Apple on Tuesday upgraded its MacBook Pro product line with faster Intel Core 2 Duo processors and an LED-backlit display on the smaller model. The 15- and 17-inch notebooks are powered by Intel’s latest Core 2 mobile processors, code-named Santa Rosa, which started shipping last month. With speeds up to 2.4 GHz, the new processor has a Turbo Memory feature that boosts hard-drive performance with a flash-based cache. It also supports the faster 802.11n wireless technology that offers a throughput of up to 74 Mbps.
To improve graphics rendering, the machines include the Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT graphics controller. The 15-inch model has a mercury-free, light-emitting diode display, which is more durable and lighter than liquid-crystal displays found on most notebooks. Apple isn’t the only computer maker that offers LED displays. Hewlett-Packard is adding the same screen to an ultralight notebook set to ship in the third quarter.
The 17-inch MacBook Pro has an optional 1920-by-1200 pixel display for people who need a higher-resolution screen. Other optimal features in both models include up to 4 Gbytes of 667-MHz DDR memory, and hard drives with capacity up to 250 Gbytes. The smaller model weighs 5.4 pounds, and the larger one 6.8 pounds.
Source: InformationWeek