If you’re getting an early start on your Christmas list and you’re thinking about a new laptop, you might want to leave a spot open for an upgraded MacBook Pro. According to AppleInsider, Apple is planning a refresh of its line of professional notebooks in time for the holiday shopping season.
While the update would make the laptops faster, it wouldn’t be very significant.
Citing “people with proven insight into Apple’s future product plans,” AppleInsider claimed pretty much the only change would be the addition of the new processors announced by Intel last week. Apple would replace the current 2.0GHz, 2.2GHz, and 2.3HGz processors featured in the 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros with Intel’s new 2.4GHz, 2.5GHz, and 2.7GHz quad-core i7 processors. The site also said that processor in the 13-inch MacBook Pro could get bumped up from 2.7GHz to a 2.8GHz dual-core Core i7.
AppleInsider noted that even though there are reports of an upgrade this month, there has been no evidence that Apple is reducing stock of existing models. On top of that, the MacBook Pros will likely still be in demand until Intel launches Ivy Bridge some time in 2012.
AppleInsider claimed the laptops could debut late this month, just after the Sept. 20 end to Apple’s back-to-school promo. But it also noted that the timing could change.
This isn’t the first rumor that has circulated about new MacBook Pros. In July, several sources said Apple was getting ready to unveil a pair of ultra-thin 15- and 17-inch Pros. Earlier that month, Apple also launched an update to the MacBook Air line, featuring new Sandy Bridge processors, high-speed Thunderbolt ports, back-lit keyboards, and Apple’s new operating system, OS X Lion.