Manage updates with the Download AppApple MacBook Pro Winter 2011 (2.2GHz Core i7, 15-inch)
Manufacturer: Apple Part number: MC723LL/A
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- It's a hefty investment, but the combination of new high-end Intel processor options and AMD graphics makes the 15-inch MacBook Pro an all-around powerhouse, with the new Thunderbolt I/O port as an added bonus.
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CNET editors' review
Apple MacBook Pro Winter 2011 (2.2GHz Core i7, 15-inch) price range: $1,599.99 - $1,799.00
- Reviewed by: Dan Ackerman
- Reviewed on: 02/25/2011
- Released on: 02/24/2011
The good: Powerful updates to the CPU and GPU; excellent battery life; still the best touch pad and gesture controls of any laptop.
The bad: Upgrades can get expensive; Thunderbolt is an unproven technology with as-yet no compatible products; still no dedicated HDMI, Blu-ray, or other wished-for options.
The bottom line: It's a hefty investment, but the combination of new high-end Intel processor options and AMD graphics makes the 15-inch MacBook Pro an all-around powerhouse, with the new Thunderbolt I/O port as an added bonus.
User reviews
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Could not ask for a better mac!!! This is it, folks
by dinjin201 on February 25, 2011
Pros: Really nice 2.2Ghz Core i7 Processor
I got the high end 15" model with the Radeon HD 6750M and 1 GB of GDDR5
8GB of 1333Mhz DDR3 Memory
750 GB HDD - while its a slower hard drive (at 5400 RPM) space is a must for me
I got the high res glossy displayCons: While I have no real complaints to make about this mac, I will say that the price is a lot to pay. I also feel like thier AppleCare should come standard with each and every mac. (not for an extra $250 After the education discount).
Summary: This Macbook Pro is a great machine, and is my first macboook, but my third mac. I really really love it. One thing that really sold me was Time Machine. ...
Summary: This Macbook Pro is a great machine, and is my first macboook, but my third mac. I really really love it. One thing that really sold me was Time Machine. Time machine comes standard on any mac, and all you have to do is plug in an external hard drive and click "Use drive with Time Machine" Once you do that, the mac will do an initial backup, completely hassle free. After this, If you make any changes to the system, the files you changed are backed up, along with any older versions. Time Machine has its own interface that lets you view your computer as it was on a certain date so if you need a particular verison of a file, or if you want to work with an older copy, it lets you do so quite effectively. The best part is that you can back things up at your own liesure. If you're working on something extremely important, you can leave your drive plugged in, and the mac performs backups on a 1 hour interval. At the same time, you can remove the drive and plug it in later and it will do the backup of that moment. One last thing to note is that you can set up time machine for multiple drives, letting you maintain onsite and offsite backups with ease.
Guys, this is just a troll who didn't buy the actual product, and reserves no right to review it.
Another thing about the Mac OS is its significantly easy to use management of everything. almost anything is 1-2 clicks away. Even files buried in the deepest folders ever can be accessed through spotlight. The dock makes launching applications easier, and always stays there, so you can launch applications without ever having to leave what you were doing. This simplifies workflow.
On the hardware side, I cannot wait to see where Thunderbolt will go. Intel announced that the fiber optic version of thunderbolt would run on the current macs because the laser emitters will soon be included in the cables. This ensures that I will not have to worry about issues down the line when Thunderbolt goes totally Optical.
What I do on my Mac:
I edit HD video. Lots of it.
I play some casual games in windows through bootcamp
I have many many apps running at once, including CS4, Photoshop, and Final Cut.
I do a little graphics design, some CAD as a hobby... etc.
Web browsing and working with documents, spreadsheets and keynote presentations.
I also store all my photos on this mac - iPhoto is great for organizing those, and is a very flexible program.
Finally, I highly recommend this notebook to anyone who considers themselves a power user. If you're on the fence about switching to the mac, now is a great time to dive right in. It took me about a week to get totally used to the Mac OS (not very long, to be honest).
Once you go mac, you never go back :)
Updated on Mar 22, 2011
Updated on Mar 22, 2011Show me even a windows laptop with the specs you just asked for. Show me. Next time, before you post bogus reviews, please buy the machine OR at least test drive it for yourself.
Updated on Nov 14, 2011PS: To those of you claiming that I don't have the machine, I can email you some pictures, or a video or myself using the machine. I'm not a troll nor am I stupid. I actually have the machine in front of me and I'm typing on it right now.16 out of 22 users found this user opinion helpful.
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A Real Competitor from Apple
by punchwalk on March 4, 2011
Pros: 2nd-gen i7 Quad-Core processors, Unibody design is still as good as it gets, brilliant display panel, battery life is a cut above the competition. Thunderbolt, if it lives up to its potential.
Cons: Price, No USB 3.0, no HDMI out, AppleCare should be cheaper considering the exorbitant price of this notebook
Summary: In past years, I always passed on Apple computers despite my interest because I couldn't reconcile the idea of paying the premium for specs that were severely outdated. I ...
Summary: In past years, I always passed on Apple computers despite my interest because I couldn't reconcile the idea of paying the premium for specs that were severely outdated. I think Apple actually made a significant stride towards being more competitive and "with the times" with their latest MBP refresh. The new CPU offerings are only a couple months on the market, which was unheard of for previous MBP lines. True, it's lacking a few other things that a PC labeled as "Pro" and sold in 2011 probably should have (GPU could be a bit better [though I assume the nVIDIA/Intel debacle played a role in that], USB 3.0, cheaper 8GB RAM option, HDMI port, etc), but nothing about it is so archaic as to cause the price point to be downright offensive as it was in years past.
I was on the fence about buying my first Mac for a few years and this refresh convinced me to finally pull the trigger. So far I'm absolutely loving it. On one hand, $2000 is a bit high for a 15" laptop. On the other hand, I bought a 15" HP dv6t Quad Edition back in January, fully spec-ed out (i7-2820QM, 8GB RAM, 1GB ATI 6570 I think, etc) for $1300 (got a discount, so really I spent a little less but the retail price was $1400) and it was the worst laptop I've ever used. I sent it back in less that two weeks. Given the vast difference in quality of user experience, components, and design, I think the $700 difference between the two is well worth it.
Side Note: I'm hoping the latest refresh is a sign of a permanent shift in Apple's release strategy for MBP such that future refresh dates will be in reasonably close proximity to Intel arch. updates from now on.
For users who feel an attachment to Windows, be advised that, through BootCamp, the MacBook Pro runs Windows as well as any other notebook I've used (though, it's worth mentioning that you won't enjoy nearly the same battery longevity when running Windows through BootCamp as you do in OS X, which is a real drag).6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Same Classy Design, Spec update that puts it in front
by epicdesign on February 27, 2011
Pros: Thunderbolt, New intel i series quad core processors, amazing screen, only laptop with built in HD camera, best operating system about to get better
Cons: Non enough peripherals for Thunderbolt (YET)
Summary: Apple stayed with the same classy design externally but went crazy on the inside, everything from the processor to the camera has been updated. This laptop won't be matched ...
Summary: Apple stayed with the same classy design externally but went crazy on the inside, everything from the processor to the camera has been updated. This laptop won't be matched for at least a year or so, and with Lion coming out, its going to be a hell of a lot better. I've had several MacBook Pros in the past and they are reliable computers that last longer than any other computer.
The price you pay for the computer is well worth it, since it holds it resale value more than any other computer, and for business people if your switching from PC, the time your saving not waiting around for the computer to do something will pay for the computer in a matter in months.
Most of all, MACS DON'T GET VIRUSES, if you manage to get one you deserve an award ;)5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Replaced June 2009 MBP. Couldn't pass up the quadcore!
by rmignano on February 27, 2011
Pros: Very similar to my older MBP. So I guess that's a good thing. Sold sweet machine. Fast but not wildly faster than former MBP. I did add a Seagate Hybrid Drive and bumped to 8GB Ram. Waiting to see the effect of the Hybrid after time.
Cons: Not the major restyle I was hoping for. Not thinner, lighter or with the SSD boot drive and Standard drive combo. Thunderbolt? Well we need to have something to connect to, but that will come.
Summary: It's the best laptop you can buy. basically the same price I paid 21 months ago for more specs.
If you happen to be running a second monitor using ...Summary: It's the best laptop you can buy. basically the same price I paid 21 months ago for more specs.
If you happen to be running a second monitor using a USB adapter, go to the DisplayLink site to download the latest Mac Driver. I had an older one from Kensington and it said it didn't recognize the Intel Processor. THe new Displaylink driver works fine. Also If you go with the Hybrid drive (an easy swap) make sure to update the firmware to SD24. Easy and available on the Seagate Site.5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Super fast, bright, and crisp with very few issues
by gmcfalls on February 28, 2011
Pros: Speed and graphics performance is awesome, overall design is still amongst the best available, battery life is 3x my previous Core 2 duo laptop, designed for the designer - it works incredibly well with Adobe CS5, FCS, Aperture, etc...
Cons: Not a huge fan of the keyboard. I type pretty fast so my fingers stay close to the keys. I find myself rubbing against the keys too much as they are separated. Some applications are crashing frequently like Blender and Premiere Pro.
Summary: Outstanding laptop and definitely worth $2200 if you are into a lot of design work. The thing is blazing fast. Compared to my previous 1.6 GHz Core 2 Duo, ...
Summary: Outstanding laptop and definitely worth $2200 if you are into a lot of design work. The thing is blazing fast. Compared to my previous 1.6 GHz Core 2 Duo, Aperture is 5x faster, FCS is 7x faster, and Maya is amazing at up to 20x faster because of the 8 virtual cores and dedicated graphics processor. Applications like Maya really tap the power of the system. It's great that I feel like I have a laptop that's geared to the next generation of multicore designed applications. The Facetime app is fantastic and works very smoothly with the new HD camera. I can't wait for the next update to the OS X Lion which should bring improvements to Mail and iCal as well. It runs much, much cooler than my previous model - this is a definite improvement.
Some of the downsides I've noticed are that the system seems a little more unstable for certain apps. Specifically, Blender and Premiere Pro are giving me a lot of problems with stability. They either crash or behave oddly. For example, in Blender, when I go to rotate a model, the model clips and then disappears. A few seconds later the app crashes. This is frustrating. The keyboard is can be a little annoying at times as my fingers are sliding against the sides of the keys when I type. It just feels weird.
One feature that I really can't comment on is the Thunderbolt, or Light Peak, port. Nothing uses this. I've seen demos where people are transferring something ridiculous like 500 MB/s. But where is the support for this? I feel like I have a Ferrari without a gas tank. Looks great and sounds great - but missing a key thing to get it going.4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Best laptop I've ever owned.
by icy1007 on February 26, 2011
Pros: quad-core, decent gpu, long battery life, unibody design
Cons: Price is a little high, but you get what you pay for.
Summary: Best Mac ever.
Summary: Best Mac ever.
4 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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very impressed as a first time mac user
by dhyp315 on February 25, 2011
Pros: great specs that put the life of the mac well over three to five years.
intel i7 core quad
thunderbolt
HD webcam
256GB of discrete video ( 512GB at least should have been offered)Cons: still the same design as the macbook pro 2010
can get hot after some long hours of usage
right now no thunderbolt applications ( that changes later on in spring)Summary: Once again this is the first macbook ever. I have purchased the $1799 model and got 100 dollars off. This isn't bad. as the specs puts the mac in ...
Summary: Once again this is the first macbook ever. I have purchased the $1799 model and got 100 dollars off. This isn't bad. as the specs puts the mac in the high end. what more do u want after a year the macbook is 2 to 3 times faster than last year and the battery doesn't suffer. pick your specs or go with the budget. whatever you decide i think would be satisfied.
4 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The cost of membership is high, but it performs:
by Jaheed on March 3, 2011
Pros: - The speed and reliability is spot on.
- If ThunderBolt delivers as promised... My life editing has just gotten a bit sweeter.Cons: - There only a 4.5% difference in speed between the 2.2 and 2.3 Ghz Processor and a 11% price increase.
- No Blu-RaySummary: OK: Almost a month ago I purchased the MBP 2010 High-End 2.8Ghz 15 in with 8GB RAM and must say I was very proud with the performance. But not ...
Summary: OK: Almost a month ago I purchased the MBP 2010 High-End 2.8Ghz 15 in with 8GB RAM and must say I was very proud with the performance. But not to be out done by Apple and it's wonderful updates, I raced back to the store to get the 2011 MBP 2.3Ghz 15 in with 8GB RAM to ensure I could get at least a years worth of development and productivity without feeling left behind.
Overall, this machine smokes and I would suggest it to any gear head or gamer. The down side is you really do see a noticeable difference between the 2.2 and 2.3 Ghz Processor so... you guessed it. I'm taking this one back to the store and I'm going to use the extra $250 toward to the iPad2 which will save my shoulders whilst on the road.
I'd definitely suggest the 2.2Ghz to friends and fellow developers. I hope this post helps.3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Outstanding Performance but a Serious Investment
by ravenlynch on August 20, 2011
Pros: Performance is incredible, especially with the 1GB option (and the 256MB is no slouch). An array of ports to fill your needs (IEEE 1394, USB 2.0, Thunderbolt, etc). The display is actually very beautiful. Nice feel to the keyboard, trackpad. Solid machine
Cons: It takes a rather serious commitment to your computing experience to justify the price. OS X Lion initially had a few quarks to it but 10.7.1 is already out and is addressing them.
Summary: I originally picked up a 15" model but found that I needed the Express Card 34 for a pro audio accessory so I upgraded to the 17"; they are identical ...
Summary: I originally picked up a 15" model but found that I needed the Express Card 34 for a pro audio accessory so I upgraded to the 17"; they are identical with the exception that the 17" model has an extra USB port, no SD card reader but does have Express Card (which most people don't need). The first thing I did was run GeekBench and to my satisfaction I found that it scored 10,066! A phenomenal value for a laptop. So you have a solid, well built machine appointed with the finest materials that computers are made from these days and combine that with outstanding performance and a modern operating system that is both user friendly and powerful. I can't really think of asking for more, except to possibly lower the price...
To summarize, you definitely can't go wrong with the latest MacBook Pro, but seeing as these machines are at least $2000 USD, one should have a serious commitment to their computing whether it be for pleasure, work or both.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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the best laptop i've ever owned
by cantsurf on February 27, 2011
Pros: quick, almost instant on from sleep, plays Starcraft II with no problems, the battery life is amazing i get well over 10 hours on work applications and 7 while watching videos
Cons: 5400rpm drive, price (i didn't pay for it but i did pay for the last one this one was a replacement from applecare)
Summary: far superior to my late 2008 model in every way, bottom line just get it.
Summary: far superior to my late 2008 model in every way, bottom line just get it.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Apple
- Part number: MC723LL/A
- Description: MacBook Pro is machined from a single piece of aluminum, an engineering breakthrough that replaced many parts with just one. It's called the unibody. And the first time you pick up a MacBook Pro you'll notice the difference it makes. The entire enclosure is thinner and lighter than other notebooks. It looks polished and refined. And it feels strong and durable - perfect for life inside (and outside) your briefcase or backpack.
General
- Packaged Quantity 1
- System Type Notebook
- OS Provided Apple MacOS X 10.6
- Notebook type HD display,
Midsize Processor / Chipset
- CPU Intel Core i7 2.2 GHz
- Number of Cores Quad-Core
- Cache L3 cache - 6 MB
- 64-bit Computing Yes
- Features Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0,
Integrated memory controller,
Hyper-Threading Technology Memory
- RAM 4 GB ( 2 x 2 GB )
- Max RAM Supported 8 GB
- Technology DDR3 SDRAM
- Speed 1333 MHz
- Form Factor SO DIMM 204-pin
- Slots Qty 2
- Empty Slots 0
Storage
- Hard Drive 750 GB HDD / 5400 rpm
- Interface Serial ATA-300
- Optical Drive DVD±RW (±R DL) - Fixed
- Read Speed 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD)
- Write Speed 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD±R) / 4x (DVD±R DL)
- Rewrite Speed 10x (CD) / 4x (DVD±RW)
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 50 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 95 °F
- Humidity Range Operating 0 - 90%
Display
- Type 15.4 in
- LCD Backlight Technology LED backlight
- Max Resolution 1440 x 900 ( WXGA+ )
- Widescreen Yes
- Features Glossy
Audio & Video
- Multi-GPU Configuration 1 single GPU card / integrated GPU
- Graphics Processor AMD Radeon HD 6750M / Intel HD Graphics 3000 - 1 GB GDDR5 SDRAM
- Camera Yes
- Capture Resolutions 1280 x 720
- Sound Subwoofer , Microphone,
Stereo speakers Input
- Type Backlit keyboard,
Trackpad - Keyboard Layout English
- Features Multi-touch touchpad
Communications
- Wireless 802.11n,
Bluetooth 2.1 EDR - Network Interface Gigabit Ethernet
Battery
- Technology Lithium polymer
- Capacity 85 Wh
- Run Time 7 hour(s)
AC Adapter
- Voltage Required AC 120/230 V ( 50/60 Hz )
Connections & Expansion
- Interfaces LAN,
FireWire 800,
2 x USB 2.0,
Thunderbolt,
Microphone input,
Headphone/SPDIF combo jack - Memory Card Reader Card reader ( SDHC Memory Card ),
( SDXC Memory Card ),
( SD Memory Card ) Software
- Software Included Apple iCal,
Apple QuickTime,
Apple iTunes,
Apple Dashboard,
Apple Spotlight,
Apple XCode Developer Tools,
Drivers & Utilities,
Apple Address Book,
Apple Safari,
Apple DVD Player,
Apple iLife,
Apple Time Machine,
Apple Quick Look,
Apple Spaces,
Photo Booth,
Front Row,
Apple iChat,
Apple Mac OS X Mail Miscellaneous
- Features Security lock slot (cable lock sold separately) ,
Aluminum enclosure - Included Accessories Cleaning cloth
- Localization English
Dimensions & Weight
- Width 14.3 in
- Depth 9.8 in
- Height 0.9 in
- Weight 5.5 lbs
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 1 year,
Technical support - Phone consulting - 90 days Sustainability
- ENERGY STAR Qualified Yes
- EPEAT Compliant EPEAT Gold
- Greenpeace policy rating (Nov 2011) 4.6
- Greenpeace policy rating (Nov 2012) 4.5
Product series
-
Apple MacBook Pro Winter 2011 (2.7GHz Core i7, 13-inch)
Manufacturer: Apple
Specs: Intel Core i7 2.7 GHz ( Dual-Core ),
4 GB / 8 GB (max),
500 GB - Serial ATA-300 - 5400 rpm,
Apple MacOS X 10.6,
13.3 in TFT active matrix,
1280 x 800 ( WXGA ),
Intel HD Graphics 3000 Dynamic Video Memory Technology 5.0,
DVD±RW (±R DL) - Integrated,
4.4 lbs,
L3 cache,
4 MB -
Apple MacBook Pro Winter 2011 (2.0 GHz Core i7, 15 in)
Manufacturer: Apple
Specs: Intel Core i7 2 GHz ( Quad-Core ),
4 GB / 8 GB (max),
500 GB - Serial ATA-300 - 5400 rpm,
Apple MacOS X 10.6,
15.4 in TFT active matrix,
1440 x 900 ( WXGA+ ),
AMD Radeon HD 6490M / Intel HD Graphics 3000,
DVD±RW (±R DL) - Integrated,
256 MB GDDR5 SDRAM,
5.5 lbs,
L3 cache,
6 MB -
Apple MacBook Pro Winter 2011 (2.2GHz Core i7, 15-inch)
Manufacturer: Apple
Specs: Intel Core i7 2.2 GHz ( Quad-Core ),
4 GB / 8 GB (max),
750 GB - Serial ATA-300 - 5400 rpm,
Apple MacOS X 10.6,
15.4 in TFT active matrix,
1440 x 900 ( WXGA+ ),
AMD Radeon HD 6750M / Intel HD Graphics 3000,
DVD±RW (±R DL) - Integrated,
1 GB GDDR5 SDRAM,
5.5 lbs,
L3 cache,
6 MB
Accessories
- Action Sport Drives Birdhouse SkateDrive Ptero - USB flash drive - 16 GB (35141986)17.99 - 19.99
- Action Sport Drives Birdhouse SkateDrive Ptero - USB flash drive - 8 GB (34933084)11.99 - 12.99
- Action Sport Drives Burton SnowDrive Feather 11 - USB flash drive - 4 GB (35074397)9.99
- Apple Magic Mouse (33783857)47.99 - 114.38
- Apple Mighty Mouse (wireless) (31985391)69.89
- Ergoguys mouse (34828802)
- Cisco Linksys E4200 v2 Maximum Performance Dual-Band N900 router (35098697)149.99 - 216.92
- Asus RT-N56U Dual-Band Gigabit Wireless-N Router (34200558)115.24 - 143.89
- ASUS RT-N12 B1 - wireless router - none - 802.11b/g/n - desktop (35025047)39.99 - 70.00
- ASUS WL-330N - wireless router - 802.11b/g/n - desktop (35224227)
- Belkin N300 Wireless N Router - wireless router - none - 802.11b/g/n - desktop (34859949)38.35 - 39.99
- Belkin N750 DB Wireless Dual-Band N+ Router - wireless router - 802.11 a/b/g/n - desktop (35190485)99.09 - 149.66
- Belkin N900 Dual-Band Wireless Router - wireless router - 802.11n - desktop (35262637)195.99 - 299.34
- Cisco 881 Fast Ethernet Security Router supporting EVDO/1xRTT - router - cellular modem - 802.11b/g/n (draft 2.0) - desktop (35026157)886.99 - 907.99
- CradlePoint CBR400 Compact Broadband Router - wireless router - 802.11b/g/n - desktop (34846899)190.45 - 216.40
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Apple products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:Apple
- Address:
One Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014 - Phone: 1-408-996-1010
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