14 DAY TRIAL // Rumor has it that the biggest member of Apple's new family of notebooks is on track for a Macworld 2009 release. However, Apple was already expected to unveil the 17-inch MacBook Pro this year, following claims that hardware issues were delaying the the product's release.
AppleInsider is citing its own sources as saying that the company will not only introduce a 17-inch MacBook Pro, but also a new version of the Mac mini, as early as Tuesday (Macworld 2009 kick off). Both models are said to feature NVIDIA chipsets. However, as the source points out, controversy is sure to arise should Apple's plans with the 17-inch model include a fixed internal battery. Those familiar with the development of the device allegedly say that the notebook's battery will not be easily removable by users. Customers are more than likely to require Apple's Support service, once it fails.
Back in October, people familiar with Apple's plans claimed to have spotted the 17-inch next-gen MacBook Pro “undergoing tests in Apple's labs.” The notebook was described as a larger version of the 15-inch MacBook Pro. Currently, the 17-inch MacBook Pro costs $2,799.00. The upgraded model is expected to bear the same price tag. According to the same people, there had been “some form of delay affecting the new 17-inch models.” Issues with the optical drive and display were mentioned as the exact causes.
The new, unibody 15-inch MacBook Pro is only 0.95-inches thin and weighs just 5.5 pounds. It packs the same Intel Core 2 Duo processor as its predecessor, running up to 2.8 Ghz, but adds a new graphics architecture that allows users to switch from the integrated graphics processor (saving battery power) to the discrete graphics processor (for higher performance). The NVIDIA GeForce 9400M is a revolutionary, new 3D integrated graphics processor that features 16 parallel processing cores, and delivers up to five times the 3D graphics performance of previous MacBook and MacBook Air. The graphics solution is expected to ship with the new 17-inch notebook.