Pros
- Classic design
- Bright and environmentally friendly screen
- Much improved graphics performance
- 2GB of RAM, which is expandable to 4GB
- Excellent overall performance
Cons
- Some software needs tuning for new graphics chip
- No PCMCIA slot or eSATA port
- A little pricey compared with $1,999 model
At A Glance
The MacBook Pro gets a new chipset, which means processor bumps, a faster frontside bus, and more RAM capacity. However, the more significant refinements in this update are improvements to the display -- this 15-inch model's LCD is backlit by light-emitting diodes for improved battery life and less environmental impact -- and a new graphics system powered by the Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT.
Manufacturer’s Description
The 15" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer from Apple gives you all the power of a Macintosh computer in an easily portable and attractive form. The laptop is housed in an aluminum alloy enclosure, which is designed to resist stains and scratches. It is designed to meet the needs of video editors, graphics designers, educators and businesspeople.
The Specs
| Pricing | |
|---|---|
| Part Number | MA896LLA |
| Processor | |
| Processor type | Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile |
| Processor speed | 2400.0 MHz |
| Cache size | 4.0 KB |
| Bus speed | 800.0 MHz |
| Memory | |
| Memory type | DDR2 SDRAM |
| Memory max | 4.0 GB |
| Display | |
| Display size | 15.4 inches |
| Display type | Active Matrix LCD (TFT) |
| Aspect ratio | 16:10 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 900 pixels |
| Graphics | |
| Graphics Type | Discrete |
| Primary Graphics Chipset | NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT |
| Video Bus | PCI Express x16 |
| Storage | |
| Drives included | 1.0 |
| Drive size | 160.0 GB |
| Drive Controllers | Serial ATA |
| Other storage | Express Card 34 |
| Battery | |
| Vendor Rated Battery life | 6.0 hours |
| Green | |
| Energy Star compliant | 1.0 |
| Dimensions | |
| Width | 14.1 inches |
| Depth | 9.6 inches |
| Height | 1.0 inches |
| Weight | 5.4 pounds |
| Optical Drive | |
| Included Drives | DVD+-RW DL |
| Included Software | |
| Operating System | Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) |
| Other Features | |
| Devices |
|
| Input devices |
|
| Ports and Connections | |
| Ethernet Type |
|
| Express Card 34 or ExpressCard/34 | 1 |
| Available Interfaces |
|
| Slots | Express Card 34 |
| Warranty | |
| Warranty information | 1 Year Limited Warranty |
Performance
| Macworld Labs | |
|---|---|
| Cinema 4D XL 10.5 | 0:55 min |
| Photoshop CS3 | 1:17 min |
| Tested Configuration | Mac OS X 10.5 with 2GB of RAM |
| iTunes 7.5 | 1:06 |
| Unreal Tournament 2004 | 69.9fps |
| Compressor | 2:08 |
| Speedmark 5 Score | 199 |
| iMovie HD6 | 0:50 |
Remains of the Day: None more flat
Lab Tested: Ultimate MacBook Air 2013 holds its own against the MacBook Pro
