Performance
While the Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro significantly outperforms the older Core Duo version, the performance of the 15- and 17-inch Core 2 Duo models was essentially identical -- which is to be expected, as they share identical processors, RAM and hard drives (although the default configurations call for a smaller hard drive in the 15-inch model).
We did see a significant boost over the non-Pro version of the MacBook, which includes a slower 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo CPU, in both the Photoshop CS2 and the iTunes encoding tests. As with any current Core 2 Duo laptop, the MacBook Pro is more than powerful enough for running productivity and multimedia applications and tackling basic photo and video editing, as well.
The ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 GPU, the same one found in the previous generation of Core Duo MacBook Pros, isn't going to make this a blazingly fast gaming laptop, but in Quake 4 running at a resolution of 1,280x1,024 pixels, we got a very playable frame rate of 32.8fps. Gaming is not the first thing that springs to mind when one thinks of Macs, but thanks to Boot Camp, the utility that allows users to run a partitioned installation of Windows XP on their Intel Macs, you'll be able to play many popular PC games on this hardware.
In our DVD battery-drain test, we got 3 hours, 2 minutes of battery life from the MacBook Pro. Three hours for a laptop with a 17-inch screen is excellent, especially since the battery is not an extended model that sticks out from the back of the system. The battery is larger, however, than the 15-inch MacBook Pro's, which explains why both systems had nearly identical battery life even though the 17-inch model has a larger display to power.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
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(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
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Quake 4 1,024x768, 4xAA 8xAF |
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User reviews5
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Gigi Agostini 1 February 2007
Good: I can run every kind of OS on it, all features included, including software for any kind of use
Bad: Cannot replace the CPU for a further upgrade
Comment: This is a pefect machine, strong, thin, light, fast.
Richard Tanner 31 January 2007
Good: Thin, gorgeous, light, runs Mac OS X and Windows
Bad: What's not to like?
Comment: I think this is a great machine - it's not as pricey as CNET makes out. Run Mac OS X - which is better than Windows, or run poor old Windows if you must. Best of both worlds! What PC laptop comes with a built-in web cam? Apple's Front Row might not offer all the power of Windows Media Centre, but it works very well and you can add the additional functionality with a simple USB TV tuner.
Mark Rasmussen 31 January 2007
Good: Speed, ease of use, looks, screen size, low weight, ability to run Windows
Bad: Can't think of anything I don't like
Comment: If you need a portable replacement for a desktop, I cannot think of a better machine than this.
Our finance director's 17" Wintel laptop looks like a paving slab compared to the Mac's ceramic tile!
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