Whenever Apple updates its line of laptops, they usually do one of two things. Either they bring about major revolutions in the new product or they make minor spec upgrades, such as increasing the capacity of the hard drive or the speed of the processor.

However, the newest version of the MacBook Pro line of laptops comes as a pleasant surprise, since it seems to break this cliche. While there is no major revamping in this laptop, the internal components have undergone a major upgrade. In fact, if you do not keep the specifications in consideration the MacBook Pro looks pretty much like its predecessor.

When you look at the price, you are surprised to see that the cheapest 15 inch model costs $100 more than the previous low-end 15 inch MacBook Pro. However, the good news is that for hundred extra bucks, the laptop comes with discrete graphics in place of only integrated graphics. This is pretty much in keeping with Apple’s marketing strategy…the price remains somewhat steady but they add more powerful components. One doesn’t really mind coughing up the extra dough, considering what one gets.

The Pro models are available in 15 and 17 inches, and both have adopted the Intel’s newer line of Core-i CPUs. That certainly guarantees a bigger performance boost. Besides, not only are these Intel chips faster, they also provide better battery life when compared to their older Core 2 Duo counterparts.

However, the difference between both the processors can only be felt by people who use their laptops for heavy duty stuff. If your use is minimal and you aren’t running any heavy programs, you will be just as happy with the Core i5 versions. We have to mention here that the 13 inch Pro has the Core 2 Duo CPU.

Let’s move on to the physical aspects of the laptop. Like the previous Pro models, the unibody chassis, a solid block of aluminum, feels very strong and substantial. The large trackpad that makes use of multi-touch gestures for most of its functionality is yet another familiar feature.

The 15.4 inch wide-screen display has a 1,440×900-pixel native resolution, again like the previous 15 inch MacBook Pro models. If you want still higher resolution, you can opt for the 1,680×1,050-pixel display option, available at an extra $100. For a $150, you could get a version with antiglare coating.

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