I bet that Corey thought that I forgot that I promised to write a review of my new MacBook Pro C2D. Well I didn’t. It’s just that I hate writing a review before I have ACTUALLY USED the product being reviewed — frankly, I’m a bit dubious about reviews that gush about how great something is after only 2 hours or so of use.
Today is my 15th day of real MBP C2D use and in a word it’s “awesome.”
First, to put this review into context, some specs:
One key aspect of the above specs is the 3GB of Memory. If Imelda Marcos is a “Shoes Horse,” then I am a “Memory Horse.” To put that comment in perspective, I would have gone with 4GB if they had let me. In fact, I continue to be astonished that Apple is willing to permit optional configurations at 1x1GB and 1X2GB, but not 2x2GB…isn’t it better to run matched pairs of memory anyway? I also find it odd that Apple does not sell 1x2GB memory modules on their website. In any event, this MBP C2D has 3GB of memory and I am sure that lends mightily to its speed.
Of course, on speed, you only have my word for it, because I have no idea how to test it — after all, I’m NOT Macworld! — all I can say is that this machine seems wicked-fast.
The glowing keyboard is a nice touch. In fact I am writing this post in the dark right now and pressing glowing keys is much easier than trying to read printed letters in the “glow” from the screen.
The last thing that deserves special note is how this machine handles bootcamp/Vista. Perhaps it is just that I have never used bootcamp or never seen Windows {cough} Vista, but on this machine, Vista seems FAST.
I am running the 36-bit Vista RC-1 release. I actually installed the 64-bit release, but since the bootcamp drivers don’t seem to be written for 64-bit (and I am too lazy to look for 64-bit drivers), I have stuck with the 32-bit version. Also, while I tried to grab a Bit Torrent copy of Vista RC-2, the process was too much like watching paint dry — and, since Vista RC-1 seems to be working just fine, I see no burning need to continue my quest for RC-2.
So my thoughts? Vista runs way better on this MBP C2D than any other Windows {cough} product has ever run on any of my Windows machines (HP Tablets, IBM Thinkpads, Dell Laptops). Do I have an interest in actually using Vista? Heck no. Even at a pre-Leopard 10.4.8, the Mac OS is tons better than Vista — but that’s a whole ‘nother review. The point here is that the MBP C2D (using bootcamp) is quite impressive in the Windows mode — and that comment of mine is not “impressive, considering that the MBP is not meant to run Windows” — that comment of mine is that Vista on my MBP is plain-old “impressive.”
Well, that’s it for now. I know that it’s not much, but if you wanted a real review, you could have gone here. 
Hi Jerry, I’ve had pc’s galore and notebooks, but never a mac. I’m getting frustrated with viruses, bootup times, “updates” and the whole look and feel of an OS that takes unending minutes to logoff whether it’s running on a desktop of a top-range Vaio laptop – so am seriously considering a mac.
My neighbor is a photographer and has one, I’m interested in editing video, – I’d go for the same spec you have.
mac’s are priced at a premium in the UK, I have a freind returning from teh US in a few weeks who could bring one back for me – do you mind me asking where did you buy yours and what did you pay? (Most of the price-matching sites I am checking seem to sense that I am enquiring from the UK and refer me to UK supplier….)
I can probably help…but let’s take this over to email. I will send an email to you soon.