Apple MacBook Pro MB166LL/A 17-inch Laptop (2.5 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 2 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD SuperDrive) Reviews

• This is a "Pro" in every sense.

  
  By A5FO3KL0969TK on 2008-03-12
  In March 2008, I decided it was time to upgrade from a G4-based laptop to one of the new Intel models. I deliberated back and forth whether the lower priced MacBook would be sufficient or whether to pay the premium for the "Pro" model. Ultimately, I decided upon the MacBook Pro for these reasons.
  
  Construction quality
  The aluminum case of the MacBook Pro reminds me of a product made by the Swiss. The build quality is outstanding for a mass-produced device. It feels very substantial, and all the pieces fit together nearly seamlessly. The MacBook's case, however, is made from a high-grade plastic rather than metal. It's nice ... but I found the front edge of the MacBook's case a bit sharp on my wrists as I typed.
  
  Ports
  Compared with the MacBook, the MacBook Pro provides an additional USB port plus Firewire 800. The latter is desirable for people who work with video and external drives that have Firewire 800 connectors. The ExpressCard slot is useful for future expansion and services such as wireless broadband (EVDO).
  
  Keyboard
  Keyboard experiences are subjective; but I find the keyboard on the MacBook Pro the most comfortable of any laptop I've ever used. It feels solid and responsive. Plus, its backlighting is helpful when typing in dark environments.
  
  Dedicated video
  Unlike the MacBook that shares system memory for video (integrated graphics), the MacBook Pro has a dedicated video processor. This is beneficial for driving large external displays and running graphics-intensive applications.
  
  Is the MacBook Pro worth the $700 price differential over a MacBook? That depends on whether you are a general home computer user (i.e., e-mail, web browsing, iTunes, word processing) or someone who uses their laptop for more advanced purposes. My user profile is more in the second category. Also, since I intend to keep this computer for three years, I figure that the premium breaks down to about $233 each year. This seems reasonable to me for something I use every day.
  
  In view of the additional quality and benefits that the MacBook Pro offers, I think its higher price brings with it commensurate value. It's hard to imagine even finicky laptop users being disappointed with the MacBook Pro.
  
  P.S. -- There are two 15-inch MacBook Pro models. I bought the 2.4 gHz "entry level" model. It is the better value. I do not feel the 2.5 gHz MacBook Pro is worth the extra $500.
  
  Also, people who care to add system memory (beyond the stock 2 gigabytes supplied by Apple) ought to purchase it from a third-party vendor and install it themselves. It is a simple process.
  
  

• Finally, the perfect desktop replacement

  
  By A2QNS95WGN35G9 on 2008-04-06
  
  Short and Quick Review
  
  This model is worth the 500 difference between the entry level. The screen is beautiful, the new LED Displays are great, better color depth, more color, the laptop doesn't get as hot as previous versions. Everything works, it is very fast, and this laptop replaced 2 high end workstations + 2 high end laptops (A dell with workstation class graphics card, and 17 inch macbook pro). I can edit 1080p high def video in real time with no slow down, edit my 12mp raw files in real time with no slow down. I can play the latest games like Call of Duty 4 maxed out on windows vista at native resolution with no slow down online.
  
  With the beefy 250gb HD, ability to upgrade to 4gb of ram, the 512 graphics card, and 6mb cache, this machine is a complete replacement for me, and revolutionizes my life, work style, and workflow.
  
  It is worth buying, and definitely better than the 2k version, by leaps, read my longer review for more.
  
  
  
  Longer Fuller Review.
  
  The new macbook pros are fantastic! I had a 17 inch core 2 duo before, it was nice, but it didn't do everything I wanted or needed. I was forced to keep my mac pro, and my custom built windows PC for running the applications I need, and the ability to play games (I do some freelance game design, as well as photography and animation work)
  
  I grew tired of having so many workstations, but what can you do when you need the power? Apples new macbook pro has answered my needs. I have wanted a laptop with a 512mb graphics card for years, it has never happened until now.
  
  Previous to this laptop, my laptops have been "toys" the only close workstation I had was a dell that cost close to 3k, and would break your back to carry it (but it had a 512 workstation class graphics card!)
  
  With this laptop, I have sold my other machines, it is all I need, or want. If it meets my needs and expectations, it should be able to meet yours easily.
  
  The reason you buy this model, is because of the graphics card, and the increase in l2 cache on the processor. The 2k model has less cache than last years santa rosa model (3mb compared to last years 4mb) this model and the 17 inch has 6mb, as well as the 512mb graphics card, dual core processor, and the ability to use 4gb of ram.
  
  After getting the laptop, I use bootcamp to repartition the harddrive (did not need to reinstall OS X, was able to do this on the fly to install windows) I split it up to give me 165gb for OS X, and the rest for windows.
  
  I need to use specialized software that requires windows, and these programs also require very high end workstations. The life of someone in 3d is not easy. This workstation takes care of all my needs. I'm running the 32 bit version of vista ultimate (the 64 bit is horrible, do not run it) I use windows to run the programs I need (mainly zbrush, unreal engine, and 3ds max) I can and do have maya, and can use it on this partition as well as os x thanks to the dongle, but I cannot use my creative suite software on windows, because of adobes licensees. (though oddly enough, I can run Lightroom on both platforms)
  
  On my OS X side, I run maya, photoshop, after effects, and final cut studio (with shake 4.1, yes I need 2 compositing programs) I have no problems running these programs on this system. I can render out quickly, everything is snappy. With the 8600 geforce (opposed to ATI) maya is very responsive, and I get very few render errors. Dynamics are able to be rendered on this machine, and I can run simulations with ease. Render times are quite quick, and this system is very responsive.
  
  I do photo editing, and this machine is fast as well (I upgraded to 4gb of ram myself for 95 dollars) my camera is a nikon d300, which is 12mp, I use lightroom and photoshop extensively, and at the same time with no problems at all.
  
  I also run maya and photoshop cs3 together all the time (with itunes in the background).
  
  With leopard, I find using this machine even better. I can use spaces, and have maya on one screen, then I can swtich to another screen with photoshop to paint textures, or reference something, and go to another screen for safari or itunes.
  
  The touchpad is cool. Even in windows, I can right click by using both fingers on the touch pad, and clicking with the bar, very smart apple! it works in OS X as well (but you have to enable it)
  
  
  I bought the apple keyboard (not the wireless, as I need a full size keyboard) and that keyboard is fantastic, the best I have ever owned. I love it. I also bought the logitech g9 mouse to use as my mouse (I cannot stand Mighty Mouse) this mouse is perfect, and similar price. With the wired keyboard you get use ports on the side, so you can attach the mouse to the keyboard with no problems. And it saves on clutter.
  
  
  For those who enjoy playing video games (I do help make them) you will be happy to know you can play the latest games on PC here with great ease. I can play call of duty 4, at native res of 1440x900 (on vista) with little to no slowdown. Same for Unreal 3 (and all games that use this engine). I can play Half Life 2 and Team Fortress 2 maxed out all the way, at the native screen res, with no problems at all. I can play crysis, and bioschock (not maxed out, but pretty close).
  
  
  I have not been so excited about a laptop in ages. I had the original powerbook and used it all over, but it was slow, it was something to use when on the road, and at school. When the first macbook pro came out, I was all over it, the software was buggy, it only allowed 2gb of ram, and it was not practical as my only system, nor was it applicable for heavy use by me. I got the 17 inch when the core 2 duo's came out, it was great, very snappy, and with the 256 card it was close to everything I need (but only 3gb of ram) I skipped the santa rose, as It did not really address anything. This model addresses everything. With 4gb of ram, 2 cores, 6mb of l2 cache, and a 512mb graphics card, there is nothing I cant do.
  
  I edit HD video (1920x1080p) in final cut with no problems. I composite this video in shake with 3d made in maya with NO PROBLEMS. I play high end PC games maxed out with no problems! (Call of Duty 4 is a hard game to run, this runs it and I can play it maxed at native res, online, with no slowdown at all).
  
  I work on my raw images from my nikon with no problems at all. This machine is just perfect. Everything works the way it should, and the way it needs to.
  
  The only complaint I have is they did not include remotes in this revision. You can still access Front Row by using Command ESC and use that to view videos (which look very good on my HDTV).
  
  
  I should also note, if you buy another keyboard (such as the apple external which I highly recommend (the wired, not wireless) You need to go into system preferences and turn off the optiion for F Keys, as this keyboad has an FN button, like the one on the laptop, and renders using your f keys impossible without pressing fn, turning on that option, makes your keyboard normal, and you can use fn to adjust the volume of your laptop.
  
  
  Right now I have this laptop hooked up to my HDTV using the supplied DVI to VGA cable, and a line out form the laptop. I have sound on my tv (which I could pipe to a sound system if needed, or (what I do) have it piped to my wireless head phones). This laptop is where it is at.
  
  Please, do not think the 500 dollars for this model over the other is not worth it, as it is very much worth it. The difference between this model, and the 2k model is night and day for me. It goes from a toy, I can use when on the plane, to my only computer! And that is HUGE if you are anything like me.
  
  Now the difference between this and the 17 inch does matter. If you get the 17 inch, you will likly not be playing the latest games at native resolution, and I plan on using this hooked up to my TV, so I do not need 2 extra inches. If you will only be using the laptop, and have no plans on games, the 17 inch may be better for you. After reading many reviews, the 15 inch has better response times, and everything is slightly snappier than the 17 inch, which is why I went with the 15. There is not much a difference in size between the 2, the 17 is not much bigger than the 15, but for me, you could not get me to part with my 15 inch for anything.
  
  This laptop is perfect, get it, and enjoy it. The design will likely change by the next revision (rumored in june / july) this could be the last time you can get such a beautiful laptop, that works perfectly, and is everything you can want.
  
  
  5 out of 5, no problems at all.
  
  

• Great Performance, Poor Display

  
  By A3K8BGGZOHWQ0M on 2008-04-19
  As my second Apple purchase (first being an IPOD Touch 16GB) I am quite upset. This is my first Macbook and I am Impressed with several things. Performance, Build, Style, Sound, Touch pad responsiveness and Overall quality get perfect 10's in my book. However, the reason for the 2 star rating was the quality of the display.
  
  Do a little researching on YELLOWING and you will know what I'm talking about. The first MBP I received from amazon had about 2 inches of yellow (stained) pixels at the bottom of the screen. I brought it to the apple store and the guy noticed it and offered a replacement, warning me that if I take the replacement I am risking getting a worse display. He opened a brand new box for me and the display had no yellowing but had BRIGHT SPOTS all over the place. This affected more of the middle of the screen so I went back a second time for my third replacement. This MBP has also disappointed me because it also has YELLOWING on about the bottom third of the screen.
  
  Still, I am debating of going back to the Apple store to replace or just simply return this laptop and go with something else. Keep in mind I have owned this for 7 days total. This is a very valid issue and for a $2000 plus investment it is something to consider.
  
  This is a known problem since the SR MBP's and I thought they would have fixed it in quality control but no. I will give Apple credit for great quality service, but they should really spend more money on quality control!
  
  I have the Macbook Pro 15.4" 2.4GHz 200GB.
  
  The displays affected were the 9C81, 9C81 and 9C83... two had yellowing, one had uneven bright/dark spots.
  
  

• This is not a review, just a warning about 17" Macbook Pro screens

  
  By A10RGGBA9MIQ26 on 2008-03-07
  Hi everyone. I am the happy owner of a 15" 2.2 GHz Macbook Pro from the last generation. I am upgrading to the 17" in the near future. This is NOT a review but simply a warning. The Amazon listing is INCORRECT. The 1680x1050 display is NOT lit by LED's. It is lit by CCFL's, ONLY the 1920x1200 upgrade screen is lit by LED's. This upgraded screen is NOT available on Amazon.com (Please note that ALL 15" Macbook Pro's are LED screens)
  
  There is a large difference in the quality between these two with LED's being superior. The whites are much whiter, the contrast is better. Though they claim both are 300nits brightness, I find the LED's to look much brighter (possibly the combination of whites and the better contrast) Also know that Apple claims the LED screen's (that being the 1920x1200 screen) efficiency gives it 30 extra minutes of battery life over the CCFL versions (1680x1050 screens) I hope this helps. These are really excellent notebooks.
  
  Please remember this ONLY applies to 17" Macbook Pro's, ALL 15" Pro's are LED.
  
  

• pretty but...

  
  By A16MS8QICWEDR2 on 2008-03-29
  good computer but for this price should not have problems like warped lid, dvd's constantly sticking in the ridiculous slot drive with no way to extract them other than a visit to the apple store.
  i regret that the form is more important than useability to mr jobs as i am on my 3rd trip to the apple store (minimum waste of 2 hours) this time to get a dvd removed from the poorly designed slot....
  
  complete waste of my time just because stevey didnt like the look of the little manual eject hole in the front.
  not a happy camper!!!!!
  
  
• 2 weeks into the switch
  By A36NFTN922LJT2 on 2008-04-26
  There was no reason for me to switch to a Mac product. I've always have been intrigued, but XP was doing it for me day in and out. My current Dell Latitude was on its way out and I wanted something high quality. I couldn't find anything that comes close in build quality/finish to the Macbook Pro. Asus makes some nice notebooks but I didn't want Vista, with all of its assorted issues and XP doesn't seem like a sound choice given its looming end of life.
  
  So now I have my Macbook Pro. As a software developer I was drawn to the idea of a UNIX shell as a first class citizen (sorry Cygwin). The toughest part is learning the keys. In XP I could move around an IDE effortlessly, with keys: home,end,ctrl-arrow etc.; not so on the Mac keyboard. This proved the most frustrating. The lack of the forward delete is also a disappointment but I hear there are keyboard mapping solutions.
  
  I installed VMware Fusion and XP for initial comfort and to ease the transition off windows. BTW, Fusion is amazing. It feels like it's native, and it's definitely faster than XP on my current Dell. With Fusion, I can map drives, cut and paste and access servers between the two -- it's all very fluid. Full screen your Fusion in a different Expose window and you can quickly swap back and forth between Mac and XP.
  
  Now the downside. In the first few days I experienced no less than 4 crashes, where it had to be power cycled. I haven't had any issues since, so I'm going to conveniently forget. Firefox crashes still, but no more than it did on windows, and maybe less.
  
  So in conclusion, Mac was the right choice for me. High quality in and out and at a decent price. The interface is pure eye candy and orders of magnitude superior (usability-wise) than XP. While there will be some pain points in learning, it will hopefully be worth it. Get VMware Fusion and install Windows for when there is no Mac alternative.
  
  *UPDATE* I have now had the macbook pro for 2 months. I'm really enjoying some of the UI features, such as expose and spaces more and more. The hotkeys are awesome (e.g. show desktop, lock/start screensaver).
  
  There are however a few recurring problems that I have been experiencing. I'm going to detail the top two. The first issue is the screensaver hotkey stops working at times. This is a huge issue because it is also the mechanism for locking my computer, and I cannot leave my desk w/o locking it, so I must either close the lid (sleep) or restart, which fixes the issue.
  
  Now for the second issue: often when I try and restart/shutdown, it does nothing, then a minute later tells me that Finder failed to quit and I should quit Finder then try again -- great suggestion Apple, given that you CAN'T QUIT FINDER!! So now I have to hold the power button down for 10 seconds to kill it or run "sudo shutdown -r now" from Terminal.
  
  So in my latest conclusion, my mac is not living up to my expectations of reliability. I was led to believe, by many in the mac community/stupid commercials, that Mac was the panacea from XP. The Mac user interface is *unmatched* and that along with the UNIX foundation were and still are my original reasons for choosing Mac. My previous XP Pro notebook however was significantly more stable. The reliability issues are getting more and more annoying and I just hope Apple is able to resolve and restore my faith in their product. Lastly, I would change the star rating to three but it won't seem to let me.
  
  
• From PC: Macbook Pro blew past my expectations
  By A34OE2UGMS96EF on 2008-05-01
  Coming from PC, I never thought I'd dish out the extra bucks for a Mac. The new Macbook Pro is by far the best laptop I've ever used. I absolutely love the Leopard OS, build quality, and speed of this machine! Noise is a BIG issue for me as I planned to use it in bed and it is not silent as my iPhone of course but as far as laptops go I don't think there is anything quieter on the market now except perhaps the Macbook Air which I almost bought. The functionality of the OS and bleeding edge technology packed into this thing far exceed anything I thought was possible with a portable computing platform. I plan to dual boot Windows XP to be able to use all of my Windows software on this aluminum beauty. Absolutely loving it.
  
  
• I'm in love
  By A1BIL65NSE1UX6 on 2008-03-07
  I just received this computer as a replacement for my MacBook Pro 2.0Ghz bought in Aug. 06. The previous MBP was no slouch, but this one is blazing fast, the screen is amazingly bright and beautiful, it's a huge HUGE upgrade.
  
  I got the BTO 2.5 Ghz model, with the 200 GB hard drive at 7200 RPM, and also upgraded the RAM to 4 GB for under $100 (via a third party). Now it is a true replacement for a desktop machine with no compromises.
  
  I'm probably too enraptured to write a coherent and useful review. This is absolutely the best laptop, possibly the best computer, I've ever owned.
  
  
• This machine is simply PERFECT!
  By A2RYESSKW2C0BK on 2008-03-07
  I am looking at this machine and thinking hard, but just can not find anything negative. OK may be it might be more convenient if it accept usual headset microphones in the inline plug or display can be opened a little bit further. You see after a week of heavy use, these are the only things I can think of.
  It is cool, it is fast, and it is silent (I am very picky about fan noises). Multi-touch trackpad (amazing two finger scrolling), backlit keyboard, LED backlit gorgeous display (best blacks I've ever seen in any computer monitor), great audio output (with no hiss at all), mini iSight with superb image quality, all top quality. And of course the best operating system on the planet, you can't get anything better even if you are a billionaire (think about it).
  
  PS: I have the 15.4 inch, 2.4 GHz CPU, 200 GB 7200 RPM HDD, 4 GB RAM model.
  
  
• Ideal desktop replacement
  By A3EQXYIGJPI497 on 2008-05-11
  I purchased this computer to upgrade an older MacBook Pro (MBP). It is indeed a very significant upgrade to my 1st Generation MBP. I won't get into nitty gritty tech specs, as most people I know buy Macs because they want to use their computer, not the other way around.
  
  The screen is a lot crisper. My understanding is that it's an LED-based screen, which results in increased battery life. On the topic of battery life, out of the box I'm getting 4.5-5.0 hours worth of battery life--dramatically better than the 3 hours max I got out of my 1st gen MBP.
  
  The processing power is dramatically increased, as well. I never had trouble running anything on the old MBP until I got Parallels--I had to upgrade the old machine to 2 GB of RAM to get performance to an acceptable level and even then it was sluggish. Not the case with the 2.4 Ghz MBP with 2 GB of RAM.
  
  Boot up time is significantly increased with this machine and the wireless seems to have extended range versus the prior version. I attribute part of this to using an 802.11n base station, but I also notice that I pick up more WiFi access points near me, as well and some of them are Belkin 802.11g.
  
  The one thing that I do find annoying is that Apple changed the assignments for the function keys. Having used Mac laptops for ~5 years, I found this to be very annoying. I was able to work around this by changing the key assignments back to what I know.
  
  In all, a phenomenal upgrade in terms of what you get out of the box, raw processing power, boot time, and increased battery life. I recommend this laptop without hesitation.
  
  
• 10 minutes to freedom
  By A2ZR5RLHI1INB1 on 2008-03-20
  A mere 10 Minutes after I opened my new MacBook Pro, I had it up and running and I am writing my review here with it. And that 10 min. would have been lessened had I not dawdled over the Apple screen cleaner and the user guide and so on. This is a sleek and fast machine; though it can get a bit warm on the left palm-rest I am loving this new machine. I'm adding Parallels and VM Ware Fusion as well to port over some of my Windows files. [BTW: You need Fusion only if you intend to run any 64-bit OS. And if you have XP like me Parallels supposedly runs it faster and more seamlessly according to Macworld]
  
  I am looking forward to a low-calorie Windows life now. :)
  
  Amazon even beat out a Mac Mall an identically spec'd refurbished MacBook Pro with this deal and with far less rebate hassle too!
  
  I could not have had a better experience with this entire purchase than through Amazon. Their tracking and quick delivery is exemplary. And this experience IMHO, is what the Mac Malls & Fry's of the world should be shooting for.
  
  Kudos both to Apple and Amazon.
  
  
• Better value than new unibody MacBook Pro
  By A3IXZJ5ZOKABW2 on 2008-11-12
  Background:
  I wanted to buy the new unibody MacBook Pro.
  Tried it at the Apple store and here are my findings and opinions,
  and comparisons with the March 2008 model (MB134LL/A - the one I bought and am reviewing).
  
  Display on unibody model is super glossy and very reflective - and has no option for matte finish.
  Keyboard on unibody model did not feel as nice as the March 2008 model.
  Unibody model is slightly larger - bezel width is more than the March 2008 Model.
  Also, the March 2008 model is a lot cheaper (about $700),
  and there is an additional $150 rebate from Amazon.
  Meaningful specs difference:
  2.5 GHz versus 2.53 GHz CPU in the new high end one,
  2 Gigs of RAM versus 4 Gigs of faster RAM in the new high end (I upgraded to 4GB myself for $60),
  8600M GT 512MB versus 9600M GT 512MB in the new high end (20-30% faster),
  250GB 5400RPM versus 320GB 5400RPM in the new one (more on this below),
  The new one also has dual graphics (use the lower power one for more battery),
  but I'd always use the higher one, which would lead to less battery life
  than the March model.
  
  Display:
  Like I said, I prefer matte finish (or a glossy that is not like a mirror).
  The default colors were a little dull, so I went to System Preferences/Display/Color/Calibrate and
  tweaked around and saved a new color profile. It is MUCH improved now - much better saturation
  and has the contrast of glossy without the reflections.
  
  Usage:
  In less than 5 minutes, I upgraded to 4 Gigs RAM - bought that for about $60 from Amazon.
  I am keeping my two original 1 Gig sticks in case I need them in the future.
  I have VMWare Fusion running Windows XP Professional for some of my
  must-have Windows apps. I have given the VM 1 Gig of RAM and 40 Gigs of disk.
  Performance of Mac apps and Windows apps is superb.
  I am using a WD Passport 320GB USB drive for backups with Time Machine.
  
  Battery:
  Last about 2.5-3 hours with almost constant usage. The best thing is when I close the lid,
  it goes to sleep instantly, and wakes up instantly when I need it again, with no loss of
  battery regardless of how long it sleeps. That is VERY DIFFERENT from my experience with
  Windows laptops that lose battery even when sleeping. No idea why.
  
  Storage:
  It came with a 5400RPM 250GB HD. I bought a WD 7200RPM 320GB with a big buffer from
  Newegg - I plan to swap out the HD - that requires "minor surgery" so I am doing my research
  before I do it this weekend. The new disk will be a lot faster, although the it comes with
  seems to be pretty fast already. I am swapping as I like doing stuff like that.
  UPDATE: I swapped the hard drive and did a full restore from Time Machine - it now is exactly
  the same as my las back-up with all apps and settings, except with a bigger and faster hard drive.
  This "surgery" is t for the faint of heart. :-) And is probably totally unnecessary for most folks.
  
  Mac OS X:
  So simple. After using Windows PCs and laptops for over 15 years, I am amazed how easy
  and intuitive it was to use a new OS. I know Mac OS X is very powerful and I am just beginning
  to learn the advanced features to play with. Being able to run Windows XP in a VM with such a small
  load on the system is very nice. I use software apps that are either not available on the Mac yet,
  or have much older versions on the Mac. This is not specifically about the MacBook Pro but the
  fact that the MacBook Pro has enough juice to do this is what is worth noting.
  
  Boot Times:
  When I shutdown and restart, it comes up in 30 seconds or so. Much faster than my experience
  with Windows laptops. Here's the best part - if I put the Windows VM to sleep in my Mac,
  it comes back up in seconds! Much faster than Windows used to wake up on a Windows laptop!
  So for a portable laptop, the MacBook Pro is quite powerful and fast.
  
  Overall:
  I am glad I bought this model instead of the new Unibody model. This is by far the best portable computer
  I have ever owned. I've always felt that the MacBook Pro carries a price premium over "equivalent" or
  more feature rich Windows laptops, but now I know why. They are better.
  
  
• I Got My Baby Back
  By AA5PFZ3V6W8H2 on 2008-11-13
  Sometimes you do really stupid stuff. And sometimes you do it because you're never satisfied. I've always been the kind of person who was on the lookout for something better. A laptop smaller, faster than the one I have. A zoom, wider, longer, lighter than the one I have. A better iPod, better speakers, lighter, studier Nikes. Newer, better, faster Photoshop. There's always something better coming out just before Christmas. I'm looking at a Blu-ray video player. That new Tamron 18-270 is looking mighty sweet. That new MacBook, really the cat's meow that was.
  
  As soon as I saw Steve Jobs' presentation I began to think my MacBook was getting long in the tooth. How silly I was. I didn't know that then, I know it now. I mean this beautiful machine had a 320 gig hard drive, 4 gigs of ram, a gorgeous matte screen you could look at and love forever, connected right up to my really, really gorgeous 23 inch Apple Cinema display. It ran Photoshop at almost the speed of light. Lightroom too, it blazed through. Excel, it opened those files before you could blink. I had Vista installed on a Bootcamp partition and it ran XP and Ubuntu via VMWare's fusion at almost native speeds. I had XP skinned, running in Unity, so all my windows programs looked just like they were running natively in OS X.
  
  I had over two hundred gigs of music in my iTunes library. Hundreds of hours of Bob Dylan live, George Harrison and John Lennon too. This was a rock and roll machine that loved to do the blues. My MacBook loved and played Billie Holiday. Family photos, travel photos, work photos, all there to be seen on that wonderful screen.
  
  And I threw it all away for that new machine Steve Jobs was touting, because I'm never satisfied, because I'm always looking for something better. I was so stupid.
  
  I sold my baby on eBay, got the new machine, hated the glossy screen and it seemed heaver too. I wanted my baby back, oh how I wanted my baby back.
  
  I called the guy who won my baby on eBay and I swapped him my new MacBook for my old one. He was more than happy to do it.
  
  Apple had a winner with this machine. I truly believe it's the best laptop ever made. Better than its replacement, better than anything out there today. I'm going to keep this machine for a long, long time. I've learned a lesson, a real lesson. No more replacing those Nikes until their worn out. New lenses do not a better photographer make. Blu-ray not yet, I've got a very nice 43 inch Sony Bravia, which shows beautiful movies on my hundred dollar Costco Panasonic combo VHS/DVD player. Adobe just came out with CS4, but I won't be upgrading, not this time.
  
  I've been well and truly blessed. I've got a lot and I've finally learned to be satisfied with what I've got.
  
  Reviewed by Stephanie Sane
  
  
  
• Worth the 16 day wait!
  By A19VU6U5IYD6JB on 2008-03-14
  When I left for the US I knew that Apple will be updating the Macbook Pro so I sold my iBook back home. I assumed it would come out by mid-January during Macworld and I was very willing to wait at least a couple of months for it to come. Suffice to say it didn't happen with the bloody Macbook Air coming out so I ended up using a Vista PC *groan* for a month and went on a EEE PC *sigh* til yesterday. For those looking for a computer avoid Vista like taxes and go Linux or better yet a Mac.
  
  When ordered I had to wait 16 more days til it reached my doorstep as only Apple had it on stock until recently. I then bumped it to 4GB RAM as it was cheaper to buy it separately and do it yourself.
  
  So what's new you ask? Unlike older MBPs it runs really cool so the the heat sink fan just needs to operates at 2000 rpm most of the time. This simply means I can comfortably put the notebook on my lap and it doesn't sound like a dust buster. Battery lasts longer and I got the much talked about multitouch. Faster processor, more video memory and larger hard disc drive differentiates this base model from the previous generation.
  
  
• Happy Camper
  By A35FO33W1SM7BN on 2008-04-02
  It took me several months and a lot of research and in-store inspection before I bought this thing, and I'm happy to report no regrets so far. Actually, I'm glad I waited until the latest version came out. The new LED screen, faster processor, larger hard drive, bigger graphics card and included Boot Camp are definite pluses over the older models.
  I'm a graphics professional migrating from Windows and an old CRT, so the glossy screen doesn't present me with any new problems, and I find the rich colors and crisper text to be an advantage over the matt, but I admit this is a subjective call. The keyboard has a very easy and positive feel; lack of a numeric pad is no problem since I rarely used it when I had one. Serious design & bitmap work is done with an Intuos tablet anyway. The OS boots so much faster, and adapting to Leopard after Windows has not been difficult at all. Replacing the big monitor and brain-box with something this small had me wondering at first, but I now consider it to be a revelation. Once the display is on it seems more than adequate. And there's always the satisfaction of Apple's "slickness factor" - beautiful industrial design, and an operating system that just makes me want to say "cool".
  
  
• Great Design, But Not Crazy About OS
  By A3PT2LXO5XP0PF on 2008-04-16
  This is a beautifully designed laptop in every sense. It is compact, light, smart, and great looking. The aluminum case is rugged and durable. The magnetic power adapter is genius. The keyboard is the most comfortable keyboard I have ever used. The auto-dimming screen and keyboard lighting is awesome. It is also extremely light for the size and comfortable to carry. Quite frankly, for $2000 I would expect nothing less!
  
  My problem is with the OS. It supposedly has a reputation for not crashing, yet it crashed twice the first day I got it while trying to use Open Office (a program I used on my PC regularly with no problems). Additionally, I've had problems with the Finder- I would click on "Go" - "Applications" or another menu choice, and the window would appear for a nano-second and then disappear. Very buggy. I had to restart to get this to correct itself.
  
  Overall, the sturdiness and design is great, but I am unimpressed with the operating system. Mac people have the perception that Windows crashes all the time, and that has not been my experience at all, and I'm actually having more trouble with Leopard than I have ever had with Windows.
  
  That said, with the fact that no other company offers a laptop option that is as attractive in design as Apple, this was really my only choice, and I do not regret it. It has been worth the minor inconvenience I've had so far and I must admit some aspects of the OS are pretty cool, such as the stacks feature. Hopefully it stops getting buggy on me!
  
  
• A PC Convert!
  By A39X57MWGN8JSZ on 2008-10-07
  I've had this computer for almost a year (mine has smaller hard drive) After much deliberation I finally decided to convert to Mac after over a decade of using PCs. I remember when windows 95 first came out and how bad Macs sucked back then. However times change. The main thing that did it for me was that I could have both windows and OSX on the same machine using boot disk. The verdict, I am now a Mac man. And no I don't have the little apple sticker on the back of my car window in case you are wondering.
  
  Boot Disk works flawlessly and when I boot up windows (mainly for work) it is like I have a PC, (a really bad a** PC). When I first got it I thought I would be spending most of my time in windows using OSX for "fun" however after a week I realized that OS X Leopard blows windows out of the water. Every aspect is better. Let me say that again: EVERY aspect of Leopard is better than windows XP. I haven't found one thing in windows that I like better that what Leopard has. Apple simply has the best user interface engineers on the planet working for them. Now to be fair I haven't yet used Vista (haven't felt compelled at all so far based on what I have seen) so I don't have a basis for direct comparison to MS newest product.
  
  Wireless works great, bluetooth works flawlessly. OH and the DVI out is amazing! I can plug the DVI out to my receiver and watch full screen HD video on the plasma! I tried this with my old PC, even bought a new video card to do it, but frankly it couldn't hold a candle to the mac. Macbook pro also has Optical audio out for connection to the receiver, very nice. Speakers on the machine are better than average for a laptop but still not anything approaching audiophile quality.
  
  The machine comes packed with software that is actually useful, fun and has no crap on it. ILife is great and easy to use. The display is crisp, clear, vivid, etc, etc. The best screen in the business.
  
  If I had to pick a con, I'd be price, though in comparison it is really not but a couple hundred bucks more than the equivalent PC. What you get for that extra cash is a better user interface, better styling, smoother operation, faster performance. Personally I'd rather spend a few hundred bucks more and get more enjoyment, more functionality, and in the end more usefulness from the computer than to worry about saving $200 and end up with something that feels like it is just some "tool". Of course that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.
  
  
• Excellent
  By A1FP8QH7LXIVP8 on 2008-04-14
  Bought mine refurb ~6 months ago. I have had no problems whatsoever, and it has met or exceeded all demands I have placed at its feet. This a powerful and well designed laptop in every regard.
  
  Operating System: #1 Reason to buy an Apple laptop. I run Windows and Linux on my desktop, but for a laptop there is no reason not to go with Apple. OSX is better in every aspect than Windows, and getting Linux to work well on most laptops is a pain in the @%$.
  
  Screen - #1 Reason to get a MBP over a MB. Get the matte screen. It is simply the best laptop screen on the market. Hands down. I have received compliments on the actual screen from people sitting next to me. When you see a Dell or even a Lenovo next to the MBP, their screen just looks incredibly sad, dull and washed out while the the LED backlit matte MBP is very bright and crisp.
  
  Size/Weight: Weighs the same as the normal MB, but slightly larger. Five pounds is actually quite light for a laptop of this caliber. I would prefer a 13" form factor but the MBP wins in other regards, and the larger screen is certainly welcome. If SIZE is a major issue, you might want to consider the MB, if WEIGHT is the main issue, consider the MBA. If you carry around a bunch of other heavy stuff or need to travel ultra-light, this may not be the laptop for you. However, if all you carry around is a laptop, a (paper) notebook, and some papers or a book, it's not an even an issue. I carry this laptop a few miles walking almost every day and I don't even notice it.
  
  Quality: Top notch. Feels solid, unlike many PC manufacturers Apple uses top quality components for ram, motherboard, power supply, etc. If anything fails, Apple support has always been refreshingly helpful and accommodating.
  
  Metal Case: If it wasn't for the white plastic case, I might have bought the regular Macbook. I think the metal case is more professional, but this may just be personal taste. Realistically, the plastic MB is probably more durable and alledgedly gets better WiFi reception.
  
  Power: Used for extensive coding, video editing, photoshop, video playback, running Matlab simulations, etc. Hasn't failed me yet.
  
  Battery: Decent battery life, nothing amazing.
  
  In conclusion, if you need ultra-light, get a Macbook Air. For all-around use or students, I think the Macbook is the best bet. This is because I slightly prefer the Macbook keyboard, mag-latch, and form factor. But for the pro user that wants power, expandability, an amazing screen and a professional look, the Macbook Pro is the best laptop on the market.
  
  
• Hopefully Apple will treat me right! 1 star for now... more stars later?
  By A307CMGV9W8Q9U on 2008-05-04
  I just bought a 17" Macbook Pro from a local reseller. This is my first Apple and I am replacing a Toshiba Satellite that has done me justice for these past 7 years. I guess I can say my first 1 HOUR experience with this Apple was not so cozy. The screen had troubles. The brightness basically did not come to life... it never reached a brightness that I could see the menues on the screen completely. Tried everything, brightness control, restart, everything the manual instructed. I called Apple tech support, and the lady on the phone simply was short and unhelpful to me and left me with a unpositive experience (mind you I was open for suggestions and help because I reallllly wanted to get this cool computer to work). So I took it back to the reseller and hopefully they do me justice... they need to make sure they get an "RA" number from Apple before they can do anything. Luckily, the second Apple tech support person I called from the reseller was a little more helpful but the computer still was broken out of the box. So, the ball is in Apple's court I guess. I hope that Apple will do the right thing and give an "RA" to the reseller and just replace this computer with a "new" one. So, this review will be completed at a later date, either with a Macbook Pro in hand or another brand i.e. Toshiba.
  
  
• It Screams!
  By A1E1DOHCKDFW3N on 2008-04-05
  I'm moving from a Macbook Pro 17" 2.16 Ghz with 2 MB ram to this machine with 4 GB of ram. It has exceeded my expectations. I'm using it with Aperture 2, Photoshop CS3, and Lightroom....all open at the same time. The machine is a joy to use and is significantly faster than my prior Macbook Pro 17". It's highly recommended.
  
  
• I am So VERY disappointed
  By A2VQL40NLJKNZ1 on 2008-08-20
  I decided to step up my game and damage my pocket and purchase an Apple laptop and software. This is because people said this was the ideal if doing video production (and that is my dream). Since getting the thing and installing the software I have had problems. My imovie would not work...i kept having to force quit the programme...i took the laptop software etc to the Apple dealer in the Country and they reinstalled and charged me for this...took the laptop home and now the iphoto keeps hanging up. It seems i would have been better of not going the Apple route as I am yet to get ANY value for the money I paid.
  
  
• Just not worth all that money
  By A1PDFDD4GXXAHP on 2008-08-27
  I used to be a Mac person, and then I converted over to PC. Because of husband pressure and advice from the Geek Squad, I ended up buying this MacBookPro, which I've been using for several weeks.
  
  First off I do not like the silver plastic of this case. It feels cheap, and the computer runs so hot that I have to put a magazine under it to balance it on my lap. It really, really runs hot. I also don't like the old-fashioned matte screen, having been spoiled by my Acer's slick sharp screen. The screen is also smallish--although the diagonal measure is true, the depth of the screen is less than my other computers.
  
  The model ships with BootCamp, which works great, although you will have to purchase Windows VISTA separately if you're going that way. I have partitioned my hard drive 50/50 Mac/PC and am experiencing no problems. I use the machine as a PC except for iPod and photos. Apple also provided decent in-computer speakers, thank heavens, so you can play videos without using supplementary speakers.
  
  The keyboard is backlit in low light settings (you can turn this feature off). This is rather nice, but it doesn't make up for the touch of the keyboard, which doesn't feel all that great to me.
  
  Now is this machine were 1/2 the price, things would be different. But at this price point, I really am looking for something that is a bit more perfect.
  
  
  
• Matted or Glossy 15.4 Macbook Pro or XPS M1530
  By A3370A02DIHUHV on 2008-05-27
  I know I am not the first person to go over the two main issues, get the XPS at a huge discount and of course glossy or matted. I wanted to share my experience with everyone and hopefully save you some time or even hassle.
  
  First off I specced a Dell XPS M1530 and saw that with some coupons I could get a much better PC at almost half the price. Since I am not an advid Mac User this seemed like a better deal. I figured why pay more for OS X when Vista suits me just fine. So I press the send button and placed my order. Not being able to sleep at night I decided to see/feel the XPS at my local Bestbuy store. First off the exterior of the Dell is quite nice and has a sturdy feel to it. But when I opened the unit, the keboard wrist area looked kind of cheap. I then booted it up and tried some videos / movies / games. The one thing you will notice right away i that the speakers are AWFUL. I was not expecting Bose like sound, but the sound reminded me of an old 386SX computer I use to have where all you needed was beeps and dings. I went home cancelled my order with Dell.
  
  I knew I wanted th Apple MacBook Pro but then glossy or Matted. After reading tons of reviews and opinions I decided the only way is to go down there. I went to Apple and started looking at the screen side by side with pictures/movies/games. Hands down in every aspect Glossy was much sharper clearer and color more vibrant. I chose Glossy.
  
  Then of course do I get the 2.4 or 2.5 Mhz. While I don't doubt that for some the $500.00 upgrade is needed, for most of us it is not. By the time most programs (games) require 512VRAM the notebook would probably be outdated processor wise. Added with the fact that Intel charges Apple about $75 for the upgraded chip it seems odd that Apple could slap us with $500.00.
  
  At the end I bough my MacBook Pro 2.4Mhz Glossy and LOVE IT. I also took the apple salesman advice, "you could always buy an external matted screen if you need to." External matted screens are generally less expensive then their glossy counterparts. There you go best of both worlds.
  
  I hope I have helped some of you but at the end of the day single best advice is to go and see for yourself. That's what I did!
  
  
• Notebook Perfection
  By A2ETIV1HQ2H4SN on 2008-06-02
  The macbook pro quite simply is the best notebook on the current market. Currently on my third notebook ( the white & black macbook) I decided to upgrade to the pro. If your like me and actually don't mind a larger notebook screen and paying for improved features, then this notebook is for you. First off, you're getting a 2.4ghz processor (avoid the 2.5ghz pro, $500 for 1/10 faster processor and 50 gigs is not worth it to me), 200 gigs, dvd superdrive, 15.4 inch screen in either glossy or matted. By the way, for those not sure which screen to choose, definitly go with the matted. It's the best screen currently offered. If you believe like me you purchase a notebook to mobilze it, then you are going to mind glare, shadows, sun, and other images showing up behind your screen. It also makes sense if you are using the mbp for photo or video editing. Glossy does not give you the true version of your images or video before moving them to dvd or image paper, rather what you look @ on matted is exactly what you're printing. Gamers might prefer glossy. The aluminum finish is flawless as well as the upgrades trackpad features similar to those on mba and the iphone. I don't find myself using those features much, but it comes in handy when needed. This machine is also an eye catcher. i stopped @ panera bread w/ my wife after work to find 6 people asking me to see the pro. This mbp is my primary computer (have a desktop pc and wife uses macbook white) and it's pretty much all i need. Everything is on this computer and it doesn't miss a beat! This machine is costly running @ 1,999.99. However, you have to weigh the options; If you want a desktop notebook that has a large enough screen, tremendous features and fast processor and would like taking it on your deck, couch during a game, or to work, get this. If you just need a machine parked @ the house for multiple users (family of 4??) this might not be the investment for you. I prefer a computer for each person to avoid confusion. Also recommend, Apeture 2, iWork, and time capsule for back up. The only con I can give this machine is its opening latch button in the front. I find it a bit small and you have to give it a good poke to open it. That's pretty much it, get this machine!!
  
  
• Excellent Machine - Not going back to a PC anytime soon
  By A2GPD35NWR3E0E on 2008-06-23
  I purchased the Apple MacBook Pro MB134LL/A 15.4" Laptop (2.5 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 2 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD SuperDrive) from Amazon last month. I love it. I've been using PC based laptops for work and play for 15 years, and while I have dabbled on MacBooks (of various types) with friends over the years, this is my first Mac purchase and the first time I am using a Mac for work purposes. In short, I could not be more satisfied with the machine itself.
  
  Externally, the 15.4 model is a sight to see. It has an elegant, polished look about it. More importantly, it has a sturdy feel to it. So many PC laptops, including name brands (Dell, Compaq, etc.) have such a cheap, plastic feel about them, as if you could twist a little bit and something cheap would come flying off. Not the MacBook Pro. The aluminum shell and the solid body give it a confident feel, like it could take a little abuse if necessary. The keyboard is just right: large keys, rightly placed, with a good feel--not to soft, not to much of a click. That the FN function keys come set to serve as hardware options by default and Fn keys (F1, F2, etc.) only while holding down the Fn key seems backwards ... but its a simple switch in Preferences. The ports on the sides seem sturdy and well place. At first, I thought I would miss having all the ports tucked away on the back of the machine (as in the case of many PC laptops), but in the real world this has not turned out to be so bad after all. Given the $2500 investment, I purchased a Speck clear cover and some ApplePeelz stick-on wrist guards, just to the keep the dings and sweat/grease stains to a minimum. After all, I'm planning to take this machine for the long-haul.
  
  In terms of performance, the elegance on the outside is matched by the gears on the inside. It really moves along. I ponied up for some more RAM, making it a 4 gig machine, because I figured if I was paying $2500 for a machine, I may as well trick it out. I run a typical suite of office programs - email, web, Microsoft Office, iTunes, syncing to a smartphone, scholarly research software, etc. - and the MacBook does great. 8 to 10 programs open at a time and not hesitation whatsoever. And unlike Windows after 6 months, the overall system performance has not lagged. I can put the Mac to sleep 6 times a day, and it always wakes up ready to go, full speed ahead.
  
  Sure, $2500 is (these days) a real investment in a laptop. So if you just want to drop a little coin for a simple, what-you-pay-for is what-you-get machine, don't get this one. But if you are looking for a machine that looks and runs great, with an operating system that is simple (but not simplistic) and has a polish and flair that Windows has never even approached, then consider this model. I love it.
  
  
• 2-month old MacBook Pro dead
  By A3HH61QDUIJCRD on 2008-10-09
  I typically don't write reviews, especially the low-score one, but I felt I have the obligation to tell this to everyone.
  
  It's a nightmare, my 2-month old MacBook pro dead. I used to have IBM thnkpad T-series notebook (now Lenovo) and it was great compare to this Mac in terms of reliability. I can carry the IBM thinkpad to work in the morning and bring it back to home in the evening without power down for SEVERAL weeks, there was no issue at all. I thought I was little rough to the thinkpad so I power down this Mac everyday after the work, carefully carry it around, well, when it happens, it happens, all the sudden, it dies. I'm in the process to recover the data, I'm mad. I'll update the review later for the service experience, so far not very good either.
  
  Another issus is you can't fold down the screen compeletedly outwards, it will break it. Bad design, image accidentaly you push down the screen for better view angle and you could break it and that's not covered by warranties.
  
  Regardless how great the MacBook is, it's a great pain when your working computer dies, you need get it repaired, resintall the application, recover the data if possible, and re-do all your work if data is lost, what about the photos you took for the special moment yesterday that haven't upload yet... too bad.
  
  No, I don't want anything fancy, I just need a reliable PC to do my things (paper, dissertation, spreadsheet, make movies), which all PCs on the market can do.
  
  
• Another great Apple product
  By AVLKNXVIW6TP4 on 2008-04-05
  This laptop replaces my old XP desktop and a PowerBook G4. Super fast, very fine screen, and the new multitouch touchpad (plus freeware apps) greatly improves my productivity. Plus, in Windows, I can play Portal at the native resolution.
  
  Best laptop ever... :)
  
  -Z
  
  
• Great New Computer
  By A3QSKCQ3SUURGH on 2008-05-01
  I've been a Mac user for over 7 years and am on my fourth computer, and by far, this one is my favorite!
  
  This MacBook Pro is the most balanced one they've come out with, and it has all of the most up-to-date features including these key ones:
  
  1. Runs cooler than my friends' previous version MBP
  2. Mulit-touch is nice but I don't use it a lot
  3. Upgraded iSight camera makes for great video chatting and works perfectly with many other programs. I use it almost daily for video journaling
  4. LED screen isn't "new" for this model, but it is a great feature that makes the screen look wonderful
  5. More storage on the entry-level model than before
  
  All in all, I'm very satisfied with this computer and would recommend it to anyone looking for a solid laptop that has speed but isn't huge. Also, the size difference compared to the MacBook is minimal in my opinion. Sometimes this actually seems smaller given the sleeker design.
  
  Of course, the only drawback is the price, but over the life of the computer, I think it will be well worth it. Finally, it is a Mac and it has the best operating system available (Mac OS 10.5) whether you're a newbie or computer aficionado!
  
  
• How to make your Grandaughter ecstatic!
  By A3JMFIW9B6YJN7 on 2008-06-13
  This was the best graduation gift anyone could receive. This MacBook Pro replaced a 4 year old Powerbook that took my Grandaughter through high school flawlessly. The new laptop has the old one in spades. Faster, more innovative, better OS, great reliability and many more features. Mac's are a little more expensive but well worth the price. Just not having to deal with Windows Vista says it all.
  
  
• PC to MAC
  By A30BODBUHKP9DM on 2008-07-30
  What can I say but Outstanding!! I have been a PC user for over 20 years and this was my venture inot the MAC world... Its been 3 weeks and so far I have truly enjoyed the journey... I still find myself double-clicking on objects, but the tranisition has been smooth... I still have my PC and do not plan to get rid of it (Security Blanket) because I still find some things easier to do on my PC because its my baseline...:-)
  
  Things that I like about the MACBOOK Pro:
  1. Intutive nature of the program
  2. Drag and drop function
  3. Plug and Play
  4. Tutorials
  5. Lightweight
  
  Things I do not like about the MACBOOk Pro
  1. Lack of Variety of Software
  
  Overall, An outstandig product and I highly recommend...
  
  

• Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition FULL VERSION with SP2
• Apple Cinema 20-inch Flat-Panel Display
• Apple Cinema 23-inch HD Flat-Panel Display
• Apple Cinema 30-inch HD Flat-Panel Display
• Apple iWork '08

• AppleCare Protection Plan MA515LL/A for MacBook Pro (w/ or w/o display)
• Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac Home & Student Edition
• VMware Fusion [OLD VERSION]
• Kingston - Memory - 4 GB ( 2 x 2 GB ) - SO DIMM 200-pin - DDR2 - 667 MHz - unbuffered
• Kingston Apple 4GB Kit 667MHz DDR2 SoDimm Dual Channel Memory (KTA-MB667K2/4GR)