This is neither a rumor nor a leak: Apple has recently updated the Macbook Pro Retina with faster Haswell processors. The upgrade is mainly focused on the processor only but memory has also increased.
Apple released the updated MacBook Pro line just in time before school season starts. The 13-inch entry level model is still $1,299 while the 15-inch MacBook Pro is $1,999. Same price but Apple gives the laptops a boost with the 13-incher now getting 8GB of memory and 2.6GHz Intel Core i5 processor. The 15-inch model now boasts of a 2.2GHz Intel Core i7 chip, and 16GB memory. Of course, the new processors are also expected to improve the battery life of the two to nine hours and eight hours, respectively.
"The MacBook Pro with Retina display gets even better with faster processors, more memory, more affordable configurations and a free upgrade to OS X Yosemite this fall," said SVP for Worldwide Marketing at Apple Philip Schiller
No price cut this time but upgrade on the specs is significant. The top of line 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display has been given a $100 discount though, now at $2,499, without any change on the hardware. All Retina MacBook Pro models still bear the same uni-body design.
Apple seems to be consistent with regular upgrades. Last update was only last October 2013 but the changes were obvious in terms of weight and size plus the addition of Thunderbolt 2 ports, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and speedier PCIe flash storage.
The new Mac operating system, the Mac OS X Yosemite, has yet to arrive but the latest Retina MacBook Pros should be eligible for free update once the next-generation OS is out.
Apple's update for the Retina MacBook Pro is not as significant but with the price and the boost in the specs, consumers are getting more for their money.
Note that the Cupertino tech company still offers the old 15-inch MacBook Pro loaded with NVIDIA's GeForce GT-750M. It's a three-year-old offering by Apple but the latest deal is highly recommended for the new buyers.
With this update on the Retina MacBook Pro, Apple is believed to sell more Macs in the coming months. Just last quarter, the company shipped 4.4 million Macs. The number increased by 18 percent compared to the figure last 2013. It's the highest so far for a 2nd Quarter period for Apple.
