s not enough, you’re left with little option. Unlike the older design you were free to upgrade the Hard Drive, Ram if you wished
No 17″ MBP! Stupid idea.
Not a good day for Apple Inc. Too much going on with Microsoft and 600 million Win7 users about to embark on Windows 8 (not to mention the other estimated 400 million Vista, XP users). Apple needed to go hard after Windows 8 and frankly price point sensitivity as their prices are simply way out of line when compared to an equally matched PC the likes of as an example the HP Envy or Dell XPS.
I can safely say that I will stay the course with my late 2011 MBA as it or is out just fine with 4 gigs of ram and a 256G SSD and parallel Windows 8.
Apple just kneecapped the poseur competition.
I want a 17″ MBP without Retina Display yet with all the other latest glitz.
Me too. This SUCKS!
Good Luck copying the New MBP with Retina Display wannabe PC manufacturers
Man…MB17 gone? I’ve been using a MB17 for years, no way I can go back to a 15. I’ll guess the one I have now will hang in for years to come. Screen size is far more important than speed for me. True it is a sob to carry but so are the iMac which would be my only option.
Can the rumor really be true?
Sux?? what are you people smoking? This is the one Ive been waiting for! 16gb ram, 512 SSD, Ivy bridge, retina display, thinner, lighter + apple integrated 27 monitor…and its all on the way!!! 7-10 business days (plus standard shipping) will seem like an eternity…
BTW rather than getting the apple superdrive, I’m getting the blu ray 4 in 1 drive (FW 800) from OWC for 99$
It does suck, for long term use.
Try and upgrade the RAM after you buy it. Apparently the ram is SOLDERED on to the motherboard.
Now, my next rant. As a photographer I may want to give a client a DVD with images on it, yes I can use a separate burner but that is not as convenient as the laptop having a built in burner.
Or how about a 17″ display to show the images to my clients while on location.
Come on Apple, we all don’t just want to play games on the Macs.
Retiring my 17″ MBP for a new 15″ will be like driving a Mini Cooper with 12 circus clowns. I would rather have the real estate than the retina display.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC665LL/A
Buy a refurbished 17″ MBP
This might work for some people, but I suspect the people for whom a 17″ display really is necessary are going to want a new 17″ computer eventually. I’ll admit, since I don’t do much with graphics, this is not something I can speak to intelligently, so I’ll rely on those that do to comment. At the same time, though, I don’t know if people who need to be able to display large images and do so portably could use one of the new pico projectors as a workaround.
Maybe once Apple gets enough customer feedback, they may re-release a 17″ MBP with a retina display. Kind of like I’m sure customer feedback is the reason why we have refreshed MBPs with 1TB HDDs and that the new MBPs can go up to 768GB SSDs.
Nice Laptop for the High School Studenst!