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Apple MacBook Pro MB604LL/A 17-Inch Laptop (2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Slot Loading SuperDrive)
 
41zu%2BbCgbpL. SL160  Apple MacBook Pro MB604LL/A 17 Inch Laptop (2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Slot Loading SuperDrive)
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Product Description

Redesigned with a precision unibody enclosure crafted from a single block of aluminum, the 17-inch MacBook Pro is thinner and lighter than its predecessor as well as stronger and more durable. But Apple didn't stop innovating with the body's design. The MacBook Pro also includes a new high-resolution LED-backlit widescreen with a 1920-by-1200-pixel resolution, a greater color gamut for more vibrant colors, and a 700:1 contrast ratio that makes whites brighter and blacks blacker. It also includes the new glass trackpad that does away with the trackpad button (for larger tracking area) and features Apple's Multi-Touch technology. And the non-removable battery lasts up to 8 hours on a single charge and can be recharged up to 1000 times--compared with only 200 to 300 times for typical notebooks.

macbookpro 17 hero 500 Apple MacBook Pro MB604LL/A 17 Inch Laptop (2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Slot Loading SuperDrive)

The redesigned 17-inch MacBook Pro (see larger version).
Under the hood, the MacBook Pro is powered by a powerful 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (with 6 MB L2 cache and 1066 MHz front-side bus), which runs applications faster and more efficiently as well as helps to reduce power requirements and save on battery life. And the MacBook Pro includes two video processors for ultimate flexibility: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics for great everyday performance and NVIDIA 9600M GT discrete graphics (512MB of GDDR3 memory) for fast, smooth video--perfect for 3D gaming.

It's pre-loaded with Apple's Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system, which enables easy backup of your most important data via Time Machine, a redesigned desktop that helps eliminate clutter. It also comes with the iLife '09 suite of applications--including the latest versions of iPhoto, iMovie, and Garageband--and the newest version of the fast-loading Safari web browser. Other hardware features include a 320 GB hard drive, 4 GB of installed RAM (which can be upgraded to 8 GB), an 8x combo Superdrive (for burning dual-layer DVDs as well as CDs), built-in Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed networking, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), FireWire 800 port, Mini DisplayPort video output (for DVI and VGA connections), and an ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot for expansion solutions such as 3G cellular networking.

The New MacBook Pro Design
Traditionally notebooks are made from multiple parts. With the new MacBook all of those parts with just one part--the breakthrough unibody enclosure. Every MacBook Pro starts its life as a single block of aluminum, which is precisely machined into the basic unibody design. Another pass and the unibody takes shape. Another, and the integrated keyboard emerges. When you pick up a new MacBook Pro, you immediately notice the entire enclosure is thinner and lighter. And it feels strong and durable--perfect for life inside (and outside) your briefcase or backpack.

macbookpro unibody trio Apple MacBook Pro MB604LL/A 17 Inch Laptop (2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Slot Loading SuperDrive)

macbookpro 17 trackpad 500 Apple MacBook Pro MB604LL/A 17 Inch Laptop (2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Slot Loading SuperDrive)
The standard aluminum electro-static trackpad has been replaced with a new glass Multi-Touch trackpad, which provides 40 percent more tracking area than before. Use two fingers to scroll up and down a page. Pinch to zoom in and out. Rotate an image with your fingertips. Swipe with three fingers to flip through your photo libraries. Swipe with four fingers to show your desktop, view all open windows, or switch applications. The entire trackpad surface is also a button, allowing you to both track and click virtually anywhere on the trackpad. And you can easily enable multiple virtual buttons in software, such as right-clicking.

The keyboard has also been improved, with the rigid aluminum keyboard webbing cut precisely to hold the keys, which are curved to perfectly fit fingers. And it's illuminated, so when you're in low-light settings, such as airplanes or conference rooms, you can always see what you're typing.

Vibrant Display
With the high-resolution LED-backlit widescreen display on the 17-inch MacBook Pro, you get desktop-quality color in an Apple notebook for the first time. The moment you open your MacBook Pro, you're greeted instantly by full, corner-to-corner screen brightness. The 1920 x 1200-pixel resolution (133 pixels per inch) means you can view more palettes and windows or watch HD video in its native 1920 x 1080 resolution. Perfect whether you're working in the studio or out in the field, the display offers a 60 percent greater color gamut than previous generations for richer, more vibrant colors and a 700:1 contrast ratio that makes whites brighter and blacks blacker. In addition, the seamless glass enclosure makes the display stronger and more durable. Because it's power efficient and the glass is mercury- and arsenic-free, it's also greener than ever.

Long-Lasting Battery
The 17-inch MacBook Pro includes a newly engineered lithium-polymer battery that that lasts up to 8 hours on a single charge thanks to advanced chemistry, intelligent monitoring of the system and battery, and Adaptive Charging technology. The battery is built right into the computer, eliminating the space-consuming mechanisms and housings that standard removable batteries require. This non-removable battery also provides a longer battery lifespan of up to 1,000 recharges--meaning fewer depleted batteries and less waste, which is better for the environment.

Giving it a lifespan of up to 1000 recharges required breakthroughs in battery technology. Apple electro-chemists developed advanced chemistry that maintains the battery's charging capabilities longer than ever. And while most notebooks wear down their batteries by charging them at a constant rate, the 17-inch MacBook Pro takes a different approach. Using an Apple-developed technology called Adaptive Charging, a microchip on the battery constantly communicates with the computer to determine the optimal way to charge its cells, adjusting the current up and down depending on a variety of conditions. Combined, these advancements offer a dramatic improvement in battery lifespan: more than three times the lifespan of typical notebook batteries--up to five years.

macbookpro 17 battery 450 Apple MacBook Pro MB604LL/A 17 Inch Laptop (2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Slot Loading SuperDrive)

Off-the-shelf lithium-ion cells come in fixed, cylindrical shapes. The 17-inch MacBook Pro is powered by custom-made, ultrathin lithium-polymer batteries.
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
Experience improved energy efficiency, expanded wireless connectivity, and amazing battery life with the 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which has a super-fast 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and an extra-large 6 MB on-chip shared L2 cache running 1:1 with processor speed. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

The new hafnium-infused circuitry--which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors--conserves even more energy, giving you more time away from the wall outlet. With 6 MB of shared L2 cache, data and instructions can be kept close to the two processor cores, greatly increasing performance and allowing the entire system to work more efficiently. And, because the processor cores share the L2 cache, either can use the entire amount if the other happens to be idle.

Video Processing & Output
The new MacBook Pro combines the efficiency of an integrated graphics processor with the desktop-class performance of a discrete graphics processor thanks to the inclusion of both. Out of the box, it runs the integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M processor, which provides plenty of performance for everyday use with up to 5 hours of battery life. But when you need turbocharged performance for the most graphically intensive tasks, the discrete NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT processor delivers--such as for demanding 3D games like Quake, Call of Duty, and Spore. And thanks to a new graphics architecture, it's easy to switch between these two processors. The 9400M graphics processor shares 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM with main memory, while the 9600M provides 512 MB of dedicated GDDR3 video memory.

The MacBook Pro includes a next generation Mini DisplayPort, which delivers a pure digital signal that can drive up to a 30-inch widescreen display. The Mini DisplayPort is ultra-compact at just 10 percent the size of a full DVI connector, and is compatible with Apple's 24-inch Cinema Display. Adapters are also available for using VGA, DVI/HDMI and Dual-Link DVI displays

Hard Drive and Memory
The 320 GB Serial-ATA (SATA) hard drive (5400 RPM) quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to FireWire and USB 2.0. The 4 GB of PC3-8500 DDR2 RAM (two SO-DIMMs of 1024 MB) has an industry-leading 1066 MHz speed, and the RAM capacity can be increased to 8 GB.

Wireless Connectivity
The built-in 802.11n wireless networking provides up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g, but it's also backward-compatible with 802.11a/b/g routers, enabling you to communicate with the a wide variety of Wi-Fi resources. It works seamlessly with the new AirPort Extreme with 802.11n. Use the built-in Bluetooth wireless technology to connect to your PDA or cell phone, synchronize addresses, or download pictures from your cell phone. You can also use a wireless headset for iChat audio chats and VoIP calls as well as quickly share files with a colleague.

Video Conferencing with Built-in iSight
Artfully placed in the glass display is an iSight camera, which enables easy video conferencing as well as allows you to snap pictures of yourself and create video podcasts. Using the iChat AV application, video conferencing is integrated into your iChat buddy list, so initiating a video conference is a breeze. iChat also lets you hold audio chats with up to 10 people and provides high-quality audio compression and full-duplex sound so conversation can flow naturally. For video podcasting, you can record a short clip using the iSight camera, then use iWeb to create a video blog entry or post your GarageBand-recorded podcast.

Other Features

  • Three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800, ExpressCard/34 slot
  • Mini DisplayPort compatible with DVI, VGA, and dual-link DVI connectors (all optional)
  • 8x slot-loading SuperDrive with the following write speeds: 8x DVD±R; 4x DVD±R DL (double layer); 4x DVD±RW; 24x CD-R; 10x CD-RW
  • Built-in full-size backlit keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys (inverted "T" arrangement)
  • Internal omnidirectional microphone and built-in speakers
  • Combined optical digital output/headphone out (minijack)
  • Combined optical digital input/audio line in (minijack)
  • 95-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery providing up to 8 hours of battery life using 9400M graphics (up to 7 hours using 9600M graphics)
  • Kensington lock slot
  • Measures 15.47 x 10.51 x 0.98 inches (WxDxH) and weighs 6.6 pounds (including battery)
macbookpro 17 side profile 700 Apple MacBook Pro MB604LL/A 17 Inch Laptop (2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Slot Loading SuperDrive)

macbookpro enviro Apple MacBook Pro MB604LL/A 17 Inch Laptop (2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Slot Loading SuperDrive)
Environtmental Considerations
The entire new MacBook family meets stringent Energy Star 4.0, EPEAT Gold and RoHS environmental standards, and leads the industry in the elimination of toxic chemicals by containing no brominated flame retardants, using only PVC-free internal cables and components, and using energy efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass.

Preloaded with Leopard and iLife '09
The biggest Mac OS X upgrade ever, the Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system features over 300 new features, including:

  • Time Machine, an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac
  • A redesigned Finder that lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs
  • Quick Look, a new way to instantly see files without opening an application
  • Spaces, an intuitive new feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them
  • A brand new desktop with Stacks, a new way to easily access files from the Dock
  • Major enhancements to Mail and iChat
macbookupgr leopard stacks Apple MacBook Pro MB604LL/A 17 Inch Laptop (2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Slot Loading SuperDrive)

Preloaded with Leopard, you'll enjoy enhanced productivity and a clutter-free desktop (thanks to the the redesigned 3D Dock with Stacks).
Leopard's new desktop includes the redesigned 3D Dock with Stacks, a new way to organize files for quick and easy access with just one click. Leopard automatically places web, email and other downloads in a Downloads stack to maintain a clutter-free desktop, and you can instantly fan the contents of this and other Stacks into an elegant arc right from the Dock. The updated Finder includes Cover Flow and a new sidebar with a dramatically simplified way to search for, browse and copy content from any PC or Mac on a local network.

Time Machine lets you easily back up all of the data on your Mac, find lost files and even restore all of the software on their Mac. With just a one-click setup, Time Machine automatically keeps an up-to-date copy of everything on the Mac. In the event a file is lost, you can search back through time to find deleted files, applications, photos and other digital media and then instantly restore the file.

The MacBook also comes with the iLife '09 suite of applications that make it easy to live the digital life. Use iPhoto to share entire high-res photo albums with anyone who's got an email address. Record your own songs and podcasts with GarageBand. Break into indie filmmaking with iMovie and iDVD. Then take all the stuff you made on your MacBook and share it on the web in one click with iWeb.

Included Software
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard (includes iTunes, Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, Xcode Developer Tools) iLife (includes iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand)

Certified Frustration-Free Packaging
Amazon.com has certified this product is Frustration Free. A Frustration-Free Package is easy-to-open and comes without hard plastic "clamshell" casings, plastic bindings, and wire ties. It's designed to be opened without the use of a box cutter or knife and will protect your product just as well as traditional packaging during shipping. Products with Frustration-Free Packaging can frequently be shipped in their own boxes, without the need for an additional shipping box. Learn more about Frustration-Free Packaging.

What's in the Box
MacBook Pro, display cleaning cloth, 85W MagSafe Power Adapter, AC wall plug, power cord, install/restore DVDs, printed and electronic documentation

Product Details

  • Built-in lithium-polymer battery. Up to 8 hours of wireless productivity.
  • NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics processor and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics processor; Glossy display
  • 320GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive; 512MB of GDDR3 memory
  • 4GB of 1066MHz DDR3 memory; two SO-DIMM slots support up to 8GB
  • SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)

Video Reviews

television Apple MacBook Pro MB604LL/A 17 Inch Laptop (2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Slot Loading SuperDrive)No video reviews found for this product.

Customer Reviews

user comment Apple MacBook Pro MB604LL/A 17 Inch Laptop (2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Slot Loading SuperDrive) Awesome upgrade over PC-based laptops
 
Review Date: March 7, 2010
Reviewer: Cary Champlin, Seattle
I have been in various hi-tech industries for most of my career and I am very fluent with using and developing software on PC/Windows, Linux, and Unix systems. I hadn't even considered owning a MacBook Pro. I was still holding on to the out-dated perception that Apple couldn't make it in the computer industry. Since, at one time, their computers used the under-powered PPC processor from Motorola, I knew they couldn't compete with the seemingly exponential processing power growth curve associated with computers based on Intel processors.

Then about six months ago, I walked into an Apple store. The staff had so much fun showing off and converting me to the MacBook Pro. They were smart; off-the-chart smart.

Apple now builds the coolest hardware and software on the planet: Macbook Pro, i-touch/phone, i-pod, i-pad, i-tunes, OS X, Xcode IDE. Apple recently celebrated their 10 billion i-tunes download milestone and reported their most profitable quarter ever. Their stock growth over the last five years is impressive. The trend is clear; Apple definitely rules this industry now.

So, what makes the MacBook Pro 17 the laptop to own?

Screen: 1920x1200 pixel resolution for a 17 inch display. Evenly backlit with LED technology produces a crisp display. For the 17 inch, there is a choice of flat or glossy screen finishes. I chose the flat finish to eliminate the reflections.

Case: Lightweight, aluminum case. Features (such as microphone, camera, ports, on/off button, DVD slot) that should be small are small. No plastic cases that crack; no creaking lid hinges; no flimsy plastic DVD trays. The manufacturing is first class. It is analogous to being in a luxury car where everything just fits well. The MacBook Pro exudes engineering excellence in its design.

Battery: With a PC laptop, I needed to minimize usage to maintain on time. On a recent 3-hour airline trip, I tried to max out usage on the MacBook Pro. Still had plenty of battery charge at the end of the flight.

Trackpad: Based on multi-touch technology. Two fingers on trackpad and depress is similar to a right-click. Two-finger swipe is a scroll. Very nice human factors technology throughout.

Operation: Very quiet, no fan noise (does it even have a fan?). Fast start-up and login.

OS X (Snow Leopard): Stable, no blue screen of death. It is obvious that OS X has its roots from Unix. One of the features, Spaces, allows multiple concurrent workspaces to be used (Ctrl-arrows navigates through the workspaces). OS X also includes software for folder/file encryption (file vault), version control software (CVS), and development (python, perl, php, gcc, bash shell).

Fun stuff: Open the terminal window and type 'say this is a great day to buy a mac' without the quotes.
user comment Apple MacBook Pro MB604LL/A 17 Inch Laptop (2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Slot Loading SuperDrive) Great in OS X, but dismal support for XP, Vista and BootCamp
 
Review Date: December 30, 2009
Reviewer: D. F. Watt, Natick, MA USA
One year ago, disgusted by dismal experiences with multiple PC manufacturers (Dell, Acer, among others) in terms of their terrible support for Windows (along with poor hardware reliability issues and very poor servicing of hardware), I took the plunge and decided I would buy a Mac. I basically have to have windows XP because it's required to interface with various hospital systems, but I thought if the Windows partition went down (a virtual guarantee with Windows XP at some point), at least I would have a reliable Mac system as a backup. I expected a far better experience, given the customer service ratings of Apple, which are better than any PC manufacturer. Little did I know what I was getting into.

The XP partition blue screened on a regular basis, from the first moment it was created. Microsoft of course makes it anything but easy to figure out why XP is bluescreening - part of their effort to duck and cover around the OS being a buggy mess. (Any misbehaving driver will bring it down.) And Apple's position on this consistently was that "this is not their problem." Adding insult to injury, I was charged for support by Microshaft (despite this partition being built from a new copy of Windows XP professional). Well, what else is new - this is standard PC fare, and the primary reason why so many people are switching to Macs.

What was a revelation was to discover (after using a great little program called BlueScreenView that not even Microsoft was aware of - that program should be installed on every PC) that the driver causing ALL the blue screens was Apple's proprietary mouse driver for the touchpad/mouse. Even more stunning, I found out (after a lot of digging) that Apple apparently was aware of this all along (12+ months), but failed to contact users, and failed to correct the mouse driver issues for over one year, despite numerous complaints on the part of numerous boot Camp users about the mouse driver causing major problems. Apple stonewalled me for months on this issues, stating over and over that there were no problems with their drivers. What BS. Apple's position on any difficulty under XP or Vista (and soon Windows 7) is that all Windows issues have nothing to do with them. One small problem with that . . . Apple was writing the XP driver software for the mouse that was causing all the problems. This kind of "it's not my responsibility" attitude is something you expect from Microsoft, or perhaps from Dell, but you don't expect from Apple. It's been a total shock to experience this kind of corporate dodging and blame-shifting from Apple. Did they get lessons from Dell . . . . or may be our federal government??

After roughly one year of difficulties (blue screens almost every day or every other day, bringing down the system and causing loss of work and endless grief along with two corrupted C drive partitions and hundreds of lost hours), I was able to find a fix for this, no thanks to Apple. The Mac side of course works just fine, but I bought this system to use it primarily as a PC (with Mac OS X capability as a backup). If you are never going to use as a dual OS system, this is a fine computer and OS. However, I would strongly caution anyone against buying an Apple laptop or desktop system if they intend to have serious dual boot capability and intend to use some version of Windows more than 10% of the time. What you'll find is a total lack of support and a position of complete denial of responsibility by Apple for anything that happens under boot Camp.

Given that this dual operating system capability has become one of Apple's strong selling cards and responsible for a significant fraction of sales, this position by Apple has to be seen as egregious, and totally unacceptable. My discouraged conclusion is that if you intend to use this system to operate any version of Windows, you have to be aware that you will be on your own. Microsoft regards all OS issues under BootCamp as Apple's problem, Apple regards them as just Microsoft's problem, and in the final analysis, it's all going to be your problem. Watch out!! (and unfortunately the virtual emulation of Windows under Parallels or VMWare is no solution either - earlier versions were massively buggy!!)

I am confident that this review will be trashed by the Mac faithful (hence the poor ratings!) - attacking Apple is about like insulting someone's mother in some people's eyes. Such loyalty is admirable, and speaks to some of Apple's strengths - which make this experience all the more puzzling. But for anyone that has struggled with an XP, Vista or (soon) Window 7 partition on a MacBook, this experience should be a MAJOR caution. For those who will never cross into the unreliable and buggy wasteland of Windows on this hardware (a most fortunate majority of owners spared all the headaches of the PC world), this is probably a five star system. But it is striking to see such disparity between Apple on these two sides of an issue (OS X support vs Windows support), and it's really a shame. I had hoped for far better.
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