Apple's Next-Gen MacBook Pro Might Change the World of Portable Computing

Apple's next-generation MacBook Pro combines the best of both worlds, creating the ultimate device in portable computing. Throw in a touch screen and it would be perfect. But we're not quite there yet. However, we are (finally) at a place where video and photo-editing professionals can use a MacBook with a lighter, thinner body; solid state memory; and more power. It wasn't a groundbreaking upgrade, but it was impressive, to say the least. And as someone who had very low expectations for Apple's AAPL event today, my praise did not come easily. But it's hard not to praise Apple, if only a little. While most of the world was obsessed with the idea of a Retina Display (which Apple delivered -- but only for the next-gen MacBook Pro), I really didn't care if the screen received a resolution boost. Granted, now that I have seen what Apple is doing with the screen (users will apparently be able to view their Final Cut preview window in full 1080p without slowing down the machine or interfering with the surrounding content), I am impressed. But from a strictly visual standpoint, the idea of a Retina Display seemed silly. Why would I want to pay extra money for a higher resolution display? But Apple isn't making us pay more. The next-gen MacBook Pro, which comes in just one size (15-inch), retails for the same price as its non-next-gen counterpart. For $2,199, you could get a standard 15-inch MacBook Pro with a 2.6GHz quad-core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, GeForce GT 650M 1GB graphics from NVIDIA NVDA, and a 750GB hard drive. Or, for that same price, you can get a next-gen MacBook Pro with a Retina Display, 256GB flash storage, and a 2.3GHz quad-core i7 processor. If storage and slight speed variations are your primary concern, the base model might be best. But for those who want the most bang for their buck, the next-gen model seems to be the better deal. The next-gen MacBook Pro is also thinner (0.71" versus the old model's thickness of 0.95") and lighter (4.46 lbs versus 5.6 lbs). Apple says that it's the best MacBook the company has ever made. And you know what? I think the company right. Is it everything I wanted? This year, yes. I still want the iPad/MacBook Air combo more than anything (a combo that is a good five years away, I'm sure -- there's no sense in adding a touch screen to the MacBook when it would kill off the thriving iPad market). But today's announcement was still pretty darn impressive. Bravo, Apple. You win this round. Follow me @LouisBedigianBZ