Apple rumored to eventually introduce ultra-thin 15-inch notebook

[OneMoreThing...]

Apple rumored to eventually introduce ultra-thin 15-inch notebook

With Apple's new family of MacBook Airs gaining considerable traction in the marketplace over the past nine months, the company is believed to be working to introduce a 15-inch model with a similar minimalist design to capitalize on the trend towards ultra-mobile computing.

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[Braven]

That's just sick. I'd love to have one!

 

[bobtomay]

Maybe I bought one too soon.

 

[BrianLachoreVPI]

Maybe I bought one too soon.

It can always be a present to your wife...and then you're free to get the new one

 

[iggibar]

Sounds great! But what seems to be confusing is whether or not it will actually replace the current MBP's. I've taken my MBP apart, and have a hard time imagining how they will get as thin as some claim, without it using much smaller chips(expensive chips), or by not "stacking" components.

 

[EndlessMac]

I'm curious to know how powerful these thinner 15 inch notebooks will be. The reason why the MacBook Airs never interested me was because I needed the performance MBPs give. My MBP is my workhorse and basically replaces my old desktop as my main computer. It's been a long time since I've bought a desktop because I need the portability.

The article mentions that these 15 inch notebooks might be a steppingstone to replacing the current MBPs but that would be a mistake for customers like me if Apple can't get the same or better performance out of them due to the thinner design. I personally think the current MBPs are thin enough but apparently Apple doesn't. I don't mine thinner as long as it doesn't mean less performance. If it's not possible then maybe a permanent segregation between the Airs and MBPs should be kept.

 

[iggibar]

I don't think Apple will have a problem with processor selections. If you look at new 2011 MBA tests, they actually come close to, or outperform some MBP's. It's the gpu that slows things down for it.

 

[EndlessMac]

I don't think Apple will have a problem with processor selections. If you look at new 2011 MBA tests, they actually come close to, or outperform some MBP's.

That's partly because the Airs have been recently updated and the MBPs have not. I haven't kept up on available processor speeds but if the MBPs were also updated I think they would be even faster than current Airs.

The question is whether the thinner design will force Apple to use a slower notebook processor because of issues such as heat or physically not fitting. The AppleInsider article seems to suggest thinner 15 inch notebooks wouldn't be powerful enough either.

A jump towards an ultra-thin MacBook Pro before year's end could ultimately prove burdened by too many sacrifices, given that existing technologies and componentry may not allow Apple to deliver a design as thin and lightweight as the existing Airs but powerful enough to replace the 15-inch MacBook Pro.

It will be the same problem as choosing between a faster desktop or a more portable but slower notebook but in this case it will be between a larger faster notebook versus a thinner slower notebook. If I didn't need the portability I would definitely get a desktop because sometimes my MBP can be underpowered for my needs.