Rumors suggest that Apple may be launching a refresh on its MacBook Pro laptops before the year ends, just in time for the holiday shopping season. The late-2011 MacBook Pro refresh is believed to include a minor speed upgrade with a new Intel Core processor. Other hardware and the exterior is reported to remain the same.
According to a report by Apple news site AppleInsider, its sources said that Apple is now planning to release the upgraded MacBook Pro laptops as early as the end of September. It was shown in MacRumors’ buyer’s guide that it has been more than 200 days since the MacBook Pro had a refresh and it seems that a late-September release isn’t off base since Apple usually has an average of 215 days between updates.
Apple last updated its line of MacBook Pro laptops in February, adding Thunderbolt and bringing in Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs. Other changes include the jump to FaceTime HD cameras and the inclusion of AMD graphics processing units.
AppleInsider said that an update can mean that the laptop may run on Intel’s latest line of Core i7 quad-core chips, which run at 2.4 GHz, 2.5 GHz and 2.7 GHz. This is compared to the 2.0 GHz, 2.2 GHz and 2.3 GHz in the 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro models.
While Ivy Bridge chips were originally expected to be included in the update, it has been pushed back to March or April next year. This slight speed increase should keep the laptops competitive with other PC hardware until the next update.
via: AppleInsider
