Apple MacBook Pro Gets Core 2 Duo

Ending months of speculation, Apple on Tuesday said its entire line of MacBook Pro laptops would now include faster Core 2 Duo processors, as well as double the memory and larger hard drives. The Cupertino company says the new models are 39 percent faster than their predecessors.

"We are thrilled that our notebook sales are growing twice as fast as the overall notebook market, and we hope these new MacBook Pro models continue that success," Apple's marketing senior vice president Phillip Schiller said in the announcement.

Apple's most recent quarter saw the company sell 1.61 million Macs, the most for any three-month period in the products 22-year history. Of that, portables accounted for 1 million of those computers shipped.

The company is hoping the introduction of the Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro will help continue that trend. Enhancements within Mac OS X on these machines would help professional applications like Aperture, Final Cut Pro, and Logic Pro, it said.

The MacBook Pro comes in three models: a 15-inch model with a 2.16 GHz Core 2 Duo and 1GB of RAM for $1,999 USD, a 15-inch model with a 2.33GHz Core 2 Duo and 2GB of RAM for $2,499 USD, and a 17-inch model also with a 2.33GHz Core 2 Duo and 2GB of RAM for $2,799 USD.

Each MacBook Pro variation can support up to 3GB of DDR2 memory, and includes a dual-layer DVD writer, ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, FireWire 400 and 800 ports, as well as the standard AirPort Extreme and Ethernet network connections.

In addition to the new MacBook Pro models, Apple has introduced the MagSafe Airline Adapter, which would retail for $59 USD. The unit plugs into in-seat power ports to provide power to the laptop while in flight, the company said.

Build-to-order options for the MacBook Pro include larger harddrives, more memory, the addition of the airline adapter, Apple USB modem, glossy widescreen display, and the company's protection plan.