Apple MacBook Pro 17" - Expert Reviews

Award: Editor's Choice!

Review summary: Apple's new MacBook Pro range is slightly faster than before; but due to its new graphic chipset the laptop provides a considerable improvement in speed. Discover what we think of Apple professional laptop.

Pros: Light, slim, stylish ; built-in wireless and Bluetooth ; fast Core 2 Duo processor, new NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics card, choice of glossy or matte screen

Cons: Still no replacement for smaller 12-inch model, 17-inch model is weighty

Verdict: If you have a recent MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo, there's no compelling reason to trade up (unless you can't live without the higher frame rates, the optional extra resolution, or a fourth GB of RAM). But if you're still using a PowerBook or a Core Duo ...

Review summary: We're always a little taken aback when we see Apple's MacBook Pro in the hands of PC power users. For example, we've seen PC game developers typing on MBPs at industry events. And at trade shows, it isn't uncommon to see Windows app developers ...

Pros: Powerful GPU and CPU ; backlit keyboard ; sleek and thin

Cons: Screen doesn't angle far enough ; no slot for cellular modem ; hard to open up

Verdict: The MBP's CPU is also top-notch: Intel's 2.5GHz Core 2 Duo T9300 chip. This 45nm-based Penryn CPU is just a step away from Intel's fastest mobile CPU, the 2.6GHz C2D. A 250GB SATA drive, slot-fed DVD burner, and 2GB of DDR2/667 make up the rest of the ...

Review summary: This truly is a five-star laptop, thanks to the performance boost and array of enhancements, including that intuitive trackpad

Pros: Beautiful, detailed display ; Luxurious sprung keyboard ; World-class processing speeds ; Doubled video RAM ; Lower-power processor and screen ; Excellent connection options

Verdict: The Penryn chips can carry a larger L2 cache, circuitry that speeds access to commonly used data, and this has changed. It has dropped to 3MB (from 4MB) on the entry-level 2.4GHz MacBook Pro, while being raised to 6MB on the other two models

Review summary: The MacBook Pro MB134LL/A offers top of the line technology with convenience and most of all performance and elegance that cannot be beat.

Pros: elegance combined with perfomance, feature rich machine

Verdict: Apple has created yet another premium notebook for those looking for a

Review summary: If you've been waiting to buy a new Apple laptop, or you've been hesitating about upgrading from your G4 PowerBook, wait no longer. While the 2.4GHz model is a fine value for the money, the higher-end 15-inch and 17-inch models are outstanding top-of ...

Pros: Better battery life ; supports trackpad hand gestures ; double the video RAM of previous models

Cons: Hardware remote no longer free ; trackpad a bit narrow for hand gestures

Verdict: MacBook Pros were designed with the multimedia artist in mind, which means it's the laptop of choice for people who work with audio, video, or large images as well as high-end applications. The new MacBook Pro, as usual, comes in three configurations: ...