Apple MacBook Pro Winter 2011 Notebook Computer Review

Apple introduced the MacBook Pro as being the successor to the PowerBook G4 back in early 2006. Created for professionals on the run, Apple continued to refine their family of high-performance laptops every year. Some of the new changes introduced design changes but this year is the year of the Apple MacBook Pro Winter 2011 notebook and while the style still looks the same as last year, Apple made many unique features which are more than welcome specifically if you have not upgraded your MacBook Pro within the past several years.

The Pros

The Apple MacBook Pro Winter 2011 notebook computer joins the Sandy Bridge bandwagon as each of its designs include Intel second generation Core i5 and Core i7 processors. The smaller model, the 13-inch, is going to be powered by the latest Intel Core i5 2620M, which is very fast. The real breakthrough however, is the quad core processor which will drive the 15-inch and 17-inch models, loved by Final Cut Pro users. Even though 4 GB is the minimum memory shipped, you can obtain up to 16 GB for an extra cost. Enhancements were made in the graphics end also with the two larger styles sporting a fast AMD Radeon HD 6490M for respectable gaming. If that's still not quick enough, you may also upgrade the computer to the Radeon HD 6750M. Do not worry about missing out on life of the battery, since the Intel HD Graphics 3000 runs very efficiently. With these overall performance advancements, the new 2011 models practically soar in the benchmarks.

One other significant change lies in the Mini DisplayPort that is normally used for hooking up an Apple LED Cinema Display or another supported models. Intel's new Thunderbolt technology provides much more overall flexibility in how the actual port functions. Finally transfer speeds, which have been enhanced by approximately 1200%, will stop being the bottleneck which has slowed down file transfers to high capacity hard drives. Just one Thunderbolt channel can work with several devices should they be connected in a chain.

The earlier iSight webcam has been replaced with the FaceTime HD camera, similar to those found in the iPhone 4 and iPad 2. This allows video calls to be sent with those supported devices in decent 720p resolution.

Drawbacks

One major component that has not been replaced however, is the battery, which suggests it's going to now last a shorter period of time between charges. In wireless mode you can still work with it for as much as 7 hours, which will be adequate for most users. The MacBook Pro 13-inch also receives a slight downgrade as it utilizes the Intel integrated graphics without an AMD or NVIDIA counterpart. Video gaming performance is slightly slower though the Intel HD 3000 graphics is so much better than previous generations plus, it is just as efficient.

Summary

Every single Apple MacBook Pro Winter 2011 notebook computer reaches a whole new level of speed and even the older models are still amazing in performance and longevity. You can be confident that your new model will have everything it needs to run next generation applications with no strain.