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Silent MacBook Pro Update Provides Faster CPUs

In an update too minor to warrant mention by Apple, the entire MacBook Pro line now features slightly faster CPUs and options for larger hard drives, along with some beefier graphics processors.

  • 13-inch MacBook Pro: The smallest MacBook Pro now comes with either a 2.4 dual-core Intel Core i5 CPU or a 2.8 GHz dual-core Intel Core i7, up from clock speeds (the chips remain the same) of 2.3 and 2.7 GHz. The new models also come with either a 500 or 750 GB hard drive; previously the options were 320 or 500 GB.

  • 15-inch MacBook Pro: The mid-level MacBook Pro gains slightly more CPU speed, moving to either a 2.2 or 2.4 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU, up from the 2.0 and 2.2 GHz options. Previously, the only 7200-rpm hard drive available to replace the 5400-rpm stock hard drive was 500 GB; it’s now 750 GB.

    In the 2.2 GHz configuration of the 15-inch MacBook Pro, the discrete graphics processor moves from being an AMD Radeon HD 6490 with 256 MB of GDDR5 memory to the Radeon HD 6750 with 512 MB of GDDR5 memory. The 2.4 GHz configuration jumps from the Radeon HD 6750 with 1 GB of memory to the 6770, also with 1 GB of memory.

  • 17-inch MacBook Pro: On the CPU side, the largest MacBook Pro moves from a 2.2 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 up to a 2.4 GHz processor. It also gains the option of a 750 GB 7200-rpm hard drive and replaces its AMD Radeon HD 6750 graphics processor with a 6770.

Obviously, these changes are minor and there’s no way short of formal benchmarks to know how much faster the new CPUs and graphics processors will make everyday tasks. If you’ve been planning to buy a new MacBook Pro, it’s worth making sure you get one of these new models. Prices and all other options remain the same.

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