Firsthand viewing of MacBooks and Pro's

[Spectrum]

So, I fianlly got my ass in gear and got to the new Apple store on 5th Avenue.

Surprisingly busy at 12:30am...

Anyway. My first chance to accurately critique the glossy screens. I even took my 15" PB along for fun.

MacBook. From a distance, these things look tiny. Sort of squat, like a desk calculator. Once on one and typing, I can say that the keyboard would definitely take some getting used to, but does look radically modern in comparison to those on the MBPros/PBs. (Although, I personally still prefer the PB/MBP keyboard).

Now... the screen: WAAAAY too glossy for my tastes. And no less reflective than any other PC glossy screen laptop I've seen.

However, for those that like it, and can focus on the screen and not the reflections, the colours are nicely (not garishly) saturated. I'm sure they look amazing in a dark room. (But the reflections bug me too much to justify this gain - and it is NOT necessary - see MBPro review, below).

MacBookPro. The 15" looks good. But some were definitely pretty hot. Hotter than my Powerbook has ever got even under load. But, of course, they are a lot more powerful too. However, I'm not as keen on the thick bezel for the iSight (something I would never use).
Now the screen... A BIG improvement over my hires 15" PB. The colours are more saturated and accurate. Apple definitely screwed up with the colours on the last round of the 15" PBs... and I'm sad that I am an owner...

But still: This is the NON-GLOSSY 15"MBPro - and the colours are good AND saturated. e.g. there is no need for glossy screens.

Finally, I looked at the 17"MBPro... and something struck me as immediately odd: They had glossy screens! Except they didn't. The ones in store were the matte version, but have a noticeably glossier appearance than either the 15"MBPros, or my 15" PB. I found even this level of glossiness distracting. And the screens were also not as bright as the 15" MBPro, accentuating the problem.

So, 17" PB owners: Is your screen semi-glossy???

All in all, the 15" seems to be a good buy. So long as you don't require FW800, or an 8x DL-SD, of course...

Roll on Rev B...

 

[benthewraith]

So, I fianlly got my ass in gear and got to the new Apple store on 5th Avenue.

Surprisingly busy at 12:30am...

Anyway. My first chance to accurately critique the glossy screens. I even took my 15" PB along for fun.

MacBook. From a distance, these things look tiny. Sort of squat, like a desk calculator. Once on one and typing, I can say that the keyboard would definitely take some getting used to, but does look radically modern in comparison to those on the MBPros/PBs. (Although, I personally still prefer the PB/MBP keyboard).

Now... the screen: WAAAAY too glossy for my tastes. And no less reflective than any other PC glossy screen laptop I've seen.

However, for those that like it, and can focus on the screen and not the reflections, the colours are nicely (not garishly) saturated. I'm sure they look amazing in a dark room. (But the reflections bug me too much to justify this gain - and it is NOT necessary - see MBPro review, below).

MacBookPro. The 15" looks good. But some were definitely pretty hot. Hotter than my Powerbook has ever got even under load. But, of course, they are a lot more powerful too. However, I'm not as keen on the thick bezel for the iSight (something I would never use).
Now the screen... A BIG improvement over my hires 15" PB. The colours are more saturated and accurate. Apple definitely screwed up with the colours on the last round of the 15" PBs... and I'm sad that I am an owner...

But still: This is the NON-GLOSSY 15"MBPro - and the colours are good AND saturated. e.g. there is no need for glossy screens.

Finally, I looked at the 17"MBPro... and something struck me as immediately odd: They had glossy screens! Except they didn't. The ones in store were the matte version, but have a noticeably glossier appearance than either the 15"MBPros, or my 15" PB. I found even this level of glossiness distracting. And the screens were also not as bright as the 15" MBPro, accentuating the problem.

So, 17" PB owners: Is your screen semi-glossy???

All in all, the 15" seems to be a good buy. So long as you don't require FW800, or an 8x DL-SD, of course...

Roll on Rev B...

That's a very fair review of those laptops. I thought about the Macbook, but graphics was a major issue for me. I wanted a computer that could play Star Wars:EaW, and the Macbook Pro has failed to dissappoint.

 

[celebrian23]

The employee I talked to said the MBP is a better long term computer, thus why I'm typing on it right now. Mine would burn on bare legs, but I always wear jeans or khakis, and it feels fine. I struggled typing on the macbook at first, but it was a pretty quick adjustment- still I thought the mbp was woth the extra dough.

 

[jhipolito]

So, I fianlly got my ass in gear and got to the new Apple store on 5th Avenue.

Surprisingly busy at 12:30am...

Anyway. My first chance to accurately critique the glossy screens. I even took my 15" PB along for fun.

MacBook. From a distance, these things look tiny. Sort of squat, like a desk calculator. Once on one and typing, I can say that the keyboard would definitely take some getting used to, but does look radically modern in comparison to those on the MBPros/PBs. (Although, I personally still prefer the PB/MBP keyboard).

Now... the screen: WAAAAY too glossy for my tastes. And no less reflective than any other PC glossy screen laptop I've seen.

However, for those that like it, and can focus on the screen and not the reflections, the colours are nicely (not garishly) saturated. I'm sure they look amazing in a dark room. (But the reflections bug me too much to justify this gain - and it is NOT necessary - see MBPro review, below).

MacBookPro. The 15" looks good. But some were definitely pretty hot. Hotter than my Powerbook has ever got even under load. But, of course, they are a lot more powerful too. However, I'm not as keen on the thick bezel for the iSight (something I would never use).
Now the screen... A BIG improvement over my hires 15" PB. The colours are more saturated and accurate. Apple definitely screwed up with the colours on the last round of the 15" PBs... and I'm sad that I am an owner...

But still: This is the NON-GLOSSY 15"MBPro - and the colours are good AND saturated. e.g. there is no need for glossy screens.

Finally, I looked at the 17"MBPro... and something struck me as immediately odd: They had glossy screens! Except they didn't. The ones in store were the matte version, but have a noticeably glossier appearance than either the 15"MBPros, or my 15" PB. I found even this level of glossiness distracting. And the screens were also not as bright as the 15" MBPro, accentuating the problem.

So, 17" PB owners: Is your screen semi-glossy???

All in all, the 15" seems to be a good buy. So long as you don't require FW800, or an 8x DL-SD, of course...

Roll on Rev B...

Very nice, fair hands-on review... As for the glossiness.. I have the 17" and I don't see what you're seeing.. I have a matte one and it's beautiful... I'm also wondering if the brightness was automatic as these adjust themselves according to light... Perhaps the 15" had this option turned off..

I love my MBP 17! The desktop real estate is priceless!

 

[Makosuke]

Hmm... my original (pre-gloss availability, hence matte) 17" is perhaps a little shinier than previous PowerBook screens I'm familiar with, but it's hardly distracting. If I look at it at a 70 degree angle, it reflects, but head on I've never seen any reflection at all. Haven't sat with my back to a window in broad daylight, admitedly, but I don't see anything to complain about.

Beautiful screen, really--not quite as good as my 20" ACD, but best laptop screen I've personally used (and this includes the hi-res 15" PB).