02-25-2011, 12:00 AM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Anyone Else Underwhelmed by the New Macbook Pro Line?
Apple announced a new line of Macbook Pro hardware today (buy 'em from our Amazon.com store), and I have to admit I was underwhelmed. Yes, they have Intel's rocking new Sandy Bridge CPUs that offer insanely great performance. Yes, they've switched from NVIDIA to AMD (ATI) graphics that offer up to 3x graphics performance. And, yes, there's the impressive Thunderbolt connectivity and an HD camera. What was I hoping for? A product line that was shaped by the technologies and design that Apple came up with for the Macbook Air. There were so many things I liked about the Air when I reviewed it, but the CPU just didn't quite measure up. I returned it for a refund and was essentially waiting for this line of Macbook Pros to be released - I was hoping that the design cues I saw in the Air would trickle up to the Macbook Pro line. What was I hoping for? Something thinner, lighter. Something with the same SSD technology in the Air. Something that had the 70:30 battery to motherboard ratio that the Air has. Something that felt like the future of notebooks, not like more of the same. Now I'm not knocking the design of the Macbook Pro laptops - there's a lot to like about them - but I was hoping for more of a revolution and less of an evolution. Anyone else hoping for more? I should have known given that there was no live Apple event - they always do events for truly new products - but hope springs eternal...
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02-25-2011, 12:19 AM
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Executive Editor, Apple Thoughts
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,936
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I was a little "meh" at the whole thing, as I was hoping for some scaled down versions ala MacBook Air. If not that, then perhaps more focus on the SSD. They did add some nice features (camera, Thunderbolt)... and it looks like Apple was also underwhelmed since they didn't have an event to announce it all. It was a nice refresh, how about that? :-)
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iPhone 4, 1.6 GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook Air, Apple TV, 2.66GHz Intel C2D Mac Mini, 1TB TC, Airport Extreme,several iPods and an iPad, 32GB Wi-Fi version. Follow me on Twitter. |
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02-25-2011, 12:24 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 28
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As a 13" MB Pro user, I can't be underwhelmed with the upgrade. In fact, I'll be upgrading at the first opportunity.
The jump from the Core 2 Duo to the i5/i7 is a huge improvement
Thunderbolt is going to be amazing
HD camera is Meh simply because I don't use my iSight.
Everything else in the box is the same as the old one, which is already hands down the best notebook on the market. So adding the additional goods at the same price as the old one is far from underwhelming.
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02-25-2011, 12:31 AM
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Pupil
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 22
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Jason,
I would agree with both you and Jeff and would call this a pretty good refresh but nothing revolutionary. I also see why no event was planned and it was just kind of rolled out...
With that being said it may still be my first apple PC...
Thanks J...
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02-25-2011, 02:52 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 57
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Will wait for next model
Same screen resolution is a deal breaker. Expected same resolution as latest MBA at the very least on the 13". Faster processor, better (really needed?) camera and graphics handling not much incentive. I am well satisfied with previous model. Also look forward for flash memory to go down short term as it becomes more available. Thus I will wait for next MBP model.
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02-25-2011, 02:55 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 323
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Whoa. Jason Dunn covers another Apple product release. Somewhere, at some foundation charity event, Bill Gates's heart skipped a beat. ;-)
I expected this sort of refresh, mostly because I couldn't see how Apple would release a brand new design that included a 13 inch notebook that was everything the MacBook Air wasn't.
I don't envision that the MacBook Pro line will be evolving into the MacBook Air line... that would cut into the power and features. Seems more likely that as technology shrinks, changes and becomes less costly, the Air line can evolve into the Pro line, as power and cost differences between the two lines begin to disappear. There is no doubt that Apple wants this direction to be their way... just not yet.
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02-25-2011, 03:51 AM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 676
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With no event scheduled, I suspected it would just be a typical refresh.
I'm waiting for the MBA to get a Sandy Bridge processor and Thunderbolt. Same for Mac mini. (Also waiting to see what kind of peripherals with Thunderbolt support appear on the market and how much they will cost.)
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64 GB iPad 2 WiFi, Apple TV 2, 32 GB iPhone 4
Early 2011 MacBook Pro 13" (dual boot with Windows 7), Early 2009 Mac Mini
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02-25-2011, 12:51 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 718
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If they made the new MacBooks look more like MacBook Airs, then they wouldn't need MacBook Airs, now would they? 
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02-26-2011, 03:30 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 323
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Well, then again, there are the early benchmarks.
If these are reproducible, they represent one of the greatest jumps I can recall. Given that, I'm more impressed. I'm disappointed that Apple won't allow a quad core CPU in its 13 MBP. Is there an issue with motherboard or other component size that anyone is aware of?
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02-26-2011, 05:31 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 418
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Woah, I actually agree with Jason Dunn on something  What I posted at the-gadgeteer.com:
Quote:
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Originally Posted by me at the-gadgeteer
What a letdown.
Thunderbolt is interesting, and a faster CPU is always nice, but without a resolution bump up, SSD for OS/apps (32GB would suffice if there was also a HDD for data), instant resume, and lower weight, I�ll pass. Would rather get a MBA, despite its lowly Core2Duo.
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