Apple today announced new MacBook Pro and Air models. The flagship system is a new, ultra-thin 15-inch Pro, just 0.71 inches thick, and 4.46 pounds. It also makes an upgrade to a Retina display, with a resolution of 2880×1800 and a 220ppi pixel density. The screen is also said to have a higher contrast ratio, better viewing angles, and reduced glare. To match, all the stock apps in OS X Lion have been updated to support the screen, as have Aperture and Final Cut Pro.
Apps which haven’t been updated can be pixel-doubled to compensate for size. Adobe is said to be working on a Retina update for Photoshop, while Autodesk is working on one for AutoCAD. Blizzard’s action-RPG Diablo III is likewise getting a graphics update.
Specifications-wise the computer has options up to a 2.7GHz quad-core Core i7, with NVIDIA Kepler GT 650M graphics. SD, HDMI, and USB 3.0 ports are present, as well as Thunderbolt and a new, thinner version of the MagSafe power format, known as MagSafe 2. Some other features include a glass trackpad, a backlit keyboard, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.0. A new FaceTime HD camera has been added along with dual microphones and stereo speakers.
The Retina MacBook Pro is on sale today with a $2,199 starting price, which includes a 2.3GHz quad-core processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD space.
Apple has also put out non-Retina Pro updates. Two 13-inch models each use 1280×800 screens, with video supplied by integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 chips. The cheaper one of the two, costing $1,199, uses a 2.5GHz dual-core i5 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard drive. The other is $1,499, but has a 2.9GHz dual-core i7, 8GB of RAM, and a 750GB HDD.
The 15-inch systems use 1440×900 displays, with a 512MB GT 650M video card for the $1,799 model, and 1GB GT 650M for the $2,199 option. The lower-cost system has a 2.3GHz quad-core i7, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard disk. The high-end one has a 2.6GHz quad-core i7, 8GB of RAM, and a 750GB hard disk. All of the new Pros have USB 3.0 ports.
The new MacBook Airs likewise have USB 3.0 ports, as well as FaceTime HD cameras. Two 11-inch options use 1366×768 displays, 1.7GHz dual-core i5 CPUs, 4GB of RAM, and HD Graphics 4000 chips. The only difference is a 128GB SSD for the $1,099 tier versus a 64GB SSD for $999. Upgrading to one of the two 13-inch models gets a 1440×900 display and a 1.8GHz dual-core i5; paying $1,199 gets a 128GB SSD, while $1,499 brings 256GB. Customization allows for up to a 2GHz dual-core i7, and as much as 8GB of RAM.
