Archive notice: This article was originally published on January 6, 2009. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Apple today introduced a new 17-inch MacBook Pro with a durable and beautiful precision unibody aluminum enclosure and a revolutionary built-in battery. It provides up to eight hours of runtime and, with 1,000 charge cycles, more than three times the lifespan of conventional batteries. The new 17-inch MacBook Pro has a high-resolution LED-backlit display and the same large glass Multi-Touch trackpad introduced with the new MacBook family in October. It also features advanced NVIDIA graphics processors and the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processor. As part of the most environmentally friendly notebook family on the market, the new 17-inch MacBook Pro is made from highly recyclable materials, meets stringent energy-efficiency standards and avoids many of the harmful toxins found in other computers.
“We have developed a new battery technology that benefits both the user and the environment,” says Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Apple’s advanced chemistry and innovative technology enable up to eight hours of battery life and as many as 1,000 charge cycles.”
With advanced chemistry, intelligent system and battery monitoring, and adaptive charging technology, Apple has developed a notebook that delivers up to eight hours of battery life and as many as 1,000 charge cycles without making the notebook thicker, heavier or more expensive.* The battery’s long lifecycle means fewer spent batteries and therefore less environmental impact.
The new 17-inch MacBook Pro features an extremely thin, glossy widescreen display with 1920 x 1200 pixels. This provides 78 percent more pixels than the 15-inch MacBook Pro and a 60 percent larger color gamut, delivering desktop-quality color in a notebook. The LED-backlit display delivers brilliant performance from the moment it is switched on, consumes up to 30 percent less power and contains none of the mercury commonly used in display backlighting.
At 2.49 cm high and weighing 2.9 kg, the new 17-inch MacBook Pro is the world’s thinnest and lightest 17-inch notebook. It is also the most powerful Mac notebook ever. Equipped with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processor, available at up to 2.93 GHz, and up to 8 GB of DDR3 memory, its new high-performance graphics architecture lets users switch between the energy-efficient NVIDIA GeForce 9400M and the powerful NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT processor.
The new 17-inch MacBook Pro comes standard with a 320 GB hard drive at 5400 rpm and is optionally available with a 320 GB drive at 7200 rpm or a 128 GB or 256 GB solid-state drive. Like the rest of the new MacBook family, it includes a next-generation Mini DisplayPort optimized for connecting the new 24-inch Apple LED Cinema Display with its widescreen display, built-in iSight video camera, microphone and speaker system.
Like the rest of the MacBook family, the new 17-inch MacBook Pro sets new standards for environmentally friendly notebooks and meets the stringent EPEAT** Gold standard. Every MacBook unibody aluminum enclosure is made from highly recyclable aluminum and ships with an energy-efficient, mercury-free LED-backlit display using arsenic-free glass. The entire MacBook family meets stringent Energy Star 4.0 requirements, contains no brominated flame retardants and uses only PVC-free cables and components. The new 17-inch MacBook Pro battery makes an additional environmental contribution through its extended lifecycle, resulting in fewer spent batteries and less waste. A depleted battery can be replaced for €179 including VAT, including installation and environmentally responsible disposal of the old battery.
Prices & Availability
The new 17-inch MacBook Pro will ship at the end of January and will be available through the Apple Store (www.applestore.de), Apple Retail Stores and authorized Apple resellers for €2,499 including VAT, with:
- a 17-inch glossy widescreen LED-backlit display with 1920 x 1200 resolution;
- a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6 MB shared L2 cache;
- a 1066 MHz front-side bus;
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4 GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM;
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an integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor;
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an NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT graphics processor with 512 MB of GDDR3 video memory;
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a 320 GB Serial ATA hard drive at 5400 rpm with Sudden Motion Sensor;
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a slot-loading 8x SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
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a Mini DisplayPort video output (adapter available separately);
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integrated AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
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a Gigabit Ethernet port;
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an integrated iSight video camera;
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three USB 2.0 ports;
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a FireWire 800 port (compatible with FireWire 400);
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an ExpressCard/34 slot;
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optical and analog audio input and output;
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a glass Multi-Touch trackpad and backlit keyboard; and
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an 85-watt MagSafe power adapter.
Expansion options for the 17-inch MacBook Pro include an upgrade to a 2.93 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 8 GB of DDR3 SDRAM, a 320 GB Serial ATA hard drive at 7200 rpm, a 128 GB or 256 GB solid-state drive, a matte display for €45 including VAT, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter for the 30-inch Cinema HD Display, Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple Remote, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare Protection Plan.
- With proper use, the 17-inch Apple MacBook Pro battery is designed to retain 80 percent or more of its original capacity over a lifespan of up to 1,000 charge cycles. Battery life and charge cycles vary according to use and system settings. Further information is available at http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/17inch-battery.
** EPEAT is an independent organization that helps purchasers compare notebooks and desktop computers based on their environmental characteristics. Products that meet all 23 mandatory criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria receive a Gold rating. The EPEAT program was conceived by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is based on the IEEE 1680 standard for the environmental performance of personal computers. Further information is available at http://www.epeat.net.
