While the $2,199 starting price of the Retina MacBook Pro is high -- "It feels pricy for a 15-in. laptop," said Gillett -- that should come down as Apple's suppliers ramp up the production of the high-resolution screen, and as the new model's characteristics migrate to other Pro configurations.

"They took all the expertise they had from the Air and applied it to the Pro," said Gillett. "It may be more expensive now, but they'll be making a lot of these, and for a long time."

Apple does not often reduce prices, but rather keeps the dollar figures stable while boosting performance and storage space. It made an exception this week when it cut prices of most MacBook Air models by $100.

The discounting could have been a by Apple against Windows laptop rivals, who are expected to launch a bevy of devices, including touch-enabled notebooks and hybrids that combine tablet and laptop elements, before those competitors start selling Windows 8 systems later this year.

"Just as the ultrabook ramp is expected to reach an inflection point in [the third quarter], Apple unveiled a refreshed MacBook Air line and lowered the price range by $100," said Brian White of Topeka Capital Markets, in a note to clients on Tuesday. "We believe the ultrabook price points remain too high, thus we believe consumers will continue to opt for the MacBook Air."