MacBook Pro gets Core 2 Duo upgrade

Apple has revved up its MacBook Pro laptops with Intel Core 2 Duo processors, double the memory and a faster FireWire peripheral connection.

Unlike some of Apple's computer announcements -- like last month's unveiling of Core 2 Duo-equipped iMac desktops -- the new MacBook Pros look just like their predecessors. The high-end laptops, geared toward business and creative professionals, are still available in 15-inch and 17-inch models in the familiar brushed aluminum.

But inside, Apple has made some changes. Now equipped with Core 2 Duo processors, the 15-inch MacBook Pro is available in 2.16GHz and 2.33GHz varieties. The 17-incher comes with a 2.33GHz Core 2 Duo.

With the souped-up chips, Apple estimates that the 2.33GHz dual-core model is up to 39 per cent speedier than the previous the MacBook Pro with a 2.16GHz Intel Duo processor -- and seven times faster than the older PowerBook G4 laptop with a 1.67GHz IBM PowerPC processor.

In addition, a new FireWire 800 port now complements the existing FireWire 400 port so that MacBook Pro users can connect to higher-end peripheral devices.

With the improved processors, Apple hopes that its MacBook Pro laptops will be more appealing to customers who run memory-heavy applications like its own Aperture photo-editing software.

Ever since Apple's mid-2005 announcement that it would switch to Intel processors, it has been gradually releasing machines with the new chips. Apple's transition to Intel was complete with the unveiling of the Mac Pro desktop in August.

The new 15-inch MacBook Pro laptops, which Apple said are available on Tuesday, cost £1,349 for the 2.16GHz model and £1,699 for the 2.33GHz version. The 17-inch MacBook Pro is set for release next week at £1,899.