Apple has updated the MacBook Pro line of notebooks with a number of small, but appreciable upgrades to speed, storage size and graphics.

The new MacBook Pros have the same look as the previous models, but have updated specs, something we had expected. Updating the specs, and leaving the exterior unchanged is common at this point in the MacBook Pro life cycle.

The new MacBook Pro models are available for purchase today at Apple stores and online. The new models retail for the same price as previous models.

New MacBook Pro Specs, Same Look

The new 13″ MacBook Pro has a hard drive bump up to 500GB and  faster Intel Core i5 2.4GHz or 2.8GHz processor options.

The 15″ MacBook Pro models now have 2.2GHz, 2.4GHz and 2.5GHz quad core Intel processor options. The new models also have better graphics options. The low end GPU is the AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 512MB RAM and the high end offering is the new AMD Radeon HS 6770M with 1GB RAM. There are also new hard drive options, with up to a 750GB 7200 RPM drive available.

The 17″ MacBook Pro also gets a speed bump up to 2.3GHz and 2.5GHz quad core Intel processors. The graphics processor has also been bumped up to the new AMD Radeon HD 6770M GPU with 1GB RAM. There is also a new 750GB 7200 RPM hard drive option.

The new MacBook Pro Models have a number of improvements.

These new MacBook Pro models offer a collection of welcome upgrades. The new 500GB entry level storage option on the MacBook Pro is a nice touch, as 320GB was a paltry amount of storage for a $1,199 computer.

Will you be picking up a new MacBook Pro?

New MacBook Pro Models Bring Speed, Storage and GPU Updates is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

AMD Radeon HD 6990M GPU

It should come as no surprise that AMD isn’t content to let NVIDIA go around claiming the “Fastest. Notebook GPU. Ever.” for long. Just weeks after the flagship NVIDIA GTX 580M GPU launched, AMD has fired back with the new AMD Radeon HD 6990M, a premium notebook GPU which the company is calling “The World’s Fastest Notebook GPU.”

According to AMD the new Radeon HD 6990M clocks in at 25% faster than the competing enthusiast class graphics options, with notable improvements over the Radeon HD 6790M GPU. But, what fun would benchmarks be if they didn’t call out the competition.

AMD says that the Radeon HD 6990M is better than the NVIDIA GTX 580M when it comes to cames like Batman Arkham Asylum, BattleForge, Dragon Age 2, Quake Wars, Just Cause 2 and others.

AMD Radeon HD 6990M vs. NVIDIA GTX 580M

AMD Radeon HD 6990M vs NVIDIA GTX 580M

As Slashgear notes, most of these games are not the newest releases, which may explain the wide difference in Frames Per Second during testing. Missing from the release are comparisons for games such as Metro 2033 and Crysis. For a closer look at the Radeon 6990M performance, NotebookCheck has a look at the performance of this new notebook GPU, including how it compares to the competition.

6990M Features

AMD Radeon HD 6990M Features

The new Radeon HD 6990M GPU supports AMD CrossFireX technology to combine two GPUs for more power and Eyefinity support for multiple displays. The 6990M handles Direct X11 and thanks to AMD HD3D can deliver stereoscopic 3D for your games and movies. The GPU also supports AMD App Acceleration, which allows apps to harness the power fo the GPU to deliver better performance.

Radeon HD 6990M Notebooks

The new AMD GPU will be available in a collection of notebooks this fall. Most users will find the new GPU in the Alienware M18x, but the 6990M will also show up in the Clevo P150HM, P170HM, X7200 notebooks.

AMD Fires Back With AMD Radeon HD 6990M – “World’s Fastest” Battle Heats Up is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The 15-inch Toshiba Tecra R850 is the third of Toshiba’s new series of business-class notebooks that consists of the 13-inch Portege R830 and the 14-inch Tecra R840. As the largest model of the series, the Tecra R850 follows the design stylings of the smaller R830 and R840 models while maintaining a strengthened fiber glass body of the Tecra R840.

The Tecra R850 is a worthy upgrade to last year’s Tecra A11 model. In fact, this year’s R850 is lighter, stronger, and more performance-rich than last year’s models. The R850 is both lighter and slimmer than last year’s 14-inch model, despite being a larger 15-inch notebook!

The new R850 utilizes Intel’s second-generation Core i Series CPU, also known as Sandy Bridge, which delivers the Intel HD 3000 graphics option for integrated graphics. Additionally, Tecra R850 owners can also configure discrete graphics from AMD as well.

Toshiba Tecra R850 Hands On Video:

Weighing in at 5.3 pounds, this 15.6-inch model is about 19 percent slimmer and 6 percent lighter than last year’s model. Pricing starts at $879.

Configuration options for the Tecra R850 include:

Here are some of the connectivity options:

Toshiba Unveils Tecra R850 Notebook is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Notebooks.com.

In addition to the 13-inch Portege R830, Toshiba has also introduced the Tecra R840 14-inch business class notebook which follows the industrial design cues from the smaller Portege R830 mode. The Tecra R840 branding is new to this year’s lineup as last year’s 14-inch Tecra was called the Toshiba Tecra M11.

The change in branding to an R series will help users associate this year’s larger and power-packed Tecra with the ultraportable Portege R830, while the second digit, the 4, will help users quickly identify that this model has a 14-inch baclit HD LED display; the Portege R830 similarly designates that the 3 stands for 13-inch. The Tecra R840 also has a larger 15-inch model called the Tecra R850, so look out for that one if you’re interested in even more screen real estate.

As we’ve mentioned before, this year’s Tecra R840 will take design cues from the Portege R830. Unlike the magnesium alloy R830, the Tecra R840 has a plastic with reinforced fiber glass case, which helps to keep the laptop slim and light while giving it strength. Internal honeycomb-shaped ribs, like on the Portege model helps to add strength to the the Tecra R840, as you’ll see in the video below covering all three models–the Portege R830, the Tecra R840, and the Tecra R850. The Tecra R840 measures just 1-inch and weighs 4.2 pounds. Pricing starts at just under $900 for the base configurations, and like the Portege R830, the Tecra R840 will come standard with a 3-year warranty from Toshiba.

Toshiba Tecra R840 Hands On Video:

Numerous configuration options from HDDs and SSDs to GPUs and RAM selection are available with this year’s Tecra R840. All models come standard with Intel’s second-generation Core i Series processors, known as Sandy Bridge, that combine Intel’s HD 3000 graphics; with the Tecra R840 and R850, users can also add in discrete graphics as well.

Configuration options:

Here are the connectivity options for the Tecra R840:

As with the Portege R830, a second-generation dock will also augment the ports and connectivity options for the Tecra R840. Toshiba says that users can use the dock with a Portege R830, a Tecra R840, or a Tecra R850. Additionally, the charging port has been standardized between Toshiba’s consumer-grade and business class notebooks, meaning that if you forget your Tecra R840′s power charger at home, you can walk into the nearest big box retailer and pick up a consumer charger that will fit and work with your businness class machine.

Toshiba Introduces Tecra R840 Notebook is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Notebooks.com.

With the coming of Intel’s second-generation Sandy Bridge Core i Series mobile processors combining a revamped intel Intel HD 3000 graphics solution, Toshiba is also updating its ultra-portable business class Portege R830 to bring the latest improvements to its slim and light notebook.

Design-wise, the Portege R830 will set the tone for this year’s re-design of the Tecra A11 and M11 models as well–which also get re-branded as we’ll discuss later. The Portege R830, the second digit, 3, indicates a 13-inch display, has a 13.3-inch backlit LED display with numerous configuration options and an entry price point of $1,049.

The Portege R830 will come in either an Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 configurations, all with integrated Intel HD 3000 graphics. No discrete graphics option will be available on this thin and light.

Toshiba Tecra R830 Hands On Video:

Unlike other ultra-slim models like the Apple MacBook Air, the R830 actually comes with an optical drive. Toshiba says users can swap out the optical drive with a space-saver to reduce weight while traveling if they don’t need access to CDs or DVDs, or users can add a second hard drive or SSD where the optical drive is to augment storage capacity.

Various HDD or SSD options can be configured and the base model has 4 GB DDR3 RAM. The following connectivity options come standard on the R830:

A 6-cell battery will give the R830 about 11 hours of computing power between charges, according to Toshiba. There is also an extended 9-cell battery. The nice thing about the Portege R830 is that it comes with a new second-generation docking station that will be compatible between the R830 and the Tecra R840 and R850. Additionally, the Portege R830 will work with the first-generation Toshiba Portege R700 docking station and last year’s Portege R700 will also work with the new second-generation dock for maximum compatibility.

The R830 utilizes a magnesium allow material with a honeycomb rib structure on the inside for maximum strength while delivering a light laptop. Weighing at 3.1 pounds and measuring 1-inch thick, Toshiba’s Portege R830 also includes a spill-resistant island-style keys keyboard layour along with a multi-touch TouchPad.

Another new thing with this year’s models is Toshiba’s standardization with the charging port. Now, if you forget your wall charger, for example, Toshiba’s business and consumer laptops will now share the same power charge port so you can head out to your nearest big box retail store to purchase a consumer Toshiba power charger for use with the business class R830.

Along with the Portege R830, an improvement over last year’s Portege R700 model, Toshiba has also made changes to naming–and redesigning–its larger Tecra-branded notebooks. Last year’s Tecra branded A11 and M11 models are getting new naming conventions, according to Toshiba, to make it easy for customers to differentiate between the 13-, 14-, and 15-inch series by looking at the 3, 4, or 5 in the middle digit to designate 13, 14, or 15. The Tecra A11, the 15-inch model, gets re-named to Tecra R850 while the smaller 14-inch Tecra M11 from last year will be called the Tecra R840 with this year’s designs, closely mimicking the industrial design of the Portege R830.

Toshiba Launches Portege R830 Ultraportable is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Notebooks.com.

For its low-end notebook systems in the past, Apple has often cited the importance of a good GPU, or graphics processor, as reason for sticking with the aging Intel Core 2 Duo platform, at a time when the first generation Intel Core i Series CPUs were available on laptops from rivals, rather than migrating to the newer first generation Intel Core i3 or i5 processors. However, with Intel beefing up not only the integrated Intel-made GPU solution on the second generation Intel Core CPU series, but also with increased CPU performance, Apple may be content enough with the baseline graphics performance to use Intel’s Core chips inside its latest MacBook refresh, due today.

The speculated MacBook Pro refresh will see Apple adopting Intel’s second-gen Core i Series CPU, which will require the company and other systems manufacturers to also utilize Intel’s integrated GPU design as well rather than solutions from other GPU-makers like NVIDIA or ATI. However, Intel will still allow notebook-makers to use dedicated graphics chips, which consume more power but deliver increased performance, from those third-party vendors. For this reason, current Apple MacBook and the low-end 13-inch MacBook Pro series notebooks, along with the MacBook Air, use the older Intel Core 2 Duo series chips along with a stronger and more capable integrated graphics chips from NVIDIA.

9to5 Mac reports that one of its readers had emailed Apple CEO Steve Jobs in the past regarding the logic behind Apple choosing an older Intel solution for the now current pre-refreshed low-end MacBook and MacBook Pro systems, to which the head of Apple responded, “Far faster graphics and 10-hour battery life trump 10-20% faster CPU.” The Intel Core 2 Duo system allowed Apple to couple Intel’s CPU with a non-Intel NVIDIA GeForce 320M GPU; higher-end systems even had options for a dedicated NVIDIA GPU in addition to the integrated GPU.

Kevin had reported on talks of the Sandy Bridge transition on Apple’s portable systems late last year, but it’s worth mentioning again potential reasons behind the Apple move now that we’re hours away from a speculated official announcement from Cupertino, California.

CNET, again, also re-iterates its position that Apple would adopt Sandy Bridge on all its MacBook Pro systems.

The main difference between integrated and dedicated graphics chips is in performance. According to Wikipedia, 90% of computers shipped today use integrated graphics. Integrated solutions work because those GPUs “utilize a portion of a computer’s system RAM rather than dedicated graphics memory.” For graphics-intensive applications, such as gaming, heavy photo and video editing, and advanced designs, integrated solutions may not be powerful enough and those specialized computer users may need to opt for dedicated graphics, but those systems will cost more and consume more power: “As a GPU is extremely memory intensive, an integrated solution may find itself competing for the already relatively slow system RAM with the CPU, as it has minimal or no dedicated video memory.”

In the past, though Apple had used Intel CPUs, the discerning Cupertino, California computer-maker did not find that Intel’s integrated GPU solution to meet its standards, so the company had relied on NVIDIA to provide the integrated GPU, which is present in all current notebook systems. Higher end systems, like the 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros, will also add a secondary dedicated graphics processor. In the recent MacBook Pro, when the Mac OS X operating system detects that a taxing graphics app is requiring more power, the OS will switch the user over to the dedicated GPU unit and if lighter graphics apps are running, or if that power is no longer required, OS X will migrate the user back to the integrated GPU to conserve battery life while delivering strong performance.

MacRumor posted about the leaked specs of the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro model slated to be introduced later today, that system is displaying an Intel Core i5 processor, a second-generation Core i5 processor known as Sandy Bridge, that will be coupled with Intel’s integrated GPU, the Intel HD 3000 graphics. Given Apple’s migration to Intel Core i Series in the second-generation for its lowest MacBook Pro notebook, it seems that the company is seeing that a significantly better CPU and improved GPU now warrants the change.

Notebook Check is reporting that the performance of the Intel integrated GPU is in fact a major improvement over the previous generation integrated GPU solution with the first-generation Intel Core i CPU. “In many older and current gaming titles it competes at a level of entry-level graphics cards like the Geforce G 310M, the GT 220M or the ATI HD5470.” However, the Intel GPU performance, by Notebook Check’s report, would trail the current integrated solution in the MacBook Pro pre-refresh–that system uses an NVIDIA GeForce 320M processor, which offers an edge in performance over the 310M NVIDIA GPU model.

However, despite the GPU trade-offs, the CPU is now significant enough that Apple is considering the Intel Sandy Bridge processors.

Given that most consumers–90%–purchase laptops with integrated GPU solutions, Notebooks.com had awarded a Best of CES 2011 to Intel for its Sandy Bridge processor earlier this year for making the graphics improvements to help users who may not be tech savvy get the full graphics and performance benefits from their systems.

Full specs for the refresh are available on Josh’s post for the refresh in Apple’s lineup.

Why a 13-Inch MacBook Pro Sandy Bridge Refresh is Significant for Apple is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Notebooks.com.

While Apple may be dumping NVIDIA’s integrated graphics solution on the low-end 13-inch MacBook Pro in favor of Intel’s integrated GPU option due to regulations that the chip-maker had imposed on hardware-makers hoping to utilize the second-generation Intel Core i Series Sandy Bridge CPU, Apple may also be eschewing NVIDIA’s solutions in its higher-end laptops where dedicated, or discrete, graphics are concerned.

Apple had utilized NVIDIA’s solutions exclusively in the current generation pre-refresh MacBook Pros for dedicated/discrete GPU as well as integrated GPU power, but the Mac-maker may be dumping NVIDIA in favor of rival GPU-maker AMD, which had acquired ATI’s graphics business.

CNET again reports that “AMD ‘discrete’ graphics silicon is now offered in the larger, more powerful MBPs. As in previous MacBook Pros, the discrete graphics chip is only fired up when heavy lifting is needed. When power savings is paramount or high-end graphics processing is not necessary, the system defaults to Intel’s graphics.” The AMD discrete GPU will be found on Apple’s 15- and 17-inch systems, while the lower-end 13-inch notebook will utilize Intel’s integrated GPU solely.

Chatter of the AMD transition was reported late last year by Kevin, but at the time it was believed to be a negotiation ploy by Apple. The news has recently been brought up again by CNET earlier along with the site’s speculations that Apple will standardize its MacBook Pro offerings on Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors.

While Intel is claiming better performance with its integrated GPU solution, there still exists a need for a more powerful professional Mac notebook with discrete graphics. This space, will soon be filled by AMD if CNET’s postulations prove to be correct. As Apple is speculated to be announcing its MacBook Pro refresh today, we’ll have a few more hours to wait and see what the company’s official plans are for the MacBook line as it transitions to Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors.

AMD Discrete Graphics to Power New High-End Apple MacBook Pros? is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Notebooks.com.

Apple MacBook models with 13″ screens or smaller will cease using NVIDIA graphics in favor of Intel’s new Sandy Bridge processor which includes integrated Intel graphics, according to a report by CNET.

Sandy Bridge is the name Intel has given to its newest version of processors which will be officially unveiled in January. It not only includes the CPU but also the graphics engine in one small chip, saving room and money for manufacturers.

Up until now Intel graphics have been synonymous with lower performance in computers designed for simple office related tasks and low end laptops. So why would Apple be wiling to go in that direction when they are usually seen as a high end laptop manufacturer?

The reason is that the Sandy Bridge technology is said to perform better than the current combination of Intel Core 2 Duo processors along with the NVIDIA graphics found in Apple’s MacBook, MacBook Pro 13″ and MacBook Air models.

Apple likely chose to stay with the older Intel Core 2 Duo chips in order to maintain the size and cost of their less expensive models. Another factor was a legal dispute between Intel and NVIDIA that might keep manufacturers from using NVIDIA graphics with Intel CPSs. This new chip from Intel will allow Apple to continue to hit price points and space requirements in smaller models while offering better performance.

The CNET report also said that larger size MacBook Pros will possibly replace the NVIDIA graphics for AMD chips. However, they also pointed out that this could all be a negotiating ploy by Apple.

Apple Poised to Switch Smaller MacBooks to Intel Graphics is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

When AMD bought graphics card maker ATI, the result was an awkward double branding of AMD and ATI that as it turns out confused consumers. But AMD has decided that one acronym is enough and will be dropping the ATI name from the company’s graphics processors.

However, the familiar mobile graphics title Radeon will live on as the “AMD Radeon”  brand.

In the not too distant future AMD plans to release a new pairing of both microprocessors and graphics chips together on a single chip. The marriage of AMD CPU and Radeon graphics, dubbed Fusion by AMD, would likely be more confusing with both AMD and ATI brands; based on the company’s consumer tests.

Soon the ATI Mobility Radeon chip that we are so used to seeing in notebooks will instead have the AMD name. When the CPU and GPU come together we hope that consumers will see slightly lower prices too.

Along with this name change the Fusion name that stood for this marriage of the two chips into one will be dropped and the technology incorporated into the AMD Vision program.

AMD Benches ATI Brand, Keeping Radeon is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

NVIDIA recently released its new GeForce GTX 480M mobile GPU, claiming it to be the fastest mobile GPU to date. Now there is proof to back it up.

The GeForce GTX 480M has proven to be the fastest mobile GPU to date, making it the perfect addition to gaming laptops. Though incredibly fast, it still draws less power than the nearest NVIDIA desktop equivalent.

Using the Futuremark PCMark Vantage Benchmark, which creates gaming, image and movie editing, music compression, and many more usage scenarios, HotHardware compared three similarly-equipped laptops. The Clevo D900 used the GeForce GTX 480M, the Eurocom M98NU Xcaliber used two GeForce GTX 280Ms, and the Asus G73JH-A1 used the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870. Here is the benchmark chart showing performance:

Clearly, the Clevo D900, equipped with the GeForce GTX 480M, outperformed its similarly equipped counterparts. Many other tests, including Far Cry 2 and H.A.W.X game tests, can be found at HotHardware.

As expected, being the fastest mobile GPU has its disadvantages, especially when looking at Battery Life. When compared to other laptops with similar specs, the Clevo D900F with the GeForce GTX 480M consumed more battery life than its counterparts.

If you are looking for a desktop replacement laptop, and don’t mind the desktop-like power consumption that comes with it, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480M is the fastest GPU option you can get. Visit HotHardware for more information on the GeForce GTX 480M GPU.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480M, Fastest Mobile GPU is a post by Carter Sprunger from Notebooks.com.