MacBook vs MacBook Pro
March 4, 2008 - By Justin Hartman
The MacBook Pro is better. Or is it? In this review I take both the MacBook and MacBook Pro and compare them side-by-side to reveal who the true winner is.
Specs of the two machines
The laptops under review are an early 2007 MacBook Pro and a late 2007 MacBook. Here are some comparative specs for each machine.
Memory
The MacBook comes with 1 GB memory and it simply isn’t enough. On both the MacBook and MacBook Pro I noticed that 1 GB is the average usage during peak performance and while I hardly ever used 2 GB on the MacBook Pro it acts as a safety buffer which allows me to run programs efficiently.
On the MacBook programs become sluggish, refuse to quit (e.g. Flock) and I was often conscious of waiting for things to load whereas none of this ever happened on the MacBook Pro.
The great news, and saving grace for the MacBook, is that all new units ship with 2 GB memory as a standard so Apple have won some brownie points with this upgrade.
Processing Power
One would think that the extra 0.13 Ghz processing power on the MacBook Pro would make a difference but I have to admit I didn’t notice a major difference between the two. Both machines handled large graphics and multiple processes equally well so there is no clear winner in this department. There is some performance issues with the MacBook but this is as a result of memory issues.
Hard Drive
A major issue that has bugged me for some time is the hard drive space on the MacBook Pro. It’s such an awesome machine but after nearly nine months of using it I’ve used up more than 60% of my disk space and I have no video stored on my hard drive. While 40 GB extra is a major plus for the MacBook I’m still not convinced that either of these drives are sufficient for a machine that should, in essence, last you many years.
Graphics and Display
The most obvious and noticeable issue I had with the MacBook was the fact that the screen is only 13″ big. This wouldn’t be such an issue if the MacBook could compete with the MacBook Pro on the actual pixel resolution but at only 1280×800 you can seriously feel the cramped space on your desktop. The extra two inches and 1440×900 screen resolution on the MacBook Pro makes a huge difference to workspace area and overall usability.
That said, the MacBook comes with a reflective screen where the MacBook Pro has a standard TFT screen. It looked a little weird at first to me (and is a major fingerprint attractor) but I have to say the new reflective screen enhances colour and everything is much clearer on the MacBook. A real winner in my opinion.
Unfortunately for the MacBook the new MacBook Pro comes with this reflective screen as a standard.
What I did really miss on the MacBook was the ambient light-sensor which comes standard with the MacBook Pro. This light-sensor adjusts the screen brightness according to your ambient light and really helps to avoid strained and tired eyes. I often forget to adjust the screen brightness on the MacBook and I’ve sorely missed not having this automated feature.
Keyboard
The keyboard on both these machines are very unique and very different from each other. Personally I am loving the MacBook keyboard however I am biased in this regard. The MacBook Pro keyboard is the same keyboard as the old PowerBook and iBook models and having owned both in the past I can tell you I have this uncanny ability to break said keyboards.
I am not particularly rough on my keyboards which leads me to believe that there is a design flaw in this particular style as featured on the MacBook Pro. Over time keys stop working and I know of at least one person, with a fairly new model, who has experienced keyboard failure on his MacBook Pro.
The new keyboards on the MacBook are built into the machine, feel solid under typing and position-wise are more ergonomic to work from. Some people have told me they hate the MacBook keyboard but based on my past experience I’d like to see this keyboard being rolled out to the MacBook Pro in future models.
The one feature which is unique to the MacBook Pro is a back-lit keyboard which lights up when you’re in a dark room or when ambient light is poor. At first glance it seems somewhat gimmicky but you’ll be amazed at how often you use this feature and how much it helps when you do have it.
USB & Firewire
Both laptops suck when it comes to this. They ship with two USB and two Firewire ports but let’s face it - who needs more than one Firewire port anyway? I use one and the only reason I do is for backing up my work to an external drive or for getting video onto my Mac from my video camera. In both instances I only ever use this, at best, once a week.
Now given the fact that my mouse uses one USB port and my iPhone another where am I supposed to plug in my Flash Drive, digital camera and USB printer? Could we not have sacrificed one Firewire and given both machines a third or, dare I say it, fourth USB port?
As flawed as both machines are on this front the MacBook is by far the winner simply from a design perspective. On the MacBook Pro one of the USB ports is idiotically located next to the cable lock slot which means that when I’m in the office, with computer locked to my desk, my cable lock prevents me from using one of my USB ports. So, instead of having two much needed USB ports I only ever have one at my disposal while at the office.
Very poorly designed but Apple have changed this design flaw on the MacBook as both USB ports are located miles away from the cable lock slot. Duh!
Wireless
Apple’s AirPort cards are based on industry standards and the MacBook wins hands down over the MacBook Pro. Both laptops feature 802.11n Wi-Fi technology but for whatever reason the MacBook is faster, has a much wider range and is generally more stable than the MacBook Pro. I noticed that the MacBook has an updated software version to the MacBook Pro which may have something to do with this but there is no upgrade available to MacBook Pro users.
Sound
Both the MacBook and MacBook Pro now feature standard stereo speakers. I can’t see any technical difference between the two but the MacBook Pro speakers are by far superior to the MacBook. If you’re an audio or movie person and plan to listen/watch on your Mac then the MacBook might not meet your standards.
Overall Rating
Below is a break-down of my rating per reviewed item for each machine.
Conclusion
I initially thought that the MacBook Pro would come up trumps in this review however the ratings paint a different picture. At the end of the day I think the decision to buy a MacBook or a MacBook Pro is really down to your own personal preferences.
The MacBook is smaller, easier to carry around with you and is the ultimate portable companion while the MacBook Pro is an elegant, sexy and targeted at the high-end consumer market.
Personally I love my MacBook Pro and feel the price-tag justifies the extra functionality but I also won’t hesitate to buy a MacBook for when I need to travel a lot or if portability is critical to my needs.
Price and availability
Current MacBook Price: R13,999.00
Current MacBook Pro Price: R21,999.00 (review model cost R16,530.00)
Both machines are available online from ZA Store as well as at all Apple iStore’s nationwide.
Caveats
For this review I decided to use the top-end MacBook against the mid-range MacBook Pro. I wanted the review to be fair to both machines and to compare, where possible, like-for-like functionality.
I personally use a MacBook Pro and as a result I’m looking at how the MacBook compares to the MacBook Pro rather than the other way round so some subjectivity (in either direction) will occur.
Apple have also recently launched newer versions of both machines to the ones being reviewed. Where possible I’ve tried to include the differences between the reviewed models and the ones just released by Apple.
Rate this review:
(8 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Filed Under Apple, Computing, Featured Reviews, Laptops
Brilliant review dude. Interesting that they came up even in spite of the price difference. Yes the screen is bigger and that does help for design work and the rest. But with such a vast price difference I’m wondering why I blew the extra cash going “pro” when a plain book would’ve done it?
Justin, buddy, I’ve been looking for a review like this for ages. I actually walked into an iStore over the weekend wanting to purchase a Macbook but walked out with nothing after I couldn’t decide whether I should just spend the extra cash and go for the larger, badass Pro.
I think after reading this review I’ll go for the Macbook, I really only need something small and portable, it seems the ram on both machines are equivalent and I really just dont have the cash for the pro.
Stunning review!
I’m just a bit bummed that my black MacBook was one of the last ones with 1GB memory - the 2GB would make all the difference!
Also with the MacBook keep in mind that you need to buy an extra mini DVI cable to connect to external AV sources but they’re freely available for about R230.
Awesome review dude, this will be huge for Google traffic
Wow, cool comparison.
mmm, I always had a feeling that the differences between then macbook and the macbook pro weren’t that vast, but still always opted for the pro.
Next time, I would rather buy the 13k macbook and purchase a 24″ desktop screen, that way I have size and mobility. -Nice.
I’ve got the MacBook with an extra Gig RAM and it kicks ASS! The display might be an issue if you are used to bigger, but I’m not, so thats cool. Besides, it makes the MacBook more mobile.
The sound is somewhat shoddy. Not shoddy, but even with the speakers crancked up to top volume, it sound weak and soft.
The wireless is pretty astounding! I wonder if the MacBook Air’s wireless is as good??
A brilliant review mate!
Interesting article. I have the Macbook Pro 15″ and am very happy with it. Pleased I have this as opposed to the Macbook, which has some serious design problems with it (the bezel cracks if you look at it funny. we have had to replace several in our office).
By the way: well done with the design of this website. You’ve done a great job of showing what can be done with Wordpress.
I have to agree with Nic - a slightly bigger screen and extra RAM doesn’t justify an R8,000 increase for me. And one question … why on earth do they have a smaller drive in the Pro?
The name says it all: If you’re a pro user then go pro otherwise save your money and get a truly excellent (and portable) Macbook. This is the beauty of Apple product, simplicity!
MacBook for life!
awesome review BTW
Hey guys, thanks for all the comments about the review! It’s pretty cool doing something that has value to you all.
Jasmine, just to clarify the Hard Drive space on the Pro. The MacBook reviewed is one of the latest ones available in SA whereas the Pro is much older machine. If I had the current MacBook Pro then it would come with 250GB.
So I’m guessing if you had to do the review again with the current Mac & Pro, the Pro would come out way tops?
Well that’s what I thought about this review…..
I’m not 100% sure and I can’t make a prediction because where the reviewed MBP scored poorly some of those issues have been resolved such as reflective screen and hard drive capacity.
At the same time though, the latest MB now also has 250GB hard drive so it’s equal in comparison and features 2GB RAM which the reviewed one scored poorly in with only 1GB.
I’d have to get my hands on the two latest ones and run side-by-side comparisons again but I think we’ll end up with a similar situation as with this review. At the end of the day, as SaulK mentioned, it’s down to your individual needs.
Ah … ok … I missed the bit about the MBP in the review being an older model
I love apple, and this review/comparison just makes me loathe the apple owners more and more…
I cant wait to get my paws on either a macbook or a macbook pro, as the “downsides” mentioned dont really bother me much
This is a great review. I agree that these things are a little subjective. The one point that I thinks needs a little more attention is that some persons prefer the smaller footprint of the Macbook (and of course it is a little lighter), but then others prefer the larger screen and dedicated RAM on the Graphics card of the Macbook Pro.
I have owned both machines (and just recently got a new Macbook Pro after my old one was SQUASHED in a motorcycle accident - take a look here for pictures! Even though it was bent, it still worked!)
Just one correction in your review, the Macbook Pro only comes with one Firewire port. The picture that you have on your blog shows an old 15″ Powerbook that came with Firewire 400 and 800.
Anyway, great review! I personally love my Macbook! I just wish it didn’t run quite so hot!
i’ve been researching a new mac laptop as my ibook was on its last legs. the features and performance of both computers are way more powerful than my usage patterns. i ended up getting the macbook and i liked it. the glossy screen was nice except the viewing angles weren’t the greatest as i witnessed while watching a movie and i felt the contrast of the screen was lacking. i ended up exchanging it for a macbook pro and even though i do like the pro a lot i still wonder if i spent a bit much.
however, what i do like about the pro that i felt justified the price is i prefer matte screens over glossy b/c i hate the color shift and glossy shows fingerprints more easily. the led screen on the pro is much brighter, crisper, and obviously bigger which allows me to type documents side by side. that alone was worth it to save my eyesight and boost productivity. the second thing that i liked was i found the fan on the macbook was always running and i realized that the plastic case holds in the heat while my pro’s fans rarely go on even during heavy use, or at least it’s not as audible.
truth be told i would recommend most people on a budget to go with the new penryn macbooks b/c the price is absolutely phenomenal but if you use a computer often and size is not an issue, the pro is definitely a nice machine. at the end of the day you will be paying (here in canada) you will be paying about $500 bucks more for a macbook pro over the black macbook but here’s what you get:
1. better quality screen - brighter, led - last longer and environmentally friendly, higher resolution, option of matte
2. great battery life for a 15 inch laptop - the led screen, penryn processor give me like 4 hours of performance
3. dedicated video card - does not use any of the system ram like the integrated chip.
4. arguably better build quality - aluminum may not be as dent proof as polycarbonate but you it does dissipate heat more effectively and does not get the stained color of the white and does not show finger prints as the black macbook
5. gimmicky but kinda cool features - ambient light sensor and lighted keyboard are luxury but cool to have if it’s there.
6. full dvi instead of mini dvi - not sure if that matters but it’s a difference and the dvi to vga connector is included with the price.
Brilliant review. Thank you for the advice. I think I’m going to go for the Macbook. Seems that the extra Rands are not worth it for the few extra Pro features.
bloody tops, this is a great review.
this is a crap review. why? well, at least review the machines that are currently available. justin: you are out of date, mate. you can’t compare one machine from a certain generation and another from another. c’mon man. this review falls short on it’s opener already.
and chrissake charl norman: give it a rest already. not everything needs to be about Google traffic does it? go something worthwhile for a change - and no, that doesn’t mean digging your own posts ok.
here’s what a good review looks like: http://www.timesurl.at/27782f - not this Google bait/link-bait that the rest all laps up like this.
Rob, we can only review the latest items that we get from The Core Group who distribute Apple in South Africa so there wasn’t much I could do in terms of getting the latest spec’d machines.
We’ve really struggled to get anything out of The Core and they have been the most difficult people to deal with in terms of getting stock for review purposes.
Having read the MBA review you linked to I’m not sure what I could have done differently to make this review “good”.
You seem to be the only person who took issue to this review and while you’re fully entitled to your opinions I still maintain it was very necessary to do this review all be it on somewhat older machines.
Aloha all…
To quote…”I see a mac in my NEAR future…” I plan on getting a MB or MBP. still haven’t decided. I’ll be going to Best Buy to play with them after work. Hopefully, I can decide tonight. I don’t plan to do any gaming on it (not initially anyway), however, I will do things like photo and audio editing. Maybe later, video editing. I know that iMovie can handle some of this, but I’d like to maybe try my hand at FCP. I already know (read) that FC Studio won’t run properly on a MB…or will it? On the MB, again from what I’ve read/heard, I won’t be able to run “Color” or “Motion”. Again, I’m not sure. Any help that can be provided would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Great review! I LOVE my Macbook pro as its perfect for the graphic design work I have to do. I was also lucky enough to get the RAM upgraded to the total 4gigs which makes a huge difference if you want to run Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop together…
Macbook Pro FTW!
Loved the review. That’s all I have to say. Made it easier for me to make a decision. Thanks Justin
Awesome Brian. Glad to hear you enjoyed the review and that it helped you!