MacBook Pro more alluring than ever

Zatni Arbi ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 10/26/2009 10:01 AM  |  Sci-Tech

JP/Zatni ArbiJP/Zatni Arbi

When I took out the content of a box sent to me by Pulse Communications, I got a surprise. I didn’t understand why they had sent me another MacBook Pro to review.

I remembered reviewing a MacBook Pro and a Unibody MacBook not too long ago, so what else was there for me to comment on?

Upon closer inspection, it turned out this was the new MacBook Pro. The press release, which I received via email, said there were some significant improvements in this version. However, most of these are under its clean, polished aluminum skin.

So, first, let’s take a look at the innards. The processor is an Intel Core 2 Duo with a speed of 2.26 GHz. The system comes with 2 GB DDR3 RAM, and a hard disk capacity of 160 GB. Apple uses an NVIDIA GeForce 9400M video card for this notebook, giving it a significant graphics boost compared to the graphics processor from Intel.

The display, as we would expect, is backlit LED. My review unit is the 13-inch model (the actual display size is 13.3 inch and the maximum resolution is 1280 x 800). If we want a larger screen, we can buy a 15- or 17-inch model. The DVD drive and burner is a slot type.

To provide connectivity, the new MacBook Pro comes with AirPort Extreme, which meets n-draft specifications. I only had to set it once to connect the notebook to my home WLAN, and it has worked flawlessly afterwards. Bluetooth is also provided. The touchpad is the Multi-Touch trackpad that has no buttons. It took me some time to remember that the Select button is actually the entire glass panel, and all I have to do is tap it.

If we want a more powerful machine, there is also a faster processor at 3.06 GHz. But, frankly, it might not be necessary for everyday use, unless you are a graphic designer or movie editor. Why? Because this new MacBook Pro runs Mac OS X 10.6 — nicknamed “Snow Leopard”, but more about this new operating system later.

Apple claims that the new notebooks have a battery life of seven hours — and eight hours for the 17-inch model. I didn’t test this, because I would not be able to work on a computer for seven hours straight. However, I did find that the battery lasted several hours while I was watching YouTube, and that was splendid.

The only thing about the battery is that it is built-in, just like in MacBook Air. So, forget about changing the battery yourself.

Apple promises the battery will last for at least 1,000 cycles before its capacity drops to 80 percent. That’s not bad, either.

Perhaps one of the ways Apple has made its battery power last is by introducing adaptive screen brightness. In a room with a lot of ambient light, the screen automatically brightens. But if we are in a dark room the brightness will turn down automatically to save energy and to prevent the screen from frying our eyes. The keyboard also has a very interesting feature. Its backlit illumination lights up when in a dark environment.

And the Snow Leopard operating system brings with it several welcomed improvements, too. The codes have been trimmed down to enable it to run faster. It takes less time to boot, for example.

There are other subtle enhancements to the interface, but we may not immediately notice them.

The new OS now has support for Microsoft Exchange 2007, so we can connect it to our enterprise Exchange server and directly synch our email, address book etc. What would hold a lot of businesses back from upgrading to the Snow Leopard is that it does not support earlier versions of Microsoft Exchange, and many are happily running Microsoft Exchange 2003. There is also support for Cisco VPN, just in case you are bold enough to adopt the MacBook Pro as a standard notebook for your enterprise.

What do I think of this new MacBook Pro? The screen brightness that changes as the ambient light changes is a smart idea, but may be distracting at first. The backlit keyboard is great, I love it.

The battery obviously lives longer, and as long as Apple provides good support for battery replacements I don’t mind having it built-in instead of user-replaceable. Apple engineers have made the notebook disconnect from the power to prevent it from overcharging.

And the display is simply gorgeous. I watched my favorite Nana Mouskouri singing “La Paloma” with Julio Iglesias, and it was truly enjoyable. The connector for an external display is Mini DisplayPort.

Unfortunately this means I could not use my InFocus X1 projector, without the necessary adaptor.

By the way, on every MacBook Pro the RAM can be increased up to 8 GB. And the hard disk can be
upgraded up to 500 GB, too. If we want a notebook with a Solid State Drive, the largest SSD available is currently 256 GB.

So, this is a notebook that will entice a lot of people, especially students. It is no surprise that more and more universities, colleges and even schools in Indonesia are choosing the MacBook and MacBook Pro. The prices are now even lower than the previous versions, ranging from Rp 14,5 million to more than Rp 30 million for the top end. Another thumbs-up for Apple.

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Mac Guy (not verified), West of RI — Tue, 10/27/2009 - 9:11pm

Rafael, The point is that the battery is likely to outlast the computer. As a former Mac tech who was responsible for maintaining close to 100 Apple laptops (G4 to MacBook Pro), I replaced exactly 2 batteries over 5 years. Yep, two batteries. Most of those machines were used on road trips extensively, so the batteries were well-used. After 3+ years (roughly their expected length of service) of daily business use, some of the G4 Powerbook batteries began to give up. The only reason I needed to remove a battery from a Mac Laptop was to add more RAM, or read the serial # without turning on the machine. Most laptop batteries are round, bunches of AA-sized batteries ganged together. The new Apple batteries are square in section (see the interesting video on their site), thus using the available space more efficiently. I see no problem at all with a sealed battery, especially given the added benefits it provides. iFixit and other sites will be more than happy to provide you with free instructions on how to replace the battery yourself, in case you need that reassurance and the extra $75. Better yet, buy Applecare, and in the unlikely event that the battery fails before its time, Apple will replace it at no charge for parts or labor. I brought a friend's white MacBook, which was 2 months short of its AppleCare expiring, to the Apple store for a different issue. The Genius who looked at it made a quick repair; then booted the machine from his iPod which contained hardware test software. "It looks like you have a bad battery, I'll put in a new one for you." Repair, advice, battery. All at no cost to me or my friend, as the previous owner had paid for the AppleCare, which had also provided a new display. Net result, -positive- cashflow, and happy customers. I left the store with 3 accessories I would have otherwise purchased online (and waited for). I strongly recommend AppleCare for all Apple MacBooks! It's not a bad idea for desktop machines either, especially those with built-in (very expensive to replace) displays.

Mac Guy (not verified), East of RI — Tue, 10/27/2009 - 8:51pm

You've reviewed previous Mac laptops and you did not realize that they had auto screen dimming and backlit keyboards until now?? The way you've written this article, it sounds that way! FYI, the backlit keyboards have been available for several years (I'm typingin the dark now) , auto-dimming screens since the G4 days. It's nice to see a positive review though. ;-)

Rafael mattos (not verified), rio frio, usa — Tue, 10/27/2009 - 4:35am

My friends, I am here in Rio Frio usa. Oh my God I need to pay $75 plus tax to change a battery. That is a lot of money. It is better to plug in.

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