unpacking a macbook pro
.
Apple MacBook Pro MC374LL / A 13.3-inch laptop « UNIX Blog
About the battery, Apple advertises it as lasting for 9 to 10 hours of use. In reality, it allows you to be mobile for 3 to 6 hours – depending on what task you’re using the computer for. Also, it’s an inbuilt battery so once it’s exhausted, you will have to take your machine back to an Apple store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider for replacement. However, Apple states that the battery will hold 80% of it’s charge for up to a 1000 charges which means approximately 3 to 4 years of daily use. So it should be a while before you have to go in for that battery replacement.
1280 x 800 resolution Glossy LED backlit screen,
iSight camera,
STANDARD FEATURES – from last years 13 inch model (minor changes noted in brackets) are
An Aluminum unibody,
2) It also features the Nvidia GeForce 320M integrated graphics processor with 48 processing cores. This is an improvement compared to the Geforce 9400M graphics chip in last years model and will help in graphics and content creation.
The lack of the latest Intel Core i5 or i3 processors processors in this machine is disappointing ( Anybody paying $1200 for a notebook positioned as a pro product, would expect new rather than “old” processors to be part of the configuration ) but I’d still recommended the MBP 13 to people looking to buy the lightest and most portable Macbook Pro as well as a capable machine in it’s own right. Demanding applications like Skype, Photoshop, Lightroom, iMovie run smoothly.
I would also consider purchasing applecare – AppleCare Protection Plan MC258LL/A – For Portable Apple Computers 13.3 Inches and Below along with the notebook. The truth is, Apple uses most of the same parts (hard drives, processors, dvd drives, wireless cards) that other laptop manufacturers use so their reliability is no worse or better than other laptop manufacturers. The problem if if you don’t have Applecare, and something goes wrong, Apple charges extremely high fees for repairing and replacing parts (when compared to other laptop manufacturers )
Another warranty extension option to consider is Squaretrade (which also includes damage protection). It’s better to pay once for Applecare or Squaretrade (whatever you prefer) and be covered for 2 more years after the first year is up than pay exorbitant repair/replacement fees if a part malfunctions.
Software included is OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and the iLife 09 suite of content creation tools. A 1 year warranty on parts and 90 day telephone technical support is standard.
Core 2 Duo Processor ( 2.4 ghz – up from 2.26ghz ),
1 Firewire 800 port,
2 USB 2.0 ports ,
UPGRADES
1) The MBP 13 now has 4 gb of ram standard. This allows you to multi-task easily without any issues ( last years model had only 2gb of ram which was inadequate) Now there’s no need to spend more money upgrading your ram UNLESS you’re really into heavy duty multimedia work
8x slot-loading SuperDrive dvd burner
Large glass multi-touch trackpad ( Intertial scrolling is now enabled ),
3) The included hard drive is 250 gb (160gb in last years model).
4) Mini display port now supports video AND sound with a compatible Mini-DP to HDMI adapter (last years model only supported video)
SD Card slot,
Wi-Fi – 802.11n specification; 802.11a/b/g compatible, Bluetooth 2.1 and Gigabit Ethernet -10/100/1000.
Also, Since the MBP has a mini display port, you’ll have to buy a MiniDP to VGA convertor or MiniDP to DVI convertor if you ever want to connect your MB Pro to a larger monitor – since Apple does not include it with the machine it will cost you $30 more IF you buy it from Apple. Here’s a cheaper option – Mini DisplayPort to DVI Female Adapter Cable for Apple Macbook, Macbook Pro, iMac, Macbook Air, Mac Mini Laptop
For those who are confused about whether they should purchase the $1199 MBP 13 or the $1499 MBP 13 – the only difference between this model and the higher priced model is processor speed and hard drive space – the $1199 MBP 13 has a 2.4 ghz processor and 250 gb hard drive and the $1499 MBP 13 has a 2.66ghz processor and 320 gb hard drive. Whether a 266 mhz (10% difference) and 70 gb more of hard drive space is worth 300 dollars more is your call. (Although you can purchase a 500 gb notebook hard drive for approximately $80 and install it yourself. Instructions are in the MBP 13 manual and you’ll need a Philips #00 screwdriver. Installation videos are also available online)
Review by KSBAY for Apple MacBook Pro MC374LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop
Rating: 
The Macbook Pro has just been updated on April 13th 2010. There are some upgrades and a few changes between this year and last years model, detailed below.
Backlit keyboard with comfortable chiclet keys
Magsafe power adapter (with redesigned tip to reduce stress on the cable)
Hope this helps!
