Next Macbook Pro/iMac

As said previously I have other Apple products e.g. iPad and iPhone but I am not too up to date with Macs.

When will the next group of Macbook Pros / iMacs come out? I dont want to look into buying one, buy one then the next more improved version comes out a few weeks later

MBP and iMac both released updated versions in the first half of 2011. Odds are you'll see refreshes around the same times next year. Maybe even a little later in 2012.

Odds are, we'll not see any refresh until Intel comes out with some new chips. And right now, the top of the line MBP and iMacs are already offering the top of the line Intel i7 chips (mobile and desktop - with the exception of the Extreme editions).

Anyone seen a peep from Intel on what might be next? I've seen nothing. And with the drastic jump Intel made with this 2nd gen iSeries, doubtful anything new would give you anything more than a 5-10% bump max. Personally, have a feeling we're in for another 3-4 year drought of not much happening on the processor front.

Just to be clear about this -- Apple doesn't release new models of Macs on a regular schedule -- ask any Mac Pro user.

And most of the time when they DO release an update, it's a minor one -- slightly faster chip, maybe a larger default HD, that sort of thing.

Laptops TEND to get updated somewhat more often than desktops, because of the huge rate of change in that segment (desktops are becoming less popular, so Apple may well decide it's in no rush to improve what is already a pretty perfected product).

My best GUESS (and that's all it is) is that we might see a SLIGHT bump in the MacBook Pros this fall, and MAYBE a new iMac early next year. Both models have already made the leap to Thunderbolt and Core i7, so they are going to be good to go for quite some time. MacBook Airs, Mac minis, MacBooks and (dare we hope?) Mac Pros are all due for a revision before the year's out, but this may not leave much room for a bumped MBP, especially considering (again) there's not a compelling reason on the horizon for them to make any changes to a hot-selling model.

Bottom line: no revision to the iMac or MBP expected in "the next few weeks." Buy with confidence.

(aside to Bob: MacNN/Electronista is a great site for keeping up with Intel's moves. Behold! Intel's Ivy Bridge roadmap narrowed down to March 2012 | Electronista)