Apple to Phase Out Standard, Retina-Free MacBook Pro

The days are numbered for the Retina Display-free, DVD-capable MacBook Pro. After announcing a price reduction for the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display, Apple AAPL removed one option from its online store. While almost all of the firm's computers are available in at least two packages, the standard 15-inch MacBook Pro has been reduced to just one $1,799 option. That price -- which is just $100 more than the most expensive 13-inch model (with Retina Display) -- comes with the following features:

• 2.3GHz quad-core Intel INTC Core i7
• Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz
• 4GB 1600MHz memory
• 500GB 5400-rpm hard drive
• Intel HD Graphics 4000
• NVIDIA NVDA GeForce GT 650M with 512MB of GDDR5 memory
• Built-in battery (7 hours)

The specifications are nice but familiar. It seems odd that Apple chose to sell this machine with only 4GB of RAM when the 13-inch, 2.9GHz dual-core model comes with 8GB. Consumers will have to spend another $100 if they want 8GB of RAM, bringing the total price to $1,899. Meanwhile, the 15-inch, 2.4GHz quad-core MacBook Pro with Retina Display can be purchased for $2,199 -- just $300 more. It lacks a DVD drive but comes with 256GB of flash storage, 8GB of RAM and a GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory. In a way, it is almost as if Apple is telling consumers to simply give up on the old MacBook Pro and purchase the Retina Display version instead. The standard 13-inch MacBook Pro still comes in two varieties. That could change now that the 13-inch Retina model has been reduced from $1,699 to $1,499. Follow me @LouisBedigianBZ