Apple brings out Intel based Macbook Pro

Apple ’s new Intel based Macbook Pro is now available, and uses a faster than expected Core Duo processors.

The top of the range 15in notebook, which costs £1,779, comes with a 2GHz dual core CPU, not the 1.83GHz that was originally expected, and it can be upgraded to a 2.16GHz processor. The cheaper model runs on a 1.83GHz CPU, reducing its cost to £1,429.

Performance in the faster machine is helped by it having 1GB of memory, and ATI Mobility Radeon x1600 graphics, coupled with a 100GB hard drive.

The cheaper model suffers slightly from having 512MB of DDR2 SDRam, but still uses ATI’s X1600 graphics and has an 80GB hard disk.

Customers can upgrade their Macbook to a 120GB hard disk and up to 2GB of memory.

Both weigh about 2.5kg, include a built-in web cam and DVD burner, come in an aluminium casing, and use Mac OS X 10.4 and iLife 06 software.

Apple claims the 2.16GHz model is four times faster than the Powerbook G4. Currently the main drawback with the new Intel based Macs is they lack applications that can run natively on them, but developers are building new versions to address this.

Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, said: ‘The new MacBook Pro includes faster Intel Core Duo processors than originally announced, up to 2.16 GHz, and we think customers are going to love them.’