Tech giant Apple has released its first Sandy Bridge notebooks.
The new MacBook Pro range features Intel’s latest second-generation Core i-series dual-core and quad-core processors inside 13, 15 and 17-inch notebook chassis with prices starting at $AUD1399.
The 13-inch model (pictured) features either the 2.3GHz dual-core Core i5 or the 2.7GHz dual-core Core i7-2620M chip. Chipmaker Intel has yet to release details about the 2.3GHz Core i5 processor so we suspect this is a brand-new chip. The Core i7-2620M is listed by Intel as only being released on February 20.
The unit comes with 4GB of DDR3-1333 RAM and a 320GB hard drive with the dual-core version or a 500GB model in the Core i7 variant.
The screen is a 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit model with 1280×800-pixel resolution.
These are the first notebooks to also feature Apple’s new Thunderbolt technology, an external port offering up to 10Gbps data transfer. Thunderbolt is a PCI-Express-based external port developed in conjunction with Intel that enables a range of external devices from USB drives to RAID arrays to monitors to be connected externally through the one port. Unfortunately, the MacBook Pro models only come with the one Thunderbolt port.
In addition to Thunderbolt, the MacBook Pro features two USB2.0 ports along with a Firewire-800 port and an SDXC card reader (SDXC supports flash card capacities of 64GB and beyond).
The 15-inch models beef up the processor capabilities with new quad-core chips – Intel’s 2GHz Core i7 (either the Core i7-2630QM or 2635QM) or the slightly faster 2.2GHz option (Core i7-2720QM).
Hard drive options are a 500GB model for the 2GHz unit and 750GB for the faster 2.2GHz version.
Graphics also get an improvement here – Apple offers a dual option here with either Intel’s integrated HD 3000 graphics engine or AMD’s Radeon HD 6490M in the 2GHz model or Radeon HD 6750M in the faster 2.2GHz unit.Both 15-inch models feature automatic switching between the Intel and AMD graphics engines.
The 17-inch model delivers 1920×1200-pixel resolution driven by either Intel’s HD 3000 integrated graphics or AMD’s Radeon HD 6750M engine with automatic switching between the two. This model also comes with the same 2.2GHz quad-core Core i7 processor as the high-end 15-inch model.
The hard drive on offer is a 750GB 5400RPM model along with the other series-standard features.
The 2.3GHz 13.3-inch model sells for $1399 with the faster 2.7GHz processor pushing the price to $1698. The 15-inch unit with the 2GHz quad-core CPU will set you back $2099 and an extra $400 for the faster 2.2GHz model. The 17-inch model has an $2899 asking price.
All models are available now from the Apple website with “1-2 days shipping” delivery times.