While the grand unveil at Apple's event next week will very likely be the long-rumored iPad mini, there's a very good chance that a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display could tag along for the ride. Assuming a juicy new rumor proves true, the notebook will cost $500 less than the $2,199 15-inch Retina MacBook. But is that low enough?
The base version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display will likely cost $1,699 at launch, sources tell 9to5Mac. That's $500 more than the 13-inch MacBook Pro with a standard display. Like the Retina 15-inch model, the 13-inch version will also be available in a more powerful, higher-priced configuration that the site expects to cost between $1,899 and $1,999.
The price differential for the two 13-inch Pros would be in the same league as the Retina and non-Retina versions of the 15-inch versions. As Mashable points out, buyers will likely receive more than just a 2560 x 1600 display for the extra cash. The Retina versions of the 15-inch MacBook Pro sport a slimmer, more travel-friendly design, standard solid state drives and high-powered RAM configuration options missing from their non-Retina counterparts. We'd expect to see the same in the 13-inch offerings.
Is $1,699 too rich for your blood or do you think it will be worth the premium over the non-Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro?
Get a daily look at what’s developing in science and technology throughout the world.