Bigger, faster, stronger? Photo credit: benjamin-nagel http://flic.kr/p/6UqpxG
We’re used to Apple unveiling new products and upgrades with elaborate ceremony and huge publicity. This time, however, they attracted as little attention as possible, and quietly upgraded the online store’s MacBook Pro offerings without any grandiose publicity. But nothing escapes the beady eyes of the Apple faithful, so reaction to the updates is already reeling in. What’s changed, and just how excited should we be?
What’s new? Apple has improved each of the three MacBook models – the 13, 15, and 17-inch versions. The changes, however, are more “nip and tuck” than revolution, said Time’s Techland blog. Speed, video and storage capabilities all received a nudge upwards. The processor speed has been improved by 0.2 GHz for each model, while the 17 and 15-inch models enjoy graphics processor improvements and the 13-inch laptop’s storage is bumped from 320GB to 500GB. And all for the same price as before. Splendid.
Disappointing. Apple fans are not easily pleased, it seems. CNET UK’s Andrew Hoyle declared himself “somewhat disappointed” with the minor changes. He was particularly upset to see just “4GB of RAM as standard in … top models, when many mid-range laptops offer 6GB.” Coupled with the “disappointment of the only slightly upgraded iPhone 4S”, Hoyle worried that this might be a sign of things to come.
A significant step. Brian Westover at PCMag was a little more impressed, calling the improved performance and hardware a “significant step forward” for Apple, which puts them in a better position to compete with the imminent Windows improvements. Wired called the upgrade “moderate, but welcome.”
