MacBook Laptops

Apple MacBook Pro

Apple has discontinued its least expensive MacBook line, leaving buyers with the option of the MacBook Pro, discussed here, or the MacBook Air, which is discussed in its own section. In late October, Apple upgraded processor speeds, graphics capabilities and hard drive size on most of its MacBook Pro laptops. These upgrades were exceedingly modest in most cases, experts say, the result being marginally better benchmark tests but little change in real world performance. Because of that, though the newest versions have not been extensively reviewed, comments that followed the last major upgrade (in February) are still valid and remain the best indicators of performance and satisfaction.

MacBook Pro laptops have a sleek aluminum unibody enclosure, edge-to-edge glass display and flush trackpad, and they're available in 13-, 15- and 17-inch versions. Although the external design remains unchanged from their predecessors, Apple was among the first computer makers to include second-generation Intel Core processors, dubbed Sandy Bridge, in their laptops. Thanks to that, reviews indicate that MacBook Pro laptops are faster than ever. Most reviews were done while the MacBook Pro was shipping with the Snow Leopard operating system, though it now ships with OS X Lion (see the How To Buy section of this report), and before the modest specification update these laptops received in October. Performance should be the same or better, however.

Numerous reviewers say the 15-inch MacBook Pro is one of the best laptops available. Although it's offered with a 2.2 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor (*Est. $1,800 and up) , up from 2.0 GHz, most reviewers test the 2.2 GHz Core i7 version (Discontinued) , which received a processor upgrade to a 2.4 GHz Core i7 this fall. It comes with 4 GB of RAM, a 750 GB hard drive and AMD Radeon HD 6770M graphics with 1 GB of dedicated memory -- up from AMD Radeon HD 6750 graphics. Reviewers say this laptop is considerably faster than previous generations, posting benchmark scores that blow away the competition; the latest updates do nothing to change those impressions.

The speed and multitasking improvements made possible by the Sandy Bridge technology are striking. Reviewers praise fast boot-up times, speedy multitasking and improved performance for media-related tasks. Reviewers say they are also impressed with the high-end AMD Radeon HD graphics processor (GPU), which outputs faster frame rates than last year's Nvidia graphics. "You should have no trouble crunching video and playing some pretty serious games with most if not all of the settings cranked up, depending on the game," says Jonathan Rougeot at ComputerShopper.com in his review of the February version of the MacBook Pro. The MacBook Pro switches automatically between discrete and integrated Intel graphics, which helps conserve battery life. As a result, battery life is a high point, lasting around eight hours in most user tests, although intensive tasks will net closer to 6.5 hours.

From a design standpoint, the 15-inch MacBook Pro offers widely praised features such as a backlit keyboard, an unrivaled multitouch glass trackpad and a 15.4-inch 1,440-by-900-pixel glossy display. There is also a higher-resolution webcam than in the pre-2011 version, which supports Apple's FaceTime video chat technology. Reviewers say that webcam images are crisp and bright. The MacBook Pro also supports Thunderbolt, a high-speed connection port that some say could eventually replace a number of traditional ports, including USB and FireWire. However, accessories that support Thunderbolt are not widely available.

Reviewers have many of the same gripes about the 15-inch MacBook Pro as they did about previous models: It has only two USB slots and lacks a Blu-ray drive, and the high-resolution display is an extra-cost upgrade (*Est. $100) on top of a relatively expensive laptop. The underside of the laptop still has a tendency to get warm. Even so, reviewers say the 15-inch 2.2 GHz (now 2.4 GHz) MacBook Pro is an outstanding laptop that stands above the competition. It might be pricey, but most reviewers say it's worth the investment. "Cost aside, there's not a better choice (there are, however, some close ties) for an all-around powerhouse that will work in the home, the office, and in between," says CNET's Dan Ackerman.

The 13-inch MacBook Pros don't attract the same level of enthusiasm as their 15-inch counterparts, but reviewers say the entry-level MacBook Pro delivers pretty good bang for the buck. The 13-inch MacBook Pro comes in two configurations, both with 4 GB of RAM and Intel HD Graphics 3000. All also received modest upgrades this fall.

The most inexpensive option (*Est. $1,200 and up) comes with a 2.4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor (up from 2.3 GHz) and a 500 GB hard drive (up from 320 GB). The step-up model (*Est. $1,500 and up) sports a 2.8 GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 CPU (up from a 2.7 GHz Core i7) with a 750 GB hard drive (up from 500 GB). Although both 13-inch MacBook Pros lack discrete graphics, they do include second-generation Intel processors, a Thunderbolt port and the FaceTime HD webcam.

Performance of the two models is pretty similar, and reviewers say the less expensive MacBook Pro is the best deal among the 13-inch Apple laptops. "For the $300 savings, it's arguably the better buy," says Scott Stein at CNET. Like the 15-inch MacBook Pros, the entry-level Pro laptop has made serious performance gains over last year's versions, boasting faster times in Photoshop, iTunes and multitasking tests. Battery life is excellent, lasting close to nine hours in most user tests. That's nearly an hour longer than the previous 13-inch Pro laptop. If you are playing videos or DVDs, expect battery run times closer to seven hours, reviewers say.

However, the 13-inch MacBook Pros have taken a step backward when it comes to graphics performance, replacing Nvidia with Intel HD graphics. As a result, the entry-level MacBook Pro posts slower frame rates and lower 3DMark06 scores than last year's model. "You'll want to step up to the 15-inch MacBook Pro if you want serious graphics muscle," says Brian Oliver Bennett at Laptop Magazine. Even so, reviewers say the Intel graphics are fine for most users -- movies and videos look crisp, aren't distorted and colors are bright. Glare can be a problem, and Apple doesn't offer an optional anti-glare display as it does on the 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros.

Like the other MacBook Pros, the 13-inch models can get warm on the bottom, making them uncomfortable to rest on your lap. Reviewers would also like to see a high-resolution display option (1,280 by 800 pixels is standard). The 13-inch MacBook Pro also attracts the usual complaints: There's no Blu-ray drive, user-replaceable battery or HDMI port. However, reviewers find it easy to recommend.

Another option is the 17-inch Apple MacBook Pro (*Est. $2,500 and up) , which comes in only one configuration for 2011. The starting price is $200 more expensive than last year's version, but you get a 2.4 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, 4 GB of RAM and a 750 GB hard drive. It also includes switchable graphics with a discrete AMD Radeon HD 6770M GPU.

The high-resolution display comes standard and the optional anti-glare coating costs only an extra $50. The 17-inch MacBook Pro also has more ports, including three USB ports and an ExpressCard/34 slot, in addition to the new Thunderbolt port found on the other Apple Pro laptops.

Reviewers say the display is truly stunning. Other design features remain the same, including the responsive trackpad, backlit keyboard and sleek aluminum unibody.

Like all current MacBook Pros, performance is significantly faster than the previous generation, something that hasn't changed as a result of October's minor update, which brought a faster processor (up from 2.2 GHz) and slightly upgraded graphics (replacing Feburary's AMD Radeon HD 6750 GPU). Testing after February's major revision,  Macworld finds that the 17-inch MacBook Pro is 53 percent faster than last year's version. The AMD Radeon HD graphics also perform admirably when gaming, and the laptop also has no problems with video- or photo-editing tasks. Battery life is a high point, lasting nearly six hours in Macworld's intensive battery-drain test. However, the laptop isn't much faster than its equivalent 15-inch version. As a result, experts say the 17-inch MacBook Pro is a good choice if you really want a larger, high-resolution display; otherwise you can get similar performance with the 15-inch MacBook Pro.