MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011

You can cost-effectively upgrade a number of components in the MacBook Pro 15" Early 2011.

• Memory: If your MacBook Pro is still running with only the stock RAM, upgrading will provide a dramatic performance boost at minimal cost. Upgrading to the maximum of 16 GB (two 8 GB modules) is simple and provides unmatched performance.
• Hard Drive: 500 or 750 GB hard drives came standard with the MacBook Pro 15" Early 2011. You can upgrade the drive up to 2 TB to expand your storage.

Track down a number of hardware problems using the MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Troubleshooting page

The MacBook Pro 15" Early 2011 Unibody was announced in February of 2011.

Use the [/info/ID-your-Mac|laptop identification system] to help you identify your machine. MacBooks tend to look very similar, and it's important to know which machine you have before ordering any replacement parts.

The MacBook Pro 15" Early 2011 Unibody's case is composed of a single block of aluminum, following the same process of the MacBook Unibody and the MacBook Pro 17" Unibody Repair. The Unibody revision also introduced some features that were never before seen on an Apple laptop: the inclusion of dual video cards (one for regular use, one for graphics intensive applications), the Mini DisplayPort (which replaced the full-size DVI display connector), and larger hard drive and RAM capacities.

The MacBook Pro 15" Early 2011 is one of the first Apple laptops powered by an Intel quad-core i7. It features an AMD Radeon HD graphics processor. The newest addition to the family is Intel's new high-speed connector technology called Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt is supposed to transfer data at a rate of 10 gigabits per second. It can also be used to connect computers to external monitors and transfer data at the same time, all with a single cable.

• 15.4-inch LED-backlit glossy or optional antiglare widescreen display with support for millions of colors

• 500GB or 750GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive; optional 500 or 750GB 7200-rpm hard drive, or 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB solid-state drive
• 8x DVD/CD slot-loading SuperDrive

• 2.0GHz or 2.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with 6MB shared L3 cache; or optional 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with 8MB shared L3 cache

• 4GB or 8GB of 1333MHz DDR3 memory

• 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible
• Bluetooth 2.1 wireless technology

• AMD Radeon HD 6490M graphics processor or AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics processor
• Intel HD Graphics 3000
• Automatic graphics switching
• FaceTime HD camera
• Thunderbolt port

• MagSafe power port
• Gigabit Ethernet port
• FireWire 800 port
• Two USB 2.0 ports
• Thunderbolt port
• Audio line in
• Audio line out
• SDXC card slot

• Stereo speakers with subwoofers
• Omnidirectional microphone
• Audio line in minijack
• Audio line out/headphone minijack
• Support for Apple iPhone headset with microphone

• Up to 7 hrs wireless web
• Built-in 77.5-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery
• 85W MagSafe Power Adapter with cable management system
• MagSafe power port

• MacBook Pro
• Display cleaning cloth
• 85W MagSafe Power Adapter, AC wall plug, and power cord
• Software DVDs
• Printed and electronic documentation

• iFixit: List of Troubleshooting Guides
• iFixit: Mac OS X HD Reinstallation Tips
• iFixit: DIY Laptop Upgrades
• Wikipedia: MacBook Pro Page
• Mactracker: Application with Apple Product Specs
• EveryMac: MacBook Pro Product Specs
• Apple Tech Specs
• Apple: MacBook Pro
• iFixit Blog: MacBook Pro Unibody Headphone Jack Issues
• iFixit Blog: MacBook Pro 15" Teardown