MacBook Pro Late 2008/Early 2009

Quietly introduced without a press release, the MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.66 15-Inch (Unibody/Early 2009) is officially identical to the 2.53 15-Inch model it replaced. Like all "Unibody" models, its case is milled from a single block of aluminum. The main update was a processor upgrade from 2.53 GHz to 2.66 GHz, with an unofficial increase in RAM support by an additional 2 GB.

The Apple MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" 2.66 15-Inch (Unibody - Early 2009) is equipped with a 45 nm "Penryn" 2.66 GHz Intel "Core 2 Duo" processor (T9550), featuring two independent cores on a single chip and a 6 MB shared L2 cache. It includes a 1066 MHz frontside bus, 4 GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (PC3-8500) in pairs, a 320 GB Serial ATA (5400 RPM) hard drive, and an 8X DL "SuperDrive." The system features dual graphics processors—a NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT with 512 MB of dedicated GDDR3 SDRAM and a NVIDIA GeForce 9400M sharing 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM with main memory—driving an LED-backlit 15.4-inch widescreen TFT active-matrix "glossy" display with 1440x900 resolution.

Connectivity consists of an ExpressCard/34 slot, AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, Gigabit Ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports, one Firewire "800" port, optical digital/analog audio in/out, and a "Mini DisplayPort" that supports an external display at 2560x1600.

This 15-inch model, which received a minor update in early 2009, offered enhanced performance with an increased processor speed. Retaining the robust and beautiful unibody design, its dual graphics system allowed users to switch between high performance and power saving modes as needed. This flexibility was highly valued by professionals who used their MacBook Pro in various work environments. With 4GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive as standard, it was well-equipped for a professional notebook of its time. While there were no major changes, the steady performance improvements ensured it remained a reliable choice for many users.