Apple has
updated its line of MacBook Pro notebooks in four major ways, adding next-generation
processors from Intel; graphics technology from Advanced Micro Devices; Intel’s
new Thunderbolt connectivity solution, which is debuting on the Apple devices;
and a wide-screen high-definition FaceTime camera.
Apple unveiled
the new MacBook Pros Feb. 24, and Intel made an accompanying announcement about
Thunderbolt, which had been referred to as "Light Peak." Along with
Thunderbolt, the new Apple notebooks offer Intel’s next-generation Core i5 and
i7 "Sandy Bridge" processors, AMD Radeon graphics.
Apple is
offering two new 13-inch MacBook Pros, starting at $1,199; two new 15-inch
models, starting at $1,799; and a new 17-incher, starting at $2,499.
Thunderbolt,
on which Apple collaborated with Intel, is an I/O technology based on PCI
Express and DisplayPort and is envisioned as a way of connecting just about
anything to your notebook. It enables high-performance peripherals and
high-resolution displays to connect via a single port and can transfer data at
speeds up to 10G bps. According to Apple, "The Thunderbolt pipeline is more
than 12 times faster than FireWire 800 and up to 20 times faster than USB 2.0 … It changes what you can do on a notebook."
For more, read the eWeek article: Apple’s Refreshed MacBook Pros Boast Intel Thunderbolt.