 | Apple MacBook Pro MC024LL/A 17-Inch Laptop |
| Price: | Too low to display & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25 |
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com
Average customer review: 
Product Description
The new MacBook Pro 17-inch model sets all-new benchmarks for Mac notebooks. The 17-inch MacBook Pro feature Intel Core i5 processors, which boost performance up to 50 percent(1) and reach Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.33GHz. Next-generation NVIDIA graphics bring high performance to everything from 3D games to photos and videos. And the built-in battery lasts up to 10 hours (8 to 9 hours on the 17-inch model).(2) (1) Up to 50 percent faster compared with previous-generation MacBook Pro. (2) Testing conducted by Apple in March 2010 using preproduction 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo–based 13-inch MacBook Pro, 2.66GHz Intel Core i7–based 15-inch MacBook Pro, and 2.53GHz Intel Core i5–based 17-inch MacBook Pro. Battery life depends on configuration and use. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information. The wireless productivity test measures battery life by wirelessly browsing various websites and editing text in a word processing document with display brightness set to 50%
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #122 in Personal Computers
- Brand: Apple
- Model: MC024LL/A
- Dimensions: 11.00 pounds
- Hard Disk: 500GB
- Display size: 17
Features
- 2.53GHz Intel Core i5
- 500 GB Hard Drive, 8x DVD/CD SuperDrive, 4GB DDR3 RAM
- 17 inch LED-backlit display, 1920-by-1200 resolution
- Intel HD Graphics and NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M with automatic graphics switching and 512 MB dedicated graphics memory
- Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard Operating System
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Product Description
Updated with Intel's Core i5 processor and next-generation NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M graphics, the 17-inch Apple MacBook Pro is faster than ever and will keep you working longer away from power cords with an enhanced battery life of up to 9 hours of battery life. As with previous models, the new MacBook Pro features a precision unibody enclosure crafted from a single block of aluminum, creating a thin and light mobile computing workhorse (less than 1 inch thin and just 6.6 pounds) that's also highly durable. And it includes a 17-inch, LED-backlit glass display (instead of an LCD panel) as well as a glass trackpad that doesn't include a button (for larger tracking area) that features Apple's Multi-Touch technology.
It comes pre-loaded with Apple's Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard operating system--an operating system custom-designed for the advanced technology inside--and it also comes with the iLife '09 suite of applications, including iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, and iTunes. Specification Highlights
MacBook Pro, display cleaning cloth, 85W MagSafe Power Adapter, AC wall plug, power cord, software DVDs, printed and electronic documentation |
 The ports on the left side of the 17-inch MacBook Pro. |
Key Features
 Enjoy a processor Turbo Boost and automatic switching to the fast NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M graphics processor when using processor-intensive applications like Aperture 3 or Final Cut Pro. |
New Intel Core i5 Processor
The new Intel Core i5 processor boosts performance up to 50 percent over the previous generation. Based on Intel's latest 32-nanometer process technology, the Core i5 also offers Intel's Turbo Boost feature. If you're using processor-intensive applications like Aperture 3 or Final Cut Pro that would benefit from an extra performance kick, Turbo Boost dynamically increases the speed of one or both cores.Built-in Hyper-Threading allows two threads to run simultaneously on each core, so Mac OS X recognizes four virtual cores instead of just two. When you're running multiple applications at once, the Core i5 processor spreads tasks more evenly across a greater number of cores--so you can get more done, faster.
And unlike systems that connect memory to the processor through a separate controller, the new MacBook Pro uses an integrated memory controller to connect memory directly to the processor. With faster access to memory, each core gets right to work on your data, rather than waiting for it to arrive.
Next-Generation Graphics
The latest MacBook Pro features the new NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M discrete graphics processor--the fastest graphics ever in a Mac notebook. With 48 processing cores and 512 MB of dedicated video memory, this graphics processor delivers even more horsepower than the previous generation. And you don't have to sacrifice efficiency for speed: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M is up to 30 percent more energy efficient than its predecessor. For even greater power savings, the MacBook Pro also includes integrated Intel HD Graphics.Also new is the MacBook Pro's breakthrough automatic graphics switching technology, enabling you to switch graphics processors on the fly to give you performance when you need it (when you're playing the latest 3D game, for example) and better battery efficiency when you don't (such as when you're reading email). Whether you're using applications like Aperture, Motion, or Final Cut Pro or just surfing the web, your MacBook Pro always knows which processor to use. You don't have to log out, shut down, or change your preferences.
 The beginning of every MacBook Pro--a precisely machined, single block of aluminum. |
Unibody Design
Traditionally, notebooks are made from multiple parts. With the MacBook Pro all of those parts with just one part--the breakthrough unibody enclosure. Every MacBook Pro starts its life as a single block of aluminum, which is precisely machined into the basic unibody design. Another pass and the unibody takes shape. Another, and the integrated keyboard emerges. When you pick up a new MacBook Pro, you immediately notice the entire enclosure is thinner and lighter. And it feels strong and durable--perfect for life inside (and outside) your briefcase or backpack.LED-Backlit Display
LCD displays typically use cold cathode fluorescent lamps, or CCFLs, to create light and project a picture onto a screen, and this creates two problems--the lamps require more space and they take more time to warm up to full brightness. The MacBook Pro uses LED backlight technology to create the same amount of brightness in less space. And unlike fluorescent lamps, an LED backlight reaches maximum brightness instantly. Finally, a new, smaller iSight camera is concealed behind the display for quick access to video chats and snapping pics for uploading to social networks. The entire trackpad is the button, so you can click anywhere. |
Buttonless Multi-Touch Trackpad
With no button on the durable glass trackpad, there's more room to track and click--left, right, center, and everywhere in between. Without a separate button, the spacious trackpad gives your hands plenty of room to move on the large, silky glass surface. It also incorporates Multi-Touch gestures--including swipe, pinch, rotate, and four-finger swipe--and even more natural inertial scrolling--an intuitive way to scroll through large photo libraries, lengthy documents and long web sites. If you're coming from a right-click world, you can right-click with two fingers or configure a right-click area on the trackpad. |
Long-Lasting Battery
The new energy-efficient architecture in every MacBook Pro, along with automatic graphics switching, gives you dramatically longer battery life. On a single charge, the battery in the new 17-inch MacBook Pro lasts up to 8 to 9 hours. And you'll get up to 1000 full charge and discharge cycles--that's nearly three times the lifespan of typical notebook batteries. Advanced chemistry and Adaptive Charging allow the battery to maintain charging capabilities longer and determine the optimal way to charge the battery's cells. Because the battery lasts up to five years, MacBook Pro uses just one battery in the same time a typical notebook uses three. That makes for less waste. And that, in turn, makes for one environmentally friendly battery.Environmental Considerations
 |
Because Apple makes both the hardware and the software for the MacBook, they're designed to work together to produce a smarter product that uses less electricity. For instance, to reduce energy consumption, the hard drive spins down automatically when inactive. MacBook Air also decides which processor--CPU or GPU--is best suited to efficiently perform a task. The LED-backlit display in the MacBook Pro is another feature that plays an important part in conserving energy, consuming 30 percent less power than conventional LCD displays. And the display is designed to dim when you enter a darkened room.
The MacBook Pro meets the stringent low power requirements set by the EPA, giving it ENERGY STAR qualification. ENERGY STAR 5.0 sets significantly higher efficiency limits for power supplies and aggressive limits for the computer's typical annual power consumption.
Also, every MacBook Pro model has earned the highest rating of EPEAT Gold. The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, or EPEAT, evaluates the environmental impact of a product based on how recyclable it is, how much energy it uses, and how it's designed and manufactured.
Pre-Loaded with Mac OS X Snow Leopard and iLife '09
 | Every Mac comes with Mac OS X Snow Leopard, the world's most advanced operating system, and iLife, Apple's innovative suite of applications for managing photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music. Snow Leopard builds on a decade of OS X innovation and success with hundreds of refinements, new core technologies and out of the box support for Microsoft Exchange. iLife features iPhoto, to easily organize and manage photos; iMovie with powerful easy-to-use new features such as Precision Editor, video stabilization and advanced drag and drop; and GarageBand which introduces a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar. Installed software
|
Customer Reviews
Solid laptop, incredible performance, worth the cost
I finally made the decision to get rid of my two laptops (an HP envy, and a 13" macbook pro) in favor of this 17" macbook pro with a dual boot setup using Boot Camp. Initial impressions: The best choice I've ever made. Here's the whole thing broken down:
THE SIZE
This thing is pretty beastly, but it's not unwieldy. You definitely feel its size the second you pick one up, or move it around, but you'll quickly get over that once you open it up and turn it on. The keyboard is super expansive, the screen is unbelievable (more on that later) and you can still stay mobile with this thing if you really need to. It's not something you can easily move around with 1 hand from room to room, but if you're like me, and do most of your work at a desk, then this is a great choice to make. (Note: I also own an iPad, which is a fantastic pair with this thing, since it does about 90% of what I do on-the-go as far as mobile computing goes.)
THE SCREEN
So I mentioned already that you'll most likely fall in love with this thing like I did when you open it up and turn it on. It has the highest PPI (pixels per inch) of all the apple laptops they sell and it shows. I actually am considering not even hooking this up to my external monitor anymore, because of how brilliantly sharp it is. Colors really pop and text is easy to read. Also, since it's 17", you get a better-than-HD 1920x1200 resolution. My work is in development, so this is really a major selling point for me. I need to be able to manage all my windows in Xcode and Interface builder without tons of overlap and clicking between browsers, my chat windows and my code.
THE KEYBOARD
If you've used a macbook pro keyboard in the past year or so, you'll feel right at home with this thing. I will say this as a negative, however: It's not super comfortable on your arms right past your wrist, because the sharp edges of the laptop dig into your skin after a while.
THE PERFORMANCE
I copied over my entire OS/settings to this new macbook pro and ran some field tests to see how fast this thing is in comparison to my old macbook pro--and it screams. An iPhone/iPad project that takes 5-10 seconds to build on my old machine (core 2 duo) takes a fraction of that time here. The i5 is most definitely a step up from previous core 2 duos. I finally have a laptop I can stick Windows 7 on that is as good as a dedicated Windows machine can do. (Being able to have this 1 comp to run both environments is great!)
BATTERY LIFE
I will have to come back and update on battery life, but I can tell you that it's worlds better than my HP. That was similarly spec'ed and barely worked 2 hours on the go. This one so far is looking like 6 hours with wifi and full brightness. They have it rated at 8-9 hours, but I'm sure that's with brightness turned down and not full use the whole time. Truthfully, anything better than 2 hours with this kind of power is great for me.
TOUCHPAD
Again, if you've used a recent MacBook Pro, this is essentially identical. The biggest change here is that you can now use "inertial" scrolling, so that you can just flick your fingers to scroll long pages, and it will keep scrolling until it slows to a stop. This is very similar to the iPhone scrolling of long pages, or if you've used a Magic Mouse, it does the same thing.
Also, of note, is that of all the new copy cat glass track pads, I haven't used one that works as well as these. Even inside Windows, it performs real well and you feel productive with it. I've used other PC's with the no-button glass touchpad, and it makes me want to throw them across the room after a few minutes..
OTHER THOUGHTS/CONCERNS
While I'll keep this at 5 stars, this isn't necessarily a perfect computer. I have a few gripes with it, but they aren't really deal breakers and all the other pros make up for them so well that I'm okay with it. For starters, this has three USB ports (the 15 and 13 model only have 2) but unfortunately they are literally all lined up next to each other. If you have any kind of a fat usb device, you're out of luck for placing anything next to it.
Also, you'll most likely need to buy the mini-display port to HDMI converter because while Apple loves mini-display port, the rest of the world is just now using HDMI as its standard. You can find one here on amazon for real cheap (<$10). I take this as a con simply because you'll need to (most likely) always carry around an adapter or two to hook up to most projects or tv's or monitors.
VIDEO PERFORMANCE
I haven't yet tested any games or anything but it'll run HD videos so smoothly and they look *fantastic* on this screen. Seriously--I thought my old macbook pro 13 looked good running HD, but this computer puts it to shame. I can't wait to try out some games on here. (Valve is coming to the mac soon! And of course Blizzard makes all their games for mac os as well, so what more do you really need? :) )
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you're looking to spend this amount of money on an apple, and don't mind the bigger size of this thing, then go for it. You won't regret it. I'm so happy to be using this coming from the two laptops I had to previously carry around everywhere. Having everything in 1 device, with this much power, and with this great of a battery life, is a blessing.
UPDATE - JUNE 10, 2010
I've had this laptop for some time now, and thought I'd go ahead and update on some of the things I promised I would earlier in the review. As some other reviewers have pointed out, I'm not quite sure how Apple managed to get 8 or 9 hours out of 1 charge, unless they were using it with all its wireless signals off and on very low brightness. But the battery life is still good--I can stay unplugged for 5+ hours if need be.
Computer games on here run really well. Valve is indeed on the Mac now, and here to stay. The games work and look great! If you're a casual computer gamer, and like to play things like Half Life or Portal, Civilization, etc etc, then this computer will easily suit your need.
Finally, I don't know how I missed this is in my first review, but the sound is really very good. It comes with a subwoofer inside, and can produce incredibly loud sound without distortion.
One Heck of a Personal Laptop
Purchased: 4/15/10 (Mac Connection)
Shipped: 4/16/10 (via UPS)
Delivered: 4/21/10
My previous laptops:
Dell Inspiron 6400
Dell Inspiron 8600
Before I settled on the MacBook Pro, I also eyed the HP Envy 15 and Dell Studio XPS 16. While those laptops provided a better array of basic specifications (i.e. processor, hard drive, graphics card, optical drive) at a lower price, I was drawn to the portability and battery life that the MacBook Pro offered even as a "large" laptop. Small nitpicks such as the HP Envy 15 lacking a backlit keyboard and the Dell Studio XPS 16 utilizing a last-gen graphics card also helped sway my decision. (note: I am aware that the Mobility Radeon HD 4670 slightly outperforms the GeForce GT 330M. However, it requires more power and is not used in an 'automatic graphics switching' setup.)
---edit// (Added May 6, 2010)
On May 5, 2010, HP officially introduced the Envy 14 (replaces the Envy 13) and 17 models with a mid-to-end-of May release date. Two of the caveats addressed with the new models are the backlit keyboard and the option to turn off the discrete graphics card (though, not automatically).
---
HARDWARE:
There is no denying the solid design and appealing aesthetics involved with the MacBook Pro's construction. Simply put, the look, feel, and refinement of the laptop's aluminum unibody enclosure is second to none. It is thin, light, and it feels durable/sturdy. The 17-inch LED display delivers crisp pictures and an enjoyable video-viewing experience. Furthermore, the resolution (1920-by-1200) provides great real estate that should be well appreciated by users who require or enjoy organizing multiple windows and applications on the screen simultaneously. Unfortunately, Apple opted not to implement an IPS LED screen for the 2010 hardware refresh. Considering the price, I highly expected the new MacBook Pros to receive the IPS treatment since the iMac line recently incorporated it. The keyboard is top-notch. It is comfortable and it supplies a decent amount of feedback while typing. The multi-touch trackpad is absolutely brilliant. It is a joy to use and its convenient functions streamline the overall experience and laptop's "ease of use". While the three USB 2.0 slots are sufficient (not to mention, really close together), it is disappointing that Apple did not upgrade the hardware to utilize USB 3.0. People speculate that Apple will instead be implementing Intel's 'Light Peak' technology rather than USB 3.0 in the near future. For now, the FireWire 800 port will have to do. The lack of a Blu-Ray optical drive was not too big of a deal for me but I understand it can be an issue for other consumers considering the price of the laptop.
PERFORMANCE:
A majority of other reviews I read centered on the Core i7 processor rather the Core i5. It is safe to say that the Core i5 is more than enough for my needs and, most likely, a majority of other users'. It smoothly and effectively handles multiple applications and activities. I experienced no performance degradation while carrying a video chat, jamming to music, checking e-mail, browsing the web, and chatting online at the same time. Moreover, I encoded video and music files with ease while working with other applications. For users who regularly use processor-intensive applications such as Adobe Photoshop and Aperture 3, the Core i7 would be more suitable. I do not play computer games so I will not discuss the Intel HD graphics or GeForce GT 330M in that respect. All I can say is that it does the job perfectly well when watching high-definition video clips, movies, or Flash-based video. The 500GB hard drive is great for storage but the 5400-rpm specification is underwhelming. I still wonder how a laptop in such a price bracket comes standard with just a 5400-rpm hard drive. I expected at least a hybrid 128GB SSD + 250GB 7200-rpm hard drive setup as "standard". Shame.
BATTERY LIFE:
Let's just start with the numbers. I get about 4-6 hours (well, 6 hours if I am very battery conscious) on a daily basis. This involves general tasks such as e-mailing, chatting, music listening, and web browsing with the occasional video viewing. The screen's brightness is usually between 45-60% and the keyboard backlighting is not used. Now, these are commendable numbers by any means considering the size of the laptop. However, it is an absolute letdown when Apple claims one can squeeze up to 9 hours on a single charge. I even emulated the "test settings" Apple used to achieve those battery life numbers. I barely squeezed out 6 hours with about 4% remaining.
VERDICT:
Great personal laptop with a few subjective issues concerning the purported battery life and price-to-hardware/performance ratios.
OFF-TANGENT RECOMMENDATIONS:
If you decide to purchase an AppleCare Protection Plan to extend your MacBook Pro's warranty/support, look on eBay. You can easily find a legit AppleCare for less than half the price that Apple lists. If you are looking for a backpack to carry your MacBook Pro in, I highly recommend the Incase Nylon Backpack (CL55092 09).
Love it but there are some things you should know....
This is my second 17" MacBook Pro. I had the last generation in a 2.93GHZ CPU. My first one had a SSD drive, this one does not. I updated my first one to 8GB of RAM, this one still has 4GB, and I won't be in a rush to update it. BTW, my first MBP was stolen.
If you can stand the weight, and don't let the other reviewers fool you. Yes you get a nice 17" full HD display, but it is very heavy. I'm 6'4" and have a Brenthaven backpack and Brenthaven carry all. You will need some protection for this thing, because if you drop it, it is heavy enough to break itself. The folks at Brenthaven were great. After my first MBP was stolen they sent me not one but two replacement sleeve at no charge. Did I say it was heavy? It is really heavy. Try to carry it around all day and you will start think that small is beautiful.
We have two 13" macs in the house. A unibody MacBook--the best selling laptop ever, and the newer 13" MacBook Pro--fast becoming the most popular laptop ever. Both of these are outstanding computers--probably better machines. They are lighter and more fun to use.
Let me say a few words about speed. I love fast machines. But get serious, even the slowest Mac is fast as heck. The only reason for getting a really fast machine is if you do video editing, and perhaps professional graphics people who deal with huge photoshop files--if you don't then don't delude yourself into thinking you need a really fast machine. Even so, these other machines will do whatever you want.
I would have bought the new 13" or perhaps the 15" if I didn't have all the accessories for the 17". While this 17" is good for what I wanted--Video editing in the field. It is not very good for every day use. I'd recommend the 13" or 15" or even the MacBook Air for most people. I compromised and bought this and a new iPad. So I have something for general use to carry around, and a blazing fast laptop.
I bought each machine with the glossy display. I like the rich colors and most of the time I don't use it in places with lots of reflections. I could have changed to a mat display and did not. Mainly because I felt the glass display was mechanically stronger, and I don't intend to lose this laptop--I'll have this one for ten years or more.
What else? Well so far in general use, I don't find it to be any faster than my older one. I have not tried ripping a DVD to MP4 yet, that will probably be faster. The truth is, this MBP and the last generation are both darn fast machines. Either will blow your mind with how fast they are.
I did not get a SSD drive this time, because on my old machine, it was lightning fast when I bought it, but not much faster than a hard drive after a year's use. Why pay for something that will just keep getting slower? By the way, I do not recommend the APPLE SSD's. I love SSD's. I'm hooked. I'll just wait and try to find one that works better than the stock Apple Toshiba SSD's.
As for the extra memory. Unless you are a power user, the 8GB or ram is a bit of overkill. I'll probably update my memory when I have some spare cash and another machine to move the present 4GB of RAM into. I do think the combination of a fast SSD and 8GB of Ram will prevent swapping from taking place which will probably improve the longevity of a SSD.
As for this product or any of the Apple products, what sold me on these machines, is the touchpad. I had enough of pushing my pointer over to the side to find a scroll bar and move down the screen--it is tedious. The Apple touchpad interface ALONE, is the worth the purchase of one of these machine. It is so fast, so easy, so natural--so "got to have it and can't stand the old way any more".
The other essential feature is a backlit keyboard. Don't get a Mac without that feature.
Battery life. I was getting 5-6 hours on my old 17" MBP. I can't say how long the new one will last, supposedly it gets 8 hours. That great, but rarely will I need that. Just be glad that Mac batteries last longer than you will need them.
I was a long time Windows user and computer builder--since 1983. I've been working with computers since the PDP-11 and used DOS, Windows, Unix, Linux, and OS-X. I've built dozens of computers for myself. I paid $1000 for one the first 386 motherboards!
While the new versions of Linux come close, no one has a better operating system than Apple. Anyone who has switched will agree with me. I switched over when Apple went to Intel CPU's. These have been some of the happiest years in my life. No more viruses. I rarely have to reboot my machine. My Apple desktops have been running without rebooting for many months. My Mac Mini have not been shut off more than three times in three years.
Rebooting? Once in a while you will have to reboot this system for an Apple update. Never will you have to reboot for any other application. You might have to shut down Firefox, or some application to update hat one application--but you will not have to reboot to update an application or most Apple updates. How great is that? The one time I thought my system was locked up--guess what it was? My cordless mouse needed new batteries. This kind of reliatble computer problem I love. Apple computers don't have problems.
OS X is a customizable as you like, or leave it alone right out of the box--it is nearly perfect.
So think about what you want. If you want a good laptop--get the 13"; need a bigger screen, get the 15". Think you are big enough to carry the 17", or using it mostly at home--get the 17" but be wary. I tried using my 17" in bed and found it uncomfortable. It is heavy enough, even with a folded up blanket under it, to hurt your chest if stood in edge to see the keyboard. It is too big for 95% of the people. If you get one, you will start thinking about getting a MacBook Air or iPad. You will be happier with the 13".
One final thing: Get AppleCare's extended warranttee on eBay for half the price.
0 comments:
Post a Comment