Apple Updates MacBook and MacBook Pro

Today Apple announced refreshes to both the MacBook and MacBook Pro line, instead of the complete redesign that many online sites were hoping or hinting at. The key item of both notebook updates is the inclusion of the latest Intel Penryn processors.

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MacBook Pro changes:

• Intel Penryn Processors, base speed of 2.4GHz up from 2.2GHz
• Bump from 128MB to 256MB video memory on baseline MacBook Pro, and 256MB to 512MB on upper models
• Multitouch touchpad enabled on all MacBook Pro models
• Larger base hard drive configurations
• Apple Remote now optional, $19 extra

MacBook changes:

• Intel Penryn Processors, base speed of 2.1GHz up from 2.0GHz
• Lager base hard drive configurations
• Apple Remote now optional, $19 extra

Most of these updates were expected now that many other manufacturers have included Penryn processors in their notebooks, but I didn't expect Apple to take away the Apple Remote and make it a $19 option on both notebooks.

Check out our full review of the MacBook Pro with 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 processor. Although our review unit didn't have a Penryn processor, our experience is that this won't make a significant difference in performance ... regardless of what Apple would like you to believe.

 

I have never thought I'd say this but...I want one... now 256mb Vram, and with educational discounts in HK, The based model MBP now looks like a bargain...

 

Isn't that the T7700? I thought the T7500 was 2.2GHz?

 

^me tooo....

 

Corrected, had 2.4 on the brain from the new lineup.

 

Woot! Now I just need to convince apple to replacement my defective MBP with this new box of awesomeness.

 

well they cut the 4gb upgrade price in half but it is still expensive.

 

Anyone else notice the 8600m GT with 512 MB of GDDR3?

I didn't know there were any 8600m GT with 512 GDDR3, I guess Apple must have seduced a custom design out of Nvidia. I assume the extra memory space comes from the decrease in space when using a Penryn chip? Thoughts?

 

Wait a few months, and Apple will have Certified Refurbished stock for even lower. You can't tell their Certified stuff from new, and the warranty is the same.

 

Well I am not buying until july-august hehe new stuff by then.

 

Just a note --the previous model MacBook Pro 15" (certified refurbished) just went down in price due to the new models coming out. It was $1699 --at the moment, it's $1449.

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nplm=FA895LL/A

Still too rich for my blood compared with the other machines I'd look at (Latitude D630/830, Lenovo ThinkPad T61/T61p) but about the best price you're going to get on a warranteed Macbook Pro.

 

Well of course that depends where you are buying you computers from, I live in HK, but study in the UK. In Hong Kong all business models are very expensive, a similarly configured T61p will definitely be more expensive than a MBP. I'd love to have a HP8510p...but thats too expensive in HK.

In fact with educational prices from apple HK, the base MBP will probably be about the same as a XPS m1530.

 

Wow you must get some great educational discounted in Hong Kong, here it's $200 USD off of the base MBP

 

Na, the discount is about the same, it is just that all other brands are more expensive, whilst apple's prices are pretty consistent with US and Canadian prices.

 

Really? Wow. I admit I used a few coupon codes, but I bought direct from Lenovo, and paid less than $1100USD for a full-featured T61, with a T8300 processor.

Educationally (which I can get, since I'm an employee) it would cost me $1799USD for a new Macbook Pro. A base-model Macbook (no Superdrive) would be $999USD; the SuperDrive model would be $1199. The Macbook has too many compromises for me, and the Pro is still a little pricey even at the refurb-ed price of $1449.

 

Ironic isn't it? the T61/p is probably made no more than 1000 miles from HK, and it cost 2x times more...-.-''

 

Wonder if it has anything to do with current exchange rates, too.

 

You guys have an awesome skyline, so quit complaining.

Hopefully Apple will do a redesign this summer. I'm not going to buy a Macbook with an old exterior, I want something fresh.

 

I only reason I would pick a MBP would be because of the price, if I can get something with a decent build quality and great specs, why settle for less for the same price?

Even though I don't really like OSX, and have been a windows user all my life, I would give it a second go. Maybe because its mine then I would put a bit more effort into it lol! Also WXGA+ screen is exactly what I want...that being LED is a bonus.




EDIT: hehe meh_cd, not complaining Hopefully there would be a redesign but I'll be happy with the current MBP!

 

Also noteworthy. In Australia, the price for the MacBook has dropped $100. From $1599 to $1499.

 

The 2.4GHz refreshed model is the 45nm Penryn T8300 and the 2.5GHz and 2.6GHz are T9300 and T9500 respectively.

 

Switch?

WRT the updates, I think they're pretty stellar. Not as much as people were expecting...but when is it not like that?

 

I'll still have windows on it, for some good old gaming and work and what not. Unless... steam decides to become OSX compatible...then...

 

Cool in Canada the base model is now 2099.99 ($100 drop)! But that is still insanely expensive in my opinion...anyways is the new 512 8600m GT confirmed with GDDR3 memory?

 

512 MB... 8600M GT... GDDR3?

Confirmed?

 

Does thinkpad have an option of LED Backlight. Then I would prefer T61 over Macbook pro.

 

http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/performance.html

That's what it says under the "Image is everything" section on that page.

 

We've had some hefty price cuts in Singapore.

For example, the base MBP has gone down from S$3452 to S$3088..
I can't recall the exact price of the mid-level MBP, but that means a similarly specced machine has dropped from ~4,300 to 3,088... pretty dramatic.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i just bought one!! and THIS IS A quite MAJOR UPDATE... GRRRR!!!

 

So the 2.2ghz Refurbs dropped by another $200 bucks or so in the US apple store. This leaves a black book 2.2, 1gb ram, 160hd at $1049 vs the new white 2.4, 2gb ram, 120hd at $1299

Is this chip update on the macbook worth the $ vs a refurb 2.2? How much difference is it going to make. Internal graphics, fsb etc are not changing. Seems like grabbing the black refurb and bumping the memory myself would yield savings. I'm not really wanting to wait for the new chips to end up on refurb.

 

There is an xx-day return policy (I think it's something like 15-30 days, but you'll have to check) from purchase in which you have the chance to return yours and repurchase. You may wish to check with Apple.com or your nearest Apple Store for specifics.

 

i reconfigure the same options and it is just 150 cheaper now then it was then.

 

I bought a black refurb, and have memory on the way. Upgrading the RAM isn't a problem, and from what I read the 200Mhz shift isn't extending the battery very much, nor is the 200mhz increase terribly noticeable for most day-to-day work.