Apple Launches Unibody Laptop With 17-inch, 2.3 Megapixel Display

Apple has launched a whopper of laptop in the form of this season's brand new Macbook Pro, a fantastic 17-inch model which is the thinnest (24mm) and the lightest (2.99Kg) ever produced by Apple matching the previous generation.

The beast is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, the T9800 launched last week, with two processors clocked at 2.93GHz and 6MB L2 cache. The CPU is supported by up to 8GB memory, a 320GB hard disk drive (with an optional 256GB SSD), a choice of either a Geforce 9400M or a 9600M GT video card.

But it is the screen that will leave you jaw dropping; the ultra-thin, ultra-bright, LED-backlit display is capable of showing 1920x1200 pixels - that's nearly 2.3 million pixels or 133 pixels per inch (or 9 pixels per millimeter). Furthermore, with a 700:1 contrast ratio and 60 percent greater colour gamut, it will be ideal for mobile graphics professionals and will come with a glossy finish by default (the anti-glare option will cost $50 extra).

The Macbook Pro can run up to 8 hours on a single charge when running on the integrated video module while new technologies like the adaptive charging means that the new Macbook Pro's battery has a lifespan of up to 1000 recharges by "constantly communicates with the computer to determine the optimal way to charge its cells, adjusting the current up and down depending on a variety of conditions". However, the lithium polymer battery, which is 40 percent larger than usual, won't be removable.

Apart from the usual other features (Firewire, Magsafe, Mini Displayport, USB, a glass trackpad that's 39 percent larger, a slot-in DVD writer), you can expect the laptop to be on sale for roughly £1900 (which is a lot of money in the current credit crunch) and should be available, for preorder, as from today. A more basic, lower specced model will also be available.

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