Options for new MacBook Pro 17"

I am considering upgrading to the new MacBook Pro. However, I hate the standard look and feel of the system compared to my current (all aluminum) MBP. In comparison, the system looks cheap and tacky.
Worse, the black glass monitor has so much glare in a side-by-side comparison to my current display, that it can be an eye strain to use. Can that glass front-plate be removed or an older style display be ordered?
The black keyboard also has a horrid cheap keyboard feel compared to my current MBP keyboard. Can the black plastic keys be replaced with the older style aluminum keys?
I really like the power and battery of the new system, but Apple appears to have -- for the first time in years -- taken a major step backwards in the usability and human factors of this new system compared to the one previous MBP model. I am greatly disappointed and VERY torn as to whether I should spend my money to get a more powerful, but much less usable system. If I could replace the display and keyboard with the older style, the upgrade would be a no-brainer.
So, are there any options available as to style of display and keyboard?
THANKS!
Jon K

' Whew! ... Er... Okay... Let me address your two primary and more specific concerns first:
' Regarding the screen: You're in luck - there is a Built-to-Order option for an "anti-glare" display which essentially gives you basically the same panel as the standard model, but ends up looking almost IDENTICAL to the previous (older) model aesthetically. In other words you get the aluminium bevel, no glass panel in front, and a matte-screen.
' The keyboard is another matter... As another poster mentioned there is no possible way for that to be changed due to the manner of construction. It is, however, really a non-issue to almost everyone that's spent some time with it! I've worked on the previous model's keyboard and honestly the newer keyboard is far more responsive and better for touch-typing die to the key-seperation etc. etc. Additionally, while it may take time to acclimatise, I honestly believe you'll come to prefer it aesthetically as well - the contrast to the rest of the box - all the aluminium - is quite pleasant! Methinks this is just a case of you being used to the system you've been using and struggling with the different look.
' Now... Moving on... I have to ask whether or not you've actually spent any time working with the new systems...? Honestly, while the older models were sturdy and had good build-quality etc. I genuinly feel that you can't compare the two - the Unibody MBPs are a cut-above - and one can feel it almost immediately once you actually work with them - opening and closing the clamshell, moving the system about, typing, adding and removing peripherals - the quality and sturdiness of these systems is unrivaled!
' Seriously - unless you have some strange attachment to the old Firewire 400 port (and assuming you get the anti-glare option considering your comments) - I cannot see you possibly being dissapointed with the Unibody 17-incher once you acclimatise!!!
' Anyways. My thoughts - given by an EXTREMELY picky person with ridiculously high standards.
' Looking forward to hearing back from ya!
~Menageryl
-Jack of All Trades, Master of Some!-

Similar Messages

Is there no external power option for new MacBook pro with dual core?

Is there no external power option for a MacBook pro 17 with dual core. Apparently apple doesn't offer one and I can't ind any who does

Courcoul wrote:
Given that the stumbling block to more flexible power options is the infamous patent-protected MagSafe connector
The funny thing is, I've seen loads of cheap "replacement" MagSafe adapters on eBay, Amazon and in local shops. On eBay, they cost (new) about $26, on Amazon I've seen them as cheap as $17!!, against the $80 that Apple charges. And apparently, it's not worth it to pursue the matter, it's been going on for more than a year now.
made of pure unobtanium and guarded by packs of rabid lawyers, someone is shooting themselves in the foot by making the power bricks so frail that the secondary damaged goods recovery market grows without bounds...
I really dig that unobtainium reference :-)
What I've found is that the bricks aren't so frail but the DC cord is! Apparently that's difficult to make resilient, with the characteristics that Apple wanted them to have. Out of every ten broken MagSafe adapters I've seen, only two actually have failed electronics, five have frayed DC wiring and three have a broken MagSafe connector.

Hard drive options for New Macbook Pro 17 inch

I'm interested in purchasing a new MAcbook Pro 17 inch. I'll be using it primarily for work in Adobe Illustrator. I'm wondering if the speed difference of the 500GB 7200 drive will be noticeable compared to the standard 750GB 5400 hard drive. Are there any bench tests out there?

I'm interested in purchasing a new MAcbook Pro 17 inch. I'll be using it primarily for work in Adobe Illustrator. I'm wondering if the speed difference of the 500GB 7200 drive will be noticeable compared to the standard 750GB 5400 hard drive. Are there any bench tests out there?

IMac or wait for new MacBook Pro 2013 or 2014?

I have a mid 2007 iMac model, and my PC laptop recently died- I am debating right now as to whether I should buy the iMac 2013 since it was recently updated or just wait for the MacBook Pro update said to be released sometime this month. I'm in need of a new computer for sure and can last for a bit on my iMac (it's staring to get really slow). I personally would want a MacBook Pro so I could bring it to school/classes but also going to partition it play some PC Games (they're not that graphic hungry, just TERA, MMO's).
I was considering to get the 2013 iMac now and wait until next year for the rumored Sharp IGZO MacBook Pro coming out early 2014 sometime during the summer before next school semester starts. That being said, I don't want to risk the 2014 pro not releasing until AFTER the school semester.
My second option (the safer route) is to wait for the new 2013 MacBook Pro to release this month (hopefully) and that would be the end of it.
I just want to get the most out of my money as well as the reassurance that it would be energy efficient, durable to last for the rest of my college years. Thanks!

I just want to get the most out of my money as well as the reassurance that it would be energy efficient, durable to last for the rest of my college years
So how long is your college course?
The latest MacBook Pros have just been released. No need to wait any longer!

Free Upgrade To Lion For New MacBook Pro Shipped With Snow Leopard?

I just bought a brand new MacBook Pro which just arrived last week. It came pre-installed with Snow Leopard. Is there a program, as in the past, to upgrade to Lion for free? So far I have not figured out a way to do this.

OS X Lion - Get up to date

What is the best 3G key for new macbook pro, what is the best 3G key for new macbook pro

I ve just buy a new macbook pro 13" and the Alcatel Key (3g) to connect web but it doesn't working.
My supplier told me is because of thunderbolt system.
the web is essential for my business
What can i do ? Which key i need ?
Yours sincerely
Florent

First the reason sounds like "tech guy doesn't know"
If your in Europe then I use Vodafone, and have been happy. I also tether my Android phone, depending whc has better reception (though the Android is free with easytether)

Which firewire cable for new MacBook Pro and Canon HV20?

I just bought a new MacBook Pro and want to transfer video from my Canon HV20 camcorder (using FinalCut Express). The Canon instructions say to use a "DV cable" and I've learned that the MacBook Pro only has an "800 fire wire" port. Can someone give me the exact type of cable that I should get (even my local Apple Store couldn't help me).
Thanks!

I'm surprised that the folks at the Apple Store couldn't guide you. You just need a firewire cable with the proper fw400 connector on one end and a fw800 connector on the other. Here's one source for both cables and adapters:
http://www.pccables.com/cgi-bin/orders6.cgi?id=ID7468267&rsite=google.comsearc&r code=&action=Cat&search=FIREWIRE

Bootcamp or parallels for new macbook pro user

I am about to make the switch from pc and purchase one of the new macbook pros that came out today. I don't fully understand how bootcamp and parallels work yet and which would be better for my needs.
I am an architect and will need to run windows for 3d modeling and rendering occasionally. Most likely I will have to use XP pro since Vista isn't yet supported in my work environment. Although I am used to pc operating systems, I think most of the rest of my work could be done using a mac os. Ideally, I would be able to use both simultaneously, but I have heard that parallels is slow.
any thoughts would be much appreciated.

Hi,
personally I don't use Fusion but Parallels.
Both claim that they can use an existing BootCamp Windows partition for creating their Virtual Machines.
However there are a lot of postings that this worked for one and that this has destroyed the BootCamp Windows for others.
For myself I have a BootCamp Windows XP and Parallels with an old Windows 2000 I had lying around.
If you let Fusion use your BootCamp Windows for creating its VM, then there should be no need to reinstall the Windows programs, although it could happen that you have the reenter serial numbers for these programs.
A reformat is not neccessary since Fusion puts the Virtual machine (which in fact consists of 2-3 files) on your OSX partition.
Given the fact that you most certainly need a BootCamp Windows in order to run your architecture programs, I would propose to this first.
Stefan

Cost of extra RAM for newer MacBook Pro.

I'm considering (checking my budget) buying a new MacBook Pro 15" for my wife. As she also needs to access some Windows programs, I want to bump the 4GB to 8GB. Does anyone know the cost for the extra RAM?
Pete F.

Hi Pete,
4GB RAM modules are still quite expensive.
MacSales sells 8GB (2x 4GB) for USD 277.99 for example with the opportunity to trade-in the 'old' modules.
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/AppleMacBook_MacBookPro/Upgrade/DDR3
Regards
Stefan

Is it worth Waiting for New MacBook Pro 2012..

I just got a new Macbook Pro , is it worth waiting till next 2012 when the new one comes out ?
Any idea what the new would look like in terms for configuration and design..

Thanks Shootist007,
I can customise my phone, tablet and mediaplayer as I like (thanks to the guys from XDA), it syncs and streams between my tablet and media player. I can integrate and transfer files, messages, contacts, etc between my phone, wifi media player and tablet without being stuck to an itunes interface. No funny apple conversion/compression tools required for viewing files across platforms, etc. It comes with most programs i use by default, hence no need to get much special or full version apps from the google market place. Dont get me wroing, Im not shooting down Apple, I just look forward to the day, they offer such functionality by default.
I dont mind not having usb 3, so thats ok, quite like thunderbolt. Its the retina display, and HD type that Im more concerned about. And rumours of them doing away with a dvd drive, I still wud like to have one, even in this day and age of wireless/cloud everything. Im sure by June, I would defintely have enought saved away for a 15"/17" model.
Yip, my iTunes library is a mess, only because I started it all wrong, having music folders all over the place, hence I need my own laptop to consolidate and start a fresh itunes library on a fresh laptop. Also since its a work laptop, I often have to delete stuff for space reasons.
Yes, as an IT Auditor I understand the concept of buying tech today, and by tommorrow its old :-)
Thanks for the feedback, I do appreciate it very much, and Im really keen to make the crossover to Apple (as 90% of my friends all have Apple macs or macbooks), then hopefiully I will crossover to the iphone, tablet, etc.

App Store Updates for New Macbook Pro

I recently purchased a new macbook pro and in setting things up, I noticed that I have two pending updates in the appstore, one for iphoto and one for imovie. When I click update, I get a message back saying that I have pending updates for other accounts and that I need to signin to those accounst to complete the updates.
I only have one apple account, I use it for macbook, ipad, itunes, appstore, etc.....
How can I find out what account is being referenced?
Thanks,
Steven

We can't do anything. Contact with App Store support > http://www.apple.com/support/mac/app-store/contact

HDD vs SSD for new MacBook Pro and FCP editing performance

I will be purchasing a new MacBook Pro and I'm curious about performance as it relates to large FCP projects. I'm looking to hear from folks who can help me determine if a solid state drive (SSD) would be worth the extra cost. I edit large FCP projects and I'm curious if using a SSD would be the way to go. Will I get better editing performance with a SSD as opposed to the 7200 RPM HDD?
Thanks!

As a boot drive, SSDs have exceedingly last fast access times, and great data throughput rates. My Crucial SSD has a write read of about 200 MB/s. I can boot in under four seconds, and access apps, and web sites pretty **** fast.
However, beyond this, I don't see any real, substantial or dramatic gains in editing performance at all as a boot drive. I'd save your money on get more RAM, and best CPU and GPU you can afford.

3 hour download for update for new MacBook Pro?

My husband just brought home his new MacBook Pro, and is trying to set it up. It is taking 3 hours to download a software update over our broadband connection. Is this normal?

That is your wireless connection speed not the broadband speed. It is tough to see the broadband speed with out doing a speed test at Speedtest.com or going to broadband reports . com and using their tools page and the speed test.
Once the update downloads finish do some speed test to get a reference on how fast or slow your broadband connection is.
If you have more then one computer do the tests on both to see if the new mac has the same speed as your other computer. You can also do them on your phone with a mobile speed test through your wifi connection to your broadband.

Help Determining Best Option for a MacBook Pro

I will be purchasing a new MBP, and I am having some challenges determining my best option. I have researched quite a bit, but the more I research the more I get lost. I was hoping that the support community here would be able to assist in my decision. I am very price consious so I am looking at the refurbished models from the Apple store. I am also a Web Developer so I need to be able to run Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Illustator plus have a few browsers going with multiple tabs in each. Speed (both working with files and browsing the web) is of the utmost importance to me as I need a computer that can keep up with me. Basically I need a fast computer so I can get my job done quickly. I would love to purchase a new Mac and max it out, but cost is a very important issue which is why I am looking at these two models.
I am torn between two models in the Apple Refurbished section:
Option 1.
Refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Pro 2.5GHz Dual-core Intel i5
Originally released June 2012
13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display, 1280-by-800 resolution
4GB (2 x 2GB) of 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM
500GB Serial ATA @ 5400 rpm
8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Intel HD Graphics 4000
with this model I would max out the RAM to 16GB and switch the HD to an 128GB SSD that I have.
Option 2.
Refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Pro 2.6GHz Dual-core Intel Core i5 with Retina Display
Originally released February 2013
13.3-inch (diagonal) Retina display; 2560-by-1600 resolution at 227 pixels per inch 
8GB of 1600MHz DDR3L SDRAM
 256GB Flash Storage
 720p FaceTime HD Camera
 Intel HD Graphics 4000
What it comes down to is that I like option 1 as the cost is much lower and I can upgrade, but I am nwondering if option 2 would be a faster than option 1 even after I upgrade the RAM and HD. I'm just hesitant about the retina model as I cannot upgrade. To me most of the numbers look the same, but I do not know much about what is under the hood and what is overall a better machine for my purposes above. To the retina screen isn't all that important as I plan on connecting the MBP to a larger external monitory.
Thanks in advance for any help. If anything needs clarification please ask and I will provide more details.

Another advantage to the non-Retina MB/Pro with optical drive is the possibility
of upgrade with a kit, to install a second SSD in place of that drive; as per a
part number kit that macsales OWC site has listed. That kind of upgrade does
come up on occasion; however an SSD in that location has a slower data rate
than one on the hard disk drive bus. 'Data Doubler' is their name for it; a kit
could include a suitable SSD, too. http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/
About wireless connectivity differences between Retina MB/Pro and non-Retina,
could vary the results if one were to use a newer Time Capsule wireless base
station; as these can use two bandwidths of wi-fi. However I am not sure if one
or both models can utilize this feature when connecting to the base station &
wireless backup function of the time capsule. The faster speed could be a little
helpful if using wireless; yet I'd be sure to make a backup clone and directly
use a wired connection of dependable speed and quality for its use.
So to read up on the newer specs for the Time Capsule with built in wi-fi base
station to see if that matters; I doubt there would be an issue as the newer is
supposed to be compatible with the older.
Hopefully this helps somewhat. I've found an older AirPort base station can
affect the internet speed when the source is higher than the base thoroughput.
This can be an issue, at least with wireless backups or internet access. For
best connection speeds, it also helps to have a wired network, to fall back on.
Ethernet is faster and more reliable as a local & internet network path; and a
wired network is more secure than a wireless one.
If you have a different question, be sure to ask; you could also start a new thread.
Good luck & happy computing!

Upgrade Options for My MacBook Pro?

I have a MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009). I recently purchased a game and noticed it lags a lot. I was wondering what options there are for upgrading my mac. Can I upgrade processors, graphics cards, add more RAM? And if not, are there any other options to get my game to play properly without having to buy a new macbook? All comments are much appreciated

OWC are reputable suppliers of memory and hard drive upgrades to the Mac community.
Just find your model MacBook Pro on their website and select the upgrades you need/want.
Both RAM and hard drive upgrades are user serviceable parts and easy to perform. Just need a Philips-00 screwdriver and T6 Torx tool.
OWC has detailed installation videos to guide you.
OWC also have toolkits for use with your Mac.

Options for new MacBook Pro 17"

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for