Reviewers criticized the decision to underclock the ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics card by about 30 percent its original speed. The notebook was also noted for running hot. Users complained that upgrading system memory was harder than in older Apple notebooks. Since the dimensions for the 15-inch MacBook Pro were tweaked slightly from the 15-inch PowerBook G4, older accessories such as notebook sleeves did not work with the new models. Some users noted a slight flickering when the screen was on lower brightness settings. Battery life remained about the same three-plus hours as in previous models, on par with or better than the competition. Apple added 10 watt-hours (going from 50 in the PowerBook G4 to 60), but the more powerful Core Duo CPU required more power.
Reviewers praised the new laptop's compact size for its performance, the quality of the screen, and sturdy unibody build, which allowed easier upgrading of internal components as compared to the discrete models. Some reviewers also noted that the new MacBook Pro ran quieter and cooler. However, others criticized the amount of heat generated by the new design.[citation needed]
Reviewers lamented the loss of a matte screen option for the 2008 unibody MacBook Pro, noting the reflectiveness of the screen in sunlight, even when its brightness was turned all the way up. CNET's Dan Ackerman commented of the mid-2009 models, "According to Apple, the new display offers a wider color gamut, and the screen certainly looks bright and colorful, but we wish the same matte-screen option offered on the 17-inch MacBook Pro was available across the line... While the LED screen means a thinner lid and some battery life benefits, the edge-to-edge glass covering the entire display panel grabs stray light rays with ease, making the glossy screen hard to see in some lighting conditions." As of 2011, however, matte screens are offered for both the 15" and 17" models. Furthermore, the addition of Mini DisplayPort instead of the more popular HDMI was criticized. The relatively low number of ports and lower end technical specifications when compared to similarly priced laptops from other brands were also frowned upon.
Laptop Magazine's Michael Prospero praised the 2010 15-inch model's display, calling it "bright and crisp". He further commented, "While reflections from the glossy display weren't overwhelming, it's also nice to know there's an antiglare option—though only for the higher resolution display. Still, colors were bright, blacks were deep and dark, and viewing angles were excellent both vertically and horizontally." He also lauded the quality of the iSight webcam, the responsiveness of the touchpad, the microphone and speakers, as well as the performance of the new CPUs for the 15" model and the long battery life. Complaints included the price of the laptop, the low number of USB ports, and the lack of HDMI.
Since the update to Mac OS X Lion a lot of MacBook Pro users have been put off by the lower battery life they have experienced after upgrading to Lion. MacBook Pro users have claimed battery life as low as 2.5 hours after the upgrade to Lion. A temporary fix had been suggested by reseting the SMC and switching graphics manually. Apple has now unofficially promised to solve the battery problem, and has reached out to MacBook Pro users at the Official Apple Discussion Forums.
CNET praised the automatic graphics switching features of the 15- and 17-inch 2010 models as well as the graphics cards themselves. Acclaim was also given to the Core i5 and i7 CPUs, the multi-touch trackpad, and the addition of audio capabilities to the Mini DisplayPort video output. They also called for the addition of HDMI and the Blu-ray optical disc format, saying that most other computers in the MacBook Pro's price range possessed these features. CNET also criticized the option of a higher resolution screen in the 15-inch model, saying "the higher-resolution screen should be included by default."
Related articles :
- MacBook Pro
- MacBook Pro Discrete
- MacBook Pro Update
- MacBook Pro Unibody & Design
- MacBook Pro Software and Operating Systems
References :
wikipedia
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