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15 minutes of battery life?! I get about 7 hours with full brightness watching movies in the high graphics mode. So you cant complain about battery life. I dont need it at full brightness I just like it. The colors really pop that way.

My one complaint is the USB ports both being on the left hand side. I would like one on the right but its not a big deal.

7 hours on a 15" with 9600 and full brightness?
Why don't you go ******** some other people?
 
I LOVE the new design, it makes my sexy 2008 MBP look boring.

Won't upgrade till there's a matte option though. I work in places where there's a lot of direct light from windows and doors. I'm outdoors with my laptop quite frequently as well.
 
Dont bash it until you have spent a few hours straight on it. Greatest computer in the world. I cant put mine down. The design is amazing. Pad works EXCELLENT. And if you set the screen brightness it doesnt have glare at all. I do not have one complaint with this thing. Its amazing plain and simple.

I totally agree, this is an awesome computer and i LOVE the glossy glass screen, its so clear, clean and precise, just like the iphone. I dont get at ALL why people like the dull LCD screens of the prior generation--i guess its just personal taste...
 
So other then the fact people complain to get attention... why in the hell would anyone keep a $2500+ laptop they don't absolutely love? This baffles me, thread after thread of people crying in the beer (or soda for the teenagers :p) over this flaw or that. If my 17" UMBP was everything I thought I was buying It would be back in the Apple store before I even had the chance to post my dislikes.

I get the purchasing part, it does take a few days to figure out if you do in fact like it, but with a 14 day or long return policy there is no way in hell I would keep any product I wasn't 100% satisfied with.

Easy fix, take the S@#t back already. Problem solved. :D
 
The design on the computer is great, and the way that the trackpad feels and looks like glass is wonderful. However, there is one complaint, which is that the aluminum body of the computer gets scratched easily, and I prefer the old Titanium models, even though they weighted a ton.

Are you referring to the Titanium Powerbook G4 models? Those were terrible scratch magnets. In fact there were cases where the paint would flake on the edges with the slightest bump. To be fair, my Tibook lasted me for years but if you look at it funny you'll scratch it.
 
So other then the fact people complain to get attention... why in the hell would anyone keep a $2500+ laptop they don't absolutely love?

Because some of us use our computer for business purposes, and not just dicking around. I'm teaching a class at the end of March, and my 17" was on the way out - so I need a computer to replace it ... quick. Sometimes you don't have the luxury of waiting for the perfect computer to come along.

Anyway, after using the laptop for two weeks, I thought I'd share how things are coming along. I've gotten used to the glossy screen for the most part, and it's great for watching movies, and playing games, but I'd still prefer the matte screen.

The edges are still a little uncomfortable, but you learn how to put your hands so that it reduces the effect. I don't know why Apple just didn't round the edges. That couldn't be too hard. Maybe they'll come out with iWrists wristbands so you don't accidentally slit your wrists while using the thing. ;)

The trackpad still feels clunky to me, but I try to use a mouse whenever possible. I've found an annoying feature when I'm scrolling with two fingers in Safari, I accidentally enlarge the text by pinching. There must be a way to turn this off. Overall, I've always hated track pads, and only used them when i didn't have a mouse handy. I really don't care what kind of technology they put in them because I try not to use them. That's just me though.

I do like the peppy speed of the video. Switching windows etc is very responsive. The body seems quite sturdy when I pick it up with one hand. Having all the connectors on one side is a double-edged sword however. I'm going to have to get a BT mouse since there is no USB port on the right hand side, but things seem neater overall, and it should be great if I pick up one of the new cinema screens.

Unfortunately, the original MBP I bought had a freezing problem whenever it got hot. To reproduce the issue, I'd run World of Warcraft and I could get it to freeze. Even if I brought the framerate down significantly, it would eventually bail on me, requiring a hard reset.

So to test to make sure it wasn't the software, I bought a second unit, same model, and swapped the hard drives. The problem didn't occur. However, this one BSODs (black screen of death) from time to time, usually when I'm rapidly closing windows, requiring a hard reset as well. As far as i know this BSOD issue has been happening with both machines, which doesn't exactly instill confidence.

Still, to the chagrin of the fanboys, I have to say objectively that this my least favourite MBP/ PB I've ever owned - and i've owned quite a few since I usually upgrade annually. Actually, the last two MBPs i've owned have been quite unreliable (my 17" santa rosa has been in the shop 3 times already - costing me a lot of productivity). I might hold on to this MBP for now, and sell it as soon as a better option comes a long. Hopefully I'll find out why it's blackscreening, and I'll want to hold on to it.

FYI, I don't mean to offend anyone with my opinions. Each person has their own needs/ wants and experiences. As someone has already mentioned: "to each, their own".
 
Because some of us use our computer for business purposes, and not just dicking around. I'm teaching a class at the end of March, and my 17" was on the way out - so I need a computer to replace it ... quick. Sometimes you don't have the luxury of waiting for the perfect computer to come along.

Anyway, after using the laptop for two weeks, I thought I'd share how things are coming along. I've gotten used to the glossy screen for the most part, and it's great for watching movies, and playing games, but I'd still prefer the matte screen.

The edges are still a little uncomfortable, but you learn how to put your hands so that it reduces the effect. I don't know why Apple just didn't round the edges. That couldn't be too hard. Maybe they'll come out with iWrists wristbands so you don't accidentally slit your wrists while using the thing. ;)

The trackpad still feels clunky to me, but I try to use a mouse whenever possible. I've found an annoying feature when I'm scrolling with two fingers in Safari, I accidentally enlarge the test by accidentally pinching. There must be a way to turn this off. Overall, I've always hated track pads, and only used them when i didn't have a mouse handy. I really don't care what kind of technology they put in them because I try not to use them. That's just me though.

I do like the peppy speed of the video. Switching windows etc is very responsive. The body seems quite sturdy when I pick it up with one hand. Having all the connectors on one side is a double-edged sword. I'm going to have to get a BT mouse since there is no USB port on the right hand side, but things seem neater overall, and it should be great if I pick up one of the new cinema screens.

Unfortunately, the original MBP I bought had a freezing problem whenever it got hot. To reproduce the issue, I'd run World of Warcraft and I could get it to freeze. Even if I brought the framerate down significantly, it would eventually bail on me, requiring a hard reset.

So to test to make sure it wasn't the software, I bought a second unit, same model, and swapped the hard drives. The problem didn't occur. However, this one BSODs (black screen of death) from time to time, usually when I'm rapidly closing windows, requiring a hard reset as well. As far as i know this BSOD issue has been happening with both machines, which doesn't exactly instill confidence. It could be a Pro Tools thing, but I've yet to nail down a pattern.

Still, to the chagrin of the fanboys, I have to say objectively that this my least favourite MBP/ PB I've ever owned - and i've owned quite a few since I usually upgrade annually. Actually, the last two MBPs i've owned have been quite unreliable (my 17" santa rosa has been in the shop 3 times already - costing me a lot of productivity). I might hold on to this MBP for now, and sell it as soon as a better option comes a long. Hopefully I'll find out why it's blackscreening, and I'll want to hold on to it.

FYI, I don't mean to offend anyone with my opinions. Each person has their own needs/ wants and experiences. As someone has already mentioned: "to each, their own".

No offense taken, but you did answer the question, a first on these forums. Most just like to complain :) Good luck with your issues.
 
@jagr200

under your signature it says that you have a 1TB hd. did you put a 1tb internal into you MBP? what RPM does it run at? cost?

You are asking someone who thinks his 15" MBP runs for 7 hours on one battery technical questions about his/her computer? Doesn't that 7 hour battery answer sort of destroy ANY credibily this person might have?
 
So he should get used to a ridiculous amount of glare on his screen just so he can own a Mac? There is a comparison to PCs...it's the same hardware you can get in a PC, the only difference is the OS and the case it comes in. Oh and the ridiculous amount of money Apple charges for simple HD/memory upgrades because most Mac users blindly hand over their wallets without question. It really amazes me how many Apple fanboys will defend the company no matter what they do.

The new MB/MBP screens are horrible for anyone who travels. I could make one of the new screens work at home; but I work at home, client sites, hotels, airports, all over. I've even run into situations with my Macbook Air where the glare causes slight problems, I can't imagine how many more problems I'd have with one of the new MB/MBP screens.

The thing is, there isn't a "ridiculous amount" of glare from the new MBPs (at least not that I can see). I use my new MBP for over 12 hours each and every day in a wide variety of locations and I can honestly say the only time I notice any reflections are when I read threads such as this one and actively start looking for them ;)
 
Hey all,

I've owned quite a few PBs and MBPs in my time, and I have to say this is the first time I was unhappy with an apple product (aside from my general disappointment with Apple's choice to force you to use a glossy screen). I hope that nobody gets offended with my rant, but I'm sure there are a lot of other people who feel the same way.

Right now, I own a 17" Santa Rosa MBP, but it has been in the shop a few times. It is my work horse. I do all my work with it, and all my play with it (ok, I'm going to admit I play World of Warcraft here lol). I have a clinic I'm teaching at the end of the month, and recently my battery started to swell. In addition to that, my touchpad stopped working. I got the touchpad fixed, but I'm still waiting on the delivery of the battery.

So, I started looking at the new MBPs. I can't really afford to have downtime. The first thing I couldn't handle on the new MBPs was the glossy screen. This is coming from someone who remembers the CRT days, when we used to buy anti-glare shields to avoid the glossiness (does anyone else see the irony here?). Whenever I look at a glossy screen, it gives me eye strain. My eyes alternate between focussing on the content of the screen, and the glare in the background. What was Apple thinking? Oh yeah, curb appeal so they can attract more customers.

Ok, so I found Techrestore who will swap out the glossy screens for $200. However, there are still some other issues I have. Firstly, the track pad is not pleasant to use. It's very "clunky" while my current MBP has a nice soft click to it. Similarly, the new black keyboards are very cheap and plastic in feel. I prefer the feel of my aluminum keyboard. Although it might use plastic keys as well, it feels softer somehow, and easier to type on. Lastly, I can't believe they didn't round the edges on the bodies. When I put my wrists on the body to type, the edge digs in to my skin which is completely uncomfortable. My santa rosa has a plastic piece that runs around the edges that makes it more comfortable. I feel that if I move my wrists side to side, I'm going to slit my wrists (maybe this is a feature enhancement for over-pressured sales execs? Just kidding.) Obviously all the designers wear long sleeved shirts, all the time.

I used to be proud of Apple for their designs, but lately I'm not so sure. Don't even get me started on why they dropped the firewire ports on the 13" Macbooks - probably to make more MB users switch to a MBP. Similarly they probably only offer the matte screen only on the 17" to get 15" users to upgrade to a 17". For the average user, paying $3000 to get a matte screen apple computer is a little crazy.

Thanks to all that listened. I hope that Apple fixes these issues for upcoming revisions. For now, I think I'm going to stick with my Santa Rosa.


I agree with you 100%. The only reason why I have the new MacBooks is because they are a new redesigned model and faster processor. Although I miss the old design, it was already looking outdated.
I don't mind the glassy screen but I dislike the black keys and I dislike the new glass trackpad.
I think the old square MacBook Pros had a prettier and more modern profile than the curved edges.

Do I think Apple could have done a better job?
Definitely

Do I think the new Apple MacBooks somewhat resembles a PC?
Yes

Apple should have stuck with the one button mouse and silver keys.
 
yea i know i was asking to call him out on his lie haha. as you can see he never responded.

Sorry, I missed your sarcasm! But agreed! :)

My MBP has 12 Gigs of Memory, you know. My wife, Morgan Fairchild, put it in the MBP. She had to move my 62" ACD to get to it, you know.
 
Sorry, I missed your sarcasm! But agreed! :)

My MBP has 12 Gigs of Memory, you know. My wife, Morgan Fairchild, put it in the MBP. She had to move my 62" ACD to get to it, you know.

haha i totally believe you!! where did you get it?!?!

but seriously we should all start marking sarcasm in blue italics or something so we know when its happening.
 
but seriously we should all start marking sarcasm in blue italics or something so we know when its happening.

You know, that is not a bad idea. I just bounced it off my wife Morgan Fairchild and she agrees. A new bit of netiquitte: sacrasm will be set off in blue!
 
I agree with you 100%. The only reason why I have the new MacBooks is because they are a new redesigned model and faster processor. Although I miss the old design, it was already looking outdated.
I don't mind the glassy screen but I dislike the black keys and I dislike the new glass trackpad.
I think the old square MacBook Pros had a prettier and more modern profile than the curved edges.

Do I think Apple could have done a better job?
Definitely

Do I think the new Apple MacBooks somewhat resembles a PC?
Yes

Apple should have stuck with the one button mouse and silver keys.

The one good thing about the keys is that if food falls on your keyboard, it usually lands between the keys rather than in the keyboard ... LOL.

I really thought Apple would paint the back of the screen black - just like the Imacs. Many people loved the black Macbook, so I think it would have been catchy.

The tapered design is silly IMO. I laughed at the Macbook Air when I saw it because it was clearly an attempt to make the laptop look thinner from the edges. I'd prefer the boxy design with a sharper curve around the edge.

I have to say though, I do like the increase in battery life when in power saving mode. It means I can often leave my power adapter at home - one less things to carry.

The hardest adjustment is getting used to having only 2 USB ports compared to 3 on my MBP. I have two devices that don't work off a hub. I haven't figured out a solution yet - maybe a USB expresscard?

Now, if only i can figure out why this darn thing is Black Screening (the transparent black curtain). It always seems to happen if I start rapidly closing windows. It happened to me last night. Hopefully it wont happen to me as I'm teaching! Gasp!
 
So I taught my class, and i'm happy to say my laptop didn't BSOD! I did however have problems reading my screen since the projector screen was behind me creating a glare on my glossy screen (make gloss an option apple!!!). Actually I found out that the BSODs were a result of Digidesign's bad Pro Tools 8 drivers. So overall, I'm pretty happy with the laptop, despite its shortcomings.
 
I agree with the op on the matte option but I want to point out that his/her keyboard on older mbp is not aluminum but painted plastic.
 
I agree with the OP, I have no idea what Apple is thinking. I was looking at the new unibody MBP's and for the life of me, I can't get past that glossy screen. Actually, it's not a glossy screen, it's a glassy screen. I know a lot of people say that they like it, and they got used to it. I think many people are just learning to "tolerate it". I mean the proof is, when Apple has refurbished previous generation MBP's with matte screens on their website, they almost always disappear immediately. On the other hand you look at a company like MacMall and they are still trying to unload glossy screen previous generation macbook pros. It's obvious, when people are spending that kind of money on a computer they don't want to have a mirror like quality on their screen.

Firewire? What's that all about? I have no idea why Apple would get rid of the FW 400 in the MBP's and Firewire altogether on the new unibody MB's. As though everyone who has Firewire devices and desire to use a Mac should just flip their devices on Ebay and try to find something else just because Apple said so. That doesn't even begin to make sense. OK so say Firewire is on it's way out. Why not make a gradual transition, after new technology is available and proven? I'll tell you why, it's because if you need firewire, Apple wanted to force you to pay for a more expensive Macbook Pro. Want a matte screen? Pay even more for a 17 anti-glare unibody Macbook Pro. See, Apple already drew their line in the sand and said they won't try to compete in the netbook market, because it is beneath them. So, they take a gamble and try to "force" Mac users to pay a premium for features that they have long come to expect as standard. Unfortunately, I don't think this plan is working out quite the way they wanted.

And one last thing, Apple needs to re-evaluate their relationship with Nvidia. Everyone knows exactly what I'm talking about.

the firewire thing..it would make sense if it was inferior to usb in all respects, but firewire harddrives are faster by far than usb 2.0 ones.
 
Similarly they probably only offer the matte screen only on the 17" to get 15" users to upgrade to a 17". For the average user, paying $3000 to get a matte screen apple computer is a little crazy.

You're probably right, teh basturds! ;)


However, it may work on me. :D I've convinced myself that I may get a 17" MBP even though I never would have considered it before. It's mostly due to the screen resolution rather than the glossy screen, but the matte option is one of the reasons.

Shame about the aluminium bezel though. It doesn't look bad, but when you consider the black keyboard and black screen hinge, the screen bezel is fugly. It needs to be black to look good due to that silly black keyboard. Oh well, the chances of a design change next update is zilch. ;)

Here's hoping to a matte 15" MBP though, and perhaps the disappearance of that black crap around the bezel.


yea i know i was asking to call him out on his lie haha. as you can see he never responded.

Don't worry. I do that all the time. ;)
 
Dont bash it until you have spent a few hours straight on it. Greatest computer in the world. I cant put mine down. The design is amazing. Pad works EXCELLENT. And if you set the screen brightness it doesnt have glare at all. I do not have one complaint with this thing. Its amazing plain and simple.

Agreed.
 
Unfortunately, the original MBP I bought had a freezing problem whenever it got hot. To reproduce the issue, I'd run World of Warcraft and I could get it to freeze. Even if I brought the framerate down significantly, it would eventually bail on me, requiring a hard reset.

So to test to make sure it wasn't the software, I bought a second unit, same model, and swapped the hard drives. The problem didn't occur. However, this one BSODs (black screen of death) from time to time, usually when I'm rapidly closing windows, requiring a hard reset as well. As far as i know this BSOD issue has been happening with both machines, which doesn't exactly instill confidence.

I'm a wow'er myself and am having an issue with the game. this MBP doesn't run WoW half as good as my black macbook did. I really think apple needs to come down on nvidia for this as the chips seem to be defective. Barring that issue I happen to love the new design and if this video card issue gets cleared up then I can go back to being a happy apple user.
 
I agree with the OP, I have no idea what Apple is thinking. I was looking at the new unibody MBP's and for the life of me, I can't get past that glossy screen. Actually, it's not a glossy screen, it's a glassy screen. I know a lot of people say that they like it, and they got used to it. I think many people are just learning to "tolerate it". I mean the proof is, when Apple has refurbished previous generation MBP's with matte screens on their website, they almost always disappear immediately. On the other hand you look at a company like MacMall and they are still trying to unload glossy screen previous generation macbook pros. It's obvious, when people are spending that kind of money on a computer they don't want to have a mirror like quality on their screen.

Firewire? What's that all about? I have no idea why Apple would get rid of the FW 400 in the MBP's and Firewire altogether on the new unibody MB's. As though everyone who has Firewire devices and desire to use a Mac should just flip their devices on Ebay and try to find something else just because Apple said so. That doesn't even begin to make sense. OK so say Firewire is on it's way out. Why not make a gradual transition, after new technology is available and proven? I'll tell you why, it's because if you need firewire, Apple wanted to force you to pay for a more expensive Macbook Pro. Want a matte screen? Pay even more for a 17 anti-glare unibody Macbook Pro. See, Apple already drew their line in the sand and said they won't try to compete in the netbook market, because it is beneath them. So, they take a gamble and try to "force" Mac users to pay a premium for features that they have long come to expect as standard. Unfortunately, I don't think this plan is working out quite the way they wanted.

And one last thing, Apple needs to re-evaluate their relationship with Nvidia. Everyone knows exactly what I'm talking about.


I must be crazy, i think the older model MBP sucks big time!! It looks outdated, awkward, and has a dim screen. I no have the new UBMP and its simply unbelievable!!!!!! There's a reason no one complains about the glass screen on the iphone. Stop resisting change, and be open minded. With time, EVERYTHING gets better.
 
......There's a reason no one complains about the glass screen on the iphone...

Because they buy Power Support's Anti-Glare screen protectors

As for the OP i agree with most of what he said. I bought a Unibody macbook when they were released but i just found i couldn't stand the thing. I dont mind glossy screens but i do mind glassy ones...there's just too much refelection going on there. The keyboard whilst decent to type on was a little too springy and looked/felt cheap but i could get over that. On the plus side the unibody is rock solid in terms of stabily...no flexing and feels solidly built

My main caveat was the screen and lack of FW. Transferring GBs of data over ethernet/usb is not the 'funnest' thing to do and despite having a glassy screen which is bad enough...the LED display on the macbook was horrible...i mean really bad. I tried to live with it but ultimately had enough and returned the machine

I got a refurb MBP Classic instead for a price thats cheaper than what i paid for the UB MacBook and i've been happy with it. Blazing fast, all the ports, good screen and a lighter non-PC looking design with a smaller footprint
 
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