New MacBook Pros listed?

Apple may finally be preparing to update its MacBook Pro notebooks, leaked information suggests. While the regular MacBooks shipped late last year, and the Mac Pro desktops were updated in early January, some shoppers have been waiting impatiently for an upgrade to MacBook Pros before buying a new computer. Three upgraded systems are said to be listed in the inventory management systems of Apple and resellers such as Best Buy with new SKUs (i.e, Apple model tracking numbers): MB402LL/A, MB403LL/A, and MB404LL/A.

Though prices are consistent with the current Pros, at $1,999, $2,499 and $2,799, it is expected that the new machines will make the switch to Intel's Penryn processors, which are built with a 45nm manufacturing process and have features such as SSE4 and better power use. Speeds should scale up to 2.6GHz. It is also anticipated that the systems will adopt the multitouch abilities of the MacBook Air, such as pinching and swiping in applications like iPhoto.

According to reports, "at least one" of the inventory systems with the new Pros indicates models arriving in stock by Friday, in time for a launch next Tuesday or shortly thereafter. It may, however, be as long as two weeks before the computers become available.

By Electronista Staff