Rumor: Next 15-inch MacBook Pro to Pack Retina Display

News
By Jane McEntegart
published

New display said to be 'jaw-dropping.'

Lately talk of an Apple-branded HDTV and the iPhone 5 has dominated as far as Apple rumors are concerned. However, today brings us an Apple rumor of a different breed, one that speaks of an Apple MacBook Pro with a 15-inch retina display.

9to5Mac cites 'trusted sources' from Apple's supply chain in reporting that contrary to previous rumors, Apple's next 15-inch MacBook Pro will not feature a MacBook Air-like design. According to the site, Apple is instead opting for a slimmed down, more robust version of the current MacBook Pro. Aside from a slimmed down design, this new MacBook Pro will feature a dedicated power button key on the keyboard (similar to the MacBook Air), USB 3.0, a distinct lack of optical drive, two USB 2.0 ports, two Thunderbolt-sized ports, and an SD card slot. However, the most interesting feature is the rumored presence of a Retina display.

Already present on Apple's iPhone 4 and iPad 3, the 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina Display is said to boast multiple resolution modes that allow the user to adjust the sharpness and image sizes to their liking via presets with names such as 'big,' 'small' or 'optimal.' This represents a huge departure from the usual numbered resolution modes that computers users are used to seeing but will no doubt make changing the resolution a lot more user-friendly for the less tech-savvy of users.

Along with the Retina display and support for USB 3.0, expect Intel's newest line of Core processors under the hood. Apple's OS X Mountain Line is scheduled for this coming summer, and, considering the iPhone 5 likely won't launch 'til September, we're wondering if Apple is going to have a MacBook Pro announcement fill the gap at WWDC. If that's the case, we don't have long to wait until we see this new MacBook Pro make a debut.

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Jane McEntegart
36 Comments Comment from the forums
  • robisinho
    two USB 2.0 ports - for all your backwards compatibility needs. (seriously, why bother?)
    Reply
  • Tkozy
    Apple's OS X Mountain Line is scheduled for this coming summer

    Mountain Lion.
    Reply
  • This will be a beast of a system. Why no optical drive though? Is blueray a bad deal?
    Reply
  • DroKing
    lol no optical drive = obvious desire to control their gardens even further.
    Reply
  • frank the tank
    I wonder what apple would use for a graphics card in one of those. To drive such a high resolution display you need some serious graphics horsepower.

    That might not be good for battery life and can mean lots of heat. It also means that an already expensive laptop will cost more.
    Reply
  • burnley14
    I don't like Apple computers, but I appreciate how Apple drives change in the industry.

    That said, I'm curious at the loss of the optical drive. If this is true of the 13" MBP as well, what will be the difference between it and the Air?
    Reply
  • derkman
    "Retina display" is just a made up marketing term for Apple to make ignorant consumers think they are getting some type of secret Apple technology that makes your screen beautiful. This is Tom's Hardware. The reader community knows the types of screen resolutions and what PPI is. Authors, stop insulting us.
    Reply
  • molo9000
    Integrating the power button into the keyboard (instead of the current aluminium button) sounds like a lazy cost saving feature.
    Stop doing compromises, Apple!

    MacvocateThis will be a beast of a system. Why no optical drive though? Is blueray a bad deal?
    a) bluray was dying from the start. Digital distribution is the future.
    b) The vast majority of users don't need an optical drive anymore. It's been years since I've last used the optical drive in my laptop.
    c) Macs don't even need any physical media for OS installation anymore. They can boot some kind of recovery system embedded in EFI and download&install OS X straight from Apple servers even when the HDD is completely blank.
    Reply
  • gwwerner
    Apple was right when they dropped the floppy drive when everyone else still thought it was essential, but I don't think dropping the optical drive from a computer like the macbook pro is a good call.

    Maybe they want to make a fortune selling crazy expensive thunderbolt external optical drives to the isheeple who will pay extra for thunderbolt for devices that can't even saturate usb 3.
    Reply
  • tmshdw
    burnley14I don't like Apple computers, but I appreciate how Apple drives change in the industry.That said, I'm curious at the loss of the optical drive. If this is true of the 13" MBP as well, what will be the difference between it and the Air?
    Article hints that there will no longer be an air model.

    I have both laptops (apple and windows). The only time I use an optical drive is on the windows machine to install software. All apple software is download. The only time I have used an optical drive on my apple laptop is to burn a CD with music. And this because my car is old and doesn't have a connection for my Touch.
    Reply