Apple Releases the MacBook Pro

[Randall]

You’ll get a moderate performance boost. Is it worth $100 though? No idea. www.barefeats.com did a few benchmarks of 5400 vs. 7200 RPM drives. Some of the 'marks showed fairly significant performance boosts. Some didn't. IMHO if 100GB is good enough for you I’d go for it. Personally? I’m waiting for the 160GB 7200 RPM drives to ship. I’ll upgrade then.

Isn't it just a standard laptop SATA drive we're talking about? can't you just swap it out for this?

Does anybody know when we'll see the 160GB models?

 

[nagromme]

Actually, most people who want to run Pro apps on a Macbook Pro would benefit from 2 GB - as digital images get huge, and people have muliple images open at the same time, applications like Photoshop demand loads of RAM.

Certainly. But a LOT of people (even pros like me) are working with things other than huge image files. And a lot of everyday users buy PowerBooks and thus MacBooks. Being able to drop from 1x1GB to 2x512 and save $100 with no loss of capability is nice for them. I'm glad Apple lists the option.

 

[Randall]

Now if only we could upgrade later to a dual layer burner people's bitching might subside.

Just swap it for the DL one in your new PowerBook G4 that's now obsolete.

I'll be waiting until the 64-bit merom MacBook Pros ship next January with DL DVD burning and Blu-ray rom. (BD-Burner is probably too much to ask for and would be $$$).

 

[Grokgod]

cpu heat and speed

I am have been reading the Intel white papers on the cpu's and havent found the right information about wattage and wether the 1.8 unit is overclocked or not?

I am trying to figure out which unit will run cooler!

I am thinking that logically the 1.67 would be the coolest running, uhh right?

But the extra video ram 256 is SO taunting!
Will need to hook up to a Cinema 30 display for presentations.

Heat and Fan noise or my biggest concerns.

ANyone have some information on the chips?

TIA

Hello can anyone see me?

< Waving Arms in the Air! >
hey this new edit mode is GREAT! Thanks ARN!!

 

[Counter]

PowerBook’s*

Good luck with talking to anybody not on the internet about PowerBooks with intel chips in.

 

[neildmitchell]

I still want a tablet.

Does anyone know the actual performance ?ratio?
The chip may be a lot faster, but when factoring in Bus, and Disc speed...

 

[CalfCanuck]

I'm glad Apple lists the option.

Agree with you here, that more choices are better!

One constant criticism of Apple's Pro lineup these last years has been that stock systems were always short on RAM, and that you sometimes had to pull their RAM to upgrade the system. I'm glad they they are shipping with 1 GB w/1 slot free rather than the 2 x 512MB they would have done in the past.

And I'm glad they give others the option to save some cash in exchange for using up those available slots.

 

[darwin022]

also, RE the battery issues.... I think it is quite obvious that the batteries are NOT ready or there is a supply shortage, if you add the book to your cart and go to the accessories page that comes after, the Li-Poly batteries don't ship for 6-8 weeks.

 

[grahamtriggs]

Yeah.. the beachball on safari or mail lasts for a couple of seconds.. especially when my mailbox is so darn huge with thousands of mail messages. I don't even want to talk about microsoft outlook on my pc laptop.. one fine day it just stopped working.. wouldn't import mail anymore.. so there.

I've had beachballs in Safari, etc. that last minutes. I've had Mail take many, many minutes trying to quit (and sometimes having to forcibly kill it).

I want something thats reliable.. that I don't have to 'update' or format the drive, etc. just to keep it running. Thats the reason I have a mac..

One of the Macs at work refused to work properly unless the caches were cleaned. This had to be done on *every* reboot. Macs can and do suffer problems that are equally as bad / annoying as Windows - yes, Windows needs a bit more hand-holding, but Macs aren't a magic bullet.

And, you talk about ".Mac" updates and compare it to windows anti-virus updates? Are you serious? .Mac offers SERVICES such as storage, file management, backups, antivirus, etc. I dont even subscribe to .mac.. why do you? Without windows anti-virus.. a pc will get hacked.. so don't make lame comparisons!

Which is why it was in brackets - just a note that I have spent a fair amount on .Mac, but the primary point is that I've spent more on OS updates (which have been more or less necessary due to software compatability), than I would have on the little necessary add-ons for Windows.

Of course Windows needs anti-virus - but it's pretty damn cheap (and possibly even free).

Yuk? To the backlit keyboard? Everyone of my clients or friends who have seen this feature think its the most beautiful thing ever. And yeah, we do work in the dark at times.. on a flight when the lights are out. Duh. I don't know how the heck you can say "Yuk" to a backlit keyboard..

Because it likes to light up when there is no real need - and with the backlight turned on in lit conditions, it's quite hard to see the key markings. Thanks to not EVER needing or wanting to use it in the dark, I can and have permanently turned off the backlighting - but in that case, it would actually be better (and cheaper) to not have had it in the first place.

 

[SiliconAddict]

Isn't it just a standard laptop SATA drive we're talking about? can't you just swap it out for this?

Does anybody know when we'll see the 160GB models?

Next month. Seagate starts selling them then. But they are 5400 drives. Yah I'm being picky but if I'm going to upgrade. I'd like to also jump to a 7200 drive.

 

[macdragonfl]

I agree with you I will wait for revisions

Personally I will wait a little, I just feel a bit edgy about how it is just a single model instead of a whole line of Macbook Pros. Smells like a rush job.

I am exicited that Apple finally updated its high end notebook. But I will wait until it's bugs are ironed out. First versions are always a chance. Expecially when so much has changed. I do not have to be the first to own one. I love my PowerBook G4. I am in no rush to replace and when I do I want to know that it is a proven system with all software universal. The superdrive issue is one that I am dumb founded about. The name is Goofy I agree with many other posters on this issue. FW 800 I can live without. The modem is really not an issue. My brother bought IMac G5 with the same external modem. It is so small that you can just leave it on the phone cord. Hopefully when I buy It will be a blue-ray drive and a full HD screen and have about 5 hours of battery life!!!

 

[barryp]

17" Speculation?

Dunno if I missed it, but anyone wondering about a possible 17" or similar version?

 

[yankeefan24]

thanx for the hard drive advice. I think i would stick to the regular. But, if you have 2x512 MB RAM, all that means is that if you want to upgrade, you have to take out a 512, right. Also, could i use RAM from a TiBook on a macbook pro??? thanx

 

[nagromme]

Dunno if I missed it, but anyone wondering about a possible 17" or similar version?

They went with one model first, but it's a good bet that others will follow. Nobody knows when, but I predict sooner rather than later. I think by the end of March, well ahead of Merom, we'll have a full line of Core Duo MacBook Pros in 2 or 3 sizes.

And when Core Solo is out (not far off) I predict NON-Pro MacBooks (and new Mac Mini).

I'd want the smallest size--hopefully in a Pro (Core Duo) flavor.

 

[faintember]

EDIT: I see some other conflicting data posted as well, however it is not "real world", it is just the theoretical power requirements. These small differences in watts add up over hundreds of minutes. I will settle this as there IS a difference, but of only a few minutes, nothing drastic. Agree?

Did i time my battery before or after? no
Did i notice a difference before or after (while doing the same processes)? no
To me, that is "real world" use. But i do agree, an faster HD could lead to a non-drastic degradation in battery performance if measured with a stop watch or the like. I still hold to my stance that there is no real difference in real world use. (btw, i am not trying to flame you!)

 

[Grokgod]

thanx for the hard drive advice. I think i would stick to the regular. But, if you have 2x512 MB RAM, all that means is that if you want to upgrade, you have to take out a 512, right. Also, could i use RAM from a TiBook on a macbook pro??? thanx

You cant use that old ram on a MBP!
You couldnt use it on a ALUbook either.

 

[manu chao]

ordered... 1.83 duo with 120GB drive. I chose the slower 120GB drive over the 7200rpm drive for battery life and spinup/spindown reasons... I dunno, seemed like the better option. If I want, I can plug a FW400 160GB 7200RPM drive in.

Ordering 1GB of RAM from Crucial around Feb. 1

Save your money on the 7200 rpm drive in a Firewire 400 enclosure and get a 5400 rpm drive instead. According to barefeats.com (http://www.barefeats.com/hard56.html) 7200 rpm in a Firewire 400 enclosure does not offer much of a speed increase.

 

[davidahn]

Ram

I priced DDR2 5300 SO-DIMMs, and they're $130-180 for 1GB. So rather than get 1MB and spend $130-180 to upgrade to 1.5 GB (not that great a difference) or $260-360 for 2GB, I'd rather spend $100 extra now for 1GB and then spend $130 for the second GB.

David

 

[yankeefan24]

You cant use that old ram on a MBP!
You couldnt use it on a ALUbook either.

didn't think so. thanx tho.

 

[darwin022]

Save your money on the 7200 rpm drive in a Firewire 400 enclosure and get a 5400 rpm drive instead. According to barefeats.com (http://www.barefeats.com/hard56.html) 7200 rpm in a Firewire 400 enclosure does not offer much of a speed increase.

I went with the 120 drive for a bit extra space. I already have a 7200rpm 160GB fw400 drive, a slow ass Lacie bus powered USB 2.SLOW 50GB, my 60GB ipod, and about 1.3TB of storage in servers at home. I'd like the extra bit of space without carrying the Lacie or whatnot.

 

[DinoMac]

I am exicited that Apple finally updated its high end notebook. But I will wait until it's bugs are ironed out. First versions are always a chance. Expecially when so much has changed. I do not have to be the first to own one. I love my PowerBook G4. I am in no rush to replace and when I do I want to know that it is a proven system with all software universal. The superdrive issue is one that I am dumb founded about. The name is Goofy I agree with many other posters on this issue. FW 800 I can live without. The modem is really not an issue. My brother bought IMac G5 with the same external modem. It is so small that you can just leave it on the phone cord. Hopefully when I buy It will be a blue-ray drive and a full HD screen and have about 5 hours of battery life!!!

I feel the same exact way.

 

[Randall]

Next month. Seagate starts selling them then. But they are 5400 drives. Yah I'm being picky but if I'm going to upgrade. I'd like to also jump to a 7200 drive.

Yeah 7200 is sometimes noticibly faster, other times not so much. Remember that 5400 takes up less power, gives off less heat, and is most likely quieter then a 7200 counterpart. Those tradeoffs might be worth it for me. It's a tough call, but I guess I would prefer a 7200 because I feel that performance is everything.

 

[jbouklas]

Edited.

 

[Rocketman]

ExpressCard/34 devices?

In researching ExpressCard/34 devices it seems to have existed since mid-2004. Do any devices actually exist?

I am interested in preferably a Verizon broadband wireless connection.

A WiMax alternative might suffice.

I seem to read several folks wishing for FW800 and while we are at it, what about fibrechannel or some such?

Rocketman

 

[nagromme]

Save your money on the 7200 rpm drive in a Firewire 400 enclosure and get a 5400 rpm drive instead. According to barefeats.com (http://www.barefeats.com/hard56.html) 7200 rpm in a Firewire 400 enclosure does not offer much of a speed increase.

But to be clear, a lot of people here are talking about INTERNAL drives, not Firewire enclosures.