Apple Releases Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro

[iViking]

That is not true. Glare problems on glossy screens were exagerated by users exposed to poor first generation PC glossy screens.

The recent macbook and macbook pro glossy screens are very very nice. If the glare is bad on a glossy screen then the dim matte screen will be almost impossible to see clearly as well.

Just go to your local home theatre shop and see how many highend tv's have matte screens. Not very many. Almost all lcd, and DLP projection tvs use glossy screens.

Remember if the glare is a big problem for you, you can always put a matte overlay screen protector on the screen. Where as a glossy overlay will never make the matte lcd as bright and with as much contrast.

I agree that the glare is not that big of deal. It was never an issue with my Macbook. When there's glare you can usually just tilt the screen slightly to get around it. It's all about the viewing angle.

 

[jellomizer]

This is a great update - enough to satisfy people who have been waiting but not so much that I want to junk my 6 month old MBP

While I am currently running a 667 mhz Powerbook, that is over 4 1/2 years old. It is time for an upgrade for myself But I have only really been needing an upgrade for the past Year or so, I didn't want a Generation 1 MacBook Pro so I waited for a new version, the wait was a bit longer then I expected an upgrade by June. But for 3 1/2 years I was very happy with my Powerbook, and all the updates DVI, Better Video, Faster G4 Processors, illuminated Keyboard, ... But after the 3 1/2 year mark I started noticing that I couldn't run the latest OS Version with all the bells in whistles, Running at the same time. Newer Software will not run on my hardware, With most devices using USB 2 finding using USB 1 is getting sluggish, remote displays not running at full potential. In short 4 1/2 years is a good run for a laptop, and it well earned its cost. But it is time fore a new one.

 

[mandoman]

Awesome update for sure. More memory, fw800, and DL - how cool is that! A 160gb 7200 rpm drive would be sweet, but those aren't available yet, so 5400 rpm will have to do. I can care
less about the lack of a GPU upgrade, the x1600 is good enough.

If I was in the market, I'd go 2.33 15" w/160gb upgrade, matte screen, 2gb ram. Or possibly a pure stock 2.33 15" w/the 120gb hdd bought from Amazon with their $150 rebate I'm sure they will have eventually. However, I think I can get another 6 mo's out of my pb g4, so guess I'll wait for the next revision.

Congrats to those that are getting one, I'm jealous!

 

[Prints]

delivery

what is everyones ship times? I ordered mine at 10 am this morning and my estimated arrival date is nov 2. anyone else's sooner then that?

I ordered at 5:57 am Pacific Time. My daughter's new laptop will ship Oct 30 and be in her hands Nov. 1.

she's thrilled.

 

[parenthesis]

Faster hard drive, FW800, C2D processor. That's a pretty sweet system. I work for Intel (as a rep), and we've been pummeling people about C2D for a while now. I'm glad that I can show my face in the Apple section again!

I might have to sell my MBP now.

Any takers?

 

[JOBenson1375]

Glad to see

Hey, I'm excited to see that the Pro's were finally released. I'm thinking about buying the lower end 15" pro model. Question for you out there though. Any idea on when the MB will be updated? And any thoughts on if the video card will be updated with it? Or just a processor switch and more memory?

Let me know and thanks!

~J

 

[mingspace]

I apologize in advance if this has already been posted. But on the store site, when you are configuring a MBP, the option for 200GB drive says 4200 RPMs. Don't they mean 7200RPMs?

 

[digitalbiker]

Performance wise..... What about battery life and 802.11n. Performance is everything my friend. Being able to use that battery life for an extra hour is pretty high on a priority for me.

We don't yet know what 802.11 is in the current MacBook Pro. There has been some evidence that the latest iMac (when bumped to merom) is recognized as 802.11n by windows under bootcamp. I am waiting to see if this current MacBook Pro is recognized the same way.

As far as battery life, if Leopard supports better power saving for the Merom chip, and the MacBookPro does support 802.11n, what else does Santa Rosa bring that improves battery performance.

 

[Chundles]

I apologize in advance if this has already been posted. But on the store site, when you are configuring a MBP, the option for 200GB drive says 4200 RPMs. Don't they mean 7200RPMs?

No, it's a 4200rpm drive. There are no 7200rpm 200GB 2.5" hard drives on the market. I'm yet to see a 7200rpm drive larger than 100GB in the 2.5" form factor.

 

[daneoni]

lol. I was gonna cancel and switch to the base model with matte & 160GB HDD but the system wouldn't allow me cancel even though my order has already been confirmed. Strange.

Oh well i guess its a sign to stick with what i have.

 

[digitalbiker]

lol. I was gonna cancel and switch to the base model with matte & 160GB HDD but the system wouldn't allow me cancel even though my order has already been confirmed. Strange.

Oh well i guess its a sign to stick with what i have.

What is your current order?

 

[Chef Medeski]

We don't yet know what 802.11 is in the current MacBook Pro. There has been some evidence that the latest iMac (when bumped to merom) is recognized as 802.11n by windows under bootcamp. I am waiting to see if this current MacBook Pro is recognized the same way.

As far as battery life, if Leopard supports better power saving for the Merom chip, and the MacBookPro does support 802.11n, what else does Santa Rosa bring that improves battery performance.

Robson
Dynamic Front Side Bus Switching

 

[AidenShaw]

What "64-bit support" ??

Yes. This was actually a very good update. More ram, 64 bit support, FW 800, Faster, Cooler, Merom CPU, DL 6x DVD burner.

Sorry, but is there *any* 64-bit support at all?

I didn't think so.

There's a likely potential for 64-bit support in the future, but the OSx86 build has no support for x64. None.

Yes, it's good "future-proofing", but as far as any benefit today - nada. (Unless maybe you have ADC and you're developing new 64-bit apps for 10.5...)

 

[br0adband]

Sorry, but is there *any* 64-bit support at all?

I didn't think so.

There's a likely potential for 64-bit support in the future, but the OSx86 build has no support for x64. None.

Yes, it's good "future-proofing", but as far as any benefit today - nada. (Unless maybe you have ADC and you're developing new 64-bit apps for 10.5...)

Core 2 Duo processors have 64 bit support from EMT64. I'm currently running Vista 64 on this 20" iMac, and I've installed the Leopard WWDC preview as well which is 64 bit enabled. Also ran XP 64 for a few hours in testing after I got the iMac.

So, yes, it's there in the processor, and why you'd be asking about 64 bit OSx86 support is beyond me - it's a hacked version of OSX and I'd think it's not something for discussion around these parts. The new C2D MacBook Pro is basically the 20" iMac I'm staring at with a smaller screen and a smaller package - they're hardware identical except for form factor, CD/DVD drive and the LCD panel.

bb

 

[daneoni]

What is your current order?

Stock 2.33 with Glossy Display

 

[Chef Medeski]

-

 

[dornoforpyros]

ahh, and 3 days after I bought the machine, it's back into the box and back to the store (after an erase and install of OS X of course). At least the store seems to have a very liberal return policy, so I'm gonna take it back and get my name on the list for the 2.33ghz's when they come in stock.

 

[bimmerkid]

luck

I've been an Apple Computer consumer all my life. I still have my Mac Plus from 1984 . Unfortunately my new mbp crapped out after 6 months. Not due to heat issues or noises. Well after my third repair they had me send my computer and accessories back to release my new mbp from the Apple store. Well I kept checking the order status for the past week and just today the specs changed to the new mbp c2d. I WAS SO SHOCKED! So I just had a mbp cd for the past 6 months and am now getting a new mbp c2d !
2.33ghz
2gb ram
160gb HD

Ships on the 30th
SO EXCITED!

 

[iBorg20181]

I work in the Columbia, MD retail store like I had previously said and I work with them 18 hours a week and walk by / stand next to them 18 hours a week as well. So I know what I'm talking about. The majority of people that get MBPs get matted. (From my store at least...)

As for the home theater stuff, they are almost all non-matted because they are for 'Theaters' which to me implies good lighting conditions.

I'm surprised to hear this - I regularly visit all 3 Apple Stores here in the Twin Cities (MN), and no matter how I rotate the MBPs, or rearrange the screens, I've found in near impossible to se any glare on the glossy screens, even sittng adjacent to matte screened MBPs!

I ordered a glossy 15.4" MBP with the 160GB HD - CANNOT WAIT for this baby to arrive! This update exceeded almost all of my wishes (the only exception being an easy-swap HD bay, but oh well!)



iBorg

 

[br0adband]

I've been an Apple Computer consumer all my life. I still have my Mac Plus from 1984 . Unfortunately my new mbp crapped out after 6 months. Not due to heat issues or noises. Well after my third repair they had me send my computer and accessories back to release my new mbp from the Apple store. Well I kept checking the order status for the past week and just today the specs changed to the new mbp c2d. I WAS SO SHOCKED! So I just had a mbp cd for the past 6 months and am now getting a new mbp c2d !
2.33ghz
2gb ram
160gb HD

Ships on the 30th
SO EXCITED!

Nice to hear things worked out in the long long run for you. Hope you enjoy the new MBP even more. I'm returning my 20" iMac this week to get a gift card to put towards the purchase of a new MBP when they arrive.

bb

 

[AidenShaw]

"Centrino" does not include (nor exclude) integrated graphics

Then back to my original point. We will not see Santa Rosa in the macbook pro. The Macbook might see it, seeing that Apple has chosen integrated graphics this is not an impossible senario.

Centrino is CPU/north&southbridge/wireless.

It does not require graphics.

My discreet Radeon Dell D600 has a Centrino sticker, as well as my Merom D620 with nVidia. (620 was upgraded from 2.16 Yonah to 2.33 Merom)

 

[mdmbkr]

What other laptops out there are comparable to the MBP (~15" screen) but have a better GPU?

 

[iBorg20181]

Sorry, but is there *any* 64-bit support at all?

I didn't think so.

There's a likely potential for 64-bit support in the future, but the OSx86 build has no support for x64. None.

Yes, it's good "future-proofing", but as far as any benefit today - nada. (Unless maybe you have ADC and you're developing new 64-bit apps for 10.5...)

We can always count on Aiden to be the "glass is half empty" guy ....



iBorg

 

[AidenShaw]

what do you need 3gb of ram for...isn't 2 enough?

Running a 1 GiB virtual machine, or maybe 3 512 MiB virtual machine, plus real native stuff.

By this time next year, 4 GiB will be a midrange machine.

 

[cookieme]

Just wondering but I don't think that anyone has mentioned whether using BootCamp and Windows XP PRO will require the x64 version or if the 32-bit version will work just as fine! Also, would there be any advantage in using XP PRO x64 now that the MBP has Merom? I use solidworks a lot and it would be the only app I would need windows for!

thanks