Macs that await refreshing: 2011
MacBook Pros and iMacs have gotten their updates; now it's time to look at what comes next.
- Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
We're several days into May, and another Mac has gotten upgraded to 2011 Intel processors. MacBook Pros, check. iMacs, check. Now that two of Apple's most popular lines have gotten necessary upgrades, it's time to look at which Macs still haven't gotten updated...and wonder when those updates will occur.
In order of our best guess as to when they'll be refreshed, here are the Macs we're still expecting.
The white MacBook (last updated: mid-April 2010)
Apple's lone white laptop has survived for years, and now that white's the new black in Apple products, maybe it'll come back in vogue as more than a "budget" pick. Like last year, we'd expect an imminent update to set it up as a back-to-school selection...assuming, of course, that the white MacBook will make it another year. Best guess: a Core i3 CPU.
MacBook Air (last updated: late October 2010)
The thin, fast-booting 11- and 13-inch Airs are the freshest Macs on our list, but they still lag behind the winter's new MacBook Pros in terms of battery life and processor power. New Intel Sandy Bridge low-voltage processors like those seen in the Samsung Series 9 could be the answer, along with being outfitted with the compact and versatile Thunderbolt port. Early signs point to a summer refresh.
Read our review of the 11-inch MacBook Air (2010)
Mac Mini (last updated: mid-June 2010)
The popular, tiny, set-top-friendly Mini is due for an immediate upgrade, too. Maybe a 2011 Mac Mini will make its appearance somewhere around WWDC in June. While I dream of the Mac Mini evolving into the perfect Apple living-room computer, a 2011 update will probably just see a processor upgrade and Thunderbolt technology. The 2010 Mac Mini had a Core 2 Duo CPU as opposed to the iMac's Core i3 and i5 processors; we'll see whether Apple can incorporate Sandy Bridge into a 2011 Mac Mini, possibly in the form of a Core i3.
Mac Pro (last updated: mid-July 2010)
Powerful Xeon-based towers aren't for the average consumer, but for serious number-crunchers, HD video editors, and FX studios, these are the Apple powerhouses of choice. Intel's 6-core Ivy Bridge CPUs could be a strong candidate for the Pros, unless they adopt Sandy Bridge processors sooner than that.