Unveiling the new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air
MacBook Pro
Confirming the rumours of the past few days, Jobs unveiled two new MacBook Pro systems with an arsenal of upgrades. The all-new unibody aluminium chassis is joined by NVIDIA graphics technology in the form of the GeForce 9400M IGP - a solution that provides 16 parallel graphics cores, 54 gigaflops of graphics performance, and a 5x speed increase over the previous Intel IGP.
That 9400M isn't alone, either. It's joined by NVIDIA's GeForce 9600M GT in a Hybrid SLI configuration. Running on the IGP alone will provide five hours of battery life and boosting graphics performance with the 9600M GT will cut battery life to a reasonable four hours.
Another key upgrade is Apple's all-new multi-touch glass trackpad. The new design provides a 39 per cent larger tracking area and the entire trackpad can act as multiple buttons via Apple's own software. The glass surface is said to ensure silky-smooth travel, and there's added support for four-finger gestures - used to open expose and switch apps.
On the connectivity front, Apple has for the time first time adopted Mini DisplayPort, and states that the socket will be rolled out throughout its entire range of computer systems. The smaller-than-DVI socket will power a 30in display and resides on the MacBook Pro's side along with a MagSafe connector, Ethernet, FireWire 800 and dual USB.
The fourth, and equally significant announcement is the removable hard-disk drive. For the first time, MacBook Pro systems will allow users access to their storage device allowing for user upgrades.
MacBook Pro pricing and specification is as follows:
| MacBook Pro (2.4GHz) | MacBook Pro (2.53GHz) | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 15.4in LED-backlit | 15.4in LED-backlit |
| Processor | 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (3MB L2 cache) | 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (6MB L2 cache) |
| Memory | 2GB DDR3 1066 | 4GB DDR3 1066 |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce 9400M and GeForce 9600M GT (256MB) | NVIDIA GeForce 9400M and GeForce 9600M GT (512MB) |
| Storage | 250GB hard-disk drive | 320GB hard-disk drive |
| Price (US) | $1,999 | $2,499 |
| Price (UK) | £1,399 | £1,749 |
MacBook Air
As expected, Apple has announced that some of the MacBook Pro upgrades will spill over to other systems and the MacBook Air is no exception.
As of November, Apple will be launching revised MacBook Air systems with NVIDIA's GeForce 9400M IGP, Mini DisplayPort connectivity, and increased storage capacity.
The new systems will debut with the following specification and pricing:
| MacBook Air (1.6GHz) | MacBook Air (1.86GHz) | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 13.3in LED-backlit | 13.3in LED-backlit |
| Processor | 1.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (6MB L2 cache) | 1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (6MB L2 cache) |
| Memory | 2GB DDR3 1066 | 2GB DDR3 1066 |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce 9400M | NVIDIA GeForce 9400M |
| Storage | 120GB hard-disk drive | 128GB solid-state drive |
| Price (US) | $1,799 | $2,499 |
| Price (UK) | £1,299 | £1,799 |
But about about that lower-than-ever entry price? That'd be the reshuffled MacBook range...