Apple has updated the MacBook Pro with Retina display with fourth generation Intel Core processors, the latest graphics, longer battery life, faster flash storage and next generation Wi-Fi.

It starts at a new lower price of US$1,299. Plus,iLife and iWork are now free with the purchase of every new Mac.

The MacBook Pro is now 0.71 inches thin. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display features fourth generation dual-core Intel Core i5 processors up to 2.6GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.1GHz. New integrated Intel Iris graphics deliver up to 90% faster performance than the previous generation MacBook Pro with Retina display, according to Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. The 13-inch model can be configured with faster dual-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.8GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3GHz. 

The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display features fourth generation quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.3GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.5GHz. The 15-inch model includes Intel Iris Pro graphics — or Iris Pro and GeForce GT 750M discrete graphics with 2GB of video memory. The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display can be configured with faster quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.6GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.8GHz.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display delivers up to nine hours of battery life, two hours more than the previous generation, and up to nine hours of iTunes movie playback. The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display delivers up to eight hours of battery life, one hour more than the previous generation, and up to eight hours of iTunes movie playback.

The MacBook Pro with Retina display now features PCIe-based flash storage with up to 60% faster read speeds than the previous generation. Next generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi delivers wireless performance that’s purportedly up to three times faster when connected to an 802.11ac base station. Dual Thunderbolt 2 ports deliver up to 20Gbps of bandwidth to each external device, allowing users to connect to multiple displays and high performance devices, and an HDMI port offers connectivity to HDTVs and projectors.

The updated MacBook Pro with Retina display ships with OS X Mavericks. The models also meet stringent Energy Star 6.0 requirements and achieves an EPEAT Gold rating. The MacBook Pro with Retina display features LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. MacBook Pro with Retina display includes PVC-free components and cables, contains no brominated flame retardants, and uses highly recyclable materials and material-efficient packaging designs.

MacBook Pro with Retina display is available through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is available with a 2.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.9GHz, 4GB of memory, 128GB of flash storage, and Intel Iris graphics starting at $1,299; and with a 2.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.9GHz, 8GB of memory, 256GB of flash storage, and Intel Iris graphics starting at $1,499 and with a 2.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.1GHz, 8GB of memory, 512GB of flash storage, and Intel Iris graphics starting at $1,799. Configure-to-order options include faster dual-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.8 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz, up to 16GB of memory and flash storage up to 1TB.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro is available with a 2.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.2GHz, 8GB of memory, 256GB of flash storage and Intel Iris Pro graphics starting at $1,999; and with a 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.5GHz, 16GB of memory, 512GB of flash storage, and Intel Iris Pro and NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M graphics starting at $2,599. Configure-to-order options include faster quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.6GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.8GHz, up to 16GB of memory and flash storage up to 1TB.