MacBook Pro
Encyclopedia
The MacBook Pro is a line of Macintosh
portable computers introduced in January 2006 by Apple. It replaced the PowerBook G4
and was the second model, after the iMac
, to be announced in the Apple–Intel transition. The MacBook Pro is the high end of the MacBook family
and is currently produced with 13-, 15- and 17-inch screens.
There have been two designs for the MacBook Pro, both using aluminum. The first was largely a carry-over from the PowerBook G4, but used the Intel Core
processors
instead of PowerPC G4
chips. A 15-inch model was released in January 2006, a 17-inch model in April, both of which received several updates and Core 2 Duo
processors later in the year.
The second unibody model has a more tapered design and a casing made from a single block of aluminum
. It debuted in October 2008 as the 15-inch MacBook Pro and the 13-inch aluminum unibody MacBook. The following January brought the design to the 17-inch model, along with the built-in battery that joined the rest of the MacBook Pro line in June. Subsequent updates brought upgraded Intel Core i5 and i7 processors and introduced Intel's Thunderbolt technology.
at the Macworld Conference & Expo. The 17-inch model was unveiled on April 24, 2006. The first design was largely a carryover from the PowerBook G4, but used Intel Core
CPUs instead of PowerPC G4
chips. The 15-inch Macbook Pro weighed the same as the 15-inch aluminum PowerBook G4, but was 0.1 inch (0.254 cm) deeper, 0.4 inches (1 cm) wider, and 0.1 inch (0.254 cm) thinner. Other changes from the PowerBook include a built-in iSight
webcam
and the inclusion of MagSafe
, a magnetic power connector designed to detach easily when pulled to prevent the entire laptop from being pulled off a surface. Both features were later brought over to the MacBook
. In order to fit into the slimmer MacBook Pro, the optical drive was half the speed of the one in the PowerBook G4 and could not write to dual layer DVDs.
Both the original 15- and 17-inch discrete model MacBook Pros come with ExpressCard/34 slots, which replace the PC Card
slots found in the PowerBook G4
. All discrete 15-inch models have two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port, while the 17-inch models have three USB 2.0 ports as well as one FireWire 400 port. When first introduced, the MacBook Pro did not come with FireWire 800 or S-Video
ports, although FireWire 800 was added in the next 15-inch model revision and was present in every version of the 17-inch design. S-Video capability can be attained through the use of a DVI to S-Video adapter. External displays with up to a 2,560 × 1,600 pixel resolution are supported through a dual-link DVI
port. All models include a built-in Gigabit Ethernet
port, Bluetooth 2.0, and 802.11a/b/g. Later models include support for the draft 2.0 specification of 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.1.
Duo processors. Memory capacity was doubled for each model, to 1 GB on the low-end 15-inch and 2 GB for the high-end 15- and 17-inch models. FireWire 800 was added to the 15-inch models. Hard drive capacity was increased, although video card options stayed the same. The MacBook Pro line received a second update on June 5, 2007 with new Nvidia
Geforce
8600M GT video cards and faster processor options. LED
backlighting was added to the 15-inch model's screen, and its weight was reduced from 5.6 pounds (2.5 kg) to 5.4 pounds (2.4 kg). Furthermore, the speed of the front-side bus was increased from 667 MHz to 800 MHz. On November 1, 2007, Apple added the option of a 2.6 GHz Santa Rosa platform Core 2 Duo CPU as well as reconfigured hard drive options.
On February 26, 2008, the MacBook Pro line was again updated. LED
backlighting was added as an option for the 17-inch model. Processors were updated to "Penryn
" cores, which are built on the 45 nanometer
process (65 nanometer
"Merom
" cores were previously used), and hard drive and memory capacities were increased. Multi-touch capabilities, first introduced with the MacBook Air
earlier that year, were brought over to the MacBook Pro's trackpad
. At the time of the introduction of the 15-inch unibody MacBook Pro on October 14, 2008, the discrete model with the same screen size was discontinued, while the 17-inch discrete model continued to be sold. The discrete model was discontinued on January 6, 2009, when the 17-inch MacBook Pro was also updated with unibody construction.
program Cinema 4D XL
was 3.3 times faster and the boot-up
time was more than halved. The MacBook Pro generally outperformed the PowerBook G4 in performance analyzer utility tests, XBench and Cinebench. Reviewers lauded the screen's maximum brightness, 67 percent higher than the PowerBook G4; the excellent horizontal viewing angles; the matte options; and the bright, crisp, and true colors. Although the screen offered fewer vertical pixels (1,440 × 900 in the MacBook Pro instead of 1,440 × 960 in the PowerBook), one reviewer called the screen "nothing less than stellar". Reviewers praised the new MagSafe power adapter, although one reviewer said it disconnected too easily in some instances. They also praised the backlit keyboard, large trackpad
, and the virtually silent operation of the machine. The new laptop also offered better wireless
performance.
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-hour
s (going from 50 in the PowerBook G4 to 60), but the more powerful Core Duo CPU required more power.
, Apple officials announced a new 15-inch MacBook Pro featuring a "precision aluminum unibody enclosure" and tapered sides similar to those of the MacBook Air
. Designers shifted MacBook Pro's ports to the left side of the case, and moved the optical disc drive slot from the front to the right side, similar to the MacBook
. The new MacBook Pros had two new video cards: the Nvidia
GeForce
9600M GT with either 256 or 512 MB of dedicated memory and a GeForce 9400M with 256 MB of shared system memory. The FireWire 400 port was removed but the FireWire 800 port was retained, and the DVI
port was replaced with a Mini DisplayPort
receptacle. The original unibody MacBook Pro came with a user-removable battery; Apple claimed five hours of use, but reviewers reported results closer to four. Apple said that the battery would hold 80 percent of its charge after 300 recharges.
and the MacBook Air
and is slightly thinner than its predecessor, albeit wider and deeper due to the widescreen
display. The screen is high-gloss, covered by an edge-to-edge reflective glass finish, while an anti-glare matte option is available in the 15- and 17-inch models in which the glass panel is removed. The trackpad has also been enlarged, giving more room for scrolling and multi-touch
gestures. When the line was updated in April 2010, inertial scrolling was added, making the scrolling experience much like that of the iPhone
and iPad
. The entire touchpad is usable and acts as a clickable button. The keys, still backlit, are now that of Apple's now-standard sunken keyboard with separated black keys.
At Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference
(WWDC) on June 8, 2009, it was announced that the 13-inch unibody MacBook would be upgraded and re-branded as a MacBook Pro, leaving only the white polycarbonate MacBook in the MacBook line. It was also announced that the entire MacBook Pro line would use the non user-removable battery inherited from the 17-inch MacBook Pro. The updated MacBook Pro 13- and the 15-inch would each have up to a claimed seven hours of battery life, while the 17-inch would keep its eight-hour capacity. Some sources even reported up to eight hours of battery life for the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros during casual use, while others reported around six hours. Like the 17-inch MacBook Pro, Apple claims that they will last around 1,000 charge cycles while still containing 80 percent of their capacity. Graphics card options stayed the same from the previous release, although the 13-inch, and the base model 15-inch, came with only the GeForce 9400M GPU. The screens were also improved, gaining a claimed 60 percent greater color gamut. All of these mid 2009 models also included a FireWire 800 port and all except the 17-inch models would receive an SD card slot. The 17-inch model would retain its ExpressCard/34
slot. For the 13-inch MacBook Pro, the Kensington
lock slot was moved to the right side of computer body.
On April 13, 2010, the MacBook Pro saw another update. Intel Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs were introduced in the 15- and 17-inch models, while the 13-inch retained the Core 2 Duo
with a speed increase. The power brick was redesigned and a high-resolution display (of 1,680 × 1,050) was announced as an option for the 15-inch models. For video card
s, the 13-inch gained an integrated Nvidia
GeForce
320M graphics processing unit
(GPU) with 256 MB of shared memory, while the 15- and 17-inch models were upgraded to the GeForce
GT 330M, with either 256 or 512 MB of dedicated memory. The 15" and 17" models also have an integrated Intel GPU that is built into the Core i5 and i7 processors. The 15-inch model also gained 0.1 pound (0.045359237 kg). Save for a third USB 2.0 slot, all the ports on the 17-inch MacBook Pro are the same in type and number as on the 15-inch version. All models come with 4 GB of system memory that is upgradeable to 8 GB across the board. Battery life was also extended further in this update, to an estimated ten hours for the 13-inch and 8–9 hours on the 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros. This was achieved through greater power efficiency and adding more battery capacity. Through actual use, reviewers reported anywhere from six (in the 15-inch) to eight (in the 13-inch) hours of battery life.
The line was most recently updated on February 24, 2011 with the introduction of Intel Thunderbolt technology and dual core Intel Core i5 and i7 (on 13-inch model) or quad-core i7 (on 15- and 17-inch models) Sandy Bridge
processors as well as a high definition FaceTime
camera. Intel HD Graphics 3000 come integrated with the CPU, while the 15- and 17-inch models also utilize discrete graphics cards from AMD, the Radeon HD 6490M and Radeon HD 6750M models. The 2011 models also debuted Intel's Thunderbolt serial bus platform that can achieve speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s, which is up to twice as fast as the USB 3.0
specification, 20 times faster than the USB 2.0 specification, and up to 12 times faster than FireWire 800. Apple says that it can be used to drive displays or to transfer large quantities of data in a short amount of time.
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 Magazines 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."
operating system has been pre-installed on all MacBook Pros since release, starting with version 10.4.4 (Tiger). Along with OS X, iLife
has also shipped with all systems, beginning with iLife '06.
The MacBook Pro comes with the BIOS
successor, Extensible Firmware Interface
(EFI) 1.1. EFI handles booting differently from conventional BIOS-based computers, but provides BIOS backwards compatibility, allowing dual and triple boot configurations. In addition to Mac OS X, the Microsoft
Windows
operating system is installable on Intel x86-based Apple computers. Officially, this is limited to both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows XP
, Vista
, and 7, with the necessary hardware drivers included with the Boot Camp software. Other x86 operating systems such as Linux
are also unofficially supported. This is made possible by the presence of the Intel architecture as provided by the CPU and the BIOS emulation Apple has provided on top of EFI.
As the MacBook Pro uses a different hardware platform than earlier PowerPC
(PPC)-based Macintoshes, versions of Mac OS X prior to Lion
can run PPC applications only via the Rosetta
emulator, which exacts some performance penalty, cannot emulate some lower-level PPC code, and does not support 64-bit (G5
specific) PPC features.
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
portable computers introduced in January 2006 by Apple. It replaced the PowerBook G4
PowerBook G4
The PowerBook G4 are a series of notebook computers that were manufactured, marketed, and sold by Apple, Inc. between 2001 and 2006 as part of its PowerBook line. It uses the PowerPC G4 processor, initially produced by Motorola and later by Freescale, after Motorola spun off its semiconductor...
and was the second model, after the iMac
IMac
The iMac is a range of all-in-one Macintosh desktop computers built by Apple. It has been the primary part of Apple's consumer desktop offerings since its introduction in 1998, and has evolved through five distinct forms....
, to be announced in the Apple–Intel transition. The MacBook Pro is the high end of the MacBook family
MacBook family
The MacBook family is a range of Macintosh notebook computers by Apple Inc. that merged the PowerBook and iBook lines during Apple's transition to Intel processors. The first model released under this family was the MacBook Pro, which was announced on 10 January 2006 at the Macworld Expo...
and is currently produced with 13-, 15- and 17-inch screens.
There have been two designs for the MacBook Pro, both using aluminum. The first was largely a carry-over from the PowerBook G4, but used the Intel Core
Intel Core
Yonah was the code name for Intel's first generation of 65 nm process mobile microprocessors, based on the Banias/Dothan-core Pentium M microarchitecture. SIMD performance has been improved through the addition of SSE3 instructions and improvements to SSE and SSE2 implementations, while integer...
processors
Central processing unit
The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
instead of PowerPC G4
PowerPC G4
PowerPC G4 is a designation used by Apple Computer to describe a fourth generation of 32-bit PowerPC microprocessors. Apple has applied this name to various processor models from Freescale, a former part of Motorola....
chips. A 15-inch model was released in January 2006, a 17-inch model in April, both of which received several updates and Core 2 Duo
Intel Core 2
Core 2 is a brand encompassing a range of Intel's consumer 64-bit x86-64 single-, dual-, and quad-core microprocessors based on the Core microarchitecture. The single- and dual-core models are single-die, whereas the quad-core models comprise two dies, each containing two cores, packaged in a...
processors later in the year.
The second unibody model has a more tapered design and a casing made from a single block of aluminum
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
. It debuted in October 2008 as the 15-inch MacBook Pro and the 13-inch aluminum unibody MacBook. The following January brought the design to the 17-inch model, along with the built-in battery that joined the rest of the MacBook Pro line in June. Subsequent updates brought upgraded Intel Core i5 and i7 processors and introduced Intel's Thunderbolt technology.
Discrete
The original 15-inch MacBook Pro was announced on January 10, 2006, by Steve JobsSteve Jobs
Steven Paul Jobs was an American businessman and inventor widely recognized as a charismatic pioneer of the personal computer revolution. He was co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc...
at the Macworld Conference & Expo. The 17-inch model was unveiled on April 24, 2006. The first design was largely a carryover from the PowerBook G4, but used Intel Core
Intel Core
Yonah was the code name for Intel's first generation of 65 nm process mobile microprocessors, based on the Banias/Dothan-core Pentium M microarchitecture. SIMD performance has been improved through the addition of SSE3 instructions and improvements to SSE and SSE2 implementations, while integer...
CPUs instead of PowerPC G4
PowerPC G4
PowerPC G4 is a designation used by Apple Computer to describe a fourth generation of 32-bit PowerPC microprocessors. Apple has applied this name to various processor models from Freescale, a former part of Motorola....
chips. The 15-inch Macbook Pro weighed the same as the 15-inch aluminum PowerBook G4, but was 0.1 inch (0.254 cm) deeper, 0.4 inches (1 cm) wider, and 0.1 inch (0.254 cm) thinner. Other changes from the PowerBook include a built-in iSight
ISight
iSight is a webcam, both external and internal, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. The external iSight was sold retail for US$149, connected to a computer via a FireWire cable, and came with a set of mounts to place it atop any then-current Apple display, laptop computer, all-in-one desktop...
webcam
Webcam
A webcam is a video camera that feeds its images in real time to a computer or computer network, often via USB, ethernet, or Wi-Fi.Their most popular use is the establishment of video links, permitting computers to act as videophones or videoconference stations. This common use as a video camera...
and the inclusion of MagSafe
MagSafe
MagSafe is a proprietary magnetically-attached power connector introduced by Apple Inc. on January 10, 2006 in conjunction with the MacBook Pro at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco...
, a magnetic power connector designed to detach easily when pulled to prevent the entire laptop from being pulled off a surface. Both features were later brought over to the MacBook
MacBook
The MacBook was a brand of Macintosh notebook computers built by Apple Inc. First introduced in May 2006, it replaced the iBook and 12-inch PowerBook series of notebooks as a part of the Apple–Intel transition. Positioned as the low end of the MacBook family, the Apple MacBook was aimed at the...
. In order to fit into the slimmer MacBook Pro, the optical drive was half the speed of the one in the PowerBook G4 and could not write to dual layer DVDs.
Both the original 15- and 17-inch discrete model MacBook Pros come with ExpressCard/34 slots, which replace the PC Card
PC Card
In computing, PC Card is the form factor of a peripheral interface designed for laptop computers. The PC Card standard was defined and developed by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association which itself was created by a number of computer industry companies in the United States...
slots found in the PowerBook G4
PowerBook G4
The PowerBook G4 are a series of notebook computers that were manufactured, marketed, and sold by Apple, Inc. between 2001 and 2006 as part of its PowerBook line. It uses the PowerPC G4 processor, initially produced by Motorola and later by Freescale, after Motorola spun off its semiconductor...
. All discrete 15-inch models have two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port, while the 17-inch models have three USB 2.0 ports as well as one FireWire 400 port. When first introduced, the MacBook Pro did not come with FireWire 800 or S-Video
S-Video
Separate Video, more commonly known as S-Video and Y/C, is often referred to by JVC as both an S-VHS connector and as Super Video. It is an analog video transmission scheme, in which video information is encoded on two channels: luma and chroma...
ports, although FireWire 800 was added in the next 15-inch model revision and was present in every version of the 17-inch design. S-Video capability can be attained through the use of a DVI to S-Video adapter. External displays with up to a 2,560 × 1,600 pixel resolution are supported through a dual-link DVI
Digital Visual Interface
The Digital Visual Interface is a video interface standard covering the transmission of video between a source device and a display device. The DVI standard has achieved widespread acceptance in the PC industry, both in desktop PCs and monitors...
port. All models include a built-in Gigabit Ethernet
Gigabit Ethernet
Gigabit Ethernet is a term describing various technologies for transmitting Ethernet frames at a rate of a gigabit per second , as defined by the IEEE 802.3-2008 standard. It came into use beginning in 1999, gradually supplanting Fast Ethernet in wired local networks where it performed...
port, Bluetooth 2.0, and 802.11a/b/g. Later models include support for the draft 2.0 specification of 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.1.
Updates
Apple refreshed the entire MacBook Pro line on October 24, 2006, to include Intel Core 2Intel Core 2
Core 2 is a brand encompassing a range of Intel's consumer 64-bit x86-64 single-, dual-, and quad-core microprocessors based on the Core microarchitecture. The single- and dual-core models are single-die, whereas the quad-core models comprise two dies, each containing two cores, packaged in a...
Duo processors. Memory capacity was doubled for each model, to 1 GB on the low-end 15-inch and 2 GB for the high-end 15- and 17-inch models. FireWire 800 was added to the 15-inch models. Hard drive capacity was increased, although video card options stayed the same. The MacBook Pro line received a second update on June 5, 2007 with new Nvidia
NVIDIA
Nvidia is an American global technology company based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia is best known for its graphics processors . Nvidia and chief rival AMD Graphics Techonologies have dominated the high performance GPU market, pushing other manufacturers to smaller, niche roles...
Geforce
GeForce
GeForce is a brand of graphics processing units designed by Nvidia. , there have been eleven iterations of the design. The first GeForce products were discrete GPUs designed for use on add-on graphics boards, intended for the high-margin PC gaming market...
8600M GT video cards and faster processor options. LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
backlighting was added to the 15-inch model's screen, and its weight was reduced from 5.6 pounds (2.5 kg) to 5.4 pounds (2.4 kg). Furthermore, the speed of the front-side bus was increased from 667 MHz to 800 MHz. On November 1, 2007, Apple added the option of a 2.6 GHz Santa Rosa platform Core 2 Duo CPU as well as reconfigured hard drive options.
On February 26, 2008, the MacBook Pro line was again updated. LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
backlighting was added as an option for the 17-inch model. Processors were updated to "Penryn
Penryn (microprocessor)
Penryn is the code name of a processor from Intel that is sold in varying configurations as Core 2 Solo, Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, Pentium and Celeron....
" cores, which are built on the 45 nanometer
45 nanometer
Per the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, the 45 nm technology node should refer to the average half-pitch of a memory cell manufactured at around the 2007–2008 time frame....
process (65 nanometer
65 nanometer
The 65 nm process is an advanced lithographic node used in volume CMOS semiconductor fabrication. Printed linewidths can reach as low as 25 nm on a nominally 65 nm process, while the pitch between two lines may be greater than 130 nm.. For comparison, cellular ribosomes are...
"Merom
Merom (microprocessor)
Merom is the code name for various Intel processors that are sold as Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Solo, Pentium Dual-Core and Celeron. It was the first mobile processor to be based on the Core microarchitecture, replacing the Enhanced Pentium M based Yonah processor. Merom has product code 80537, which is...
" cores were previously used), and hard drive and memory capacities were increased. Multi-touch capabilities, first introduced with the MacBook Air
MacBook Air
The MacBook Air family is a line of Apple ultraportable Macintosh notebook computers.The first-generation MacBook Air was a 13.3"-only model, previously promoted as the World's Thinnest Notebook, introduced at the Macworld Conference & Expo on January 15, 2008. It featured a custom Intel Merom CPU...
earlier that year, were brought over to the MacBook Pro's trackpad
Touchpad
A touchpad is a pointing device featuring a tactile sensor, a specialized surface that can translate the motion and position of a user's fingers to a relative position on screen. Touch pads are a common feature of laptop computers, and they are also used as a substitute for a mouse where desk...
. At the time of the introduction of the 15-inch unibody MacBook Pro on October 14, 2008, the discrete model with the same screen size was discontinued, while the 17-inch discrete model continued to be sold. The discrete model was discontinued on January 6, 2009, when the 17-inch MacBook Pro was also updated with unibody construction.
Reception
Reviewers applauded the MacBook Pro, which was speedier than the PowerBook G4, with two- or threefold improvements in performance in some areas. For example, the 3D rendering3D rendering
3D rendering is the 3D computer graphics process of automatically converting 3D wire frame models into 2D images with 3D photorealistic effects on a computer.-Rendering methods:...
program Cinema 4D XL
Cinema 4D
CINEMA 4D is a 3D modeling, animation and rendering application developed by MAXON Computer GmbH of Friedrichsdorf, Germany. It is capable of procedural and polygonal/subd modeling, animating, lighting, texturing, rendering, and common features found in 3d modelling applications.- Overview:The...
was 3.3 times faster and the boot-up
Booting
In computing, booting is a process that begins when a user turns on a computer system and prepares the computer to perform its normal operations. On modern computers, this typically involves loading and starting an operating system. The boot sequence is the initial set of operations that the...
time was more than halved. The MacBook Pro generally outperformed the PowerBook G4 in performance analyzer utility tests, XBench and Cinebench. Reviewers lauded the screen's maximum brightness, 67 percent higher than the PowerBook G4; the excellent horizontal viewing angles; the matte options; and the bright, crisp, and true colors. Although the screen offered fewer vertical pixels (1,440 × 900 in the MacBook Pro instead of 1,440 × 960 in the PowerBook), one reviewer called the screen "nothing less than stellar". Reviewers praised the new MagSafe power adapter, although one reviewer said it disconnected too easily in some instances. They also praised the backlit keyboard, large trackpad
Touchpad
A touchpad is a pointing device featuring a tactile sensor, a specialized surface that can translate the motion and position of a user's fingers to a relative position on screen. Touch pads are a common feature of laptop computers, and they are also used as a substitute for a mouse where desk...
, and the virtually silent operation of the machine. The new laptop also offered better wireless
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
performance.
Reviewers criticized the decision to underclock
Underclocking
Underclocking, also known as downclocking, is the practice of modifying a synchronous circuit's timing settings to run at a lower clock rate than it was specified to operate at. It may be said to be the computer equivalent of driving a car below the speed limit...
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
Random-access memory
Random access memory is a form of computer data storage. Today, it takes the form of integrated circuits that allow stored data to be accessed in any order with a worst case performance of constant time. Strictly speaking, modern types of DRAM are therefore not random access, as data is read in...
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-hour
Watt-hour
The kilowatt hour, or kilowatt-hour, is a unit of energy equal to 1000 watt hours or 3.6 megajoules.For constant power, energy in watt hours is the product of power in watts and time in hours...
s (going from 50 in the PowerBook G4 to 60), but the more powerful Core Duo CPU required more power.
Technical specifications
| Table of models | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| componnenret Intel Core Duo | Intel Core 2 Duo | |||||
| Model | Early 2006 | Late 2006 | Mid 2007 | Late 2007 | Early 2008 | Late 2008 |
| Release date(s) | January 6, 2006 (15"), April 24, 2006 (17") | October 24, 2006 | June 5, 2007 | November 1, 2007 | February 26, 2008 | October 14, 2008 |
| Model number(s) | MA463*/A or MA464*/A; MA600* or MA601*; MA092*/A | MA609*, MA610*, or MA611*/A | MA895*, MA896*, or MA897* | MA895*/A, MA896*/A, or MA897*/A | MB133*/A, MB134*/A, or MB166*/A | MB766*/A |
| Model Identifier(s) | MacBookPro1,1, MacBookPro1,2 | MacBookPro2,1, MacBookPro2,2 | MacBookPro3,1 | MacBookPro3,1 | MacBookPro4,1 | MacBookPro5,1 |
| Widescreen Display Display device A display device is an output device for presentation of information in visual or tactile form... (matte Matte Matte may refer to:In film:* Matte , filmmaking and video production technology* Matte painting, a process of creating sets used in film and video* Matte box, a camera accessory for controlling lens glare... or glossy)Through use of a second display, all discrete MacBook Pros simultaneously support their native resolution on the internal display and a maximum of 2560 × 1600 on an external display. |
15.4", LCD, 1,440 × 900 | 15.4", LCD, 1,440 × 900, with LED LEd LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product.... backlighting |
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| 17", LCD, 1,680 × 1,050 | 17", LCD, 1,680 × 1,050 Optional 1,920 × 1,200 |
17", LCD, 1,680 × 1,050 Optional 1,920 × 1,200, with LED LEd LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product.... backlighting |
17", LCD, 1,920 × 1,200, with LED LEd LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product.... backlighting |
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| Processor Central processing unit The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in... |
1.83 GHz (T2400), 2.0 GHz (T2500) or 2.16 GHz (T2600) Intel Core Duo Yonah with 2 MB on-chip L2 cache CPU cache A CPU cache is a cache used by the central processing unit of a computer to reduce the average time to access memory. The cache is a smaller, faster memory which stores copies of the data from the most frequently used main memory locations... |
2.16 GHz (T7400) or 2.33 GHz (T7600) Intel Core 2 Duo Merom Merom (microprocessor) Merom is the code name for various Intel processors that are sold as Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Solo, Pentium Dual-Core and Celeron. It was the first mobile processor to be based on the Core microarchitecture, replacing the Enhanced Pentium M based Yonah processor. Merom has product code 80537, which is... with 4 MB on-chip L2 cache |
2.2 GHz (T7500) or 2.4 GHz (T7700) Intel Core 2 Duo Merom with 4 MB on-chip L2 cache | 2.2 GHz (T7500) or 2.4 GHz (T7700) Intel Core 2 Duo Merom with 4 MB on-chip L2 cache Optional 2.6 GHz (T7800) with 4 MB on-chip L2 cache |
2.4 GHz (T8300) Intel Core 2 Duo Penryn Penryn (microprocessor) Penryn is the code name of a processor from Intel that is sold in varying configurations as Core 2 Solo, Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, Pentium and Celeron.... with 3 MB on-chip L2 cache, or 2.5 GHz (T9300) with 6 MB on-chip L2 cache Optional 2.6 GHz (T9500) with 6 MB on-chip L2 cache |
2.5 GHz (T9300) Intel Core 2 Duo Penryn with 6 MB on-chip L2 cache Optional 2.6 GHz (T9500) with 6 MB on-chip L2 cache |
| Memory Two slots for PC2-5300 DDR2 DDR2 DDR2 may refer to:* DDR2 SDRAM, the computer memory technology* Dance Dance Revolution 2ndMix, the video game* DDR2 , a human gene... SDRAM SDRAM Synchronous dynamic random access memory is dynamic random access memory that is synchronized with the system bus. Classic DRAM has an asynchronous interface, which means that it responds as quickly as possible to changes in control inputs... (667 MHz) |
512 MB (two 256 MB) or 1 GB (two 512 MB) Expandable to 2 GBExisting memory modules may need to be replaced. |
1 GB (two 512 MB) or 2 GB (two 1 GB) Expandable to 4 GB, but only 3 GB addressable |
2 GB (two 1 GB) Expandable to 6 GBSome sources reference 6 GB functionality. |
4 GB (two 2 GB) Expandable to 8 GB, but only 6 GB addressable. |
||
| Hard driveHard drives listed are configurations available from Apple. | 80 GB Gigabyte The gigabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage. The prefix giga means 109 in the International System of Units , therefore 1 gigabyte is... , 100 GB, or 120 GB serial ATA Serial ATA Serial ATA is a computer bus interface for connecting host bus adapters to mass storage devices such as hard disk drives and optical drives... , 5,400-rpm Optional 100 GB 7,200-rpm or 120 GB 5,400-rpm. |
120 GB, 160 GB, or 200 GB serial ATA, 5,400-rpm Optional 100 GB, 7,200-rpm. |
120 GB or 160 GB serial ATA, 5,400-rpm Optional 250 GB, 4,200-rpm or 160 GB, 7,200-rpm. |
120 GB or 160 GB serial ATA, 5,400-rpm Optional 250 GB, 5,400-rpm or 200 GB, 7,200-rpm. |
200 GB or 250 GB serial ATA, 5,400-rpm Optional 200 GB 7,200-rpm or 300 GB 4,200-rpm. |
320 GB serial ATA, 5,400-rpm Optional 320 GB, 7,200-rpm or 128 GB SSD Solid-state drive A solid-state drive , sometimes called a solid-state disk or electronic disk, is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data with the intention of providing access in the same manner of a traditional block i/o hard disk drive... . |
| Graphics Computer graphics Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware.... with dual-link DVI |
ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 Radeon R520 ATI's "R520" core is the foundation for a line of DirectX 9.0c and OpenGL 2.0 3D accelerator X1000 video cards. It is ATI's first major architectural overhaul since the "R300" core and is highly optimized for Shader Model 3.0. The Radeon X1000 series using the core was introduced on October 5,... with 128 MB or 256 MB of GDDR3 GDDR3 Graphics Double Data Rate 3 is a graphics card-specific memory technology, designed by ATI Technologies with the collaboration of JEDEC.It has much the same technological base as DDR2, but the power and heat dispersal requirements have been reduced somewhat, allowing for higher performance memory... SDRAM |
Nvidia NVIDIA Nvidia is an American global technology company based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia is best known for its graphics processors . Nvidia and chief rival AMD Graphics Techonologies have dominated the high performance GPU market, pushing other manufacturers to smaller, niche roles... Geforce GeForce GeForce is a brand of graphics processing units designed by Nvidia. , there have been eleven iterations of the design. The first GeForce products were discrete GPUs designed for use on add-on graphics boards, intended for the high-margin PC gaming market... 8600M GT with 128 MB, 256 MB, or 512 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM |
Nvidia NVIDIA Nvidia is an American global technology company based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia is best known for its graphics processors . Nvidia and chief rival AMD Graphics Techonologies have dominated the high performance GPU market, pushing other manufacturers to smaller, niche roles... Geforce GeForce GeForce is a brand of graphics processing units designed by Nvidia. , there have been eleven iterations of the design. The first GeForce products were discrete GPUs designed for use on add-on graphics boards, intended for the high-margin PC gaming market... 8600M GT with 256 MB, or 512 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM |
Nvidia Geforce 8600M GT with 512 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM | ||
| Front-side bus | 667 MHz | 800 MHz | ||||
| Optical disc driveQuoted optical drive speeds are the maximum possible for each drive. | Combo drive Combo Drive A Combo drive is a type of optical drive that combines CD-R/CD-RW recording capability with the ability to read DVD media. The term is used almost exclusively by Apple Inc. as a name for the low-end substitute for their high-end SuperDrive, which was designed to both read and write DVD and DVD... : 8× DVD read, 24× CD-R and 10× CD-RW recording SuperDrive SuperDrive SuperDrive is a trademark used by Apple Inc. for two different storage drives: from 1988–99 to refer to a high-density floppy disk drive capable of reading all major 3.5" disk formats; and from 2001 onwards to refer to a combined CD/DVD reader/writer.... : 8× DVD-DL discs reads. 4× DVD+/-R & RW recording. 24× CD-R and 10× CD-RW recording (optional for 15-inch) SuperDrive: 4× DVD+R writes, 8× DVD+/-R read, 4× DVD+/-RW writes, 24× CD-R, and 10× CD-RW recording (17-inch) |
SuperDrive: 2.4× DVD+R DL writes, 6× DVD+/-R read, 4× DVD+/-RW writes, 24× CD-R, and 10× CD-RW recording or 4× DVD+R DL writes, 8× DVD+/-R read/write, 4× DVD+/-RW writes, 24× CD-R, and 10× CD-RW recording | SuperDrive: 4× DVD+R DL writes, 8× DVD+/-R read/write, 4× DVD+/-RW writes, 24× CD-R, and 10× CD-RW recording | SuperDrive: 4× DVD+R DL writes, 8× DVD+/-R read/write, 8× DVD+RW writes, 6× DVD-RW writes, 24× CD-R, and 16× CD-RW recording | ||
| AirPort Extreme | Integrated 802.11a/b/g IEEE 802.11 IEEE 802.11 is a set of standards for implementing wireless local area network computer communication in the 2.4, 3.6 and 5 GHz frequency bands. They are created and maintained by the IEEE LAN/MAN Standards Committee . The base version of the standard IEEE 802.11-2007 has had subsequent... (AR5007 chipset) |
Integrated 802.11a/b/g and draft-n IEEE 802.11 IEEE 802.11 is a set of standards for implementing wireless local area network computer communication in the 2.4, 3.6 and 5 GHz frequency bands. They are created and maintained by the IEEE LAN/MAN Standards Committee . The base version of the standard IEEE 802.11-2007 has had subsequent... (n disabled by default)Wireless-N functionality requires the AirPort Extreme Wireless-N Router, which contains wireless-N enabler software, to be installed. Alternatively, the enabler software may be purchased from Apple separately. (AR5008 chipset) |
Integrated 802.11a/b/g and draft-n (n enabled) (AR5008 or BCM4322 chipset, depending on revision) | |||
| Supported Operating System | Mac OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard" | Mac OS X 10.7 Mac OS X Lion Mac OS X Lion is the eighth and current major release of Mac OS X, Apple's desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers.... "Lion" |
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| Battery (Removable lithium-polymer) | 60-watt-hour(15") | |||||
| 68-watt-hour(17") | ||||||
| Weight | 5.6 lb (2.5 kg) (15") | 5.4 lb (2.4 kg) (15") | colspan="1" | |||
| 6.8 lb (3.1 kg) (17") | ||||||
| Dimensions | 14.1 in (35.8 cm) wide × 9.6 in (24.4 cm) deep × 1 in (2.5 cm) (15") | |||||
| 15.4 in (39.1 cm) wide × 10.4 in (26.4 cm) deep × 1 in (2.5 cm) (17") | ||||||
Unibody
On October 14, 2008, in a press event at company headquartersInfinite Loop (street)
Infinite Loop is a street encircling the six main buildings of Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California. Each building has a number which corresponds to its single-digit address on the Loop, and so Apple's official mailing address is "1 Infinite Loop". The numbers increment in the clockwise...
, Apple officials announced a new 15-inch MacBook Pro featuring a "precision aluminum unibody enclosure" and tapered sides similar to those of the MacBook Air
MacBook Air
The MacBook Air family is a line of Apple ultraportable Macintosh notebook computers.The first-generation MacBook Air was a 13.3"-only model, previously promoted as the World's Thinnest Notebook, introduced at the Macworld Conference & Expo on January 15, 2008. It featured a custom Intel Merom CPU...
. Designers shifted MacBook Pro's ports to the left side of the case, and moved the optical disc drive slot from the front to the right side, similar to the MacBook
MacBook
The MacBook was a brand of Macintosh notebook computers built by Apple Inc. First introduced in May 2006, it replaced the iBook and 12-inch PowerBook series of notebooks as a part of the Apple–Intel transition. Positioned as the low end of the MacBook family, the Apple MacBook was aimed at the...
. The new MacBook Pros had two new video cards: the Nvidia
NVIDIA
Nvidia is an American global technology company based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia is best known for its graphics processors . Nvidia and chief rival AMD Graphics Techonologies have dominated the high performance GPU market, pushing other manufacturers to smaller, niche roles...
GeForce
GeForce
GeForce is a brand of graphics processing units designed by Nvidia. , there have been eleven iterations of the design. The first GeForce products were discrete GPUs designed for use on add-on graphics boards, intended for the high-margin PC gaming market...
9600M GT with either 256 or 512 MB of dedicated memory and a GeForce 9400M with 256 MB of shared system memory. The FireWire 400 port was removed but the FireWire 800 port was retained, and the DVI
Digital Visual Interface
The Digital Visual Interface is a video interface standard covering the transmission of video between a source device and a display device. The DVI standard has achieved widespread acceptance in the PC industry, both in desktop PCs and monitors...
port was replaced with a Mini DisplayPort
Mini DisplayPort
The Mini DisplayPort is a miniaturized version of the DisplayPort digital audio-visual interface. Apple, Inc. announced the development in the fourth quarter of 2008, and now applies it in the LED Cinema Display and in all new Macintosh computers: MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini,...
receptacle. The original unibody MacBook Pro came with a user-removable battery; Apple claimed five hours of use, but reviewers reported results closer to four. Apple said that the battery would hold 80 percent of its charge after 300 recharges.
Design
The unibody-construction MacBook Pro largely follows the styling of the original aluminum iMacIMac (Intel-based)
The iMac is a series of Macintosh desktop computers offered by Apple Inc. The current Apple iMac features either an Intel Core i5, or Intel Core i7 processor, ATI HD 6750M graphics or an ATI Radeon HD 6770M with options to upgrade to the ATI Radeon HD 6970M , and a choice of glossy 21.5" or 27" LCD...
and the MacBook Air
MacBook Air
The MacBook Air family is a line of Apple ultraportable Macintosh notebook computers.The first-generation MacBook Air was a 13.3"-only model, previously promoted as the World's Thinnest Notebook, introduced at the Macworld Conference & Expo on January 15, 2008. It featured a custom Intel Merom CPU...
and is slightly thinner than its predecessor, albeit wider and deeper due to the widescreen
Widescreen
Widescreen images are a variety of aspect ratios used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than the standard 1.37:1 Academy aspect ratio provided by 35mm film....
display. The screen is high-gloss, covered by an edge-to-edge reflective glass finish, while an anti-glare matte option is available in the 15- and 17-inch models in which the glass panel is removed. The trackpad has also been enlarged, giving more room for scrolling and multi-touch
Multi-touch
In computing, multi-touch refers to a touch sensing surface's ability to recognize the presence of two or more points of contact with the surface...
gestures. When the line was updated in April 2010, inertial scrolling was added, making the scrolling experience much like that of the iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
and iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
. The entire touchpad is usable and acts as a clickable button. The keys, still backlit, are now that of Apple's now-standard sunken keyboard with separated black keys.
Updates
At the MacWorld Expo keynote on January 6, 2009, Phil Schiller announced a 17-inch MacBook Pro with unibody construction. This version diverged from its 15-inch sibling with an anti-glare "matte" screen option and a non user-removable lithium polymer battery. Apple affirmed the battery's design was unlike any existing notebook battery. Instead of traditional round cells inside the casing, the lithium-ion polymer batteries are shaped and fitted into each laptop without wasting space. Adaptive charging extends battery life, which uses a chip to optimize the charge flow to reduce wear and tear. Compared to the previous iteration, battery life for the 17" version is quoted at eight hours, with 80 percent of this charge remaining after 1,000 charge-discharge cycles. This battery is not intended to be user-removable.At Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference
Worldwide Developers Conference
The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference, commonly abbreviated WWDC, is a conference held annually in California by Apple Inc. The conference is primarily used by Apple to showcase its new software and technologies for developers, as well as offering hands-on labs and feedback sessions...
(WWDC) on June 8, 2009, it was announced that the 13-inch unibody MacBook would be upgraded and re-branded as a MacBook Pro, leaving only the white polycarbonate MacBook in the MacBook line. It was also announced that the entire MacBook Pro line would use the non user-removable battery inherited from the 17-inch MacBook Pro. The updated MacBook Pro 13- and the 15-inch would each have up to a claimed seven hours of battery life, while the 17-inch would keep its eight-hour capacity. Some sources even reported up to eight hours of battery life for the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros during casual use, while others reported around six hours. Like the 17-inch MacBook Pro, Apple claims that they will last around 1,000 charge cycles while still containing 80 percent of their capacity. Graphics card options stayed the same from the previous release, although the 13-inch, and the base model 15-inch, came with only the GeForce 9400M GPU. The screens were also improved, gaining a claimed 60 percent greater color gamut. All of these mid 2009 models also included a FireWire 800 port and all except the 17-inch models would receive an SD card slot. The 17-inch model would retain its ExpressCard/34
ExpressCard
ExpressCard is an interface to allow peripheral devices to be connected to a computer, usually a laptop computer. Formerly called NEWCARD, the ExpressCard standard specifies the design of slots built into the computer and of cards which can be inserted into ExpressCard slots. The cards contain...
slot. For the 13-inch MacBook Pro, the Kensington
Kensington Technology Group
Kensington Computer Products Group is a division brand of ACCO Brands, Inc. that sells computer accessories and periphery such as computer mice, computer keyboards, notebook bags, iPod accessories and power supplies. The brand is best known for the Kensington Lock, a lightweight lock system...
lock slot was moved to the right side of computer body.
On April 13, 2010, the MacBook Pro saw another update. Intel Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs were introduced in the 15- and 17-inch models, while the 13-inch retained the Core 2 Duo
Intel Core 2
Core 2 is a brand encompassing a range of Intel's consumer 64-bit x86-64 single-, dual-, and quad-core microprocessors based on the Core microarchitecture. The single- and dual-core models are single-die, whereas the quad-core models comprise two dies, each containing two cores, packaged in a...
with a speed increase. The power brick was redesigned and a high-resolution display (of 1,680 × 1,050) was announced as an option for the 15-inch models. For video card
Video card
A video card, Graphics Card, or Graphics adapter is an expansion card which generates output images to a display. Most video cards offer various functions such as accelerated rendering of 3D scenes and 2D graphics, MPEG-2/MPEG-4 decoding, TV output, or the ability to connect multiple monitors...
s, the 13-inch gained an integrated Nvidia
NVIDIA
Nvidia is an American global technology company based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia is best known for its graphics processors . Nvidia and chief rival AMD Graphics Techonologies have dominated the high performance GPU market, pushing other manufacturers to smaller, niche roles...
GeForce
GeForce 300 Series
The GeForce 300 Series is a family of graphics processing units developed by Nvidia. The first card of this series was launched in November 2009. Similar to the GeForce 100 series, the GeForce 300 series consists of re-branded video cards from the previous generation available only for OEMs...
320M graphics processing unit
Graphics processing unit
A graphics processing unit or GPU is a specialized circuit designed to rapidly manipulate and alter memory in such a way so as to accelerate the building of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display...
(GPU) with 256 MB of shared memory, while the 15- and 17-inch models were upgraded to the GeForce
GeForce 300 Series
The GeForce 300 Series is a family of graphics processing units developed by Nvidia. The first card of this series was launched in November 2009. Similar to the GeForce 100 series, the GeForce 300 series consists of re-branded video cards from the previous generation available only for OEMs...
GT 330M, with either 256 or 512 MB of dedicated memory. The 15" and 17" models also have an integrated Intel GPU that is built into the Core i5 and i7 processors. The 15-inch model also gained 0.1 pound (0.045359237 kg). Save for a third USB 2.0 slot, all the ports on the 17-inch MacBook Pro are the same in type and number as on the 15-inch version. All models come with 4 GB of system memory that is upgradeable to 8 GB across the board. Battery life was also extended further in this update, to an estimated ten hours for the 13-inch and 8–9 hours on the 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros. This was achieved through greater power efficiency and adding more battery capacity. Through actual use, reviewers reported anywhere from six (in the 15-inch) to eight (in the 13-inch) hours of battery life.
The line was most recently updated on February 24, 2011 with the introduction of Intel Thunderbolt technology and dual core Intel Core i5 and i7 (on 13-inch model) or quad-core i7 (on 15- and 17-inch models) Sandy Bridge
Sandy Bridge
Sandy Bridge is the codename for a microarchitecture developed by Intel beginning in 2005 for central processing units in computers to replace the Nehalem microarchitecture...
processors as well as a high definition FaceTime
ISight
iSight is a webcam, both external and internal, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. The external iSight was sold retail for US$149, connected to a computer via a FireWire cable, and came with a set of mounts to place it atop any then-current Apple display, laptop computer, all-in-one desktop...
camera. Intel HD Graphics 3000 come integrated with the CPU, while the 15- and 17-inch models also utilize discrete graphics cards from AMD, the Radeon HD 6490M and Radeon HD 6750M models. The 2011 models also debuted Intel's Thunderbolt serial bus platform that can achieve speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s, which is up to twice as fast as the USB 3.0
USB 3.0
USB 3.0 is the second major revision of the Universal Serial Bus standard for computer connectivity.USB 3.0 has transmission speeds of up to 5 Gbit/s, which is 10 times faster than USB 2.0 . USB 3.0 significantly reduces the time required for data transmission, reduces power consumption, and...
specification, 20 times faster than the USB 2.0 specification, and up to 12 times faster than FireWire 800. Apple says that it can be used to drive displays or to transfer large quantities of data in a short amount of time.
Reception
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.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
Dan Ackerman
Dan Ackerman is a former radio DJ turned technology and video game journalist. Ackerman resides in New York City and has written about video games and gadgets for publications including SPIN, Blender, WWE Magazine, and The Hollywood Reporter.He is currently a Senior Editor at CNET.com and a...
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
Mini DisplayPort
The Mini DisplayPort is a miniaturized version of the DisplayPort digital audio-visual interface. Apple, Inc. announced the development in the fourth quarter of 2008, and now applies it in the LED Cinema Display and in all new Macintosh computers: MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini,...
instead of the more popular HDMI
HDMI
HDMI is a compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data. It is a digital alternative to consumer analog standards, such as radio frequency coaxial cable, composite video, S-Video, SCART, component video, D-Terminal, or VGA...
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 Magazines 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
ISight
iSight is a webcam, both external and internal, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. The external iSight was sold retail for US$149, connected to a computer via a FireWire cable, and came with a set of mounts to place it atop any then-current Apple display, laptop computer, all-in-one desktop...
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
HDMI
HDMI is a compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data. It is a digital alternative to consumer analog standards, such as radio frequency coaxial cable, composite video, S-Video, SCART, component video, D-Terminal, or VGA...
.
Since the update to Mac OS X Lion
Mac OS X Lion
Mac OS X Lion is the eighth and current major release of Mac OS X, Apple's desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers....
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
Mini DisplayPort
The Mini DisplayPort is a miniaturized version of the DisplayPort digital audio-visual interface. Apple, Inc. announced the development in the fourth quarter of 2008, and now applies it in the LED Cinema Display and in all new Macintosh computers: MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini,...
video output. They also called for the addition of HDMI and the Blu-ray optical disc
Optical disc
In computing and optical disc recording technologies, an optical disc is a flat, usually circular disc which encodes binary data in the form of pits and lands on a special material on one of its flat surfaces...
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."
Technical specifications
| Discontinued | Current |
| Table of models | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Component | Intel Core 2 Duo | Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i5, Core i7 | Intel Core i5, Core i7 | |||
| Model | Late 2008 | Early 2009 | Mid 2009 | Mid 2010 | Early 2011 | Late 2011 |
| Release date | October 14, 2008 | January 6, 2009 (17") March 2009 (15") |
June 8, 2009 | April 13, 2010 | February 24, 2011 | October 24, 2011 |
| Model number(s) | MB466*/A, MB470*/A or MB471*/A | MB470*/A, MC026*/A, or MB604*/A | MB990*/A, MB991*/A, MC118*/A, MB985*/A, MB986*/A, or MC226*/A | MC374*/A, MC375*/A, MC371*/A, MC372*/A, MC373*/A, or MC024*/A | MC700*/A, MC724*/A, MC721*/A, MC723*/A, or MC725*/A | MD311*/A, MD313*/A, MD314*/A, MD318*/A or MD322*/A |
| Model Identifier(s) | MacBookPro5,1 (15") | MacBookPro5,1 (15") MacBookPro5,2 (17") |
MacBookPro5,3 (15") MacBookPro5,4 (15") MacBookPro5,5 (13") |
MacBookPro6,1 (17") MacBookPro6,2 (15") MacBookPro7,1 (13") |
MacBookPro8,1 (13") MacBookPro8,2 (15") MacBookPro8,3 (17") |
|
| LED LEd LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product.... -backlit widescreen glossy display Display device A display device is an output device for presentation of information in visual or tactile form... |
colspan="2" | 13.3", 1,280 × 800 | ||||
| 15.4", 1,440 × 900 (16:10) | 15.4", 1,440 × 900 (16:10) Optional matte screen |
15.4", 1,440 × 900 (16:10) Optional 1,680 × 1,050 (glossy or matte) |
||||
| 17", 1,920 × 1,200 (16:10) Optional matte screen |
||||||
| Video camera Video camera A video camera is a camera used for electronic motion picture acquisition, initially developed by the television industry but now common in other applications as well. The earliest video cameras were those of John Logie Baird, based on the electromechanical Nipkow disk and used by the BBC in... |
iSight ISight iSight is a webcam, both external and internal, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. The external iSight was sold retail for US$149, connected to a computer via a FireWire cable, and came with a set of mounts to place it atop any then-current Apple display, laptop computer, all-in-one desktop... (640 × 480) |
FaceTime FaceTime FaceTime is a video calling software application and related protocol developed by Apple for supported mobile devices running the iOS, in addition to Macintosh computers running Mac OS X 10.6.6 and higher... HD (720p 720p 720p is the shorthand name for 1280x720, a category of High-definition television video modes having a resolution of 1080 or 720p and a progressive scan... ) |
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| Processor Central processing unit The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in... |
colspan=2 | 2.26 GHz (P7550, P8400, or P7570) (13" only) or 2.53 GHz (P8700) (13" and low-end 15" only) Intel Core 2 Duo Penryn with 3 MB on-chip L2 cache | 2.4 GHz (P8600) or 2.66 GHz (P8800) Intel Core 2 Duo Penryn with 3 MB on-chip L2 cache (13" only) | 2.3 GHz (2410M) Intel Core i5 with 3 MB on-chip L3 cache or 2.7 GHz (2620M) Intel Core i7 Sandy Bridge Sandy Bridge Sandy Bridge is the codename for a microarchitecture developed by Intel beginning in 2005 for central processing units in computers to replace the Nehalem microarchitecture... with 4 MB on-chip L3 cache (13" only) |
2.4 GHz (2430M) Intel Core i5 with 3 MB on-chip L3 cache or 2.8 GHz (2640M) Intel Core i7 Sandy Bridge with 4 MB on-chip L3 cache (13" only) | |
| 2.4 GHz (P8600) with 3 MB on-chip L2 cache CPU cache A CPU cache is a cache used by the central processing unit of a computer to reduce the average time to access memory. The cache is a smaller, faster memory which stores copies of the data from the most frequently used main memory locations... , or 2.53 GHz (T9400) Intel Core 2 Duo Penryn Penryn (microprocessor) Penryn is the code name of a processor from Intel that is sold in varying configurations as Core 2 Solo, Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, Pentium and Celeron.... with 6 MB on-chip L2 cache Optional 2.8 GHz (T9600) with 6 MB on-chip L2 cache |
2.4 GHz (P8600) with 3 MB on-chip L2 cache (15" only), or 2.66 GHz (T9550) Intel Core 2 Duo Penryn with 6 MB on-chip L2 cache (15" and 17") Optional 2.93 GHz (T9800) with 6 MB on-chip L2 cache |
2.66 GHz (P8800) (15" only) with 3 MB on-chip L2 cache or 2.8 GHz (T9600) (15" and 17" only) Intel Core 2 Duo Penryn with 6 MB on-chip L2 cache Optional 3.06 GHz (T9900) with 6 MB on-chip L2 cache (15" and 17" only) |
2.4 GHz (520M) (15" only) or 2.53 GHz (540M) Intel Core i5 Arrandale with 3 MB on-chip L3 cache (15" and 17" only), or 2.66 GHz (620M) Intel Core i7 Arrandale with 4 MB on-chip L3 cache (15" and 17" only) Optional 2.8 GHz (640M) with 4 MB on-chip L3 cache, after October 20, 2010 (15" and 17" only) |
2.0 GHz quad-core (2635QM) (15" only) or 2.2 GHz quad-core (2720QM) Intel Core i7 Sandy Bridge with 6 MB on-chip L3 cache (15" and 17" only) Optional 2.3 GHz (2820QM) with 8 MB on-chip L3 cache (15" and 17" only) |
2.2 GHz (2675QM) quad-core (15" only) or 2.4 GHz (2760QM) quad-core Intel Core i7 Sandy Bridge with 6 MB on-chip L3 cache (15" and 17" only) Optional 2.5 GHz (2860QM) with 8 MB on-chip L3 cache (15" and 17" only) |
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| Memory Two slots |
2 GB (two 1 GB) or 4 GB (two 2 GB) Expandable to 4 GB by default, expandable to 8GB with the latest EFI update |
4 GB (two 2 GB) Expandable to 8 GB. 2.66 GHz and 2.93 GHz models expandable to 8 GB |
2 GB (two 1 GB) or 4 GB (two 2 GB) Expandable to 8 GB |
4 GB (two 2 GB) Expandable to 8 GB |
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| 1066 MHz PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 SDRAM In computing, DDR3 SDRAM, an abbreviation for double data rate type three synchronous dynamic random access memory, is a modern kind of dynamic random access memory with a high bandwidth interface. It is one of several variants of DRAM and associated interface techniques used since the early 1970s... |
1333 MHz PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM Expandable to at least 16GB of 1600 MHz PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM (2.2 GHz and 2.3 GHz Models) |
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| Graphics Computer graphics Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware.... |
colspan="2" | Nvidia NVIDIA Nvidia is an American global technology company based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia is best known for its graphics processors . Nvidia and chief rival AMD Graphics Techonologies have dominated the high performance GPU market, pushing other manufacturers to smaller, niche roles... GeForce GeForce GeForce is a brand of graphics processing units designed by Nvidia. , there have been eleven iterations of the design. The first GeForce products were discrete GPUs designed for use on add-on graphics boards, intended for the high-margin PC gaming market... 9400M with 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory (13" and some 15" models) |
Nvidia GeForce 320M with 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory (13" models only) | Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 384 MB DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory (13" models only) | ||
| Nvidia NVIDIA Nvidia is an American global technology company based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia is best known for its graphics processors . Nvidia and chief rival AMD Graphics Techonologies have dominated the high performance GPU market, pushing other manufacturers to smaller, niche roles... GeForce GeForce GeForce is a brand of graphics processing units designed by Nvidia. , there have been eleven iterations of the design. The first GeForce products were discrete GPUs designed for use on add-on graphics boards, intended for the high-margin PC gaming market... 9400M with 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory and Nvidia NVIDIA Nvidia is an American global technology company based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia is best known for its graphics processors . Nvidia and chief rival AMD Graphics Techonologies have dominated the high performance GPU market, pushing other manufacturers to smaller, niche roles... GeForce GeForce GeForce is a brand of graphics processing units designed by Nvidia. , there have been eleven iterations of the design. The first GeForce products were discrete GPUs designed for use on add-on graphics boards, intended for the high-margin PC gaming market... 9600M GT with 256 MB or 512 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM Can switch between the two (but cannot use both) |
Nvidia GeForce 9400M with 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory and Nvidia GeForce 9600M GT with 256 MB or 512 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM (some 15" or 17" models) Can switch between the two (but cannot use both) |
Intel HD Graphics Intel HD Graphics Intel HD Graphics is a series of Intel integrated graphics processors built into computer processors.-History:Previous to HD Graphics, Intel integrated graphics were built into the motherboard's northbridge. This included Intel Extreme Graphics and the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator... with 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory and Nvidia GeForce GT 330M with 256 MB or 512 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM(15" and 17" models) Automatically switches between graphics hardware when running Mac OS X |
Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 384 MB DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory(15" and 17" models) and AMD Radeon HD 6490M with 256 MB GDDR5 memory (15" models) or AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 1 GB GDDR5 memory (15" and 17" models) Automatically switches between graphics hardware when running Mac OS X |
Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 384 MB DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory(15" and 17" models) and AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 512 MB GDDR5 memory (15" models) or AMD Radeon HD 6770M with 1 GB GDDR5 memory (15" and 17" models) Automatically switches between graphics hardware when running Mac OS X |
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| Secondary storage | 250 GB or 320 GB serial ATA Serial ATA Serial ATA is a computer bus interface for connecting host bus adapters to mass storage devices such as hard disk drives and optical drives... at 5,400-rpm Optional 250 GB or 320 GB at 7,200-rpm, 128 GB SSD Solid-state drive A solid-state drive , sometimes called a solid-state disk or electronic disk, is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data with the intention of providing access in the same manner of a traditional block i/o hard disk drive... |
250 GB or 320 GB serial ATA Serial ATA Serial ATA is a computer bus interface for connecting host bus adapters to mass storage devices such as hard disk drives and optical drives... at 5,400-rpm Optional 250 GB or 320 GB at 7,200-rpm, 128 GB or 256 GB SSD Solid-state drive A solid-state drive , sometimes called a solid-state disk or electronic disk, is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data with the intention of providing access in the same manner of a traditional block i/o hard disk drive... |
160 GB, 250 GB, 320 GB, or 500 GB serial ATA at 5,400-rpm Optional 320 GB or 500 GB at 5,400-rpm or 7,200-rpm (15" and 17" only) or 128 GB or 256 GB SSD Solid-state drive A solid-state drive , sometimes called a solid-state disk or electronic disk, is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data with the intention of providing access in the same manner of a traditional block i/o hard disk drive... |
250 GB, 320 GB, or 500 GB serial ATA at 5,400-rpm. Optional 320 GB or 500 GB at 5,400-rpm or 7,200-rpm or 128 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB SSD Solid-state drive A solid-state drive , sometimes called a solid-state disk or electronic disk, is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data with the intention of providing access in the same manner of a traditional block i/o hard disk drive... |
320 GB (13" only), 500 GB or 750 GB serial ATA at 5,400-rpm. Optional 500 GB or 750 GB at 5,400-rpm or 500 GB at 7,200-rpm (15" and 17" only), or 128 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB SSD Solid-state drive A solid-state drive , sometimes called a solid-state disk or electronic disk, is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data with the intention of providing access in the same manner of a traditional block i/o hard disk drive... |
13" and 15" 500 GB or 750 GB serial ATA at 5,400-rpm. 17" 750 GB serial ATA at 5,400-rpm Optional 750 GB at 5,400-rpm or 7,200-rpm (15" and 17" only), or 128 GB, 256 GB, or 512 GB SSD Solid-state drive A solid-state drive , sometimes called a solid-state disk or electronic disk, is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data with the intention of providing access in the same manner of a traditional block i/o hard disk drive... |
| Optical disc drive | SuperDrive SuperDrive SuperDrive is a trademark used by Apple Inc. for two different storage drives: from 1988–99 to refer to a high-density floppy disk drive capable of reading all major 3.5" disk formats; and from 2001 onwards to refer to a combined CD/DVD reader/writer.... : 4× DVD+R DL writes, 8× DVD+/-R read/write, 8× DVD+RW writes, 6× DVD-RW writes, 24× CD-R, and 16× CD-RW recording |
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| System bus | colspan="2" | 1,066 MHz front side bus (13") | Intel Direct Media Interface Direct Media Interface The Direct Media Interface is the link between an Intel northbridge and an Intel southbridge on a computer motherboard. It was first used between the 9xx chipsets and the ICH6, released in 2004. Previous chipsets had used the Hub Interface to perform the same function. Server chipsets use a... 2.5GT/s |
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| 1,066 MHz front side bus Front side bus A front-side bus is a computer communication interface often used in computers during the 1990s and 2000s.It typically carries data between the central processing unit and a memory controller hub, known as the northbridge.... (15" and 17") |
Intel Direct Media Interface Direct Media Interface The Direct Media Interface is the link between an Intel northbridge and an Intel southbridge on a computer motherboard. It was first used between the 9xx chipsets and the ICH6, released in 2004. Previous chipsets had used the Hub Interface to perform the same function. Server chipsets use a... 2.5GT/s (15" and 17") |
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| AirPort Extreme | Integrated 802.11a/b/g/draft-n IEEE 802.11 IEEE 802.11 is a set of standards for implementing wireless local area network computer communication in the 2.4, 3.6 and 5 GHz frequency bands. They are created and maintained by the IEEE LAN/MAN Standards Committee . The base version of the standard IEEE 802.11-2007 has had subsequent... (n enabled) (BCM4322 2x2 chipset) |
Integrated 802.11a/b/g/n IEEE 802.11 IEEE 802.11 is a set of standards for implementing wireless local area network computer communication in the 2.4, 3.6 and 5 GHz frequency bands. They are created and maintained by the IEEE LAN/MAN Standards Committee . The base version of the standard IEEE 802.11-2007 has had subsequent... (BCM4331 3x3 chipset) |
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| Battery (non-removable lithium polymer) | colspan="2" | 58-watt-hour(13") | 63.5-watt-hour(13") | |||
| 50-watt-hour removable lithium-polymer (15") | 73-watt-hour(15") | 77.5-watt-hour(15") | ||||
| 95-watt-hour(17") | ||||||
| Weight | 5.5 lb (2.5 kg) (15") |
4.5 lb (2 kg) (13") 5.5 lb (2.5 kg) (15") 6.6 lb (3 kg) (17") |
4.5 lb (2 kg) (13") 5.6 lb (2.5 kg) (15") 6.6 lb (3 kg) (17") |
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| colspan="1" | 6.6 lb (3 kg) (17") | |||||
| Dimensions | colspan="2" | 12.78 in (32.5 cm) wide × 8.94 in (22.7 cm) deep × 0.95 in (2.4 cm) high (13") | ||||
| 14.35 in (36.4 cm) wide × 9.82 in (24.9 cm) deep × 0.95 in (2.4 cm) high (15") | ||||||
| 15.47 in (39.3 cm) wide × 10.51 in (26.7 cm) deep × 0.98 in (2.5 cm) high (17") | ||||||
Software and operating systems
The Mac OS XMac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
operating system has been pre-installed on all MacBook Pros since release, starting with version 10.4.4 (Tiger). Along with OS X, iLife
ILife
iLife is a suite of software applications developed by Apple for organizing, editing, and publishing photos, movies, and music. The suite comprises five applications: iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, GarageBand, and iWeb, all of which run on the Mac OS X operating system....
has also shipped with all systems, beginning with iLife '06.
The MacBook Pro comes with the BIOS
BIOS
In IBM PC compatible computers, the basic input/output system , also known as the System BIOS or ROM BIOS , is a de facto standard defining a firmware interface....
successor, Extensible Firmware Interface
Extensible Firmware Interface
The Unified Extensible Firmware Interface is a specification that defines a software interface between an operating system and platform firmware...
(EFI) 1.1. EFI handles booting differently from conventional BIOS-based computers, but provides BIOS backwards compatibility, allowing dual and triple boot configurations. In addition to Mac OS X, the Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
operating system is installable on Intel x86-based Apple computers. Officially, this is limited to both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
, Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
, and 7, with the necessary hardware drivers included with the Boot Camp software. Other x86 operating systems such as Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
are also unofficially supported. This is made possible by the presence of the Intel architecture as provided by the CPU and the BIOS emulation Apple has provided on top of EFI.
As the MacBook Pro uses a different hardware platform than earlier PowerPC
PowerPC
PowerPC is a RISC architecture created by the 1991 Apple–IBM–Motorola alliance, known as AIM...
(PPC)-based Macintoshes, versions of Mac OS X prior to Lion
Mac OS X Lion
Mac OS X Lion is the eighth and current major release of Mac OS X, Apple's desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers....
can run PPC applications only via the Rosetta
Rosetta (software)
Rosetta was a lightweight and dynamic binary translator for Mac OS X which Apple released in 2006 when it transitioned the Macintosh from PowerPC to Intel processors. It allowed pre-existing software to run on the new systems without modification....
emulator, which exacts some performance penalty, cannot emulate some lower-level PPC code, and does not support 64-bit (G5
PowerPC 970
The PowerPC 970, PowerPC 970FX, PowerPC 970GX, and PowerPC 970MP, are 64-bit Power Architecture processors from IBM introduced in 2002. When used in Apple Inc. machines, they were dubbed the PowerPC G5....
specific) PPC features.