| Brand: | Apple | ||
| Average Rating |
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MacBook Pro brings high performance and precision design to everyone. Every new MacBook Pro features a breakthrough, long-lasting battery that delivers up to 7 hours of wireless productivity on a single charge and can be recharged up to 1000 times—nearly three times the lifespan of typical notebook batteries. The new LED-backlit display has a 60 percent greater color gamut than that of previous generations, giving you richer, more vibrant colors. Every MacBook Pro features the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics processor, which provides an outstanding graphics experience for everyday tasks. Power your way through the latest 3D games—including Call of Duty and Quake—and enjoy improved graphics performance with iWork, iLife, and everything you do in Mac OS X. And with the latest 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, it’s the most powerful Mac notebook ever. All in a precision aluminum unibody enclosure that’s less than an inch thin. more info
MB Pro standard – good but not great.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I recently bought the new MB Pro 13 inch. Having used the White MB (Late 2007 release) in the past, the differences between the two in terms of quality are immense.
The White MB I owned was a poor quality product, the polycarbonate body was prone to cracking, it suffered random hardware failures for no reason and the screen on it was horrible – pathetic viewing angles and color reproduction.
On the other hand, the MB PRo feels like a high quality product (externally) The Unibody construction process has resulted in a computer that feels built to last. These are the features that make it a compelling purchase.
The LCD screen. It is glossy and that can be a problem in some environments but if you use your notebook regularly instead of connecting it to a external monitor, it really is a very good screen. The MB Pro screen has a 60% greater color gamut and it beats the MB screen easily in terms of black levels, color depth and accuracy. It’s great for watching movies or viewing and editing photos.
The glass trackpad is a pleasure to use for navigation due to it’s design. Unlike the old MB Pro trackpads, this is a single large glass trackpad with no visible buttons – the whole trackpad can be used as a button once it’s configured in System preferences. Scrolling, clicking and dragging all happen effortlessly once you’re used to it and, once you’re used to it, it will be hard to go back to using regular or smaller sized trackpads on other notebooks.
Firewire 800 is another addition – for media professionals who need a better and faster way to transfer data than USB 2.0
Bluetooth 2.1 – easy to transfer your phone data to the macbook by using bluetooth.
SD Card slot – finally Apple realizes that consumers may want a convenient way to download their photos or videos without using an external card reader. An SD card slot is built in – tough luck for Pro’s who uses other card formats or who need an express card slot but something is better than nothing.
Backlit keyboard wth chiclet keys – good for typing in dark rooms and comfortable to use for long periods of time.
Built in battery – 7 hours of power as advertised by Apple, your mileage may vary but it allows you to be mobile for 5 to 6 hours. It’s an Inbuilt battery so once it’s exhausted, it’s back to the Apple store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider for replacement. However, Apple states that the battery will hold 80% of it’s charge for up to a 1000 charges which means approximately 3 to 4 years of daily use. So it should be a while before you have to go in for that battery replacement.
A few things to take into account before you make your decision -
Whatever you do, please buy the Applecare.Protection.Plan AppleCare Protection Plan – For Portable Apple Computers 13.3 Inches and Below. Unfortunately what most customers don’t know before they buy their first Apple computer is that if you don’t have Applecare and a product malfunction occurs after the first year, the repair / replacement charges are much higher than other PC makers in most cases.
Apple’s products are as prone to failure as any other PC because Apple sources components from manufacturers just like every other PC maker. But If something goes wrong with a Mac, and you don’t have the A.P.P, you’ll be paying exorbitant fees for getting the hardware repaired. Keep in mind, the A.P.P. only covers hardware failure – not accidental damage so it’s still expensive for what you get but it’s better than paying Apple’s prices for repair/replacement parts.
You will also NEED to upgrade your ram from 2 gb to 4gb if you plan to do any image processing or video editing.
With the standard 2gb of ram, my machine starts to stutter the moment I try to open up a large image file and listen to music simultaneously. That’s being cheap on Apple’s part, considering a customer has just bought a computer for $1200 and it has only 2 gb of ram. This is not a netbook, its supposedly a “PRO” notebook. For the ram, that will be another 80 to 100 dollars.Crucial CT2KIT25664BC1067 4GB 204-PIN PC3-8500 SODIMM DDR3 Memory KIT (2GBx2)
If you’re a datajunkie, the 160 gb that Apple includes with the MB Pro is woefully inadequate so factor in another 80 to 120 dollars based on the hard drive you may buy to replace the stock drive with
The MB Pro has a mini display port, you’ll have to buy a MiniDP to VGA convertor or MiniDP to DVI convertor if you ever feel like connecting your MB Pro to a larger monitor – since Apple is nice enough not to include it with the machine it will cost you $30 more IF you buy it from Apple. Here’s a cheaper option – Mini DisplayPort to DVI Female Adapter Cable for Apple Macbook, Macbook Pro, iMac, Macbook Air, Mac Mini Laptop
Your total cost would actually be $1200 + $200 A.P.P + $80 RAM = 1480 dollars + applicable taxes. I’m counting the ram as a mandatory upgrade if you want to avoid a sluggish user experience.
Taking all of that into account, the machine is still good for me – well built, fairly capable and it works well. It could have been great if Apple stopped diluting a supposedly premium product experience by being cheap and skimping on the ram and hard drive capacity. However, if you are buying a 13 inch MB Pro I recommend buying the standard 13 inch MB Pro instead of the high end MB Pro 13 inch and upgrading the hard drive and ram yourself. (Instructions are in the manual and you’ll need a Philips #00 screwdriver. Videos are also available online showing you how to.)
It works out to a much better deal. I wouldn’t recommend the regular polycarbonate Macbook based on my experience with it.
Rumor Alert – In January or February 2010, Apple probably will be updating the MB Pro’s with Intel’s newest processors (the Arrendale series) If you can wait till then, you should. But if you do need a MB Pro right now, buy the standard 13 inch model.
Okay, not impressed. Design flaws overlooked by fanboism
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Okay, Apple redesigned its macbook pro line.
Pros:
-The aluminum body feels solid
-The keyboard feels right and is backlit
-The LED Screen is just superb. Some people complain about this but to me, it is just bright, clear and colors are outstanding.
-Battery life averaging at most 5 hours. Not bad but nowhere near the 7 hours advertised. Not a con bc the battery life is still excellent
-Bootup speed is superb. 20 seconds to boot up and less than 5 seconds to shut it down.
-Snow Leopard is fast and expose makes life easier.
cons:
-First of all, this is the bottom of the line macbook pro. If you wanna do any serious “professional” work here, you won’t be happy. 9400M graphics card is mediocre.
-Snow Leopard is far from being stable. Plenty of compatibility issues, especially with Adobe products.
-Safari is a memory hog
-Heating issues. Aliminum dissipates heat better, so I wonder how those white macbooks handle the heat issue.
-Why on earth would the team design for the macbook pro line-up design a vent dissipating heat towards the screen. That WILL cause the premature failure.
-USB ports are TOo CLOSE TOGETHER. If you use a non-bluetooth mouse(which is recommended for a longer battery life) and want to use a flashdrive, you have to choose for one or the other.
-Minidisplay port. Really Apple? It doesn’t even support audio at the moment so why replace the mini-dvi display? Or why not go the HDMI option?
-Glossy screen. Not a fan but if you adjust the brightness properly, it should be just fine.
macbook Pro
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Its really a good machine to work on. I love it. All of its components are really cohesive and homogeneously organized.
Great computer, but flawed firmware for some
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I’ve had a lot of Macs before, both desktops and laptops, and this is one of the best I’ve owned.
The display is crisp with vibrant colors. Some don’t like the glare, but I find the brightness outweighs any issue with reflections.
The addition of a lighted keyboard is helpful, and the scrollpad is marvelous, very iPhone-like. I also like the addition of a SD car slot, although it does stick out a bit. One less thing to carry around, and you can create a bootable card, which is kind of cool.
Since lots of folks have extolled the virtues of the machine, let me explain where Apple stumbled.
This computer comes with a user-serviceable hard drive and memory. Check Apple’s site; they have instructions for how to replace a hard drive or add memory. But before you slam in a hard drive, beware. Most of the new MBPs come with a firmware update, EFI 1.7, installed. On some MBPs this has caused problems when copying large files. Apple refuses to acknowledge the problem; indeed, EFI 1.7 supplanted EFI 1.6 because many users were adding SSDs and finding that speeds lagged behind what you’d expect with SATA II. But EFI 1.7 broke some computers, and users have been going back to Apple stores to get the firmware rolled back to 1.6. Which fixes the crashing, hanging behavior, but also means they don’t get the advantage of SATA II speeds (you’d only notice such speeds with SSDs, not normal hard drives). I mention this because Apple’s support has not been very helpful, and any switcher coming over would expect a modern computer to play nice with off-the-shelf user added hard drives and SSDs. Too bad Apple dropped the ball here, it mars an otherwise excellent product.
Great machine!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Tired of doing the computer exchange game? Searching for a good computer? Check out the Mac!
My wife and I have been Windows Pc users for many years, we have never tried the Mac systems before. We went to Best Buy to check the Mac systems out. Wow we were amazed. An Apple Sales Representative was showing us the systems.
We went home, did some more research on the web on Mac systems, read a lot of reviews and decided to purchase the Mac.
Went back to Best Buy, a sales lady came up to us (had a Geek Squad shirt on) she knew nothing about Mac computers! She went to get some numbers, came back with a list of prices. The New iMac 20″ and warranty, plus many others! Totaling between $1600 and $1800. She said that they need to do some tweaking on the system for better performance (which was downloading updates) she said it would take 4 hours to do and it would take longer for you to do them at home, (took 30 minutes for all at home). Also installing the Snow Leopard OS and iWorks. She made it sound like the normal PC user could not do these things at home. Well needless to say, we turned around and walked out without a Mac! We was questioning our ability to work a Mac???
Did some more looking at the Apple website and watching the tutorial videos. We couldn’t see how the Mac would be so much harder to work with. So decided to go ahead and purchase the MacBook Pro. We wanted to test it before purchasing the iMac for my wife.
We decided we were not purchasing our Macs from Best Buy! We found the MacBook Pro 13.3″ 2.53 GHz. on the Amazon website for a good price, so purchased it with the Apple Care Protections plan. Price and shipping was good!
I am a truck driver and I use a notebook while away from home. Purchased the MacBook Pro to replace an HP Notebook. So glad I did! The MacBook Pro is lightweight, LED Screen is amazing, viewing is great! Great colors and picture! The sound quality, wow! (The Hp had a premium sound upgrade, the volume and sound quality was no comparison to the MacBook Pro.) Set up was a breeze and software updates went quick (lol). The Mac system is easy to learn and easy to use. We love the MacBook Pro so well that we purchased the 21.5″ iMac for my wife, and she is so satisfied with it, she loves it!
A Stable OS Wins for Me!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have been a PC user for about 6 or 7 years, mostly because it was cheaper and utilized more business logic. But when I noticed my PC starting to fizzle out, I knew I needed to upgrade my computer and decided to get a laptop – and to further it, I went with a MacBook. I was hesitant, but went with it. I purchased the Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-Inch Laptop MB991LL/A.
So it has now been a year since I bought it, so I think it gives me a fair appreciation of the Mac instead of my initial knee-jerk reactions. Of course, upon using it, I was trying to do all the controls of a PC on a Mac, which is like trying to text on a rotary phone. I dont know if thats a fair analogy. Some of the ways that the Mac was set up seemed alien at first. Everyone talks about how easy it is to use and how great it is, etc. But I was skeptical and almost disliked it at first. The OS functioned differently, I had a hard time finding items. Mac seemed to have folders already in place for everything, most of which I was unfamiliar with. All of the programs seemed to want to commingle with each other, which was also weird.
But as I got to play with it more and more, I realized the brighter side of it. The best part of the Mac that I have found versus the PC is the stability of the OS. I have probably needed to restart the computer about 10 times in the past year, and thats all due to either an installation or just to refresh the system. The system has NEVER crashed. Whereas the PC, it would be standard operating procedure to crash once a day. The fact that the Mac OS is that stable speaks volumes! While there is always room for caution, I dont have to be as paranoid about spyware or any deadly viruses. Where the PC, you are seemingly an open target for every website.
The track pad on here does take time and effort to get a handle. Its quite sensitive and the space is small to work in. Its not ideal to do any graphics work, but moving around on the internet and the system is very easy once you get a gist of the controls. Be careful of your finger placement thought, it picks up the subtlest touch – even when your other hand is seemingly out of the way! I preferred the right click on the left bottom side than the default right bottom side. It still needed practice to use the double click within the same area you are moving your cursor. But its so much easier than older Macs that have a button to click. At least, when I use someone elses Mac and there is a button to click, I am ill-adjusted to that form of tracking. But if you get this now, there are system updates that fix some of the hardware issues concerning the tracking.
Adding media, such as printers, cameras, scanners is very simple. Its literally plug n’play. Very nice and compatible with most stuff. And it knows what to do with the content as well – or you can direct it once and it takes it from there. It was unfortunate that my Epson R300 printer is not compatible. This did not mean I was unable to use the printer, it only meant that I cannot tell which color is out of ink when it did run out. So thats something to be on the alert.
The major flaw that I have found, and I wish they would work on it, is Safari. While its a good browser, its the one program that crashes on me the most. It also seems to lag more than any other program. Initially, scrolling up and down would set it off and the timer would come on. Now, I watch a lot of hulu and they introduced the new tabs with pre-destined web pages with pictures, it will invariably crash. I understand that its a conflict with the Flash program – but still, you think its been taken care of by now. I like Safari, but I think its time to push the browser technology one step further (IMO).
So after a year of using the MacBook, I have found that A) I love the traveling with a computer!! B) It is a super-stable system. If you are thinking of getting a Mac, my best advice is to look at them and see if you like the design, the look, etc. It might help to know someone who has previous knowledge of how to navigate well on the Mac. Also, be patient in your transition. Don’t expect everything to be as smooth as creamy butter at first because it wont. Its gonna be frustrating because you will want it to perform and function like a PC and it will resist that.
Keep in mind that I don’t feel that there is a strong “Mac vs PC” competition as they both perform well. I do believe the Mac edges out Windows in terms of OS. Design-wise, Mac may also have the edge. But we are also at the stage of technological advance where its coming down to preference and fashion. While there is more available for Windows, it also comes with a boat load of spy/ad/mal/ware. So Mac, in my mind is more secure. On the other hand, there were programs I enjoyed on the PC that are not available for the Mac – so there is a sacrifice! I am not a Mac addict, but I do appreciate the products they do release as they are high quality stuff, which you will pay for. So take that into consideration. I do recommend this MacBook or any of their laptops primarily because of the OS. To me that is the bottom line for the computer. Mac has shown they are a very stable system, on top of looking great!
It cost quite a bit for this lap top and I am happy with the purchase I made.
(as an aside – the Snow Leopard OS upgrade does make small changes that seemed to affect 3rd party hardware. I noticed my Cannon digital camera could no longer be read once I upgraded. Although I assume some of those kinks will eventually be ironed out, it is a little on the frustrating side).
MacBook Pro Issue
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I purchased this Macbook Pro 2.53 with 4GB DDR3 ram. A month later I noticed the processing speed slowed significantly and the cooling fan became lower. I took it in an Apple store nearby and I was told that the the fan works and there is nothing they can do about the noise. I asked them if they could replace it with another one considering it was only a month old, but I was told that replacement is never an option unless the computer is broken. I am very disappointed considering how much I paid for this computer.
Loving this Macbook Pro So Far!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After decades in the PC World, this is my first experience with a MAC. I received my 13″ Macbook Pro a couple days back, and I’m loving it! This computer is inherently easier to use, is super fast and looks and feels great! So far, no technical difficulties– it was very easy to set up. The shipment arrived on time and in excellent condition. I would definitely recommend buying this computer through Amazon.
MACBOOK PRO
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After many months of research I finely went Mac. The Best move I ever DID. Its The best Laptop I have ever Purchased.
The Price Difference: Worth Every Penny
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I think the best way to justify getting a higher end notebook like a MacBook Pro is to think about how long you sit in front of the computer each day. Most of us rely on our notebooks a lot more than a few years ago, and so if you get this kind of mileage out of a computer, doesn’t it make sense to spend a couple hundred dollars more on it? We throw away money every day on useless junk, but a computer is such a necessity, doesn’t it make sense to get a high quality one?
Speaking of high quality, a MacBook isn’t just all hype and marketing. It’s mostly in the engineering, and it definitely is well thought-out and flawless. The aluminum unibody is amazing and sturdy, and you feel the quality on every edge and laser-etched surface. The precision is astounding. The keyboard is tough and elegant, and the little features and attention to detail are marvelous.
The screen is a huge selling point for this notebook. It is absolutely stunning and vibrant. Not owning other LED screen products, this one definitely got to me a bit more than usual, and it beats the heck out of LCD technology, far and away. Viewing angles are great and the color gamut lends itself to an awesome amount of depth in images that I previously had not seen with such realism.
THE best feature of the computer’s hardware is definitely the multi-touch trackpad. Never have I come even close to feeling that a touchpad was anywhere close to the ease and intuitiveness of a regular old mouse. However, Apple has truly done it here. In many ways, the trackpad is superior to most other pointer devices on the market, including mice. It’s so large that you can move around the screen in one swipe no matter where you start on the pad. The multi-touch is a feature that is so easy to use and so useful, you will want it on every computer you own and ever use. The ability to start expose is fantastic, and so handy that you won’t miss the Windows taskbar one bit. Also, the trackpad’s surface is so smooth with its brushed glass finish, it’s a joy to use.
Aside from all of the cool hardware features, the OS is fantastic as well. This is not a computer for gamers, and everyone knows that. The most I would play on this would be simpler games and RTS games. If you’re a fan of graphics-heavy shooters, then you should be looking into easily upgradeable desktops or larger notebooks anyway, not a tiny 13.3″ computer of any kind. If you’re a moderate gamer but otherwise a user who wants lots of productivity tools, seamless multitasking, and apps that just work, this is a great solution to your woes.
I use lots of the packaged software that OSX has, like iMovie and especially Garage Band. I couldn’t believe that such a powerful program would come pre-packaged with my Mac, but it totally blew me away. I record my electric guitar straight through the computer, with so many software loops, and not to mention with tons of apps loaded in the background. The interfaces are incredibly easy to learn to use, and the entire OS is just fun.
All in all, I don’t understand all the complaints about the price premiums. If you can’t afford a Mac, it’s not even part of your discussion, so it’s a moot point to argue against it anyway. If you can, it’s worth checking out because of the quality of the product you get. Ultimately, $300-400 of a price difference isn’t a whole lot when you think about how much computers are integrated into our lives. For such an incredible machine, it’s worth that price premium, because in the long run, it’s just a few cents a day that you’re spending in order to avoid headaches with system issues, slowdowns, and time spent just stressing over why your computer isn’t doing what it’s supposed to.