macbook pro refresh likely soon?

Hi, I'm looking into making the change to Mac, specifically to a MacBook Pro.

The line has been out for over a year and not refreshed since October.

Anyone heard anything about an update to this range an what it might include?

Thanks

H.

 

i hope so

 

Looks like Q2.

LED screens.
Santa Rosa (Core 2 Duo chips, 800MHz FSB, some sort of flash Ram integration)
Probably new case design

I just bought a MBP about 3 weeks ago. I thought it better to get a known solid machine than to be Apple's Test Mule on a Rev. A. machine that is only going to have marginal improvements. LED screens are the future, I just don't want the first ones out of the lab.

 

I wouldn't really call the upcoming refresh "Rev. A", just because it's a new chipset. It would still be an evolution, revision-wise, from the current MacBook Pro line, so the standard rule I don't think of "first version hardware" wouldn't really apply.

-Zadillo

 

Probably it will get a santa rosa update, but probably not a design change, for a while.

 

Although some might scream for a new design, I'd ask why? The MBP and even the MB are the sweetest looking cases out there!
Of course, I'm merely stating a totally and completely unbiased opinion....

 

About a design change; this is something I wouldn't be so sure about. Of course with Apple's standard product secrecy, we won't know until the product is unveiled..... but there are reasons to think a more significant design change could be due.

Essentially, the current MacBook Pro is still using the same fundamental design that has been used for a number of years now; and outside of some cosmetic changes, it's still the same fundamental design concept as the original PowerBook G4 launched in 2001 (some cosmetic changes to be sure, and it's now smoother and doesn't have the white bumpers of the original, but it's still the same basic 1" metallic case design concept).

By almost any standard, the MacBook Pro case design can be seen as sort of "long in the tooth". It's not to say it's a bad design, and I'd tend to agree with others who say it doesn't need any major revamps.

But having said that, it would not surprise me at all to see the first significant new portable case design from Apple in a while.

Going back to last year, during the Intel switch, Apple explained that they actually specifically avoided any major case redesigns, even though they were seemingly warranted across the product line.

Their motivation for this was to help in making the Intel switch as smooth as possible; part of this was emphasizing the idea that even though the CPU was changing, these machines were still Macs. An important element of this plan was to keep the external appearance of the Intel-based updates practically identical to the previous PowerPC models.

So this is really why these designs weren't radically altered (exempting the MacBook, which was a more significant update on the previous iBook design, although still the same core design concept).

It's definitely possible the updated MBP's won't see a significant redesign, although some people are definitely at least hoping for smaller things like the magnetic latch and user-replaceable hard drive from the MacBook line, and of course the LEDs.

Some people have suggested that the overall design might not change, but they might change the case material (perhaps finally adopting carbon fibre or something and having a darker MBP than the current Aluminum models).

 

so no-ones heard anything in the pipeline apart from santa rosa? I am guessing this would make no noticeably difference for intensive photoediting, which is what I am interested in doing

 

Well, the faster CPU's should definitely help in some editing tasks, photoshop filters, etc.

I would argue that the LED-backlit screens would make a pretty big difference too in terms of color reproduction, etc.

 

thanks.

from what I gather we're talking months rather than weeks for the LED screens yes?

Do you know what the clock speeds of the new CPUs are anticipated to be or if these are likely to be weeks or months away?

 

I believe the CPU's will remain wit the same clock speeds, but a faster FSB. The next big jump in CPU is not until late this year, early next. As for when the next revision will hit, who knows. The earliest is probably mid June, but that is just a guess.

 

I've read that the Santa Rosa chips run hotter than the current Nappa chips. Is this true?

 

I'm not sure why it would be; the Santa Rosa platform still uses the Merom chips that Napa does (I think there are some updated Merom chips, but they're still basically the same).

 

either way, the current line and the upcoming santa rosa line will have minimal differences in terms of what they are capable of.

i love my current macbook pro. its my first mac computer and coming from toshibas, dells, hps, the design is such an eye pleaser for me, and it will be for a while. the only thing i dislike is the sound it makes when i insert a cd.

 

True, although if the upcoming MBP's feature X2600's (or GeForce 8600's for that matter), that would be a more significant boost for people who dual-boot and play games, especially.

 

i highly doubt they would put something like that in there...but would they?

 

I don't see why not; they use the X1600 because at the time it was the most powerful GPU available that would work in the 15" form factor.

It would make sense that they would replace it with the equivalent next generation mobile GPU, which would be something like the X2600 or GeForce Go 8600.

 

i see, that would be a pretty sweet machine then

 

If the chipset changes, the screens change and the case design changes, I'd say that's a Rev. A.

I think the case will change because, essentially, these are the Leopard laptops, although Leopard has been delayed.

Will the new chipset run hotter?
Will the new case have some sort of issue?
Will the LED screens work right and last long?

They might, and the next MBPs might be the best MacBooks ever, but, the current lineup and its issues are a known quantity.

I'd say they are months away.

Apple has to announce, then ship, then you actually get your hands on it. That cycle is definitely not weeks away from completion.

 

If they did anything like added the new chipset (Santa Rosa) or the X2600, I would get the 3 year warranty, so I could just bring it in or send it in whenever I needed to. I don't mind a few minor inconveniences if I got that GPU (which I doubt will happen any time soon.). I hope they do what they usually do and do something totally unexpected... Like unveil a Santa Rosa MBP with the X2600 in June . That would be great, although unlikely.

It only stinks that I just bought one...