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MacBook Pro Q&A - Revised June 7, 2007
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What is the difference between the MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" models and the MacBook Pro models that they replaced?
Please note that all systems mentioned in this Q&A have been discontinued. The "Late 2006" MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" models were replaced by the "Mid-2007" MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo "Santa Rosa" series on June 5, 2007.
At first glance, one would not notice the difference between the MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo models -- the MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" 2.16 15-Inch, 2.33 15-Inch, and 2.33 17-Inch -- and the models that each replaced, as they share identical cases.
Photo Credit: Apple Computer
Externally, the 15-Inch MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" models essentially are only distinguishable by the addition of a Firewire "800" port when compared to their predecessors -- the MacBook Pro "Core Duo" 2.0 15-Inch and 2.16 15-Inch -- and the 17-Inch MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" model effectively is externally identical to the MacBook Pro "Core Duo" 2.16 17-Inch model it replaced (both 17-Inch models have a Firewire "800" port). However, if you look really closely, you also will notice that the iSight indicator light on the "Core 2 Duo" models shines "through" the case rather than having a visible "dot".
All other ports are the same -- AirPort Extreme (although the "Core 2 Duo" models support 802.11n as well as 802.11g after a firmware update), Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, Gigabit Ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports (three on the 17-Inch models), a FireWire "400" port, optical digital audio in/out, DVI out, and ExpressCard/34.
Internally, the changes are more substantial. As the names imply, the "Core 2 Duo" models use the faster "Core 2 Duo" processor with two independent processor "cores" on a single silicon chip and a shared 4 MB level 2 cache. The "Core 2 Duo" models also support a maximum of 3 GB of 667 MHz PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM (SO-DIMM), compared to 2 GB of memory in the models replaced. All use the same graphics processors -- an ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 -- but the amount of video memory varies.
Along with other configuration enhancements, the 15-Inch MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" models have a dual layer "SuperDrive" compared to the single-layer SuperDrive in the models replaced.
For your convenience, the major differences between the MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" model and the configuration that each immediately replaced are summarized below. Please refer to the specs page for the model of interest for complete details.
| MacBook Pro: | "Core Duo" 2.0 15-Inch† | "Core 2 Duo" 2.16 15-Inch |
|---|---|---|
| Processor Type: | 2.0 GHz "Core Duo" (T2500) | 2.16 GHz "Core 2 Duo" (T7400) |
| Standard RAM: | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Video Memory: | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Hard Drive: | 80 GB | 120 GB |
| SuperDrive: | 4X Single-Layer | 6X Dual-Layer |
| Firewire 800: | No | Yes (1) |
| Apple Part No: | MA600LL | MA609LL |
| Original Price: | US$1999 | US$1999 |
†Please note that this refers to the configuration available immediately before the "Core 2 Duo" model was introduced. An earlier configuration also was available.
| MacBook Pro: | "Core Duo" 2.16 15-Inch | "Core 2 Duo" 2.33 15-Inch |
|---|---|---|
| Processor Type: | 2.16 GHz "Core Duo" (T2600) | 2.33 GHz "Core 2 Duo" (T7600) |
| Standard RAM: | 1 GB | 2 GB |
| Video Memory: | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Hard Drive: | 100 GB | 120 GB |
| SuperDrive: | 4X Single-Layer | 6X Dual-Layer |
| Firewire 800: | No | Yes (1) |
| Apple Part No: | MA601LL | MA610LL |
| Original Price: | US$2499†† | US$2499 |
††Originally introduced as a build-to-order configuration of the MacBook Pro "Core Duo" for a US$300 premium (US$2799 total).
| MacBook Pro: | "Core Duo" 2.16 17-Inch | "Core 2 Duo" 2.33 17-Inch |
|---|---|---|
| Processor Type: | 2.16 GHz "Core Duo" (T2600) | 2.33 GHz "Core 2 Duo" (T7600) |
| Standard RAM: | 1 GB | 2 GB |
| Video Memory: | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Hard Drive: | 100 GB | 120 GB |
| SuperDrive: | 8X Dual-Layer | 8X Dual-Layer |
| Firewire 800: | Yes (1) | Yes (1) |
| Apple Part No: | MA092LL/A | MA611LL/A |
| Original Price: | US$2799 | US$2799 |
Please refer to the Ultimate Mac Comparison feature to dynamically compare any MacBook Pro model to any other G3 or later Mac.
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