What are the differences between the "Early 2011" 13-Inch, 15-Inch, and 17-Inch MacBook Pro models and the "Mid-2010" MacBook Pro models that they replaced?

Please note that the "Early 2011" MacBook Pro line has been discontinued. It was replaced by the "Late 2011" line on October 24, 2011.

Externally, the "Early 2011" MacBook Pro models -- the MacBook Pro "Core i5" 2.3 13-Inch, "Core i7" 2.7 13-Inch, "Core i7" 2.0 15-Inch, "Core i7" 2.2 15-Inch and "Core i7" 2.2 17-Inch -- look effectively identical to the "Mid-2010" models -- the MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" 2.4 13-Inch "Core 2 Duo" 2.66 13-Inch, "Core i5" 2.4 15-Inch, "Core i5" 2.53 15-Inch, "Core i7" 2.66 15-Inch and "Core i5" 2.53 17-Inch.

However, a careful reader would notice that five models have replaced six. In addition, there are significant internal differences as well as notable differences in capability, configuration, and introductory pricing that merit further evaluation.

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc.

External Differences

All of these models have a black and silver "Unibody" case -- milled from a single block of aluminum -- and all have a backlit keyboard and a "no button" glass trackpad with support for "inertial scrolling" -- which Apple describes as an "intuitive way to scroll through large photo libraries, lengthy documents and long web sites."

All of these systems have LED-backlit displays and by default each display has a glossy finish. However, the 15-Inch models from both lines also can (or could) be configured with a high-resolution 1680x1050 display in either a glossy or anti-glare finish for an additional US$100 or US$150, respectively, and the 17-Inch models from both lines likewise are (or were) offered with an anti-glare display at the same 1920x1200 resolution as a US$50 upgrade. As a minor point of differentiation, the anti-glare configurations have a silver "frame" around the display rather than a black one. Integrated in the frame, although it isn't evident from physical inspection, the "Early 2011" models also have a higher-resolution "FaceTime HD" webcam compared to the "Mid-2010" models, which have a lower-resolution integrated "iSight" webcam.

All "Mid-2010" and "Early 2011" MacBook Pro models have a built-in non-swappable battery design, and this battery is not designed to be removed or serviced by end users although it can be replaced with a bit of effort. Although, unlike the "Mid-2010" models, iFixit discovered that it is possible to disconnect the battery in the "Early 2011" line without having to remove it from the notebook, which makes internal repairs easier, and is a point of differentiation between the two lines.

Interestingly, Apple has reduced battery life for the "Early 2011" series -- estimating a flat seven hours of battery life across the line based on an Apple "wireless web" test. This compares to an estimated 10 hours for the 13-Inch "Mid-2010" models and 8-9 hours for the 15-Inch and 17-Inch "Mid-2010" models in a perhaps less aggressive "wireless productivity" test.

Connectivity Differences

With one major exception, connectivity between the "Mid-2010" and "Early 2011" MacBook Pro models with the same display size is identical. All of these Macs include AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, Gigabit Ethernet, and a single Firewire "800" port.

However, the 15-Inch and 17-Inch models have an independent audio line in minijack (digital/analog) and an independent audio line out/headphone minijack (digital/analog). The 13-Inch models instead have a single "audio in/out" port. The 13-Inch and 15-Inch models have an SD card slot, whereas the 17-Inch has an ExpressCard/34 expansion slot instead. The 17-Inch model also has three USB 2.0 ports and the 13-Inch and 15-Inch models only have two.

The major change is that the Mini DisplayPort -- which supports an external display at 2560x1600 and is capable of passing an audio signal on the "Mid-2010" series -- has been upgraded to a new "Thunderbolt" port on the "Early 2011" line. Thunderbolt supports an external display at 2560x1600 -- like Mini DisplayPort -- as well as other peripherals that support the Thunderbolt standard. The Thunderbolt standard provides a maximum theoretical throughput of 10 Gbps in both directions and supports as many as six devices "daisy-chained" together. Unfortunately, Thunderbolt only can support a single display, but it is backwards compatible with Mini DisplayPort-equipped monitors and works with DVI, VGA, dual-link DVI and HDMI adapters as well.

Identification Differences

Externally, the "Early 2011" and "Mid-2010" lines unfortunately use the same model numbers as several earlier MacBook Pro models and EMC numbers are not listed at all, so they only can be externally differentiated by the last three or four characters of the serial number courtesy of EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Lookup feature (the last three characters for models that have eleven character serial numbers and the last four characters for models that have twelve character serial numbers).

In software, the 13-Inch, 15-Inch and 17-Inch "Mid-2010" models can be identified by the model identifiers MacBookPro7,1, MacBookPro6,2 and MacBookPro6,1, respectively, and the 13-Inch, 15-Inch and 17-Inch "Early 2011" models can be identified by the model identifiers MacBookPro8,1, MacBookPro8,2 and MacBookPro8,3, respectively. When model identifiers are combined with processor speed and/or type, it is possible to pinpoint the exact model (but these identifiers are not available if the system will not boot).

Internal Differences

Internally, there are few similarities between the "Mid-2010" and "Early 2011" lines -- all have an 8X DL "SuperDrive" but this is about the extent of the similarities. The "Early 2011" models have faster "Sandy Bridge" processors, faster underlying architectures, either faster or roughly equivalent graphics, faster memory and a faster 6 Gb/s Serial ATA connector as well. Officially, both the "Mid-2010" MacBook Pro and "Early 2011" MacBook Pro lines support a maximum of 8 GB of RAM, but site sponsor OWC has confirmed that the "Early 2011" models actually can support up to 16 GB.

Comparison Charts

Complete details of each "Early 2011" model and the "Mid-2010" model that each replaced are provided below.

The entry-level MacBook Pro "Core i5" 2.3 13-Inch gains a much faster and dual core processor, a better webcam, a larger hard drive, and improved connectivity compared to the MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" 2.4 13-Inch replaced.

	2.4 13" (Mid-2010)	2.3 13" (Early 2011)
Processor Type:	Core 2 Duo	Core i5
Processor Number:	P8600	I5-2415M
Processor Speed:	2.4 GHz	2.3 GHz
Processor Cores:	One	Two
Video System:	GeForce 320M	Intel HD Graphics 3000
Video Type:	Integrated	Integrated
Video Memory:	256 MB	384 MB
Display Size:	13.3"	13.3"
Native Resolution:	1280x800	1280x800
Ext. Display:	2560x1600	2560x1600
RAM Type:	1066 MHz PC3-8500	1333 MHz PC3-10600
Default Memory:	4 GB	4 GB
Maximum Memory:	8 GB	16 GB*
Hard Drive Size:	250 GB	320 GB
Serial ATA:	3 Gb/s	6 Gb/s
SuperDrive:	8X DL	8X DL
SD Card Slot:	Yes	Yes
ExpressCard/34:	No	No
Firewire 800:	Yes (1)	Yes (1)
USB 2.0:	Yes (2)	Yes (2)
Thunderbolt:	No	Yes (1)
Ambient KB:	Yes	Yes
Trackpad:	Inertial Multitouch	Inertial Multitouch
Webcam:	iSight	FaceTime HD
Size (Inches):	0.95 x 12.78 x 8.94	0.95 x 12.78 x 8.94
Weight:	4.5 lbs (2.04 kg)	4.5 lbs (2.04 kg)
Battery Life:	10 Hours	7 Hours
Battery W/Hr:	63.5 W/Hr	63.5 W/Hr
Apple Order No:	MC374LL/A	MC700LL/A
Intro Price:	US$1199	US$1199

The high-end 13" MacBook Pro model -- the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.7 13-Inch -- also gains a much faster and dual core processor as well as a better webcam, a larger hard drive, and improved connectivity compared to the MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" 2.66 13-Inch replaced.

	2.66 13" (Mid-2010)	2.7 13" (Early 2011)
Processor Type:	Core 2 Duo	Core i7
Processor Number:	P8800	I7-2620M
Processor Speed:	2.66 GHz	2.7 GHz
Processor Cores:	One	Two
Video System:	GeForce 320M	Intel HD Graphics 3000
Video Type:	Integrated	Integrated
Video Memory:	256 MB	384 MB
Display Size:	13.3"	13.3"
Native Resolution:	1280x800	1280x800
Ext. Display:	2560x1600	2560x1600
RAM Type:	1066 MHz PC3-8500	1333 MHz PC3-10600
Default Memory:	4 GB	4 GB
Maximum Memory:	8 GB	16 GB*
Hard Drive Size:	320 GB	500 GB
Serial ATA:	3 Gb/s	6 Gb/s
SuperDrive:	8X DL	8X DL
SD Card Slot:	Yes	Yes
ExpressCard/34:	No	No
Firewire 800:	Yes (1)	Yes (1)
USB 2.0:	Yes (2)	Yes (2)
Thunderbolt:	No	Yes (1)
Ambient KB:	Yes	Yes
Trackpad:	Inertial Multitouch	Inertial Multitouch
Webcam:	iSight	FaceTime HD
Size (Inches):	0.95 x 12.78 x 8.94	0.95 x 12.78 x 8.94
Weight:	4.5 lbs (2.04 kg)	4.5 lbs (2.04 kg)
Battery Life:	10 Hours	7 Hours
Battery W/Hr:	63.5 W/Hr	63.5 W/Hr
Apple Order No:	MC375LL/A	MC724LL/A
Intro Price:	US$1499	US$1499

The low-end "Early 2011" 15" MacBook Pro -- the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.0 15-Inch -- is perhaps the most interesting change as it effectively replaces both the entry-level and mid-level "Mid-2010" 15" MacBook Pro models -- the MacBook Pro "Core i5" 2.4 15-Inch and "Core i5" 2.53 15-Inch. The "Early 2011" model has a significantly faster and quad-core processor as well as faster graphics, a better webcam, and improved connectivity compared to its predecessors.

	2.4 & 2.53 15" (2010)	2.0 15" (Early 2011)
Processor Type:	Core i5	Core i7
Processor Number:	I5-520M	I7-2635QM
Processor Speed:	2.4 GHz, 2.53 GHz	2.0 GHz
Processor Cores:	2	4
Video System:	Intel HD Graphics GeForce 330M	Intel HD Graphics 3000 Radeon HD 6490M
Video Type:	Integrated/Dedicated	Integrated/Dedicated
Video Memory:	256 MB/256 MB	384 MB/256 MB
Autoswitching:	Yes	Yes
Display Size:	15.4"	15.4"
Native Resolution:	1440x900	1440x900
Ext. Display:	2560x1600	2560x1600
RAM Type:	1066 MHz PC3-8500	1333 MHz PC3-10600
Default Memory:	4 GB	4 GB
Maximum Memory:	8 GB	16 GB*
Hard Drive Size:	320 GB, 500 GB	500 GB
Serial ATA:	3 Gb/s	6 Gb/s
SuperDrive:	8X DL	8X DL
SD Card Slot:	Yes	Yes
ExpressCard/34:	No	No
Firewire 800:	Yes (1)	Yes (1)
USB 2.0:	Yes (2)	Yes (2)
Thunderbolt:	No	Yes (1)
Ambient KB:	Yes	Yes
Trackpad:	Inertial Multitouch	Inertial Multitouch
Webcam:	iSight	FaceTime HD
Size (Inches):	0.95 x 14.35 x 9.82	0.95 x 14.35 x 9.82
Weight:	5.5 lbs (2.49 kg)	5.5 lbs (2.49 kg)
Battery Life:	8-9 Hours	7 Hours
Battery W/Hr:	77.5 W/Hr	77.5 W/Hr
Apple Order No:	MC371LL/A, MC372LL/A	MC721LL/A
Intro Price:	US$1799, US$1999	US$1799

The high-end 15" MacBook Pro -- the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.2 15-Inch -- likewise gains a quad-core processor as well as much faster graphics, a better webcam, a larger hard drive, and improved connectivity compared to the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.66 15-Inch replaced.

	2.66 15" (Mid-2010)	2.2 15" (Early 2011)
Processor Type:	Core i7	Core i7
Processor Number:	I7-620M	I7-2720QM
Processor Speed:	2.66 GHz	2.2 GHz
Processor Cores:	2	4
Video System:	Intel HD Graphics GeForce 330M	Intel HD Graphics 3000 Radeon HD 6750M
Video Type:	Integrated/Dedicated	Integrated/Dedicated
Video Memory:	256 MB/512 MB	384 MB/1 GB
Autoswitching:	Yes	Yes
Display Size:	15.4"	15.4"
Native Resolution:	1440x900	1440x900
Ext. Display:	2560x1600	2560x1600
RAM Type:	1066 MHz PC3-8500	1333 MHz PC3-10600
Default Memory:	4 GB	4 GB
Maximum Memory:	8 GB	16 GB*
Hard Drive Size:	500 GB	750 GB
Serial ATA:	3 Gb/s	6 Gb/s
SuperDrive:	8X DL	8X DL
SD Card Slot:	Yes	Yes
ExpressCard/34:	No	No
Firewire 800:	Yes (1)	Yes (1)
USB 2.0:	Yes (2)	Yes (2)
Thunderbolt:	No	Yes (1)
Ambient KB:	Yes	Yes
Trackpad:	Inertial Multitouch	Inertial Multitouch
Webcam:	iSight	FaceTime HD
Size (Inches):	0.95 x 14.35 x 9.82	0.95 x 14.35 x 9.82
Weight:	5.5 lbs (2.49 kg)	5.5 lbs (2.49 kg)
Battery Life:	8-9 Hours	7 Hours
Battery W/Hr:	77.5 W/Hr	77.5 W/Hr
Apple Order No:	MC373LL/A	MC723LL/A
Intro Price:	US$2199	US$2199

Finally, the 17" MacBook Pro -- the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.2 17-Inch -- gains a faster and quad core processor, faster graphics, a better webcam, a larger hard drive and improved connectivity compared to the MacBook Pro "Core i5" 2.53 17-Inch replaced. The price has increased by US$200, however.

	2.53 17" (Mid-2010)	2.2 17" (Early 2011)
Processor Type:	Core i5	Core i7
Processor Number:	I5-540M	I7-2720QM
Processor Speed:	2.53 GHz	2.2 GHz
Processor Cores:	2	4
Video System:	Intel HD Graphics GeForce 330M	Intel HD Graphics 3000 Radeon HD 6750M
Video Type:	Integrated/Dedicated	Integrated/Dedicated
Video Memory:	256 MB/512 MB	384 MB/1 GB
Autoswitching:	Yes	Yes
Display Size:	17.0"	17.0"
Native Resolution:	1920x1200	1920x1200
Ext. Display:	2560x1600	2560x1600
RAM Type:	1066 MHz PC3-8500	1333 MHz PC3-10600
Default Memory:	4 GB	4 GB
Maximum Memory:	8 GB	16 GB*
Hard Drive Size:	500 GB	750 GB
Serial ATA:	3 Gb/s	6 Gb/s
SuperDrive:	8X DL	8X DL
SD Card Slot:	No	No
ExpressCard/34:	Yes	Yes
Firewire 800:	Yes (1)	Yes (1)
USB 2.0:	Yes (3)	Yes (3)
Thunderbolt:	No	Yes (1)
Ambient KB:	Yes	Yes
Trackpad:	Inertial Multitouch	Inertial Multitouch
Webcam:	iSight	FaceTime HD
Size (Inches):	0.98 x 15.47 x 10.51	0.98 x 15.47 x 10.51
Weight:	6.6 lbs (2.99 kg)	6.6 lbs (2.99 kg)
Battery Life:	8-9 Hours	7 Hours
Battery W/Hr:	95 W/Hr	95 W/Hr
Apple Order No:	MC024LL/A	MC725LL/A
Intro Price:	US$2299	US$2499

* Officially, the "Early 2011" MacBook Pro line supports a maximum of 8 GB of RAM, but OWC has confirmed that the "Early 2011" models actually can support up to 16 GB.

Ultimately, most users likely would be quite happy with the substantially enhanced performance, better graphics and Thunderbolt port provided by the "Early 2011" models. However, the "Mid-2010" models remain well worth consideration, particularly given discount prices on the used market.

Site sponsor PowerMax has new and used configurations of the MacBook Pro models available free of sales tax and OWC sells quality memory and hard drive/SSD upgrades for all MacBook Pro models at affordable prices.

Please refer to the Ultimate Mac Comparison feature to dynamically compare any MacBook or MacBook Pro model to any other G3 or later Mac.