Finally, finally. Apple finally released MacBook Pros with Intel’s latest chips while updating nearly everything else, too. The just announced MBPs forgo the Core 2 Duo CPUs in favor of the faster and more efficient Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs — except for the 13-inch line. The 15-inch now rocks a i5 or i7 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and switchable graphics between an Intel HD Graphics GPU and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M with 256MB of RAM. The 17-inch’s spec bumps are similar but instead gets graced with the Core i5 standard with the Core i7 fetching $200 more. It also got the new GPU options but with 512MB of memory on the GeForce GT 330M along with a 500GB hard drive. → Read More
Nicholas just voiced a valid question in the always-entertaining but private CrunchGear chatroom, “Why would I pay $1,500 for a Core 2 Duo in 2010?” He then answered it by saying, “I wouldn’t.” Well said, sir. Apple’s current crop of notebooks are a slap in the face to its customers, but maybe Apple will finally catch up to HP, Dell, Acer, Gateway, Lenovo, Alienware, Asus, MSI, Sony, and Toshiba next week if this rumor pans out. → Read More
In case you haven’t noticed, the MacBook Pro line is starting to get a little stale with just a lowly Core 2 Duo CPU. Even the Mac Pro with it’s Quad-Core Xeon isn’t the fastest kid in town anymore with the six-core Core i7-980X making the rounds. Hopefully all this fuss concerning a supposed leak of new Mac pricing that’s a bit higher than the current MSRPs foreshadows updates coming in the near future. → Read More
Got a MacBook Pro or iMac that needs a little customizing? Head over to this Etsy store for a bunch of lid and chin graphics. We’ve seen a few of these over the years, but there are a bunch that are at least brand new to me, including a Goatse decal that’s not library appropriate and a Scarface-themed decal that will make all your bros jealous. → Read More
Okay, so Apple just updated the Mac Mini, iMac, and totally redesigned the white MacBook. But what about the MacBook Pros? PC manufacturers are already stuffing Intel Core i7 and i5 CPUs into their flagship notebooks, but the MacBook Pros are still rocking Core 2 Duos. That might change soon according to the OS X 10.6.2 update. → Read More
Yet another possible glitch affecting the MacBook Pro, this time having to do with “strange clicking and beeping noises.” It seems that several people with the 7200 RPM hard drive (the Seagate Momentus 7200.4) have reported those “clicking” issues, as well as general performance issues. Can’t have that. → Read More
In case you didn’t know, Apple refreshed its notebook lineup a few weeks back and rebadged the 13-inch unibody Macbook as a Pro model. Apparently the masses like it as that model now occupies the top spot in Amazons best selling laptop computer list and number four overall. It wasn’t that long ago that netbooks ruled that second list and the white 13-inch Macbook was the top selling Apple computer at number 14. → Read More
Do you have a MacBook Pro? No, the new one with the gimped SATA transfer, but the one before it. Good, because Super Talent, which just won the prize for least presumptive company name, has a new line of solid state drives, dubbed the MasterDrive SX series, that may interest you guys. Write speeds are rated at up to 200MB/s sequential, not burst. Yes, that’s pretty fast. → Read More
It seems that the SD card slot in the new MacBook Pros does count as a bootable device; all you have to do is install OS X onto a card, set it as the default boot device, and you’re good to go. Why would you want to do this ridiculous thing? The idea is you could boot from it to address emergent hard drive failure, data corruption, or viral attack. Just kidding about that last one.
I don’t know, though. In my experience, Macs generally only fail suddenly and cataclysmically, as in the case of my brother’s MacBook, which shut down in the middle of playing a song, and never woke back up again. → Read More
Our buddies at iFixIt are tearing down a 13-inch MacBook Pro as we speak, adding images throughout the day as they tear out her delicate innards. → Read More
Quick and dirty: Apple just announced an updated 15-inch MacBook Pro at WWDC, with prices starting at $1,699. It’s the same unibody design that’s proven to be so popular, but this time with much improved battery life (it lasts about two hours longer than before, and can withstand about three times as many charges as before). Oh, and there’s a built-in SD Card slot. → Read More
As Apple’s WWDC gets ever closer the rumors begin to hot up. Today’s drivel: the MacBook and MacBook Pro may see slight upgrades there. Apple may throw in built-in 3G support, along with the usual speed bumps; it may also make the battery more difficult to remove, in the interest of aesthetics. → Read More
So Apple just released a firmware update for the new 17-inch MacBook Pro that supposedly fixes that nasty screen tearing issue we discussed. As with all firmware updates, you’re asked to pray to your god of choice in order to ensure that the update goes smoothly. → Read More
So, Nvidia’s GeForce 9600M GPU may not be causing the screen glitches that have been creeping up on some of the new 17-inch MacBook Pros after all. I know we like to tar and feather Nvidia, but this may just very well be an Apple issue or that’s what Nvidia want us to think.
“Our understanding is that Apple is investigating this, and if they need our help we will certainly support them. But right now it’s unclear what the issue is, so jumping to conclusions at this point is premature” NVIDIA spokesperson.
You just know that Steve Jobs is pretty upset with Nvidia right now. Reports are popping up detailing video problems currently being suffered by the new 17-inch MacBook Pro. It seems that, for some people, whenever the 9600M is turned on the screen displays all sorts of nasty tearing and color deformities. That picture up there shows the extent to the damage. → Read More
Among all the hoopla of the desktop Mac refreshes this morning, we missed the minuscule MacBook Pro update. The higher-end 15-inch model, you know, the $2500 one, got a processor bump from 2.53GHz to 2.66GHz. And a 256GB SSD for a whopping $750. Not good enough for you, huh? How about a $300 bump to a 2.93GHz processor? In case you haven’t caught on, that puts the high-end 15-inch model on par with the 17-inch MBP except the latter can take up to 8GB of RAM.
Anyone buy the 15-inch model recently? → Read More
You don’t need that old SuperDrive, do you? Just pop it out of your MB or MBP and pop in this OptiBay hard drive for unibody laptops. You can use the system as a pair of separate drives or as a RAID drive. The upgrade uses SATA and comes in 250GB, 320GB, and 500GB versions. → Read More
Those lucky (and sadistic) ducks over at iFixit have taken their brand new 17-inch MBP and torn it down with their usual gusto. As expected, the layout and parts are much like its 15-inch cousin but bigger, and of course the much-advertised battery is different. It was removed like any other… not sure why Apple made such a big deal about it. It’s 12820 mAh, which is a grip — for comparison, my G1 has a 1150 mAh battery. It’s pretty much as advertised, but if you’re planning on swapping out your hard drive or whatnot, this is the best guide you’re going to get. → Read More
Got some bad news for those MacHeads that pre-ordered the new, unibody 17-inch MacBook Pro. Said notebook has been delayed by two weeks but chances are you already know that from the same email we received from Apple explaining the whole situation. It seems the company is wrapping up whatever magic is within the latest, lap-scorching MBP and will ship ‘em out starting on February 19th. → Read More
