Apple MacBook Pro range refreshed with faster processors
Apple has given its MacBook Pro range a very minor refresh with slightly faster processors and more capacious storage options.
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It hasn't made a song and dance about it, but Apple has updated its line of MacBook Pros with faster processors and more storage.
We're not surprised little fuss has been made -- the updates aren't exactly Earth-shattering. The range still starts at a pricey £999 for the 13-inch model, which now packs a 2.4GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard disk drive -- a very minor update from the 2.3GHz processor previously on offer.
The 13-inch model is also available with a 2.8GHz Intel Core i7 chip, 4GB and a more capacious 750GB HDD. That'll cost you £1,299.
Both 15-inch models now use Core i7 chips. The lower model has a 2.2GHz clock speed and a 500GB HDD; the higher model has a 2.4GHz chip and 750GB HDD. They'll set you back £1,549 and £1,849 respectively.
The 15-inch models also use AMD Radeon graphics cards for your gaming pleasure. An HD 6750M card with 512MB of VRAM is inside the lower model and an HD 6770M with 1GB of VRAM in the top end. Those specs will offer a huge improvement in polygon-munching abilities over the built-in Intel HD 3000 graphics found on the 13-inch models.
The grandaddy of the bunch, the 17-inch model uses the same internal specifications as the top-end 15-inch model (2.4GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 4GB RAM, 750GB HDD) but comes with the bigger screen. It'll set you back £2,039.
We're somewhat disappointed not to see a bigger refresh of the range. It's particularly surprising to see Apple only offering 4GB of RAM as standard in its top models, when many mid-range laptops offer 6GB. You can specially configure your model to have 8GB, but it will cost you another £160. Perhaps the next refresh will see 6, 8 or even 16GB of RAM as standard.
Is this minor update -- together with the disappointment of the only slightly upgraded iPhone 4S -- a sign of things to come with Apple? Are the days of massive overhauls and bold new products over? Or is it just that we expect much more of the company now it's so vast? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or over on our official Facebook page.