MacBook Pro 13 "in the 2011 edition: experience, comparison with Air 11.6", some disappointment

In February 2011, Apple continued its "Attack of the Clones". Presenting in 2008 a new design for the MacBook Pro notebooks, the company is a step not departed from him until now. Competitors, of course, warning in advance, copied many ideas Unibody and the overall design of devices, but, hand on heart, say that while it is better in appearance notebooks of this class do not. Although the taste and color, as they say, no friends. However, in recent years it began to appear really interesting alternative to the Windows world. For example, Dell XPS 15z. Good copy, too, must be able to, right? But it now goes to the design of plagiarism and the "clone-policy» Apple, its new 13-inch model MacBook Pro and that it's time the company to change something, because stagnation, there boredom.

attack of the clones

About a year ago I did review 13-inch device and since then in the packaging and packaging, nothing has changed. All the same white box made of high quality cardboard and with a cool printing, labels set with apples, a couple of system DVD-ROM drive (unless the newer version of the software - Mac OS X 10.6.6 and iLife'11), power supply unit with an aluminum plug the MagSafe, that in some situations it is more convenient old plastic, in others - no (can cover part of the port) thick cable extension for BP. There are all necessary for work and nothing more.

Appearance is also familiar to the pain: monolithic aluminum housing machined from a solid piece of aluminum, covered with a glass display, the optical drive system with slotted Disc loading on the left side, IR-receiver - on the front, a set of input-output ports and a card reader - on the right (now, in addition to SD and SDHC, reading and cards SDXC). There is also the brand battery level indicator.

Are there any differences? Yes, there is - near the Mini DisplayPort connector, a new icon, and the port itself is also different, though looks superficially similar predecessor. This is the Thunderbolt - high-speed communication interface that provides data transfer rates up to 10 Gbit / s in both directions and can replace most of today's interfaces, whether it is USB 3.0, HDMI, DisplayPort and others. In theory, everything is good, but in practice Thunderbolt yet useless, as there is no corresponding periphery. But manufacturers are interested in innovation, and in a year or two it will begin to clearly bring brand-new Mac owners more good than it is now. In the meantime, this connector can be used in the old way - to connect a laptop to the Apple LED Cinema Display and other means of image output. It is fully obratnosovmestim with conventional Mini DisplayPort. That is, the adapter to HDMI or VGA work.

Open the gadget, and... well, you understand, everything is similar. I was able to work at the officially supplied to the device, with the appropriate keyboard layout, press the Enter key on two rows and large Russian letters. It has long been accustomed to this and think it is more convenient than the engraved "gray" options.

Branded a button power that transcends new Air to the main keyboard unit, a microphone in the left top, fashion MacBook Pro inscription below the display - everything is there.

Peephole webcam, which was renamed to the iSight to FaceTime Camera, located on its original site, but Apple photomodule finally used by others. Still, VGA-camera in a modern laptop - it is an anachronism. Let her features still have enough, but you video chat systems develop online channels fat. It is time to move to HD and FaceTime Camera in the MacBook Pro 2011 is the most HD supports. Video recording is done in a maximum resolution of 720p.

Whether the difference is felt? Yes, it is felt, but not much. Picture-in FaceTime client clearer, more responsive camera, the image gives a little brighter. But in general, the difference is small and is not critical. Nevertheless, it is better when installed HD webcam, rather than VGA - some no, but all the same perspective. In the future, there is a use for it.

We overturn the laptop and see all the same nearly flat feet. Well, because they have become more prominent in the second-generation Air, why not make a similar move in the Pro-models? These legs are so flat that if the table gets fine grit or sand, it may well scratch the bottom of the notebook. On my last "Proshka" it was so. Trifle, of course, but a trifle uncomfortable. And slippery feet. I am sure there are in the industry of materials with similar texture, elasticity level, but not as sliding on a flat surface. Wonder when Apple changed the design of the legs, or at least their material? Hopefully, in the next-generation MacBook Pro. In general, it is necessary to change everything because the current design is simply tired, although it certainly is good.

Even at the bottom there is an inscription with the traditional model number, serial number, and all sorts of icons.

From generation to generation clones are better places ...

The fact that the subject apparatus clone turned out, does not mean that it is the same, and inside. Filling the gadget has changed completely and irrevocably. The new platform, the new CPU, new memory, new graphics card, it is possible that something else new, for example, the audio chip, but this is not essential. In this case, to the hit entry-2.3-gigahertz and 2-core Core i5, 4GB of DDR3 memory 1333 and a hard disk 320 GB. This race, no, I would even say a leap forward, if not a "but."

Laptop to leapfrog generations of processors, was really cool and fast chip, and the load to it - please! - Intel HD Graphics 3000 video card. Yes, my friends, sometimes "they come back." Well, at least some GeForce 520M would be already good but the integrated Intel graphics actually calls on the capabilities and performance of new models of previous generations.

Yes, the new video chip is located on a single chip with the processor, it interacts with him high-speed rail got 384 MB of video memory, but the architecture is something that all remains the same years of antiquity. Well, do not make a foul-smelling mass of candy did not do, even if wrapped it in a nice wrapper and a good "drive". All that had the above innovations - is to get about the same performance with the GeForce 320M in standard graphics tests, where HD Graphics leaves at the expense of processor and make normally process interface Mac OS X. Slowdown, both in last year's MacBook Pro 15 " using the integrated video chip, I have not noticed. Everything works smoothly and beautifully. Though it pleases.

The lack of hardware support for OpenCL technology depressing, is responsible for its implementation of the central processor and stream processors in the Intel HD Graphics 3000 is four times less than in the GeForce 320M (12 versus 48). That is, in a particularly loaded with special effects and three-dimensional textures games Intel integrated solution It will even cede much outdated video chip from NVIDIA, not to mention the more modern alternatives.

On the other hand, for all sorts of "kazualok" video features in the new MacBook Pro 13 "would be enough, and more, and is not necessary. This laptop is needed for working, not for games. For them, the best desktop Windows-based PCs with the corresponding filling or use a game console.

As for the autonomy of the laptop, it is comparable to last year's model. If you do nothing, but simply open the lid and leave it so that the machine will last 9-10 hours.

If you load a Web browser with multi-tabbed notebook, print text, engage in basic treatment images Pixelmator, launch Skype, Adium, e-mail client, the battery capacity is enough for 6-7 hours work. Run view HD-video, and we can count on 4-4.5 hours.

Incidentally, the video resolution of 1080p unit plays well. No jerks, braking, artifacts or even some incidents are not seen, which is not surprising with such a processor.

Special heating in the device was observed. When the room temperature is about 26 ° C maximum processor warmed to 55 ° C in the standard mode. the cooling fan is rotated at the same speed of 2000 rev / min - in this case it is practically noiseless.

As the pug bitten by elephant

And now the fun. At the end of last year, I moved to the 13-inch MacBook Pro 2010 11.6-inch MacBook Air with of Custom configuration, including 4 GB of RAM (128 GB SSD, 1,4 GHz Core 2 Duo ULV). Of course, sometimes there were doubts - and whether the right thing? Yes, my eyes are normally perceived smaller diagonal display, performance enough autonomy is good for personal problems (the device does operates in my run time of about 5 hours without recharging), the half weight, and dimensions or, say, a volume - so generally threefold decreased. Given the fact that carry your laptop with you often - it is an important point.

In this case, I had a great chance to compare devices. As I mentioned above, in the daily tasks of MacBook Pro 13 "2011 is not much different from the 2010 model year in the games it can be a little bit worse, but not always (depends on the game). What about comparisons with the Air and it is not the fastest processor, although a decent graphics card?

Looking ahead to say that I did not regret the transition to Air - the decision was correct. Now consider the situation in detail.

first - display. Apple need to do something about it. 1280x800 pixels for a 13.3-inch - it is not enough. Particularly strong difference seen when comparing the screen directly in Air (no matter 11.6 or 13.3 inch - in both cases, the density of pixels per inch above) and Pro. Here is a laptop worth, here's a number - the second. Fuzzy, little blurred fine text, picture coarse, easily perceptible to the naked eye pixel grid. I was much more pleasant and easier to look at the small screen with Air Bole slightly smaller, but smooth and crisp text and, incidentally, more juicy picture. And furious glare glass "Proch" does not make the picture better.

second - the disk subsystem. SSD taxis! Almost 4 months I had become accustomed to the fact that on the Air program will start almost instantly, Safari recovers tabs history supershustro, the system is rebooted with the full run for 5-7 seconds with no sound and clicks. The 13-inch MacBook Pro hard drive slowly, loud and afraid of shaking. Applications run 2-3 times slower, the system is also in no hurry to boot. In general, all as before. "Proshko" not enough SSD!

Thus, when the standard Air journalist working with a computer in most cases operate either identical or better. And it's not just about printing text or surf the web. With the processing of images in Pixelmator «Air" laptop also copes fine.

But it is not all that bad. Let's take a look at the beginner on the other hand. IMovie work on it a lot more comfortable. If a few months ago, I almost did not use the video editor, but now he is a frequent guest on the desktop. Air cope with this kind of work, but it was felt that it would be hard. Especially when doing pruning sound, adds a lot of effects, and the assembly of the final material is three times longer than a MacBook Pro. Import the video too.

Surfing the web with a bunch of open heavy pages loaded "Flash" and advertising, of course, on a large laptop is also more convenient. Air caches the page longer. On "Proch" site loaded and immediately you can quickly poskrolit on Air is something like Engadget it will not work. We will have to wait a few seconds longer and then all smartly and quickly to scroll.

Another point where the MacBook Pro rips younger brother to shreds - an adaptation of the photos in iTunes when synchronizing with iPhone / iPod touch or iPad. It is usually performed only once, but this process is the Air nespeeeshnyyy and doooolgo that inadvertently gets angry. Newbie doing something very, very fast. A special case, of course, but it is.

Something must change

What I want to say the last part of his article. I want to say that Apple's time has come seriously to update range MacBook Pro. It is both a design and a standard stuffing. Tired of the planned upgrade of the company's professional notebook on the background of the fabulous iPhone, iPad and Air. Give people display with IPS-matrix and increased resolution, the SSD as standard, the video card is not from Intel. Down optical drive of the 13-inch model, down from the screen or glass apply to it any matte layer. A little because to be happy, and it is achievable even now, but a lot of money. Take, for example, a custom configuration for a 15-inch MacBook Pro pattern with a matte screen with a resolution of 1680x1050 pixels and SSD-drive. The laptop is a dream for a lot of money. It is time to bring this dream to the masses.

In general, the last upgrade of the 13-inch MacBook Pro models turned out to be boring. In the 15- and 17-dyyumovyh units even more powerful graphics card there, but "baby" this component only disappointing. Thunderbolt also still useless. This means that the owners of MacBook Pro 13 "2010 reason to change their cars there. If the device is in use in 2009, one might think, but it is still better to wait for the next year. Sure, Apple could surprise us again in the same way as it did during the announcement of MacBook Air last year. It's time to change something, it's time to shake noutbuchnogo new market. Because competitors are not asleep, competitors copy, clone, and sometimes invent something new and interesting.

MacBook Pro 13 "for review given store "America"