Apple's MacBook Pro with Retina display updated with Haswell CPUs, more RAM

[Shawn Knight]

Apple on Tuesday refreshed its 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display lineup, just in time for the back-to-school shopping season. The new machines are now powered by Intel's fourth generation Haswell processors and ship with more memory.

The entry-level 13-inch model still starts at $1,299 but now includes a 2.6GHz dual-core Core i5 CPU and 8GB of RAM, up from a 2.4GHz Core i5 and 4GB of memory. An extra $200 buys a larger 256GB solid state drive while the top-of-the-line 13-inch model includes a 2.8GHz Core i5 chip, 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD for $1,799.

The 15-inch models, meanwhile, begin at $1,999 and includes a 2.2GHz quad-core Core i7, 16GB of RAM and 256GB of flash storage. The high-end model, now $100 cheaper at $2,499, boasts a 2.5GHz quad-core i7, 16GB of memory, a 512GB SSD and an Nvidia GeForce GT 750M.

Keep in mind that these are just the off-the-shelf models. Apple also offers build-to-order systems that let you specify the components you want in a machine. Going that route, customers can select up to a 3.0GHz dual-core i7 on the 13-inch line and up to a 2.8GHz quad-core i7 for the 15-inch model.

Additionally, both models can be configured with up to 1TB of flash storage should you happen to need that much space locally.

Last but not least, the 13-inch non-Retina model also received a price cut, going from $1,199 down to just $1,099.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/57560-apples-macbook-pro-with-retina-display-updated-with-haswell-cpus-more-ram.html

 

[Jad Chaar]

They really need to upgrade that GPU. The new one is supposedly 20% faster. I hope they refresh them again the fall.

 

[Guest]

Anybody else notice that apple is slowly becoming more competitive with their macbook prices? Only thing missing is a high end GPU and it would probably be the best portability to power ratio on the market!

 

[VitalyT]

So, for those of us who purchased the top spec of the 15" Macbook Pro the only change is having optional 2.8GHz CPU, up from 2.6GHz before, and that's for an extra $200. I'll wait for September models...

 

[LNCPapa]

I'm gonna go ahead and have my job get me one. I was hoping I could time this well with a refresh.

 

[Guest17]

So that's why I saw a line three blocks long outside the Apple store in Bumfug, Arizona. Apple does it again!

 

[Nobina]

Why do they have such small storage? 256GB is just small and it costs $2000.

 

[captainawesome]

Your article is a little misleading by saying "The new machines are now powered by Intel's fourth generation Haswell processors and ship with more memory."
- They have had Haswell processors since Late 2013 models. These are just clock-bumps to give some extra ghz as standard.

It's starting to become better value propositions especially the 15inch with 16GB of RAM. I have the late 2013 13inch with 8GB and let me tell ya, Chrome burns through that 8GB like there's no tomorrow

 

[texasrattler]

Why do they have such small storage? 256GB is just small and it costs $2000.

They are solid state drives. SSDs have lower storage due to cost but that is slowly changing. Most SSDs are 128gb, 256gb and 512gb. There's now 1tb but they are expensive. Price is coming down every year with SSDs so it's only a matter of time when most computers will start coming with SSDs. They are faster, better performance and usually will last longer than a standard hard drive.

 

[texasrattler]

So, for those of us who purchased the top spec of the 15" Macbook Pro the only change is having optional 2.8GHz CPU, up from 2.6GHz before, and that's for an extra $200. I'll wait for September models...

Who said newer models are coming in Sept.? Apple hasn't. Only thing coming in Sept. is the iPhone 6.
Apple isn't going to release a newer mac pro retina then release a newer one in Sept. Maybe at the end of the year/early next year we might see some newer models but nothing sooner.

Mac pro isn't getting a update, it's ending as Apple is doing away with the cd/dvd drive being intergrated. It will now only be extrernal.

iMacs may get a update in the next few months. Only thing they have got was a cheaper iMac a few months back but a refresh hasn't happened yet.

 

[SNGX1275]

Mac pro isn't getting a update, it's ending as Apple is doing away with the cd/dvd drive being intergrated. It will now only be extrernal.

Perhaps you meant something other than what you said. The Mac Pro lost the optical drive with the late 2013 update. There is no indication the Mac Pro is going away at all at this point in time. Maybe I just misunderstood the portion of what you said that I have made bold.

 

[texasrattler]

Apple has already announced the death of the Mac Pro. Now by that I do mean the one with the optical drive. Not the Mac Pro retina. Currently the Mac Pro has a drive but it's coming to a end before the end of the year.

To be clear I am not saying that the Mac Pro is never coming back, I am saying the Mac Pro with optical drive is over. I am sure there a good chance it will come back sans the optical drive.

By the way, the Mac Pro has never lost it's drive, not sure where you got that from, it's only just now losing it.

 

[SNGX1275]

You are totally incorrect @texasrattler you are confusing the Macbook Pro and the Mac Pro. Completely different.

 

[texasrattler]

I am talking about the MacBook Pro Retina and the MacBook Pro. I am not talking about the iMac aka desktop version, only am talking about the laptops.

The MacBook Pro currently has a optical drive aka cd/dvd drive. It is losing that option within the next few months/end of the year. What will happen to the Mac Pro itself, more than likely a updated version sans the optical drive, may even get killed off altogether as there is no real use for it other than price. But that is also what the Mac Air is for.

 

[SNGX1275]

Thats fine, and I would have just let it go if I wasn't a mod that has some interest in Macs. But I'm just not going to let you get away with totally misusing the names of the products. They are similarly named for sure, but just look what would have happened if I hadn't called you out on it.... some potential buyer would have seen your crap and thought that they could never load a cd into a pro level desktop system, and then bailed on it...

 

[texasrattler]

I wasn't misleading anyone as the desktop is called a iMac, I never said anything about iMacs. The fact that you and others may not know the difference in apples terminology isn't my fault, that would be apples.

I used the correct names. The names for the apple products are mac pro and mac pro retina. Also I never said anything about older models, I am only referring to the models that are out now. The names of those models are as I have said, the mac pro and the mac pro retina.

A Mac Pro/MacBook Pro are the same laptop, same as a Mac Pro Retina/MacBook Pro. iMacs do not use the word pro in them.

 

[SNGX1275]

You are not knowledgeable about Macs, please quit posting thinking you are.

The Mac Pro is a desktop.

 

[captaincranky]

It's starting to become better value propositions especially the 15inch with 16GB of RAM. I have the late 2013 13inch with 8GB and let me tell ya, Chrome burns through that 8GB like there's no tomorrow

Yeah but, you get to tell everybody how fast it is! That should be worth something, no?

 

[St1ckM4n]

The names for the apple products are mac pro and mac pro retina. Also I never said anything about older models, I am only referring to the models that are out now. The names of those models are as I have said, the mac pro and the mac pro retina.

A Mac Pro/MacBook Pro are the same laptop, same as a Mac Pro Retina/MacBook Pro. iMacs do not use the word pro in them.

Incorrect.

Mac Pro with optical drive 'died'. Apple revived the Mac Pro sans optical drive, and it is now affectionately known as the 'expensive black trashcan'. It came out less than a year ago and will probably continue selling.

Macbook Pro (non Retina) will probably die, as it's only a couple hundred bucks cheaper than the faster/newer/better RETINA Macbook Pro.

Macbook is the name for Apple's current laptop lineup, and must always be said as Macbook when talking specifics. 'Mac Air' makes sense because there is only one, but there is a Mac Pro AND a Macbook Pro.

iMac is the all-in-one desktop line.

 

[texasrattler]

I call the product as it is listed. No one, including Apple employees have called the iMac a Mac Pro. I can go into a store and see the iMacs clearly labeled as iMacs and do not state anything about being a Pro. If they are suppose to be labeled in stores like that, they are not. Even if they are, no one says that, not even employees.

Laptops are clearly labeled as Mac Pro or Mac Pro Retina.

And I have said I am not referring to iMacs. The Mac Pro is a laptop, That is the model I am referring to and it has not lost it's optical drive yet. It's going to.

I am going by wording of todays models and as far as I know and what employees have said/informed, iMacs are desktops aka all in ones and a Mac Pro or Mac Pro retina, equal laptop models. Hell even Apples own Reps word it the same way.

 

[SNGX1275]

You are either a pretty good troll, or the most ignorant person I've ran across on these forums. Go to Apple's website, you will see a desktop Mac Pro, that is their highest end computer, then there is an iMac and a Mac mini, all would fit under a "desktop" line. Then there is the Macbook Air, Macbook Pro, and the Macbook Pro Retina.

For you to be so stubborn and wrong about this in the face of myself and St1ckM4n makes me think you are a troll.

 

[St1ckM4n]

Laptops are clearly labeled as Mac Pro or Mac Pro Retina.

MacBOOK Pro.

Have you even been to the Apple website? Check out their model lineup for Macs.

And check out the connectivity options on Macbook Pro Retina. No disc drive at all on Retina models.

The Macbook Pro still exists, and still has the optical drive. If you're referring to this, then cool story. IMO this whole model will be gone soon as it will be superseded by Retina models.

 

[captaincranky]

I was thinking it might be fun if NFL quarter backs were penalized by subtracting the number of interceptions they've thrown which have been brought back for touchdowns by the opposing team, from passes they've thrown for touchdowns by their own team.

And I thought to myself, "we could do that at Techspot, by subtracting the number of incorrect posts, from the total number of a member's posts.

I'm not namin' names, but somebody would be down to 27......

Anyway, the Mac Mini is a turd. (I don't want you guys to think gone soft on ya).... It's a sin to call those things a "desktop". A desk top is big and black.

 

[LNCPapa]

LOL - I thought that guy was joking when he was saying the Mac Pro was a laptop. Anyway... the Mac Mini does have a few really good uses CC. It makes a great HTPC and it's also a decent protable "desktop" if you need the ability to move things from home to the office or some other place.