All eyes are on Apple and its newest product line for 2015, including a rumored 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display similar to the ones already available but with the new Broadwell chipset.
With no entirely new MacBook Pro Retina editions releasing last year, Apple fans are excited to hear word of something new in the MacBook Pro line for 2015. The Retina Display technology has already been a big hit in previous versions of the MacBook Pro, as well as the iPad and iPhone, but the latest version for the new year is said to bring with it an all-new faster processor and updated specs.
Intel's Broadwell processors are the star of the show for 2015, and several sources say that the chips have begun shipping to manufacturers already. The Broadwell line of chips include the Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, and fanless mobile models, Core M and Core M vPro. When Intel announced the Broadwell-U line of chips earlier this month, it opened the door for the updated MacBook Pro that has been rumored since last year.
The MacBook Pro currently uses the Haswell-U line of chips, but the Broadwells are said to be much more powerful and efficient with the 28-watt chips featuring base frequency ranges from 2.5 GHz to 3.1 GHz. These chips are much more powerful than the Haswell chips, and more powerful than the same Broadwell chips that will be prominent in the MacBook Air, as those are only 15-watt models that can achieve 1.6 GHz to 2.2 GHz. But 45-watt chips are also expected to drop mid-year that may mean a delay specifically for the 15-inch MacBook Pro model. This may also mean that the 13-inch and 15-ich models will launch several months apart.
The 13-inch model of the MacBook Pro is expected to include 8 GB RAM while the 15-inch model will pack in 16 GB. The displays are rumored to bring true 4K resolution on a touchscreen with the TouchID fingerprint sensor and an improved TrackPad over what the last model offered.
As for release date, speculation ranges from March to April, with a possible announcement coming on February 24th during a special Apple event. While the MacBook Pro Retina isn't expected to be the headliner for this event, the Apple Watch will most likely be front and center, but the laptops are rumored to be shown off, too.
A June event is also a possibility for a reveal as Apple's WWDC conference will take place between June 8 and 12.
Intel CEO Brian Krzanich recently made the comment that the company is trying to get its product out in time for the 2015 back-to-school timeframe, so it would only make sense that Apple would want to have its complete line-up ready for Fall 2015.
Although a premium price has never really been an issue for Apple users, the 2015 MacBook Pro Retina models are expected to be right in line with current prices. This is especially true considering the fact that Apple recently dropped the price of last MacBook Pro models to $1,099 for the non-Retina 13-inch version and $2,499 for the highest-end 15-inch model. Although no official price has been revealed, we expect the 2015 models to come in right around the original MacBook Pro prices of $1,299 for the 13-inch to $2,599 for the 15-inch model.
