Expert's Rating
Pros
- Classic design
- Runs Universal applications quickly
- Integrated iSight camera
- Bright screen
- Improved wireless range
- Comes with Front Row application and remote
- Innovative MagSafe power connector
Cons
- Optical drive inferior to PowerBook G4
- Non-native apps can run slowly
- Intermittent processor noise on some systems
- No FireWire 800 port
- Screen slightly shorter than PowerBook
Our Verdict
When Apple introduced the MacBook in May, it bumped the processor speeds on its 15-inch MacBook Pro models. The top-end MacBook Pro now features a 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo processor, up from 2GHz from the original configuration. Other than that — and an optional glossy widescreen display — the specifications remain unchanged from the high-end 15-inch MacBook Pro we reviewed in the May 2006 issue of Macworld.
This MacBook Pro model is a fitting successor to the PowerBook G4. If most of the applications you use are available in Universal versions, or are relatively low-power programs running in Rosetta, buying a MacBook Pro will be to your advantage. If you’re upgrading from an older PowerBook G4, you’ll notice a massive speed boost in Universal applications, while Rosetta applications will run at the speed you’re used to. However, if you rely on programs that won’t run in Rosetta or you rely on resource-intensive software, you should delay your purchase until Universal versions of those programs become available.