MacBook Pro fans are eagerly waiting for the launch of the updated version of the company’s premium laptop range. According to the latest rumors, the device should be released by the end of second quarter of this year. Fans have pretty high hopes that this new device will use the latest Skylake processor from Intel.
Speculations suggest that the 13inch and 15inch versions of the MacBook Pro will come with the sixth generation Intel Skylake processors. Last year, the laptop range was refreshed with Force Touch technology which included a Force Touch trackpad feature, along with a Broadwell Intel chip for the smaller MacBook Pro.
However, the bigger model retained its previous generation Haswell chip, which is the fourth generation. Intel already released an appropriate Skylake processors pricelist, as reported by Macrumors, for the 13inch MacBook Pro. By mid-January, the price list for the 15inch variant was released.
The bigger MacBook Pro could also feature a new generation of Xeon E3 chips. In any way, with a new generation of processors installed, it will offer a major boost in performance for both the laptops. If everything goes around smoothly, Apple fans will definitely rejoice during the Worldwide Developers Conference which will take place by mid-June.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 7 is the headliner for Apple in 2016 along with the iPad Pro, the Apple Watch and Apple TV acting as the supporting cast. The aging MacBook Pro, which is the core of Apple devices lineup hasn’t seen an upgrade since the last four years except for a 12inch MacBook which was released in 2015.
Things could all change in June when Apple is expected to release its ultra-thin 13-inch and 15-inch MacBooks which will most likely come with the annual Worldwide Developers Conference. Apple may not be in the business of telegraphing future products, there is definitely a wishlist for developing the next evolution for the company’s top-of-the-line laptops.
When the 12inch MacBook was introduced in 2015, there was a certain feature which was noticed immediately. It was the lack of ports, except for one reversible USB Type C slot. The new port had the ability to handle charging, connecting to various devices or a secondary display, all of those could be done at the same time using an additional $79 adapter.
Meanwhile, the addition of at least one more port could make it significantly easier for people who wish to connect multiple devices. At the very least, people could consider including the adapter as part of the purchase price.
This was possible until USB-C completely replaces the old nonreversible rectangular USB connectors. In a better scenario, Apple should definitely consider introducing Intel’s Thunderbolt 3 into the mix.
It is actually a connector technology that can handle fast data transfer speeds of up to 40 gigabits-per-second while using the same USB-C port used in the 2015 MacBook. This about 4 times faster than the standard USB 3.1.
Using this same technology, another feature could be introduced in the MacBooks. It is support for external dedicated graphics cards, which would be highly appreciated by gamers all around the world.
One major drawback of the Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro line is that if you want a dedicated graphics card for gaming or other high-performance applications, you will need to spend some major bucks for a mid to top end model.
With the added support of external graphics cards, the customers will enjoy the option to access better graphics processing power when they’re at home. At the same time, they will be able to maintain the portability and performance of its notebooks. This kind of feasibility was first demonstrated by Razer in its Razer Blade Stealth Notebook.