Apple released another laptop recently, the 13.3 inch MacBook Pro. We are familiar with their MacBook Pro line, which delivers great machines (dare I say complete?), which have a perfect balance between entertainment and performance features.
As the standards for laptops change and change ( and by that I mean they get smaller and smaller), Apple decided to come with laptops with a smaller screen. Also, this means that we get a cheaper laptop, as the 15 inch version costs around $2500, while the 13.3 inch variant starts at roughly $1500.
And for that kind of money, you really get an exquisite machine, upgraded in order to be able to cope with any tasks you might come up with. First off, the processor is from the Core i series from Intel, which provides great performance with a very good low power scheme. The entry level, $1500 MacBook Pro comes with the Corei5 2.53 GHZ processor, while the more expensive version, ticking in at $2000, has the i7, which is the alpha male in Intel’s series of dual core processors.
The cheaper version comes with 2 GB of RAM, while the high end comes with 4 GB of RAM and a 500 GB hard disk drive. Bundled together with the processor, there’s integrated Intel HD graphics, which is a rather modest solution, being actually worse than the Nvidia graphics we had on last year’s 13 inch version.
The 2011 model comes with the same curves and solid body we had back in 2010
On the bright side, the laptop comes with the hyped Thunderbolt data/video port, which is able to produce 10Gbps transfer speeds. Thunderbolt is a unified solution for multiple connectivity types, like USB, FireWire, Display Port. For now, we don’t know when peripherals will be available for this port and if these will be available on other Apple machines. Fortunately, the technology is compatible with HDMI and you will be able to connect the MacBook Pro to a big screen TV and look at HD videos.
In terms of design, the MacBook Pro is identical to the one we had in 2010. It’s the same unibody build and the same Apple iconic design we know since forever. On the left, we have all the ports lined up, with the charging port towards the end of the row. On the right, there’s the slot loading drive, while the multi gesture touch pad is big and comfy, like it always was on a MacBook Pro.
The screen has a 1280 x 800 resolution and great viewing angles
The keyboard is simply amazing, with quiet and highly responsive keys, occupying only as much space as it requires. I don’t know why, but within the same size standards, Apple can design keyboards which are not overcrowded- I think it’s something in the water. The display has a 1280 x 800 px resolution, and the colors, brightness and viewing angles are nothing less than perfect- what we came to expect from Apple. Nevertheless, it’s a little weird that the resolution didn’t get an upgrade, at least on the pricy version, considering that the MacBook Air comes with a 1400 x 900 resolution.
On the top of the screen there’s a 720p capable web cam for video calls. The laptop comes preinstalled with FaceTime and the quality is quite good when you chat with someone using also a laptop from Apple- Macbook-iPhone 4 calls are a little blurrier, but overall very good.
In terms of performance, the MacBook Pro is fast and handles multitasking with ease on the OS X 10.6.6, but the on board is a little set back, as gaming is not as stellar as the other features. Games like COD 4 will run with some effort, and considering that this is a fairly old game, we can hardly imagine how it would deal with newer ones. In terms of battery life, the laptop is a winner.
On a video playback test, it was able to run for about 7 hours, which is far better than most laptops and a hour longer than the previous MacBook Pro.
Ports, ports and ports
The laptop is a step forward from last year’s version in most ways. Excepting the onboard graphics, this is a truly superior machine which will handle a day’s work on a single charge and will beam through applications, videos and more. Nevertheless, you have been warned that gaming will not be top notch, but should satisfy non hard core users.
andrew Hoffman
March 12, 2011 at 2:07 pm
I’d spend the 2 grand on the Pro13-i7,500GB HD,4GB Ram and be happy.But I wouldn’t buy an iPhone until they put a slide out keyboard on it like my BB Torch.Shame the graphics have gone backwards-can you atually notice it that much.How and why on Earth did they stuff that one up-better battery life?