Product Description

You've seen improvements in notebook performance before - but never on this scale. The Intel Core Duo powering MacBook Pro is actually two processors built into a single chip. This, combined with myriad other engineering leaps, boosts performance up to fo

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #271447 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Apple
• Model: MA092B/A
• Released on: 2006-09-03
• Platform: Mac OS X
• Dimensions: 6.83 pounds
• Display size: 17

Manufacturer's Description
You've seen improvements in notebook performance before - but never on this scale. The Intel Core Duo powering MacBook Pro is actually two processors built into a single chip. This, combined with myriad other engineering leaps, boosts performance up to four times higher than the PowerBook G4. With this awesome power, it's a breeze to render complex 3D models, enjoy smooth playback of HD video, or host a four-way video conference.Intel Core Duo is the first chip built using Intel's groundbreaking 65-nanometer process - resulting in transistors so small, you could fit a hundred inside a single human cell. With smaller distances for electrons to travel, and two processors designed to share resources and conserve power, Intel Core Duo achieves higher levels of performance as it uses fewer watts. Which is what makes it possible to design a super-powerful MacBook Pro that's only one inch thin.When Mac technology makes something easy, it's hardly news. So here's more non-news for MacBook Pro owners: software just works. If you see the Universal logo on a new application, that means it will run on Intel- and PowerPC-based Mac computers. For most existing applications, you simply do what you've always done: double-click them. Thanks to the Rosetta technology in Mac OS X, they look and feel just like they did before.

Customer Reviews

Best laptop I've ever owned
I bought my first ever Mac (an iMac G5) last year and was delighted with it and when I saw the MacBook Pro I knew I had to have one. I now do (I'm writing this on it now!) and it is easily the best laptop I have ever owned.

Obviously one of it's key features is the fact that it runs Mac OS. Now I'm not a typical pro-Apple, anti-Microsoft Apple user, and still maintain that Windows is not that bad, but Mac OS is a joy to use. It's more stable than I could imagine (which I admit Windows is assuming you don't screw around with it too much) and seems to be able to handle incredible amounts of open applications at once.

Anyway, enough about the OS, what about the laptop. The first thing you note is that it looks stunning. I've never seen such a brilliant (and huge!) screen on a laptop and it makes the whole user experience way better. It looks stylish both open and closed and whilst I admit that is not important when it comes to choosing a computer, it is nice! The backlit keyboard is an excellent touch, especially if you fly lots and are likely to be working in a dim cabin, though the backlight is supposed to be driven by an ambient light sensor, the settings of which you can't change, and for my taste the sensor does not want the backlight on until it is too dark. Some third party software can sort that out for you.

The power cord is worth a mention - a brilliantly thought through magnetic affair which ensures if you trip over the cord it will come free of the Mac and not drag the thing off the table.

Wireless works well and I've had no bother connecting to any networks.

It is incredibly well geared for expandability with plenty of USB and Firewire ports.

The only negative I can find is that it does get surprisingly hot. I've read on the Apple website that this is normal and actually since upgrading to all the latest drivers it seems cooler, but that has cost it one star.

All in all, a great laptop. Costly, but worth it.

Disappointing
This computer could have been fantastic, but it has some flaws. I myself am disappointed with it, but I admit it is a very nice computer, and many owners are very happy with theirs.

There are many reviews on the Web, so I just list some notable plus and minus points below.

(I have owned two of these now, since my first was replaced after two failed repairs. In the plus and minus points below, I only list features that Apple itself has told me are "within specification" - not faults I have had on individual computers. "Within specification" means that individual computers can exhibit the feature to varying degrees. I am also only referring to the hardware.)

+ Large, bright screen
+ Excellent keyboard
+ You can use all operating systems that will run on Intel machines (e.g. Windows and linux), as well as Mac OS X
+ Well designed - excellent shape and weight for its size

- Makes an irritating whining sound (which is transmitted to the audio out socket, with implications for audio work)
- Screen flickers slightly on lowest brightness setting
- Unevenly lit screen (not too bad, but worse than many other laptops)
- Gets hot in places you touch during normal use (heat is of course to be expected, but the design means it is transmitted to the wrist rests; the heat above the Fn keys will burn human skin)
- Uneven build quality (the lid does not fit properly when it is closed, and is higher at one edge than the other), plus suspect durability
- You should probably factor in the £270 warranty extension, to cover manufacturing defects for two extra years

Not all of these computers are the same; Apple makes changes to manufacturing procedures and parts as time goes by, so certain aspects can change. Mine was made in week 25 of 2006.

This review will probably not help you make up your mind whether to purchase one; I myself am unsure if I would recommend purchase (I don't have enough experience of the alternatives).