Apple announces new, faster Retina MacBook Pros with Haswell chips, Thunderbolt 2, starting at $1,299
If you've been waiting on fresh Apple MacBook Pro hardware to go with the new OS X 10.9 Mavericks OS, your wait is over.
- More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.
For Apple's latest MacBook Pro laptops, it's all about the new Intel processors and graphics, better battery life, and OS X 10.9 Mavericks, of course.
As expected, Apple refreshed its Apple MacBook Pro models to take advantage of the new OS X 10.9 Mavericks operating system. Like the 2013 versions of both the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air released in June, the 2013 MacBook Pro models get Intel's fourth-gen Core i-series of powerful yet power-saving mobile processors.
For the 13.3-inch model, now starting at $1,299, the laptop is thinner and lighter than its predecessor: 3.46 pounds and 0.71 inch thick. The entry configuration features a fourth-gen dual-core Intel Core i5 2.4GHz processor (Haswell), PCIe-based 128GB SSD, 4GB of memory, and Intel Iris graphics.
From there, you can spend $200 more and double your memory and storage or, for $400 more, you can get 8GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a slightly faster processor.
| MacBook Pro (13.3-inch, Retina, 2012) | MacBook Pro (13.3-inch, Retina, fall 2013) | MacBook Pro (15.4-inch, Retina, 2012) | MacBook Pro (15.4-inch, Retina, fall 2013) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | 3rd-gen 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5; 3rd-gen 2.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 | 4th-gen 2.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5; 4th-gen 2.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5; 4th-gen 2.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 | 3rd-gen 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7; 3rd-gen 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 | 4th-gen 2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7; 4th-gen 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 |
| Memory (1,600MHz DDR3) | 8GB | 4GB; 8GB; 8GB | 8GB of 1,600MHz DDR3; 16GB of 1,600MHz | 8GB of 1,600MHz DDR3; 16GB of 1,600MHz |
| Storage | 128GB SSD; 256GB SSD | 128GB SSD; 256GB SSD; 512GB SSD | 256GB SSD; 512GB SSD | 256GB SSD; 512GB SSD |
| Display | 2,560x1,600 | 2,560x1,600 | 2,880x1,800 | 2,880x1,800 |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | Intel Iris Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 4000; Nvidia GeForce GT 650M with 1GB GDDR5 | Intel Iris Pro Graphics; Nvidia GeForce GT 750M with 2GB GDDR5 |
| Camera | 720p FaceTime HD camera | 720p FaceTime HD camera | 720p FaceTime HD camera | 720p FaceTime HD camera |
| Ports | 2 Thunderbolt, 2 USB 3.0, HDMI, headphone, SDXC card slot | 2 Thunderbolt 2, 2 USB 3.0, HDMI, headphone, SDXC card slot | 2 Thunderbolt, 2 USB 3.0, HDMI, headphone, SDXC card slot | 2 Thunderbolt 2, 2 USB 3.0, HDMI, headphone, SDXC card slot |
| Wireless | 802.11n Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.0 | 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.0 | 802.11n Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.0 | 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Battery life (wireless Web) | Up to 7 hours | Up to 9 hours | Up to 7 hours | Up to 8 hours |
| Size (WDH); weight | 12.3x8.6x0.75 inches; 3.6 pounds | 12.3x8.6x0.71 inches; 3.5 pounds | 14.1x9.7x0.71 inches; 4.5 pounds | 14.1x9.7x0.71 inches; 4.5 pounds |
| Price | $1,499; $1,699 | $1,299; $1,499; $1,699 | $2,199; $2,799 | $1,999; $2,599 |
The 15.4-inch version will be available for $1,999. At that price, it's running on a fourth-gen quad-core Intel Core i7 2.0GHz processor (Crystalwell), 8GB of memory, PCIe-based 256GB SSD, and Iris Pro graphics. Apple claims the Intel Iris Pro integrated graphics can deliver similar performance as a discrete card, but uses less power. For those who want discrete graphics, though, an Nvidia GeForce GT 750M card with 2GB GDDR5 memory will be available.
Other configuration options include maxing out the memory to 16GB and increasing storage up to 1TB on the highest-end 13.3-inch and the 15.4-inch models.
Other hardware updates include faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Thunderbolt 2.
Apple claims the new hardware and OS combined will be able to push battery life up to 9 hours for the 13-inch, whereas the 15-inch can run for up to 8 hours.
MacBook Pro not dead yet
If you were hoping to see new non-Retina Display MacBook Pros, you're out of luck. On the upside, Apple didn't kill off the model entirely.
The $1,199 13.3-inch MacBook Pro remains with its 1,280x800-pixel-resolution screen, third-gen 2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, 4GB of 1,600MHz DDR3 memory, 500GB hard drive, and Intel HD Graphics 4000. It's also now the only currently available Apple laptop with an 8x SuperDrive optical drive, and it still has FireWire 800 and Gigabit Ethernet.