The latest Intel processor, a bigger hard drive, plenty of memory, and even more new features all fit inside just one liberating inch. The MacBook Pro [MC227LL/A] has the performance, power, and connectivity of a desktop computer. Without the desk part.
2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
17" ANTIGLARE MATTE Widescreen LED Backlit Display
500GB 5400rpm Hard Drive
4GB (2x2GB) RAM
nVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT 512MB Graphics
The show horse workhorse
Review Date: November 20, 2009
Reviewer: G. Ware Cornell Jr., Weston FL
For three years now I have been PC free relying on my trusty MacBook Pro for all the heavy lifting. The replacement of my 2.16GHz MBP was long coming. The major problem was that essentially unlike a PC laptop which is functionally useless after two years, Macs can last forever. What doesn't last forever however is AppleCare Protection Plan - For Portable Apple Computers 15 Inches and Above. Even though Macs are extremely reliable, Applecare is a necessary option. All computers, even Apple computers, are mechanical devices and subject to random and expensive repairs.
So hear was my dilemma. I had a perfectly functional three year old MacBook Pro. It had a market value, and I had a buyer. In a month when my Applecare warranty expired repairs were going to be expensive, eating up the value of the computer. Plus the Congress created a 100% business write-off for new computers for 2009, meaning that the government was going to subsidize a new MacBook Pro. So I sold my old laptop and bought this incredibly fast new 17 inch MacBook Pro.
First why 17in? Lots of people prefer 15 inch machines because of weight issues. This 17 inchat a about 6.6 pounds is significantly lighter than my old MBP. A larger screen is more effective for work, particularly when my work requires research and writing. The only option I got is the antiglare screen. It is true that the colors have more pop and sizzle with the shiny standard screen, but I am not a graphic artist. I read and write in black and white and a glare slows me down.
Battery life is another big factor. An 8 hour battery means you can work on transcontinental or even trans-Atlantic flights. Airline power connections are still few and far between in economy.
The 500GB hard drive is far more than I need right now. One option, although an expensive one, is a 256GB solid state drive. There are advantages. Unlike Hard Drives there are no whirling mechanical parts, making it more releiable. But that does not mean a solid state drive canot fail. They can and you will still require Applecare. the best insurance, along with Applecare is a Apple Time Capsule MB765LL/A 1TB which I used to "move" the data,music, photos, videos, applications, and keychain from the older laptop to my new MBP. (Hint: to do this wirelessly takes a while. Figure on seven or eight hours)
So now I have a flashier, larger, lighter version of my old MacBook Pro, soon to be in the loving hands of a new owner. I have no doubt he will be able to use it for several more years. My new MacBook Pro will be with me till the Applecare expires in three years.
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The show horse workhorse
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