I have been waiting since January 2008 to replace my original MacBook Pro Core Duo. I’ve written about MacBook Pro Early 2008 and MacBook Pro Late 2008 (also this) since then. Around August 2008, I stumbled upon informations on MacBook Pro with Quad-Core processors.
I had high hope that Apple would release Quad-Core MacBook Pro on “The spotlight turns to notebooks” event. The new Aluminum Unibody MacBook Pro is nice, but it is still missing the Quad-Core I really want.
I am using my Original MacBook Pro Core Duo to write this post; it is still a capable machine. I’ve done tons of video editing on this MacBook Pro. With a 7200 RPM hard-drive, this MacBook Pro Core Duo beats newer MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo with 5400 RPM hard-drive.
Yes it is still a great computer.
I was going to buy the new Unibody MacBook Pro on the first day it was available. For some reasons, there have been some kind of divine intervention that prevented me from spending the hard-earned dollars.
I do have the sense that the MacBook Pro would gain Quad-Core as an option around January 2009. It is based on my gut feelings, backed by some informations that I’ve gathered. I’ve been through this road before, and I’m sure that if and when I got the new Unibody MacBook Pro, the Quad-Core option would be added a few months after.
A lot of the questions I’ve been getting since August 2008 from friends and clients are about buying a MacBook or a Macbook Pro. Now that Apple has refreshed their notebooks line, I can now give them better answers.
All prices are in U.S. dollars and for U.S. stores. More disclaimers at the bottom of this post.
Buying MacBook
If you are new to the Macintosh, and wants to get a MacBook, the new Unibody Aluminum MacBook is a no brainer. The downside is that base prices for MacBook are $1,299 and $1,599. The $1,599 model has one thing that any other MacBooks don’t have, and that is the backlit-keyboard. The first complaint about the Unibody MacBook is the lack of FireWire port.
Usually Amazon adds $75-$100 rebates on each MacBook. Since the Unibody MacBook is just released, there is no rebates added yet as of October 18th, 2008.
Buying MacBook Pro
The Unibody MacBook Pro comes in two 15-inch models. One for $1,999 and the other is for $2,4999. The first one comes with Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz with 3MB L2Cache, 2GB of RAM, 250GB 5400RPM hard drive and 256MB video RAM. The second model comes with Intel Core 2 Duo 2.53GHz with 6MB L2 Cache, 4GB RAM, 320GB 5400RPM hard drive and 512MB video RAM.
If you see the need for better performance, the $2,499 model does have double the L2 Cache and video RAM.
Usually Amazon adds $150 rebates on each MacBook Pro. Since the Unibody MacBook Pro is just released, there is no rebates added yet as of October 18th, 2008.
Previous MacBook and MacBook Pro
If you still want to buy Apple notebook but don’t want to spend as much, consider buying the previous MacBook and MacBook Pro models.
Let’s recap what went on Apple’s “The spotlight turns to notebooks” event. Steve Jobs unveiled new 15-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook, dubbed as “Late 2008” model. They are also described as Aluminum and Glass MacBook and MacBook Pro. Some would call em as “the brick” MacBook Pro; well that sounds stupid, but this whole “brick” thing went out of control. Apple never once mention anything about “brick” or implying anything. The new MacBook and MacBook Pro can now have “unibody” designation, as Apple uses the word over and over.
MacBook is significantly updated , but missing one important feature: FireWire Port. The 15-inch MacBook Pro is also missing one FireWire 400 port, while retaining the FireWire 800 port. Both MacBook and 15-inch MacBook Pro gains new glass screen with LED-backlit display, and large multi-touch glass trackpad.
Overall, it is a significant upgrade for the MacBook and a nice incremental upgrade for the MacBook Pro. The inclusions of nVidia chipset is one of the biggest upgrade for the MacBook and MacBook Pro. The nVidia 9400M chipset adds h.264 support on the hardware level.
Now, whatever happened to the 17-inch MacBook Pro? For those who are complaining about the lack of 17-inch MacBook Pro update needs to take a big cup of “shut the hell up.” Apple is working on it, and it will be announced when it is ready for release. Apple engineers have been exploring different avenues in redesigning the MacBook Pro, and more often they stumbled upon some road blocks. The new unibody MacBook and MacBook Pro feature a reduced size logic-board similar to the one in MacBook Air. Apple engineers are working to find the balance between features and form factor in the notebook line. No coubt that Apple would like to include Intel QX9300 processor (or higher model) in the MacBook Pro. It is likely that the upcoming unibody 17-inch MacBook Pro would have this CPU in the BTO options. Even though the current MacBook and MacBook Pro seem to be running cooler compared to the previous models, there will be some thermal challenges with Intel QX9300 in the MacBook Pro form factor.
It is possible to have the Intel QX9300 in the 15-inch MacBook Pro, but it would make more sense to have it in the 17-in model. The 17-inch MacBook Pro would have some extra surface area to dissipate heat compared to the 15-inch model. Eventually Intel QX9300 or its successors would make their way to the 15-inch MacBook Pro, but we would see it on the 17-inch Model first.
Logically, January 2009 would be the next window for Apple to introduce the unibody 17-inch MacBook Pro. We all have to wait until then.
So, I went to the Apple Store again earlier today. I get to play with the Unibody MacBook and MacBook Pro again. I was ready to get one, and even asked one of the Apple Store employee if they could bring me one. While waiting I was talking to a few people around the new MacBook Pro. For some reasons, I didn’t see the Apple Store employee I talked to earlier for a while. Almost an hour passed, and we all were going on tangents around the MacBook Pro. I decided to call Carrie, just to tell her that she wouldn’t be able to “Mac-block” me this time. Alas, her iPhone was turned off. I kept talking to the people there and for some reasons, we were walking out the store and realized it was closing time already.
First, I’d like to thank Carrie for Mac-Blocking me last night. She just delayed the inevitable.
We headed to Apple Store at The Grove with the intention of me buying a new Unibody MacBook Pro. well, we decided to get something to drink at the Farmer’s Market first.
A few beers later and lots of debate about the debate, including Joe The Plumber, I realized it was already past 10:00 PM. Yep, the Apple Store closed an hour prior to that.
I could only blame you, Carrie. You just prevented me spending my money that night. But that doesn’t mean I can’t spend my money today!
Apple has yet to officially reveal the new notebook line on “The spotlights turns to notebooks” event, but the leaks and spoilers are ruining everything I’d ever hope for. Well, at least for the design of the MacBook Pro. The Mac news/rumors sites seems to think that John Gruber has already nailed it.
According to Gruber there’s only one display for the MacBook and MacBook Pro from now on. That display is a shiny and glaring one. Yeah, apparently no more matte-finish display. On the other hand, we get to use the screen as an emergency mirror now.
Personally, I am not really liking the black keyboard on a silver aluminum casing. But that’s not really a huge issue. The biggest issue for me right now would be the rumored pricing. I have been paying a lot for PowerBook G4’s and MacBook Pro (yeah, I only bought one Macbook Pro from January 2006) and hoping at least that Apple would reduce the price. I still remember when Apple introduced Aluminum PowerBook G4 at lower prices.
One thing that has not really been discussed in the leaks/spoliers/rumors so far is the CPU of the MacBook Pro. I have been hearing that somehow Apple would utilize Intel’s mobile Quad-Core CPU (here and here) into the MacBook Pro. The real question is “when?”
I know that I am complaining about products that have not been officially announced yet. It is only two hours away from this posting.
In spite of all the bitching and complaining based on the leaks and rumors, there are a few things that I am looking forward to find out. As I’ve been saying before, according to a super stealthy secret source the new MacBook Pro line would have an easily accessible hard-drive bay. That would be a huge advantage for the consumer. All you would have to do is removing the battery and a few screws. No more cracking open the casing by removing 14 screws just to get to the hard-drive bay. A few more screws to actually replace the hard-drive. I have done so many hard-drive upgrades on MacBook Pros, my best record is about 15 minutes to actually open the case, take out the hard-drive, install the new hard-drive, and putting it back together.
Apparently I am rambling too much for now. We’ll see in exactly two hours from this post if I’m going to buy a new MacBook Pro today. The sad thing is that I am still on the fence. Should I wait for the Quad-Core MacBook Pro to arrive?
Disclaimer, this is a poor attempt at sarcasm and irony.
No, this is not some kind of rumor or leak from Apple’s Tuesday “The spotlight turns to notebooks” event. Long before, Apple has been anodizing aluminum with colors and they look great. Wouldn’t it be worth spending an extra $150 for an anodized black MacBook Pro?
Well, I love the anodized black MacBook Pro, but $150 extra? Apparently the matte black MacBook was worth $150 extra. Come on Apple, $25 is enough for the anodized color.
On Tuesday, Apple will unveil their new line of notebooks. The new MacBook Pro is unlikely to have tapered sides, because it would be to hard to access the port without compromising the aesthetics.
