Features
The 15.4" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer with Retina Display from Apple is a powerful notebook computer with an innovative, ultrathin, ultraportable aluminum unibody design. It is loaded with advanced power management features and an integrated lithium polymer battery, which work together to provide up to 7 hours of wireless web browsing.
The most noticeable difference between this MacBook Pro and its predecessor is the Retina display. The widescreen, LED-backlit IPS screen has a glossy finish and a native resolution of 2880 x 1800. With 220 pixel-per-inch, this MacBook Pro has a pixel count of over 5 million. You'll be able to output up to two external displays at up to 2560 x 1600 via Thunderbolt (mini DisplayPort). Any Mini DisplayPort-compatible display will plug in without the need of an adapter. This MacBook Pro also adds an HDMI support so HDMI-compliant devices, particularly HDTVs, are now natively supported as well.
The system is powered by a quad-core Ivy Bridge 2.7GHz Intel Core i7 processor. The computer is loaded with 16GB of DDR3 RAM, 512GB flash storage and a Secure Digital media card slot. You'll be able to connect to the Internet with ease via 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi. The MacBook Pro also features built-in Bluetooth 4.0, which allows you to connect wireless headphones, keyboard, mice and other compatible peripherals without a hassle.
Graphics are handled by a hybrid graphics system. To take full advantage of the Retina display, this MacBook Pro uses nVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics with 1GB of dedicated memory, which is 60% faster than previous Apple MacBook Pro models. The GeForce GT 650M also has nVIDIA Optimus technology, which switches over to the integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 when high-performance visuals are not needed in order to save battery life.
This MacBook Pro has two Thunderbolt ports, a high-speed interface that can move data at an amazing 10Gbps, which is double that of USB 3.0. Speaking of USB 3.0, Apple has finally decided to embrace it. This MacBook Pro now features two USB 3.0 ports so you no longer have to buy an adapter, but can use USB 3.0-compliant devices natively as well.
The computer features a comfortable backlit chiclet-style keyboard, which features space between each key for improved accuracy and comfort when typing. It also sports a glass Multi-Touch trackpad with a clickable design. Rather than having a separate button for mouse clicks, the entire surface of the pad is clickable. This increases the active surface area and allows you to quickly click without having to maneuver to the bottom of the trackpad.
The trackpad also fully supports multi-touch gestures. You can tap the trackpad with one finger to click, tap with two fingers to right click, scroll through documents using two fingers, pinch to zoom, navigate through Safari or iPhoto with three-finger left and right swipes or use two fingers to rotate a photo or PDF.
iLife '11 has a complete suite of digital creativity applications. Easy enough for anyone to use, iLife '11 will help you edit your home movies, organize digital photos and compose original music. iLife '11 includes iPhoto, iMovie and GarageBand.
The 64-bit Mac OS X features Time Machine backup, which automatically backs up system data to an external hard drive. It also features intuitive Cover Flow navigation, the powerful Spotlight search tool and Quick Look document preview. You'll be able to use Boot Camp to run Windows on your Mac, if needed.
Features
Retina Display
First the iPhone, then the iPad and now the MacBook Pro. The Retina display has finally made an appearance on a Mac OS X operating system. The 15.4" display of this MacBook Pro features over 5 million pixels. The pixel density is so high your eyes won't be able to discern individual pixels. Now with a 2880 x 1800 native resolution, you can see more of your high-resolution images onscreen with pixel-for-pixel accuracy. The Retina display also reduces glare while maintaining incredible color and quality. In fact, it has a 29 percent higher contrast ratio than a standard MacBook Pro display. Deeper black levels and vibrant color, everything is rich and beautiful. IPS technology gives you a wide, 178-degree view of everything on the screen, so you'll see the difference at practically any angle
All Flash Storage
You'll notice a difference in whatever you do - starting up takes seconds, apps launch quickly, even navigating the desktop feels incredibly fluid and responsive. It's all thanks to flash storage, which gives you up to four times the performance of a traditional hard drive. When you use apps like Final Cut Pro or Aperture, you can perform even the most demanding tasks right from your internal storage. And since this MacBook Pro comes with up to 512GB of flash storage, you can keep all your important files with you, including large video and photo libraries. Flash doesn't have any moving parts, which makes it reliable and quiet. It also has the ability to stay in standby mode for up to a month. Whether it's been 1 day or 30, this all-flash MacBook Pro will spring to life, right where you left off
Long-Lasting Battery
A 7-hour battery life is impressive for any notebook. But for a high-performance notebook with an ultra-high-resolution display, top-of-the-line processors and graphics as well as a superslim design, it's absolutely remarkable. The built-in 95-watt-hour battery gives you up to 1000 full charge and discharge cycles and up to 30 days of instant-on standby time. Which means you can put your MacBook Pro to sleep, and it'll come back on instantly - after a day, a week, or even a month. With Power Nap, your MacBook Pro can continue to receive email and calendar invitations while it's asleep. And when it's connected to a power source, it can download software updates and make backups with Time Machine. So the next time you open your notebook, everything's right there waiting for you
Ivy Bridge Intel Core i7
The third-generation Intel Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor with a state-of-the-art 22-nanometer single-die microarchitecture in this MacBook Pro provides amazing quad-core performance. Hyper-Threading technology allows two threads to run simultaneously on each core. And with speeds up to 2.7GHz, 6MB of shared L3 cache, and Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.7GHz, this processor is great for running professional applications like Aperture and Final Cut Pro. They also support up to 16GB of superfast 1600MHz DDR3 RAM memory
Next-Gen nVIDIA Graphics
This MacBook Pro has a phenomenal display and a graphics processing unit (GPU) to match. Based on a next-generation Kepler architecture with 1GB of dedicated video memory, the nVIDIA GeForce GT 650M GPU provides up to 60 percent faster graphics performance than previous MacBook Pro notebook computers. And it delivers enough power to drive the amazing 5-million-pixel Retina display as well as two external displays. All while making the most graphics-intensive tasks, like rendering HD video and editing RAW photography, fast, fluid and incredibly lifelike
Ports and Connections
Everything about this MacBook Pro is high performance, even its I/O. Thunderbolt is the fastest, most versatile I/O available, and this notebook has two of them. That's a huge advantage when you need to connect to just about anything, whether it's connecting to external displays, RAID arrays and video capture devices. Combine that with two USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI port and an SDXC card slot, you can build an entire professional studio with the MacBook Pro as its centerpiece
Stay Connected
Meet the ultimate mobile creative studio with the emphasis on mobile. Equipped with the latest three-stream 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology, you're free to unplug and still stay connected to your network, to your wireless peripherals and to the world
Audio and Visual
For something so thin and light, the built-in speakers have a surprisingly wide dynamic range, an optimal balance and a crisp, expressive quality. Dual built-in microphones are great for when you want to be heard. If you're making a FaceTime call, for example, the mics reduce background noise from behind the notebook. And when you use Dictation, they create an adaptive audio beam that intelligently adjusts to detect your voice instead of the noise around you
Multi-Touch Trackpad and Backlit Keyboard
In Mac OS X, Multi-Touch is an essential part of how you interact with your Mac. Using realistic, intuitive gestures, you can switch between apps, navigate your content and get the most out of your desktop space. The MacBook Pro features a Multi-Touch trackpad with a large, all-glass button surface. So you can tap, pinch, swipe and click away comfortably. Thin and light, this notebook is designed to go anywhere, including places with less-than-stellar lighting. A built-in sensor detects changes in ambient light and adjusts the keyboard brightness automatically. So you're never left in the dark
iCloud
iCloud stores your content and lets you access your music, photos, calendars, contacts, documents and more from which ever device you're on. So you'll be able to access your photos, reminders, notes, music and videos from your iOS devices right on this MacBook Pro
Retina-Ready Software
Apple has updated their native apps to take advantage of the beautiful Retina display on this MacBook Pro. Mac OS X apps such as Safari, Mail, iCal, Address Book and more as well as iPhoto, iMovie, iTunes, Aperture and Final Cut Pro have already been optimized
Design
Incredibly Powerful
It may be incredibly thin and light, but this MacBook Pro is also incredibly powerful. To achieve all that in a single design required relentless focus and a willingness to make bold decisions. Bulky legacy technologies like the spinning hard drive and optical disc drive were left behind in favor of higher-performance technologies - all-flash storage, for example. It's much faster and far more reliable than a traditional hard drive. And it takes up 90 percent less space. Which is one of many reasons this MacBook Pro isn't just extremely capable, it's extremely portable, too
A Display of Excellence
The Retina display is a breakthrough - any way you look at it. We pushed the limits of technology to create a pixel density so high, you can see everything you're doing with perfect clarity and make edits with pinpoint accuracy. Not only is it the highest-resolution display ever on a notebook, it has a more integrated design that achieves a level of fit and finish never before possible. This Retina display doesn't sit behind a layer of glass, it is the glass. Which means you get all the benefits of a state-of-the-art display - vibrant colors, high contrast, and wide viewing angles - with very little glare. So there's more to see, and even less to distract you from your work
Precisely Engineered
This MacBook Pro features high-efficiency fans. The asymmetrically spaced impeller blades with back and side airflow vents work together to move the maximum amount of air while reducing tonal impact. The custom, built-in, stereo speakers utilize provide high-fidelity sound and a wide dynamic range and better bass response. The dual microphones are precisely oriented under the speaker grille use an adaptive beam-forming algorithm to reduce background noise and optimize performance
Ultrathin and Ultraportable
This MacBook Pro is ultrathin and ultraportable, resembling more of a MacBook Air than a MacBook Pro. It is 0.71" thin and weighs less than 5 pounds, this MacBook Pro embodies the performance of a MacBook Pro, but has the body of a MacBook Air
Electrical and Operating Requirements
This MacBook Pro supports 100-240V AC with 50/60Hz frequency. It can operate at a temperature from 50 to 95°F (10 to 35°C) and an altitude of 10,000 feet. It can be stored at a temperature from -13 to 113°F (-24 to 45°C) and an altitude of 15,000 feet. It can also stand a relative humidity range of 0 to 90% (noncondensing)
Performance
Photography
At 5.1 million pixels, the Retina display is the perfect place to view and edit your high-resolution photos. Dot for dot, more of your image can fit on the screen - which makes editing photos far more precise. And with four times the number of pixels than a standard 15-inch MacBook Pro display, you can see fine details and textures like never before. In fact, the Retina display is so sharp, you can tell which photos are in focus just by looking at the thumbnails. With two ultrafast Thunderbolt ports, two USB 3.0 ports and an SDXC card slot, you can build a photo studio around this MacBook Pro. Or take it with you and import thousands of RAW images on location - up to five times faster than on a standard MacBook Pro. Once your photos are on your computer, editing in Aperture is faster and more responsive than on any notebook we've ever built. And high-speed flash storage lets you quickly browse large image libraries from internal storage. So you have instant access to any photo in your library
Video Editing
The processor, graphics, and memory inside the MacBook Pro are built around an all-flash architecture - giving you unprecedented mobile video editing capabilities. Super-responsive flash storage delivers up to nine streams of 1080p ProRes (HQ) content for multicam editing in Final Cut Pro X, while the latest quad-core processors decode multiple streams of video, and a powerful GPU renders millions of pixels onto the screen. With flash storage that offers up to four times the performance of a traditional hard drive, you can even edit four streams of uncompressed 8-bit 1080p HD video, right from your internal storage. Having four times the pixels of a traditional display changes how you edit video on a notebook. Especially in Final Cut Pro X. For the first time on a portable computer, you can view your video in pixel-accurate 1080p HD and see your editing workspace onscreen at the same time. And video is so sharp, so clear, and so lifelike, your shots may look even better than you remember
Design and Layout
With 2880 by 1800 pixels, the resolution of the Retina display is so high, it rivals the printed page. Combined with reduced glare, higher contrast, and a 178-degree viewing angle, this Retina display is the ideal place to see your work. High-performance graphics and processors let you render images and apply filters with incredible speed. And thanks to flash storage and superfast 1600MHz memory, you can access and edit large-format files much faster than on a traditional notebook
Science and Engineering
The latest quad-core processors and 1600MHz memory provide an enormous amount of computational power. And the latest GPU technology and the high-resolution Retina display allow you to visualize your data like never before. From 3D molecular modeling and DNA imaging to architectural renderings and structural analysis, this MacBook Pro will have you working anywhere
Mac OS X
Hardware and Software
Since the software on every Mac is created by the same company that makes the Mac, you get a fully integrated system in which everything works together perfectly. OS X works with the processor in your Mac to deliver the best possible performance. The Multi-Touch trackpad on every Mac notebook gives you more than enough space to pinch, swipe, and tap your way around most of the apps on your system. OS X gives you long battery life by dimming the screen in low-light conditions and even regulating processor activity between keystrokes
Interact with Your Computer in a Whole New Way
Tap, scroll, pinch, and swipe using Multi-Touch gestures, directly controlling what's on your screen in a more fluid, natural, and intuitive way. When you scroll down on your trackpad or Magic Mouse, your document scrolls down. When you scroll up, your web page scrolls up. When you swipe left, your photos move left. And there are many more gestures that make all you do on your Mac the best experience you can have on a computer
Easy to Use
From the desktop you see when you start up your Mac to the applications you use every day, everything is designed to be simple and intuitive. It works seamlessly with iCloud to keep your music, photos, calendars, and more up to date across all your devices
Find, Organize and Share Files Fast
The Finder gives you easy access to all the files on your system. It lets you find, organize and access practically everything on your Mac - including applications, files, folders, discs, and shared computers on your network. You can sort files by kind, application, date modified, date added, or size. But with so many files on your computer, finding a specific one can be a challenge. Not on a Mac. Features like Spotlight and Quick Look make locating the file you're looking for effortless - even if you don't know the filename. And with Quick Look, you don't need to open an application to verify that you've found the right file - view a full-screen preview by hitting the space bar. Want to share a file with someone nearby? Just drag and drop to send it to the person wirelessly with AirDrop
See Everything Running on Your Mac Instantly
OS X offers system wide support for gorgeous, full-screen apps that use every inch of your Mac display. You can have multiple full-screen apps open at once - along with multiple apps in windows. And it's easy to switch between full-screen and desktop views. Mission Control gives you a bird's-eye view of all your windows and full-screen apps, and allows you to instantly navigate among them
Auto Save
Auto Save automatically saves your work while you work, without you having to do a thing. Versions creates a new version of a document each time you open it and every hour while you're working. It saves only the differences between successive versions, so the impact on your disk drive is minimal. Just open Versions to see the current document next to a cascade of previous versions. You can copy and paste between versions or revert to an earlier version. And when you share a document, you share only the most recent copy
Built-in Apps
iPhoto
iPhoto is an easy-to-use photo application that makes it fast and fun to organize and find your pictures, as well as make them look their absolute best. With features like Faces, Places, and Events, iPhoto helps you keep track of your photos by who's in them and when and where you took them - all in an immersive full-screen view. Quick and simple editing tools let you make so-so shots picture perfect with just a few clicks. Photo Stream in iCloud automatically pushes new photos to all your devices, so you're never without your latest shots. And if you feel like showing off what you've captured, iPhoto lets you share with beautiful photo books and letterpress cards or online via Facebook and Flickr
iMovie
With iMovie, you can transform the videos you shoot into your very own indie flicks. If you know how to drag and drop, you can make a movie in iMovie. It comes with Apple-designed themes that look fun and professional. Just choose one and iMovie does the rest, adding animated titles and sophisticated transitions automatically. Customize your screen gem further with your own words and audio
GarageBand
Whether you're musically gifted or mostly curious, GarageBand is the application for you. Plug in your electric guitar or USB music keyboard and get ready to rock with virtual replicas of the most revered amps and stompboxes in the world, as well as over 100 software instruments. Just because you didn't grow up learning your A, B, and C sharp doesn't mean you can't. Basic Lessons teach you just that: the basics. Choose from 40 lessons that cover blues guitar, rock guitar, classical piano, pop piano, and more. Or get a private lesson from one of your musical heroes, like Sting or Death Cab for Cutie, with Artist Lessons. GarageBand even tells you how well you're playing in real time with a feature called "How Did I Play?"
Mac App Store
Just like shopping the App Store on iPad, the Mac App Store offers endless possibilities to browse and purchase apps. New apps install in one step right to Launchpad. And the Mac App Store lets you know when app updates are available, so you always have the latest version
Safari
Designed with the Mac in mind, Safari emphasizes browsing, not the browser. In full-screen view, the browser frame is only a pixel wide, and you can hide almost the entire interface if you choose. So there's nothing to distract you from an article, video, or photo album. Navigating web pages is easy with trackpad gestures; flip through web pages with a swipe, and double tap or pinch the trackpad to zoom in on text or images. Safari also features Reader, which lets you peruse articles sans annoying ads. Don't have time to finish what you've started? Reading List lets you save links to articles and other web pages for later, and iCloud keeps your Reading List up to date across all your devices. Since pages render fast in Safari, you won't miss a minute of the web
Mail
Mail makes it easy to manage all your email from a single, ad-free inbox. It features powerful search capabilities, with search suggestions and tokens built in. It works with the free me.com email account you get when you sign up for iCloud, as well as most email standards - including POP3 and IMAP - and popular email services such as Gmail, Comcast, Time Warner, Charter, Cox, Yahoo! Mail, and AOL Mail. Mail supports Microsoft Exchange 2010, too. If you have more than one email account, no problem. Add your accounts to Mail and you'll be able to access all your email from one place. And Mail looks as great as it works. It makes full use of your display with a gorgeous widescreen view featuring a full-height message and a message list that includes snippets. With Conversations, messages from the same thread appear in an elegant timeline showing each communication as it was sent while hiding redundant text
iCal
Keep track of your busy schedule and share it with others using iCal. Create separate calendars - one for home, another for school, a third for work, and so on. See all your calendars in a single window or choose to see only the calendars you want. iCal lets you create invitations using contact information from your Address Book, update your guest list, keep track of responses, and receive the latest status information. When you or another Mac user receives an iCal invitation via Mail, it's automatically added. iCal also works with iCloud, Yahoo and Google. And when you use iCloud, every iCal edit you make on your Mac automatically appears on your iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch
Address Book
With Address Book you have a flexible and convenient place to store contact information for everyone you know. You can import names, numbers, addresses and photos from other applications; create smart groups for clubs, activities, and business purposes; print address labels and envelopes; and more. iCloud updates your contacts on your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and Mac - so when you enter someone's contact info once, you have it everywhere. And since Address Book is built on vCard, an industry standard for storing contact information, your friends can send you cards that you can add simply by dropping them in - no typing required
Time Machine
Time Machine works with your Mac and an external hard drive (sold separately) or Time Capsule. Connect the drive, assign it to Time Machine, and start enjoying some peace of mind. Time Machine automatically backs up your entire Mac, including system files, applications, accounts, preferences, music, photos, movies, and documents. But what makes Time Machine different from other backup applications is that it not only keeps a spare copy of every file, it remembers how your system looked on any given day - so you can revisit your Mac as it appeared in the past
FaceTime
FaceTime for Mac makes it possible to talk, smile, and laugh with anyone on an iPad, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPod touch, or another Mac from your Mac. And when someone tries to reach you, the call rings through on every Mac you own, even if FaceTime isn't running. So you never have to worry about making yourself available. If you don't want to receive calls, just turn FaceTime off in preferences. FaceTime is integrated with your Address Book so you can initiate chats easily
Photo Booth
Take photo snapshots and video clips with your Mac using Photo Booth. Send them to your friends, use one as an iChat icon, add them to your Address Book, or organize and edit them in iPhoto. The real fun starts when you use the effects and backdrops in Photo Booth. Choose from nine effects that use facial tracking technology so effects look great whether you're front and center - or left of center. Snap single photos or shoot multiples in a four-photo burst. You can even shoot video clips, complete with effects, then trim them right in Photo Booth and send them to friends and family. And since Photo Booth can be viewed full screen, you'll enjoy every detail down to the last pixel
