Here is the list of all the upgrades that were unveiled tonight:
The MacBook Pro remains with its current design, but only in 13 and 15". both models get an Ivy Bridge CPU and the long awaited USB 3.0.
- The 13" models come with a dual core Ivy Bridge Core i5 2.3 GHz or a Core i7 2.9 GHz both dual core with a starting price of $1199
- The 15" models come with a quad core Ivy Bridge Core i7 2.3 GHz or 2.6 GHz and starts at $1799.
The rest remains unchanged, RAM frequency goes up to 1600 MHz, but the options are the same, SSD or HDD and Superdrive.
There is however a completely new model, the Retina MacBook Pro. It is a sort of hybrid halfway between the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro, both thin and powerful. The main feature of this new model is its very impressive display that features an incredible resolution of 2880 x 1800. A lot thinner than the current design, it drops both Firewire and Ethernet ports (Thunderbolt adapters are available for $29) but gets two USB 3.0, an HDMI and a second Thunderbolt. Prices start at 2199$ with 8 GB of RAM soldered to the motherboard and an SSD with a RAM form factor, similar to the one of the MacBook Air. It is available with 256 GB of storage (it's possible to upgrade to 512 and 768 GB).
The MacBook Air also got an upgrade but a much smaller one, it just gets Ivy Bridge CPUs and USB 3.0. Pricing still starts at $999 for the 11" and $1199 for the 13".
The real choice to make is deciding between the two 15" models, with the conservative choice allowing RAM and easy HDD replacement as it keeps the 2.5" disks, or the thinner yet as powerful but all integrated without any possibility of upgrade except maybe the SSD. On a side note, the Retina model is way ahead of all its competitors, as it was unthinkable for many people to put such a unique display in a laptop sold at that price, which is in the end not that high.
