02-10-2012, 03:00 PM

Apple to disrupt notebook space with radically redesigned MacBook Pros

While most of its rivals are struggling to match innovations Apple pioneered with its first MacBook Airs over three years ago, the Mac maker this year is hoping to further distance itself from the competition with a pair of radically redesigned professional offerings that will set the tone for the next wave of notebook computing.

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02-10-2012, 03:05 PM

Just saw this post on Macrumors:

More Claims of MacBook Pro Adopting MacBook Air Form Factor in 2012 Redesign - Mac Rumors

I found this quite interesting especially since I'm in the market for a new laptop. Not sure what to think of the idea that there might be one line of laptops. The larger the screen the more powerful they are going to be? Hum..

02-10-2012, 03:33 PM

No bueno! No go for me if they don't have a desecrate graphics card. That's a complete let down if it's true...unless they create some miraculous external TB graphics device.

02-10-2012, 04:50 PM

Wow, that really stinks. The MacBook Air is the only apple computer that I just really..really do not like. The fact that they're going to try to slowly morph the current MBP into a big MBA is a huge let down. At least as far as I'm concerned.

02-10-2012, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by MacDude121

Wow, that really stinks. The MacBook Air is the only apple computer that I just really..really do not like. The fact that they're going to try to slowly morph the current MBP into a big MBA is a huge let down. At least as far as I'm concerned.

Well, I'm wondering if the form factor might be getting closer to the Air for better portability. Graphics, HDD and processor still need to much better to match the "Pro" criteria. Would be tough to do though - there is only so much you can fit into an Air housing ;-)

We'll see what gets released at the end. I'm hoping soon .. ish ...

02-10-2012, 07:41 PM

If this happens, I'm jumping ship upon my next notebook upgrade. Then again, this might be incentive to upgrade to one of the current MacBook Pros early. I hear those things can even run Snow Leopard. >.>

02-10-2012, 07:59 PM

The Pros have screen size, graphics and RAM going for them. If you lose those, there isn't a ton of incentive to buy one (in my case). A 15" MBA with 8GB+ of RAM would be nice, but as an addition to the MBA line rather than a replacement for the MBPro line. Then again, they fit a lot into that 13" form factor. Perhaps there is a new graphics card in the pipe that will work in a 15" footprint, but is not included in the first 15" iteration? I remember the MBA skipped backlighting for one release while they worked that out.

02-10-2012, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by MacDude121

Wow, that really stinks. The MacBook Air is the only apple computer that I just really..really do not like. The fact that they're going to try to slowly morph the current MBP into a big MBA is a huge let down. At least as far as I'm concerned.

I like the MacBook Air - I just don't want my MacBook Pro to be one. I'm with you guys - let's not pander to the LCD just to keep margin up. I want a powerful portable machine. I'd like them to keep the 2 lines separate. I have a use for both.

02-10-2012, 09:07 PM

I hope they still offer the MBP in its current state just updated and if not they need to extend that warranty period if they are going to get my money.

02-10-2012, 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by BrianLachoreVPI

I like the MacBook Air - I just don't want my MacBook Pro to be one. I'm with you guys - let's not pander to the LCD just to keep margin up. I want a powerful portable machine. I'd like them to keep the 2 lines separate. I have a use for both.

Same here.

I like the MacBook Air too, but the lack of upgradeable RAM is a showstopper for me.

My hope is that my original guess that the rumors of these machines are really just an expansion of the MacBook Air line into 15" territory are true.

Fingers crossed.... otherwise, I'm afraid my next notebook won't be one with an Apple logo on the lid.

02-12-2012, 02:29 AM

I would hate this as well. If I wanted a MacBook Air I would've gotten a MacBook Air. I still need the power of a faster computer for work and other needs. I also still want a built in optical drive. My 15" MBP is my desktop replacement and workhorse so reducing the performance for a thinner laptop is definitely not what I want.

I agree with cwa107. If Apple did this I would be forced to switch back to Windows. I would hate that also. I think it's much better that Apple only expanded the MBA line to include 15" rather than making the current MBPs into MBAs.

02-12-2012, 08:20 AM

I don't mind getting rid of the optical drive, and even a few ports. But I'm just not digging this solid state situation. I like the technology. It's fast. It's not prone to error. But it's expensive and small. The maximum MacBook Air has 256GB of space. I would eat that for lunch.

Cloud computing has come a long way, but it's just not feasible for me to keep all -- or, even worse, half -- of my layouts, illustrations, photography and etc in the cloud to download (possibly on crappy shared public systems at trade-shows and hotels) as needed. And I don't relish the idea of tugging an external disk drive along everywhere I go (or two - one for storage, one for backup) because my Apple decided that saving a few millimeters on the chassis was more important than a terabyte's worth of data storage.

I really hope this is just a rumor and that Apple remembers that MacBook Pros are supposed to be portable, but professional, workstations. Not everybody needs, or wants, an Air.

02-12-2012, 10:21 AM

It's all about innovative solutions and cutting costs I might add. Resources are being depleated at a vast rate, technology is increasing at a phenominal rate hence the only way to go is smaller. So what do the corporate Giants do......They set the trend that smaller is better...Go figure. Is this by choice or demand?

02-12-2012, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by Shikarnov

I don't mind getting rid of the optical drive, and even a few ports. But I'm just not digging this solid state situation. I like the technology. It's fast. It's not prone to error. But it's expensive and small. The maximum MacBook Air has 256GB of space. I would eat that for lunch.

Cloud computing has come a long way, but it's just not feasible for me to keep all -- or, even worse, half -- of my layouts, illustrations, photography and etc in the cloud to download (possibly on crappy shared public systems at trade-shows and hotels) as needed. And I don't relish the idea of tugging an external disk drive along everywhere I go (or two - one for storage, one for backup) because my Apple decided that saving a few millimeters on the chassis was more important than a terabyte's worth of data storage.

I really hope this is just a rumor and that Apple remembers that MacBook Pros are supposed to be portable, but professional, workstations. Not everybody needs, or wants, an Air.

I agree. Although I don't have immense amounts of data (hovering around 170GB including the OS), I don't want non-user replaceable storage. My storage needs have increased over time and I don't see this changing. I differ from you when it comes to ports though. Having two USB ports is a bare minimum and sacrificing ports for size benefits only a small group of people.

I have to ask this question (thinking out loud): if you're buying a 15" MBP, is the size of the machine really that much of a concern? You buy the machine because it's powerful and miniaturizing the machine takes away that which makes the machine attractive to those who buy it (at least most of them). Let's also not forget that putting a quad core processor in a 15" MBP that has a chassis similar to an Air just isn't going to work. I can't see that chassis working with the cooling requirements of those processors.

02-12-2012, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by vansmith

I agree. Although I don't have immense amounts of data (hovering around 170GB including the OS), I don't want non-user replaceable storage. My storage needs have increased over time and I don't see this changing. I differ from you when it comes to ports though. Having two USB ports is a bare minimum and sacrificing ports for size benefits only a small group of people.

I have to ask this question (thinking out loud): if you're buying a 15" MBP, is the size of the machine really that much of a concern? You buy the machine because it's powerful and miniaturizing the machine takes away that which makes the machine attractive to those who buy it (at least most of them). Let's also not forget that putting a quad core processor in a 15" MBP that has a chassis similar to an Air just isn't going to work. I can't see that chassis working with the cooling requirements of those processors.

Agreed on all counts. Truth be told, I'd love to have more USB ports, not less, but I didn't mention them since there are some very good USB hubs that are eminently portable and can be daisy chained.

Your point about the processor is a good one, too. I wonder if that point, alone, is worth writing this off as a half-baked rumor. I can't imagine Apple so severely downgrading their professional lineup by nuking ports, disk capacity, and processing power.