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Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display, first impressions

Side-by-side comparison of the 15-inch MacBook Pro with the new 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display. Apple

(CBS News) Apple unveiled its next generation MacBook Pro with Retina Display Monday at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).

"It's a true breakthrough in engineering - there's never been a notebook this thin, this light, this powerful for professional use," said Phil Schiller, Apple senior vice president.

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One of the most highlighted features is new MacBook Pro's 2,880 x 1,800 Retina Display. The previous 15-inch MacBook Pro had a 1,440 x 900 display resolution. Retina Display is defined by Apple as having a "pixel density so high your eye is unable to distinguish individual pixels."

"The screen looks amazing. Colors pop, images have great depth," said CNET editors, "but the biggest difference...is in text. Compare blocks of text side by side (using the "reader" button in Safari is a great way to do that), and the difference is unmistakable."

CNET Hands-on: Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display

The new MacBook Pro can connect to an HDTV directly now, with the new HDMI port. Like the new 13- and 15-inch models, the new MacBook Pro with Retina Display comes with a USB 3 and Thunderbolt port.

"Copying a 1.22GB test folder from a USB 3.0 drive took 21 seconds, which is half the time it took to copy the same folder using a USB 2.0 drive on the previous MacBook Pro model," said PC Magazine's Joel Santo Domingo. "The two Thunderbolt ports are a boon for the video editor: You can hook up to 14 Thunderbolt-compatible devices, seven devices per port."

The next generation MacBook Pro with Retina Display weighs 4.46 pounds and is 0.71 inches thick. With the slim new body, Apple had to redesign the MagSafe power port. Meaning, older power chords will not work with the new laptop.

Overall, first impressions of the new MacBook Pro with Retina Display have been positive. Forrester analyst Frank Gillet told Wired that Apple's new laptop pushes the company to the head of the pack, by at least a year.

"It will likely take rivals a year or two to catch up," Gillet told Wired.

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