Design-wise, the Express Dock is made to blend in perfectly with Apple’s line of Mac machines. It rocks an aluminum unibody shell with black plastic panels on the sides and back, and just like a good mullet, there’s not a lot going on in the front, but there’s a party in the back — all the ports are situated on the rear of the dock. You’ll find an ethernet port, a FireWire 800 port, three USB 3.0 ports, two Thunderbolt ports (which support daisy-chaining), and separate 3.5mm audio-out and audio-in jacks.

One of the two Thunderbolt ports is used to plug the dock into your Mac, but that’s all it takes to get access to all the other ports. Instead of having to plug all of your peripherals in one after another every time you dock your MacBook at your desk, all you have to do is plug everything into the Express Dock when setting it up, and then just simply plug in the dock into your Thunderbolt port. At that point, you’ll be all set to go. This fact alone I found really convenient as I didn’t have all these cables that I had to keep plugging and unplugging every time I wanted to undock my MacBook. It’s just one single cable and you’re good to go.

While the Express Dock will work for desktop Macs like the iMac and Mac Pro, it’s essentially meant for those with MacBooks, which don’t have a lot of options when it comes to ports, especially MacBook Air users. If you use a MacBook as your main machine and want more port options, the Express Dock is about the only convenient option out there. Simply plug in the dock into your Thunderbolt port and you’ll instantly have eight more ports at your perusal, which is pretty fantastic.

However, there are some caveats. The Express Dock doesn’t come with a Thunderbolt cable in the box, so you’ll want to make sure that you have one on hand in order to connect it to your Mac. Secondly, the Express Dock requires OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion to take advantage of all its capabilities. The dock will at least work on older versions of OS X, and I was able to hook up a Thunderbolt display to the dock, but it wouldn’t recognize any of the USB 3.0 drives that I had on hand, nor would the audio ports work. However, once I connected it to a Mountain Lion machine, everything worked flawlessly.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the USB 3.0 ports on the Express Dock are limited to 2.5Gbps, which is almost half the speed of what it’s supposed to be at (4.8Gbps). We’re not exactly sure why this is, but it’s still much faster than USB 2.0, which Macs are still sadly stuck at (unless you have one of the newest models). I also noticed that the dock would get hot after a short while, including both ends of the Thunderbolt cable. Nothing exploded, thankfully, but it was always a bit of a concern after I had it plugged in for an hour or so and had tons of things plugged into it. It never got hot enough that I couldn’t touch it, but I was certainly surprised that it gets a bit warm.

Portability is another thing to consider, especially since the dock is catered towards MacBooks. The Express Dock is lightweight and can easily fit into a backpack to take with you. However, the power adapter that’s required to power the Express Dock makes the device not too portable-friendly. It’s about the same size as a typical laptop power adapter, which isn’t a bad thing, since they’re also made to be portable along with the laptop its charging, but if you were to take both your MacBook and the Express Dock with you on the road, you now have two bulky power adapters to deal with. The dock can certainly be portable, but it’s really up to the user whether or not lugging it along will be worth it.

In the end, Belkin’s Thunderbolt Express Dock is the perfect companion to a MacBook power user. However, you’ll have to think long and hard about whether or not you truly need it, since it costs a whopping $300, so it isn’t just something that you can buy impulsively. There is a cheaper option available for $250, but that’s still a hard pill to swallow. Then again, if you’re like me and constantly find yourself docking and undocking your MacBook, dealing with a tangle of numerous wires at the same time, the Express Dock could be one of the best convenience products that you ever buy. Plus, if you’re rocking a MacBook Air and wish you had more ports at your disposal, the Express Dock is a good choice for that too.

Intel says Falcon Ridge will include backwards compatibility with current-generation Thunderbolt devices, although anything using the current standard will be kept at those same speeds of 10Gbps. This means that Falcon Ridge is twice as fast as the current-generation of Thunderbolt, which is quite impressive and something that haven’t seen yet.

Intel demonstrated the new technology using top-of-the-line components that are available today and were able to achieve speeds of 1.2Gbps, which is a far cry from what the Falcon Ridge is capable of, but the most obvious bottleneck is the stage at which hardware components are at right now. If you were to use current-generation Thunderbolt, you’d have to get a solid state drive just to take advantage of the faster speeds.

Thunderbolt is over two years old now, and it’s becoming a mainstream feature in Apple’s products, but taking advantage of the file transfer protocol is costly, with Thunderbolt external hard drives costing much more than USB 3.0 or eSATA drives. It’s certainly an investment if you’re looking for faster transfer speeds, but it’s really worth it in the end.

[via Engadget]

The announcement from Sumitomo Electric Industries notes that they’ll be able to keep the full 10 Gbps speeds that the metal cables have shown. They also mention that even if the cables they’re producing are “tangled or pinched” up to 180 degrees, they’ll retain their signal fully. These cables have been assured to be as thin as the current standard metal-carrying Thunderbolt cables while their heads will be ever-so-slightly modified.

Each new Sumitomo Electric Industries optical Thunderbolt cable will have a 38mm connection head rather than the original metal cable’s 28mm. This and the fact that these new optical cables will not be able to power devices such as hard drives may be a hinderance for many hoping to continue their Thunderbolt access across their home, but for those already using separate power supplies, the game is on.

The Sumitomo Electric Industries team has made it clear that all Apple computers and devices shipped with standard Thunderbolt cable compatibility on the market thus far will be working with their new cords. They’ve not yet announced pricing or availability, but you can bet you’ll be seeing these cords before 2013 is ended (especially since they started shipping sample products back in April of 2012.)

[via Sumitomo Electric]

So, what does the change signify? Apparently, the change is due to the fact that Apple is now shipping MagSafe to MagSafe 2 converters with the Thunderbolt Display in the box. Indeed, all signs point to that as the change, with Apple’s store listing for the Thunderbolt Display updated to show that MagSafe to MagSafe 2 converters are now included in the purchase price. That isn’t exactly a big surprise, considering that Apple has already been providing the converter free-of-charge to those who purchase the Thunderbolt Display in its stores, and has been doing so since June 11 – now the company is just providing one in the box rather than on the side.

Since Apple hasn’t outright confirmed the meaning behind the change, there’s still a chance that the SKU switch could mean something different (or something more). Still, the evidence strongly suggests that the converter is the reason behind the change, and even if it isn’t, the similarities in the SKUs signify that the change is nothing major.

The creator of this lovely setup, OWC Mike, has connected his Retina MacBook Pro to two Apple Thunderbolt displays (in the form of iMacs, as it were), as well as a third display hooked up via an HDMI converter. In all it is said that this suddenly legendary setup works with 15,680,000 pixels without much of a problem at all. Hear what Mike has to say:

“Moving images and media didn’t create any lag and we were able to play video on all four displays simultaneously.” – Mike

Touching words, Mike! His setup is as follows, as he lists it:

• Retina on laptop @ “best for Retina”
• iMac used as a display @ 2560 x 1440 via Thunderbolt
• iMac used as a display @ 2560 x 1440 via Thunderbolt/DisplayPort
• LG monitor @ 1920 x 1200 via HDMI

Apple does indeed include a note about the possibility for this setup in their official knowledge base for the device, saying, “MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012) can support an HDMI-compatible device on its HDMI port while also using two Thunderbolt displays.” And that’s the reason why Christmas can’t come fast enough.

Have a peek at our full review of the Retina MacBook Pro as well as our timeline of said notebook below to get up to date on this next-generation beast.

[via Mac Rumors]

What you’ll see here in our first encounter with NEXGEN Skins is a set of items they’ve created for the launch, ranging from the iPad 3 to BlackBerry smartphones of all kinds back up to the Apple Thunderbolt Display. As you can see in the gallery below, the folks at NEXGEN Skins are wasting no time showing off the versatility of their method. Have a look with NEXGEN Skins Director Cameron Faulds as he gives us a tour of this launching point for the company.

These skins will begin to be available relatively soon, with your ability to request skins of all kinds launching along with the site right along with the delivery of their up and coming online store. At the launch here you’ll be able to choose from a variety of 3D skins including tribal markings, lovely lady faces, and the king of spades – each of these fairly general of course, but ripe with potential for dimensional interaction. We expect that they’ll be ready to go soon, very soon! Stay tuned!

Also stay tuned to SlashGear via our CTIA 2012 portal for all the CTIA action you can handle all week long!

You’ve seen these eSATA drives popping up all of last year, they’re the LaCie silver drives with the blue light that looks like HAL – Lacie’s also been using this look for all of their ThunderBolt-ready peripherals for some time now. What this hub is able to do is bring your eSATA drives in on one box, here “unleashing” their full potential with the 10GB/s speeds of Thunderbolt.

In the back of this device you’ll find dual 10Gb/s Thunderbolt ports for daisy chaining, dual eSATA 3GB/s ports, a Kensington Lockm, and a power port – all of this on an enclosure which sits on a removable stand. You can daisy-chain up to six Thunderbolt technology compatible devices at once – LaCie brand suggested, but not required. YOu can also connect up to two eSATA drives (per hub.)

The real value proposal here is getting the “full potential” out of your eSATA drives. They’ve got the potential to move at 3GB/s, but because the ExpressCard/34 maximum bus speed is 2.5GB/s, you’re still going slow. This device brings that extra .5 out to be free. This device will be available starting today for $199.00 at LaCie’s online store. Grab a few!

This external hard drive will deliver your data to and from it as fast as 2 Gbps (250 MBps), this not quite as speedy as the Thunderbolt technology allows, but certainly as fast as WD’s hard drive technology allows. At that speed though, you’ll still be able to sent a full HD movie to your hard drive in 30 seconds or less. You can’t even get a Jimmy Johns sandwich that fast!

This drive will easily pull the wings off any USB 2.0 drive out there today, and will certainly sit well with video professionals whose job it is to move files back, and forth, and back, and forth all day long. You’ll be able to pick up this still slightly unrevealed beast up in 4TB and 6TB capacities relatively soon – price and release date have still not been released, nor has a press image of the device itself. Instead what you’re seeing is the My Book Live Duo, a device that will certainly look similar to this newest device when it eventually pops up.

The 2big Thunderbolt Series features speeds up to three times faster than FireWire 800, RAID security, disks that can be hot-swapped, and the ability to daisy chain multiple units, which can even increase performance overall. With up to 8TB of storage capacity and a transfer rate of up to 311MB/s, the 2big series is perfect for videographers or other professionals having to backup frequently and stream multiple HD videos.

The eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series allows two existing eSATA drives to connect to a new Mac via the Thunderbolt port. The hub itself also features a Thunderbolt port that allows users to connect other Thunderbolt peripherals even while two eSATA drives are hooked up. Users can also daisy chain up to 6 hubs, meaning up to 12 eSATA drives can be connected to a Mac via a single Thunderbolt port. Both series will be available in the first quarter of 2012.

The key in the whole massive body of texts in this set of patent applications comes in a bit of a shroud. When you get past all the information about the Thunderbolt cords and ports we already know, you find a sentence that refers to a portable media player. While that could mean essentially anything, you know and I know that they’re talking about mobile devices such as the iPad and the iPhone. Read it aloud right here, straight from the application:

“the present invention, connection may also be a new type of connection. … a connection may be provided between a portable media player and a display, a computer and a portable media player, or between other types of devices.” – Thunderbolt patent via Patently Apple

This may very well mean that Apple will be reengineering the known Thunderbolt port to be small enough to interact with the famously thin mobile devices they’ve got on the market now. The transfer of data, the streaming of media, and the charging of devices could be improved by this technology. There are three patents in this set, one having been filed one day before Apple introduced the Thunderbolt port, the other two about three weeks before the first Apple Thunderbolt display was shown to the public. Exciting stuff!

[via Patently Apple]

Well, Apple has some bad news for those who were hoping to daisy chain an existing Apple LED Cinema Display. Although those screens sport a physically identical Mini DisplayPort, they have never been able to support daisy-chaining and will not work when connected to a new Thunderbolt Display. However, they do work with Thunderbolt cables as long as no additional displays are in the chain.

As for the number of Thunderbolt Displays supported by recent Macs, the answer varies depending on the model. MacBook Airs can only support one external Thunderbolt Display in addition to its built-in screen, while MacBook Pros, iMacs, and Mac minis can support two Thunderbolt Displays. But do note that with the lowest-end 13-inch MacBook Pro, attaching two displays would mean disabling the built-in screen, while the highest-end Mac mini with discrete AMD graphics can support two Thunderbolt Displays in addition to a third display attached via its HDMI port.

[via AppleInsider]

The blazing fast Thunderbolt connector port boasts up to 10Gbps bi-directional speeds. Intel demoed the port on a Windows 7 PC during the keynote, showing it stream four HD videos simultaneously. The port appears to take the same shape as implemented on Apple’s machines, which are identical to the mini-display port. However, there’s a chance that the shape could take on the USB port for the Windows PC implementation.

Intel did not give any specific details on the Windows PC implementation of Thunderbolt and also did not reveal an exact timeline. However, both Acer and Asus are planning to launch PCs with the Thunderbolt port sometime in 2012. For more details on the technology, make sure to check out our closer look on Thunderbolt.

[via Thisismynext]

According to MacRumors, the Thunderbolt Display should ship to both Apple Stores and resellers sometime this week with customer orders fulfilled soon thereafter. The new display is expected to work like a docking station, where a Thunderbolt-equipped Mac notebook can easily connect to the display via a single Thunderbolt cable that also supplies power to become a desktop workstation. It will also feature a built-in FaceTime HD camera, 2.1 speaker system, three USB ports, a Firewire 800 port, and a Gigabit Ethernet port.

And thanks to a second Thunderbolt port, the display will allow for daisy chaining. For instance, if you needed to run two displays, you can do so off of the one Thunderbolt port on your Mac notebook by daisy chaining the second display to the first one. Apple’s Thunderbolt Display is available for pre-order now for $999.

This Type-A USB jack on what’s being called Sony’s new Ultimate Mobile PC VAIO Hybrid PC, of which not a whole lot is known other than whispers of “USB 3.0 jack, HDMI, Ethernet, AMD Whistler discrete graphics, and a Blu-ray Disc writer.” Plus it’s got a dock that attaches to VAIO’s Thunderbolt jack. What does that mean? Is it on their newest laptop here or is it on some sort of dock?

Another site sure of the idea that Sony will be using USB to implement Light Peak (now called Thunderbolt) is GulaDigital, they being very excited that Sony would use an industry standard rather than a new port like Apple has done. This raises the question up to you, the reader – do you think it’s a better idea to have a whole separate port the way Apple’s done it on their newest wave of MacBook Pros and etc, or do you think an upgraded USB port is best?

See Apple’s Thunderbolt Port: A Closer Look for more information on the Mac interpretation.

Think while you’re thinking about it how limited both choice is. For the USB choice, you’ve got no speedy video delivery. For Apple’s version, you’ve got a limited amount of choices for cords that can plug in that port. Intel is not convinced, Canon camera is opting in, and Lacie’s already got an external HD almost ready. Is Thunderbolt here to stay?

“On the PC side, everybody seems to be content with the expansion of USB 3.0″ Lauwaert continued. “Do we need to go into more fancy solutions? Not convinced yet.” HP’s recently revealed consumer desktops offer USB 3.0 connectivity but no Thunderbolt option, leaving Apple the only company with the high-speed 10 gigabit-per-second port.

Although the comments have frustrated some would-be HP buyers, who see the company as reacting in a blinkered way to the new connector, the decision arguably makes sense for the firm. So far there are no Thunderbolt-enabled peripherals to plug into Apple’s 2011 MacBook Pro or iMac models, with the first hardware expected later this year.

That means HP would face including a port – making its PCs more expensive in the process – with little in the way of obvious benefit for consumers today. Apple’s refresh cycle is generally much slower than in the PC market: the new iMac is likely to be around for twelve months, whereas HP will most likely launch a new line of desktops in a few months time, giving it the opportunity to reconsider Thunderbolt then.

Hardware

The basic premise is the same: an amazingly clear, bright and vivid IPS LCD display – either 27-inches running at 2560 x 1440 resolution, like our review unit, or 21.5-inches running at 1920 x 1080, slotted behind a sheet of glossy glass and then into a minimalist aluminum chassis. Ports are neatly lined on the lower left hand corner of the rear panel, with only a slot-loading 8x SuperDrive dual-layer DVD burner spoiling the sides. The whole thing is lifted by a neat stand – complete with a cable-guide hole – with 17W speakers along the bottom edge and an integrated microphone. New to this generation is the FaceTime HD camera, more on which in a moment.

Ports are broadly the same as before, so you get audio in/out, four USB 2.0, a FireWire 800, two 10Gbps Thunderbolt ports on the 27-inch iMac (just the one on the 21.5-inch version) and gigabit ethernet. There’s also WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, an infra-red port for use with Apple’s media remote (sold separately), and an Apple Wireless Keyboard as standard; this time around, iMac buyers can pick between the Magic Mouse or the Magic Trackpad.

Thunderbolt – née Intel Light Peak in partnership with Apple – made its debut on the MacBook Pro earlier this year, a high-speed connectivity standard hoping to replace not only USB 2.0/3.0, FireWire and eSATA, but display connections too. Using the same connector as Mini DisplayPort – meaning you can plug in either a Thunderbolt peripheral or an external display – it supports daisy-chaining of up to six devices per port, with enough bandwidth for simultaneous display of six uncompressed HD videos. Hardware using Thunderbolt is still in short supply – high-performance storage and multimedia interfaces are expected later this year – but the iMac 27′s twin ports does mean that, for the first time, you can hook up two external displays and spread your OS X desktop across three screens (if you have the physical desk space and the wallet to support it, naturally).

The real changes aren’t visible externally, but they’re what really make the new iMacs special. Quad-core Intel Core i5 processors are now standard across the range, with the entry-level 21.5-inch model getting a 2.5GHz Core i5, the high-end 21.5-inch version and the entry-level 27-inch model stepping up to 2.7GHz, and our high-end 27-inch iMac packing a 3.1GHz Core i5. A Core i7 quad-core is an option on both high-end preconfigs, while 4GB of 1333GHz DDR3 memory is standard; that can be upgraded to either 8GB or 16GB depending on model.

Graphics, meanwhile, are courtesy of AMD’s Radeon GPU line-up, with a Radeon HD 6750M 512MB chip at the low end of the range, the two middle models getting Radeon HD 6770M 512MB GPUs, and our review unit having AMD’s Radeon HD 6970M with 1GB of GDDR5 (with 2GB of GDDR5 an option). Storage is 1TB of 7,200rpm HDD on all but the smallest, low end iMac, with the remaining three also being offered with up to 2TB of HDD and an optional secondary 256GB SSD. Our review unit didn’t have the SSD, but the promise is significantly quicker boot times, zero noise and OS X performance.

FaceTime HD

FaceTime is Apple’s new brand for video calling, introduced on the iPhone 4 and since spreading to the iPod touch, iPad 2 and most recent MacBook Pro. On the 2011 iMac it gets a shot of 720p HD, shooting and recording video at 1280 x 720. Using the preloaded FaceTime app – and a free Apple account – you can make and receive video calls between each of the devices. It’s worth noting that only the MacBook Pro and iMac support 720p FaceTime calls; calls to the iOS devices are limited to VGA resolution.

While not the only video calling system around – obviously the FaceTime HD camera will work with third-party apps like Skype, as well as recording clips in OS X’s PhotoBooth app – FaceTime is one of the simplest. Apple has said it eventually plans to open up the system to third-party developers, allowing for cross-platform chats, but that’s yet to happen.

While the FaceTime HD webcam on the MacBook Pro is suited to a single user, Apple has used a wider-angle lens on the iMac and so more people can be seen at the same time. That’s useful if you’re holding a group video call: you can comfortably sit three adults in-frame and the quality is strong enough so that they’re not a blurry mess.

Software

OS X Snow Leopard is pre-installed, though Apple’s refreshed operating system, OS X Lion, is expected sometime this summer. Snow Leopard includes iTunes, Mail, Safari, iCal and other core apps; there’s also iLife, which bundles the latest versions of iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand and iWeb.

New software is easily accessible thanks to the Mac App Store, which brings the same simplicity from the iOS App Store on the iPhone and iPad over to the company’s desktop and notebook computers.

Performance

Apple’s performance claims don’t lack promise: up to 70-percent faster and with up to three times the graphics performance thanks to the new AMD chips. Obviously that depends on what configuration of new iMac you’re using, and which older version you had. Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors are the second-generation of the so-called “Nehalem” chips, adding integrated graphics onto the die for faster video encoding/decoding, as well as an onboard memory controller to cut down on lag.

Needless to say, everyday performance is complaint-free. OS X boots swiftly and apps load with no delay. You can have multiple browser windows open while simultaneously playing HD video, ripping CDs and doing other tasks.

In terms of benchmarks, we started out with Geekbench, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance. The Core i5 3.1GHz iMac scored 9149, with particularly strong scores in processor categories. In contrast, last year’s iMac – with a 2.93GHz Core i7 processor, then the most expensive CPU option – scored 10,099, less than 1,000 points more. Considering our 2011 review unit isn’t the fastest iMac Apple offers, that’s an impressive showing, not least when you consider the previous-gen model we tested came in at a hefty $2,799.

We then turned to Cinebench, which measures the iMac’s CPU threading performance and the performance of the GPU using OpenGL. As the Geekbench results would suggest, the Core i7 CPU of the 2010 iMac helped it stay slightly ahead of the 2011 Core i5, though only by a minor amount: the old iMac scored 4.98 points, while the new iMac managed 4.61 points.

What Cinebench did show is the power of the upgraded graphics. The old iMac – with a Radeon HD 5750 GPU – managed 30.73fps in the OpenGL graphics testing, while the new iMac managed 36.51fps. Again, it’s important to note that ours isn’t the maxed-out iMac; Apple offers the Radeon HD 6970M 2GB GDDR5 video card as an option, which will improve graphics even further.

In the real-world, that adds up to faster video processing in iMovie, faster image editing in Photoshop, and the potential for hardcore gaming (which the beautiful 27-inch display is particularly well suited to).

Pricing and Value

Apple’s updated iMac faces competition from two main sides: all-in-one PCs running Windows – and often offering touchscreen interfaces – and MacBook Pro notebooks used with a standalone 27-inch Apple Cinema Display. On the PC side, Windows 7 based all-in-ones are generally cheaper than the 2011 iMac, which starts from $1,199 for the entry-level 21.5-inch model and climbs to $1,999 for our high-end preconfig 27-inch iMac. It’s difficult to find a 27-inch alternative, however, which leaves the iMac in somewhat rarified company.

For users thinking of switching between portable and desktop use, pairing a MacBook Pro – which, as we found in our review of the Core i7 Sandy Bridge based 2011 models, offer performance comparable to a desktop computer – with a 27-inch Cinema Display is a tempting option. It’s more expensive than the all-in-one iMac, however, with the cheapest MacBook Pro being the $1,199 13-inch Core i5 model, while the cheapest Core i7 starts from $1,499. Apple’s 27-inch LED Cinema Display comes in at $999, though is yet to be updated to support Thunderbolt. That means you can only hook one up to a MacBook Pro, unlike the triple-display support of the 27-inch iMac.

The Mac Pro is, of course, another possibility, though an even more expensive one. The entry-level Mac Pro is $2,499, and then you’re looking at $999 for a standalone Cinema Display. On the positive side, it’s more extensible and upgradable than the iMac, with space for several internal drives and the possibility to upgrade the graphics card.

Wrap-Up

Like an all-in-one, PC or Mac, the iMac has limitations around upgradability. Swapping out the RAM, hard-drive and optical drive are possible, if you don’t mind removing the LCD, but while the CPU and GPU can theoretically be changed, it’s a process the complexity of which will likely dissuade most home users. A regular desktop chassis is always going to be readily upgraded.

Still, there’s no shortage of power in the iMac as it stands, and while upgrading may become an issue years down the line, today it offers a compelling combination of performance, style and convenience. The absence of a touchscreen is a blip compared to some PC all-in-ones, but arguably desktop OSes – whether OS X or Windows – are still yet to prove the value of adding in touch. Apple’s ongoing refusal to consider Blu-ray does leave you reliant on either an external drive or an all-digital media setup which, given the 27-inch iMac makes for a tempting TV replacement in a bedroom or office, may be another drawback. Similarly, the absence of an integrated TV tuner open leaves you with USB models hanging off the rear ports.

Nonetheless, it’s hard not to be charmed by the 2011 iMac’s combination of swift processors and capable graphics. The aesthetic may not have changed in a generation or two but is still arguably well ahead of the plastic PC pack, and the price – although in the premium space – reflects the components, the quality of the display and, yes, the Apple cachet. This isn’t the all-in-one for buyers on a budget, and shopping around for regular desktops may find you equal or greater performance for your money, but the 2011 iMac is a polished update to one of the best machines on the market today.

Related: iMac core-7 (mid 2010) review

iMac  (mid 2011)

There’s a sense that Apple is content with its industrial design right now: at first glance the new iMac looks indistinguishably from the old. That’s because most of Apple’s efforts have gone on inside, slotting in Sandy Bridge processors behind the 2560 x 1440 LED-backlit IPS display of our review unit. They’re paired with the latest AMD Radeon GPUs, and thanks to the twin Thunderbolt ports – which double as DisplayPort connectors – you can now chain a pair of external displays off of a single iMac.

That opens the door to a vast work area, though we’ll have to wait to test that until we’re back at the office. Interestingly, there’s also Target Display Mode support – the ability to use the iMac as a display, not a computer in its own right – though updated to suit Apple’s latest ecosystem. Plug in a Thunderbolt-equipped MacBook Pro and you can use the iMac as a second monitor for it; unfortunately the same doesn’t hold true for a previous-gen MacBook Pro, the Mini DisplayPort of which won’t work.

Still, using a 27-inch quad-core beast as a dumb display seems frankly wasteful, especially when on its own its such a potent desktop. We’ve seen zero lag in loading apps and OS X – along with the iLife suite – runs like a dream. Would we have liked to have seen a Blu-ray drive and maybe HDMI? Of course, but that’s not on Apple’s roadmap. What you do get, Apple told us, is performance on a par with a Mac Pro, along with a FaceTime HD camera for 720p video calls – it’s worth noting that only the most recent MacBook Pro has FaceTime HD camera support, though, not the iPhone 4, iPad 2 or iPod touch.

Thunderbolt peripherals are still in short supply commercially, but when we met with Apple for an iMac briefing in New York the company showed us some pre-release hardware so as to get a better idea of what the updated desktop is capable of. Last time, at the MacBook Pro launch, Apple demonstrated four uncompressed HD videos being pushed through a single Thunderbolt connection; this time, Apple was pushing six uncompressed HD videos through a quad-SSD Pegasus Thunderbolt DAS.

A 4k2k video streamed at 505-600MB/s, and Apple also had footage shot on a RED camera that exceeded 750MB/s, with playback smooth and glitch-free. The iMac’s new AMD Radeon graphics options also give the computer a new burst of performance; Apple showed us how the iMac could flip through dozens of 30-megapixel images with no lag, editing and zooming as they went, while a Portal 2 demo ran at 98.8 frames per second. The same title on the last-gen iMac would only have managed around 80-percent of that, we were told.

Moving forward, the displays of all iMacs will be individually calibrated at the manufacturer, for improved on-screen quality. In fact, if you’re comparing Apples to Apples – forgive the pun – the those moving from the entry-level last-gen iMac to the new entry-level machine are likely to see the biggest differences, thanks to that GPU upgrade.

Still, that’s not to say there isn’t an improvement to be had when you consider quad-core across the board. We’ll be putting the iMac through various benchmark tests for the full SlashGear review, so until then enjoy the live gallery!

The iMac refresh is believed to incorporate faster processors with Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge platform. It should also sport Apple’s new Thunderbolt connector port, which is said to be 12 times faster than FireWire 800 and about 20 times faster than USB 2.0. However, it will be only the 2nd line of systems to support the new Apple-only standard, which debuted with their MacBook Pro refresh back in February.

Apple also seems to be delaying shipments for current online orders. The orders are delayed with a message saying that they will be shipped on or before May 2nd. Based on Apple’s penchant for launching on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, well except for when it comes to iOS devices, it is likely that the refreshed iMac will land on May 4th, which aligns with the May 2nd ship date to suggest the refresh will land next week.

[via 9to5 Mac]

That, as Apple suggests, would allow for “one or more standardized connector components to speed connector design and manufacture of new electronic devices such as media players, thus reducing their time to market.” The “media player” reference is an obvious nod to the iPod line, though the iPhone and iPad both use the same connector; by shrinking it down, as well as boosting connectivity from mere USB 2.0, Apple could reduce sync times, make its iOS gadgets smaller, and potentially even support things like turning an iPad into an external display when plugged into a MacBook Pro’s DisplayPort/Thunderbolt connector.

There’d also be all the usual provision for controlling playback and similar with external controls, so that an in-car audio system could remotely navigate through the iPod’s tracks. Some of Apple’s plug designs include pivoting flaps to protect the contacts, along with retracting barbs to hold the plug in place.

[via Patently Apple]

However, there’s no exact indication of how – or indeed when – Canon might start using Thunderbolt in its products. The obvious implementation would be the addition of a Thunderbolt port to its DSLR cameras for high-speed offloading of photos and video, as well as real-time capture from the camera’s high-resolution sensor to a connected computer.

Interestingly, Canon and Apple were tipped to be collaborating on a new project yesterday, though the nature of the partnership is still a mystery. One suggestion was that Canon could be helping closely with the development of the next Final Cut update.

The listing – if authentic – has since been taken down, and the link supplied leads to a 404 page. Other reported specs include WiFi, a camera, Bluetooth and the same size 9.7-inch display, just as we’re expecting, along with a €499 price tag and a March 17 estimated release date.

Now, product listings are easy enough to fake, and there’s enough variation in Amazon’s nomenclature so that we can’t discount the screenshot simply based on how it’s phrased. Still, we won’t know for sure until Apple’s event later today, so join the SlashGear liveblog at 10AM PST for all the news!

[via MobileBulgaria]

Hardware

At first glance, there’s little to differentiate this new MacBook Pro from the model it replaces. Apple has kept the unibody aluminum chassis, backlit keyboard and broad, glass multitouch trackpad, and the glossy display is the same 1440 x 900 resolution and 15.4-inch size. At first glance, even the ports look the same, thanks to Thunderbolt – more on which later – sharing the same form-factor as Mini DisplayPort.

We can’t complain too much, though. First off, Apple’s MacBook Pro notebooks offer some of the best industrial design around, pairing high-quality materials, high build quality and good looks into something the generally plastic-shelled PC market still can’t better. The 15-inch MacBook Pro tips the scales at the same 5.6 pounds as its predecessor, and measures a reasonably slimline 0.95-inches.

Second, and more important, is the considerable refresh that’s gone on inside the aluminum casing. Sandy Bridge is the order of the day here, with the 13-, 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro models all getting processors from Intel’s 2011 range. The 13-inch starts off with a Core i5 as standard (and Core i7 as an option) but the 15- and 17-inch models both pack Core i7 chips from the off. In our review unit, the higher-specified standard configuration, that means Intel’s 2.2GHz Core i7-2720QM. 4GB of DDR3 1333MHz memory is the minimum, with 8GB a factory-fit option.

Graphics have undergone a significant change as well, with NVIDIA’s discrete GPUs replaced by AMD’s Radeon 6000 Series paired with Intel HD Graphics 3000. Apple has obviously deemed Intel’s integrated GPU sufficient for the 13-inch MacBook Pro, but the 15- and 17-inch models have a choice of the AMD Radeon HD 6490M (with 256GB of GDDR5 memory) on the entry-level MacBook Pro 15 or the Radeon HD 6750M (with 1GB of GDDR5 memory) on the higher-spec 15-inch and as standard on the 17-inch.

As in the 2010 range, OS X automatically switches between integrated and discrete graphics depending on your activity. For basic web browsing and document editing, then, the MacBook Pro will default to the low-power, energy-frugal Intel HD Graphics 3000 chipset; start gaming, or doing video processing in iMovie, and the AMD Radeon GPU will kick in. There’s no need to log out and back in again to switch, as with earlier dual-GPU configurations.

Storage begins with 320/500/750GB hard-drives, depending on size and SKU, all running at a somewhat disappointing 5,400rpm. Faster, 7,200rpm HDDs are optional, as are SSDs up to 512GB. The slot-loading 8x SuperDrive is still present, while ports include gigabit ethernet, FireWire 800, audio in, audio out, an SDXC memory card slot, MagSafe power and, of course, Thunderbolt. Wireless options include WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; there’s still no integrated 3G option. A microphone is hidden under the left speaker grille, and there’s a new, 720p FaceTime HD webcam above the screen, more on which later.

Software

Apple may be previewing Mac OS X Lion, but these latest MacBook Pro notebooks still come with Snow Leopard pre-installed. There’s also the usual iLife ’11 suite, consisting of iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iWeb and iDVD. The Mac App Store is pre-loaded, for access to a broad catalog of third-party software, as is the freshly-out-of-beta FaceTime for Mac app for holding video calls with other Mac owners as well as iPhone 4 and iPod touch users.

Performance

All the hardware changes would be for nothing if the new MacBook Pro’s performance didn’t stand up, but that’s most definitely not the case. We started out with Geekbench as usual, a synthetic test of processor and memory, and the difference between the 2011 model and its mid-2010 predecessor was dramatic. The new MacBook Pro scored 10,932, while the Core i7-620M 2010 machine – running at 2.66GHz, and with 4GB of RAM – scored 6,309. That’s a more than 70-percent boost in stepping up to the quadcore model.

We then turned to Cinebench, which benchmarks both CPU and graphics card performance, using a mixture of 3D renderings and OpenGL tests. It gives a good overview of how capable a computer will be at system-intensive tasks like video processing and gaming. Again, we compared the mid-2010 MacBook Pro with the new 2011 model.

Unsurprisingly, the new notebook outclassed its predecessor across the board. The four individual cores of the 2011 model scored higher in CPU testing, and the overall CPU performance was more than twice what the older model could manage. As for graphics, in the OpenGL testing the 2010 MacBook Pro managed 17.27fps, while the new model achieved 35.42fps.

Finally, we looked to xbench, a combination of CPU, GPU, memory and drive testing. Again, the quadcore processor and fast RAM made short work of the 2010 notebook, with xbench’s CPU, thread and memory tests coming out 14-percent, 68-percent and 71-percent higher respectively. Graphics, too, were comprehensively higher, with the 2011 MacBook Pro scoring on average 37-percent higher across xbench’s various GPU tests.

In fact, the only element really holding the new MacBook Pro back was the hard-drive, its 5,400rpm speed proving underwhelming. xbench recorded sequential uncached write speeds of 111.13 MB/sec and read speeds of 28.56 MB/sec with 4K blocks, and write speeds of 83.25 MB/sec and read speeds of 77.54 MB/sec with 256K blocks. Random uncached write speeds reached 1.47 MB/sec and read speeds of 0.42 MB/sec with 4K blocks, and write speeds of 29.06 MB/sec and read speeds of 24.36 MB/sec with 256K blocks.

Contrast that with the speeds recorded from the third-party Samsung 470 Series SSD (review) in our 2010 MacBook Pro test unit, and the limitations of a traditional HDD become clear. In both sequential and random reads and writes, the SSD thoroughly bests the HDD: sequential write rates reach as high as 234.52 MB/sec (with 4K blocks) while read rates manage 210.36 MB/sec (with 256K blocks). The boost to random read/write performance is even more dramatic, the faster and more responsive SSD making a strong argument for bypassing HDDs altogether. Overall, with the standard-fit HDD the 2011 MacBook Pro scored 222.31 in xbench – versus the 312.47 of the SSD-equipped 2010 notebook – but that increased to 413.91 when we installed the SSD into the new model.

High benchmarking figures are one thing, but it’s real world performance that makes the difference – and convinces someone whether or not to upgrade. We tested the 2011 MacBook Pro with high definition video exporting in iMovie, and the improvements are considerable. Exporting a 720p clip lasting 1m 31s on the new notebook took 1m 41s; in contrast, the 2010 notebook (with the SSD) took 3m 03s. When we switched the standard HDD for an SSD in the new MacBook Pro, that slimmed the export down to just 1m 33s.

We then ran the same test, with the SSD still installed, on the same clip but exporting at 1080p, and the 2011 MacBook Pro took 2m 55s. It’s worth remembering that this is merely the final export process; the 2011 model also imported raw footage quicker than its predecessor, and was faster making cuts and edits as we modified clips.

FaceTime HD

Apple introduced FaceTime, its proprietary video calling system, with the launch of the iPhone 4, and since then it has spread to the fourth-gen iPod touch and, most recently, to OS X. With FaceTime HD, Apple marks the transition to a higher-resolution webcam, supporting 1280 x 720 video. It’s certainly far clearer and crisper, a noticeable step up from the previous generation of MacBook Pro.

FaceTime HD makes the most sense between new MacBook Pro owners, given they’re the only ones who will actually see the HD part. Previous-gen notebooks had VGA resolution iSight webcams, so won’t be able to send (but will be able to see) 720p video, and the iPhone 4 and latest iPod touch each have VGA front-facing cameras themselves. We’d expect Apple to remedy the latter in future updates, and the iPad is expected to get a front-facing camera itself in its imminent refresh.

Thunderbolt

Arguably the most interesting feature of the new MacBook Pro is, frustratingly, the one we can’t currently test. Thunderbolt is Intel’s production name for Light Peak, the high-speed connectivity standard that hopes to replace USB, FireWire and various video ports along with way. Promising 10Gbps of bi-directional communication, along with 10W of bus-power and the ability to daisy-chain in strings of up to six peripherals, Thunderbolt makes its debut on the 2011 MacBook Pro line.

For the moment, though, the Thunderbolt port will generally only see Mini DisplayPort connectors plugged in: there simply aren’t any Thunderbolt peripherals out there yet. It’s backward compatible with your existing Mini DisplayPort hardware, so a current Apple LED Cinema Display will hook up without adapters required, but we’ll have to wait until later in 2011 for the first Thunderbolt hardware. That’s going to include external storage – LaCie, Promise and others are talking about RAID arrays, and Apple has shown us a dual-SSD high performance external drive targeted at video professionals – as well as A/V interfaces.

From what we’ve seen in private demonstrations with Apple, however, Thunderbolt has no shortage of promise. A 5GB file moved from the MacBook Pro to a Promise Pegasus RAID in a matter of seconds; meanwhile, the notebook could pull four, uncompressed HD video streams from the RAID, then push that back out down the same Thunderbolt pipe to an LED Cinema Display. In effect, there’s 20 Gbps of bandwidth to play with – 10 Gbps for DisplayPort video and 10 Gbps for PCI Express data – with this particular demo pulling at around 7 Gbps from the RAID and then pushing at around 6 Gbps to the monitor. Apple tells us that, theoretically, a single Thunderbolt connection could drive two 27-inch LED Cinema Displays simultaneously. Since there’s no daisy-chain Thunderbolt connection on the current Cinema Display line, however, they’d either need to be updated or users have a desktop hub.

Battery Life

As with previous iterations, the 2011 MacBook Pro range features integrated, non-user-replaceable batteries. However, it also marks a change in how Apple measures runtime estimates. Traditionally, manufacturers have promised the longest figures possible, leading to usage expectations far beyond what notebooks can actually achieve in everyday use.

Apple’s switch, then, is to a more realistic model of testing, or what the company is calling “wireless web testing.” That involves setting the display brightness to 50-percent and then browsing “25 popular websites” over a WiFi connection until the MacBook Pro expires.

The result is a shorter estimate, on paper, compared to previous generations of notebook, but one, which is more in keeping with what owners can legitimately expect. Apple suggests 7 hours is reasonable, and we’ve found that to be pretty accurate. The previous-generation model was rated at up to 9 hours using Apple’s old-style testing, but we found 7 hours was a likely maximum in regular use.

With an HD video on looped-playback in the background, we exported seven 1m 31 second 1080p HD videos, import and edited numerous images in iPhoto, then browsed and wrote emails over WiFi; brightness was at 3 bars for around 45 minutes and then at 50-percent for the remainder of the time, until the notebook shut down after 3 hours and 15 minutes. It’s still relatively early days for the new MacBook Pro, and so we’ll revisit battery life after some more real-world testing over the next week or so.

Pricing and Value

The new 2011 MacBook Pro line starts at $1,199 for the entry-level 13-inch, though that rises to $1,799 if you want a 15-inch model. Our review unit – with the 2.2GHz CPU, 750GB 5,400rpm HDD and AMD Radeon HD 6750M 1GB graphics – is $2,199. The single 17-inch pre-configuration is $2,499. Making like-for-like comparisons with Windows notebooks is difficult, since availability and pricing for models using the 2011 Core Series processors isn’t expected until mid-March at the earliest. Still, we’d expect Apple’s machines to command a small premium though in return offer currently exclusive features like Thunderbolt connectivity.

As ever, there are a few points to bear in mind. Those replacing a previous-gen MacBook Pro won’t be able to carry across any RAM upgrades, since the new model uses faster chips than the older versions, and Apple charges $200 for an extra 4GB. Still, with the right screwdriver head it’s relatively straightforward to open the base panel and swap out the memory for a third-party 8GB upgrade.

While that bottom panel is open, it’s worth considering an SSD. One of the more common questions we’re asked is whether a solid-state drive makes for a practical and worthwhile upgrade in a notebook, and our answer is generally yes – as long as you can afford it. There’s obviously a penalty involved in terms of both price and capacity; Apple’s official SSD upgrades, for instance, are $200 for 128GB, $600 for 256GB or a whopping $1,200 – the same as a brand new 13-inch MacBook Pro – for 512GB. In comparison, the entry-level 15-inch machine comes with 500GB of regular HDD storage as standard (for a frustrating $100 you can upgrade that to a faster, but identically sized, 7,200rpm version).

Nonetheless, there are cheaper third-party SSDs out there, and they make a significant impact in performance and durability. A set of spinning platters preserving all your vital files is always going to be a potential liability, and while SSDs aren’t immune to data loss, they’re more resilient to the sort of knocks and bumps most laptops suffer in daily use. With some strategic data management and an external drive, road-warriors can generally work around the capacity limitations and benefit considerably from the speed boost.

Wrap-Up

Make no mistake, this is a dramatically faster MacBook Pro than its predecessor, and the bulk of the credit must go to Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors. The combination of the quad-core CPU, fast memory and capable AMD Radeon GPU adds up to a notebook that’s adept at media editing and should turn its hand to gaming as well, if that’s your priority. Apple’s 7 hour battery estimates obviously won’t hold up if you’re doing heavy-duty video processing, but the Intel integrated graphics hold up their end of the bargain and give the new MacBook Pro some legs when it comes to everyday tasks like browsing, email and Office apps.

Thunderbolt makes another speed promise, but it’s too early to tell what impact the new connection will have. Even when peripherals using the port are on the market, they’ll be of primary interest to media editing professionals with high expectations and deep pockets. Most everyday users will probably still be satisfied with the speed USB 2.0 or FireWire 800 offers, and prove unwilling to spend what first-gen Thunderbolt hardware costs. That said, each new port technology has to start somewhere, and Apple has proved at-times ruthless in its adoption of cutting-edge standards. You can bet the company has an eye on ditching FireWire, USB and the others in favor of Thunderbolt, just as it did before with parallel ports, serial ports and floppy drives.

The 2011 MacBook Pro range, then, does a solid job of building on the strengths of its predecessors while also introducing new functionality and speed. The Sandy Bridge processors make a compelling argument, and the dual graphics mean the notebook has a double life as a hardcore media cruncher and an everyday machine capable of lasting most of a workday on a single charge. Factor in OS X’s usability, strong build quality, and the future-proofing Thunderbolt provides, and the 2011 MacBook Pro adds up to a near-perfect speed demon beautifully wrapped up in a timeless chassis. Rating: We’re working out our metrics for rating so please check back for details. [visit Apple MacBook Pro website for more details]

MacBook Pro 15-inch (early 2011)

MacBook Pro 15-inch with ThunderBolt Unboxing video:

Interestingly, the tip supposedly came in “[a] few weeks ago”, so this looks less like someone merely jumping in on the Apple hype. Intel itself expects to see general Thunderbolt computer and peripheral adoption in late 2011, though has confirmed that it isn’t mandatory for manufacturers to hold off and give Apple a window of opportunity. In fact, broader adoption would probably help the MacBook Pro, since right now there’s a dearth of gadgets for new owners to plug the notebook into.

While shuttling data off of a camera at high-speed is the most obvious application for Thunderbolt on the D4, as with the speculation of the port making an appearance on the iPad 2 it’s the processor in the device (either camera or tablet) itself that’s probably the bottleneck there. What a D4 with Thunderbolt could do, however, is high-resolution tethered images and video, recording directly to a MacBook Pro. No word on when the D4 might make an appearance, however.

[Thanks Daniel!]

Would you like to know more?

What’s the Big Deal?

The big number being touted by this new technology is 10-Gbps – that’s gigaBITS. What this number represents is 1.25-gigaBYTES of data traveling from one device to another inside 1 single second. The closest technology to this kind of speed that’s been adopted by any sort of wide-spread device at this time has been USB 3.0, a version of USB sort of skipped over by Apple, which at its fastest only goes half the speed of Thunderbolt.

In addition to this speed, Thunderbolt is able to daisy-chain multiple devices without a hub – an ability USB has never had. With this ability, Apple is saying that a single MacBook Pro is able to support six devices, making it easy to hook up to one of those fantastical 6-display setups you’ve seen in your gaming or video-editing dreams.

Additionally, Thunderbolt is bi-directional AND is 10-Gbps of data AS WELL AS 10-Gbps of video. What this means is that in theory it’s actually 20-Gbps which means it could easily send 4 or 5 uncompressed HD videos to TWO 27″ Cinema Displays. Fantastic!

Is it a new port then?

Thunderbolt is built with the current size and shape of things in mind, pairing their existing Mini DisplayPort with this PCI Express standard, using the same size physical connection as is already implemented on previous Apple laptop models. This DisplayPort in these newer MacBook Pro models now supports the existing DisplayPort monitors, DVI/HDMI video output, VGA video output, and super fast data transfer to Thunderbolt-ready devices. Furthermore, Intel’s PCI Express high speed serial interface is the basis for Thunderbolt; this interface appears currently as motherboard expansion slots in desktop PCs and Mini PCI Express cards in notebooks.

But why didn’t they just, I dunno, upgrade USB or FireWire?

It was Apple, if you’re not familiar, who was originally responsible for developing FireWire in the early 1990′s to work as a means to fast disk access and streaming of video and audio date. Intel then created USB as a peripheral standard with slightly lower speed than FireWire. At some point in there, Apple adopted USB, showing their love for it by having it be the only serial port on the first iMac. After that, Intel released USB 2.0 which immediately started competing with FireWire, USB becoming cheaper all the while, FireWire remaining more expensive as it devices that use it need more sophisticated controllers. What does ThunderBolt do? It blasts Apple ahead with speeds way above any FireWire port with a simple and easy to implement new system.

And the best part? Well not the BEST part, but a very interesting part? The PCI Express design of Thunderbolt allows it to work with USB or FireWire, cords going from one to the other, eventually (we’re not sure why not immediately,) allowing Apple to drop all of the other ports altogether.

What about my USB-powered external harddives?

Thunderbolt supports electrical power for bus-powered devices, meaning they’ll need no extra power plug hanging from the wall. PCI Express support is already included in Intel’s mobile and desktop chipsets, making it simple to add to all new systems. Finally, again I must state the fact that this port works backward with the DisplayPort plugs that would have been plugged into that port before in addition to new PCI Express signals makes this out to be what appears to be a godly new system as chosen by Apple as one of their new standards. Sounds pretty neato!

Hands-on, the general experience is much the same as before. The keyboard is still responsive and pleasant to type on, the display is still – unless you’ve opted for the matte finish – highly glossy but bright and color-rich, and the unibody chassis is still head and shoulders above what most of the PC competition can offer. Even the ports look, at first glance, the same, though closer examination confirms the DisplayPort logo has been switched for a Thor-style Thunderbolt.

iSight has gone, replaced by a FaceTime-HD camera, which supports up to 720p HD video calls between Macs and with iPhone 4 and iPod touch owners. The new FaceTime app is preloaded on the new notebooks (or a $0.99 download on older models – which run at VGA not 720p – from the Mac App Store) and the quality is surprisingly strong. Obviously chats with mobile users will be limited by the bandwidth they have to receive and the fact that, currently, both the phone and PMP have a VGA camera themselves; we wouldn’t be surprised to see a 720p HD webcam on the iPad 2 next week.

With no Thunderbolt-compatible hardware on the market – although various manufacturers have confirmed they’ll be offering devices using the Light Peak based standard – we can only go from Apple’s own demonstrations as to how the technology works. Even from a short demo, however, the potential is clear. Apple showed a Promise Pegasus RAID hooked up via Thunderbolt to a new MacBook Pro, with a 27-inch LED Cinema Display linked off of that.

With a theoretical limit of 10 Gbps, it’s no surprise that file transfers were blisteringly fast. A selection of files from 5GB to 10GB shifted from laptop to RAID in just seconds. More impressive was how Thunderbolt handled bi-directional data. Apple showed how the MacBook Pro could pull four, uncompressed HD video streams from the Pegasus RAID, and then push that back out down the same Thunderbolt pipe to the LED Cinema Display. In effect, there’s 20 Gbps of bandwidth to play with – 10 Gbps for DisplayPort video and 10 Gbps for PCI Express data – with this particular demo pulling at around 7 Gbps from the RAID and then pushing at around 6 Gbps to the monitor. In theory, Apple pointed out, you could push the data for two 27-inch LED Cinema Displays simultaneously, though since the panels don’t currently have a daisy-chain Thunderbolt port, that’s hypothetical right now.

Finally, Apple showed a currently-unnamed Intel external storage device, in effect a pair of 256GB SSDs packaged into a semi-ruggedized external enclosure. Hooked up via Thunderbolt it’s intended for heavy duty video editing, taking advantage of the huge two-way bandwidth and direct PCI Express connection to keep up with the MacBook Pro’s quadcore processor.

We’ll be putting the new MacBook Pro 15-inch through its paces for the full SlashGear review, including benchmarking the new Sandy Bridge processors and AMD Radeon HD 6750M 1GB graphics. As a sample, Apple showed us rendering a huge image in Modo 3D – across all eight virtualized cores of the Core i7 processor – in 21 seconds, versus over 60 seconds on the last-gen Core i7 MacBook Pro. Until then, enjoy the hands-on gallery and video!

MacBook Pro 15-inch with ThunderBolt Unboxing video:

The adoption of the Light Peak based connection standard would also allow Apple to broaden its peripheral options with the iPad, since Thunderbolt supports gigabit ethernet, DisplayPort/HDMI/DVI/VGA video outputs, storage and more. Of course, Apple would have to add in software support for that in iOS.

The faster data bus – up to 10 Gbps bi-directionally – might also speed up iTunes synchronization, though that’s not just a factor of the pipe between the iPad and the Mac or PC it’s linked up to. Still, if Apple is pushing Thunderbolt adoption as a way to leave behind the bulky array of FireWire, USB, network and other ports on future MacBook Pro models, shifting its iOS portable devices to the new connector might have more value than simple speed. We’ll find out for sure at the Apple event next Wednesday, March 2nd.

Developed as Light Peak, Intel Thunderbolt consists of a bi-directional, dual-channel 10 Gbps pipe using electrical or optical cables. Compatible with existing DisplayPort devices out of the box, it’s dual protocol – with DisplayPort and PCI Express – and allows for daisy-chaining and bus-power.

What makes the daisy-chaining special is that, thanks to the dual-channel technology, the first device still gets 10 Gbps to play with even if you then plug in a second device off the back of it. Up to six can be linked up from a single port, and with simple adapters a Thunderbolt connection can be turned into HDMI, VGA, DVI, gigabit ethernet, FireWire or USB.

We already know that Promise is readying the Pegasus RAID and LaCie a new Little Big Disk, both using Thunderbolt, and more should be announced any time now. Apple’s new MacBook Pro notebooks will go on sale today.

Press Release:

Intel Announces Thunderbolt™ Technology: The Fastest Data Connection to Your PC Just Arrived

Blazingly Fast Data Transfer Combines with HD Display Connectivity to Enable New Usages and Peripheral Devices

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS:

Thunderbolt technology is a new high-speed PC connection technology that runs at 10Gbps.
Thunderbolt technology supports both data and display on a single cable, enabling greater simplicity, flexibility and new and exciting ways to use a PC.
Apple* is the first customer to offer Thunderbolt technology, coming first on its new line of MacBook* Pro laptops.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Intel Corporation today announced the availability of Thunderbolt technology, a new high-speed PC connection technology that brings together high-speed data transfer and high-definition (HD) display on to a single cable. Running at 10Gbps, Thunderbolt technology can transfer a full-length HD movie in less than 30 seconds. This Intel-developed technology is coming to market through a technical collaboration with Apple, and is available first on Apple’s new line of MacBook Pro laptop computers.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Intel to bring the groundbreaking Thunderbolt technology to Mac users”
Wait Less. Do More.

The vision for Thunderbolt technology (formerly codenamed “Light Peak”) is to move media faster, simplify connections between devices, and foster new and exciting ways to build and use PCs. Combining high-speed data and HD video connections together onto a single cable is instrumental to achieving that vision. Thunderbolt technology delivers this via two communications methods, or protocols — PCI Express* for data transfer and DisplayPort* for displays. PCI Express has the flexibility to connect to almost any type of device, and DisplayPort can drive greater than 1080p resolution displays and up to eight channels of audio simultaneously. Thunderbolt technology is compatible with existing DisplayPort displays and adapters. All Thunderbolt technology devices share a common connector, and let individuals simply daisy-chain their devices one after another, connected by electrical or optical cables.

Thunderbolt technology is designed to meet the demands of serious HD media creators. For example, videographers can unleash their creativity using high-bandwidth audio and video capture/mixing devices, and get both low latency and highly-accurate time synchronization for real-time processing. At 10Gbps, larger media files are transferred faster so there’s less time spent waiting to watch and edit videos. Data can be backed up and restored quicker, so there’s less waiting for archived content. For mobile PC users, it means having a single connector on their ultra-thin laptop that extends their high-speed media and HD display capabilities at home or in the office. Thunderbolt technology is complementary to other I/O technologies that Intel continues to support.

“Working with HD media is one of the most demanding things people do with their PCs,” said Mooly Eden, general manager, PC Client Group, Intel. “With Thunderbolt technology, Intel has delivered innovative technology to help professionals and consumers work faster and more easily with their growing collection of media content, from music to HD movies. We’ve taken the vision of simple, fast transfer of content between PCs and devices, and made it a reality.”

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Intel to bring the groundbreaking Thunderbolt technology to Mac users,” said Bob Mansfield, Apple’s senior vice president of Mac Hardware Engineering. “With ultra-fast transfer speeds, support for high-resolution displays and compatibility with existing I/O technologies, Thunderbolt is a breakthrough for the entire industry and we think developers are going to have a blast with it.”

Thunderbolt technology is powered by an Intel controller chip, and uses a small connector suitable for mobile devices that will be included in products supporting the technology. Several innovative companies have announced Thunderbolt technology-based products, or currently plan to support Thunderbolt technology in upcoming products, including Aja*, Apogee*, Avid*, Blackmagic*, LaCie*, Promise*, and Western Digital*. Intel is working with the industry on a range of Thunderbolt technology-enabled products including computers, displays, storage devices, audio/video devices, cameras, docking stations and more.

Based on PCI Express and DisplayPort, Thunderbolt uses the same port as Mini DisplayPort and so requires no adapter to hook up to existing monitors, like Apple’s own LED Cinema Display line. However, with the right adapters it can connect to USB, FireWire, gigabit ethernet and Fibre Channel networks, as well as HDMI, DVI or VGA.

More importantly, though, it can be used with Thunderbolt-compliant devices like RAID arrays and video capture boxes, offering hugely increased throughput between your new MacBook Pro and the external device. You can daisy-chain up to six devices with no impact on speed (or five devices and an LED Cinema Display). Intel reckons you’ll be able to transfer a full-length HD movie in less than 30 seconds over Thunderbolt, or backup one year of continuous MP3 playback in just over 10 minutes.

Best of all, this isn’t some Apple-only walled garden. Intel is pushing Thunderbolt with all its might, and so we should hopefully see it gradually replace existing connectors with a blast of steaming hot speed.

Two new 13.3-inch MacBook Pro units are on offer, each using Intel’s Core i5 and i7 running at either 2.3GHz or 2.7GHz. The entry-level model offers 4GB of DDR3 memory as standard along with a 320GB hard-drive and Intel HD Graphics 3000. Alternatively, the second version has the same 4GB of memory and same graphics, but upgrades to a 500GB hard-drive.

As for the 15.4-inch midrange MacBook Pro, that now has a choice of Intel’s quad-core 2.0GHz, 2.2GHz or 2.3GHz Core i7 processors. There’s 4GB of DDR3 memory as standard, with the entry-level machine packing a 500GB hard-drive and the second a 750GB drive. Both offer Intel HD Graphics 3000 and a discrete AMD Radeon HD 6750M 1GB GPU, with OS X intelligently switching between them depending on how demanding your current video workload is. Both come as standard with glossy-finish displays running at  1440 x 900, but matte-finish will be an option.

Finally, a single 17-inch MacBook Pro SKU has been revealed, running Intel’s quad-core 2.2GHz Core i7 processor and the same double graphics options: Intel HD 3000 and AMD Radeon HD 6750M 1GB with automatic switching. As before, the glossy display runs at 1920 x 1200 as standard, but can be specified with a matte finish, while storage is 750GB as standard and up to 512GB of SSD as an option.

All of the new models have an SDXC memory card slot (aside from the 17-inch, which has an ExpressCard slot), WiFi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, gigabit ethernet and a FireWire 800 port. There’s also a slot-loading 8x SuperDrive DVD-burner – Apple still refuses to consider Blu-ray – and a webcam, now renamed from iSight to FaceTime-HD. The Mini DisplayPort from previous iterations has been replaced by a new Apple Thunderbolt port on the updated MacBook Pro range, which offers backward compatibility with the DisplayPort connector via a bundled dongle, but also high-speed data transfers.

Thunderbolt consists of two bi-directional channels offering transfer speeds up to 10Gbps each, hooking up PCI Express directly to external peripherals such as RAID arrays. It can support FireWire and USB devices along with gigabit ethernet via adapters. Thunderbolt also supports DisplayPort for high resolution displays and works with existing adapters for HDMI, DVI and VGA displays.

All of the new MacBook Pro notebooks are up for order on Apple’s online store today, with pre-config SKUs shipping in 24hrs. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is available in two configurations: one with a 2.3 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 and 320GB hard drive starting at $1,199; and one with a 2.7 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 and 500GB hard drive starting at $1,499. The new 15-inch MacBook Pro is available in two models: one with a 2.0 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, AMD Radeon HD 6490M and 500GB hard drive starting at $1,799 and one with a 2.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, AMD Radeon HD 6750M and 750GB hard drive starting at $2,199. The new 17-inch MacBook Pro features a 2.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, AMD Radeon HD 6750M and 750GB hard drive and is priced at $2,499.

Now, who’s interested?

Press Release:

Apple Updates MacBook Pro with Next Generation Processors, Graphics & Thunderbolt I/O Technology

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple® today updated the industry-leading MacBook® Pro family with next generation processors and graphics, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology and a new FaceTime® HD camera. Featuring the very latest dual-core and quad-core Intel Core processors, the entire MacBook Pro line is up to twice as fast as the previous generation.*

“Thunderbolt is a revolutionary new I/O technology that delivers an amazing 10 gigabits per second and can support every important I/O standard which is ideal for the new MacBook Pro.”
“The new MacBook Pro brings next generation dual and quad Core processors, high performance graphics, Thunderbolt technology and FaceTime HD to the great design loved by our pro customers,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Thunderbolt is a revolutionary new I/O technology that delivers an amazing 10 gigabits per second and can support every important I/O standard which is ideal for the new MacBook Pro.”

Starting at $1,199 the new 13-inch MacBook Pro offers amazing value and performance in a compact design. The highly portable 13-inch MacBook Pro features Intel Core i5 and Core i7 dual-core processors up to 2.7 GHz and Intel HD Graphics 3000. The powerful 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro models feature quad-core Core i7 processors up to 2.3 GHz and AMD Radeon HD graphics processors with up to 1GB of video memory for high performance gaming, pro video editing and graphics intensive applications.

MacBook Pro is the first computer on the market to include the groundbreaking Thunderbolt I/O technology. Developed by Intel with collaboration from Apple, Thunderbolt enables expandability never before possible on a notebook computer. Featuring two bi-directional channels with transfer speeds up to an amazing 10Gbps each, Thunderbolt delivers PCI Express directly to external high performance peripherals such as RAID arrays, and can support FireWire and USB consumer devices and Gigabit Ethernet networks via adapters. Thunderbolt also supports DisplayPort for high resolution displays and works with existing adapters for HDMI, DVI and VGA displays. Freely available for implementation on systems, cables and devices, Thunderbolt technology is expected to be widely adopted as a new standard for high performance I/O.

The MacBook Pro now includes a built-in FaceTime HD camera with triple the resolution of the previous generation for crisp, widescreen video calls. With Apple’s innovative FaceTime video calling software, the new camera allows high definition video calls between all new MacBook Pro models and supports standard resolution calls with other Intel-based Macs, iPhone® 4 and the current generation iPod touch®. FaceTime is included with all new MacBook Pro models and is available for other Intel-based Macs from the Mac® App Store℠ for 99 cents. The MacBook Pro lineup continues to feature its gorgeous aluminum unibody enclosure, glass Multi-Touch™ trackpad, LED-backlit widescreen display, illuminated full-size keyboard and 7-hour battery.**

As the industry’s greenest notebook lineup, every Mac notebook achieves EPEAT Gold status and meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements, setting the standard for environmentally friendly notebook design.*** Each unibody enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminum and comes standard with energy efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. Mac notebooks contain no brominated flame retardants, are PVC-free and are constructed with recyclable materials.

Every Mac comes with Mac OS® X Snow Leopard®, the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife®, Apple’s innovative suite of applications for creating and sharing great photos, movies and music. Snow Leopard builds on more than a decade of innovation and includes multiple features for portable computing such as Multi-Touch navigation, advanced wireless networking, easy file sharing, automated data backup and intelligent power management. The new iLife ’11 features iPhoto® with stunning full screen views for browsing, editing and sharing photos; iMovie® with powerful easy-to-use tools to transform home videos into fun theatrical trailers; and GarageBand® with new ways to improve your playing and create great sounding songs.

Pricing & Availability

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro, 15-inch MacBook Pro and 17-inch MacBook Pro are available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is available in two configurations: one with a 2.3 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 and 320GB hard drive starting at $1,199; and one with a 2.7 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 and 500GB hard drive starting at $1,499. The new 15-inch MacBook Pro is available in two models: one with a 2.0 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, AMD Radeon HD 6490M and 500GB hard drive starting at $1,799 and one with a 2.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, AMD Radeon HD 6750M and 750GB hard drive starting at $2,199. The new 17-inch MacBook Pro features a 2.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, AMD Radeon HD 6750M and 750GB hard drive and is priced at $2,499.

Configure-to-order options include faster quad-core processors up to 2.3 GHz, additional hard drive capacity up to 750GB, solid state storage up to 512GB, more memory up to 8GB DDR3, antiglare and high-resolution display options and AppleCare® Protection Plan. Additional technical specifications and configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at www.apple.com/macbookpro.

*Testing conducted by Apple in February 2011 using preproduction MacBook Pro configurations. For more information visit www.apple.com/macbookpro/features.html.

**The new Wireless Web protocol testing was conducted by Apple in February 2011 using preproduction MacBook Pro configurations. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings. For more information visit www.apple.com/macbookpro/features.html.

***EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognized as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.