Apple has updated its MacBook Pro line of laptops, revealing a redesigned thinner and ligher model with a Retina Display with a resolution of 2,880 x 1,800-as well as adding new Intel chips to models with the current design.

While not wedge-shaped like the Air, the new slimline MacBook Pro is about the same thickness as the thickest part of the Air at 0.71-inches thin. In fact it is thinner than Phil Schiller's finger when closed, about as thick as the base of the old MacBook Pro. The new laptop weighs in at 4.46 pounds, according to Apple. It's the "Lightest pro notebook than they've ever made. Lighter than 13-inch Pro," claimed Phil Schiller.

The sleek MacBook Pro also offers: "A breakthrough in display engineering." Yes, it features a Retina display, news that got a big cheer from the audience.

"The pixels are so small, that from a normal working distance, you can't see the pixels," claimed Schiller. The display is 15.4 inches across, but its pixel density is 2,880 x 1,800 he explained. That's 4x the number of pixels: "The world's highest resolution notebook display."

The svelte MacBook Pro also includes Ivy Bridge processors offering speeds of up to 2.7GHz. The 15in MacBook Pro offers a quad-core i7. It also offers 1600MHz memory, and integrated graphics up to 60% faster.

The discrete graphics are faster too, the GeForce GT 650M (Kepler architecture) is up to 1GB faster, and 60 per cent faster than previous discrete graphics, according to Phil Schiller. A new Nvidia graphics chip has also debuted.

The MacBook Pros offer USB 3.0 as well as USB 2.0, and of course Thunderbolt.

This thinner 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is available with a 2.3 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz, 8GB of memory and 256GB of flash storage starting at £1,499.17 plus VAT. It's also available with a 2.6 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz, 8GB of memory and 512GB of flash storage starting at £1,915.83 plus VAT. Build-to-order options include faster quad-core processors up to 2.7 GHz, up to 16GB of memory and flash storage up to 768GB.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with the old design is available with a 2.5 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of memory and 500GB hard drive starting at £832.50 plus VAT, and with a 2.9 GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of memory and 750GB hard drive starting at £1,040.83 plus VAT.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro with the old design is available with a 2.3 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, 4GB of memory, Intel HD Graphics 4000 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M, and 500GB hard drive starting at £1,249.17 plus VAT; and with a 2.6 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of memory, Intel HD Graphics 4000 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M, and 750GB hard drive starting at £1,499.17 plus VAT.

Configure-to-order options include faster quad-core processors up to 2.7 GHz, additional hard drive capacity up to 1TB, up to 8GB of memory and solid state storage up to 512GB.

"Nobody turns over their entire line as quickly and completely as we do at Apple," said Phil Schiller.

"It's the most beautiful computer we have ever made."

The new MacBook Pro ships with Lion, but all the apps are updated to work with the high-res display.