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2012 MacBook Pro rumor roundup: new thinner design, Retina display, Ivy Bridge, and more

After months of rumor and speculation, Apple's alleged MacBook Pro overhaul may soon be upon us. Multiple reports suggest that the new models will have thinner designs that bring the Pro series closer in line with the MacBook Air, high-resolution Retina displays, Nvidia graphics, and Intel's new Ivy Bridge processors in time for a rumored summer release. Keep an eye on this page for all the latest buzz as it emerges.

  • Jun 11, 2012

    Vlad Savov

    MacBook Pro upgraded with Ivy Bridge CPUs, Nvidia graphics, shipping today

    macbook pro 2012
    macbook pro 2012

    Apple has just revealed its new line of 2012 MacBook Pro laptops, upgrading them to Intel's Ivy Bridge processors and Nvidia's new Kepler-based GeForce GT 650M graphics. All new models are shipping today.

    The big highlight of today's show is actually the introduction of a so-called next-generation MacBook Pro with an incredible 2880 x 1800 display, however that's happening quite aside from Apple's regular hardware refresh. You'll still find your usual 13-inch MBP with a 1280 x 800 screen, only now it has a new 2.5GHz Core i5 processor as the base spec, upgradeable to a 2.9GHz Core i7 chip. Regrettably, only Intel's integrated HD Graphics 4000 are listed for the 13-inch model. Prices start at $1,199 as previously.

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  • Tom Warren

    Jun 5, 2012

    Tom Warren

    MacBook Pro 13-inch spec sheet leaks showing USB 3.0, 1280 x 800 resolution, and Ivy Bridge?

    Apple MacBook 13-inch Ivy Bridge rumor leak
    Apple MacBook 13-inch Ivy Bridge rumor leak

    WWDC is just under a week away and a spec sheet appears to have leaked that details the next-generation 13-inch MacBook Pro. Chinese site Weiphone claims a US Apple employee snapped the spec sheet which hints at a 13.3-inch display with 1280 x 800 resolution and 2.5GHz dual-core Intel i5. Intel's HD Graphics 4000 is also reportedly on board, alongside Thunderbolt and two USB 3.0 ports — indicating this is an Ivy Bridge refresh of Apple's MacBook Pro line. The size dimensions remain the same as the existing 13-inch MacBook Pro, but the weight is up from 2.04kg to 2.06kg — suggesting there's no new radical design on this particular model. The image also refers to OS X as "Mac OS X" rather than the simple "OS X" branding that Apple has adopted with OS X Mountain Lion, which could suggest it may not ship with the new operating system.

    Although the image could easily be faked in a number of ways, we scanned the barcode and it does provide an 826-9882-A product code that's included on the photo. Apple's Thunderbolt ports leaked out in a similar manner last year, proving to be genuine. We can't be certain either way, but these specifications could represent a base model configuration with multiple display resolution choices. Apple offers multiple resolutions and finishes for its 15-inch models, but its 13-inch MacBook Pro is currently only available with a glossy 1280 x 800 display. Previous rumors suggested that Apple could be planning Retina Displays and an ultrathin design for its next-generation 15-inch MacBook Pro model.

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  • Nathan Ingraham

    Jun 4, 2012

    Nathan Ingraham

    Apple reportedly planning a massive Mac hardware refresh across multiple product lines at WWDC

    macbook pro 15-inch
    macbook pro 15-inch

    It's been a while since Apple's WWDC keynotes have focused on Mac hardware — recent years have been primarily dedicated to iOS, the iPhone, and (to a lesser extent) OS X. However, if a 9to5Mac report is to believed, that's going to change this year. The latest rumor claims that nearly the entire Mac lineup will be turned over, with the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and iMac lines receiving updates; the report also claims that either the Mac Pro or Mac Mini line will be updated, though it's not yet certain which computer will see updates.

    The biggest bit of new info is probably surrounding the MacBook Air — the word is that both the 11-inch and 13-inch computers will be upgraded to retina displays, though in this context, it's not clear what exactly that resolution will be. We've heard lately that Sharp's working on new display technology with extremely high resolutions, including a 13.5-inch screen with a 3840 x 2160 resolution, so a MacBook Air with a retina display isn't an impossibility. 9to5Mac also reiterated its earlier rumor regarding a new 15-inch MacBook Pro with a retina display, USB 3.0, and a thinner profile.

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  • Nilay Patel

    May 14, 2012

    Nilay Patel

    New MacBook Pros confirmed to have Nvidia graphics

    Nvidia HQ stock 1024
    Nvidia HQ stock 1024

    Apple's updated MacBook Pro rumored to arrive this summer will feature Nvidia graphics alongside Intel's Ivy Bridge processors, a switch from the AMD GPUs in the current models. The news comes to us directly from a trusted source, and it's further corroborated by Joanna Stern at ABC News, whose sources also tell her that the new machines will indeed feature high resolution Retina Displays.

    While we can't yet confirm what specific Nvidia chip Apple will use, a 9to5 Mac report from earlier today located references to the GeForce GT 650M, a 28nm chip built on the "Kepler" architecture that should offer similar power and performance efficiency to the well-regarded 28nm GeForce GT 640M. We recently tested the GT 640M in the Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M3-581TG and found it to be a very capable chip, although it did run a bit hot when playing games.

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  • May 14, 2012

    Vlad Savov

    New MacBook Pro rumored for summer with Retina display, ultrathin design, USB 3.0

    MacBook Pro stock
    MacBook Pro stock

    It's no news to say that Apple will upgrade its MacBook Pro laptop range to Intel's latest generation Core processors, but what else can we look forward to? 9to5Mac has been in touch with sources within Apple's supply chain, who suggest that the 2012 iteration of MBP hardware will be the first in the Mac line to include Retina displays, while also slimming down in the most significant design alteration since 2008.

    Specifically addressing a new 15-inch model, the site's informants claim it will omit the optical disc drive in an effort to reach a new thinner profile — albeit one that's still thicker than the MacBook Air — with the power button taking the place of the now-defunct eject key on the keyboard. Their familiarity with Apple's plans stems from seeing prototype unibody casings, which are said to be undergoing test production rounds, so things might still change, though we're not encouraged to hear the designs "lack room for Ethernet."

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  • Adi Robertson

    Mar 23, 2012

    Adi Robertson

    Double-sized icons appearing in OS X Mountain Lion

    Gallery Photo: Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion screen shots and photos
    Gallery Photo: Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion screen shots and photos

    The latest version of Mac OS X may be phasing in support for higher resolution displays. A source with the second developer preview of 10.8 Mountain Lion has told Ars Technica that double-sized icons are appearing in a few places, including Messages, the updated version of iChat. As shown in the screenshot below, the green audio chat icon is twice as wide as it should be, displaying in 2x resolution.

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  • Dec 14, 2011

    Vlad Savov

    MacBook Pro with 2880 x 1800 resolution to come by mid-2012, according to suppliers

    MBP13_1020
    MBP13_1020

    Apple's intention to increase screen resolutions on its Mac hardware was signaled by the covert introduction of a HiDPI display mode with Lion earlier this year, and today we're hearing rumblings about the first laptops that may make use of it. DigiTimes reports that Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with 2880 x 1800 resolution — a quadrupling of the 1440 x 900 res that's currently standard on its 15-inch MBP — in the second quarter of 2012. This information comes from the usual upstream supply chain sources, whose reliability hasn't always been sterling.

    Still, it makes sense when you consider that HiDPI is tantamount to the same quadrupling of pixels for UI elements that Apple executed with the iPhone when moving from 480 x 320 to 960 x 640 between the 3GS and 4 models. Moreover, Intel's Ivy Bridge processors have been shown to support 4k x 4k resolutions, so even without a discrete GPU Apple would be able to power the immensity of a 2880 x 1800 display.

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  • Thomas Ricker

    Nov 28, 2011

    Thomas Ricker

    15-inch MacBook Air coming in Q1, says DigiTimes

    MacBook Air
    MacBook Air

    DigiTimes cites supply chain sources in claiming that Apple is set to launch a new 11.6-, 13.3-, and 15-inch MacBook Air series in the first quarter of 2012. The Taiwanese publication with a hit-or-miss record on Apple rumors says that the new MacBook Airs, including the new 15-inch model, have started pilot production.

    Apple already makes an 11- and 13-inch model and a 15-inch ultra-thin Mac notebook was originally rumored by MacRumors back in July. TUAW later corroborated the 15-inch claim, adding that an ultra-thin 17-inch model was on the way too — both would be members of a redesigned MacBook Pro lineup, "not oversized Airs." While it may be rumor, it's clear that Apple's moving towards a product lineup that eschews optical drives and spinning hard disks in favor of Thunderbolt connectivity, SSD flash drives, and "cloud" services. The only question is when.

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