The $3,500 Modbook Pro is a MacBook Pro in a 13.3-inch OS X tablet

By Gloria Sin March 20, 2013

Modbook Pro — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Do Apple users secretly lust after the Windows 8 tablets that have the guts of a full computer but in a tablet form factor? Modbook certainly thinks so. We first heard about the Modbook Pro back in July but weren’t sure of a release date or pricing. Available now, the company is offering an Intel-powered tablet running Mac OS X that starts at $3,500.

Built by the same team behind Axiotron, which was known for turning MacBooks into slates before the company folded in 2008 when its backer Lehman Brothers went bankrupt, the Modbook Pro is the latest after-market mod device from the rebranded Modbook crew. Like its predecessors, the Modbook Pro only looks like a tablet: it doesn’t have a touchscreen (OS X doesn’t support touch controls), but it does come with a 1024-point digitizer from Wacom to give it some pen capabilities so you can sketch and annotate your screen captures similar to that of the Samsung Galaxy Note II.

Technically, the Modbook Pro is just a mid-2012 MacBook Pro stuffed into the body of a slate. So rather than sport a 13.3-inch Retina display, this tablet-wannabe has a 1280 x 800 resolution screen. Like a full laptop, the Modbook Pro manages to squeeze in a DVD burning SuperDrive, an Ethernet port, and one USB 3.0 port into a relatively small device. That said, no one will be confusing the Modbook Pro for an iPad mini competitor any time soon: the slate-like device weighs a hefty 5.4 pounds, so it feels more like a traditional laptop than a tablet.

For $3,500, you can get a dual-core 2.5GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 120GB solid-state drive (SSD) under the hood. But if you have even more money to burn, you can opt for the i7 chip, with double the RAM, a 480GB SSD, and even dual-boot Windows 7 (Windows 8 is not an option) for just under $5,020.

Wouldn’t it be cheaper to just buy a Windows 8 tablet and install OS X onto it? Would you spend this much on a super-powered OS X-running tablet?

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Gloria’s tech journey really began when she was studying user centered design in university, and developed a love for…

Computing

Here’s everything we know about the M4 MacBook Pro so far

An open MacBook Pro on a table.

With the launch of the M4 iPad Pro, you might be wondering what’s in the cards for the MacBook Pro. Is it following hot on the heels of Apple’s flagship iPad, or will we have a significant wait before Apple’s laptop gets an upgrade?

We’ve scoured the rumor mill to find the answer, as well as worked out what sort of performance, features and designs we can expect. If you’re interested in learning more about the upcoming M4 MacBook Pro, you’re in the right place.
Price and release date

Computing

This 13-inch MacBook Air deal cuts the price by $150

The screen of the MacBook Air M2.

For those who are on the hunt for MacBook deals, you may want to check out Best Buy's bargain for the 13.6-inch Apple MacBook Air M2. The model with 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM is down to $849, following a $150 discount on its original price of $999. We don't think this offer will last long though, so if you want to take advantage of it, there should be no hesitation on your end -- add it to your cart and proceed with the checkout process as soon as you can.

Why you should buy the 13.6-inch Apple MacBook Air M2
The 13.6-inch Apple MacBook Air M2 isn't the latest model of the laptop, but it's still featured in our list of the best MacBooks as the MacBook for everyone. That's because with its reduced price -- which is even lower with Best Buy's discount -- the machine is a relatively budget-friendly option for those who are planning to switch to a MacBook or to upgrade from an older model to enjoy Apple's own silicon. The Apple M2 processor, combined with an eight-core CPU, eight-core GPU, and 8GB of RAM, provides incredible performance that will be able to handle even the most demanding tasks for work or school.

Computing

MacBook Pro 16 vs. MacBook Pro 14: The important differences

MacBook Pro laptops.

MacBooks are typically seen as some of the best laptops money can buy, thanks to their combination of performance and longevity. It's not uncommon for MacBooks to be running flawlessly years after purchase -- so while their upfront costs are a bit steep, they're great long-term investments.

That holds true for the MacBook Pro lineup, which comes in two sizes -- 14 inches and 16 inches. Both are top-of-the-line computers designed to handle pretty much anything you can throw at them, offering access to the M3 chip, vibrant Liquid Retina XDR displays, and plenty of other high-end hardware.