Apple's secrets have been
getting out a bit more than usual over the past couple of months, and few were shocked when Intel's newest slabs of silicon
slithered beneath the unibody shells of the freshest MacBook Pros. The Core i7 rig in particular drew attention, as this was the first MBP to surface with components within capable of rivaling Wintel machines from half a year ago. One thing that struck us in
our own review of the unit was the lack of change outside of the CPU; you're still dealing with the same underwhelming arrangement of ports, and unless you opt for the 17-incher, you're still wondering why Apple ganked your ExpressCard slot. Enough of our ranting -- we're here to hear what exactly
you have to say about Apple's newest MacBook Pro. Would you have added in USB 3.0 ports? Finally caved and threw in a
Blu-ray option? Added a "Flash-capable" sticker in the palm rest? Go on, get creative in comments below.
posted May 29th 2010 1:31AM
Quad Core i7 with a Quadro card or something.
Then again, I'm just dreaming. I'll just go with an Envy instead since it comes far closer to that while staying within my budget.
@Bryant
I was thinking the same thing. Maybe they should have waited a few weeks to release/refresh it with the better i7 CPU's that the Envy series now has.
The Envy 17 has a faster mobile i7 CPU (with a Quad Core option) and a better GPU. I'm sure the MacBook Pro will get the same CPU eventually, but it is again playing catch-up when the refresh happened just a few weeks ago.
@Bryant Bye 9 hour battery!
@Bryant
Very simple to me BETTER GRAPHICS
@Jamekae
I don't care about battery life. I want a portable renderbox. That's why I bought the Envy.
@Bryant
If Blu-Ray is a "bag of hurt" than remove the optical drive and put something more usefull in there such as another hard drive or additional battery space.
Every USB port should be 3.0 by now.
Apple has always been the early adapters on things like this especially since its backwards compatible unlike the firewire 400-800 switch.
Built in wireless broadband option pricing/billing like the iPad.
Run cooler.
Better performing SSD options. The toshiba currently is a very bland choice.
GPS module
Compact flash card support
better webcam resolution
@Bryant
up the graphics cards (dx 11). and shrink it by two inches (i7 on the 13 incher...) between steam and bootcamp, would make a hella awesome anypurpose laptop -- gaming, rendering, video editing, heavy web browsing (that last bit was sarcastic). oh and throw in some usb 3.0 just because.
@Bryant thats exactly what I did. The new specs dissappointed me. HP Envy i7 720qm, 1GB ATI video, USB 3, esata & HDMI. Can't beat that speed/price combo. Lovin my HP
@Bryant Quad core would be nice, but the nVidia graphics subsystem needs to go... The graphics subsystem in my current MBP required me to replace the logic board, mid life cycle... Not a good thing in my opinion, never once had an issue with an ATI graphics chip...
@ArVee Not everyone is ok with a notebook w/ 1-2 hours of battery life. The Macbooks are basically the only notebooks in the market that have great performance and phenomenal battery life, without a ridiculous oversized battery. The Vaio Z and the U30JC are the closet competitors.
@jasonbarone Change it's place from the Apple Store to my house...
@Bryant The core i7 macbook is really fast. But perhaps, if there's anything that I would like to change -- it will be the battery time, make 10 hours and more and augment the graphics card as well. http://j.mp/core-i5-i7-macbooks-all-size
@Bryant
Anti Apple Troll is Anti Apple Troll...
@Bryant My envy is for sale, because they suck. Interested?
@nitriletiger The MCE Optibay can replace your DVD drive with a second hard drive. I just ordered a new MacBook Pro and I'm thinking about buying an Optibay. I use an optical drive about once a month at this point, it's a waste of space. Right now I drag around an external backup drive that I use every day. It might even get more people to buy music from iTunes if they don't have an optical drive to rip CDs. C'mon Apple, it's a waste of space!
@Bryant
F'ing exactly! These aren't for browsing the Internet and facebook all day. Which, they have been well designed to do. Very "pro".
Definitely USB 3.0 plus at least 256GB SSD
@jasonbarone Actually I believe the new Core i7s are 32nm; so they run cooler and are more energy efficient. So the argument against using those because of battery life are moot.
@Bryant
I want the arrow keys to be a bit bigger. On the 13 inch, I understood that it might take up too much space, but for the 17 inch, theres so much space, there's no excuse. Also, I agree on the quad core i7 and quattro card. I would also LOVE usb 3.0. Blu-ray seems to be unlikely at this moment. But my wildest dream would be for the screen to have a slider mechanism and touchscreen like the touch pro 2, so it would be a tablet when closed.
@Bryant
Wow, this is almost too much to write in one reply..
1.) GPS and Accelerometer (it probably has an accelerometer so the hdd can detect a drop but I don't know for sure)
2.) An option to remove the optical drive for extended battery space (who uses optical media anymore anyways -- bootable isos can be flashed to a USB stick).
3.) Usb 3.0 standard all ports
4.) Sata 6Gb\sec standard all ports
5.) ExpressCard 2.0 standard all models
6.) Better graphics and support for Optimus when running windows 7
7.) For steve jobs to get cancer and die
@DoctarPeppar
Woops forgot some..
8.) Support for TRIM (this is an OS \ software thing but it's still really embarassing when every other OS on the planet including linux, freebsd, solaris, and windows all support TRIM and OS X does not)
9.) Faster i7 cpus
@DoctarPeppar
Ohh...Also :P
Ditch the lame ass display port that no one else in the industry uses in favor of the standardized HDMI and include the latest spec so it supports audio out. DisplayPort is a "bag of hurt" -- it's the stupidest thing I've ever seen...to connect it to a normal TV you need a 70$ adapter that requires power just to function -- so that automatically takes up one of your USB ports and it's a big clunky dongle so carrying it around make it a hassle as well.
@Bryant
Just looking at laptops in the same price bracket...Some have four times the video memory and much better GPU's. I'd change that first off.
@DoctarPeppar There is indeed an accelerometer, and Apple provides an API for accessing it. See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFhoNK_J5Gk
@ArVee I went with the pavilion Dv7 over the envy because I don't really care about how the laptop looks, but for about the same price as a standard white macbook, I have a core i7 720qm, 1gb geforce 330m graphics, 4GB ddr3 ram, and 500GB 7200 RPM drive. For the difference in price between mine and the MBP 15 inch, I also installed an 80gb Intel SSD (it has two hard drive slots), and a Blu-ray drive. Altogether it cost me under 1400$, so I'm pretty happy with it. : )
I would quite be interested in a 20" choice. I realize it's not everyones cup of tea but it would be great for real graphics use. I bought the HP HDX Dragon 20-incher 2 years ago and loving it since for AutoCAD and 3DSMax use. Beautiful large screen yet also portable when you want it to be. Have indeed travelled with it and is allowed on flight carry on. I know most want a 13" ultraportable but why not cater for those on the other end too? Tastes and demand vary!
@DoctarPeppar -- TRIM might be nice, but the notion of a large quantity (say, 32-128GB) of Flash built into the OS would be even sweeter.
I recently got a 48GB Flash drive for my MBP17 Expresscard slot, and it's essentially worthless. It's not advised for a boot disk (“stuttering” with flash is bad if it's your virtual memory) and there's no good way to get it to act as a cache for the HD. Flash may be a great technology for the data center, but no matter how capable it could be on a user machine, the user OS's -- both Mac and Windows -- don't seem ready to find a good place for it.
@nitriletiger Also, do not make it a danger to 3rd degree burns if wearing shorts.
@Bryant
by most benchmarks the 620m the macbook pro has will beat the quad core 720QM actually.
@Billy OMFG THAT WAS SO FUNNY LAWL!!
@DoctarPeppar
Actually, to get HDMI output, complete with audio, you only need a (about) $13 adaptor that is powered by the MiniDisplay port itself. The most recent apple laptops (like this one) support audio out through hdmi when using a minidisplayport to hdmi adaptor.
@bolezhinkov
Not during video rendering, which is exactly the reason for which many people used to buy the MBP.
I'd say just cheaper, lighter, IPS display and get it to run cooler.
The mentions of the i7 quad don't take account of the fact the clock speeds are way lower so it's quad 1.6GHz i7 vs dual 2.66GHz i7. The quad isn't all that much faster but turns the CPU into a power draining monster.
I'd be happier with the dual core until Intel make a better mobile quad. The 330M is a decent GPU and you get the switching to Intel HD to save power. I'd really just like to be able to own one but $2200 is too much money.
@DoctarPeppar
7 is pretty damn offensive.
@Bryant
Not bad choices, but I'm surprised improved RAM hasn't been mentioned more frequently.
CPU and GPU upgrades could result in lost battery time and more heat generation. Obviously apple doesn't want the sooner, and it already has serious issues with the latter.
The Macbook Pro is almost the only i7 equipped Laptop that only uses 1066mhz memory rather than 1333. Most other OEMs I've checked won't give you the choice of 1066mhz memory anymore, and will automatically update your RAM to 1333 when you choose to use an i7 by including it as part of the CPU cost.
Unless I'm seriously mistaken, such an upgrade shouldn't cost much, and should have very minimal impact on the heat and power requirements of the system - while giving a good boost to RAM intensive applications, something which many Mac users always claim to be running.
As it is, the dual core i7 will have trouble competing with the quad core i7 even on single or dual threaded tasks because its memory is slower than most of the competition (Remember the quad core can turbo boost to duo core). With more threads, the quad core gains huge advantages.
@Bryant Definitely an increase in the size of its storage capacity and augment its video card to a crazy level, for games will become crazier as well on 2011. The 10 hour battery is already sweet, but I believe it'll be even sweeter if they'll increase it. No haters allowed. . http://j.mp/core-i5-i7-macbooks-all-size
How about apple add ports like HDMI and USB 3 and mermory card slots all standard. Also get a graphics card that can do something. Also drop the price 500. The OS is not worth the money. Honestly any other computer for same price is twice as good and actually are worth the price.
@jasonbarone not every one likes an overpriced laptop with inferior specs to price either, no matter how long the battery lasts.
@AlaskanHandyman thats because ATI is designed in Canada. Nvidia is designed in China. which one had its chips full of lead? nvidia. surprise surprise.
@DoctarPeppar lol at #7 on your list. As messed up as it sounds, I've been saying this for a while: when Steve Jobs dies, Apple won't be so worried about being "different", they won't be as stubborn, and their computers will compete better with PCs. They won't shun mainstream concepts like Blu Ray and tethering for instance. Steve Jobs is a dictator, and I think he hinders a lot of good ideas that come out of Apple engineers. I refuse to believe that no one working on the MacBook Pro design suggested USB 3.0, ESATA, HDMI, Blu Ray, etc. If there's any proof that absolute rule is a bad thing, it's Apple's product line.
@Bryant I don't know why ANYONE does video rendering on a laptop - well, not serious pro. rendering...you tube maybe....
@Bryant. Windows 7 preinstalled...(with a Windows sticker on the palm rest)
@ElectronicDreamer I don't think they're overpriced at all. I don't want a quad core i7 stuffed into a cheap, flimsy notebook case with a crappy touchpad. I'm in the market right now for one and I have clients waiting for a notebook that combines good looks, battery life, performance and usability. The common requirement is "I don't want something that looks and feels like junk". Sadly, this is what most PC notebooks are and I hate it. Show me whatever notebooks are out right now that you think fit the bill and I'll be happy to take a look. To me, computers should have more than just better specs. This is why I think the Macbooks are great. I picked up a Vaio FW i7 quad machine from Newegg at $1200 because it looked good and had great specs for the price, and we sent it back because of various defects. I'm glad we didn't get another because after using it because I'd rather have the "inferior specs" of the Macbook. The Vaio had 1-2 hours battery, no multitouch, was heavy, and didn't even perform noticeably better than the Macbook Pro 13 I tested.
I'm not trying to hate on PCs but it's ridiculous to think that we're in May 2010 and there's barely any PC notebooks with performance, great battery life and a great touchpad experience.
@sach68
These already come with 256GB SSD. In fact they come with up to 512GB SSD.
Lowered the price $700. Give the GPU more dedicated memory
Maybe not that steep of a price cut, but definitely some sort of price cut, or make it a better value for the money.
@iDamien
I think he means lower the price BY $700. not to $700
@OrderChaos Yes I mean by $700, not to $700.
You can easily get it's specs in the pc world (with a better GPU) for $1200 or less.
I guess we can throw an extra $100 for the apple stickers that come with it, but you should have plenty of those by now.
@ultrantoday
The problem is cost. Why a Windows-based laptop cost so much less, in terms of manufacturing cost, is because Apple makes everything in house.
I mean, look at most Windows-based laptop, many use cheap plastic for things such as the body and the trackpad. Apple uses a nice aluminum for the body, the keys, and slaps in a very multi-touch trackpad. Doing this all in house is EXPENSIVE, no matter which way you cut it. It's not all about the parts, you also have to think about the physical form.
But to say how there isn't an Apple tax would simply be dishonest of me to say.
@iDamien I like Apple's laptops alot. I think this generation is just particularly out of sync as far as hardware cost. There's been generations of the MBP that were carried a small premium.. The new i7's don't though.
There's advantages to the way Apple does their manufacturing process too, they use the same chassis across multiple years, I'm sure that brings the price down for them. (as well as power adapters, trackpads etc)
Not all PC's are thinkpads :) HP Envy has a magnesium/aluminum case, there's other brands doing the same.
Granted they're all copying apple, but the price is better :).
I think $1500, with a GPU that has a 1gb of ram instead of 512 would be a fair price for the MBP. Then bump that ~150 for the updated screen. we can work this out
Of give me an ipod for a touch pad on the laptop, then it's worth $2000 :)