Apple MacBook Pro MC226LL/A 17-Inch Laptop

Manufacturer: Apple Computer
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Amazon.com has certified this product is Frustration Free. A Frustration-Free Package is easy-to-open and comes without hard plastic "clamshell" casings, plastic bindings, and wire ties. It's designed to be opened without the use of a box cutter or knife and will protect your product just as well as traditional packaging during shipping. Products with Frustration-Free Packaging can frequently be shipped in their own boxes, without the need for an additional shipping box. Learn more about Frustration-Free Packaging.

Featuring a precision unibody enclosure crafted from a single block of aluminum, the 17-inch MacBook Pro is thinner and lighter than its predecessor as well as stronger and more durable. But Apple didn't stop innovating with the body's design. The MacBook Pro also includes a new high-resolution LED-backlit widescreen with a 1920-by-1200-pixel resolution, a greater color gamut for more vibrant colors, and a 700:1 contrast ratio that makes whites brighter and blacks blacker. It also includes the new glass trackpad that does away with the trackpad button (for larger tracking area) and features Apple's Multi-Touch technology. And the non-removable battery lasts up to 8 hours on a single charge and can be recharged up to 1000 times--compared with only 200 to 300 times for typical notebooks.

The 17-inch unibody MacBook Pro (see larger version).

Under the hood, the MacBook Pro is powered by a powerful 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (with 6 MB L2 cache and 1066 MHz front-side bus), which runs applications faster and more efficiently as well as helps to reduce power requirements and save on battery life. And the MacBook Pro includes two video processors for ultimate flexibility: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics for great everyday performance and NVIDIA 9600M GT discrete graphics (512 MB of GDDR3 memory) for fast, smooth video--perfect for 3D gaming.

Other hardware features include a 500 GB hard drive, 4 GB of installed RAM (which can be upgraded to 8 GB), an 8x combo Superdrive (for burning dual-layer DVDs as well as CDs), built-in Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), FireWire 800 port, Mini DisplayPort video output (for DVI and VGA connections), and an ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot for expansion solutions such as 3G cellular networking.

It comes pre-loaded with Apple's Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard operating system--an operating system custom-designed for the advanced technology inside--and it also comes with the iLife '09 suite of applications, including iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband, and iTunes.

The Unibody MacBook Pro Design
Traditionally notebooks are made from multiple parts. With the MacBook Pro all of those parts with just one part--the breakthrough unibody enclosure. Every MacBook Pro starts its life as a single block of aluminum, which is precisely machined into the basic unibody design. Another pass and the unibody takes shape. Another, and the integrated keyboard emerges. When you pick up a new MacBook Pro, you immediately notice the entire enclosure is thinner and lighter. And it feels strong and durable--perfect for life inside (and outside) your briefcase or backpack.

The standard aluminum electro-static trackpad has been replaced with a new glass Multi-Touch trackpad, which provides 40 percent more tracking area than before. Use two fingers to scroll up and down a page. Pinch to zoom in and out. Rotate an image with your fingertips. Swipe with three fingers to flip through your photo libraries. Swipe with four fingers to show your desktop, view all open windows, or switch applications. The entire trackpad surface is also a button, allowing you to both track and click virtually anywhere on the trackpad. And you can easily enable multiple virtual buttons in software, such as right-clicking.

The keyboard has also been improved, with the rigid aluminum keyboard webbing cut precisely to hold the keys, which are curved to perfectly fit fingers. And it's illuminated, so when you're in low-light settings, such as airplanes or conference rooms, you can always see what you're typing.

Vibrant Display
With the high-resolution LED-backlit widescreen display on the 17-inch MacBook Pro, you get desktop-quality color in an Apple notebook for the first time. The moment you open your MacBook Pro, you're greeted instantly by full, corner-to-corner screen brightness. The 1920 x 1200-pixel resolution (133 pixels per inch) means you can view more palettes and windows or watch HD video in its native 1920 x 1080 resolution. Perfect whether you're working in the studio or out in the field, the display offers a 60 percent greater color gamut than previous generations for richer, more vibrant colors and a 700:1 contrast ratio that makes whites brighter and blacks blacker. In addition, the seamless glass enclosure makes the display stronger and more durable. Because it's power efficient and the glass is mercury- and arsenic-free, it's also greener than ever.

Long-Lasting Battery
The 17-inch MacBook Pro includes a newly engineered lithium-polymer battery that that lasts up to 8 hours on a single charge thanks to advanced chemistry, intelligent monitoring of the system and battery, and Adaptive Charging technology. The battery is built right into the computer, eliminating the space-consuming mechanisms and housings that standard removable batteries require. This non-removable battery also provides a longer battery lifespan of up to 1000 recharges--meaning fewer depleted batteries and less waste, which is better for the environment.

Giving it a lifespan of up to 1000 recharges required breakthroughs in battery technology. Apple electro-chemists developed advanced chemistry that maintains the battery's charging capabilities longer than ever. And while most notebooks wear down their batteries by charging them at a constant rate, the 17-inch MacBook Pro takes a different approach. Using an Apple-developed technology called Adaptive Charging, a microchip on the battery constantly communicates with the computer to determine the optimal way to charge its cells, adjusting the current up and down depending on a variety of conditions. Combined, these advancements offer a dramatic improvement in battery lifespan: more than three times the lifespan of typical notebook batteries--up to five years.

Off-the-shelf lithium-ion cells come in fixed, cylindrical shapes. The 17-inch MacBook Pro is powered by custom-made, ultrathin lithium-polymer batteries.

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
Experience improved energy efficiency, expanded wireless connectivity, and amazing battery life with the 2.80 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which has a super-fast 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and an extra-large 6 MB on-chip shared L2 cache running 1:1 with processor speed. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

The hafnium-infused circuitry--which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors--conserves even more energy, giving you more time away from the wall outlet. With 6 MB of shared L2 cache, data and instructions can be kept close to the two processor cores, greatly increasing performance and allowing the entire system to work more efficiently. And, because the processor cores share the L2 cache, either can use the entire amount if the other happens to be idle.

Video Processing & Output
The 17-inch MacBook Pro combines the efficiency of an integrated graphics processor with the desktop-class performance of a discrete graphics processor thanks to the inclusion of both. Out of the box, it runs the integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M processor, which provides plenty of performance for everyday use with up to 5 hours of battery life. But when you need turbocharged performance for the most graphically intensive tasks, the discrete NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT processor delivers--such as for demanding 3D games like Quake, Call of Duty, and Spore. And thanks to a new graphics architecture, it's easy to switch between these two processors. The 9400M graphics processor shares 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM with main memory, while the 9600M provides 512 MB of dedicated GDDR3 video memory.

The MacBook Pro includes a next generation Mini DisplayPort, which delivers a pure digital signal that can drive up to a 30-inch widescreen display. The Mini DisplayPort is ultra-compact at just 10 percent the size of a full DVI connector, and is compatible with Apple's 24-inch Cinema Display. Adapters are also available for using VGA, DVI/HDMI and Dual-Link DVI displays

Hard Drive and Memory
The 500 GB Serial-ATA (SATA) hard drive (5400 RPM) quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to USB 2.0. The 4 GB of PC3-8500 DDR3 RAM (two SO-DIMMs of 1024 MB) has an industry-leading 1066 MHz speed, and the RAM capacity can be increased to 8 GB.

Wireless Connectivity
The built-in 802.11n wireless networking provides up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g, but it's also backward-compatible with 802.11a/b/g routers, enabling you to communicate with the a wide variety of Wi-Fi resources. It works seamlessly with the new AirPort Extreme with 802.11n. Use the built-in Bluetooth wireless technology to connect to your PDA or cell phone, synchronize addresses, or download pictures from your cell phone. You can also use a wireless headset for iChat audio chats and VoIP calls as well as quickly share files with a colleague.

Video Conferencing with Built-in iSight
Artfully placed in the glass display is an iSight camera, which enables easy video conferencing as well as allows you to snap pictures of yourself and create video podcasts. Using the iChat AV application, video conferencing is integrated into your iChat buddy list, so initiating a video conference is a breeze. iChat also lets you hold audio chats with up to 10 people and provides high-quality audio compression and full-duplex sound so conversation can flow naturally. For video podcasting, you can record a short clip using the iSight camera, then use iWeb to create a video blog entry or post your GarageBand-recorded podcast.

Other Features

Three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800, ExpressCard/34 slot
Mini DisplayPort compatible with DVI, VGA, and dual-link DVI connectors (all optional)
Dual display and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 2560 by 1600 pixels on an external display, both at millions of colors
8x slot-loading SuperDrive with the following write speeds: 8x DVD±R; 4x DVD±R DL (double layer); 4x DVD±RW; 24x CD-R; 10x CD-RW
Built-in full-size backlit keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys (inverted "T" arrangement)
Internal omnidirectional microphone and built-in speakers
Combined optical digital output/headphone out (minijack)
Combined optical digital input/audio line in (minijack)
95-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery providing up to 8 hours of battery life using 9400M graphics (up to 7 hours using 9600M graphics)
Kensington lock slot
Measures 15.47 x 10.51 x 0.98 inches (WxDxH) and weighs 6.6 pounds (including battery)

Environmental Considerations
Apple has worked hard to eliminate many of the toxins that are a common part of computer manufacturing. Apple engineers removed the majority of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from circuit boards, internal cables, connectors, insulators, adhesives, and more in the MacBook Pro.

Because Apple makes both the hardware and the software for the MacBook, they're designed to work together to produce a smarter product that uses less electricity. For instance, to reduce energy consumption, the hard drive spins down automatically when inactive. MacBook Air also decides which processor--CPU or GPU--is best suited to efficiently perform a task. The LED-backlit display in the MacBook Pro is another feature that plays an important part in conserving energy, consuming 30 percent less power than conventional LCD displays. And the display is designed to dim when you enter a darkened room.

The MacBook Pro meets the stringent low power requirements set by the EPA, giving it ENERGY STAR certification. MacBook also meets the latest efficiency requirements of ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 Specification for Computers before its July 2009 effective date.

The MacBook Pro has also earned the highest rating of EPEAT Gold. The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, or EPEAT, evaluates the environmental impact of a product based on how recyclable it is, how much energy it uses, and how it's designed and manufactured.

Pre-Loaded with Mac OS X Snow Leopard and iLife '09
Every Mac comes with Mac OS X Snow Leopard, the world's most advanced operating system, and iLife, Apple's innovative suite of applications for managing photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music. Snow Leopard builds on a decade of OS X innovation and success with hundreds of refinements, new core technologies and out of the box support for Microsoft Exchange. iLife features iPhoto, to easily organize and manage photos; iMovie with powerful easy-to-use new features such as Precision Editor, video stabilization and advanced drag and drop; and GarageBand which introduces a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar.

Installed software

Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard (includes Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, Xcode Developer Tools)
iLife '09 (includes iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iWeb, iDVD)

What's in the Box
MacBook Pro, display cleaning cloth, 85W MagSafe Power Adapter, AC wall plug, power cord, install/restore DVDs, printed and electronic documentation

Ships in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging
2.8 GHz Core 2 Duo Processor
500 GB hard drive, DVD/CD SuperDrive, 4 GB DDR3 RAM
NVIDIA Geforce 9400M + 9600M GT Graphics, 17 inch LED Display
Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard Operating System

Macbook Pro 17-inch (Mid 2009)...fantastic desktop replacement

Review Date: July 4, 2009

Reviewer: Greg L. Stewart, San Antonio, TX USA

Simply put, the best laptop I've ever owned. I configured it through Apple with the 128GB SSD and apps install incredibly fast and launch instantly. The screen is a marvel, 1920 X 1200 with LCD backlight. I opted to go with the glossy, so there are some reflections but only when using directly in front of a bright window, otherwise its not a problem (for me anyway).

Bear in mind, this is a BIG laptop...its a tray table...but very sturdy and NO flex in the chassis. The trackpad is also very useable, although I still opted for a mouse (Logitech M555b Bluetooth, highly recommended also).

It doesn't heat up much and has incredible battery life...if I switch to the 9400M integrated graphics (which is fine for most uses), I can get 6 hours on a charge no problem, with WiFi, Bluetooth, brightness at about 60% and the SSD as the primary HD. With a different config YMMV, but I'd bet 5-6 hours is the norm for this machine.

All-in-all, a great laptop. I'll have this 2-3 years no problems.

Never back to PCs

Review Date: November 1, 2009

Reviewer: Dr. Goetz K. Oertel, Potomac, MD

This is my second Mac, an upgrade in size and disk capacity from my first Mac, a MacBook Pro 15 with Intel processor. There was nothing whatever wrong with that old Mac - after 3 1/2 years I just needed more area on the screen for my work and did not mind the much greater disk capacity of the new model The most telling aspect of my first Mac had been that it never "crashed", unlike generations of PCs I had used. If I managed to do something really "naughty" to my Mac, it sometimes closed a software program - but without noticeable loss of data. In stark contrast to my PC days, I never had to scramble to recover data. The worst I ever did was to inadvertently delete some ancient email messages. They proved easily recoverable from the external backup. Yes, initially it took a few hours to re-learn keystrokes that are different on the Mac than on PCs. I saved that back in no time, then received big dividends because my Mac never crashed. It just always works as it is designed to do.
The most amazing experience with the new Mac was the transfer of my "stuff" from old to new Mac. I went at it with some trepidation because it had taken seemingly endless hours to migrate "stuff" from old to new PCs. By contrast, everything had migrated from old Mac to new Mac in less than one hour via firewire - and all worked perfectly. By 'everything" I mean not just all data - files, records, contact information, photos, calendar, etc.- but also all software I had installed on the old Mac. And, everything was exactly where and how I was used to it, and everything worked as it should on my brilliant and larger new Mac. It is now backed up by even greater memory and processor speed, and runs on Snow Leopard - which is just as flawlessly reliable as the previous operating system but faster and more efficient, with a few neat new features strewn in.
I can still hardly believe that it took years, no decades, before I got fed up and dumped PCs and their flawed operating systems and incompatible software and data bases for something that works. A student in my family just "took the plunge" to Mac when she inherited my first Mac - she is thrilled. Before that I had loaned it to friends - decades long PC users - who promptly made me a nice offer for it and who have since bought new Macs from the local Apple Store. They are extremely conservative and frugal folks - but it did not take them long to figure out that one Mac every decade that always works is better than a new PC every three years that frequently "crashes". Macs serve their owners and serve them well. PCs work sometimes and expect their owners to serve and service them.. Who is master and who slave? There is never a doubt with a Mac!

The Best!

Review Date: October 13, 2009

Reviewer: Daniel Lenzmeier,

Defnitely the best laptop you can buy. It's almost perfect and hats saying a lot considering how great their products are already. They just keep getting better and better, but this machine is so great it will last me a long time before another upgrade. Bravo!

Brilliant!

Review Date: December 4, 2009

Reviewer: Mr. S. Shetty, UK

The best and the right decision that I made! I used a friend's mac for couple of hours last month (when he showed off) and immediately realised why MAC was a cut above the rest. When I decided to buy, thought as well should go for the best in the MACBOOK Pro range. I had so many Windows based laptops over the last decade but this I can say is a prized possession! No more crashes, viruses, firewalls, messy uninstalls, painfully slow startups, blue (or black) screens, registry headaches etc.,

After using this, I definitely made a decision not to go back to Windows again. If I did want to use Windows for whatever reason, bootcamp gives the option but not sure why would one want to? After seeing me praise the MAC some of my colleagues have either bought or in the process of buying one. The others who have bought it already say the MAC is 'just awesome!'

If you're reading this with a view to whether you should buy or not, don't waste your time! Just go for it - you won't regret your decision.

The Showhorse Workhorse

Review Date: December 19, 2009

Reviewer: G. Ware Cornell Jr., Weston FL

For three years now I have been PC free relying on my trusty MacBook Pro for all the heavy lifting. The replacement of my 2.16GHz MBP was long coming. The major problem was that essentially unlike a PC laptop which is functionally useless after two years, Macs can last forever. What doesn't last forever however is AppleCare Protection Plan - For Portable Apple Computers 15 Inches and Above. Even though Macs are extremely reliable, Applecare is a necessary option. All computers, even Apple computers, are mechanical devices and subject to random and expensive repairs.

So hear was my dilemma. I had a perfectly functional three year old MacBook Pro. It had a market value, and I had a buyer. In a month when my Applecare warranty expired repairs were going to be expensive, eating up the value of the computer. Plus the Congress created a 100% business write-off for new computers for 2009, meaning that the government was going to subsidize a new MacBook Pro. So I sold my old laptop and bought this incredibly fast new 17 inch MacBook Pro.

First why 17in? Lots of people prefer 15 inch machines because of weight issues. This 17 inchat a about 6.6 pounds is significantly lighter than my old MBP. A larger screen is more effective for work, particularly when my work requires research and writing. The only option I got is the antiglare screen. It is true that the colors have more pop and sizzle with the shiny standard screen, but I am not a graphic artist. I read and write in black and white and a glare slows me down.

Battery life is another big factor. An 8 hour battery means you can work on transcontinental or even trans-Atlantic flights. Airline power connections are still few and far between in economy.

The 500GB hard drive is far more than I need right now. One option, although an expensive one, is a 256GB solid state drive. There are advantages. Unlike Hard Drives there are no whirling mechanical parts, making it more releiable. But that does not mean a solid state drive canot fail. They can and you will still require Applecare. the best insurance, along with Applecare is a Apple Time Capsule MB765LL/A 1TB which I used to "move" the data,music, photos, videos, applications, and keychain from the older laptop to my new MBP. (Hint: to do this wirelessly takes a while. Figure on seven or eight hours)

So now I have a flashier, larger, lighter version of my old MacBook Pro, soon to be in the loving hands of a new owner. I have no doubt he will be able to use it for several more years. My new MacBook Pro will be with me till the Applecare expires in three years.
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AppleCare Protection Plan - For Portable Apple Computers 15 Inches and Above