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By Dan Ackerman, CNET.com
Oct 30, 2007

Apple's recent update of its 13-inch MacBook line was a modest one, with an incremental processor upgrade and updated default components, but the 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro laptops have gotten a much more radical overhauling, even if they, like the MacBooks, look the same on the outside as previous-generation models. Moving to Intel's latest 2.4GHz mobile Core 2 Duo CPU (part of the new Centrino Duo platform) means the MacBook Pro's performance can stand up to that of the latest Windows Vista laptops, and the new LED-backlit display on the 15-inch model is more power-efficient than traditional LCD displays, resulting in better battery life. While S$4,267 (US$3,137.50) is still a lot to spend on a laptop (the entry-level model starts at S$3,452 (US$2,538.24); we reviewed the middle child in the MacBook Pro family), the MacBook Pro makes a strong case by keeping its components on the cutting edge, especially because Apple has bumped up the specs without raising the price.

Editors' note : This review is based on tests done by our sister site CNET.com. As such, please note that there may be slight differences in the testing procedure and ratings system. For more information on the actual tests conducted on the product, please inquire directly at the site where the article was originally published. References made to some of other products in this review may not be available or applicable in Asia. Please check directly with your local distributor for details.

Design

Physically, the refreshed MacBook Pro is essentially identical to the version we looked at late last year. We refer you to our review of the Apple MacBook Pro (15.4-inch 2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo) for a detailed take on Apple's excellent industrial design and attention to detail. The minimalist layout--you'll find only a power button, a full-size keyboard, stereo speakers, a sizable touch pad with a single mouse button, and a built-in iSight camera--remains a standard other laptop designers should emulate, and the thin chassis makes it easy to stow the system in even smaller laptop bags. On the other hand, despite our love for a clean look, we've become used to having at least a few media control shortcut keys--and adding a media card reader wouldn't deface the otherwise clean look.

Aside from faster processors and new chipset, more memory and larger hard drives, the big change to the 15-inch MacBook Pro is its LED-backlit display, similar to those making their way into new Sony and Toshiba laptops. Apple doesn't claim any difference in image quality or screen brightness (the new screens feature the same 1,440 x 900 native resolution as that of the previous 15-inch models), and based on anecdotal observation, we'd agree. Instead, Apple touts the new display's energy efficiency (and being mercury-free), and our battery drain tests show a marked improvement to battery life.

Features

By upgrading to the latest Intel platform and Nvidia graphics for better performance, adding a new screen tech for better battery life, and keeping the same great design and same starting prices, the MacBook Pro puts enough distance between itself and the lower-end, Editors' Choice-winning MacBook.

Apple hasn't added any ports or connections with this new model, but the laptop's 802.11n Wi-Fi capabilities are now turned on by default, rather than requiring a downloaded patch to unlock. It's also the only laptop we can think of with a FireWire 800 jack (along with the more common FireWire 400), useful for digital video fans.

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