The MacBook Pro From Apple

Posted by Lucy Orloski on November 7th, 2019

The latest version of the Apple MacBook Pro is distinguished by its unibody casing that is machined from a single piece of aluminium metal. The new styling brought about by this manufacturing process closely follows that of the iMac and the MacBook Air. The MacBook Pro is now slightly slimmer than its plastic bodied predecessor and has a glass coated LED backlit screen that provides a brighter, clearer image coupled with much improved contrast performance thanks to the LED technology used. The only issue here might be with reflections, but a non-glass option is offered on some models.

Other updates to the range include the peripheral ports being moved to the left side of the casing and an SD card slot being added for the first time on a Mac laptop. Please note that the 17-inch machine features an ExpressCard slot instead of the SD reader. The optical drive has been moved to the right and the DVI port has been replaced with a Mini DisplayPort connection. The FireWire 400 port is now deleted, although the FireWire 800 port is still present. The wireless technology is unchanged with built in wire free MacBook Pro internet access.

In terms of usability, the trackpad has been enlarged with the buttons being incorporated into the pad giving the user more room for scrolling and multi-touch gestures which now imitate those that can be used on the iPhone touch-screen. The keyboard is the standard Apple affair with separated backlit keys.

MacBook Pro models

The MacBook Pro model range is based around three screen sizes of 13-inch, 15-inch and 17-inch. Each of the models can be tailored with varying specifications of processor speed, memory size and hard drive capacity. A high performance solid state hard drive (SSD) can also be specified as an extra. For those not liking the reflective nature of the glass screen, an anti-glare matte screen can be specified on the 15" and 17" models.

MacBook Battery Life

All MacBook Pro models employ a non-user serviceable sealed in battery that uses lithium-ion polymer cell technology. This innovation has allowed Apple to use batteries with non-rounded cells that can use all the free space inside the MacBook Pro chassis. The downside of this is that it prevents the user removing and replacing the battery in the event of failure. The use of this technology provides the range with superb battery life with the 13-inch and 15-inch models giving up to seven hours on a single charge. The larger body of the 17-inch mac allows a massive eight hours to be squeezed out of a single charge.

The batteries in MacBook Pro models are claimed to last for around 1000 charge cycles whist still retaining 80 percent of their capacity. This would provide a lifespan of about five years for an average user.

MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air

Whether a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air is the better laptop depends on the users specific requirements. Both are very stylish machines and the Pro model isn't exactly large or heavy, especially if you go for the smallest 13" version. A business user needing long battery life and a full range of features such as a DVD drive, multiple USB ports and a FireWire connection would be better off choosing a Pro model. One further consideration is that the Air is only available with the 13" screen size, so if you need any bigger, then the Pro is the only one to go for.

A user wanting a stylish machine for occasional use may prefer a free MacBook Air. You sacrifice luxuries such as a CD drive and card reader but get one of the thinnest, most stylish notebooks on the market.

We hope this MacBook Pro review has made your choice a little easier. Make sure you search for the best price before buying, although from our experience there are rarely any good deals around. If price is an issue then consider a free MacBook Pro from Gadgets-4-Free. There are no costs, and for a little bit of work getting your friends involved you could have the MacBook Pro Repair Near Me, here.