Apple infuses MacBook Pro with Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs

by Stevie Smith - Apr 14 2010, 04:38

With rumours gathering pace regarding Apple’s apparently imminent adoption of Intel’s latest Core processing technology, the Cupertino-based gadget maker has swiftly slapped Core i5 and Core i7 chips into its popular MacBook Pro line.

Announced with scant little fanfare by Apple – either that or it’s just been lost amid the persistent iPad chatter – the Core updates apply to both the 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro and can be perused and purchased directly through Apple’s official online store.

So, if you’ve been holding out on buying a MacBook until Intel’s latest and greatest became available, here’s what you can expect to attain in return for a starting price of $1,799 USD:

First up is the 15-inch MacBook Pro, which is capable of hosting either the 2.4GHz or 2.53GHz Core i5, or the slightly more oomph-worthy 2.66GHz Core i7. Those consumers looking for a bigger display can opt for the 17-inch MacBook Pro and its choice of the 2.53GHz Core i5 or the 2.66GHz Core i7.

Other contributing features and functions woven throughout the MacBook Pro line include 4GBs of DDR3 RAM (upgradeable to 8GBs), along with a discrete graphics solution in the form of NVIDIA’s GeForce 330M, which comes with 48 cores and up to 512MBs of memory.

If the starting price leaves your piggy bank cowering, it may be worth staying the hammer for a little while longer – not least because Apple is likely to unveil the Core i3 for its moderately more pennywise 13-inch MacBook Pro in the not too distant future.

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