The 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer from Apple is a powerful notebook computer with an innovative aluminum unibody design. It is loaded with advanced power management features and an integrated battery, which work together to provide up to 7 hours of wireless web browsing.
You may notice an unfamiliar logo next to one of the ports on the left side of the system. This is Thunderbolt, a high-speed interface that can move data at an amazing 10Gbps, which is double that of USB 3.0. The Thunderbolt port also doubles as a display output because it shares the same physical form factor as a Mini DisplayPort. You can daisy-chain up to six devices, so you'll be able to connect high-speed external storage and an external Apple LED Cinema display via the same port!
The computer's 17" display features LED backlight technology and a glossy finish. Its 1920 x 1200 native resolution gives you ample screen space to work with. You'll be able to output to an external display at up to 2560 x 1600 via Thunderbolt. Any Mini DisplayPort-compatible display will plug in without the need of an adapter. If you have a display with DVI, VGA or HDMI input, you'll only need to purchase an adapter cable (i.e., HDMI-to-Mini DisplayPort) for connection.
You'll be able to communicate with friends and family thanks to built-in support for FaceTime chat. The computer's FaceTime HD camera supports 720p HD video chat via the included app. You can make video calls to other Mac users with FaceTime as well as to anyone with an iPhone 4, iPhone 4S or an iPod touch model with a built-in camera.
The system is powered by a quad-core 2.4GHz Intel Core i7 processor. The computer is loaded with 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 750GB 5400rpm hard drive and a SuperDrive DVD burner. You'll be able to connect to the Internet with ease via 802.11n Wi-Fi or wired Gigabit Ethernet. The MacBook Pro also features built-in Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, which allows you to connect wireless headphones, keyboard, mice and other compatible peripherals without a hassle.
Graphics are handled by integrated Intel HD 3000 graphics, which gives you the best of both worlds in regards of battery life and performance. The MacBook Pro uses integrated Intel HD 3000 graphics for everyday use, such as web browsing and word processing. It is also capable of HD video playback.
The computer features a comfortable backlit chiclet-style keyboard, which features space between each key for improved accuracy and comfort when typing. It also sports a glass Multi-Touch trackpad with a clickable design. Rather than having a separate button for mouse clicks, the entire surface of the pad is clickable. This increases the active surface area and allows you to quickly click without having to maneuver to the bottom of the trackpad.
The trackpad also fully supports Multi-touch gestures. You can tap the trackpad with one finger to click, tap with two fingers to right click, scroll through documents using two fingers, pinch to zoom, navigate through Safari or iPhoto with three-finger left and right swipes or use two fingers to rotate a photo or PDF.
iLife '11 has a complete suite of digital creativity applications. Easy enough for anyone to use, iLife '11 will help you edit your home movies, organize digital photos and compose original music. iLife '11 includes iPhoto, iMovie and GarageBand.
The 64-bit Mac OS X Lion features Time Machine backup, which automatically backs up system data to an external hard drive. It also features intuitive Cover Flow navigation, the powerful Spotlight search tool and Quick Look document preview. You'll be able to use Boot Camp to run Windows on your Mac, if needed.
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Processor | 2.4GHz Intel Core i7 |
| Cache | L3: 6MB |
| System Bus | None |
| Memory |
2x Type: 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM Installed: 4GB Capacity: 8GB |
| Graphics Card |
Type: Hybrid Graphics System Installed: AMD Radeon HD 6770M with 1GB GDDR5 SDRAM Dedicated; Intel Graphics System HD 3000 with up to 384MB DDR3 SDRAM Shared |
| Display | |
|---|---|
| Type | Widescreen |
| Size | 17" |
| Backlight | LED |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:10 |
| Finish | Glossy |
| Native Resolution | 1920 x 1200 |
| Storage | |
|---|---|
| Hard Drive | Installed: 750GB 5400rpm |
| Optical Drive | 8x-Speed Slot-Load SuperDrive |
| Input/Output Connectors | |
|---|---|
| Ports |
1x Thunderbolt 3x USB 2.0 (A) 1x FireWire-800 (9-Pin) |
| Display | 1x Mini DisplayPort via Thunderbolt port |
| Audio |
1x Integrated Stereo Speakers 1x Integrated Omnidirectional Microphone 1x 1/8" (3.5mm) Headphone Output 1x 1/8" (3.5mm) Microphone Input |
| Expansion Slots | 1x ExpressCard/34 Slot |
| Flash Media Slot | None |
| Communications | |
|---|---|
| Network | 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45) |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11a/b/g/n |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 2.1+EDR |
| Webcam | Yes |
| General | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Mac OS X 10.7 Lion (64-bit) |
| Security | Not Specified By Manufacturer |
| Keyboard |
Type: Full-Size Features: Backlight |
| Pointing Device | TouchPad with Double-Tap, Drag, Four-Finger Swipe, Inertial Scrolling, Multi-Touch Control, Pinch, Rotate, Tap, Three-Finger Swipe, Two-Finger Scrolling |
| Battery | Built-In Lithium-Polymer Providing up to 7 Hours per Charge (95Wh) |
| Power Requirements | Not Specified By Manufacturer |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 15.47 x 0.98 x 10.51" / 39.29 x 2.49 x 26.70 cm |
| Weight | 6.6 lb / 2.99 kg |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviewsPros
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Reviewed by 7 customers
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Comments about Apple 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer:
Yes this is my 6th mac book. this is the basic 17 inch model. I just needed to get running with a new macbook at the time. should have gone with the faster hard drive or even the solid state drive. oh well next time. all in all pretty happy with it.
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Comments about Apple 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer:
I use my MacBook / Thunderbolt display combo to primarily process and edit photos in Lightroom and Photoshop. Ideal combination for that. Fast processor and an operating system (Lion) that provides stability and security.
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Comments about Apple 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer:
It's so light weight I love it.
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Comments about Apple 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer:
Fast and powerfull. The kind of machine I need to work with multimedia. The new mac os touch commands makes the operation more intuitive than it never was.
I recommend.
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Comments about Apple 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer:
Edit video
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Comments about Apple 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer:
Extremely fast. upgraded with 240 gb SSD and 16 gb of RAM for Pro Tools system. Light, fast, great screen. SSD is a must for power users. More than 100% faster than last Core Duo 17" MBP.
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Comments about Apple 17" MacBook Pro Notebook Computer:
So far, so good... no, GREAT! Being a huge PC advocate for years I resisted getting into the Mac fanboy-ism. But having one, I may be on the way to being the biggest Mac fanboy yet. It's not magic though... I think the issues I'm running into are due to Lion. As people have stated Lion is ram hungry. So I may have to up the 4gb of ram to 8gb.
Also I see some lag due to the 5400rpm 750gb hard drive. I'll need a 7200rpm hard drive to improve speeds. I need the space (raw photography files on-location) so SSD's are out for now (unless I win the lottery or if business picks up...a lot!)
I don't know why everyone is so crazy about the size. I've been working on a 17inch PC notebook and it was a BEAST. The 17inch MBP is nearly half the size! I feel a 15inch MBP screen would be too small. I'm a big guy so the 15 would feel cramped as well. The extra USB drive comes in handy too.
I can't wait to utilize the Thunderbolt with external hard drives. That is the next purchase! (I may switch to SSD's internally when I do)
Thee screen gets BRIGHT! I have to tone it down a notch. Although It helps cut down glare due to the reflective screen which is like a mirror!
Photo edits are drastically different than my PC so I'll have to read around to see what other pros are doing in terms of color calibration. Shouldn't be an issue since MACs are supposed to be better and built for this.
I don't work primarily with Video but this thing handles it well. Unlike my PC, albeit a bit dated.
I've used Linux Ubuntu before So i can appreciate the Mac OS X interface's similarities. Other than just expunging my burned-in windows shortcuts and tricks to become more efficient on the mac, everything has been awesome. So far worth every penny.
Displaying reviews 1-7