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Felix · Jan 17, 2009, 10:42 AM

Hi, is it likely that Apple will offer the 2.93 CPU and the extended memory capability on the MBP 15, soon? Perhaps even the new battery with extended capacity?

Felix

Simon · Jan 17, 2009, 11:55 AM

That CPU won't come to the 15" unti it sees the next refresh (not before summer).

The mem capabilities should in principle be the same (both use the same chipset). There's still some issues with 8 GB on the 15". It would appear a firmware update should be able to fix that. No idea when to expect that update though.

I would hope to see the integrated high-capacity battery on the 15" with the next refresh but it's not certain Apple will switch the 15" to non-swappable batteries. Personally I'd rather have 8h fixed vs. swappable 5h on the 15". It might just depend how well the test balloon flies on the 17".

Maflynn · Jan 17, 2009, 12:55 PM

I'm sure we'll see an integrated battery in the next refresh but I hope not. I'm not a fan of the idea of having a non-user replaceable batter in my

analogue SPRINKLES · Jan 17, 2009, 01:22 PM

I don't think the new battery will show up in the 15" for a very long time or they would have done it when it came out in Nov.

slugslugslug · Jan 17, 2009, 01:37 PM

Yeah, I'd guess that

a) They want to see how the fixed battery goes over with the 17"-buying crowd before proceeding with the change in the 15" (though they're probably leaning towards doing it)

b) There'll be at least one more rev with a removable battery. It seems like a pretty major design change internally, and just made a big one with this version. Big changes are usually followed by incremental ones.

I think if they're feeling daring, they'll get to it by this fall, but not before.

Brien · Jan 17, 2009, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES

I don't think the new battery will show up in the 15" for a very long time or they would have done it when it came out in Nov.

That's what I figured. Apple is probably banking on the idea that most people with 17" laptops leave them on a desk most of the time.

Cold Warrior · Jan 17, 2009, 10:01 PM

I hope a unibattery lets them narrow the 15" unibody because it's just too wide now.

Simon · Jan 18, 2009, 05:28 AM

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior

I hope a unibattery lets them narrow the 15" unibody because it's just too wide now.

Seconded.

The 15" definitely needs a trim.

Koralatov · Jan 18, 2009, 06:46 AM

I’d love to see the 15″ MBP get the matte option. Personally, I’m not all that fussy on the issue, but it would stop the seemingly-constant posts whining about the glossy one, and that would make me happy.

Maflynn · Jan 18, 2009, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by Koralatov

I’d love to see the 15″ MBP get the matte option. Personally, I’m not all that fussy on the issue, but it would stop the seemingly-constant posts whining about the glossy one, and that would make me happy.

ahh, but people here would find other things to whine about

Spheric Harlot · Jan 18, 2009, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES

I don't think the new battery will show up in the 15" for a very long time or they would have done it when it came out in Nov.

Maybe, maybe not.

I've a hunch this new battery was one reason the 17" MacBook Pro was delayed until January.

driven · Jan 19, 2009, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by Simon

Seconded.

The 15" definitely needs a trim.

(Without looking at the specs)

Is it me, or does the 15" MBP *LOOK* larger than the last generation MBP? Maybe it's the black/silver vs. all silver. I dunno ... but it physically appears to be a larger (PCish) laptop to me.

Big Mac · Jan 19, 2009, 09:40 AM

The uniMBP case is ever so slightly larger than its predecessor's.

Simon · 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by driven

Is it me, or does the 15" MBP *LOOK* larger than the last generation MBP? Maybe it's the black/silver vs. all silver. I dunno ... but it physically appears to be a larger (PCish) laptop to me.

Yeah, it doesn't just look bigger, it actually is.

Al MBP: 1.0" H x 14.1" W x 9.6" D, 5.4 lbs
UB MBP: 0.95" H x 14.35" W x 9.82" D, 5.5 lbs

The unibody is a tad thinner ~~and lighter~~ though.

driven · Jan 19, 2009, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by Simon

Yeah, it doesn't just look bigger, it actually is.

Al MBP: 1.0" H x 14.1" W x 9.6" D, 5.4 lbs
UB MBP: 0.95" H x 14.35" W x 9.82" D, 5.5 lbs

The unibody is a tad thinner and lighter though.

How is 5.5 lbs lighter than 5.4 lbs?

Simon · Jan 19, 2009, 10:30 AM

Oops, mixed 'em up. My bad.

The unibody MB was lighter than its Al predecessor (half a pound actually). On the MBP the UB was slightly heavier.

driven · Jan 19, 2009, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by Simon

Oops, mixed 'em up. My bad.

The unibody MB was lighter than its Al predecessor (half a pound actually). On the MBP the UB was slightly heavier.

LOL. No worries. I was just wondering if I missed something.

analogue SPRINKLES · Jan 20, 2009, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

Maybe, maybe not.

I've a hunch this new battery was one reason the 17" MacBook Pro was delayed until January.

True, but you really think 6 months from now Apple will redesign the guts of the 15" and add this battery? I think it will be at least a year if not much more before it hits the 15 and 13".

Also as you can see from these boards most consumers are scared of this even though many never need spare batteries or even replace them when they are dead. The pro 17" crowd is generally more sensible.

Spheric Harlot · Jan 20, 2009, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES

True, but you really think 6 months from now Apple will redesign the guts of the 15" and add this battery? I think it will be at least a year if not much more before it hits the 15 and 13".

I don't know whether to *think* this - I'm certainly *hoping* for it happening with the next revision (which I'll likely be getting).

Simon · Jan 21, 2009, 03:41 AM

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

I don't know whether to *think* this - I'm certainly *hoping* for it happening with the next revision (which I'll likely be getting).

I can only second this. I plan on buying the rev B unibody 15" and I do hope it will come with an integrated 8h battery. I'm sure eventually I will want to replace it (just as I replaced all my previous MBPs' batteries) and I'm confident that will be a quick and easy process.

Felix · Jan 21, 2009, 02:48 PM

They did a silent upgrade on the white mp. They could as well on the mpb 15.

Apart from the cpu and ram higher res, blue ray and os x 10.6 would bei appreciated.

Cheers Felix

Koralatov · Jan 21, 2009, 04:05 PM

Something just occurred to me: now that the 17″ has dropped the lower resolution option, does this mean they’ll finally upgrade the 15″ to a 1680×1050 screen? Even as a BTO option, I’d be thrilled — I love high res screens.

bballe336 · Jan 23, 2009, 11:33 PM

Originally Posted by Koralatov

Something just occurred to me: now that the 17″ has dropped the lower resolution option, does this mean they’ll finally upgrade the 15″ to a 1680×1050 screen? Even as a BTO option, I’d be thrilled — I love high res screens.

That would be great, 1440x900 has been feeling pretty cramped to me for a while.

Ruahrc · Jan 25, 2009, 12:03 AM

Man that's what I've been waiting for all this time. I guess the high res 17" 1920x1200 screen pretty much kills any possibility of the 15" ever coming out with a 1920x1200 panel in it though. That's the screen I really wish I could get.

Ruahrc

Brien · Jan 25, 2009, 04:52 AM

Originally Posted by bballe336

That would be great, 1440x900 has been feeling pretty cramped to me for a while.

I had always thought it might be due more to a panel supply issue, as I know for a while there weren't any 1680x1050 LED panels on the market. That's gotta be a non-issue by now.

Cloud · Jan 25, 2009, 12:14 PM

Would the 8hr battery even be the same on the 15"? Part of the reason why Apple went to the non removable battery was because they were able to design a battery using the most amount of space on the 17". If the 15" space was maxed out I can maybe see a 6-7hr battery at max. Not so much an 8hr capable battery.

Spheric Harlot · Jan 25, 2009, 12:28 PM

That certainly wouldn't bother me.

Simon · Jan 25, 2009, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by Cloud

Would the 8hr battery even be the same on the 15"? Part of the reason why Apple went to the non removable battery was because they were able to design a battery using the most amount of space on the 17". If the 15" space was maxed out I can maybe see a 6-7hr battery at max. Not so much an 8hr capable battery.

I agree with that assessment. But personally I'd rather have a built-in battery with 6-7h than a swappable 4h battery.

Koralatov · Jan 25, 2009, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by Ruahrc

Man that's what I've been waiting for all this time. I guess the high res 17" 1920x1200 screen pretty much kills any possibility of the 15" ever coming out with a 1920x1200 panel in it though. That's the screen I really wish I could get.

I would beat my grandmother to death with my 1440 MacBook for a screen like that. I can’t see that happening for at least a couple of years, though; the 17″ would have to move up beyond 1920×1200 for that to happen, and resolution independence is a must — OS X’s current UI would be too small for most people to use otherwise.

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

That certainly wouldn't bother me.

Me neither.

Simon · Jan 25, 2009, 12:41 PM

Yep. For higher resolutions to come to midrange MB(P)s, Apple first needs to get full resolution-independence into OS X. Once that's here, maybe. But not before.

Felix · Jan 26, 2009, 03:23 PM

Will it still be possible to swap HD and RAM with a non-replaceable battery or is the enclosure going to be sealed altogether?

Resolution independent UI and hirez screen would really cool! Is a res-independent UI likely under OS X 10.6?

Simon · Jan 26, 2009, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by Felix

Will it still be possible to swap HD and RAM with a non-replaceable battery or is the enclosure going to be sealed altogether?

It's been mentioned in several 17" threads. There are ten screws at the bottom of the case. Once you remove them you can easily swap the HDD and RAM. Apple even included a tab to help remove the HDD.

analogue SPRINKLES · Jan 26, 2009, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by Felix

Resolution independent UI and hirez screen would really cool! Is a res-independent UI likely under OS X 10.6?

The app sizes have shrunk by 1/3 in 10.6 so the reason MIGHT be because they lost the bitmap images which could mean full RI in 10.6 finally.

CharlesS · Jan 26, 2009, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by Simon

It's been mentioned in several 17" threads. There are ten screws at the bottom of the case. Once you remove them you can easily swap the HDD and RAM. Apple even included a tab to help remove the HDD.

So have they released the user guide yet? Do we know for sure that the hard drive and RAM are user-replaceable parts?

Spheric Harlot · Jan 26, 2009, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES

The app sizes have shrunk by 1/3 in 10.6 so the reason MIGHT be because they lost the bitmap images which could mean full RI in 10.6 finally.

Hopefully.

The reduction in app size is much more likely to be a result of throwing out all remaining PPC code from the Intel-only 10.6, though.

Simon · Jan 26, 2009, 05:58 PM

Code doesn't make app packages large. Resources do.

CharlesS · Jan 26, 2009, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

Hopefully.

The reduction in app size is much more likely to be a result of throwing out all remaining PPC code from the Intel-only 10.6, though.

AppleInsider reported a while ago that they're slimming down the .nib files by removing the files that make them designable, which will be kind of annoying since we'll no longer be able to open them and look at the insides of an app's interface (which, yes, can be useful sometimes), but it will make the apps smaller.

analogue SPRINKLES · Jan 26, 2009, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

Hopefully.

The reduction in app size is much more likely to be a result of throwing out all remaining PPC code from the Intel-only 10.6, though.

Developers have said that that code is very small. I also remember when universal apps came out they weren't that much larger than the PPC only version.

The size difference has to be bitmaps being removed.