The multi-touch enabled touchpad is every bit as good here, too, as on the MacBook. As ever, if you can try before you buy so much the better. Doing a quick in-office survey the general reaction was ambivalence in either direction, so it’s definitely a matter of personal preference.
Being used to my current laptop, a Sony VAIO TZ, which has a much more reassuring feedback when typing, I initially found this pretty disconcerting, but after a day or two with the Pro I got used to it. Not only does it save Apple a bit of money, by dint of not having two different keyboard production lines, but actually, the MacBook’s keyboard is pretty damn good and making it any bigger would probably detract from, rather than benefit that.Īs Andy commented, these new keyboards lack that reassuring ‘click’ on every keystroke that the previous generation have and, indeed, feel that bit spongier. At first glance I was slightly puzzled by Apple’s decision to use the same keyboard on its 15.4in system as on its 13.3in offering, but actually it makes sense. One aspect the MacBook Pro shares exactly with the MacBook is its keyboard. I’d leave that option turned off, though, as I find it frankly useless at setting a suitable level of illumination. Personally I am a big fan, although I still prefer the lighting method seen on ThinkPads – a downwards facing LED – as it can also be used for reading paper – perish the thought! The brightness of the LEDs under the MacBook Pro’s keyboard is adjustable, too, either manually or automatically in relation to ambient light conditions.
On the plus side, the illuminated keyboard which was an upgrade item on the MacBook, is standard on the Pro. And the only feature which often isn’t, HSDPA, is now available in a much more convenient (not to mention universally compatible) USB form. Once upon a time I would have praised such an addition, but in this day and age I’m pretty ambivalent as most of the additional functionality which used to be provided via the ExpressCard interface is now built into most laptops. The other feature the MacBook Pro sports which the MacBook doesn’t is an ExpressCard slot.
One is the inclusion of a FireWire port, presumable so as not to annoy those professional types who went out and bought FireWire-equipped video cameras knowing that data could easily accessed and edited on the last-generation of Pros.
Without further ado, then, let’s dive in.Īside from the obvious – that is, a larger chassis and high resolution screen – there are a couple of other features the MacBook Pro has over the MacBook. The MacBook Pro does have some redeeming features and it would be extremely negligent of me not to give them due discussion. However, I’m getting slightly ahead of myself. Thankfully Apple isn’t killing off that system, it’s just coming a bit later, but I can’t help but think this review would have been far more positive if a 17in MacBook Pro were sitting in front of me now. Were I buying for myself, I’d definitely want the 1,920 x 1,200 resolution panel in a 17in chassis – whether that be for editing images, word documents or HD video files.Īpple, though, in its infinite wisdom, hasn’t updated the 17in Pro to the new chassis and internals yet, for some bizarre reason. You see, I think most of the professionals that Apple is targeting with this product range would go for the 17in model, not the 15.4in machine. I actually think Apple has made a bit of a blunder with the latest MacBook Pro, though.
Apple boasts that this makes it perfect for professionals, especially those using software tailored to be GP-accelerated by the nVidia chips the MacBook Pro uses – Adobe’s CS4 line of products, for example. Arguably, then, aside from a little spit and polish there was little that Apple needed to do with this renewed MacBook Pro range.įundamentally, the last-2008 MacBook Pro can now be looked at simply as a 13.3in MacBook with a slightly larger chassis, some faster CPU options (rumour has it an Intel quad-core mobile CPU will be offered next year) and an additional, dedicated GPU.
As we said in our review, the last generation MacBook Pro was damn-near flawless, falling down only on price.
Not, I hasten to add, that sticking closely to a tried and tested formula is necessarily a bad thing. In fact, were I feeling cynical, I might accuse Apple of resting on its laurels. Those 15.4in and 17in had already had an aluminium chassis for donkey’s years. Apple’s new Unibody, aluminium manufacturing process was extremely welcome on the 13.3in line of MacBooks, but this October’s product range refresh was of far less significance to the MacBook Pro line-up.