Apple MacBook Pros go faster and greener

GLOBAL - Apple has rolled out the latest MacBook Pro featuring Intel's Core 2 Duo Santa Rosa chips, along with a larger memory capacity, new graphics cards and Led-backlit screens.

Three new MacBook Pros are currently available: 2.2GHz and 2.4GHz models with a 15in screen, and a 17in model with a 2.4GHz CPU.

The 15-inch models are the first MacBook Pros to use an Led-backlit display. The new screens are brighter, have a longer life span and are more power efficient. The 17-inch model will use the conventional LCD display.

Led-backlit screens are less hazardous to the environment because they lack the mercury found in their conventional counterparts. The switch to the mercury-free displays is a key part of Apple's environmental strategy in the coming years.

The new MacBook pros will use Nvidia's GeForce 8600M GT cards. Apple claims that between the new chip and graphics cards, the latest MacBook Pro is 50 per cent faster than the original Core Duo model launched in early 2006.

Storage and memory have also been upgraded, and the laptops will now support up to 4GB of ram and will ship with hard drives as large as 250GB.

The 2.2GHz 15in model will cost US$1,999 (A$2,371), while the 2.4GHz 15 inch and 17 inch models will retail for US$2,499 (A$2,964) and US$2,799 (A$3,320).