Macworld published benchmarks for new MacBook Pros

The benchmark results for Apple’s latest MacBook Pros are in—and they’re impressive. In testing conducted by Macworld Lab, the laptops released Thursday turned in Speedmark scores between 13 and 53 percent faster than the systems they replace.  The best Speedmark numbers are not far from my 2010 Mac Pro 3.2Ghz Quad, which kind of makes me feel like I have a 50 pound laptop on my desk.

Full lab report: 2011 MacBook Pro benchmark results [Macworld]

There's no need to fear, Thunderbolt is here

Apple as predicted, released the latest update to the MacBook Pro line.  The new versions feature a new series of Intel processors, updated graphics cards, and a new “Super” connector the Thunderbolt.  The Thunderbolt pipeline is more than 12 times faster than FireWire 800 and up to 20 times faster than USB 2.0 according to Apple.

From Engadget:

“As for performance, we were given the $2,199 configuration with a 2.2GHz quad-core Sandy Bridge Core i7, discrete AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics, 4GB of RAM and a 750GB HD, which clocked a preliminary GeekBench score of 9647.”

My Mac Pro (3.2Ghz Quad) scored a 10103 with GeekBench.  Who needs the 50lb desktop anymore?  Below are the standard configurations available now from Apple. 

• 17” 1920x1200 Display. 2.2Ghz Quad i7. 4GB RAM. 750GB HD. AMD 6750M 1GB. $2499 
• 15” 1440x900 (1680 option) Display. 2.2GHz Quad i7. 750GB HD. AMD 6750M 1GB. $2199.
• 15” 1440x900 (1680 option) Display. 2.0GHz Quad i7. 4GB RAM. 500GB HD. AMD 6490M 256MB. $1799 
• 13” 1280x800 Display. 2.7GHz Dual i5. 4GB RAM. 500GB HD. Intel HD Graphics. $1499
• 13” 1280x800 Display. 2.3GHz Dual i5. 4GB RAM. 320GB HD. Intel HD Graphics. $1199

New MacBook Pro's coming this week - Supplies of current models running out.

There is evidence that Apple plans to introduce new MacBook Pro notebooks as early as this week.  The company reportedly providing some dealers with strict warnings not to breach the integrity of sealed palette shipments that may begin arriving as early as tomorrow.

Supplies have been drying up of the current models here and abroad.  Apple’s major European distributors ran out of MacBook Pros in the last month, and local resellers have not been able to place new orders for the notebooks for over two weeks, and Apple has not shipped a single unit during the same period.

Apple releases new MacBook Pros with Intel Core i5, i7 processors

Wow, that did not take long.  If Apple ran the Pentagon, we would not have any leaks at all. 

“The new MacBook Pro is as advanced on the inside as it is stunning on the outside,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With faster processors, amazing graphics and up to three more hours of battery life, the new MacBook Pro delivers both performance and efficiency.”

With 48 processing cores, the new NVIDIA GeForce 320M is said to be the fastest integrated graphics processor on the market, ideal for graphics intensive applications or high performance games. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is available in two configurations: one with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo and 250GB hard drive priced at $1,199; and one with a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo and 320GB hard drive priced at $1,499.

The new 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro models are reportedly up to 50 percent faster than the previous systems. Using Intel’s state-of-the-art 32 nanometer process, Intel Core i5 and i7 processors integrate the memory controller and Level 3 cache for faster access to system memory. Hyper-Threading technology improves data throughput by creating virtual processing cores, while Turbo Boost optimizes performance between the two processor cores, accelerating the system from 2.66 GHz to 3.06 GHz for intensive dual core tasks, and up to 3.33 GHz for single core tasks.

All 15-inch and 17-inch models include two graphics processors, the new NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M for peak performance and Intel HD Graphics for energy efficient operation. More than twice as fast as the GeForce 320M, Apple touted that the new GeForce GT 330M provides smooth, crisp on-screen graphics for the most demanding 3D games, creative software and technical applications.

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Don't buy that new MacBook Pro just yet!

This leak looks like it’s pretty real.  A Microcenter employee has released this image from the company database.  This shows that the new updated MacBook Pro’s are just around the corner. 

These seem to correspond with three 15” MacBook Pros and a 17” MacBook Pro ($2299.99). The new machines are likely using Intel’s Core i7 and i5 mobile processors.

Three Arrandale 32nm arrive January 3rd - MacBook Pro speed demon

This from fudzilla.com

“Intel plans to launch at least three Arrandale-based Core i5 and Core i7 processors on January 3rd and none of them will be what we call cheap.

Core i5 520M, the cheapest of the lot, has two cores and four threads at a base frequency of 2.4GHz and as expected, it supports Turbo Mode and can run even faster. It features 3MB of cache and will sell for $225.

The next runner up is Core i5 540M with two cores, four threads, Turbo Mode, 3MB of L2 cache, a 2.53GHz frequency and as of January 3rd, it will sell for $257.

The last one is called Core i7 620M and it also has two cores and four thread. However, it features 4MB of cache and is clocked at a base frequency of 2.66GHz. It supports Turbo Mode and can run faster. On January 3rd, it will sell for $332 in quantities of 1,000,

In perspective, all three mobile Arrandale-based chips are power hogs and their TDP ratings (including the graphics core) will end up at not so attractive 35W. “

15-inch MacBook Pro finally has matte LCD option

Apple on Tuesday quietly addressed the concerns of some notebook buyers by adding a matte display option for the 15-inch MacBook Pro. The feature replaces the glossy glass screen and bezel with a more conventional metal bezel and separate anti-glare panel. The option is available across all three 15-inch systems.  Choosing this option will cost the same as on the 17-inch model at $50.

MacBook Pro SATA Speed Issues

Apple on Monday released an EFI firmware update for the MacBook Pro models launched earlier this month. The update brings back support for the 3Gbps SATA specification, although the company warns that it has not offered or qualified drives running at transfer rates higher than 1.5Gbps. Earlier reports indicated the new systems had switched from 3Gbps specifications down to a 1.5Gbps limit.

MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.7 addresses an issue reported by a small number of customers using drives based on the SATA 3Gbps specification with the June 2009 MacBook Pro. While this update allows drives to use transfer rates greater than 1.5Gbps, Apple has not qualified or offered these drives for Mac notebooks and their use is unsupported.

How very kind of Apple to admit to something they should never have done in the first place.

MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.7 - 3.35MB

Further details are available in the related support document.

13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros Have a Slower SATA Interface

Macrumors is reporting that Apple seems to have quietly downgraded the SATA Interface from 3.0Gbit to 1.5Gbit speeds in some of the new MacBook Pros introduced last week. Readers are reporting that both the new 13” and 15” MacBook Pro models are affected while the 13” MacBook (white), 17” MacBook Pro and 13” MacBook Air retain the 3.0Gbit SATA interface. SATA is the interface between a computer and its hard drives.

What is the deal Apple?  We should be going forward, not backwards.  As someone who was planning on upgrading soon, and switching to SSD, this is a definite game changer.

Apple releases SMC 1.3 update for MacBook Pros

Apple has released a v1.3 System Management Controller (SMC) update for 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro systems. The upgrade adjusts the fan behavior of a Pro when the system is operating under high-workload conditions. Software is installed in the Applications/Utilities folder, and then launched automatically.

The SMC is a micro-controller on the logic board that regulates various functions such as power and heat management. The update is sized at 833KB, and compatible with Mac OS X 10.4.11 or higher. Pro owners can download the file from Apple’s support page.