The new MacBook Pros are here, and as expected, the 15 and 17-inch models are loaded with Intel's Core i5 and i7 processors and new display options, but the 13-inch model stays behind with Core2Duo options and an unchanged price.

So while pricing on the 13-inch models remain the same, the base MBP 17 drops to $2,300 ($200) while the base MBP 15 actually gets $100 more expensive at $1800.

All new models come with a base of 4GB of RAM (expandable to 8GB). Core i7 processors are options for both the 15 and 17-inch models, which include NVIDIA's GeForce GT 330M discrete graphics—considered to be mid-range notebook graphics cards (see benchmarks here).

Interestingly, the 15 and 17-inch MacBook Pros will use a new, proprietary system to swap between discrete and integrated graphics based upon what processes you're running in OS X—a technique somewhat similar to what we've seen from NVIDIA's Optimus system.

Also of note, the 15-inch model now has three display options, a 1440-by-900-pixel LED-backlit glossy display, a "high-resolution" 1680-by-1050 glossy ($100 upgrade) or an "antiglare high-resolution" display ($150 upgade). The MBP 17 comes with the high resolution screen stock and can be upgraded to antiglare for $50.

And a slightly reformulated battery is supposed to balance the power requirements of the new chipsets.

Still, lots of nickel and diming in this latest crop of MacBook Pros. To spend as much as $1500 for a Core2Duo system seems nuts, and the $100 price hike on 15-inch models—before premium display options—is a tough pill to swallow. Antiglare screens are the type of "upgrade" that should really be standard when you're already paying such a premium for well-designed hardware.

New MacBook Pros Feature Core i5 and i7 Processors - MacBook Pro - Gizmodo

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