The 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer from Apple is a powerful Macintosh computer, in a portable form factor. Housed in a sleek glass and aluminum enclosure, it features a keyboard with an ambient light sensor and backlit keys.
The computer's glossy widescreen display features a resolution of 1920 x 1200, ideal for photographers working on the go, or for video editors cutting 1080p video. The computer is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, includes 4GB of RAM, and features 802.11n Airport Extreme Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and the SuperDrive DVD burner. The 500GB 5400rpm hard drive provides ample storage space.
All this hardware runs on Apple's Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard operating system, making the MacBook Pro a great choice for any creative professional.
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Processor | 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor |
| Cache | L2: 6MB |
| System Bus | 1066MHz |
| Memory |
Slots: 2x SO-DIMM Type: PC3-8500 1066MHz DDR3 RAM Installed: 4GB (2x2GB) Capacity: 8GB main memory |
| Display |
Type: Active Matrix Glossy TFT-LCD with LED Backlight Size: 17" Native Resolution: 1920 x 1200 Supported Resolutions: 1920 x 1200 (native), 1680 x 1050, 1280 x 800, 1152 x 720, 1024 x 640, and 800 x 500 pixels at 16:10 aspect ratio; 1280 x 1024 pixels at 5:4 aspect ratio; 1600 x 1200, 1024 x 768, 800 x 600, and 640 x 480 pixels at 4:3 aspect ratio; 1600 x 1200, 1024 x 768, 800 x 600, and 640 x 480 pixels at 4:3 aspect ratio stretched; 720 x 480 pixels at 3:2 aspect ratio; 720 x 480 pixels at 3:2 aspect ratio stretched External Resolutions: Up to 2560 x 1600 |
| Graphics Display Card |
Interface: Hybrid Graphics System (PCI Express/Integrated) Installed: nVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT with 512MB GDDR3 SDRAM; nVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory Internal Resolutions: Up to 1920 x 1200 External Resolutions: Up to 2560 x 1600 Dual Display: Yes Video Mirroring: Yes |
| Storage and Expansion | |
|---|---|
| Hard Drive |
Bays: 1x Installed: 500GB 5400rpm Type: SATA |
| Optical Drive |
8x slot-loading SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) Maximum write: 8x DVD-R, DVD+R; 4x DVD-R DL (double layer), DVD+R DL (double layer), DVD-RW, DVD+RW; 24x CD-R; 10x CD-RW Maximum read: 8x DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-ROM; 6x DVD-ROM (double layer DVD-9), DVD-R DL (double layer), DVD+R DL (double layer), DVD-RW, and DVD+RW; 24x CD |
| Expansion Slot | 1x ExpressCard/34 slot |
| Input/Output Connectors | |
|---|---|
| Ports |
1x FireWire-800 3x USB 2.0 |
| Display Output |
1x Mini DisplayPort DVI, VGA, or Dual-Link DVI available via optional adapters |
| Audio |
2x Integrated Stereo Speakers 1x Integrated Omnidirectional Microphone (located under left speaker grille) 1x Combo Analog Headphone/Optical Digital Audio Out 1x Combo Analog Line-In/Optical Digital Audio In Supports Apple Stereo Headset with microphone |
| Flash Media Slot | None |
| Communications | |
|---|---|
| Wired |
Network: 10/100/1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet Modem: None |
| Wireless |
Wi-Fi: Airport Extreme 802.11n Bluetooth: Bluetooth 2.1+EDR |
| General | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard |
| Security | Kensington Cable Lock Slot |
| Keyboard | Built-in full-size backlit keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys (inverted "T" arrangement) |
| Pointing Device | Multi-Touch trackpad for precise cursor control; supports two-finger scrolling, pinch, rotate, three-finger swipe, four-finger swipe, tap, double-tap, and drag capabilities |
| Battery | Built-in 95-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery; charge indicator LEDs located on left side of notebook's casing |
| Power Requirements |
Meets ENERGY STAR requirements AC: 100-240VAC, 50-60Hz Consumption: 85W |
| Environmental Requirements |
Operating Temperature: 50-95°F (10-35°C) Humidity: 0-90%, non-condensing Maximum Altitude: 10,000' (3048 m) Storage Temperature: -13-113°F (-24-45°C) Humidity: 0-90%, non-condensing Maximum Altitude: 15,000' (4572 m) Shipping Maximum Altitude: 35,000' (10,688 m) |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 15.5 x 0.98 x 10.5" (39.3 x 2.5 x 26.7cm) |
| Weight | 6.6 lb (2.99kg) |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
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Reviewed by 9 customers
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Comments about Apple 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer:
it runs so fast and smooth for my network business. its the best.
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Comments about Apple 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer:
This is my second 17" MacBook Pro and as much as I loved the first one, this one is far superior. My 1st one was one of the first models to come out and I purchased it as a refurb about a year after that model came out. This one is also about a year-old model, but purchased new. The unibody construction, glass no button track-pad, crisp glossy display are amazing! At first I thought I'd dislike the glossy display because of the glare, but the glossy screen seems to make the display even sharper and I can generally tilt the display enough to get rid of most of the glare. The 2.8GHz Core 2 Duo processor runs rings around my old 2.16GHz core duo and the additional memory (4GB with capacity for 8GB as opposed to 2GB maxed out) makes it practically fly. All my apps are much snappier; I'll be using this one to do penetration testing and the extra memory & processor power will allow me to load additional virtual operating systems and applications simultaneously via VMware Fusion or Parallels Desktop. All in all a great purchase, at an excellent price! [...]
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Comments about Apple 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer:
I bought this Mac for my daughter to start college. It excedes all the horsepower and storage the school requires. My kid is so happy with the way it performs, you'd think I gave her a new Corvette. Maybe I did! B&H had the best price, [...] They have my business!
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Comments about Apple 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer:
This computer runs super well! I had an older generation macbook pro and I'm impressed with the hardware changes over the past few years. The graphics card and processor can easily handle games like Spore and Team Fortress 2 and has the ability to run Photoshop, Final Cut Studio, and Logic all at the same time. The glossy screen is really clear and gives me good definition for working on animations. Keyboard change is definitely better also! It looks like it will be harder for dirt to get under them now. This computer is fantastic if you want to work with video or sound editing software or if you want a machine that can handle games like Fallout 3 without a problem.
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Comments about Apple 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer:
After purchasing this machine I can now honestly "I Love My MAC!" As an IT professional who develops automated solutions, this machine has now enabled me to broaden my horizons into the mobile sector. The price was fair and the machine has exceeded all of my expectations
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Comments about Apple 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer:
I recently purchased this through B&H. [...] the computer came with all of the specs I needed for video editing on the go. Since receiving the computer last week, I've hooked up my video library external hard drives through the Express Card/34 slot using an eSATA card (please note, using the Express Card/34 slot in this MacBook Pro requires you to purchase an actual Express Card to plug into the slot). I've also installed the Adobe Production Premium CS4 for Mac, which seems to be working flawlessly. In the past when I was on my older MacBook, I couldn't have more than one Adobe program open at once, but the improved RAM in this machine seems to handle multiple programs perfectly. In fact, as I'm typing this, I have Illustrator, Premiere Pro and After Effects open underneath my web browser.All-in-all, it seems to be a great machine. This, on top of B&H's great customer service and pricing makes this a no-brainer. My only wish is that I would have went with the matte screen versus the glossy screen. I didn't realize that my old MacBook was a matte screen. In my office, the lighting form above creates a lot of reflections on the screen that can be awkward when looking at video and graphics. To alleviate this, I've made som changes in the office lighting, and use an external monitor for referencing video.
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Comments about Apple 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer:
As a former PC user for 12 years I recently made the leap to a Mac for another freelance position. The transition was seamless and this laptop is the easiest to use most compatible powerful enough to run all of my design programs simultaneously. I can connect to just about anything in 1/4 the time it used to take me to connect on my PC. The 17" screen is crystal clear with great color fidelity and allows me to have multiple apps open while working. I'll never buy anything else.
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Comments about Apple 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer:
I use this Macbook Pro for home and work. It is powerful, does everything I ask without delays (goodbye Windows!), and is user friendly. It's expensive, but in my situation, worth every penny.
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Comments about Apple 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer:
For a pro shooter crunching large files there is no other machine you can use. Going from a older G4 to even one of the newer lower speed machines - these MacBook pros really take the pressure off with the amount of info you can diffuse. I've got to say that some of the very small quirks that annoy me are still in the operating system but they are very small - not even worthy of mention. The new solid case is amazing and travels well thru airports, the covered screen allows touching from wandering fingers of 'hands on' art directors and the new magnetic power plug is great and worry free. The only really big item missing is a firewire 400 outlet for folks transitioning from older machines.
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