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Apple MacBook Pro ReviewBy Kevin | September 14, 2008 |
The Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro are the two of the best selling notebook models on the market. This isn’t luck on Apples part however, one glance at the MacBook Pro and you know it’s something special. The design and aesthetics of the notebook instantly make it stand out as clean and elegant, yet something hints that beneath all of its charm, the pro is a behemoth waiting for its power to be unleashed.
Apple is a company that has always been known for its clean, usable, and beautiful product design. The MacBook Pro definitely doesn’t disappoint in this department. Overall the brushed aluminum case, is probably the best looking notebook case out there. The case is not only pretty, its pretty scratch resistant. The biggest problem you’ll have with the case is finger print smudges and smears, but its really not that bad (especially if you own an iPhone).
One thing I love about the MacBook Pro is the glossy screen option. The glossy screen seems to gives the notebook screen more vivid colors, this is great if you are into photography or anything in the design field.
Another great feature from a usability standpoint on the Pro is the touch pad. I can’t even describe how many horrible laptop touch pads I’ve had to use in the past, most of with are undersized and in an awkward location. I found the MacBook Pro’s touch pad to be a giant leap forward - you can use your figures to not only move the mouse around but for much much more. Multi-Touch technology on the pad makes browsing the web and viewing your documents easier then ever with a laptop, allowing you to scroll and zoom with just a swipe or pinch of your finger. The gestures are similar to what you use to navigate the web and sort through documents on the touch screen of the iPhone.
They MacBook Pro has a back-lit keyboard that automatically adjusts in brightness depending on how much light is in the room. Although this is a cool feature I wouldn’t say its a necessity in a laptop. Another notable feature also included in the standard MacBook is the built in iSight camera which lets you take pictures, create movies and video podcasts and video chat using iChat.
Overall the MacBook Pro has an extremely good design, and very good usability. As I said before, in the past this is where Apple products have always shinned and the Macbook Pro raises the bar yet again. I give the MacBook Pro 4.5 / 5 for usability.
The MacBook Pro comes in three different models. The design and usability is pretty much the same on all three but the performance does differ quite a bit depending on which model you have. All three models utilize Intel’s latest Core 2 Duo mobile processors and trust me, these babies are fast, clocking in at between 2.4 and 2.6 GHz depending on which one you select.
From a performance standpoint all three models are extremely fast for notebooks. However if you are doing some crazy video editing, 3d modeling or graphic intensive work you will definitely want to look into either the 15 inch or 17 inch 2.5 GHz models. Although a bit more pricey these models come with a faster processor, better graphics card (NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 512MB, if you are serious about gaming the graphics card in the low-end MacBook Pro won’t really cut it) and more hard drive space (250GB).
The MacBook Pro handled everything I threw at it pretty well, in fact its probably faster than most desktops when it comes to video editing and 3d modeling and rendering. From a gaming standpoint you can still have a great experience especially with the higher end models however I advise everyone never to buy a laptop simply for gaming because you will find yourself outrun by many desktop systems out there fairly quickly, and trust me - its a PAIN to upgrade ANY laptop.
I give the MacBook Pro a 4.5 / 5 for Performance
The MacBook Pro offers the best notebook experience out there. From a design and usability standpoint the Pro is almost flawless. From a performance standpoint the Pro is right on the cutting edge of notebook technology and can handle almost anything you throw at it. If you are looking for the Aston Martin of all laptops - luxury and performance all in one beautiful package (for a price) the MacBook Pro is for you.
Design and Usability: 4.5/5
Performance: 4.5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
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