By
D. Perkins (Chicago, IL)
Apple is notorious for constantly updating their products, more or less to keep up the status quo on their products. The new Macbook Pro is no exception. This beautifully constructed laptop is a work of art in many ways in which i will detail. SCREEN The MBP has had a beautiful screen for as long as i can remember and this new model is no exception.
LED lit means that it is "instant on". when you open the lid, there is no warm up time like there is with other screens like LCD ect. The colors pop and are extremely vibrant and true. If you have seen an older MBP screen, you've seen them both, kind of. The new screen is all glass. The glass extends to the very outer edge of the lid, leaving no empty space. Simply put, you can't find a better screen, not even on a Sony machine (and i love sony also). KEYBOARD The new MBP has an updated keyboard.
The first thing you will notice is that the keys are black as apposed to the old silver. The black adds a nice touch because it accents the silver case. If you ask me, the old MBP had too much silver. EVERYTHING on the machine was silver aluminum. Don't get me wrong, i loved the old MBP, but this is just one step up. The Keyboard is also backlit so when you are in a darker environment, the keys light up, helping you see anything and everything on the keyboard. The Keyboard is absolutely beautiful on the machine and adds a nice touch overall to the look. TRACKPAD I find it weird that i can put an entire section on a review about a laptops trackpad, but this is undoubtedly necessary.
The new trackpad is ALL glass and there is no button---per say. In reality the entire trackpad is the button. They took off the button on the bottom and extended the trackpad down to give you more real estate. Apple spent months designing this trackpad and i have to give them major credit for that. recently me and my friend were looking at laptops at Circuit City, and one thing we did was go through every single laptop and look at it's trackpad. It is absolutely amazing how much time and effort company's DON'T put into designing their trackpad, when in my book, it is a HUGE factor. The coefficient of friction on this trackpad is exactly what it needs to be. not too rough, not too smooth, just right.
I absolutely love the MBP trackpad and think it is something apple needs to be commended for. GRAPHICS Apple and NVIDIA joined up and came up with a new video card for this MBP. The MBP actually has 2 graphics cards in it. One that is integrated, and one that is dedicated. The integrated graphics is NVIDIA instead of the old intel, so it is immensely better. The dedicated card (which can be easily switched on) is a powerhouse and almost puts a MBP in line with other gaming machines, almost.
Needless to say, this notebook will do just about whatever you want it to do graphics wise, gaming, video editing, photo editing, you name it, it will do it pretty easily. no worries here. OVERALL overall this laptop is at the top of it's class and you might be wondering why i gave it 4 stars and not 5.....first and foremost, money. I have to say that this is still overpriced. You are paying for a collection of things like the operating system, graphics card, high end components and things like that, but come on apple, 2000 dollars is a lot to drop on any laptop, no matter what it is. Is it worth it? without a doubt yes, and that is why apple can jack up their prices, but at the same time, it seems like they are kind of taking advantage of us, especially in the economic slum we're in right now.
Maybe i am just cheap (which i don't think most people would classify me as that) but that seems a little high to me. And another thing. what is up with the new display port? i have a 46 inch samsung tv and i will be hooking it up to my MBP but the cable is 100 dollars!!!! and that is just to dual link dvi----i still have to buy a dual link dvi to HDMI adapter after that. Ugh. apple (along with other company's...cough cough monster cables) is completely ripping us off on their cables and that makes a difference in my outlook on the big picture.
CONCLUSION The new MBP is absolutely stunning in every aspect of its design. Apple continues to wow us, and they will also continue to prosper and grow. I will be enjoying my new Macbook pro and i hope this review helped you in any questions you might have had. It is an investment that will live for a long time and will be greatly enjoyed every day. good job apple.
Product Description
Redesigned with a precision unibody enclosure crafted from a single block of aluminum, the MacBook Pro is thinner and lighter than its predecessor as well as stronger and more durable. But Apple didn't stop innovating with the body's design. The MacBook Pro also includes a new 15-inch, LED-backlit glass display (instead of an LCD panel) and a glass trackpad that doesn't include a button (for larger tracking area) and features includes Apple's Multi-Touch technology.
The redesigned MacBook Pro
It's pre-loaded with Apple's Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system, which enables easy backup of your most important data via Time Machine, a redesigned desktop that helps eliminate clutter. It also comes with the iLife '08 suite of applications--including iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband, and iTunes--and the newest version of the fast-loading Safari web browser. Other hardware features include a 250 GB hard drive, 2 GB of installed RAM (which can be upgraded to 4 GB), an 8x combo Superdrive (for burning dual-layer DVDs as well as CDs), built-in Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), FireWire 800 port, Mini DisplayPort video output (for DVI and VGA connections), and an ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot for expansion solutions such as 3G wireless networking.
The New MacBook Pro DesignTraditionally notebooks are made from multiple parts. With the new MacBook all of those parts with just one part--the breakthrough unibody enclosure. Every MacBook Pro starts its life as a single block of aluminum, which is precisely machined into the basic unibody design. Another pass and the unibody takes shape. Another, and the integrated keyboard emerges. When you pick up a new MacBook Pro, you immediately notice the entire enclosure is thinner and lighter. And it feels strong and durable--perfect for life inside (and outside) your briefcase or backpack.
The standard aluminum electro-static trackpad has been replaced with a new glass Multi-Touch trackpad, which provides 40 percent more tracking area than before. Use two fingers to scroll up and down a page. Pinch to zoom in and out. Rotate an image with your fingertips. Swipe with three fingers to flip through your photo libraries. Swipe with four fingers to show your desktop, view all open windows, or switch applications. The entire trackpad surface is also a button, allowing you to both track and click virtually anywhere on the trackpad. And you can easily enable multiple virtual buttons in software, such as right-clicking.
The keyboard has also been improved, with the rigid aluminum keyboard webbing cut precisely to hold the keys, which are curved to perfectly fit fingers. And it's illuminated, so when you're in low-light settings, such as airplanes or conference rooms, you can always see what you're typing.
The 15-inch display is made of edge-to-edge, uninterrupted glass for a smooth, seamless surface and features LED backlighting for brilliant instant-on performance that uses up to 30 percent less energy than its predecessor. The ultra-thin displays provide crisp images and vivid colors which are ideal for viewing photos and movies
Intel Core 2 Duo ProcessorExperience improved energy efficiency, expanded wireless connectivity, and amazing battery life with the 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which has a super-fast 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and a large 3 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)
The new hafnium-infused circuitry--which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors--conserves even more energy, giving you more time away from the wall outlet. With 3 MB of shared L2 cache, data and instructions can be kept close to the two processor cores, greatly increasing performance and allowing the entire system to work more efficiently. And, because the processor cores share the L2 cache, either can use the entire amount if the other happens to be idle.
Video Processing & OutputThe new MacBook Pro combines the efficiency of an integrated graphics processor with the desktop-class performance of a discrete graphics processor thanks to the inclusion of both. Out of the box, it runs the integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M processor, which provides plenty of performance for everyday use with up to 5 hours of battery life. But when you need turbocharged performance for the most graphically intensive tasks, the discrete NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT processor delivers--such as for demanding 3D games like Quake, Call of Duty, and Spore. And thanks to a new graphics architecture, it's easy to switch between these two processors. The 9400M graphics processor shares 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM with main memory, while the 9600M provides 256 MB of dedicated GDDR3 video memory.
The MacBook Pro includes a next generation Mini DisplayPort, which delivers a pure digital signal that can drive up to a 30-inch widescreen display. The Mini DisplayPort is ultra-compact at just 10 percent the size of a full DVI connector, and is compatible with Apple's 24-inch Cinema Display. Adapters are also available for using VGA, DVI/HDMI and Dual-Link DVI displays
Hard Drive and MemoryThe 250 GB Serial-ATA (SATA) hard drive (5400 RPM) quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to FireWire and USB 2.0. The 2 GB of PC3-8500 DDR3 RAM (two SO-DIMMs of 1024 MB) has an industry-leading 1066 MHz speed, and the RAM capacity can be increased to 4 GB.
Wireless ConnectivityThe built-in 802.11n wireless networking provides up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g, but it's also backward-compatible with 802.11a/b/g routers, enabling you to communicate with the a wide variety of Wi-Fi resources. It works seamlessly with the new AirPort Extreme with 802.11n. Use the built-in Bluetooth wireless technology to connect to your PDA or cell phone, synchronize addresses, or download pictures from your cell phone. You can also use a wireless headset for iChat audio chats and VoIP calls as well as quickly share files with a colleague.
Video Conferencing with Built-in iSightArtfully placed in the glass display is an iSight camera, which enables easy video conferencing as well as allows you to snap pictures of yourself and create video podcasts. Using the iChat AV application, video conferencing is integrated into your iChat buddy list, so initiating a video conference is a breeze. iChat also lets you hold audio chats with up to 10 people and provides high-quality audio compression and full-duplex sound so conversation can flow naturally. For video podcasting, you can record a short clip using the iSight camera, then use iWeb to create a video blog entry or post your GarageBand-recorded podcast.
Other Features
Two USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800, ExpressCard/34 slot
Mini DisplayPort compatible with DVI, VGA, and dual-link DVI connectors (all optional)
8x slot-loading SuperDrive with the following write speeds: 8x DVD±R; 4x DVD±R DL (double layer); 4x DVD±RW; 24x CD-R; 10x CD-RW
Built-in full-size backlit keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys (inverted "T" arrangement)
Internal omnidirectional microphone and built-in speakers
Combined optical digital output/headphone out (minijack)
Combined optical digital input/audio line in (minijack)
50-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery providing up to 5 hours of battery life using 9400M graphics (up to 4 hours using 9600M graphics)
Kensington lock slot
Measures 14.35 x 9.82 x 0.95 inches (WxDxH) and weighs 5.5 pounds (including battery)
Environtmental ConsiderationsThe entire new MacBook family meets stringent Energy Star 4.0, EPEAT Gold and RoHS environmental standards, and leads the industry in the elimination of toxic chemicals by containing no brominated flame retardants, using only PVC-free internal cables and components, and using energy efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass.
Preloaded with Leopard and iLife '08The biggest Mac OS X upgrade ever, the Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system features over 300 new features, including:
Time Machine, an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac
A redesigned Finder that lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs
Quick Look, a new way to instantly see files without opening an application
Spaces, an intuitive new feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them
A brand new desktop with Stacks, a new way to easily access files from the Dock
Major enhancements to Mail and iChat
Preloaded with Leopard, you'll enjoy enhanced productivity and a clutter-free desktop (thanks to the the redesigned 3D Dock with Stacks).Leopard's new desktop includes the redesigned 3D Dock with Stacks, a new way to organize files for quick and easy access with just one click. Leopard automatically places web, email and other downloads in a Downloads stack to maintain a clutter-free desktop, and you can instantly fan the contents of this and other Stacks into an elegant arc right from the Dock. The updated Finder includes Cover Flow and a new sidebar with a dramatically simplified way to search for, browse and copy content from any PC or Mac on a local network.
Time Machine lets you easily back up all of the data on your Mac, find lost files and even restore all of the software on their Mac. With just a one-click setup, Time Machine automatically keeps an up-to-date copy of everything on the Mac. In the event a file is lost, you can search back through time to find deleted files, applications, photos and other digital media and then instantly restore the file.
The MacBook also comes with the iLife '08 suite of applications that make it easy to live the digital life. Use iPhoto to share entire high-res photo albums with anyone who's got an email address. Record your own songs and podcasts with GarageBand. Break into indie filmmaking with iMovie and iDVD. Then take all the stuff you made on your MacBook and share it on the web in one click with iWeb.
Included SoftwareMac OS X v10.5 Leopard (includes Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, Xcode Developer Tools)
iLife '08 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand)
What's in the BoxMacBook Pro, display cleaning cloth, lithium-polymer battery, 85W MagSafe Power Adapter, AC wall plug, power cord, install/restore DVDs, printed and electronic documentationProduct DescriptionMacBook Pro puts desktop-class graphics in a portable package. That makes it the ultimate mobile solution for gamers, video editors, photographers, and design professionals.
Machined from a single piece of aluminum, the new 15.4-inch MacBook Pro is thinner, more powerful, and years ahead of its time. Inside the new MacBook Pro is the powerful Intel Core 2 Duo processor running at 2.4GHz with an increased 1066MHz frontside bus, next-generation 1066MHz DDR3 RAM memory and a stunning, ultrathin LED-backlit display that gives you instant full screen brightness.
The new MacBook Pro combines the efficiency of an integrated graphics processor with the desktop-class performance of a discrete graphics processor. Out of the box, it runs the integrated NVDIA GeForce 9400M processor, which provides plenty of performance for everyday tasks while you get an extra boost with the GeForce 9600 GT for 3D games and graphics-intensive applications like Aperture and Motion. And the all-new Multi-Touch trackpad has no separate button. T
he entire smooth glass surface is the button, so it's clickable everywhere. At less than an inch thin and 5.5 pounds, it isn't just the next-generation MacBook Pro, it's the next generation of notebooks. 15.4 Glossy (1440 x 900) LED Backlit Widescreen Display Built-in iSight Camera and internal omnidirectional microphone NVIDIA (integrated) GeForce 9400M and (discrete) 9600 GT with 256MB Dedicated Video Memory 8X Slot-loading SuperDrive (DVD+-R DL/DVD+-RW/CD-RW) AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi Wireless (802.11a/b/g/n) Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet ExpressCard 34 Slot Ports - 2 x USB 2.0, FireWire 800, Digital/Analog Line In; Digital/Analog Line Out, Mini DisplayPort, RJ-45, MagSafe Power Port Unit Dimensions - 14.35 (W) x 0.95 (H) x 9.82 (D) Unit Weight - 5.5 Pounds
