Given that the T-shaped MagSafe connector was ultimately changed in design because of constant fraying issues, it seems odd that Apple would revert to a T-shape, unless they didn’t have a choice. It’s a subtle change, but less subtle is the MagSafe 2 charger’s return to a T-shaped design, instead of new MacBook’s L-shaped MagSafes. Comparing an old 11-inch MacBook Air’s MagSafe port to the Retina MacBook Pro port, it’s clear that the old-style MagSafe charger was too bulky to fit: the MacBook Air is actually thicker at its thickest point than the Retina MacBook Pro’s base. With the Retina MacBook Pros, Apple changed the charger to be thinner and wider.
The last, subtle change in the MacBook Pro’s external design s the new MagSafe 2 connector. The T-shaped connector returns for the thinner MagSafe 2. If after all that you still need an optical drive, Apple sells an external one for $79.
In addition, the Retina MacBook Pro features an HDMI port and a high-speed SD reader. That means you can transfer data from a connected USB 3 device ten times faster than you could under USB 2. Apple’s upgraded the Retina MacBook Pro so that you not only have two high-speed Thunderbolt ports - the perfect interface for the video, audio and photography professionals the MacBook Pro line is truly aimed at - but also USB 3. To make up for the lack of optical drive, the Retina MacBook Pro has more (and faster) ports than ever. Plus, they add unnecessary bulk to provide a functionality which is increasingly of marginal use to owners. From a reliability standpoint, they are also one of the most common elements of a laptop to require servicing. As we move more of our work into the cloud, internal optical drives generally go unused. For the vast majority of people, this is a win all around. One consequence of making the Retina MacBook Pro thinner - or, we should say, side consideration - is that the Retina MacBook Pro no longer has an optical drive. The thinness of the Retina MacBook Pro isn’t profound like the MacBook Air, but it’s impressive in a machine without performance compromises. Thinner, lighter devices decrease the friction of carrying them around, of being a burden on their owners. Apple’s goal isn’t just to make devices that you jack into, but that become extensions of yourself. Apple is sometimes criticized for an obsessive fixation on thinness, but there’s a reason its an obsession. It consequently weighs about a pound less. The most notable change is that the Retina MacBook Pro, at just 0.71 inch deep, is about 25% thinner than the last-generation model. There is no mistaking this for any other laptop, or even any other Mac.įrom the side, though, the Retina MacBook Pro is a very, very different machine than its predecessors. That’s a smart move, as now more than ever, it’s impossible to use a Retina MacBook Pro and not know what kind of computer you’re using: the incredible clarity of the Retina MacBook Pro’s one-of-a-kind display is all the calling card it needs. It’s intentional.Īs part of Apple’s mission to eliminate distractions from the Retina MacBook Pro, the only completely obvious change when seen head-on is that Cupertino has gotten rid of the “MacBook Pro” label below the display.
A MacBook Pro may look beautiful, but it does so in an understated way, without distraction: it is designed to be a frictionless nexus to the software beyond. A lot is said about Apple’s incredible design standards, but what it all boils down to is that Apple reduces technology to its essence. With the jump to a unibody aluminum enclosure, the MacBook Pro is a seamless machine that is tough, versatile and streamlined. The reason for that is simple: Apple’s achieved an iconic purity of form across its laptop line that is hard to improve upon. With the display off, seen head-on, there’s not a lot to distinguish the look of a last-gen MacBook Pro to a Retina MacBook Pro. While the Retina displays on the new MacBook Pros are understandably attracting most of the tech world’s attention, there’s a lot more to the new MacBook Pros than just their screens: this is a notebook that has been completely re-envisioned for a new era. Design The MacBook Pro’s unibody design is iconic, but Apple proves you can improve even an icon.