On October 14, Apple refreshed its notebook line, redesigning their MacBook and MacBook Pro lines completely. Among the biggest new additions touted were a "precision aluminum unibody enclosure" (a fancy way of saying the bulk the enclosure is one part), upgraded internal hardware, and a new glass, buttonless trackpad as the biggest new additions. I had been planning on replacing my older MacBook Pro for a while before that, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. And so, we present to you, Neowin"s review of Apple"s new MacBook Pro.
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Unboxing
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Apple did a very nice job with the box for their new MacBooks. Once you open the very efficiently designed packaging, you"re greeted by a small tab, underneath which sits the machine itself. Pulling on the tab slightly removes the laptop from its holder just enough to slip in and pull it out. Apple wrapped the laptop in a translucent plastic, presumably to protect it.
Under the laptop is another layer of equipment, including: a box which holds the manual, recovery CDs, and warranty information, the power cable, and (if requested), the adapters for their mini DisplayPort. Also included is an extension for the power cord, which you"d be insane not to use: the default cable doesn"t move very far, and I"d much rather have the power brick sit on the floor rather than hanging off my power bar. To use it, simply remove the adapter originally connected (it"s the same kind as you would see on an iPod power adapter, and I"m pretty sure that if you have the iPod traveler"s kit, you can use those adapters in other countries), and slide on the extension. It just about doubles the length of the cord.
One thing that disappointed me a little bit during the ordering of the laptop was that Apple does not include the DisplayPort adapters: rather, you must pay $31 for each one. Now, this was fairly standard before, but with these laptops, Apple is implementing a new standard that hasn"t really caught on yet. So adapters are a must, and many, if not most, people will hook up to an external screen at one point or another, be it an external monitor or a projector. This is a Pro laptop: the least you could do is include the Pro accessories that I will undoubtedly use at some point. Regardless, I coughed up the $62 for the adapters, and can now plug into a VGA or DVI screen effortlessly.