Apple rarely makes sweeping changes to its product line, which is why the new MacBook Pro laptops look identical to older models. Only the innards are different, offering improved wireless networking and processing speed in the same thin package.
The 17-inch model now includes a 2.4-gigahertz Intel Core 2 Duo processor along with up to 4 gigabytes of RAM. The laptop comes with a single battery that lasts more than five hours on one charge, and includes high-speed 802.11n wireless support and Bluetooth.
The standard 17-inch model with 160- gigabyte hard drive and DVD burner costs $2,799 at Apple's online store for delivery in the United States. It has two Firewire ports, three USB ports and an ExpressCard slot for expansion. The 17- inch model is also available with a high- resolution 1,920-by-1,200-pixel screen and a 250-gigabyte hard drive.
The 15-inch model, which starts at $1,999, now has an energy-efficient LED backlit screen, an improvement over the fluorescent lighting used in most laptops. The 15-inch version tops out at 2.4 gigahertz with up to 160 gigabytes of hard drive space.
Both new MacBook Pros also have an Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT graphics processor, which means that the main processor won't get bogged down while putting video and images on your screen. — John Biggs
