“Following on the heels of the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro and replacing the 17-inch PowerBook G4, the 17-inch MacBook Pro delivers many of the same beloved features as its little sibling, such as a scrolling track pad, the Sudden Motion Sensor, and an excellent software package, and adds a huge, bright 17-inch display that’s great for graphics work… Of course, such performance doesn’t come cheap: the 17-inch MacBook Pro’s default configuration costs $2,799 (upgrades on our review unit brought the price up to $3,099). But for graphics professionals and other Mac users who have money to spare, the 17-inch MacBook Pro is a dream,” Michelle Thatcher reports for CNET Reviews. “With the MacBook Pro, Apple hasn’t radically redesigned the PowerBook form factor, it has just made a few refinements to it. Measuring 15.4 inches wide, 10.4 inches deep, and 1 inch thick, the sleek, aluminum MacBook Pro looks very similar to the 17-inch PowerBook G4 it replaces. At 6.8 pounds, the 17-inch MacBook Pro is a hair lighter than its predecessor and the lightest laptop of its size on the market… For the sake of comparison, the Dell Inspiron E1705 weighs 8.2 pounds, while the Toshiba Qosmio G35 weighs 10.2 pounds.”
“Though the keys are a bit shallow, they’re comfortable to type on, and we love the keyboard’s backlighting feature, which adjusts to changes in ambient light levels. We don’t like that the keyboard is located 5.4 inches back from the laptop’s front edge; we wish it were centered to encourage a more ergonomic typing position. The touch pad lets you scroll through long documents, Web pages, and spreadsheets by dragging two fingers down or across the pad, a terrific feature that’s unique to Apple laptops,” Thatcher writes. “The 17-inch MacBook Pro offers a decent selection of ports and connections, though it comes up a bit short of what you’ll find on a similarly sized PC laptop, including the Inspiron E1705. That said, the MacBook Pro features three USB 2.0 ports; FireWire 400 and FireWire 800 ports; an ExpressCard slot; and a DVI port (VGA with included adapter) for connecting to an external monitor. It’s also equipped with Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (enhanced data rate), and you can access the Internet via 802.11g Wi-Fi radio, and Gigabit Ethernet… Unlike most PC laptops, the MacBook Pro lacks a built-in media reader for flash memory cards, and there’s no S-Video output or built-in modem–both of which the PowerBook had.”
CNET’s rating: “Very good” 7.3 out of 10, Average user rating: 9.0 out of 10.
Full review here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Cathy” for the heads up.]
MacDailyNews Take: Knocking 2.7 points off because of a made-up port issue is typical CNET. Hence the large discrepancy between the 9.0 user rating and CNET’s 7.3 out of 10. Apple 17-inch MacBook Pro users who need a modem will get the $49 Apple USB modem. 17-inch MacBook Pro users who want a media reader will use the ExpressCard slot. 17-inch MacBook Pro users who want to output to S-video or Composite will use Apple’s $19 DVI to Video Adapter. The Dell Inspiron E1705 to which CNET compares the MacBook Pro regarding ports comes with USB overkill (6 ports) and no FireWire 800 port. We’d rather have the MacBook Pro’s FireWire 800 port, three USB ports, and 1.4 lbs. less weight than a 6-port USB hub built into an ugly, thick, heavy, OS-limited Dell slab. Get real, CNET. Your reviews are increasingly out-of-touch. Only Apple Macs can run both Mac OS X and Windows, how many points is that worth? CNET (as usual) give scant mention to the OS and included software in their review and fixates instead on some conjured-up hardware issue; in this case, USB ports. Three USB ports, the lack of a media card reader, and “only” 90 days of toll-free technical support are not worth the 2.7 point deduction that CNET gives to the MacBook Pro’s rating. There is no other 17-inch portable computer on the planet that can do what Apple’s 17-inch MacBook Pro can, but leave it to CNET to find a way to give it a 7.3 rating to a machine that they describe as “a dream.” CNET’s absolutely ridiculous sometimes.
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Related articles:
PC Magazine: Apple 17-inch MacBook Pro: ‘offers virtually everything a user needs’ – May 26, 2006
Review: Apple 17-inch MacBook Pro – May 04, 2006
ZDNet First Take: Apple’s 17-inch MacBook Pro 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo – April 26, 2006
Apple introduces 17-inch MacBook Pro with 2.16 GHz Intel Core Duo – April 24, 2006
Also reviewed: God. He got a 7.2 for being too good.
does the c in cnet stand for crazy ?
CNET= Computer Neophytes that Excel in Turd journalism
What is it going to take to get CNET on board with Apple – ongoing blowjobs for the staff or what…
These guys are only hurting themselves – what wrong with them did someone get turn down for a job 20 years ago and had to settle for the PC world or what?
Modem? Who in the hell uses a modem anymore? God, it doesn’t have PS/2 ports either. Or Serial port.
S-Video? Who uses that anymore? Seriously.
God, PC users and reviewers are so stuck with their legacy support issues……they feel naked without them.
CNET:
Computing Nerds Excreting Tedium
This modem issue reminds me of when Apple ditched the floppy drive. It’s called foresight not oversight.
I travel with my iBook G4 (soon to be a MacBook Pro 15″) everywhere I go and have no problem connecting with my built- Airport card. Usually for free. Occasionally, I am forced to use the built-in modem when I visit people so deep in the country that there is no wifi.
For the low price and low weight of a tiny Apple modem I will not hesitate to buy one when I upgrade.
I also agree with MDN with their take on USB ports. At home, I have my own hub and only have to make one connection to get access to all my devices. That still leaves me one free to connect my iPod for quick recharging. Six is ridiculous!
“Only Apple Macs can run both Mac OS X and Windows, how many points is that worth?”
Well, you see, that’s just the problem… they took off points just because of Windoze XP. Kind of a Freudian slip…
Collaborating Nitwits Eschew Truth . . .
CNET!
Can Not Explain Truth
cnet
I even get by with the two USB ports on my G 4 Mac mini.
Three would be nicer but you can plug and replug quite quickly.
I don’t use a hub.
I don’t understand why people keep harping on the design not changing much from the powerbook design. Why does it need to its the nicest design on the market and always will be. Why would I want plastic over a sleek aluminum shell.
I meant “Why does it need to change its the nicest design on the market and always will be”
But no one needs 6 USB 2.0 ports on a laptop. Get a hub, it’s the same thing.
Most of you guys really sound bad! If the Mac had 6 USB ports and the pc didnt’t you would fault the pc for having so few. If the MacBook Pro had an internal 56k modem and the pc didtn’t you would say how important it is to have the built in modem for those times you have no WiFi access. You would also point out that almost half the population of this country still uses dialup.
You really are showing your true colors on the one.
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MDN is on the money. I laugh when I read rave reviews that then have the obligatory negative factor — meaningless in this case — and an utterly inexplicable negative rating. A 7.3 out of 10 or 73% for a product the author raves about? A C- or D grade? This is a classic of a publication that depends economically upon the success of one vendor, reviewing the product of a competing vendor. It is often the copy editor who does this, forcing down the rating of the author at the insistance of the management.
Boooo CNET, Boooo!
cnet = reviews for sale
CNET:
Computing Nerds Excreting Tedium
hahahahaha
you rule , baby
😀
What’s the fuss? My dream girl is only a 7.3 out of 10.
There was a time, during the late 90’s when CNET was an amazing company and did some great work. They had their finger truly on the pulse of technology and proved it… Since then they’ve grown increasingly irrelevant and out of touch. It’s sad because Brian Cooley is a talented intelligent guy and others who have come and gone were worthy people. I can barely read anything from them anymore. They piss me off or bore me alternately almost anytime I do…so mostly I just ignore them…and I strongly recommend you do the same. Why pay attention to a group that has only a few reviews of current products and gets wrong the ones they DO have?
do you guys think CNET really cares about what apple users think?
I gotta agree with jay.
Anyone higher than a 7.3 is too damned high maintenance for me.
That’s the cutoff point. Above 7.3 you may as well pay for a premium hooker as the need arises. It’s cheaper and they swallow.
I have not used a modem in five years, I’m glad its gone.
And S-video really get a new TV, if you can afford a MacBook Pro you can buy a new TV/Monitor/Projector that uses DVI and if not buy the one adapter you will need to hook up your legacy equipment. I don’t want three different video ports on my notebook. The adapter solution is Apples elegant way of keeping its award winning design looking clean and sleek.
Toshiba Qosimodo G35?
I think they’ve topped even Sony’s MP3 players in the category of worst product name ever.
Then again, I saw one that was WAAAY better in the early ’90s when I lived in Japan. There was a sports drink on the market for just a few months for reasons that will become immediately obvious when I tell you that the name was – I am not making this up –
“Mucus”.