The next MacBook Pro redesign (merged)

[dexterbell]

No one is making them anymore at least not many of them, and with good reason they are big and bulky and high definition screens mean that the screen real estate is fantastic on the 15 inch laptop with scaling, there is just not that need for them anymore, you can fit the more powerful components in a smaller package and thats what companies are doing. If you're lucky bezels will shrink and screens will get bigger in the same size package but more likely they'll just shrink the laptop.

Completley false. Went thru this in another thread where I had to prove someone who said the same thing dead wrong. Lenovo, Asus, Dell, Toshiba, Acer and HP all offer at least five different 17 inch models. In fact, Lenovo and Asus offer more 17 inch models than they do 13 inch. This doesn't even include 17 inch gaming laptops from Alienware, MSI and CyberPower. There are PLENTY of great 17 inch models to choose from these days from almost every major manufacturer except Apple which is absurd. 17 inch laptops will never die because of gamers, graphic artists and photo/video professionals like myself who need large displays and powerful GPUs in a laptop. Something Apple can't seem to deliver these days which is just sad considering everyone else can.

http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptop...#facet-1=6&PUBNAME=Skimlinks&NID=CJ#facet-1=6

http://www.asus.com/us/Notebooks_Ultrabooks/

http://www.toshiba.com/us/laptop-fi...967002+25+216+260+295+294+300~10~0~p_Featured

http://www.dell.com/us/p/laptops?AC...8b3d&AID=7667028#!facets=55846~0~14833549&p=1

http://store.hp.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/us/en/mdp/Laptops/envy-17#!&TabName=vao

http://us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/models/laptops

 

[dsmedic10]

I'd guess that the new redesigned Pros will mimic the rMB and basically look like the Macbook Airs. If you take the Air, add a retina screen, and use the logic board from the rMB with i5/i7 CPUs instead of the Core M, add 8/16GB RAM and the PCIe X4 SSDs, you'd have a winner Pro laptop. The form will be slanted like the Airs and will weight about the same as the 13" model, saving about 0.5 lb on the 13" and maybe dropping the 15" by the same weight. The Pro models will hopefully keep the USB/TB ports, or at least replacing them with USB-C ports (more than one).

Ideally that would be my version of the Pro: A Macbook Air form factor with retina screen, i5/i7 CPUs and 8/16GB RAM. Maybe the 15" has a dGPU, maybe not.
You would effectively use a similar screen design that the rMB has and make a 14"/16" Pro model while keeping the same dimensions of the 13"/15" Pros.

Or maybe the drop the 15" altogether and just have a 14" Pro using the existing 13" Pro dimensions and the high res screen.

 

[lchlch]

I'd guess that the new redesigned Pros will mimic the rMB and basically look like the Macbook Airs. If you take the Air, add a retina screen, and use the logic board from the rMB with i5/i7 CPUs instead of the Core M, ...

The motherboard strink is only possible because of the core m....

 

[Hieveryone]

Whilst the original Macbook pro design lasted 2 years before moving to the unibody design, and the unibody lasted 4 until the Retina design was introduced, is there a significant chance the next major redesign is coming within the next year and a half?

While the retina design isn't dated, I can't think what else they could do to it that would be as dramatic as the unibody > retina transition other than new ports etc.

Any thoughts on what the new design could include?

I'd expect things like force touch to be introduced within the current design across the entire range before an entire redesign but I'm not sure larger changes the new keyboard design and size will move across to the pro range etc.

And for all it's trivial value, I'd love to see the 'MacBook Pro' logo to be back on the screen bezel, a small detail but it's part of the Macbook 'thing' for me and was disappointed the retina doesn't have it.

Could come with skylake but somehow I don't think it will be for awhile.

Apple has a pretty good design going right now. My guess it will still be another several years (2-3) depending on what the competition rolls out with.

As long as they are competitive with manufacturers like dell, they'll stick with the same plan.

Now if Dell rolls out a 1 lb core i5 8GB RAM 256 SSD with a 3D screen that can make coffee for you and is revolutionary in some crazy way, Apple will step their game up.

 

[inhalexhale1]

For sure, but as mentioned above it's whether the additions on the new Macbook are better or just thinner.

Assuming the pro isn't going to share the form factor of the rMB, will the new keyboard mechanism be necessary etc

I expect the new keyboard character design to transfer over regardless.

I would bet the new keyboard and trackpad make their way to the MBP. And of course, a thinner design.

 

[dagamer34]

Id expect the next mbpr will come with:

• better battery life
• thinner
• lighter
• has only usb-c, thunderbolt-3 and magsafe ports
• buterfly key switches with a bit more travel

I wouldn't expect a smaller bezel though. Its needed for the webcam.
I wouldn't expect a tapered design either as a more boxy shape is needed to hold all the ports.

Yep, all that but you forgot the most important part, a significantly more energy-efficient screen. Current screen is what basically kills the battery life on the Pro, which is why it needs so much battery in the first place (especially the 15"). Think of it like going from the iPad 3/4 -> iPad Air. Decrease the number of required backlights, then you need less battery, boom. Thinner laptop!

 

[thadoggfather]

Never, rMBP is timeless.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

I satnd corrected!!!

Completley false. Went thru this in another thread where I had to prove someone who said the same thing dead wrong. Lenovo, Asus, Dell, Toshiba, Acer and HP all offer at least five different 17 inch models. In fact, Lenovo and Asus offer more 17 inch models than they do 13 inch. This doesn't even include 17 inch gaming laptops from Alienware, MSI and CyberPower. There are PLENTY of great 17 inch models to choose from these days from almost every major manufacturer except Apple which is absurd. 17 inch laptops will never die because of gamers, graphic artists and photo/video professionals like myself who need large displays and powerful GPUs in a laptop. Something Apple can't seem to deliver these days which is just sad considering everyone else can.

http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptop...#facet-1=6&PUBNAME=Skimlinks&NID=CJ#facet-1=6

http://www.asus.com/us/Notebooks_Ultrabooks/

http://www.toshiba.com/us/laptop-fi...967002+25+216+260+295+294+300~10~0~p_Featured

http://www.dell.com/us/p/laptops?AC...8b3d&AID=7667028#!facets=55846~0~14833549&p=1

http://store.hp.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/us/en/mdp/Laptops/envy-17#!&TabName=vao

http://us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/models/laptops

You couldn't pay me to take one though...

 

[Samtb]

When are we likely to see this dream MacBook pro? Late 2015, early 2016, or mid 2016?

 

[totten76]

When are we likely to see this dream MacBook pro? Late 2015, early 2016, or mid 2016?

By dream do you mean the remodel version or the upcoming boradwell version?

We should see Brodwell by June-July-August

Don't expect Skylake refresh until mid 2016. However, I'm not expert

 

[Samtb]

By dream do you mean the remodel version or the upcoming boradwell version?

We should see Brodwell by June-July-August

Don't expect Skylake refresh until mid 2016. However, I'm not expert

And how much thinner and lighter is the 2016 version likely to be?

 

[totten76]

And how much thinner and lighter is the 2016 version likely to be?

Like I said I'm no expert but I expect a 2-4mm decrease in thickness, especially if Apple uses this new "contour" battery technology and they are able to consolidate the CPU with Skylake

 

[ZBoater]

My vote is for a quad core 13" rMBP with 10 hours of battery life.

Oh yeah.

 

[Kal-037]

I had heard Skylake was to come out in 2H 2015... that Intel really wants to move past "Broadwell-thatsucked" that they were going to make darn sure that Skylake would arrive sooner to clean up their mess. I just bought a rMBP 15" in March cause it was beyond super sale... Part of me wonders just how much more powerful the next 15" will be. I heard that the CPU speed would only increase by like 8% but that the GPU would be the thing that was better, along with Battery life being bumped to probably 9 hours instead of 8.

Anyone think 2015 rMBP 15" will be "that" much better than 2014, 2013 and so on?

 

[sageman72]

in my opinion the 15'rMBP would look so tempting if the screen was replaced with a 16 inch

 

[Kal-037]

in my opinion the 15'rMBP would look so tempting if the screen was replaced with a 16 inch

Why 16" ??
I love the 15.4" one (which isn't far off from 16") Also it is the heaviest I'd want a laptop to ever be, I think if it was any heavier it wouldn't be as cool.

 

[sageman72]

I think the size of the machine is ideal, but thinner bezels would look really good..

 

[jermy4]

I think we may very well see a redesign with skylake, I just really hope apple doesn't go full retard and only put 1 or 2 ports on it like they did with the new macbook.

 

[paulopadopa]

I think we may very well see a redesign with skylake, I just really hope apple doesn't go full retard and only put 1 or 2 ports on it like they did with the new macbook.

I don't think that they'd do that. The rmb is an aggressive portable machine. Taking things to the extreme to drop weight and thickness. The rmbp is a power machine for intensive load. They might drop a port or two but the majority will remain.

 

[nope7308]

I assume the Macbook Pro line will undergo a redesign similar to the new Macbook; it seems Apple has been constrained by Intel's lagging processor development/rollout. This would also explain why Apple only introduced the force touch trackpad on the latest refresh, but not the redesigned keyboard or USB-C ports. I suspect Apple is withholding those features because they were designed for a new platform altogether (pure conjecture, I admit).

Anyhow, I'm trying to figure out when we should expect this redesign to hit the market. I'm eligible for a computer upgrade every 5-6 years at work, and I'd like to make this next one count. Can I expect the redesign by 4th quarter of 2015, or will I likely have to wait until 2016?

If the current Macbook were 13" and a bit cheaper, it would be perfect. Alas, 12" is just too small for the odd spreadsheet.

 

[colonel179]

Only Apple knows when they will release a redesigned Macbook Pro. It all points towards it, but no one knoes when it is coming. As you said, it's just speculation.

If you think that the 13" rMBP is perfect, then try to buy it online on the Apple store with student discount to get $100 off. Just click on the education store.

 

[TallGuyGT]

I bought the 15" MBP late last fall knowing that Broadwell and Skylake would be coming this year. But I needed a computer late last fall. It's an amazing machine and do not regret it in the least.

There will be incremental improvements this year, next year, the year after that, and so on. With the MBPs just upgraded with new trackpads, I'd be surprised if we see another update this year.

If you need one now, they are great machines. If you don't, then wait for the next rev.

 

[Ovedius]

Full disclosure, the following is pure speculation and personal opinions of the most uneducated and uninformed sort.
Not only that, they are my rationalization for splurging on a top specced 15" Pro, so yeah:

I don't find an imminent redesign very likely.
Or, I don't see the point.

Todays Pro is thin, light and all Flash.
The Retinas were launched to pave way for full flash architecture and high resolution displays.
I don't see the need for higher resolution laptop displays; the ones we have now are so good you can't make out individual pixels.
I don't see how Apple can make the machines any smaller.
You need space for a large battery.
Maybe they can shift over to the butterfly keys used in the 12" Macbook, but frankly I see the current Pro keyboard staying. -it's more of a "premium" feature, I feel.

The new GPUs and CPUs will be smaller and more efficient.
But I don't see how this will lead to a redesign, certainly not this year or the following.
Maybe less heat will mean smaller fans and result in a slightly smaller machine? I just don't see the point right now.
EDIT:
And I don't see point in waiting for a marginal performance boost from Skylake. What do you need the extra little push for? Current CPUs are mighty fast, incremental improvements are of little real world use.

Maybe they'll slim them down marginally and offer a choice of colours as with the 12"?

So, I don't see why Apple would redesign what already seems like a design apex.


Then again, I am talking out of my ass here.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Full disclosure, the following is pure speculation and personal opinions of the most uneducated and uninformed sort.
Not only that, they are my rationalization for splurging on a top specced 15" Pro, so yeah:

I don't find an imminent redesign very likely.
Or, I don't see the point.

Todays Pro is thin, light and all Flash.
The Retinas were launched to pave way for full flash architecture and high resolution displays.
I don't see the need for higher resolution laptop displays; the ones we have now are so good you can't make out individual pixels.
I don't see how Apple can make the machines any smaller.
You need space for a large battery.
Maybe they can shift over to the butterfly keys used in the 12" Macbook, but frankly I see the current Pro keyboard staying. -it's more of a "premium" feature, I feel.

The new GPUs and CPUs will be smaller and more efficient.
But I don't see how this will lead to a redesign, certainly not this year or the following.
Maybe less heat will mean smaller fans and result in a slightly smaller machine? I just don't see the point right now.
EDIT:
And I don't see point in waiting for a marginal performance boost from Skylake. What do you need the extra little push for? Current CPUs are mighty fast, incremental improvements are of little real world use.

Maybe they'll slim them down marginally and offer a choice of colours as with the 12"?

So, I don't see why Apple would redesign what already seems like a design apex.


Then again, I am talking out of my ass here.

I pretty much agree with all this, I find a redesign unlikely before canonlake in 2017. I also find peoples obsession with it a bit weird...

 

[inhalexhale1]

I pretty much agree with all this, I find a redesign unlikely before canonlake in 2017. I also find peoples obsession with it a bit weird...

Also, a redesign will almost certainly bring a change to USB-C. If you early adopt, it'll have compromises much like when the retina pro came out originally. Or same as with the retina MacBook today, needing dongles.