MacDailyNews - Where Mac news comes first

Go to iPodDailyNews

MacDailyNews Poll

Have Apple tablet rumors delayed your planned MacBook/Pro/Air purchase?(trends)

5 Day Most Commented

Microsoft: You're not cool; you're the opposite of cool; stop making your employees dance (w/ vid) (192)
Microsoft CEO Ballmer grilled about Apple at annual shareholders meeting (66)
Why do workers have to suffer with Windows PCs at work when they have superior Macs at home? (58)
PC World: Is Psystar's judicial deathblow a win for consumers? (57)
Washington Times: Apple's new Magic Mouse really is magic (54)

Opinion Archive

October 2009
Is Psystar’s real mission to publicize that running Apple’s Mac OS X on generic PCs is possible?
March 2009
Dell launches overdone, overpriced, overweight, OS-limited Apple MacBook-wannabe ‘Adamo’ laptop
November 2008
Apple should buy Sprint

Current Headlines

Fri, Nov 20, 2009 - 09:06 PM EST — AAPL: 199.92 (-0.59, -0.29%) | NASDAQ: 2146.04 (-10.78, -0.5%)

PC Mag reviews Apple’s 17-inch MacBook Pro: Thin-bodied wonder still the lightest and the prettiest

Friday, February 27, 2009 - 11:51 AM EST

"Part media center, part workstation, the Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch has been revered over the years by a nation of professional photographers and film editors, not to mention average media folks who can't get enough of this thin-bodied cinematic wonder," Cisco Cheng reports for PC Magazine.

"The Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch (Unibody) ($2,799 direct) is still the lightest and the prettiest media center laptop to house a maximum-resolution screen, and the changes are significant," Cheng reports.

"No other media center can even come close to this system's thinness. Its dimensions of 15.5 by 10.5 by 0.98 inches (HWD) make it seem half as thick as either the HP HDX18t or the Sony VAIO VGN-AW190. Apple's unibody aluminum enclosure has gained wide attention. Without question, the MacBook Pro 17-inch (Unibody)'s design is jaw-dropping; what makes it even more impressive is the sense of security its rigid frame provides. Yet Apple has still managed to produce the lightest laptop in its class. At 6.6 pounds, this system is' roughly 2 pounds lighter than the HDX18t (8.7 pounds) and the AW190 (8.4 pounds) and lighter even than the Dell Studio XPS 16 (6.9 pounds), which has a smaller widescreen," Cheng reports.

"I love it when a screen fills the lid's entire 'canvas,' leaving barely detectable strips as borders. The 17-inch widescreen is magnificent; it's about as close to an edge-to-edge screen as one can get," Cheng reports. "It's a brighter, more sophisticated panel than the one in the previous 17-inch MacBook, more in line with Apple's desktop Cinema displays. Apple offers both glossy and matte (antiglare) screen options. Along with the wider color gamut, an antiglare screen is an important selling point for the MacBook's target audience, especially for professional photographers who need to judge colors on the fly. Though there's only one resolution, it's the highest possible for such a display: 1,920 by 1,200."

"The Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch (Unibody) is an easy recommendation for professional photographers, video editors, and sophisticated media enthusiasts. It was inconceivable that a design as attractive as the previous version could be outdone, but Apple somehow pulled it off, as the 17-inch is sexier and still the lightest in its class. Any doubts about the redesigned keyboard, the touchpad, and the non-removable battery can be put to rest, as their addition has only improved the user experience," Cheng reports.

Full review, in which Cheng - more laughably with each passing review - once again complains about the lack of a built-in memory card reader, here.

Reader Feedback: = registered.
Unregistered users: Feedback from multiple usernames are subject to deletion. Off-topic and posts from suspected astroturfers will be removed.

Feb 27, 09 - 12:06 pm Comment from: Buster

Mine is still on back-order damnit! Am nervous about going glossy.....tell me its going to be ok!

Feb 27, 09 - 12:08 pm Comment from: Buster

Hey, its friday and I had 1st post. How cool is that?

Feb 27, 09 - 12:15 pm Comment from: CourtJester

And its got Firewire! Bravo!

Feb 27, 09 - 12:21 pm Comment from: Willie G

@ Buster,

You'll be fine. I've had glossy on my 17" MBP for 2 years now. I work as a video editor and 3D motion graphics artist. I don't find the glossy screen to be at all inconvenient.

Feb 27, 09 - 12:46 pm Comment from: DreamTheEndless

I agree that card readers on USB can be a pain in the neck. That's why I keep a card reader in my expresscard slot nearly all the time. I don't understand what's wrong with this idea. Anyone?

Feb 27, 09 - 12:47 pm Comment from: sherman

@ Buster

I got mine last Friday. Best laptop by far. The screen gamut and and how even the panel LED light is for a laptop is amazing. Once you see it you won't want anything matte again.

Why is it on backorder? I ordered back on Feb 7th back when it said 3-4 weeks and got it last Friday and they must have practically over nighted it from China because the tracking info was emailed to me really early Thursday morning.

You won't regret it!

Feb 27, 09 - 12:48 pm Comment from: Ampar

The Anastasia Valeryevna "Nastia" Liukin of Laptops.

Feb 27, 09 - 12:50 pm Comment from: John Gee

cannot WAIT... getting a 15"... good starter... my first Pro!

Feb 27, 09 - 12:57 pm Comment from: Joe

These finally made it to the Apple stores (not the anti-glare version yet) and I picked up one yesterday evening at one of my local Apple stores. So if you have easy access to an Apple store and can cancel your backorder, you might try the store. I'm lucky because I live within about 15 minutes of three Apple stores.

Feb 27, 09 - 01:11 pm Comment from: HMCIV

Hey Cheng, give this a try.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=flash+SD&hl=en&cid=6120581652707252799&sa=title#ps-sellers

Feb 27, 09 - 01:21 pm Comment from: Alec

My photos automatically load to my computer without cables or card readers.

http://www.eye.fi/

Feb 27, 09 - 01:36 pm Comment from: auren

Ampar!!!! - where have you been, man??

Feb 27, 09 - 01:38 pm Comment from: Ampar

Eta Carinae

Feb 27, 09 - 01:38 pm Comment from: auren

15 MINUTES to 3 Apple stores!!!

You lucky sod.

I live 1000 KM from the nearest one. (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

Feb 27, 09 - 01:47 pm Comment from: Ampar

"Halifax, Nova Scotia"

Sounds like merry times.

Feb 27, 09 - 01:50 pm Comment from: Ampar

auren:

Here's a picture taken at the family barbecue last summer.

Here's a picture taken at the family barbecue last summer.

It's a shot of Uncle George lighting the grill.

Feb 27, 09 - 03:23 pm Comment from: Buster

@Sherman

Its on backorder because I live in Canada AND had bought it through a reseller. I expect it in another week but after reading Willie G's and your post, I am starting to get really excited.

Ampar....too funny!

Have a good week end y'all.

Feb 27, 09 - 03:30 pm Comment from: Ampar

Thanks, Buster. Ditto on the good weekend. I hope someone got the Nova Scotia pun.

Feb 27, 09 - 04:14 pm Comment from: DJ

Buster – no probs with glossies. Been running a 15 inch since they first came out and no problems at all.

Fair enough, sometimes the screen needs adjusting, but it's really not an issue. I should confess that the 'snap' of a glossy screen tweaks the inner me... but I work in Quark, Photoshop, FCE all the time, so practicality is top of the list.

Enjoy it!

Feb 27, 09 - 04:29 pm Comment from: Chris

The reviewer can't even get his facts straight. He says the DVD drive is on the left side of the system. Hint: It's on the right!!

Feb 27, 09 - 10:36 pm Comment from: silverhawk

Ampar
Hope your flight back was a smooth one. I hear Ryanair is making people pay to use the toilets. Did they have to route you around the bipolar Homunculus Nebula?

Feb 28, 09 - 12:55 pm Comment from: Ampar

"Did they have to route you around the bipolar Homunculus Nebula?"

Back home we just call that "Ballmer".

Very gassy but not very bright.

Reader feedback page 1 of 1 pages:

MacDailyNews - Where Mac news comes first

MacDailyNews Poll

5 Day Most Commented

Opinion Archive

Current Headlines

Latest Joy of Tech

MacNN

AppleInsider

Macworld UK

TUAW

MacRumors

Yahoo! Finance AAPL

iTunes Top 10 Albums

Mac OS X Downloads

Fri, Nov 20, 2009 - 09:06 PM EST — AAPL: 199.92 (-0.59, -0.29%) | NASDAQ: 2146.04 (-10.78, -0.5%)

PC Mag reviews Apple’s 17-inch MacBook Pro: Thin-bodied wonder still the lightest and the prettiest

Reader Feedback: = registered.
Unregistered users: Feedback from multiple usernames are subject to deletion. Off-topic and posts from suspected astroturfers will be removed.

Add Your Feedback:


Emoticons \| Allowed HTML Tags Remember my info Notify me of follow-up comments? Please enter the "MDN Magic Word" you see in the image below:

MacDailyNews - Where Mac news comes first

MacDailyNews Poll

5 Day Most Commented

Opinion Archive

Current Headlines

Fri, Nov 20, 2009 - 09:06 PM EST — AAPL: 199.92 (-0.59, -0.29%) | NASDAQ: 2146.04 (-10.78, -0.5%)

PC Mag reviews Apple’s 17-inch MacBook Pro: Thin-bodied wonder still the lightest and the prettiest

Reader Feedback: = registered.Unregistered users: Feedback from multiple usernames are subject to deletion. Off-topic and posts from suspected astroturfers will be removed.

Add Your Feedback:

Reader Feedback: = registered.
Unregistered users: Feedback from multiple usernames are subject to deletion. Off-topic and posts from suspected astroturfers will be removed.