Apple MacBook Pro MD311LL/A 17-Inch Laptop

First, Apple's service is terrific! The computer is incredibly fast, and there seems to be a big difference between the new 7200 RPM hard drive models versus the slower hard drive model that they had before the refresh came out. I won't go into lengthy detail on this laptop, as the other reviews on the 15 inch would be quite similar. Just remember there is no SD card slot, and instead you have to purchase an inexpensive ExpressCard adapter, which allows you to have quite a bit of flexibility on what you want to plug in there.

Now here's the thing: I've returned this laptop two times over a dead area on the lower right of the space bar key. Great support, and Apple had no problem exchanging the first laptop and refunding the amount on the second laptop. Note that the problem I experienced with the space bar key occurred on the two laptops I had, and I was also able to replicate the issue on the models in the Apple Store and in the Best Buy Store. This is only unique to the 17 inch model, and the space bar works perfectly fine on the 13 or 15 inch models. This is strange to me since they're supposed to all have the same keyboard.

If you're a typist that pecks, then this won't bother you. But if you are a fast typer, and one who doesn't pound down on the keys, this probably will affect you.

Here's the problem: The first morning I started typing an e-mail, and got something like this, " HelloAnn, how areyou doing?" When I pressed the space bar key, the computer didn't actually recognize my 'press.' Granted, I type lightly, but I've never had a problem with a key press not being recognized. Try this test out yourself at an Apple Store or Best Buy Store with their 17 inch models.

Lightly press the lower right edge of the space bar (very lightly, but enough so that the space bar actually goes down). Do this 20 or 30 times in a row in a text editor so you can see the cursor move as you press the space bar. Sometimes the space bar will move and sometimes it won't, like righthere where there are fewspaces. The last sentence was just an example, but that's what happens when you press the space bar but the computer acts as if you didn't press it. It drives me nuts that the space bar does not always work. Now do the same test on the 13 and 15 inch models and notice that the space bar works every time, even with the lightest press (on the lower right hand portion of the space bar key, where touch typists usually press the space bar key).

So I ended up returning the 17 inch models (after 2 times, thinking the keyboard was just defective). After the second one was still defective, and the models at the stores had the same problem, I'll have to get the 15 inch model or wait until Apple fixes the lower right hand portion of the space bar key on the 17 inch models.

I'm picky, and for many buyers they won't even notice the space bar not being recognized because they type really hard or they type in the middle of the space bar. But for touch typists, usually the space bar is pressed on the left or right sides, and a press should be a press, even if it is light. I'm probably just going to get the 15 inch model, as it doesn't have the space bar issue.

Edit December 22nd: For further information, see the Apple discussion board from multiple folks at the official Apple site where people are having similar issues with the space bar key (including the Airs and other lines). Apparently Apple is forgetting to put the rubber pads on the underneath of the space bar -there's a picture on the first page of the forum of what it looks like. If you're experiencing the same issue, I would call Apple support so hopefully they can start shipping with keyboards where the space bar actually works 100% of the time.

Since Amazon doesn't allow outside links, just go to google and type in the following search words "dead spot on space bar macbook pro" and it's the first link at the top that comes up.

Pros:

Stunning full HD display.

Very fast machine.

Great interface and touchpad is the best I have seen.

Solid, quality build.

Clean OS and fluid experience.

Cons:

-Obviously, the price. Some will find they need to take out a second mortgage to finance the credit card bill just incurred--especially if you get upgrades.

-Only 4 GIG Ram standard.

-Upgrades to default specs are expensive.

-If you are used to Windows OS, the interface takes a while to get used to.

-Did I mention it is expensive?

I use both Mac and PC windows devices. Each has their pros and cons. Some people purchase MAC on brand or OS loyatly or as a botique item, but I just decide based on needs and specs. I was shopping for a laptop, not only for portability but also to act as a dedicated replacement for a Desktop. I wanted a large high-res full 1080p HD screen and decent specs that won't be outdated in a year. I limited my searches to this crtieria. There are only a few laptops today that offer this criteria and all of the ones I sampled fall short of the Macbook on screen quality and display. You can get a higher spec machine for much less, but the quality and user experience on the MAC is what sold me. The display is just stunning. I would have opted for the 15 inch model but I was looking for the full 1080P resolution. I am mainly into multimedia and the Videos and Images are simply stunning. I have not seen a better display on any laptop out there, period.

As far as tech specs, you can get more for less money. The standard RAM is 4 GIG. Most other brands with laptops in this range start with 8. This is cheap as heck, IMO. You can get 4 GIG for $40 at cost. Basically, then, you can find other machines with equal specs for half the price. If tech specs are you main concern when purchasing, you can do better. But the machine is by no means slow and the specs will not be outdated in a year. It is a very fast machine and will outdo many of the deskptops on the market today. You will also be hard to find a display that riavls the macbook and the user experience is simply something else. IMO, of course.

Obviously, my decision was based on more than just specs. I will be using this quite a bit. Like most Apple products, the laptop itself is very high quality and solid with a sleek profile. No plasticy materials or feel. One of the reasons I disliked some other laptops is that they just felt too fragile and the materials seem cheap, as if you can snap the plastic easily. Some things you buy feel built to last and some things feel built to last a few months before something goes wrong. I sense the Macbook belongs to the latter category.

The user experience on the Macbook is also fluid and fast. The trackpad is the best I have ever come across. Pinching, swiping, selecting. Its all done with fluidity and without delays. It is a quality high-end experience and thats part of what sold me. This is a solid, well built machine. Period.

I have come across a few minor annoyances. Why are the ports on the left? When hooking up externals, I found this a bit annoying.

Overall, if you re not into graphics or multimedia, you should probably go with the 13 or 15 inch models. There is a lot of real estate on the 17 inch and the high res screen is nice but not everyone will need this. You can save some money by downgrading if multimedia is not a main priority. Also, the 17 inch is obviously not as portable. So if you travel a lot, you should consider this. You will probably find it hard to use this machine in economy coach class.

Overall, with a few minor annoyances, I couldn't be happier. Awesome machine. It is very expensive, but this is Apple and you know that going in. Can you do better with something else? It all depends on your needs and what you are looking for. The premium price was worth it for me. It may or may not be for you. I would suggest playing around with the macbooks and a number of laptops in the store before buying and avoid the MAC vs PC wars.

Buy Apple MacBook Pro MD311LL/A 17-Inch Laptop Now

I bought this laptop thinking of a computer with excellent graphics, performance and design, and let me just tell you, it has it all and more. I couldn't be happier with this purchase, great service from amazon btw.

I'm an architecture student, who has to run demanding softwares and create photorealistic representations, and this is the best computer you can find for such tasks. The design is flawless, I'm very happy with the improvements apple has made on this model, the extra graphics and the faster processor are not just small changes, you will definitely feel the big difference, and soon, there will be a lot of more devices to take advantage of the unique thunderbolt port.

It doesn't matter if you're looking for a home computer to have fun and search the web or if you need to run hardcore software and games, this is worth every $ you spend

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Positives:

Mac Os X is a fantastic experience

Beautiful 17" screen

Track pad is a thing of beauty. If you've never used swipe gestures (like me) prepared to be amazed

Solid aluminum construction. Most solid laptop I've ever experienced.

Great sound.

Light and sleek. In my opinion 17" is not overdoing it.

Love the magsafe charging. No more broken DC power ports.

Cons:

Keyboard takes a little getting used to.

I don't understand the arrow buttons.

4GB of ram and 5600 RPM HD are a bit underwhelming.

Glossy screen does occasionally reflect.

Expensive

I'm afraid the bottom of the laptop is going to scratch up good. Offsets are minimal

Of note, if you think you're going to swap out more ram easily, its a little bit more involved than that. I was expecting an easy open bay like most laptops. More memory means taking off the entire back plate of the laptop which involves close to 8 screws. I don't know about you but I'm a little hesitant to use a screw driver on my new 2300$ laptop. Ill get around to it eventually, but right now its not horribly pressing for normal use. Ram is SO cheap.

I was afraid 17" would be too big, but in the end I'm glad I went with the larger size. Its completely manageable and the laptop is quite light and looks great of course. Amazon shipping was as usual incredible and the presentation of the laptop inside its packaging was an apple experience, meaning I loved it.

Those are my initial post 3 days purchase thoughts. I also wanted to bootcamp the computer as well as test out a bit of light to medium weight gaming, i'll edit the review as those things come up. I might even try run skyrim on bootcamp!

I see no downside to this. Get a great laptop with overall great specs. Run Linux, OSX, Windows 7, whatever you want. Pay for a better than average screen and all aluminum body, plus a trackpad that is something else. Down the line throw in more ram, a bigger faster HD or even an SSD at the rate SSD is going.

Want Apple MacBook Pro MD311LL/A 17-Inch Laptop Discount?

Updated: June 21, 2012. Changed rating from 4 stars to 5 (4.5) stars. Changed review title.

In light of Apple's announcement that the 17-inch MBP is soon to disappear, I thought it worthwhile to update this review a bit. Bottom line, the concerns I expressed in my original review (below) remain, but I think this was a worthwhile purchase and it is a shame that the 17-inch edition will be out of the MBP line-up (I get why the Mac desktop is dying a lingering death, but this MBP...?).

Apple can certainly do what it wants and clearly (to Apple's way of thinking) the 17-inch wasn't worth the effort, cost, etc. (apparently the metric was measuring its sales as a percentage of overall MBP (or MBA) sales I've been told/reading that the 17-inch garnered less than 2% of total MBP/MBA sales). But clearly there was a niche market for the 17-inch MBP and with that in mind, I would say this edition is a "must buy" if you need a "portable desktop".

I can't help but wonder if Apple's strategy is to get you to buy a Thunderbolt monitor to go along with your next-gen MBP (or MBA) significantly raising the cost of your purchase but also giving buyers several configuration options. I get the raving over the new Retina display, but it seems to me (and I admit to speaking from a position of ignorance here I haven't seen the new Retina display yet) the Retina display is overkill (?) in the 15-inch and would have been absolutely perfect/delightful/stunning/"pick and place your adjective here" in the 17-inch. But I also understand that the additional real estate of the 17-inch screen would probably have boosted the price of a 17-inch Retina MBP to a level where both customers and Apple would think the cost prohibitive. But wait, cost never seems to have stopped Apple in the past and second, couldn't the Retina display be offered as an upgrade/option?

In the end, oh well. If someone senses there is a market for a "MBP 17-inch Retina display type" machine, they'll eventually build it and we'll see. And something better will come along at some point.

Bottom line, this (apparently) last edition of the 17-inch MBP is a very good machine (not perfect), so if a sleek 17-inch OS X desktop replacement is what you're looking for and need now, you had better buy this before they're gone. (Original review follows (below).)

-

Original review:

I was looking to move from a desktop setup to a laptop setup that could function as a desktop replacement. I use multiple Operating Systems (OS) Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux, but I didn't want to use virtualization (e.g., FusionWare or Parallels), nor a hacked rig, nor a dual or triple booter (been through that phase and while it is a great idea and I did it for awhile, it just wasn't working for me anymore). So, with the requirement that each have true HD display (1920x1080 minimum), I eventually settled on 3 machines: a Toshiba Qosmio X505 18.4" i7 laptop for Windows, repurposed my HP HDX16 Windows machine for Linux, and this MacBook Pro for OS X. But since you're not reading this to learn about Windows, Linux, or my preferred computer setup, let's skip all that and move on to my impressions of this MacBook Pro 17.

Well, on the plus side, I used to believe there was an outrageous "Mac tax," that is, you paid a premium for a MacBook because it was a Mac and that similar hardware (a Windows 7 machine, for example) would cost substantially less. Well, imho the "Mac tax" is still there, but it isn't nearly as high as I thought (on this machine, it's probably a chunk of change somewhere in the $500-600 range, but it is less than the $1,200 I had in mind earlier). Also, the laptop is as nice as all the numerous reviews out there state it is. But....

Hard Fact #1: When you get past the love-fest that surrounds "all things Apple," I've found that Apple's build quality isn't all that much better than numerous other manufacturers I've dealt with (frankly, Sony consistently betters Apple and I've had equal or better results from HP, Dell, and Acer). This MBP Pro is my tenth or so Mac (several MacBooks, several MBP, several Mac Minis, and an MacBook Air (I haven't included my numerous iOS devices)) and while they are nicely put together, they have had their fair share of defects (both cosmetic and functional) that far exceeds the so-called Conventional Wisdom (CW). For instance, this unit arrived with a bad "backlit keyboard" feature (the %-5 key looked as if all the light was radiating out from under it alone and all the other keys remained dim). Didn't spend almost $2,400 to have the %-5 key burn out my optic nerves, so I ordered a replacement. As usual, Amazon CS was great and I had the replacement within 1 business day (with return postage for the defective unit paid for by Amazon).

Hard Fact #2: I also find the Apple community's insistence that they own the GUI world ridiculous. I continue to hear over and over that once you own a Mac, you can mouse your way through life and you'll "never" again have to use the Command Line. Fact of the matter (at least for me) is I find myself using Terminal more in Mac OS X than I ever had to in either Windows or newer versions of Linux. The last time I used the Command Line this much was way back in my MS-DOS days.

Hard Fact #3: Apple fans (encouraged by Apple itself) want you to believe that Mac OS X is like Burger King you can have it your way. Sorry, Mac OS X remains maddeningly non-customizable. For example, we're now in Lion (10.7) and a user still can't change something as simple as the color of the mouse cursor! In the end, using a Mac is like living life in a pre-school you can have as much freedom as you want so long as it doesn't exceed what "they" want you to have. One can never can't get past the feeling that with Mac OS X it is "do it Apple's way or no way at all" (incredibly ironic given the fact that Apple pretty much launched with the 1984 Super Bowl commercial which compared IBM to "Big Brother" and Apple to "freedom").

Hard Fact #4: With the standard 4GB RAM configuration this MBP is an absolute dog (especially if you set up your machine with the security features OS X offers). With both the Firewall and the File Vault feature (which offers "on-the-fly" encryption of your hard drive) enabled, I was lucky to keep more than one application running smoothly. If I ran a multi-tab browser session and a photo editing package, the laptop would crawl to a virtual halt. BTW, initial encryption of the hard drive took more than a whopping 20 hours! In the end, I can't think of any user of this MBP model who would not need more RAM right from the get-go. Buying this laptop means buying more RAM immediately! Apple says 8GB is the max. But don't settle for 8GB as 16GB works. Crucial offers a 16GB RAM kit that turns this into a usable laptop. The 16GB kit is not cheap (almost $300 with "2-day Business shipping), but it is worth it. I received the RAM kit this a.m., installed it, the MBP recognized it, and I am now running it. Am thrilled; I now have a laptop worthy of the i7 CPU.

Final verdict? Nice machine, but it's nothing to swoon in ecstasy over (contrary to the seemingly usual reaction to Apple's offerings by the "Death to Microsoft and Other Non-OS X Companies" cult community of mags, rags, and fan-boys). Frankly, I have other machines that I think are nicer to look at, do (more) things better, and are more reasonably priced. But if you want to use OS X (and some of the programs I need to use require OS X), this is a great way to go.

3 stars for the as-shipped OEM config machine, 4 stars for the 16GB, working final setup.

Updated (June 21, 2012): 3.5 stars for the as-shipped OEM config machine, 4.5 stars for the 16GB, working final setup. So I'm going to rate the machine 5 stars.... I must admit that I'm sorry to see this edition of the MBP line go.

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Dell XPS X17L-2250SLV 17-Inch Laptop (Elemental Silver)

This laptop is awesome! Updates and setup take a little while but, I was up and running in a couple hours. The drive is 7200rpm and JBL sound is icing on the cake. 17 inch screen is huge compared to 14-15 I've had in the past. 5 stars for this laptop. Thank you Amazon!!

this was a great purchase. Great price on amazon.com. Easy to set up. No problems after 8 months of use, except with Windows 7 but that's a software issue, not hardware.

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This is my first laptop, so this may not be anything unusual, but this Dell XPS did great for about 32 day, & then the hard drive died on it (and I didn't really use it more than average). Dell support sent me another hard drive, so now it's back to working great again.

I guess only time will tell about its future reliability!!

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This was a Christmas gift for my girl and i know she will love this thing. The reason why it isnt a 5 star rating, because there is know app to open the camera like i can do on my Toshiba laptop, but it does work well through Skype and other apps the require a camera.

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This laptop exceeded my expectations, very good quality and price. Excellent sound for a laptop, would recommend to anyone looking for a to notch laptop

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ASUS A53Z-ES61 15.6-Inch LED Laptop (Mocha)

First let me state, I did not purchase this laptop as a desktop replacement, only as a companion I could travel with, or lounge around with and still have access to a PC, I love my IPad 2, but there are just some things it sadly cant do for me. Second, let me say alot of the problems people have mentioned haven't occurred for me (yet?). I do not know if the model I received was a upgraded one or not, but the sound was fine to me, it got pretty loud too with the Enhancement software from Asus. The mouse pad CAN be a little wiggy, but for the most part it works fine, the problem I discovered was the placement of my hand caused issues, simply lifting my hand and placing it back better stopped it.

The only real problem I had was with the wi-fi adapter shutting off upon system reboot, hibernation or sleep restore. This however was a result of the software on the laptop, once I uninstalled "Wireless Console 3", the problem stopped right away and I've not had any issues since. Another thing to mention is this laptop qualifies for the Windows 8 Pro upgrade offer for $14.99 (until Early 2013). Which seems like a great deal.

As for gaming, I have to say I was impressed. Im able to run notorious resource hogs like Sims 3, with every expansion pack and a bevy of DLC content from the Sims 3 store at nearly max settings with no performance issues. Second Life, also another notorious game which it is hard to find a laptop capable of running it properly also works great with max settings. I've also not had any problems running anything from my Steam Library or GOG.com Library. Granted, I've not tried heavy hitters like Skyrim or Battlefield 3 on it, but I've heard positive things from other gamers with this laptop. I can say, generally speaking on most High end, 2012 era games, this laptop can go up to medium settings at the most, which is pretty formidable.

I will add though, run Asus's update utility with this, there's a fantastic power utility on here that really lets you customize how the machine runs. Such as a Power Saving mode that wrings out more use from your laptop, generally I've found it useful when your on the battery and just want to browse the web or chat online. Where as Max Performance mod pushes the machine to a higher level giving better gaming performance. There are other presets but generally, from what I can tell this utility will safely Over-clock the laptop to run much better, or under-clock it to save on battery. All in all, very useful. Using these tools, I've been able to run the laptop on battery with the power saving preset for many hoursI want to say 5+. It probably does not need to be said, but running max Performance on battery mode will burn through battery power very quickly. I've found its best to use while plugged into the AC for charging, or for short gaming sessions. Entertainment mode seems to strike a good balance between performance/battery power.

All in all, a great laptop and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a cheap machine to game on, I would say its probably most useful to college students looking for a school work and gaming PC in one. Im very pleased with this purchase, though I will probably upgrade it considering to push the machine up to 8GB of RAM is only 18$ with a purchase right here on amazon.com

Previously had an Asus netbook which I abused. Thing lasted for 3 years with no issues. Traveled to Kenya with it, many other places. Since I had such good luck with my Asus netbook I decided on buying this laptop as a replacement. No issues with it whatsoever. Minimal bloatware. No windows disc, the backup is on a partition. WiFi is flawless and fast. Touchpad is a touchpad. Works in a pinch although no substitute for a mouse. Screen is bright with no dead pixels. Have Borderlands on it which plays fine on moderate settings. Speakers are weak although I think of them like a touchpad: Just a substitute for some ear buds or headphones and are there for when you forgot them. Battery life is good. Amazon as always rocks. BTW I purchased this on a Gold Box for three hundred eighty nine dollars out the door. Asus notebooks are often discounted and on sale at Amazon, so if its not in your price range just wait a bit.

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i gave this laptop a five star because of the price and what you get for it performs tasks very well and it has a nice appearance to it very fast for a laptop in its price range well done again asus

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The computer is very well designed, and for this price you are not going to find anything better. The AMD Quadcore A6 3420M is fairly fast (don't let the 1.4 GHz scare you, it goes up to 2.3 GHz with the Turbo). To understand the level of the processor, here is a processor benchmark that shows you a comparison with other similar processors, both AMD and intel.

The screen is good: bright, high contrast, fairly large viewing angle (I estimate around 130°). Battery life: about 3 and a half hours in maximum performance mode, more than 4 and a half hours in battery saving mode.

The only problem I've found is with the speakers, which are not very loud (still acceptable). Beside this, everything looks fine.

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Hi, i've had this laptop for about 6 months now and so far i have been pleased!! Great bang for the buck with the a6 apu.

Only a few cons with this i noticed.

It does get fairly hot when gaming.

The 5400 rpm hdd is slow.

I did max out the ram to 8gb which costed only $20 for another 4gb.

I also just installed a Samsung 830 256gb ssd and now this baby is blazin fast!!

Will use the 5400rpm hdd for back up only, too slow for me!!

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Apple MacBook Pro MC373LL/A 15-inch Laptop (OLD VERSION)

I love this computer.

I have a couple of issues with it, but nothing big.

I hope the video helps.

I have had this computer for three weeks now, and waited to write a review until I had fully tested it. The first one arrived with a bad keyboard, was sent back to Apple for replacement. The returned macbook pro however suffered from daily freezes at which point the keyboard and mouse were locked out, but processes continued and within about 5 minutes control was restored. This turned out to be a very common problem as fully documented on the Apple web site. Fortunately, Apple released an update to Snow Leopard (10.6.4) which solved the problem for most of us.

This computer is incredibly fast, especially if one has fully loaded it with memory (8GB) and ordered a solid state drive. But even without the SSD and standard memory (4GB), it is the fastest macbook pro ever made by nearly 30%. I love it.

I recommend users order this computer with 8GB of memory if at all possible. The extra memory makes a big difference in performance and is not that much more expensive. In addition, this computer comes with two options for screen resolution. I got the high resolution display with anti-reflection, and it is a joy to work on. Now when I go back to my older macbook pro with standard resolution, I notice and am bothered by the difference.

Other reviews have listed some of the advantages of this computer, other than speed. So let me list some of the issues:

1. Graphics intensive applications generate lots of heat. When graphics is switched to the faster chip (this is automatic unless you choose to always use the faster chip in the energy preferences), the computer gets hot. Not so hot that you cannot use it on your lap, but approaching that level.

2. Computationally intensive applications also generate lots of heat. Running any program that simultaneously activates multiple cores and the fast graphics chip is the perfect storm, and this computer gets really hot on the bottom. Now you cannot comfortably work with it on your lap. If this is going to be a typical situation, get a cooling pad. I am using the logitech N100 and it completely solves the problem, but at added expense and battery drain (it uses the usb port). But I am often running calculations in the background, and for that, a cooling pad is essential. I anticipate it will also be important if you use this computer for gaming.

3. The battery life is highly dependent upon usage. The high speed graphics option is great unless you are running on battery, then it is a serious drain. Unfortunately, the software engineers did not provide an option to always use the slower graphics chip when on battery. This is an important option which should be implemented in a future release even if it means some applications will not be able to run at all. The battery issue is a flaw that prevents this computer from being a good travel computer. You cant change out the battery, and if you are traveling and the battery gets low, you simply have to close up shop or find an outlet. These are very hard to find, and the airlines often do not provide outlets on the seats or in their waiting areas in the airports.

Despite the above issues, which forced me to give this computer 4 stars, I love it. It is the best notebook computer I have ever used, although I will take another macbook pro when I travel because of the battery issues. The speed of this computer is comparable to a 3 GHz desktop Nehalem Mac Pro. The i7 chip is indeed a powerful processor and all your applications will run about 30% faster than on previous Macs.

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This was my first Mac. It arrived only after a couple of days. Packaging was immaculate as always. The Apple box itself was awesome.

Setting up a Mac and getting used to it was a breeze. Apple has so many tutorials that it is really easy to get to know things. OS X is awesome. Within a few minutes I was up and running. Configured my mail, expose, spaces, dock. Downloaded XCode, Chrome and I was up and running in no time.

So why a 4 star instead of a 5 star. Couple of reasons:

1. Running a software update brought down 1.2 GB of updates. Thank god I am on a broadband. Still it took about an hour. With the recent known vulnerabilities, I did not want to run a Mac that had known exploits.

2. The hardware itself is amazing simple design. But I was expecting I will get the "Clarksfield" family of i7 processors which are quad core. But instead, got a dual core Arrandale. Not only does it have 2 cores instead of 4, it also has 4MB of L2 cache instead of 6 or 8. I would appreciate if Apple and Amazon both were clear about this. Apple Appstore also does not mention which i7 we will get. I suppose we can blame Intel for this they make it believe that i7's are all quad cores but they are not.

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As much as I wished Apple did more changes in the new models of Macbook pro still this one is perfect in many ways: it has great design, high performance, outstanding display. Still it has a few minor imperfections: it heats a lot. I use it mainly at home and almost always it stands on the table but if I actually put it somewhere close to skin it just burns intolerably, so it's hard to call this a LAPtop :), the the curves near the trackpad where the niche for opening is (don't know how this part is called))) well for some reason they are made so sharp that they sometimes leave marked on my hands while using trackpad. Other than these remarks it's absolutely great.Apple MacBook Pro MC373LL/A 15.4-Inch Laptop

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So to start I researched the new laptop market quite extensively for a computer for my everyday tasks (internet,iTunes, etc) and my graduate program that I will be starting (MBA). I have always used Windows machines and more specifically one HP four years ago and 3 Sony Vaio's since then. I have also owned all 3 iPhones and the new iPad so I thought that a MacBook Pro would be the next logical step but I have to admit that I was hesitant to put everything on the Mac platform having used Windows my whole life. However, the more I researched computers out there, there are really no PC's that have the fit and finish of the MacBook line. Most are plastic things that are made for 1 year at most. And of course they run Windows which even Windows 7 needs tending and caring more often then I prefer. I did consider the HP Envy line and while the specs are impressive I had a lackluster experience with HP so I wasn't sure that it would last at least 2.5-3 years that I need for my program. I also seriously considered the Sony Vaio Z and while impressive in specs, it is still a very expensive machine which is made more for portability and its screen flex caused me concern.

So I bought the MacBook Pro i7 and upgraded the hard drive to 7,200 RPM. I originally thought I would use mostly Windows on it and just got it for the fit and finish/styling that I really liked. I know that sounds crazy but I wasn't really planning on using the mac OS X part extensively. However, when I got the machine I must say that OS X is pretty amazing. Having used Windows extensively it is not that hard to learn OS X. Here are my findings for the machine:

Speed: The machine is blazing fast. There have been lots of articles on specs and benchmarks but just know from everyday use and even from transferring files over etc it is amazing! I personally chose the i7 chip because it future proofs the purchase and with the Amazon sale it was a great deal.

Overall System: It is a beauty to look at and work on. It is a very thin and not terribly heavy I mean if you are planning on lugging it around all day it might get heavy but it is not really bad. My old Vaio F was 6.5 lbs that felt much heavier.

OS X: It is very easy to work with. Things just work. That sounds like a cliche but in reality it is true. I think the hardest thing for Windows users like myself is trying to make things harder then they are. For instance, I expected installing my programs on OS X to be a pain like on Windows but it is so easy that I thought it wasn't working. But that is the point, things are a lot easier and you have to kind of go with it. Windows is a lot harder from that perspective. Yes after using it for years you know how to do things with it but it is a pain and you don't realize how easy it really should be until you start working on OS X.

Heat: It does get hot when you are doing a lot on it but mostly on the left side. It is not unbearable but it does heat up. But so does the Vaio Z and other machines using these chips. The design of laptops has not caught up to the chips from that perspective. So for me the heat was a wash because they all run quite hot at this point in time. This is by no means unbearable. But if you like to place the machine on your lap, probably won't work so well.

Screen: I have the base 1440x900 it is nice. I don't mind it I personally find the other one too small but again it is preference try an Apple store if you want to see the screen differences. And I was incredibly worried about glare. It picks up a ton outside because of the glass but I don't work outside so that is no big deal for me and in the house even by a window it has been fine for me. Again it is preference but I have been pleasantly surprised by the lack of glare experienced. I think the Apple Store lighting makes the glare very apparent so it is a good test of worst case scenarios but in reality in the house it is not as bad as at the Apple Store.

Windows 7/Boot Camp: Yes I do need some Windows things so reluctantly I am installing Windows 7 but I am miffed at how much space I need to devote to it. It reminds of why I got the Mac to begin with just bloated overall.

Apple Service: This I think is where it really shines. I had to use the Genius Bar to assist me in removing a stripped screw (my fault in trying to remove the cover to swap the hard drive for a faster one). Tip: Use the hardest screwdriver (Titanium) possible for it not the crap at Fry's it makes a difference. The screws are very soft and will strip quickly. So I took my new machine in without ever having turned it on and I know that Apple Store doesn't swap the drives for users but I asked the Genius to help me remove the screw. To my surprise he removed it, replaced it and then went ahead and did the install and reimaged the machine in 15 minutes. Now that is amazing service. And that is where the difference in pricing comes in. With my old Sony's I would drop good cash on those and when I went to Sony Style it was like why are you here again. They could care less about assisting me. Apple is just very different from that perspective. That is why the Vaio Z gave me pause. 2,500 knowing that they don't stand by their products is a hard sell!

Final Assessment: To each his own some people love Windows and that is fine, but I would submit to really study the build quality of the PC you are planning to purchase, the overall experience, service and ease of use etc before committing. People complain about Mac components being downgraded but honestly does it matter if you have a 1GB video card mated to a plastic rig or a completely designed system that is designed to work well together? Only the user can answer that for themselves depending on usage needs. For most the specs are great. But I think Apple did a nice job on this build and I really appreciate the fit, finish and ease of use. Is it worth the 2,000? I think so because it is a good machine for several years, has excellent service built in if you are close to an Apple Store and is just great to work on.

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HP Elitebook 6930p Intel Core 2 Duo 2400 MHz 320Gig Serial ATA HDD 4096mb DDR2 DVD-RW Wireless WI-F

THIS IS MY #4 COMPUTER. I PLAN TO USE IT AS I TRAVEL. IT WORKED 100 % RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX.I HAVE LOADED ALL MY PROGRAMS ON THE HARD DRIVE AND HAD NO PROBLEMS I AM VERY HAPPY TO OWN THE HP ELITIBOOK 6930P.IT IS A #10.

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HP Pavilion dv6-3150us 15.6-Inch Laptop PC - Up to 4.5 Hours of Battery Life (Argento)

I previously had a refurbished HP that I purchased in 2001 and it finally passed away 2 years ago, and for the two years since I used a Dell laptop that I acquired through a Masters program, the Dell lasted a total of four years. My HP laptop lasted about 7 years total. Thats durability!

I was very impressed with my previous HP laptop and after doing my research purchased this HP dv6 3150. My main reason was because I wanted my laptop to boot up and process other things very quickly, and the Intel I-5 processor gets things done very quickly. I like the large screen, and am looking to purchase one for my mom for christmas. When I bought this, I didnt pay too much attention to the other perks, I was just focused on the screen size and I-5 processor. This laptop comes with a backlight, so if I'm working in dim light, I can turn the backlight on and my keys light up. And I didnt know that it also came with the finger print identifier, so when I log on, I can log on using either a password, or just swipe my finger. I think my mom will get a real kick out of that when she gets hers.

As of this date, I havent tested out the web cam features just yet.

My reason for purchasing this laptop is for home use. I plan on taking classes next semester and I know that creating powerpoints and other documents isnt going to be a problem. It's a great laptop and I'm very happy with my purchase.

I've been looking all for for a laptop with reasonable specs. I wanted a 15" screen, 4GB memory, an i5 processor, and 4+ hour battery life for under $800.00. I really thought this HP was going to be the solution. On paper it looks great. Unfortionaitely after unpackaging it and using it for a while I was really dissapointed. The touchpad on it is really hard to use out of the box. I was able to update the drivers and Synpatic software which enabled me to adjust the zone size and sensitivity but it's still hard to use. The keyboard is also poorly laid out. HP in their infinite wisdom decided to put any extra colum of keys on the left hand side. This doesn't look like a big deal in the pictures but in practice it's very annoying because every time I put my hands on the keyboard I'm hitting the wrong keys. The screen was comparable to other laptops in this price range / resolution but that isn't necessarily a plus. It's fine for web browsing and productivity apps but I wouldn't want to use it for serious Photoshop work or gaming.

On the plus side the laptop seems to be reponsive and doesn't come with to much bloatware. After running for a while the fans will kick into high occasionally but the laptop doesn't get very warm. I also appreciated the smooth lines and relatively thin look. The battery life was approximately 4.5 hours as specified with Wifi turned on.

If it wasn't for the keyboard and mouse problems I'd have given it 4 stars and kept it. As is though I've decided to return it and look elsewhere.

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I must first admit that I am not a techie and bought this for home use.

But I love this laptop. The screen is crystal clear and I love the slimness of the product. I did not buy it for the fingerprint reader but have found that I really enjoy storing all my internet passwords so I do not have to fumble for them each time I log on. The fingerprint reader was simple to set up and use. I use a wireless mouse much of the time so did not find the mouse pad a problem, but even when I use the mouse pad I did not experience the stiffness that other users complained about. The keyboard set up is a little unusual with extra keys on the side, but it only took me minutes to get used to the lay out and I rarely misstype.

The best thing about this laptop is the speed. The Intel i5 processor is lightning fast and worth every cent.

I cannot find a thing that I don't like about this laptop! Would buy again in a heartbeat.

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I have had it for a day and even though I normally do not post reviews I just wanted to share with potential buyers. Reason being that all the concerns I had from the few negative reviews on HP pavil dv6 laptops have all been alleviated :

1. keyboard layout extra keys on the left.

The extra keys on the left have not caused me too much confusion. Some keys may appear to be slightly misaligned but I think it is no different from most laptop keyboards where compromises have been made for space. I got used to the keyboard pretty quickly and I have only had it for a day.

2. keyboard layout function keys on the top changed

The F1 -F12 keys can be changed back to traditional usage in the bios. Just turn off "action keys".

3. touchpad buttons Yes, they are a bit stiff but I do not use them that often since I tap the touchpad for left click. I also read from one reviewer that they loosen up after a few weeks, so I am counting on that happening too.

4. Initially the sound was not working. I rebooted to fix that but it was echoing a lot I then realized I *may* have accidentally turned on microphone recording causing horrible echo feedback. I turned off the microphone and everything is fine.

Overall I am quite pleased with the laptop. It is fast and of reasonable weight. I also needed the keyboard light which works well.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

UPDATE on 2/26 (after 3 weeks) :

Still works well. The battery power is not as good as advertised but good enough for my mostly home usage. If you do mostly web browsing with no video then I can see it maybe getting close to advertised. I have not tested this. I am programmer and developing software on this laptop significantly reduces the battery time.

The touchpad buttons have loosened up slightly, I expect it to get better. It helps a lot if you click towards the middle of the touchpad.

Overall, I am yet to see a laptop I would trade this for at the same price. The more I compare this with equally priced and more expensive VAIO i5 laptops, I realize how good the build quality is on this laptop.

I am also pleasantly surprised with how much I am liking Windows 7. (I run Linux on my desktop!)

AM

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I purchased laptop + push2tv bundle. Haven't bought a computer in retail for a long time always was buying custom configured. But, the specs and WiDi addition was a great selling point.

Computer has few nice options wireless display, fingerprint reader, lighted keyboard, quick access buttons. The only thing that I had to add was bluetooth adapter. Watching movies from internet on HDTV was a blast awesome picture when using HDMI (a/v connection is not even worth trying if you can use HDMI).

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HP Compaq nw9440 refurbished mobile workstation laptop PC-Intel Centrino Core Duo 2.0ghz, 2GB SDRAM

folks to visit affinity tech electronics! The guy is great and I love my new machine. It is a solid work machine. Add a 2GB RAM card and 7 runs like a champ.

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Toshiba Satellite C875D-S7330 17.3-Inch Laptop (Satin Black Trax)

I did lots of research before purchasing a laptop. I settled on this one because it seemed to be the most bang for the buck. I have had no problems with it, and I've had it for about 3 months now. In fact, I do everything on it. I love it! The screen is huge. It's not super light, but that was to be expected. It has a great battery life, and I've had no problems with opening multiple webpages as one user said.

The reason this didn't get 5 stars from me is because of the keyboard. It seems really cheap and plasticky. In fact, I can actually see the entire keyboard moving up and down when I'm typing really fast. Doesn't hinder performance, just seems cheap. Other than that, this thing is fantastic! I do recommend it!

Oh, also, Windows 8 is amazing. I'm sure that people who don't like it are those same people who complain everytime Facebook makes a change to their timeline... people who don't like change. It has all the features Windows 7 has, just enhanced. Give it some time and you'll get used to it.

I bought this laptop to game and surf the web. Its very fast and I like that it is a bigger laptop. It comes with windows 8 which I kindav hate : \ but besides that I really like the laptop

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It was an easy process, high marks all around, highly recommend and will buy again... keep up the great work!

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Runs efficiently and supports games. Includes Windows 8. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a reasonably priced gaming laptop.

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Good pc love the specs going to upgrade the ram to 16gb ddr3 and might get a 3tb extrenal grate buy hope price dont change

Save 19% Off

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Toshiba Satellite Laptop (U405D S2874)

The Toshiba Satellite. My first laptop ever that turned out to be an outstanding choice for me.

I'm a musician, gamer, and occasional artist. I needed something that gave me enough CPU power to mix and master production quality music, but enough portability to do this on the go. Something that could handle realtime mixing of audio and MIDI tracks... orchestral soundscapes, electric guitars, and intricate synth pads. The Toshiba Satellite handles this well, especially with a dual core CPU.

I'm an old school gamer, so I wanted something that was powerful enough to run console emulators, and do it all on the go. N64 and PSX emulators? No problem. The Radeon 3100 built into the laptop, handles 2D and 3D graphics nicely. I got smooth framerates running all my favorite games on this laptop. Windows Aero in Windows 7 is also very smooth and nice on the Toshiba Satellite.

I also enjoy using visual software suites for graphics design. Photoshop, After Effects, GIMP... you name it. I had very few issues using these programs on this laptop. RAM is important here. The Toshiba Satellite has 4GB of RAM. 4GB is great for multitasking and graphics.

Is it the perfect laptop? No. Are there faster and better ones on the market? You bet. Considering the price, this laptop is hard to beat for the quality. So all in all, my experience with the Toshiba Satellite U405d s2874 was great. I'm sure there are others out there who have had great experiences and bad experiences with their laptops, but mine was definitely positive. That's my 2 cents.

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Samsung Series 7 NP700Z5C-S02UB 15.6-Inch Laptop (Titan Silver)

Couldnt want better a laptop....... Highlight: backlit keyboard, sloat load DVDROM, quiet fan. etc,,........ Shipment from this particular seller was exceptional; fast and the machine was wrapped so well...it took me good 10 min to get to the laptop. Good job there.

I purchased one of these as a gift to myself and replacement for a 2006 Macbook that finally gave up the ghost last year. I was leery of the Windows 8 OS but the fact that it had a dedicated NVidia graphics card, 8 GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive made it look like a pretty good deal. After all, I can always downgrade the OS if I want.

So far I haven't been disappointed (much). Pros:

1) Runs games up to Bioshock Infinite like a boss, framerate drops a little when it gets really busy but otherwise it's practically a desktop gaming rig away from home.

2) Same thing for video (like Netflix and HD movie files).

3) Windows 8 isn't bad on this thing once you install something like Classic Shell to get back to a Win7 look and do a little tweaking your mileage may vary on whether that's acceptable or not. Haven't run into any incompatibility issues yet even on some of my old software favorites.

4) Plenty of storage space, even after installing a pile of multi-GB games.

5) Auto-loading optical drive and multi-touch keyboard give it a Macbook feel. I just wish it had a similar breakaway power cord.

6) Looks pretty. Not usually a consideration, but hey, gotta give it props for not looking like (or being) a cheap piece of plastic.

Now for the cons (the reason I don't give it a full five stars):

1) No VGA port. Yes, HDMI is great, but if you're plugging it to a 720p tv, it's going to overscan no matter how much you plead with it. There's adapters but c'mon, this isn't some tablet or netbook you need to conserve space on.

2) Network port has a weird flipdown partial cover. Looks like it's just begging to break off.

3) The mic is on the keyboard section to the left of the touchpad. The hole and the mic icon look like a blemish and if you're trying to use a voice app like Skype and typing at the same time it's hard to keep from putting your hand down on it. Very awkward.

4) The power cord is on the side and sticks straight out. Also awkward. Everything else I can understand putting on the left or right, but they should have at least made it one of those right-angle plugs so it doesn't feel like it's going to break the plug or yank the laptop out of your hands if someone trips over it.

5) Windows 8. Yes, as I said above, not so bad once you've tweaked it. But this thing is not a tablet or touchscreen and doesn't really benefit from having an OS that defaults to a touch interface.

6) No Blu Ray. C'mon, guys, you're going to build this with everything else cutting edge, making the optical drive a Blu Ray wouldn't have killed you.

Most of these cons are minor quibbles compared to the pros, so overall I'm very satisfied considering the price was under 1K.

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I've had this laptop for about a month now. I'm going to be brutally honest about it.

Here is what I like

-I LOVE the lighted keyboard Probably my favorite feature

-I love the light weight

-I love how it looks

-I love the heavy hitting ram and great processor

-I love how it turns on when I open it up. Simple feature, yes. Still, who cares its mad cool!

-I love the improved battery life over my old laptop

-The speakers, they are VERY good. I promise you, as a person who produces music, for a latpo you cannot really get all that much better

Things that I do not like

-The charger. My old Sony charger had a way better design and was longer

-The trackpad. I get it, one big trackpad is what's in. If it works like a Mac, that would be great. But it does not quite work that good

-The charger, I know, I know. I already said this but I think its a HUGE deal for people who carry their laptop all over. Samsung could have done better.

For the over all deal though, GET THIS PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY!!

I think its great for the price. No kidding. I love opening it up every morning.

If I had to redo my my buying experiences all over again for the same price, I would buy the SAME thing.

Cheers

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First of all, I bought this laptop, but not from Amazon. I wanted the option of getting in some ones face IF there was a problem. I am happy to say this has not happened, and I am very impressed with this computer. I am still adjusting to Windows 8, but this is the OS windows offers, so may as well get use to it. The boot time is incredibly fast, battery life is great. All around, I am a happy camper.

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Very solid build, very mature design. The 8Gb flash drive gives the 1Tb hard drive a zippy response that makes it a real pleasure to use. The keyboard layout is sensible and feels right. The keystroke is a little shallow but that's a small quibble. I'm sure there's more to know but so far so good. And with Samsung's recent re-branding of their entire laptop line, prices on these models have fallen to a level that should change your buying strategy.

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Sony VAIO VPC-S135FX/S Intel Core i5-480M processor 13.3-Inch LED - Silver

A bought this laptop over 6months ago, and i have been using it consistently, this is not my first laptop, but it is the best i have ever bought so far.

Pros:

Slim and light, hence easy to carry around.

Battery life very good, more than 4hrs when in a good climate (be careful if you gonna use it in a hot climate, battery life could be just 2hrs).

Automatically activated lowlight condition for keyboard, this makes it good to use in the dark, the backlight only comes up in the dark when the keyboard is pressed.

Hard disk size is big enough for any multimedia data.

Cons:

The only issue found so far is the memory, though i have not proved this much, but I noticed atimes when the HDMI port is being used and a movie is played at the same time, there are atimes some delay. Hence, am trying to increase the system memory from present 4gb to 8gb. But so far, this is a very good laptop.

. I have used this amazingly capable computer for many applications and communication under many conditions driving across this country several times both indoors and outdoors wired and wireless with bluetooth, skype and android apps. With Intel-i5, Windows-7, and a back lit keyboard after 20 months, it has proven to be a very dependable portable asset to my personal and business needs. I have added a Nushield screen protector, a hygienic keyboard skin from Abeststore.com, and a Microsoft Explorer Blue Track mouse. Tiny Built in speakers are quite weak, some lower case heat buildup, and the battery life is fair to good depending on use and settings, none the less I rate this 13.3-inch laptop very good to excellent .

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I am completly satisfied with the product. This one is offering me more than what I have expected. Best part about this product is the very less heating effect. I keep on using this all day and I can feel very less heating effect. I would rate this product 4.5/5.0.

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ASUS K K73SD-DS51 17.3-Inch Laptop (Mocha)

This was my first ASUS computer and it will certainly NOT be my last. I really like this machine. It not only looks nice, it is fast. The keyboard and glide pad have a nice feel. After seeing it my friends are now looking at ASUS machines versus Dell.

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