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, including an intelligent hybrid graphics system, which allow it to run for up to 9 hours on a single charge.
The computer's 17" display features a LED backlight and an antiglare finish. Its 1920 x 1200 native resolution gives you ample screen real estate with which to work -- its resolution is greater than that of 1080p HD video. You'll be able to output to an external display at up to 2560 x 1600 resolution thanks to the computer's Mini DisplayPort output.
The system is powered by a 2.66GHz Intel Core i7 and is loaded with 4GB of memory and a 256GB SSD hard drive. The CPU can be overclocked to 3.33GHz using the Turbo Boost system. Graphics are handled by a hybrid system, which includes a discrete nVIDIA GeForce GT 330M GPU with 512MB of GDDR3 memory and integrated Intel HD graphics. The computer automatically switches between the two GPUs to best handle the task at hand, perfectly balancing performance and power consumption.
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, even if your finger is near the top of the trackpad.
What's more, the smooth surface fully supports Multi-Touch gestures -- you can tap the trackpad with one finger to click, 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, a complete suite of digital creativity applications, is installed on the system. Easy enough for anyone to use, iLife will help you edit your home movies, organize digital photos, and compose original music.
The computer is loaded with Apple's Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard operating system. The 64-bit OS 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, or Front Row to turn your Mac into an impressive media player.
Features
Aluminum Unibody Enclosure
Carved from a single block of aluminum, the MacBook Pro is a true engineering achievement. Its patented unibody enclosure is the product of precise machining. From the thumbscoop to the now-you-see-it-now-you-don't sleep indicator, no detail is unaccounted for. The end result is a notebook that's not only breakthrough, but thin, light, polished, and refined. The unibody also makes MacBook Pro more durable than ever. So you can throw it in your briefcase or messenger bag and pull it out at an airport, at school, at the office, or on location without a second thought.
All-Day Battery
The new energy-efficient architecture in every MacBook Pro, along with automatic graphics switching, gives you dramatically longer battery life. On a single charge, the battery in the new MacBook Pro lasts up to 9 hours. And you'll get up to 1000 full charge and discharge cycles -- that's nearly three times the lifespan of typical notebook batteries. Advanced chemistry and Adaptive Charging allow the battery to maintain charging capabilities longer and determine the optimal way to charge the battery's cells. Because the battery lasts up to five years, MacBook Pro uses just one battery in the same time a typical notebook uses three. That makes for less waste. And that, in turn, makes for one environmentally friendly battery.
Hybrid Graphics System
The MacBook Pro gives you even more power for graphics-intensive 3D games and pro applications, and longer battery life for everyday tasks like checking e-mail or browsing the web. Depending on which application you're running, the computer automatically switches between the blazingly fast discrete nVIDIA GeForce GT 330M processor and power-efficient integrated Intel HD Graphics. So you don't have to compromise performance for battery life -- and vice versa.
LED Backlit Display
Every MacBook Pro has a pristine LED backlit display with wide-angle viewing and a color gamut usually seen only on a desktop display. So whether you're watching a movie or making one, you've got the perfect canvas. The ultrathin, seamless glass enclosure makes the display strong and durable. And because it's power efficient and free of mercury and arsenic, this display is greener than ever.
Chiclet Keyboard with Backlight
The rigid aluminum keyboard webbing has been cut precisely to hold the keys. And the keys are curved to perfectly fit fingers. The result? Pure typing bliss. The keyboard is also illuminated, so when you're in low-light settings, such as airplanes or conference rooms, you can always see what you're typing.
Multi-Touch Glass Trackpad
The first thing you might notice -- or not notice -- about the MacBook Pro trackpad is the button. The entire trackpad is the button, so you can click anywhere. Without a separate button, the spacious trackpad gives your hands plenty of room to move on the large, silky glass surface. Use two fingers to scroll smoothly up and down a page with inertial scrolling. Pinch to zoom in and out. Rotate an image with your fingertips. Swipe with three fingers to flip through your photo libraries. Swipe with four fingers to show your desktop, view all open windows, or switch applications. If you're coming from a right-click world, you can right-click with two fingers or configure a right-click area on the trackpad. The more you use the Multi-Touch trackpad, the more you'll wonder what you ever did without it.
Spacious Hard Drive
The MacBook Pro comes with a large hard drive offering 256GB of storage capacity, so there's plenty of room for your photo libraries, video projects, and files. The computer also features 4GB of high-speed 1066MHz DDR3 memory, so you can run more applications at once and quickly access your data and media.
Intel Core i7 CPU
The system is powered by a 2.66GHz Intel Core i7 CPU, one of the fastest dual-core processors on the market. It supports Turbo Boost, which can increase its speed to 3.33GHz. The CPU features 4MB of shared L3 cache, allowing it to run applications up to 50% faster than before.
Ports Aplenty
The MacBook Pro is iPod, iPhone, digital camera, and external hard drive ready. If it has a cable, there's a place for it. You'll find three USB 2.0 ports and a FireWire-800 port for connecting faster peripherals. You'll be able to connect headphones and a microphone via the audio input and output ports, both of which support analog audio and S/PDIF digital audio. The computer also features a Gigabit Ethernet port and a Kensington security slot.
Mini DisplayPort
The Mini DisplayPort delivers a pure digital connection to external displays -- even large 30" displays -- quickly and easily. It gives you plug-and-play performance with the Apple LED Cinema Display and supports VGA and DVI via optional adapters, as well as the latest multimedia standards such as DisplayPort and HDMI.
ExpressCard/34 Expansion
The MacBook Pro features an ExpressCard/34 slot, which can be used for expansion card installation. Many different types of cards, including eSATA adapters, SD card readers, and 3G modems, use this slot, making it easy to add functionality to your computer.
802.11n AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
With the latest 802.11n wireless technology built into MacBook Pro, you're always seamlessly and effortlessly connected to the wireless world out there, at home, and at work. MacBook Pro automatically finds available networks and allows you to join them with just one click. Bluetooth wireless technology is also built in, so brilliant accessories can become your wireless accomplices. With a built-in battery that lasts longer than ever before, you can do everything you need to do, where you need to do it.
SuperDrive
After editing and applying the finishing touches to your home movie masterpiece in iMovie and iDVD, use the ultrafast 8x SuperDrive on your MacBook Pro to burn it to DVD. And because the SuperDrive also writes to double-layer discs (DVDs with nearly 9GB of space), it's great for backing up data.
iSight Camera
Cleverly integrated -- almost hidden -- at the top of the MacBook Pro display is an iSight camera. Use it with iChat, and you can be anywhere without actually being there. Video chat with up to three of your friends, share a video with a colleague, or present to a client. Use iSight with Photo Booth for fun photo effects. And there's no need to waste valuable primping time installing software or configuring the camera. Like everything Mac, iSight just works.
MagSafe Power Connection
The MagSafe Power Adapter uses a magnetic connection rather than a physical one. If anyone happens to trip over your computer's power cord, they won't send the computer flying along with it. Rather, the cord will break cleanly away from the system, without damage. The cord even features a LED indicator that changes from amber to green when your computer is fully charged.
Performance
Intel Core i7 CPU
The Intel Core i7 processor boosts performance up to 50 percent over the previous generation. Based on Intel's latest 32-nanometer process technology, this is one of the fastest dual-core processors available and it sets an all-new benchmark for Mac notebooks.
Turbo Boost
The Intel Core i7 processor also features Turbo Boost. If you're using processor-intensive applications like Aperture 3 or Final Cut Pro that would benefit from an extra performance kick, Turbo Boost dynamically increases the speed of one or both cores, taking your MacBook Pro all the way up to 3.33GHz.
Hyper-Threading
Built-in Hyper-Threading allows two threads to run simultaneously on each core, so Mac OS X recognizes four virtual cores instead of just two. When you're running multiple applications at once, the Intel Core i7 processor spreads tasks more evenly across a greater number of cores -- so you can get more done, faster.
Integrated Memory Controller
Unlike systems that connect memory to the processor through a separate controller, the new MacBook Pro uses an integrated memory controller to connect memory directly to the processor. In a sense, this cuts out the middleman. With faster access to memory, each core gets right to work on your data, rather than waiting for it to arrive. Together with 4MB of shared L3 cache, the integrated memory controller ensures MacBook Pro can keep up with you.
Next-Generation Graphics
Inside the MacBook Pro is the new nVIDIA GeForce GT 330M discrete graphics processor -- the fastest graphics ever in a Mac notebook. With 48 processing cores and 512MB of dedicated video memory, this graphics processor delivers even more horsepower than the previous generation. And you don't have to sacrifice efficiency for speed: The nVIDIA GeForce GT 330M is up to 30 percent more energy efficient than its predecessor. For even greater power savings, MacBook Pro also includes integrated Intel HD Graphics.
On-Demand Performance; Off-the-Charts Efficiency
The MacBook Pro comes standard with automatic graphics switching. It's a breakthrough technology from Apple that switches graphics processors on the fly to give you performance when you need it (when you're playing the latest 3D game, for example) and better battery efficiency when you don't (such as when you're reading e-mail). MacBook Pro transfers the workload between the powerful discrete nVIDIA GeForce GT 330M graphics processor and integrated Intel HD Graphics so seamlessly, you won't even notice. Whether you're using applications like Aperture, Motion, or Final Cut Pro or just browsing the web, your MacBook Pro always knows which processor to use. You don't have to log out, shut down, or change your preferences. Automatic graphics switching does it all for you.
Design
Aluminum Unibody Enclosure
Until now, all notebooks were designed the same way: by assembling multiple pieces to create a single enclosure. But once you include all the necessary parts, you add size, weight, complexity, and more opportunities for failure. Solving a problem like this required more than an incremental change. It required a breakthrough. To create the MacBook Pro, the design and engineering teams devised a way to replace many parts with just one. That one part is called the unibody -- a seamless enclosure carved from a single piece of aluminum.
Of course, building only one part creates its own set of challenges. When you have multiple parts that are fastened together, tolerances don't need to be perfect. You have wiggle room, both literally and figuratively. But when one part is responsible for many functions, it's critical to manufacture that part with absolute precision, down to the micron. Every time. Millions of times over. There was only one way to achieve this level of precision: mill the unibody from a solid block of aluminum using computer numerical control, or CNC, machines -- the kind used by the aerospace industry to build mission-critical spacecraft components.
When you pick up a MacBook Pro, you immediately notice the difference. The entire enclosure is thin and light. It looks polished and refined. And it feels strong and durable -- perfect for life inside (and outside) your briefcase or backpack.
Of course, building only one part creates its own set of challenges. When you have multiple parts that are fastened together, tolerances don't need to be perfect. You have wiggle room, both literally and figuratively. But when one part is responsible for many functions, it's critical to manufacture that part with absolute precision, down to the micron. Every time. Millions of times over. There was only one way to achieve this level of precision: mill the unibody from a solid block of aluminum using computer numerical control, or CNC, machines -- the kind used by the aerospace industry to build mission-critical spacecraft components.
When you pick up a MacBook Pro, you immediately notice the difference. The entire enclosure is thin and light. It looks polished and refined. And it feels strong and durable -- perfect for life inside (and outside) your briefcase or backpack.
LED Backlight
The thickness of a notebook display depends on the technology inside. LCD displays typically use cold cathode fluorescent lamps, or CCFLs, to create light and project a picture onto a screen. But that poses two problems. First, these lamps require more space, so the display can be only so thin. Second, just like the fluorescent lights in your home or office, the ones inside a CCFL display take time to warm up before they reach full brightness. That's a lose-lose situation. And it's why Apple engineers chose LED backlight technology for the MacBook Pro.
A LED backlight creates the same amount of brightness in less space. So you can make the structure that houses a LED display much thinner. And unlike fluorescent lamps, a LED backlight reaches maximum brightness instantly.
Look at the MacBook Pro display and you'll see another big difference. Glass. That edge-to-edge, uninterrupted glass display does more than look good. It also adds structure to the LED display beneath it.
A LED backlight creates the same amount of brightness in less space. So you can make the structure that houses a LED display much thinner. And unlike fluorescent lamps, a LED backlight reaches maximum brightness instantly.
Look at the MacBook Pro display and you'll see another big difference. Glass. That edge-to-edge, uninterrupted glass display does more than look good. It also adds structure to the LED display beneath it.
Multi-Touch Trackpad
The trackpad has no button because it is the button. That means there's more room to track, more room to click -- left, right, center, and everywhere in between -- and one less part. Apple designers and engineers spent countless hours considering things like sensitivity (how much pressure triggers a click?), audio feedback (what does the click sound like?), and friction over the smooth glass surface (what does it feel like?).
And that's just the hardware. Apple software engineers had a large part to play in the development of the trackpad, too. They incorporated Multi-Touch gestures -- including swipe, pinch, rotate, and four-finger swipe -- and even more natural inertial scrolling. The result is the largest, smartest, most ergonomic MacBook Pro trackpad ever. It's one of many details considered and reconsidered during the design process.
And that's just the hardware. Apple software engineers had a large part to play in the development of the trackpad, too. They incorporated Multi-Touch gestures -- including swipe, pinch, rotate, and four-finger swipe -- and even more natural inertial scrolling. The result is the largest, smartest, most ergonomic MacBook Pro trackpad ever. It's one of many details considered and reconsidered during the design process.
Details Matter
There's a story behind each part. Take the thumbscoop, for example. It's the indentation that allows you to open the display. If the scoop is too deep, you put too much pressure on the display to open it. If it's too shallow, you struggle to open the display. It may seem incidental, but if the thumbscoop is well designed, it makes the difference between a bad experience and a good one. The challenge of the thumbscoop was to create a crisply machined scoop that was still comfortable to use. The designers at Apple worked on hundreds of versions of the thumbscoop -- even examining them under an electron microscope -- to get it right.
Then there's the sleep indicator light. An indicator is functional only when it's indicating something. Look to the right of the thumbscoop. You see nothing. Until you close the display and your MacBook Pro goes to sleep. Then a LED glow appears from inside the enclosure. How? During the CNC process, a machine first thins out the aluminum. Then a laser drill creates small perforations for the LED light to shine through. These holes are so tiny that the aluminum appears seamless when the light is off.
Then there's the sleep indicator light. An indicator is functional only when it's indicating something. Look to the right of the thumbscoop. You see nothing. Until you close the display and your MacBook Pro goes to sleep. Then a LED glow appears from inside the enclosure. How? During the CNC process, a machine first thins out the aluminum. Then a laser drill creates small perforations for the LED light to shine through. These holes are so tiny that the aluminum appears seamless when the light is off.
Efficient Design
The marriage of electronics and mechanical design makes the MacBook Pro as advanced on the inside as it is on the outside. The internal architecture has been reengineered from the silicon up, with a cutting-edge logic board, chipset, and graphics architecture.
The MacBook Pro now delivers the perfect combination of graphics performance and long battery life, thanks to automatic graphics switching. For everyday tasks like e-mail and surfing the web, MacBook Pro uses integrated Intel HD Graphics. But for graphics-intensive 3D games and applications like Aperture and Motion, the MacBook Pro automatically switches to the new nVIDIA GeForce GT 330M discrete graphics processor for amazing performance. There's no need to log out or restart: The transition takes place behind the scenes, based on the applications you're running. So you don't have to lift a finger.
Because Apple designs both the hardware and the software for the MacBook Pro, it's easier to improve things like energy efficiency. Software tells the hard drive to spin down when it's not in use. It tells the display and battery indicator lights to dim in low-light conditions. And it helps decide whether the CPU or the graphics processor would be best suited to the task at hand. That's the kind of smart, integrated design that sets MacBook Pro apart from other notebooks.
The MacBook Pro now delivers the perfect combination of graphics performance and long battery life, thanks to automatic graphics switching. For everyday tasks like e-mail and surfing the web, MacBook Pro uses integrated Intel HD Graphics. But for graphics-intensive 3D games and applications like Aperture and Motion, the MacBook Pro automatically switches to the new nVIDIA GeForce GT 330M discrete graphics processor for amazing performance. There's no need to log out or restart: The transition takes place behind the scenes, based on the applications you're running. So you don't have to lift a finger.
Because Apple designs both the hardware and the software for the MacBook Pro, it's easier to improve things like energy efficiency. Software tells the hard drive to spin down when it's not in use. It tells the display and battery indicator lights to dim in low-light conditions. And it helps decide whether the CPU or the graphics processor would be best suited to the task at hand. That's the kind of smart, integrated design that sets MacBook Pro apart from other notebooks.
Top-to-Bottom Integration
Top-to-bottom integration also makes MacBook Pro greener than ever. Complete control over how the MacBook Pro is designed, how it's manufactured, and how it's packaged gives Apple an environmental edge. Take the MacBook Pro display, for instance. Conventional CCFL displays use mercury to create a backlight and arsenic to prevent irregularities in the glass. The LED backlit display on the MacBook Pro, on the other hand, is both mercury- and arsenic-free. LED backlight technology also conserves energy: This display requires up to 30 percent less power than a CCFL display.
Just how green is the MacBook Pro? Every MacBook Pro model is ENERGY STAR 5.0 compliant, which means it meets the government standard for energy efficiency. And every MacBook Pro is shipped in packaging that's 34 to 41 percent smaller than the original generation. That translates to fewer trees used for boxes and less fuel used to transport more systems on fewer planes. And at the end of its long, productive life, you can recycle almost all of your MacBook Pro.
Just how green is the MacBook Pro? Every MacBook Pro model is ENERGY STAR 5.0 compliant, which means it meets the government standard for energy efficiency. And every MacBook Pro is shipped in packaging that's 34 to 41 percent smaller than the original generation. That translates to fewer trees used for boxes and less fuel used to transport more systems on fewer planes. And at the end of its long, productive life, you can recycle almost all of your MacBook Pro.
Uniquely Apple
Only Apple could make a notebook like this. Hardware and software. Design and engineering. Production and manufacturing. They're all part of a single process at Apple. When you start using your MacBook Pro, you'll discover what that means. The light and sturdy unibody protects the components inside. The LED backlit display -- along with the graphics processor that helps power it -- gives you faster games and a brilliant canvas for your photos, movies, and more. The glass Multi-Touch trackpad feels as good as it functions. From the smallest detail to the biggest engineering breakthrough, the MacBook Pro truly is the next generation of notebooks.
The Mac Experience
Every Day Use
Every Mac is designed to make your life easier, not more difficult. The system ships with Mac OS X "Snow Leopard," which gives you all the tools you need for e-mail, personal organization, Internet browsing, watching movies, and more. Its software and hardware are designed work to together seamlessly, eliminating the compatibility nightmares that often plague PC users. What's more, the MacBook can run Windows via Boot Camp, perfect for users who have a Windows-only application that they absolutely need to use.
iLife '11
The included iLife '11 suite is a suite of applications that help you organize your digital life. It includes iPhoto for photo management and editing, iMovie for HD video editing, iDVD to burn your movies to disc, GarageBand for music production, and iWeb for web publishing.
Secure and Reliable
Worried about viruses and malware? Don't be. The MacBook Pro isn't plagued by constant attacks from the outside world. It is designed to be secure out of the box, eliminating the need for additional software to protect your system from danger. OS X will warn you if a downloaded file is potentially dangerous, ensuring that you don't accidentally open a malicious application. Apple responds quickly to any security threats, prompting you to download updates that keep your Mac up to date and safe.
Advanced Technology, Standard
Powered by an Intel dual-core CPU, the MacBook Pro is fully loaded with 3D graphics, an iSight camera, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. You'll find features on this system that are foreign to the PC world, including the MagSafe power adapter design. A powerful 64-bit operating system built on a UNIX foundation, Snow Leopard, is pre-installed on the system.
Environmentally Friendly Design
Apple understands that the Earth is our most precious resource. They've worked to create a computer that is energy efficient, free of many toxins, and highly recyclable. Because Apple designs both hardware and software, the MacBook is able to use a highly efficient power supply that reduces wasted power. The computer is free of mercury and arsenic, and its internal components are free of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs). When the computer reaches the end of its long life, you can rest assured that it can be recycled. It is constructed from materials that are highly desirable to recyclers. The MacBook Pro has been awarded EPEAT Gold status for responsible manufacture, energy efficiency, and recyclability.
Tech Support
Have a problem with your Mac? Get support and advice at the Genius Bar, located at every Apple Retail Store. Apple also provides online tutorials, troubleshooting forums, and 90 days of phone support for users who aren't able to make it to an Apple store.
Optional AppleCare
Apple provides 90 days of free phone support and a 1-year limited hardware warranty on the computer. You can opt to add an AppleCare Protection Plan, at additional cost, which covers support and repairs for 3 years from the date of purchase. AppleCare can be purchased at any time within the first year of ownership of the computer.