What Is Noise

Starting at GamerDNA they assigned me a 17″ Macbook Pro even though I already had a laptop personally. This was much appreciated on my part, as I always hated having to keep my computer “ready for business” at Jazkarta and installing a ton of crap on it that I didn’t want/use. If my personal computer broke because I did something to it odd (like running a Developer Release of OS X) then I was screwed.

Anyway, I got a new laptop. It’s got the 17″ high-resolution (1920×1200) display, 2GB of RAM (gotta upgrade this to 4GB next month) and a 512MB GeForce 8600M GT video card. Its also got all of the other standard options. If you don’t know what comes standard then go to Apple’s site or Google it.

I already have a relatively new 15″ Macbook Pro C2D 2.2ghz 4GB that I reviewed before and I love much. This is my 5th Mac that I’ve had personally or assigned to me (actually 6th if you count the studio computer that I used to use daily at Taylor’s studio).

Let me say, this computer screams. If you need anything stronger than this… then you are either doing HD/4K video, serious data analysis, a hardcore gamer, or something else crazy. This is the fastest computer I’ve ever had.

The 17″ High Resolution screen is amazing. I have the matte screen which imho is the only way to go. Glossy just looks like hell. I don’t like my photos on glossy paper generally, and I don’t like glossy screens either. I also compared the non-LED backlit screen vs this LED backlit one, its a night and day difference.

The 17″ has an additional USB port, larger speakers, weighs a bit more, and has a much larger battery than the 15″. Battery life is superb and outlast my 15″ by at least an hour. The sound is crisp and clear, worlds above my old G4 iBook 12″.

Upgraded from my 15″, but now available as standard options, are the new multitouch mousepad that rocks much more than I thought it would, My 15″ has a 128MB video card (can’t remember the model, but this one is much faster). Also the new ones come with a smaller and lighter power supply which is always a plus.

Downgraded is the fact that it no longer comes with an Apple Remote. I fear that Apple is phasing these out, as fewer and fewer of their systems come standard with it. I think it’s a really nice feature, but I guess the found that few people were using them. I use mine nonstop, as I generally keep one of my systems hooked up to my 37″ 1080p monitor at home and to my main speaker system. They also have a slightly different keyboard layout than my 15″, missing the lower enter key and switching around the volume and expose key. No biggie but a tiny bit annoying.

So asides from saying, “its fast” how fast is it? Well I’m not about to bust out benchmarks, but it runs WoW on my 37″ external screen at 1920×1200 at all settings maxed out and gets between 40-120fps in all scenes. Everything else also flies on it. I exported some videos to YouTube and the compression was nearly instant. Team Fortress 2 and Halflife 2 run at full resolution, with everything cranked at respectable frame rates that are totally playable.

The downsides of the system are… well somewhat obvious. Its big. I’m about to hop on a flight in a few minutes with it… and I don’t think its going to fit into my coach seat well- certainly not if anyone is beside me. I do wish that Apple still sold a smaller footprint notebook, but I guess they think that we should all buy Macbook Airs.

As a plus, my Crumpler Customary Barge shocked me. It holds a 15″ Macbook Pro AND a 17″ Macbook Pro, plus all cables, my D-SLR and extra lenses/flashes and a ton of other stuff. Of course I worry that it would be stolen with over $10,000 of gear in it (although they won’t be running away as it weighs a TON then and literally hurts after walking a mile), but it works. Hell, I could probably throw an Eee-PC, a Macbook Air, and a Kindle in there with it and would still have room.

Not sure if I want to leave this monster on my desk, or have it as my main unit on my back. I might actually just go get an Eee-PC for super-mobile stuff and only carry a “main” laptop if I need it. Save my back!