14 DAY TRIAL // Starting today, Apple is selling not one, but two MacBook Pros with Retina displays. Customers can choose between a 15-inch version, launched earlier this year, and a brand-new 13-inch model with all-flash storage, measuring 0.75 inches in depth (1.9 cm) and weighing 3.57 pounds / 1.6 kg.
The new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is 20 percent thinner and almost a pound lighter than the regular 13-inch MacBook Pro introduced last year.
The new MacBook Pro is packed to the brim with pixels (4 million in all) – nearly twice the number of dots distinguishable in an HD TV.
Using IPS technology, the LCD permits a 178-degree wide viewing angle. Like the new iMac, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro has 75 percent less reflection and 28 percent higher contrast than the current generation of Apple notebooks.
Pricing begins at $1,699 (US) / €1,300 for the configuration featuring a 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 processor. Customers have the option to choose a faster 2.9 GHz Intel Core i7 processor.
The graphics chip is Intel’s HD 4000 series. Memory comes in at 8GB (1600 MHz) as standard and storage goes up to 768GB (SSD) for the higher-specced (and pricier) configurations.
In the port department, customers will be able to connect all types of peripherals and storage media and other devices to a couple of Thunderbolt ports, and another two USB 3.0 ports. A new HDMI port offers quick connectivity to an HD television.
The built-in FaceTime HD camera, dual microphones, improved speakers, three-stream 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and a MagSafe 2 power port round up the list of key features.
Users get 7 hours of battery life, and Apple is careful to point out that your mileage may vary depending on the settings you choose (brightness, wireless connectivity, etc).
The system is immediately available for purchase from the Apple online store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.