Apple unveils faster, more affordable MacBook Pros

16791112

Comments

  • Reply 161 of 239
    walshbjwalshbj Posts: 864member
    Anyone know how long it generally takes for new Macs to show up at Amazon?



    Thanks.
  • Reply 162 of 239
    flounderflounder Posts: 2,674member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post


    Come on, do batteries really fail that quickly for most people?





    If you regularly use battery power, in my experience the answer is definitely yes.
  • Reply 163 of 239
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dakesey View Post


    So, I do need a special adapter? I cannot just use a SD card as is?



    That's why there are so many adapters. If you could put an SD card in an Express slot, you wouldn't need an adapter.



    Why would you think that you could put an SD card in an Express slot in the first place?



    Each device has it's own socket. The Express slot is so good because it's a fast, direct interface to the bus. It runs at the same speed. So you can have adapters for many other things that plug into it.



    That's why I'm not happy Apple is removing it from most of the machines.



    Right now, and SD slot is only good for an SD card.
  • Reply 164 of 239
    s.metcalfs.metcalf Posts: 972member
    So the 2.8 is still only 25W? Can someone confirm? Would it be that Apple just upped the clock rate from the 2.66 or would it be a new processor from Intel? I notice that the original 15" processors were 2.53 and 2.8 ghz.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Sybaritic View Post


    In advance of Bare Feats doing a comparison between the 2.8GHz and 3.06GHz, does anyone have sense of the benefit of the $300 cpu upgrade? The 3.06GHz runs hotter (35W), which in a laptop can be an issue ...



  • Reply 165 of 239
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,015member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Carmissimo View Post


    The glossy screens is a mistake



    I don't agree. It's easier to position it to reduce glare. The glare is more pronounced, but it doesn't bleed across the entire screen. The devil that you know is better than the one you don't.



    Secondly, look at the screen quality overall. It's freaking amazing. I put my "new" MBP (bought Saturday and being returned when my "new-new" ones comes in) against my 2006 matte screen. It's so much better it's not even funny. It's sharper, brighter and has much more vibrant colors. It's nothing short of amazing.



    Quote:

    but what could you possibly have against two additional hours of battery life? Not only does the built-in battery allow for more charge cycles, it will require recharging less often which means the battery will last even longer.



    True. It's one reason I am sucking up the 10% restocking fee to get a "new new" one.



    Quote:

    Odds are the hard drive will go long before the battery does.....



    I don't agree with that. This will be my 4th pro laptop from Apple since 2000. I've had battery problems with every single one of them. I've had HDD problems in maybe one or two.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post


    Come on, do batteries really fail that quickly for most people?



    Yes. See above. In my 2006 MBP, I had a battery down to 50% capacity in 8 months. Apple initially told me they "weren't interested" in replacing it. I finally got them to change their minds. I had a PBG4 battery replaced under AppleCare once. I also had 1-2 batteries for my Pismo replaced. Batteries are getting better, and that's a good thing. I can't wait for the new built-in option.
  • Reply 166 of 239
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    The quality of BD, no Netflix streaming doesn't compare. But most people don't care.



    My over all point is that BD use is not a faster growing option than broadcast HD, DVR-HD, downloads, and streaming.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    Have you seen the streaming service? It's not great. The people who used to buy 8 hour tapes and copy four movies like it.



    Still, BD usage is growing faster.



  • Reply 167 of 239
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SDW2001 View Post


    I don't agree. It's easier to position it to reduce glare. The glare is more pronounced, but it doesn't bleed across the entire screen. The devil that you know is better than the one you don't.



    Secondly, look at the screen quality overall. It's freaking amazing. I put my "new" MBP (bought Saturday and being returned when my "new-new" ones comes in) against my 2006 matte screen. It's so much better it's not even funny. It's sharper, brighter and has much more vibrant colors. It's nothing short of amazing.







    True. It's one reason I am sucking up the 10% restocking fee to get a "new new" one.







    I don't agree with that. This will be my 4th pro laptop from Apple since 2000. I've had battery problems with every single one of them. I've had HDD problems in maybe one or two.









    Yes. See above. In my 2006 MBP, I had a battery down to 50% capacity in 8 months. Apple initially told me they "weren't interested" in replacing it. I finally got them to change their minds. I had a PBG4 battery replaced under AppleCare once. I also had 1-2 batteries for my Pismo replaced. Batteries are getting better, and that's a good thing. I can't wait for the new built-in option.



    I agree about the glossy screen. It is much less a problem than people on the internet have made it out to be. We have almost 2 dozen new MBP glossy screens since the beginning of the year and it has proved to be less of a problem than we though it might be. It could be because we have well controlled lighting in our studio and creative offices.



    We replace HDD on machines when 1) they are out of warranty and fail, 2) we need to upgrade them to a larger size. HDD are the most failed device on any computer, at least in my experience. The battery always tends to degrade gradually and consistently, so after 4 years we swap them out, without failure, on all our laptops.
  • Reply 168 of 239
    djames42djames42 Posts: 298member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BenRoethig View Post


    SD car reader

    Check



    Assuming you meant card - I personally think this sucks. I paid $19 for an Express/34 multi-card reader that I use for pulling photos into Aperture (my DSLR uses SD). I also paid $200 for an Express/34 UMTS 3G card. It's not going to fit into the new SD card reader.



    I wish Apple had left the Express slot and offered an Express memory card reader as a BTO option to highlight and offer the convenience of semi-built-in SD card support for those who wanted it.



    I've never been one of those who complained about Apple's offerings - even when they removed Firewire from the MB, it was at least available on the Pro. Ah well...
  • Reply 169 of 239
    naboozlenaboozle Posts: 213member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hattig View Post


    With external magsafe battery packs, you don't need to switch out batteries like other laptops, you just plug in the external battery and keep on trucking - no shutdown/restart required.



    These new batteries last a lot longer as well, and have greater power capacity, but the side effect is that they're non-replaceable.



    Oh well, I've been replacing "non-replaceable" ipod batteries for years. Can't see how people get so hung up about this.



    These new batteries are fantastic! Truly more than twice the endurance of what I had before. No longer have to juggle and maintain 2 batteries, each one of which will be toast in a couple of years. So far the battery in the 17" is living up to all expectation. If the lifetime does as well, I think we can say goodbye to detachable laptop batteries in the marketplace. I think this will rank right up there with the iMac's removal of the floppy as one of those Apple moves which evoked endless whining, but a couple of years later seemed intuitively obvious.
  • Reply 170 of 239
    hudson1hudson1 Posts: 800member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by djames42 View Post


    Assuming you meant card - I personally think this sucks. I paid $19 for an Express/34 multi-card reader that I use for pulling photos into Aperture (my DSLR uses SD). I also paid $200 for an Express/34 UMTS 3G card. It's not going to fit into the new SD card reader.



    I wish Apple had left the Express slot and offered an Express memory card reader as a BTO option to highlight and offer the convenience of semi-built-in SD card support for those who wanted it.



    I've never been one of those who complained about Apple's offerings - even when they removed Firewire from the MB, it was at least available on the Pro. Ah well...



    It seems most mobile phone services are offering USB 3G dongles for free after rebate and 2 year contract agreement. They're cheaper than the EC/34 3G cards.
  • Reply 171 of 239
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hudson1 View Post


    It seems most mobile phone services are offering USB 3G dongles for free after rebate and 2 year contract agreement. They're cheaper than the EC/34 3G cards.



    Isn't it a little bit risky though? I try to not have long sticks hanging out my USB port if I can avoid it, because I know there's a risk that someone will bump it during use. And the EC/34 is already stowed away for portability. Or is doesn't that work with these cards?
  • Reply 172 of 239
    djames42djames42 Posts: 298member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hudson1 View Post


    It seems most mobile phone services are offering USB 3G dongles for free after rebate and 2 year contract agreement. They're cheaper than the EC/34 3G cards.



    Oh that's definitely true - however, I work for the provider and as an on-call support person I have free 3G service. They've activated the SIM cards that came in our Dell laptops, but since I'd rather beat my head against the wall than take a Windows laptop on the road, I've chosen to purchase my own mobile broadband card to use in my Mac. Since I'm not paying for service, there's no subsidy and I have to pay out-of-pocket for the device.



    While I'm whining about it, I'll say it's well worth the cost to be able to travel with my MacBook Pro. I just wish I didn't have to purchase another device because Apple has exchanged a more flexible port for a very dedicated slot.



    Otherwise, after having read some of the comments about the existing 17" battery, I admit I'm actually getting excited with the prospect of not having a removable battery - if it can truly last for 5-7 hours (I'm lucky to get two on each of my first generation MBP batteries).
  • Reply 173 of 239
    maratusmaratus Posts: 38member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by s.metcalf View Post


    So the 2.8 is still only 25W? Can someone confirm? Would it be that Apple just upped the clock rate from the 2.66 or would it be a new processor from Intel? I notice that the original 15" processors were 2.53 and 2.8 ghz.



    Not 25W, but 28W

    Source



    Some info about whether 2.8Ghz is T or P:



    P: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macbook_pro

    T: http://www.everymac.com/systems/appl...acbookpro.html



    It's also not clear about CPU in 2.26Ghz 13" Macbook Pro: P8400 or P7550?

    Latter may not have intel VT (though I can't find any info about this model)
  • Reply 174 of 239
    hudson1hudson1 Posts: 800member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post


    Isn't it a little bit risky though? I try to not have long sticks hanging out my USB port if I can avoid it, because I know there's a risk that someone will bump it during use. And the EC/34 is already stowed away for portability. Or is doesn't that work with these cards?



    That's a consideration for sure. About all I can say is walking around an airport these days you'll see more people using USB 3G modems than EC/34 3G modems.



    On these message boards, how many MacBook owners have posted complaints about their USB 3G modems? I can't recall any but it's not like I've been looking for them, either.
  • Reply 175 of 239
    brucepbrucep Posts: 2,823member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Carmissimo View Post


    Here's something that maybe a lot of people haven't considered. Yesterday's laptop announcements will impact Mac Mini sales. I was looking to upgrade my mini to better accommodate editing the HD video that I can now shoot with my new camera. It was an easy decision to do so by way of buying a new mac mini maxed out with the faster processor and 4 gigs of RAM. But that was before Apple offered laptops that are not that much more expensive speced out comparably and with an option to get even better hardware for more cash.



    In Canada, for example, if you max out a mini, the price tag before taxes is $1,357, including a wired keyboard and mouse. You end up with a 2.26Ghz Core 2 and 4 gigs of RAM. The MacBook Pro 13", in comparison, now checks in at $1,639 speced more or less the same (same processor, same memory, same hard drive) which, really, is a bargain for adding portability. And on top of that, it's possible to wind up with a significantly faster 13" MacBook Pro for not much more money whereas the mini tops out as described above. Maxed out (not including a $1,200 doubling of RAM), a 13" MacBook Pro retails here for $1,929 and that's for a 2.53Ghz processor and a 500GB hard drive.



    So now as it stands, you can spend a really modest amount more to add portability to what a top-end mini would offer or opt for a more powerful alternative, which is simply not possible via a mini.



    Seems to me this means, probably, that the mini will have to either be tweaked ? lower prices, better specs, maybe a combination thereof - or Apple really does intend to pull the plug on the mini line. I can't see it as a viable product for enough consumers to soldier on largely unaffected by changes in the pricing of the laptops on which it's based. There is no excuse for Apple to sell a MacBook for $1,369 with similar specs to a mini that will set you back $1,357. The advantage of the mini is a slightly faster processor (very slightly) and firewire. That pales in comparison to what the MacBook offers as a laptop considering a $12 price difference.



    My guess is that Apple will announce changes to the mIni very soon but with little fanfare, mainly because it would have been kind of odd to lump in the mini with all those laptop announcements. If that fails to happen, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what the mini's future will be.



    See what the cheapest bare bone's mini COST'S. And then price out a do it your self RAM and HD upgrade.Then you can compare the two.





    9
  • Reply 176 of 239
    sennensennen Posts: 1,472member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post


    Isn't it a little bit risky though? I try to not have long sticks hanging out my USB port if I can avoid it, because I know there's a risk that someone will bump it during use. And the EC/34 is already stowed away for portability. Or is doesn't that work with these cards?



    it's not much of an issue - i have one permanently hanging off my pb at home. i use a short cable so that if it gets bumped, the dongle itself doesn't get damaged.
  • Reply 177 of 239
    sybariticsybaritic Posts: 340member


    Thanks for the links. It looks like we are in the midst of genuine ambiguity.
  • Reply 178 of 239
    graemegraeme Posts: 61member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Anklosaur View Post


    Sorry if this has been said but I've never really understood the need to connect a raid array to a notebook. Do you really carry the array around with you everywhere? I guess I could see it for a musician... or maybe a high end photographer, but still do you really need that much faster disk access out in the world? I'm just curious.





    No need to say sorry- most people who don't use particular ports or other capabilities of a computer will never appreciate the need from them.



    By removal of the slot Apple have crippled the connectivity of this model to the point where it wouldn't do the job for me or any one else who needs a good selection of ports- that can handle sustained data transfer or the ability to add them.



    The only useful port on this machine in this regard is the single fw800 with no hope of improving on that and no redundancy in case of failure. so the machine is not customisable to various set ups you need in the working world.



    in no way would this machine replace my tower when i'm not at my desk. so thats why i said for me it's no longer a pro machine. just a macbook with a better video card- so not worth considering.



    The card reader is just a gimmick to cover the removal of the slot and appeal more to consumers not workers.
  • Reply 179 of 239
    maratusmaratus Posts: 38member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Graeme View Post


    The card reader is just a gimmick to cover the removal of the slot and appeal more to consumers not workers.



    And SD card stics out! http://s1.guide-images.ifixit.com/ig...lAf41BE4.large
  • Reply 180 of 239
    hudson1hudson1 Posts: 800member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Graeme View Post


    ...



    By removal of the slot Apple have crippled the connectivity of this model to the point where it wouldn't do the job for me or any one else who needs a good selection of ports- that can handle sustained data transfer or the ability to add them.



    The only useful port on this machine in this regard is the single fw800 with no hope of improving on that and no redundancy in case of failure. so the machine is not customisable to various set ups you need in the working world.

    ...



    These machines still have ethernet and that's faster than any of these other ports being talked about.
Sign In or Register to comment.