Tagged Products - dvd+15in+15.4in

Apple MacBook Pro with 15.4" Display

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Apple MacBook Pro with 15.4" Display

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Mac software was fairly intuitive, and being the above said non technical person, that was a big draw for me. Macs come with iLife, which is the bundle of programs including iTunes, iPhoto, iChat, iMovie, etc. - basically all your everyday home life programs. The only thing that the Mac did not have included that I needed was a word processing program. To get that, I decided to go with the Microsoft office for Mac, which obviously was purchased separately.

So here are my thoughts on this computer based on having lived with it for a little less than a month...

The computer itself is gorgeous. I had never really looked at laptops before, but since getting this computer, I have been comparing it to my friends' non-Mac laptops, and I am blown away by the difference in looks. The Mac is sleeker, better designed, the trackpad is larger. You have a camera already installed in the Mac. For pure aesthetic pleasure, it is Mac all the way.

The screen is indeed glossy. So far, this has not bothered me, with the caveat that as of this moment, I have not taken it outside of the home, so I've been able to control the light that hits it. Since I bought this laptop to use inside of a home, this screen works for me, but I would highly recommend that anyone who will be using this screen in multiple lighting situations go to a Mac Store and check out the screen first hand. It could definitely be a deal breaker for some people.

I love the keyboard. For my background, I am someone who types over 100 words a minute, and has spent several years in a clerical capacity where keyboards and I were very well acquainted. Since my biggest worry about getting a laptop was if I would like the keyboard or not, the fact that I am so happy speaks volumes.

I have found that using the Mac software has been almost as good as advertised. I have been able to get it running with very few problems, and the couple times I have been stuck, Apple has given a lot of help options. There is a help window where you can type a question and it will give you several options to click. Also, on the apple site there are tons of info videos and podcasts that you can watch or read to get answers to your questions. I have yet to have a problem where one of these two options did not get me the answer to solve it.

The trackpad is the big breakthrough for this new Mac. I won't go into detail about how to use it, you can find that elsewhere. All I will say in regards to this is that I've found it to be fairly easy to get used to these features, and now that I'm used to it, I can't imagine not using it.

The speakers sound wonderful; I often play my music just from my Mac. Obviously, I'm not trying to say these replace your home sound system, but you can comfortably play a movie without wincing about the sound quality.

Not all is perfect though. There are a few things you should be aware of, especially if this is your first Mac purchase.

First, you have the `option' of purchasing a warranty. However, considering the Mac is a closed system with not a lot of fix options outside of Apple, it really isn't an option; it's something you need to get unless you are a gambler. So that is an automatic almost $400 more on top of the MacBook price.

Speaking of MacBook prices, I probably don't have to tell you that you pay a premium for Macs. You can get a PC Laptop with just as good (or perhaps a slight bit better) specs for about half the price., such as this example: [HP Pavilion DV7-1150US 17-Inch Laptop (2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5800 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Vista Premium)]

Another problem is if you (like I) have family and friends that have mostly PC's, it is hard to get some cross platforming things going. For example, it has been really difficult to find a video chat program that works on both sides. We have ultimately decided we would run Windows for Mac on this computer to solve these type of problems. I will admit that it is nice to have this option, but once again, that is yet another start up expense you have to consider.

Apple does have a tendency to nickel and dime you. A lot of small things you would assume would be included often have to be purchased separately, and the only one who sells these things are... Apple.

Also I've my machine may have a design defect. I noticed that if I use the two prong charger (it comes with both 2 and 3 prong) I sometimes feel a slight electrical "vibration". This issue has been found by others, details are on the Apple discussion board at http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8356694 (if amazon removes the previous link from this review, simply put "New Macbook Pro 2.53GHz (Late 2008) Vibration Palm Rest" into google to find it).

To sum it up, as of right now, I really love my Mac. I'm incredibly happy with the way it works, and how it is so easy to use for the things I use it for. I still get giddy every time I see it, and I love talking about it. I will probably update this review in about a year to let you know how it's going and if I still feel this way, but right now, I can say in all honesty, if you are comfortable spending the money for it, go for the MacBook Pro.

Apple MacBook Pro with 15.4" Display

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a way to sneakily get a little extra money for their new machines? Shame on you Mr. Jobs.

My neighbors are in Paris for three weeks and I'm watching their daughters while they are away, they're six and eight and they were as excited as me about my new toy. The really loved the bright screen, the way the colors just pop out at you. And that night we lay in my double bed, me in the middle, a girl on each side, lights out as we watched Monster's Inc, then Robots. What a beautiful machine for watching movies on in the dark. What a beautiful display, what eye popping color, there is just no better way to cuddle up with a couple children and watch a movie.

And if I was a guy I could throw away my bathroom mirror and shave with that display. I can't work with it in any kind of light though, but it's perfect for checking my makeup. And I don't really like Leopard all that much. I was running Tiger 10.4.11 and loving it. Fast it was, faster than this, especially with my virtual machines.

Oh how I wished I had my old baby back. What a stupid display. How come I didn't think about glossy versus matte. Glossy is fine for movies in the dark, fine for shaving too, I suppose, but not fine for working at twenty-some thousand feet with all those overhead lights on. I suppose I could ask the flight attendant to ask all the other passengers to shut 'em off. I suppose when I'm working out on the patio I could sort of rotate my machine as the sun rotates in the sky.

What to do, what to do? I'll tell you what I did. I e-mailed the guy who stole my baby from me via that eBay auction and asked him would he like to trade for an almost brand spanking new MacBook that only went on one short flight with me and two little girls to San Francisco and back. He wanted to know what was the catch. I told him I hated the screen. He said he'd call FedEx straightaway. I told him I would too. The machines, the old and the new, probably passed each other somewhere over Kansas or Iowa. Now I've got my old baby back, am out a few hundred dollars, but I'm a little wiser now. Matte makes a difference. If you're going to be looking at a screen all day, glossy is not the way to go. Five stars for the nice design, minus two stars for the screen and minus another star for not putting in that video connector, which I threw in when I traded and got my baby back, and that leaves two stars and I'm being generous.

I love you Apple, I really do, but you missed the boat with this one.

Reviewed by Stephanie Sane

Apple MacBook Pro with 15.4" Display

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and dvd controls, are right on the keyboard. I was in between which laptop to get also because I am a casual gamer. However, the salesman did tell me that I could still play some of the games on the Macbook. The display alone is what I am enjoying the most. It is definitely worth the extra money to get the pro. Highly Recommended!
I didn't get it from Amazon, or order it. I wanted to look at the computer before I purchased it. From reading all the horror stories on the web about people receiving damaged, or broken laptops from both the Apple Store and other retail stores. I would also recommend if you are going to get a mac, go to the Apple Store itself and get one if possible. They are so helpful, and usually give you some kind of deal when purchasing one. They will also set it up for you, but transferring all your information to your new computer is very easy to do by yourself.

Apple MacBook Pro with 15.4" Display

...

and dvd controls, are right on the keyboard. I was in between which laptop to get also because I am a casual gamer. However, the salesman did tell me that I could still play some of the games on the Macbook. The display alone is what I am enjoying the most. It is definitely worth the extra money to get the pro. Highly Recommended!

I didn't get it from Amazon, or order it. I wanted to look at the computer before I purchased it. From reading all the horror stories on the web about people receiving damaged, or broken laptops from both the Apple Store and other retail stores. I would also recommend if you are going to get a mac, go to the Apple Store itself and get one if possible. They are so helpful, and usually give you some kind of deal when purchasing one. They will also set it up for you, but transferring all your information to your new computer is very easy to do by yourself.

Apple MacBook Pro with 15.4" Display

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that it uses that 256MB RAM even when the system is using the 9600 adapter. In other words, these laptops effectively have 256MB less RAM than the previous generation.

The new display is very clear and sharp, at least as good as the previous generation's screen. It is also covered with a pane of glass and is very, very shiny; much shinier and more reflective even than the previous generation's 'glossy' screen. If the lighting conditions in your work environment are exactly right, the screen looks wonderful. If there is any light behind or above you, the screen acts as a mirror and the glare and reflections can be very annoying.

The new MacBook Pro is a wonderful computer, but it is not a clear upgrade from the previous version and the mirror finish of the new screen means that no one should buy this computer without actually trying it first.

Apple MacBook Pro with 15.4" Display

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that it uses that 256MB RAM even when the system is using the 9600 adapter. In other words, these laptops effectively have 256MB less RAM than the previous generation.



The new display is very clear and sharp, at least as good as the previous generation's screen. It is also covered with a pane of glass and is very, very shiny; much shinier and more reflective even than the previous generation's 'glossy' screen. If the lighting conditions in your work environment are exactly right, the screen looks wonderful. If there is any light behind or above you, the screen acts as a mirror and the glare and reflections can be very annoying.



The new MacBook Pro is a wonderful computer, but it is not a clear upgrade from the previous version and the mirror finish of the new screen means that no one should buy this computer without actually trying it first.

Apple MacBook Pro with 15.4" Display

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This is not confirmed, but there is substantial discussion online suggesting this is the case. The 9600M is essentially a 32 processor computer (running at 120 gigaflops). So, a MacBook Pro will actually gain in speed over time. The MacBook does not have a separate graphics card that can work this way.

3. MacBook Pro graphics are twice as fast as MacBook graphics, so if you do anything visual with your computer (digital photography, video, games, etc.) then everything will run much more quickly and smoothly. Some games that are just barely playable on the MacBook become fun and seemless on the MacBook Pro.

4. The MacBook Pro has a firewire port (omitted from the new MacBook).

5. The MacBook Pro has an expansion card slot (really handy for adding a memory card reader or 3G roaming internet).

So, for the extra $400 (MacBook 2.4 GHz vs. MacBook Pro 2.4 GHz) you get a lot of extras that you will notice and use. And you will avoid the poor LCD on the MacBook. You are still stuck with the highly-reflective glass screen (if my eyeglasses can get anti-reflective coating, then why not this computer screen?), however, so it's only four stars until they solve that problem.

Apple MacBook Pro with 15.4" Display

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the silver case. If you ask me, the old MBP had too much silver. EVERYTHING on the machine was silver aluminum. Don't get me wrong, i loved the old MBP, but this is just one step up. The Keyboard is also backlit so when you are in a darker environment, the keys light up, helping you see anything and everything on the keyboard. The Keyboard is absolutely beautiful on the machine and adds a nice touch overall to the look.





TRACKPAD
I find it weird that i can put an entire section on a review about a laptops trackpad, but this is undoubtedly necessary. The new trackpad is ALL glass and there is no button---per say. In reality the entire trackpad is the button. They took off the button on the bottom and extended the trackpad down to give you more real estate. Apple spent months designing this trackpad and i have to give them major credit for that. recently me and my friend were looking at laptops at Circuit City, and one thing we did was go through every single laptop and look at it's trackpad. It is absolutely amazing how much time and effort company's DON'T put into designing their trackpad, when in my book, it is a HUGE factor. The coefficient of friction on this trackpad is exactly what it needs to be. not too rough, not too smooth, just right. I absolutely love the MBP trackpad and think it is something apple needs to be commended for.




GRAPHICS
Apple and NVIDIA joined up and came up with a new video card for this MBP. The MBP actually has 2 graphics cards in it. One that is integrated, and one that is dedicated. The integrated graphics is NVIDIA instead of the old intel, so it is immensely better. The dedicated card (which can be easily switched on) is a powerhouse and almost puts a MBP in line with other gaming machines, almost. Needless to say, this notebook will do just about whatever you want it to do graphics wise, gaming, video editing, photo editing, you name it, it will do it pretty easily. no worries here.


OVERALL
overall this laptop is at the top of it's class and you might be wondering why i gave it 4 stars and not 5.....first and foremost, money. I have to say that this is still overpriced. You are paying for a collection of things like the operating system, graphics card, high end components and things like that, but come on apple, 2000 dollars is a lot to drop on any laptop, no matter what it is. Is it worth it? without a doubt yes, and that is why apple can jack up their prices, but at the same time, it seems like they are kind of taking advantage of us, especially in the economic slum we're in right now. Maybe i am just cheap (which i don't think most people would classify me as that) but that seems a little high to me. And another thing. what is up with the new display port? i have a 46 inch samsung tv and i will be hooking it up to my MBP but the cable is 100 dollars!!!! and that is just to dual link dvi----i still have to buy a dual link dvi to HDMI adapter after that. Ugh. apple (along with other company's...cough cough monster cables) is completely ripping us off on their cables and that makes a difference in my outlook on the big picture.



CONCLUSION
The new MBP is absolutely stunning in every aspect of its design. Apple continues to wow us, and they will also continue to prosper and grow. I will be enjoying my new Macbook pro and i hope this review helped you in any questions you might have had. It is an investment that will live for a long time and will be greatly enjoyed every day. good job apple.

HP COMPAQ Presario CQ50-110US Notebook Computer AMD Turion X2 RM-70(2.00GHz) 15.4 Wide XGA 3GB Memory 200GB HDD 4200rpm DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce 8200M

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the silver case. If you ask me, the old MBP had too much silver. EVERYTHING on the machine was silver aluminum. Don't get me wrong, i loved the old MBP, but this is just one step up. The Keyboard is also backlit so when you are in a darker environment, the keys light up, helping you see anything and everything on the keyboard. The Keyboard is absolutely beautiful on the machine and adds a nice touch overall to the look.











TRACKPAD

I find it weird that i can put an entire section on a review about a laptops trackpad, but this is undoubtedly necessary. The new trackpad is ALL glass and there is no button---per say. In reality the entire trackpad is the button. They took off the button on the bottom and extended the trackpad down to give you more real estate. Apple spent months designing this trackpad and i have to give them major credit for that. recently me and my friend were looking at laptops at Circuit City, and one thing we did was go through every single laptop and look at it's trackpad. It is absolutely amazing how much time and effort company's DON'T put into designing their trackpad, when in my book, it is a HUGE factor. The coefficient of friction on this trackpad is exactly what it needs to be. not too rough, not too smooth, just right. I absolutely love the MBP trackpad and think it is something apple needs to be commended for.









GRAPHICS

Apple and NVIDIA joined up and came up with a new video card for this MBP. The MBP actually has 2 graphics cards in it. One that is integrated, and one that is dedicated. The integrated graphics is NVIDIA instead of the old intel, so it is immensely better. The dedicated card (which can be easily switched on) is a powerhouse and almost puts a MBP in line with other gaming machines, almost. Needless to say, this notebook will do just about whatever you want it to do graphics wise, gaming, video editing, photo editing, you name it, it will do it pretty easily. no worries here.





OVERALL

overall this laptop is at the top of it's class and you might be wondering why i gave it 4 stars and not 5.....first and foremost, money. I have to say that this is still overpriced. You are paying for a collection of things like the operating system, graphics card, high end components and things like that, but come on apple, 2000 dollars is a lot to drop on any laptop, no matter what it is. Is it worth it? without a doubt yes, and that is why apple can jack up their prices, but at the same time, it seems like they are kind of taking advantage of us, especially in the economic slum we're in right now. Maybe i am just cheap (which i don't think most people would classify me as that) but that seems a little high to me. And another thing. what is up with the new display port? i have a 46 inch samsung tv and i will be hooking it up to my MBP but the cable is 100 dollars!!!! and that is just to dual link dvi----i still have to buy a dual link dvi to HDMI adapter after that. Ugh. apple (along with other company's...cough cough monster cables) is completely ripping us off on their cables and that makes a difference in my outlook on the big picture.







CONCLUSION

The new MBP is absolutely stunning in every aspect of its design. Apple continues to wow us, and they will also continue to prosper and grow. I will be enjoying my new Macbook pro and i hope this review helped you in any questions you might have had. It is an investment that will live for a long time and will be greatly enjoyed every day. good job apple.

HP COMPAQ Presario CQ50-110US Notebook Computer AMD Turion X2 RM-70(2.00GHz) 15.4 Wide XGA 3GB Memory 200GB HDD 4200rpm DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce 8200M

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a wireless router in my place and the laptop saw it right away and connected to it with no problems. I have had no problems with Vista except one game that is 3 years old is said to have issues, but the game runs fine as far as I can tell.

I also have a laptop that is owned by work. I can carry both in my shoulder bag no problem. I wouldn't want to do lots of walking with both of them, but for a short distances it is fine.

A great little laptop with some nice features.

(I didn't even really look at the pictures so I hadn't noticed that one had a webcam. I read all the specs to see what it was coming with.)

HP COMPAQ Presario CQ50-110US Notebook Computer AMD Turion X2 RM-70(2.00GHz) 15.4 Wide XGA 3GB Memory 200GB HDD 4200rpm DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce 8200M

...

a wireless router in my place and the laptop saw it right away and connected to it with no problems. I have had no problems with Vista except one game that is 3 years old is said to have issues, but the game runs fine as far as I can tell.



I also have a laptop that is owned by work. I can carry both in my shoulder bag no problem. I wouldn't want to do lots of walking with both of them, but for a short distances it is fine.



A great little laptop with some nice features.



(I didn't even really look at the pictures so I hadn't noticed that one had a webcam. I read all the specs to see what it was coming with.)

HP COMPAQ Presario CQ50-110US Notebook Computer AMD Turion X2 RM-70(2.00GHz) 15.4 Wide XGA 3GB Memory 200GB HDD 4200rpm DVD Super Multi NVIDIA GeForce 8200M

...

a wireless router in my place and the laptop saw it right away and connected to it with no problems. I have had no problems with Vista except one game that is 3 years old is said to have issues, but the game runs fine as far as I can tell.





I also have a laptop that is owned by work. I can carry both in my shoulder bag no problem. I wouldn't want to do lots of walking with both of them, but for a short distances it is fine.





A great little laptop with some nice features.





(I didn't even really look at the pictures so I hadn't noticed that one had a webcam. I read all the specs to see what it was coming with.)

Apple 15.4 MacBook Pro - Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5GHz 2GB, 250GB, SuperDrive

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a wireless router in my place and the laptop saw it right away and connected to it with no problems. I have had no problems with Vista except one game that is 3 years old is said to have issues, but the game runs fine as far as I can tell.







I also have a laptop that is owned by work. I can carry both in my shoulder bag no problem. I wouldn't want to do lots of walking with both of them, but for a short distances it is fine.







A great little laptop with some nice features.







(I didn't even really look at the pictures so I hadn't noticed that one had a webcam. I read all the specs to see what it was coming with.)

Apple 15.4 MacBook Pro - Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5GHz 2GB, 250GB, SuperDrive

...

a wireless router in my place and the laptop saw it right away and connected to it with no problems. I have had no problems with Vista except one game that is 3 years old is said to have issues, but the game runs fine as far as I can tell.









I also have a laptop that is owned by work. I can carry both in my shoulder bag no problem. I wouldn't want to do lots of walking with both of them, but for a short distances it is fine.









A great little laptop with some nice features.









(I didn't even really look at the pictures so I hadn't noticed that one had a webcam. I read all the specs to see what it was coming with.)

Apple 15.4 MacBook Pro - Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5GHz 2GB, 250GB, SuperDrive

...

a wireless router in my place and the laptop saw it right away and connected to it with no problems. I have had no problems with Vista except one game that is 3 years old is said to have issues, but the game runs fine as far as I can tell.











I also have a laptop that is owned by work. I can carry both in my shoulder bag no problem. I wouldn't want to do lots of walking with both of them, but for a short distances it is fine.











A great little laptop with some nice features.











(I didn't even really look at the pictures so I hadn't noticed that one had a webcam. I read all the specs to see what it was coming with.)

APPLE MA896LL/A 15.4" MacBook Pro Intel Core 2 Duo Notebook (Leopard)

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a wireless router in my place and the laptop saw it right away and connected to it with no problems. I have had no problems with Vista except one game that is 3 years old is said to have issues, but the game runs fine as far as I can tell.













I also have a laptop that is owned by work. I can carry both in my shoulder bag no problem. I wouldn't want to do lots of walking with both of them, but for a short distances it is fine.













A great little laptop with some nice features.













(I didn't even really look at the pictures so I hadn't noticed that one had a webcam. I read all the specs to see what it was coming with.)

Apple 15.4 MacBook Pro - Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5GHz 2GB, 250GB, SuperDrive

...

I attribute part of this to using an 802.11n base station, but I also notice that I pick up more WiFi access points near me, as well and some of them are Belkin 802.11g.

The one thing that I do find annoying is that Apple changed the assignments for the function keys. Having used Mac laptops for ~5 years, I found this to be very annoying. I was able to work around this by changing the key assignments back to what I know.

In all, a phenomenal upgrade in terms of what you get out of the box, raw processing power, boot time, and increased battery life. I recommend this laptop without hesitation.

Apple 15.4 MacBook Pro - Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5GHz 2GB, 250GB, SuperDrive

...

I attribute part of this to using an 802.11n base station, but I also notice that I pick up more WiFi access points near me, as well and some of them are Belkin 802.11g.



The one thing that I do find annoying is that Apple changed the assignments for the function keys. Having used Mac laptops for ~5 years, I found this to be very annoying. I was able to work around this by changing the key assignments back to what I know.



In all, a phenomenal upgrade in terms of what you get out of the box, raw processing power, boot time, and increased battery life. I recommend this laptop without hesitation.

Apple 15.4 MacBook Pro - Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5GHz 2GB, 250GB, SuperDrive

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I am debating of going back to the Apple store to replace or just simply return this laptop and go with something else. Keep in mind I have owned this for 7 days total. This is a very valid issue and for a $2000 plus investment it is something to consider.

This is a known problem since the SR MBP's and I thought they would have fixed it in quality control but no. I will give Apple credit for great quality service, but they should really spend more money on quality control!

I have the Macbook Pro 15.4" 2.4GHz 200GB.

The displays affected were the 9C81, 9C81 and 9C83... two had yellowing, one had uneven bright/dark spots.