Editorial Review
You've seen improvements in notebook performance before--but never on this scale. The Intel Core Duo powering MacBook Pro is actually two execution cores built into a single chip. This, combined with myriad other engineering leaps, boosts performance up to five times higher than the PowerBook G4. With this awesome power, it's a breeze to render complex 3-D models, enjoy smooth playback of 1080p HD video, or host a four-way video conference.
More power, using less power
Intel Core Duo is the first chip built using Intel's groundbreaking 65-nanometer process--resulting in transistors so small, you could fit a hundred inside a single human cell. With smaller distances for electrons to travel, and two execution cores designed to share resources and conserve power, Intel Core Duo achieves higher levels of performance as it uses fewer watts. Which is what makes it possible to design a super-powerful MacBook Pro that's only one inch thin.
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Customer Reviews
One of my fav toys 
2008-05-29
Only flaw is that the screenis kind of loos, it tend to close if i walk or move it while open.
Deceptive Marketing Hides Screen Color Capability 
2007-04-23
From Apple Tech Specs:
"17-inch (diagonal) TFT display, support for millions of colors; optional glossy widescreen display"
Translation:
Supplied LCD cannot display the "supported" millions of colors.
The screen has 1,764,000 pixels. But can only display 262,144 different colors!
8 bit (16,777,216 colors) display technology has been the standard for over a decade. This product is not acceptable for use by photographers or graphics professionals.
Another dirty secret is that Apple's Boot Camp beta expires and you'll have to purchase a new OS from Apple to get your boot camp back. With Apple's track record they'll probably blame it on an accounting standard...
Apple has it right... 2007-02-25
I bought the MacBook Pro last November when a prospective employer gave me the mandate of "learn more about Unix". The fabled Unix roots of Mac OS X, I supposed, would give me an introduction to Unix while offering me a GUI, so I could get my "real work" done. I originally planned to dual-boot Windows on my new Mac, using OS X occasionally until I could wean myself away from Windows.
However, weaning myself away from Windows took no time at all. OS X puts much less strain on system resources to accomplish the same tasks. Users can run 15-20 different major tasks simultaneously without noticing a great deal of lag, unlike on Windows. The MBP's fans also default to a low 2000rpm and rarely step over that mark in OS X, which isn't feasible under Windows.
OS X greatly simplifies computing, in addition to making it more reliable. The GUI is cleaned up, with power-user settings moved to the Terminal interface. OS X's command shell (Bash) allows you to actually get things done easily -- not true of the standard Windows shell. OS X does pretty much everything involving graphics better than Windows, because it's had the video-card reliance that Vista is "learning" built into it since 2000. Graphics effects are faster, nicer-looking, and less intensive.
OS X alone is reason to buy the MBP, particularly with the resource-hogging Windows Vista now your only option in the PC market. Mac hardware, however, is also first-rate. The MBP features native Bluetooth EDR+2.0, 802.11a/b/g/n (draft), 1000 BaseT Ethernet, and a standard "SuperDrive" for CD/DVD burning. The display quality is amazing, and hardware features like keyboard backlighting make the MBP stand out in the crowd. The sound on the MBP is also of good fidelity for notebook speakers, though it's not as loud as many.
The MacBook Pro, like OS X, is simply beautiful in addition to highly useful. The finish is very scratch resistant (I haven't managed to scratch it in three months of heavy everyday use, and my matte black Inspiron looked terrible in the same timeframe).
With early heat problems now apparently solved, MacBook Pro is an engineering mastery that will someday be worthy of its own museum pedestal, much like the Apple hardware that preceded it.
STUNNING! 2007-02-11
As I sat down to write this, I was rummaging through my vocabulary to adequately describe this marvelous computer. All the stock phrases seem inadequate. The display is sharp, intense, and glorious. The processor(s) are lighting fast; the super drive outstanding; the design a marvel. The thing is amazingly quiet, and all this stuff about heat is simply way overblown - okay, it gets pretty warm, but that's not "scalding." Can you tell I love it? And that's just the hardware - what is equally as impressive is the suite of software that comes with the machine, beginning with the OS X "Tiger" OS. It's the stuff that never gets mentioned in that "top product review magazine"; they evaluate things from a WinTel standard. Tiger, the iLife suite, and the ancilarry programs are dynamite, and their value must be in the $400 - $700 range. No, the MacBook Pro does not come cheap ... but it's worth, as the cliché goes, every penny.
Conecting you with future 2007-01-15
I got my macbook pro 4 month ago. I realy like the design which is realy simple. I was impressed with the keyboard which get lighted when you turn off the room light. I used this Computer to Cut My documentary film,It was stable, fast and reliable. I also installed Windows XP on it and face no problem at all. One of the best thing that apple did is that they installed 1 gb ram in one slot, which enable you to upgrade to 2 GB of ram with ease. All in all, I will recommend this powerful machine to those who want to step forward in digital video and audio.
Yaqoub Abdullah - Kuwait
Great desktop replacement!! 2007-01-10
You've seen improvements in notebook performance before--but never on this scale. The Intel Core Duo powering MacBook Pro is actually two execution cores built into a single chip. This, combined with myriad other engineering leaps, boosts performance up to five times higher than the PowerBook G4. With this awesome power, it's a breeze to render complex 3-D models, enjoy smooth playback of 1080p HD video, or host a four-way video conference.
More power, using less power
Intel Core Duo is the first chip built using Intel's groundbreaking 65-nanometer process--resulting in transistors so small, you could fit a hundred inside a single human cell. With smaller distances for electrons to travel, and two execution cores designed to share resources and conserve power, Intel Core Duo achieves higher levels of performance as it uses fewer watts. Which is what makes it possible to design a super-powerful MacBook Pro that's only one inch thin.
Superb laptop, great price! 2007-01-07
When Apple upgraded this 2.16GHz powerhouse laptop to 2.33GHz it dropped the price a thousand dollars. Suddenly what one reviewer here discribed as the "Cadillac of laptops" could be had for the price of a Chevy.
The great thing is-this is still a Cadillac! It roars! My experience with the iMac 24 convinced me to dump my nearly new Toshiba Satellite M65-S821 for a MacBook Pro. Being used to 17-in widescreens made this Mac the obvious solution.
I waited three weeks before submitting this review just to see if it had any annoying habits. My biggest complaint is that other lawyers and court reporters seem to be suffering from Mac-envy everytime I haul it out in a deposition. In addition to being fast and bright and ergonomically correct, the brushed aluminum case is drop-dead gorgeous with thin crisp lines that look like a supermodel at a photo-shoot.
As to software, I loaded it with Office 2004 for Mac and haven't found any Windows-only application I can't live without. Now something like OneNote, a greatly under-rated program Microsoft offers to PC laptop users, would be nice. But I have found Word templates that have the same look and feel in Office 2004 for Mac.
Now all I need to make me completely happy is a MacBook Pro tablet! Are you listening in Cupertino?
Great Machine But Beware... 
2007-01-04
I bought this new and have had a tough time with it largely in part because I uploaded a back up software called "Bounceback Express" for my portable external storage hard drive. It is software that comes with most external hard drives made bu SEAGATE and SMARTDISK. DO NOT put this software into your mac it is like a virus and can scramble the keyboard and slow down the machine immensely.
I sent my MacBook Pro back to apple twice and they gutted, but could not figure out the problem until recently. Great customer service through Apple and it is in no way their fault.
Also, it is very important you make sure you get the new battery after the 2006 Sony recall. The warranty is great though for a year so they will replace it free if it is faulty.
I would definately get the memory upgrade. All in all I would buy it again and I am happy to be done with that evil Bounceback express software.
Great laptop with a couple of caveats 2006-12-17
I've used both the black 13" MacBook and now have the 17" MacBook Pro. I'll list the pros and cons of the 17" Pro.
Pros
1. ENORMOUS SCREEN - I literally have two desktop computers at home that have smaller screens!
2. Built in iSight - Convenient
3. MagSafe Connector - innovative, especially around clumsy people and children
4. Duo core processor - The power doesn't show up unless you're doing intensive graphics work or programming
5. Keys that light up in the dark - Even though I can type without looking at the keys, it's great when you're on the train and can find the function key
6. Bluetooth - for obvious reasons
7. Firewire 800 - for obvious reasons
Cons
1. Probably the biggest is the surprising amount of defects and poor customer support for their products. I get my computers from my job and we got them as soon as they were available. That might have been a mistake, as we ran into a number of defects, including the infamous mac shutdown problem. Just do a search for "random mac shutdown" on google to see he horror. Someone even filmed their problem and showed it on youtube. I won't go through the other defects other than to say I wouldn't DREAM of getting a MacBook/Pro without getting an extended warranty. As others have also mentioned, the turn around time for them to fix your product is VERY slow, and we should have preferntial treatment with them, considering we do work for them (won't go into further details on that). Ultimately, if Apple realizes they've put out a defective product, the solution (especially on a $3000 laptop) would be to send out the white macbook as a loaner while they waited for parts to arrive.
2. Probably not the most conducive for the train. I got this laptop simply because I had the option to. If you travel a lot, you'd probably be better off with a 13" MacBook as opposed to this. If you're on a plane or train, you'll quickly realize just how big this laptop is. However, since there's no way to make a 17" also small at the same time, just note what I'm saying. Sometimes it's great that the screen is so huge. Sometimes it's slightly inconvenient.
4. The placement of the keys. This might also be due to the large size, but there is a lot of space between the keyboard and the mouse area. I initally found my wrists resting on this area and it was starting to cause me pain. I therefore now have to type with my wrists slightly elevated to avoid resting my hands on an area that simply would not be there on a smaller laptop. The only solution to this problem would be to move the keyboard forward.
As a final note, unless you're doing extensive graphics work, my opinion is that you'll get more bang for the buck by getting the black 13" MacBook. The speed difference between the Pro and the MacBook is 0.16 MHz, basically negligible. In my case, I hook up the laptop to a 23" screen at work, so only when I'm on the road is the size of the screen even an issue anyway. And again, if you're not doing extensive graphics work, I'd say it's not worth it. For half the price, you can get more bang for the buck.
Grade B+ 2006-12-13
Overall I am happy with the MacBookPro. Lots of positives. Problems include 1)too hot to handle, uncomfortably hot when used as a laptop.
2)Kept shutting down after a few minutes of battery use. I took it to the Apple store and a new battery seem to have solve the problem. 3)The lid/screen is slightly warped, this is more cosmetic.
I bought this notebook in March 2006. I believe that I bought too early.
I have an Imac which is awesome, and receives an A+.
