Zit Seng's Blog

A Singaporean's technology and lifestyle blog

Updated MacBooks at Apple WWDC 2012

I can’t help but feel somewhat underwhelmed. Apple WWDC 2012 is underway right now, and Tim Cooks has delivered his opening keynote. The cat is now out of the bag on Apple’s new products and product updates, and honestly, they aren’t terribly exciting. The only significant update is the new Retina MacBook Pro, which retails from S$2988.

The new Retina MacBook Pro boasts a 15.4″ display resolution of 2880 x 1800 pixels, which gives it a 220 ppi pixel density. It has also been slimmed down somewhat, measuring just 0.71″ thick (the MacBook Air measures 0.68″ thick at the thickest point). It’s still quite hefty, weighing in at 2.02 kg (1.35 kg for the MacBook Air).

If you’re looking out for something cheaper to buy, unfortunately, there isn’t very much exciting updates. All other MacBooks received just minor updates, in particular the upgrade to Ivy Bridge processors. The entry level MacBook Air price in Singapore has gone up to S$1388 (up S$100), while the next higher model, the 11″ MacBook Air with 128GB SSD dropped S$100 to S$1488. Display resolution and form factor have remained unchanged. You do get an upgrade from USB 2.0 to USB 3.0 ports, and Intel HD 3000 to Intel HD 4000 graphics.

OS X Mountain Lion has also been announced, available from July at US$19.99,  cheaper than Lion when it was released (US$29.99). I’ve yet to figure out exactly what are the great new features of OS X Mountain Lion though.

Apple has also started the Back To School program in the U.S., offering US$100 giftcards for MacBook purchases. I hope this translates to something enticing when the program starts in Singapore.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

View Comment Policy