Besides the dedicated GeForce 9600M, the Pro also includes the same integrated GeForce 9400 GPU found in the smaller MacBooks. The settings menu has two power options: high performance or longer battery life. Choosing high performance turns the 9600 chip on, while choosing longer battery life turns it off, leaving you with just the integrated 9400 chip. Apple still isn't making gaming machines, but with the integrated graphics we got 56.4 frames per second in Quake IV at a resolution of 1,024x768, and 86.2 frames per second with the dedicated graphics.
Note that switching between GPUs doesn't require a reboot, but you do have to log out and log back into your user account, closing apps in the process.
With the GeForce 9600M GPU turned on, we got 4 hours and 14 minutes on our video playback battery drain test, which is very impressive for a desktop replacement. Switching the 9600M off added about 30 minutes.
One concern we've heard voiced is about the sealed battery compartment, which means you can neither replace a worn-out battery nor bring a backup extra battery on long trip. A 4-hour-plus performance from a 17-inch laptop should help assuage the extra battery concerns, since that's more than double what most desktop replacements get. The lack of a user-replaceable battery is a more serious issue. Apple claims the battery in the 17-inch MacBook Pro is good for 1,000 recharge cycles, which, if true, means the battery should outlive the useful life of the laptop. Apple's retail stores will also open the chassis and replace the battery for a fee.
Not to sound like a broken record, but Apple continues to both frustrate and impress with its service and support. MacBooks include a one-year, parts-and-labor warranty, but only 90 days of toll-free telephone support. This, along with the proprietary nature of Apple's products, makes purchasing an extended Apple Care warranty almost a necessity, but a necessity that will cost $349 for three total years of coverage.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Find out more about how we test laptops.
Apple MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo - 2.66GHz / 17-inch
OS X 10.5.6 Leopard; Intel Core 2 Duo 2.66GHz; 4096MB DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz; 256MB Nvidia GeForce 9400M / 512MB Nvidia GeForce 9600M GT; 320GB Fujitsu 5,400rpm
Apple MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo - 2.53GHz / 15.4
OS X 10.5.5 Leopard; Intel Core 2 Duo 2.53GHz; 4096MB DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz; 256MB Nvidia GeForce 9400M / 512MB Nvidia GeForce 9600M GT; 320GB Hitachi 5,400rpm
Dell Studio XPS 16
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64-bit); 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8600; 4,096MB DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz; 512MB ATI Radeon HD3670; 320GB Seagate 7,200rpm
Gateway P-7801u
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64-bit); 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400; 4096MB DDR3 SDRAM 667MHz; 1GB Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS; 320GB Hitachi 7,200rpm
Sony Vaio AW170Y/Q
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64-bit); 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9400; 4,096MB DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz;
