Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
Apple ’s late 17 - inch MacBook Pro — released as part of last calendar month ’s laptop inspection and repair — offers an impressive intermixture of Leontyne Price savings and performance addition over the 17 - column inch manakin it replaces .
To recap the recent change to Apple ’s MacBook Pro descent — which also included raw versions of the 13 - in MacBook Pro as well as revamped15 - in fashion model — the new 17 - inch looks identical to the $ 2499 17 - inch MacBook Pro released last year . But that ’s only the outside — inside the fresh laptop , a 2.53GHz Intel Core i5 replaces the 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo used antecedently . Also new to the 17 - inch simulation are updates to the dual graphics processors and the path you exchange between them . The Nvidia GeForce GT 330 M takes the position of the Nvidia GeForce GT 9600 M processor as the higher - powered distinct graphics choice . Intel HD graphic are now used as the lower - powered , vigour - saving integrated computer graphic option , replacing the Nvidia GeForce 9400 M used in the late 2009 17 - in MacBook Pro . As with the former 15 - inch MacBook Pros , a novel automatic graphics switch over technology seamlessly flip between the artwork processors depending on the needs of the applications currently go .
The number , type , and placement of ports stay on the same on the latest 17 - inch MacBook Pro , as does the model ’s 1920 - by-1200 resolution glossy screen with light-emitting diode backlighting , 4 GB of RAM , the 500 GB 5400RPM hard crusade , and its captive battery .
Call of Duty score is in frames per second. MathematicaMark is a performance score. All others are in minutes:seconds. All systems were tested with OS X 10.6.3 and 4GB RAM. The Photoshop Suite test is a set of 14 scripted tasks using a 50MB file. Photoshop’s memory was set to 70 percent and History was set to Minimum. We recorded how long it took to render a scene with multiple processors in CineBench. We used Compressor to encode a .mov file to the application’s h.264 for video podcast setting. We timed the import and thumbnail/preview creation time for 150 photos in Aperture. In iMovie, we imported a camera archive and exported it to iTunes for Mobile Devices setting. We converted 90 minutes of AAC audio files to MP3 using iTunes’ High Quality setting. We duplicated a 1GB folder, created a Zip archive in the Finder from the two 1GB files and then Unzipped it. We ran WorldBench 6 multitasking test on a Parallels Virtual Machine with Windows 7. We imported 150 jpegs into iPhoto. We ripped a DVD chapter to the hard drive using Handbrake and opened a 500-page Word document in Pages ’09. Battery tests involved looping a movie clip at full screen and full brightness using Quicktime, with ambient light adjustment off while connected to Wi-Fi network.—MACWORLD LAB TESTING BY JAMES GALBRAITH, CHRIS HOLT, AND LYNN LA
Performing artist
Given that the most important change to the 17 - inch form take place under the cowling , let ’s focus on performance . Using our Speedmark 6 system performance benchmarking suite to equate the newfangled $ 2299 2.53GHz Core i5 mannikin to the $ 2499 2.8GHz marrow 2 Duo simulation it supplant , we rule the i5 model to be nearly 12 percent quicker than the more expensive Core 2 Duo model .
The new system made its biggest gains in processor - intensive project like Cinebench , which showed the new model to be 22 percent faster than the old 17 - inch offer , and MathematicaMark 7 , where the new model outwit the elderly system by 30 percent . The new MacBook Pro imported exposure and built thumbnail and prevue in Aperture 21 per centum quicker than the older modelling . Other tests , however , like Photoshop , zipping and unzip files in the Finder , and iMovie exports show niggling or no difference of opinion between the new and previous 17 - inch MacBook Pro modeling .
away from the silver screen size and an extra 256 megabit of graphics memory , the novel 17 - inch MacBook Pro shares nearly all of the same specifications of the $ 1999 15 - in MacBook Pro , powerful down to the 2.53GHz Core i5 central processing unit that powers each laptop . It ’s no surprisal , then , to see that the two modeling perform very likewise — in fact , final result were within one to two seconds of each other in more than half of the individual tests that make up Speedmark 6 , include Photoshop , Cinebench , Mathematica , iMovie importee , iTunes , iPhoto , Pages , and Handbrake . We found the biggest difference in our Compressor mental test , in which the 17 - column inch 2.53GHz Core i5 example was 10 percent quicker than the 2.53GHz Core i5 15 - inch MacBook Pro . ( That 15 - in model has n’t fared well in the Compressor test for whatever reason ; you may remember that it was also out - perform by the new 2.4GHz 15 - column inch MacBook Pro in that same test . )
17-inch Core i5 MacBook Pro Benchmarks
Best resultant inbold . computer address systems initalics .
Call of Duty account is in frames per secondly . MathematicaMark is a operation score . All others are in minutes : seconds . All system were tested with OS X 10.6.3 and 4 GB RAM . The Photoshop Suite test is a solidification of 14 scripted labor using a 50 MB file . Photoshop ’s retentiveness was set to 70 pct and account was position to Minimum . We record how long it took to render a scene with multiple processors in CineBench . We used Compressor to encode a .mov single file to the app ’s h.264 for video podcast background . We time the moment and thumbnail / preview creation time for 150 photos in Aperture . In iMovie , we imported a photographic camera archive and exported it to iTunes for Mobile Devices place . We convert 90 minutes of AAC audio files to MP3 using iTunes ’ High Quality setting . We duplicated a 1 GB booklet , created a Zip archive in the Finder from the two 1 GB files and then unzip it . We course WorldBench 6 multitasking tryout on a Parallels Virtual Machine with Windows 7 . We import 150 jpegs into iPhoto . We ripped a videodisc chapter to the hard drive using Handbrake and opened a 500 - page discussion document in Pages ’ 09 . bombardment trial call for looping a movie cartridge clip at full screen and full brightness using Quicktime , with ambient lighting fitting off while connected to Wi - Fi connection.—MACWORLD LAB examination BY JAMES GALBRAITH , CHRIS HOLT , AND LYNN LA
But the 17 - in MacBook Pro could n’t top another 15 - inch shape — the $ 2199 modelling that operate on a Core i7 processor . That 2.66GHz Core i7 chip bested the 17 - inch MacBook Pro and its 2.53GHz nub i5 processor by about 5 percent in our Speedmark 6 test , with Cinebench and MathematicaMark show the cock-a-hoop differences . The two organization were neck and neck in our Handbrake , Finder unzip , iMovie , and iPhoto test .
A equivalence between the new i5 17 - column inch MacBook Pro and the 2.66GHzCore i5 iMac shows the linger performance penalization to be paid for choosing a portable over a desktop . iMacs and Mac Pros use 7200 RPM hard drives , while MacBook Pros use dense spin 5400 revolutions per minute driving . Additionally , the MacBook Pros apply duple - center nomadic variation of the Core i5 and i7 , while the iMacs use quad - substance desktop version .
The wandering reading of both the Core i5 and Core i7 mainframe support Hyper - Threading , which use virtual cores to double the number of processors visible to the OS . The desktop i7 supports Hyper - Threading , show itself to the mental process system as an 8 - core processor , but the background i5 does not patronage this virtual core scheme , form only with its four physical Congress of Racial Equality .
Both the desktop and mobile processors offer Turbo Boost , which allows the C.P.U. to speed up for a short period of time when necessary , or to shut down unused cores and give supernumerary resourcefulness to the core in economic consumption . For representative , Turbo Boost can increase the clock speed of the 2.53GHz Core i5 processor up to 3.07GHz .
i5 MacBook Pro Versus i5 iMac
Call of Duty score is in frames per secondly . MathematicaMark is a public presentation score . All others are in transactions : seconds . All systems were test with OS X 10.6.3 and 4 GB RAM . The Photoshop Suite psychometric test is a set of 14 written task using a 50 MB file . Photoshop ’s remembering was dress to 70 percent and History was place to Minimum . We record how long it took to render a scene with multiple processors in CineBench . We used Compressor to encode a .mov Indian file to the program ’s h.264 for video podcast scope . We time the import and thumbnail / preview existence fourth dimension for 150 photos in Aperture . In iMovie , we imported a camera archive and exported it to iTunes for Mobile Devices set . We converted 90 minute of AAC audio file to MP3 using iTunes ’ High Quality stage setting . We duplicated a 1 GB folder , created a Zip archive in the Finder from the two 1 GB files and then Unzipped it . We head for the hills WorldBench 6 multitasking test on a Parallels Virtual Machine with Windows 7 . We import 150 jpegs into iPhoto . We ripped a DVD chapter to the backbreaking drive using Handbrake and spread out a 500 - page give-and-take document in Pages ’ 09.—MACWORLD LAB examination BY JAMES GALBRAITH , CHRIS HOLT , AND LYNN LA
How does this render in condition of operation ? In our tests , the 2.66GHz Core i5 27 - column inch iMac was 37 per centum quicker overall than the 2.53GHz Core i5 17 - inch MacBook Pro . The iMac performed advantageously in every test , but the processor intensive tryout let out the big differences , including MathematicaMark 7 , which show the iMac to be 79 percent quicker than the i5 17 - column inch MacBook Pro .
Charge it
Changes to the artwork chips and subtle changes to the battery allow the i5 17 - inch MacBook Pro to last longer on a single charge than did the previous 17 - inch mannikin . Our battery tryout time how long the computing machine can operate while loop a moving-picture show full - silver screen at full brightness using Quicktime while connected to a Wi - Fi electronic connection . When we tested the new 17 - inch MacBook Pro , we plant that it last about 8.5 percent longer than the system it replaces . Comparing the Core i5 17 - column inch to the new 15 - inch exemplar , we found the 15 - in 2.53GHz model to last about 5 percent longer on a individual armorial bearing , and the 2.66GHz Core i7 15 - inch hold out about 10 percent longer .
Note that these tests — and therefore the results — differ significantly from those cited in Apple ’s marketing material . harmonise to Apple’stech specs , the 15- and 17 - inch MacBook Pros offer between eight and nine hours of stamp battery life-time .
You’ve got options
Apple extend a telephone number of options for customizing the 17 - column inch MacBook Pro . For more processing force , a 2.66GHz Intel Core i7 is usable for an extra $ 200 . Doubling the Aries the Ram to 8 GB will cost an additional $ 400 , and faster private road , include hearty - state drive are also bid .
For those bothered by their reflection on the stock lustrous display , an antiglare screen is uncommitted for an surplus $ 50 .
While we do n’t place build - to - purchase order products , we do design on putting them through our benchmark examination so you could see what kind of execution regaining you get for your buck . Check back presently for Macworld Lab ’s results of some build up - to - order configurations we ask to receive later this workweek .
Macworld buying advice
The new 17 - in MacBook Pro offers adept performance , a piffling more battery lifetime , and costs $ 200 less than the system it replaces . ( And it costs$500less than the 17 - inch MacBook Pro release in January 2009 . ) The smaller and lighter 15 - inch 2.66GHz Core i7 cost less and perform better , but it you require a larger screenland or postulate an ExpressCard/34 time slot , the 17 - inch is the only extremity of the MacBook line to offer such features . For mobile Mac users who favor larger laptop computer , this constellation is a definite improvement over old 17 - in offering .
[ James Galbraith is Macworld laboratory director . ]
