The 15-inch 2.2GHz quad-core Core i7 MacBook Pro and the 17-inch model that has similar specifications were finally able to outperform their predecessors in game performance, thanks to the Radeon HD 6750M graphics with 1GB of dedicated video memory. The new models were able display 31 percent more frames per second than the 15- and 17-inch models with Nvidia GeForce GT 330M graphics that they replace. Overall, the new 15-inch 2.2GHz quad-core Core i7 MacBook Pro was 38 percent faster than last year’s fastest 15-inch model and the new 17-inch model was 53 percent faster than last year’s largest Mac laptop.

What’s more interesting was how well the new MacBook Pros compare performance-wise to the iMacs. The new 2.0GHz 15-inch MacBook Pro beat out the entry-level 3.06GHz dual core Core i3 iMac by one Speedmark point, with Call of Duty and disk-intensive tasks running faster on the iMac and processor-intensive tasks running faster on the MacBook Pro. The 15- and 17-inch 2.2GHz MacBook Pros were about 7 percent faster overall than the high-end standard configuration iMac, a 27-inch model with a 2.8GHz quad-core Core i5 processor. The three Macs scored identically in our Aperture import test, as well as our Photoshop and iMovie export tests. Call of Duty was 9 percent faster on the iMac.

Check back soon for review of these new MacBook Pro systems, including battery tests and more graphics results.