Aside from new Ivy Bridge-fitted MacBook Air models that will soon be getting free Mac OS X Mountain Lion OS upgrades, WWDC 2012 also saw the launch of the latest line of Apple MacBook Pros. Like the MacBook Air, the MacBook Pro has been updated to run on Intel’s third-generation Ivy Bridge processors as well as NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics with 1GB of VRAM for better graphics performance. The latest Apple MacBook Pro models are also thinner than the previous ones. But the most interesting thing about these new laptops is the fact that they can now be purchased with high-resolution 15-inch Retina displays, much like the ones seen in the latest version of the Apple iPad.
The new MacBook Pro with Retina display from Apple features an IPS screen with 5.1 million pixels in it (max resolution: 2880×1800 pixels). There are a number of scaled resolutions available, and these are 1920×1200, 1680×1050, 1280×800, and 1024×640 pixels. As a result of the inclusion of a Retina displays, the new 15-inch MacBook Pro can now show ultra-fine text and images on the screen. This may be problematic for certain applications and programs, but where it works, it should work extremely well.
On the sides of the latest MacBook Pro models, you’ll find a total of two Thunderbolt ports, two USB 3.0 ports, a single HDMI port, an SDXC card slot, a built-in headphone port, and a MagSafe 2 power port. Wireless features include 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.
The base configuration of the new 15-inch MacBook Pro comes with a 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of DDR3 RAM @ 1600MHz, and 256GB of flash storage. With full backlights on the keyboard and wireless features turned on, Apple says users should be able to get at least 7 hours of usage with it per full charge. It’s interesting to note that Apple is not releasing a 17-inch version of the new MacBook Pro with Retina display. The ultra-fine nature of text and images on the screen now should be less of a problem on such a model since it will have a larger display, but again, Apple seems to have decided to just quietly killed the 17-inch MBP here.
13-inch and 15-inch versions of the MacBook Pro will still be available, and both can be purchased with Intel Ivy Bridge processors as well. Pricing for the 13-inch MacBook Pro with a 2.5 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 500GB hard drive starts at $1,199 USD (57,990 Pesos at the local online Apple store), while the new 15-inch MacBook Pro with a 2.3 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, 4GB of RAM, Intel HD Graphics 4000 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M, and 500GB hard drive starts at $1,799 USD (87,990 Pesos). And as for the new 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, pricing starts at $2,199 USD (currently 107,990 Pesos at the local Apple online store). Do you think it’s worth it to upgrade to the new MacBook Pro with Retina display right now? Sound off in the comments.
Geek in Manila 
One thought on “Apple updates MacBook Pro line with Ivy Bridge and Retina display, quietly kills 17-inch model”