Helen Johnson

So Apple have now not only decided that it’s best to have all of their laptops look the same (unibody design) but now also be called the same thing. No longer will there be MacBooks and MacBook Pros but now there will only be MacBook Pros. Apple, in their infinite wisdom, have decided to add the “Pro” designation to all MacBooks regardless of whether or not they are actually “pro” at all.

It used to be that “Pro” meant something, that it was a “Professional” machine. The laptop had a dedicated graphics card, more power, better build quality and top end features for the users who needed or just wanted them.

I’ve read some people say that they think this move will remove confusion from the Mac product line. But if this was the case then surely it would be easier to drop the “pro” designation than to add it.

The “pro” line of any product should be a step up from the standard line. I mean what makes the rebranded 13-inch and 15-inch MacBooks now so pro, they have a unibody case? And it makes sense to have MacBooks and Macbook Pros even if they look pretty much the same, the average shopper will probably go for the standard MacBook while someone wanting more features will for the MacBook Pro line. This was a good separation for shoppers.

This also means that the branding of MacBook Pros is diluted. Where once it meant that you had the top of the line Apple laptop, it now just means that you have AN Apple laptop. Sure, part of this is just vanity, but I’m sure it’s the same across most tech. You wouldn’t want your expensive new Nokia mobile phone to be called the same and look exactly like a cheaper version, or your fancy new Alienware laptop to seem like a cheap Dell laptop. So much technology nowadays is about vanity.

It does seem like lately Apple have stepped up their “appeal” to the masses, they want everyone to feel special now and have a “Pro” computer, not just a standard MacBook even though the only thing changing is the name.