MacBook Pro CPU, GPU, Hard Drive Specs Bumped
by Andrew Cunningham on October 24, 2011 9:30 AM EST- Posted in
- Apple
- MacBook Pro
- Laptops
Apple has very quietly bumped the specs on its Sandy Bridge MacBook Pro lineup ahead of the holiday shopping season - all models see small clock speed bumps (0.1 GHz in the 13" and 0.2 GHz in the 15" and 17" models), while the 13" models get bigger hard drives and the 15" and 17" models get a GPU upgrade. Base prices remain the same for all configurations - see the updated spec table below for details.
| Late 2011 MacBook Pro Lineup | |||||||
| 13-inch (low end) | 13-inch (high end) | 15-inch (low end) | 15-inch (high end) | 17-inch | |||
| Dimensions | 0.95 H x 12.78 W x 8.94 D | 0.95 H x 12.78 W x 8.94 D | 0.95 H x 14.35 W x 9.82 D | 0.95 H x 14.35 W x 9.82 D | 0.98 H x 15.47 W x 10.51 D | ||
| Weight | 4.5 lbs (2.04 kg) | 4.5 lbs (2.04 kg) | 5.6 lbs (2.54 kg) | 5.6 lbs (2.54 kg) | 6.6 lbs (2.99 kg) | ||
| CPU | 2.4 GHz dual-core Core i5 | 2.8 GHz dual-core Core i7 | 2.2 GHz quad-core Core i7 | 2.4 GHz quad-core Core i7 | 2.4 GHz quad-core Core i7 | ||
| GPU | Intel HD 3000 Graphics | Intel HD 3000 Graphics | Intel HD 3000 + AMD Radeon HD 6750M (512MB) | Intel HD 3000 + AMD Radeon HD 6770M (1GB) | Intel HD 3000 + AMD Radeon HD 6770M (1GB) | ||
| RAM | 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 (8GB max) | 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 (8GB max) | 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 (8GB max) | 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 (8GB max) | 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 (8GB max) | ||
| HDD | 500GB 5400 RPM | 750GB 5400 RPM | 500GB 5400 RPM | 750GB 5400 RPM | 750GB 5400 RPM | ||
| Display Resolution | 1280x800 | 1280x800 | 1440x900 (1680x1050 optional) | 1440x900 (1680x1050 optional) | 1920x1200 | ||
| Ports | Gigabit LAN, Firewire 800, Thunderbolt, 2x USB 2.0, SDHC slot, combined audio in/out jack | Gigabit LAN, Firewire 800, Thunderbolt, 2x USB 2.0, SDHC slot, combined audio in/out jack | Gigabit LAN, Firewire 800, Thunderbolt, 2x USB 2.0, SDHC slot, separate audio in/out jacks | Gigabit LAN, Firewire 800, Thunderbolt, 2x USB 2.0, SDHC slot, separate audio in/out jacks | Gigabit LAN, Firewire 800, Thunderbolt, 3x USB 2.0, separate audio in/out jacks, ExpressCard 34 slot | ||
| Price | $1,199 | $1,499 | $1,799 | $2,199 | $2,499 | ||
The refresh also replaces the AMD Radeon HD 6750M in the high-end 15" and the 17" MacBook Pros with the 6770M, which has the same number of shaders but faster core and memory clock speeds (Notebookcheck.net says that the core/memory speeds are 725MHz and 1600MHz, compared to the 600MHz and 900MHz of the 6750M, though Apple's clocks may differ slightly). The 256MB 6490M in the low-end 15" configuration has now been replaced with the 6750M, as well.
Those looking for a more substantial upgrade to the lineup will likely have to wait until next year, when in all likelihood the laptops will receive Intel's forthcoming Ivy Bridge CPUs and chipsets.
Source: Apple
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quiksilvr - Monday, October 24, 2011 - link
The prices themselves are not only ridiculous, but the difference between the high end and low end models are laughable as well.400 MHz boost and 250GB extra storage for $300 on 13" Model?
200 MHz boost and 250GB extra storage and a slight GPU bump for $400 on 15" model?
And $2500 for a 17" laptop and it doesn't even come with SSD standard.
inplainview - Monday, October 24, 2011 - link
Who is holding a gun to your head to buy one? Don't like what is offered, then STFU and don't buy one. Problem solved.quiksilvr - Monday, October 24, 2011 - link
No one. I'm just emphasizing a point a lot of articles are failing to point out.name99 - Monday, October 24, 2011 - link
Pricing to match the market (something cheap for the poorer, something slightly better for the richer) is something that has been done for hundreds of years. Think paperbacks vs hardbacks. Think "standard CD" vs "deluxe edition". Think first class vs economy class airline tickets. etc etcApple's pricing allows poor people to buy a nice system, while it ALSO allows for richer people to subsidize Apple into doing the research that brings us ALL better systems.
Exactly what is your complaint with it? You'd prefer to see prices that reflect nothing but parts and assembly cost? Leaving NOTHING over for research into better ways of doing things? That's worked out so well for the PC industry hasn't it?
MonkeyPaw - Monday, October 24, 2011 - link
While I agree with most of your comments, the comment "Apple's pricing allows poor people to buy a nice system" is just laughable. A poor man is lucky to have a car that's worth as much as a Macbook. Now if you meant to use "middle class" instead of poor, you might be on to something, but a person of limited funds is a fool to buy a new Mac or PC.name99 - Monday, October 24, 2011 - link
"but a person of limited funds is a fool to buy a new Mac or PC.""Apple's pricing allows poor people to buy a nice system,"
Who said anything about buying a NEW system? I agree --- if you are poor, the smart thing to do is buy a second-hand system on eBay or CL. But being poor doesn't mean you can't have any nice things; it means you prioritize. When I was a poor student, I bought a mac over a car --- for me that was a better use of my dollars.
MonkeyPaw - Monday, October 24, 2011 - link
Well, Apple has no control over what a used machine costs, as that's based largely on condition, quality, and demand. I bought a refurbed PowerMac from Apple Store once. It worked great for a few months, then started Kernel Panics that even reformatting wouldn't fix. I haven't had much luck with cheap notebooks either. I ended up going back to building my own machines, which seem to last for a long long time. I even built a hackintosh once, but I could never get suspend to work. I just wish you could put OSX on anything. :(ananduser - Tuesday, October 25, 2011 - link
We all know Apple's fat margins ride mostly on their brand name rather than substance(Apple Care not included) . He was making a valid point on a higher end mac. "Circuits" are very democratic, in the sense that they work the same way regardless of the Louie Vuitton packaging.bupkus - Monday, October 24, 2011 - link
Tell me, pal... just who the fuck do you think you are?Are you the new posting police?
Hey, inplainview, just tell him to f*** off. He deserves nothing more.
bupkus - Monday, October 24, 2011 - link
Sorry, got the names mixed up. He touched a nerve.Hey, quiksilvr, just tell him to f*** off. He deserves nothing more.
Fixed.