SSD: Optional and Non-Intel

My only major complaint about the MacBook Pro is, once again, that it does not come with a SSD standard. I understand, however, to cut costs and do such a thing would be impossible today. For $350 Apple will upgrade your hard drive to the latest 128GB Samsung MLC SSD; for $800 you'll get 256GB. I can't stress how much you shouldn't buy the 256GB drive; prices are dropping too quickly for that to be a good deal. If you can hold out until next year you'll be able to get that capacity at half the price.

My other major complaint is Apple's refusal to offer Intel's X25-M as an option on its MacBook Pro line. The Samsung drive Apple uses is the same drive Corsair is selling right now. It's a decent drive, offers good compatibility and reliability, but in terms of worst case scenario performance I haven't found it nearly as good as the Intel drive.

I'm not saying that Apple should only offer the Intel drive, but it should at least be an option. For a company obviously concerned with the overall package, it seems odd to leave out one of the strongest SSDs on the market. Especially given how close Apple and Intel are already.

A good, standard SSD is the only thing separating this MacBook Pro from perfection.

Update on Build Quality and Trackpad

The build quality of the new MacBook Pro remains unchanged and unparalleled. This thing is solid, and it looks pretty sweet too.

The glass covered trackpad that I had issues with in my original review now works totally fine. I no longer have any problems with clicks not registering under OS X. Within a month of the first unibody MacBook Pro release Apple put out an update designed to address those issues, so I believe this has been fixed for a while.

Thanks to the cool running Penryn core, the MacBook Pro doesn't really get more than warm at its base. The glass covered display is still quite glare happy, but indoors it looks great and in certain situations outdoors it’s acceptable.

I won’t go too much further into the displays or other features of the unibody MacBook Pro, I already did that in our original coverage of the machine.

Lower Power Consumption = Smaller Power Bricks Final Words
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  • ltcommanderdata - Friday, June 12, 2009 - link

    I guess your findings on MacBook Pro battery life should make those who say Macs are only commodity notebooks with a fruit sticker and a higher price think twice. The 15.4" MacBook Pro may not be the fastest 15.4" notebook or the cheapest, but it offers great battery life and light weight without sacrificing too much performance. That's certainly a combination some people would be willing to pay for.
  • Pirks - Friday, June 12, 2009 - link

    [EDITED: Pirks, watch your comments please.]

    Summary: I'm glad to see someone showing all the Wintel fanboys that Apple is great. Anand showed them GOOD. Thanks Anand! :)))
  • mesiah - Saturday, June 13, 2009 - link

    Wow, I come to this site to get good reviews and avoid 10 year old remarks like that. Please, have mommy take you to the mall to buy more toys and leave this place to the grown ups, its about all we have left.
  • Pirks - Saturday, June 13, 2009 - link

    NOT FAIR EDIT!!! Mods, where the heck have you been when chicko was writing expletives about me? Double standard! Wintrolls can swear at me and I can't swear back? Why? Why they CAN and I CAN NOT??!!
  • JarredWalton - Saturday, June 13, 2009 - link

    We just got mod ability for the comments section. :-)
  • Pirks - Saturday, June 13, 2009 - link

    Does it include comments on DailyTech too?
  • JarredWalton - Saturday, June 13, 2009 - link

    Nope... we're technically "sister" sites, so essentially we have nothing to do with what they write about. The editing ability (and post deletion ability) is mostly for when people step way over the line... try and keep the comments more professional rather than less - and remove any outright name calling.
  • just4U - Monday, June 15, 2009 - link

    Yep that's why I like reading the comments here. Always quite professional as people leave the Apple/Windows Nvidia/Ati Amd/Intel love hate thingie pretty much alone and are mostly cordial about their biases .. if it's even evident that they have any.

  • PlasmaBomb - Friday, June 12, 2009 - link

    Did the 15" model you reviewed the battery life on have the optional 9600gt?

    I know apple let you disable it, but it being absent may be more energy efficient than being simply disabled.

    Also what processors do the MBPs run? As apple simply state 2.53 GHz, when there are several mobile chips which run at that speed - the T9400, P9500, P8700.

    Great review.
    Thanks :)
  • sillyfox - Tuesday, September 8, 2009 - link

    Yes!
    Great review! Thanks for kindly sharing.
    Related:
    http://lawrenceluo.blog.com/2009/07/29/apple-power...">http://lawrenceluo.blog.com/2009/07/29/apple-power...

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