Laptops Prices and Reviews

Introducing the new 13 inch MacBook Pro. The state of the art dual core Intel i7 processor delivers up to 2x faster performance (over the last generation of MacBook Pro). New Thunderbolt technology allows you to connect high performance peripherals and high resolution displays to a single port, and move files at lightning speeds. And with the new fitted FaceTime HD camera, you may be able to make astonishingly crisp HD video calls. The 13.3 inch unibody MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt technology (see bigger image).

163 of 174 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of five stars Sense and Dollars, March 24, 2011
By KSBAY See all my reviews This review is from: Apple MacBook Pro MC724LL/A 13.3 Inch Laptop (Personal Computers) let us assume you are perplexed between purchasing the “standard” $1199 Macbook Pro 13 and this “high end” $1499 Macbook Pro 13.

I’ll just say it straight up.

This “High end” model is still not a smart purchase when in comparison to the “standard” Apple MacBook Pro MC700LL/A 13.3 Inch Laptop

The ONLY differences between the two 2011 MBP 13′s are minor and comprise of a super small processor speed difference and hard drive space. The standard MBP 13 has a 2.3GHz dual core Intel Core i5 processor + a 320 gb 5400 rpm hard drive while the high end MBP 13 has a 2.7GHz dual core Intel Core i7 processor + a 500 gb hard drive.

For value conscious buyers, I have pasted Speedmark 6.5 and Geekbench results below. Speedmark is Macworld Lab’s standard test tool for benchmarking Macs. It is used to test in general speed and efficiency of macs. Geekbench is the most recognized benchmarking software for Mac.

Speedmark 6.5 results:
2011 Macbook Pro 13

13″ MacBook Pro 2.3GHz Core i5 dual core Score = 140
13″ MacBook Pro 2.7GHz Core i7 dual core Score = 155

Only 15 points more. Not a 15 difference.

Geekbench Benchmark results
13″ MBP 2.3 GHz dual i5 2011: 5948
13″ MBP 2.7 GHz dual i7 2011, 6796

A difference of 848 points which equals up to a 12 difference.

So you are paying $300 more (20 of the cost of the $1499 MBP 13 or 25 of the cost of the standard $1199 MBP 13) for a 12 difference, a 400 mhz processor speed difference (not at all big as seen in the benchmarks) and a 180 gb hard drive space increase.

EVERYTHING else is is the same in both models, from the 1280 x resolution 13 inch LED screen to the Intel HD 3000 integrated graphics to the Superdrive DVD burner to the Thunderbolt Port,FaceTime HD Camera, backlit keyboard, 4gb ram, two USB 2.0 ports, Wi fi B/G/N, bluetooth 2.1 and Gigabit ethernet

The software included in both models is the same too, Mac OS X Leopard 10.6 and the iLife suite of content creation tools. A one year warranty on parts and 90 day telephone technical support is standard on both models

What if you chose to purchase the standard MBP 13?

If you did that, you could then purchase a 500 gb hard drive yourself Western Digital Scorpio Blue 500 GB Bulk/OEM Hard Drive 2.5 Inch, eight MB Cache, 5400 RPM SATA II WD5000BEVT for $ 55 and install it yourself in your standard MBP 13 which could then have a hard drive just as big as the higher class MBP 13.The installation information are included in the MBP 13 manual and it does not void the warranty. Installation videos are available online.

And you’d still have $245 left to purchase an AppleCare Protection Plan for Mac Laptops 13 Inches and Below (NEWEST VERSION) or a SquareTrade 3 Year Laptop/Tablet Warranty Plus Accident Protection (Laptop/Tablet $1000 1250) to protect your shiny new MBP 13 for two more years after the standard one year warranty is up.

Until Apple really puts in a big differentiation feature or upgrade in the higher class MBP 13, I’d recommend you shop smart, save your money and choose the standard Apple MacBook Pro MC700LL/A 13.3 Inch Laptop. It is 99 same to the costly MBP 13 and a much stronger product when it comes to the value for money factor. And use the rest of the money to purchase a warranty and a hard drive upgrade if you feel like.

Hope this helps!

NOTE Fellow buyer Diane (Her comment may be seen in the comments section of this review) has spoken to an Apple rep and she had this to say “Even the Apple Rep that I spoke with at the Apple store suggested the MBP 13 as is and said the differences weren’t worth the extra money. Said the average user could not notice any differences in the two units just cost.” Another buyer, Marcin (His comment may be seen in the comments section of this review) said an apple salesperson told him “”We have both on the counter. But there’s no reason to purchase i7, you won’t see the difference”.

Something to think about. Thank you.


UPDATE Professional review site Notebookcheckthe did a review of both Machines. I have posted the links to the full reviews below also as summary quotes.

Quote # one referring to the performance difference between the standard and high end MBP 13 ( link .

“It’s also interesting to look at how the model at hand measures up to the weaker MacBook Pro 13 variant with a Core i5 processor. The weaker model performs 91 as quickly as the Core i7 model, that’s, only somewhat slower.”

Quote # two Referring to the battery life of the standard MBP 13 ( link .

“The model we are reviewing here trumps the more powerful variant of the MBP13 with an 11 16 longer battery life in all test scenarios (note: wifi test results not comparable)”

So the standard MBP 13 has better battery life by eleven to 16, has 91 of the “higher end” MBP 13′s performance capability AND costs 25 less.

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35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of five stars Awesome upgrade, better than MacBook Air, March 3, 2011
By D. Ciomek (San Francisco, CA) See all my reviews
(REAL NAME) This review is from: Apple MacBook Pro MC724LL/A 13.3 Inch Laptop (Personal Computers) I have been on a MacBook C2D 2.4 Ghz (with 6GB RAM) for the last three years and wanted to upgrade and the MB Air seemed to be the right way to go. Selling the iPad and the MacBook and to get the Air 13″ with 4GB RAM and the 256GB SSD, to be exact. At the Apple store I realized the the MacBook Air (at this time) is really older technology in an amazing form factor, but I didn’t feel compelled to use up $1800 on pretty much the same CPU as I just had for three years already. Then the new MB Pro showed up, and after 72h with it I’m super happy.

This MBPro with the new i7 2.7 Ghz CPU is about twice as fast as the 2008 MacBook I had. It scored 6800 points on Geekbench. Installing Office Mac 2011 and Adobe CS3 was super fast and I look forward to have VMWare Fusion running much better than on the older MacBook. I just watched the full iPad2 keynote (1h) over wireless on battery plus one hour of surfing, battery says 4h left, awesome! I already swapped the hard drive for a 320GB/7200 and in 6 12 month I may go SSD, but for now I stay with regular disks. There are many great 750GB /7200rpm drives now for about $100.

It’s slick. I love the illuminated keyboard, on the smaller pro machine. The trackpad is awesome. The new LED screen is super crisp and bright. The new graphics HD 3000 chip is pretty good and enough for light Photoshop work. I can only recommend it. If you think MBP 13″, go for the fastest CPU like this one (2.7 i7) and get all the rest of the upgrades afterward. Extra RAM is cheap these days and better HDD and soon the prices for the SSD will come down also. Swapping the hard drive is easy and the same as will all the Pro models of the last two years or so. I can not wait to put like 500GB of SSD into this in 1 2 years and have it fly. Love this machine, best Mac ever (after PowerBook and two MacBooks).

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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of five stars My 1st Mac, March 10, 2011
By Tcom See all my reviews () This review is from: Apple MacBook Pro MC724LL/A 13.3 Inch Laptop (Personal Computers) I went looking for a new laptop. My prerequisites were 13″ Screen, backlit keyboard and 8+ hours of advertised battery life. I have generally been a PC user and do IT support for a living. This is my 1st Mac and I’m happy with it so far. While the OS is a learning curve the hardware is plain awesome. The new core i7 processor is blazing fast. I am able to run two Virtual machines which keeps my gets me my Microsoft fix without having to reboot. Backlit keyboard is everything I hoped it could be and the battery lasts a hard six hours which is not bad for the advertised seven hours of wireless surfing.

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Do your best work ever with the Portege R835 P56, Toshiba’s lightest full performance ultraportable laptop with a weight of just over three pounds. The Portege offers a showcase of technological innovations and premium craftsmanship, also as excellent mobile computing power. It features an impeccably crafted magnesium alloy casing with an ultradurable honeycomb reinforcement, spill resistant keyboard, and an advanced AirFlow cooling system enabling the Portege to do better, longer, and cooler. The Toshiba Portege R835 weighs just over three pounds and features a 13.3 inch LED backlit display (see bigger image).

82 of 83 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of five stars Great value particularly when you install an SSD!, April 30, 2011
By SY See all my reviews () This review is from: Toshiba Portege R835 P56x 13.3 Inch LED Laptop (Magnesium Blue) (Personal Computers) I have had this laptop for almost three weeks, and think it is great!

Summary:

Pros:
Lightweight
Clean and understated design
Sturdy: most surfaces are made of metal (only the bezel, hinges, and some bottom panels are plastic). You may be able to easily lift it up by the corner with one hand.
Battery life is good (7.5+ hours with mixed usage). As well, no “battery bulge” in the back!
Battery is removable
Trackpad has a nicely configurable driver (Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Mouse > Device Settings > Settings.)
Value; saves enough money for an SSD in comparison to a competing system like a Macbook Pro (see below)

Cons:
Screen is not great. (It is not bad, though just narrow in vertical looking at angle).
Black color means you may be tempted to clean the keyboard/trackpad a little obsessively.
Industrial smell coming from the vent in the 1st not many days of ownership (now gone)
When closed, the cover depresses a little when you apply pressure to the center. I propose keeping the included fabric put thing to protect the cover from keyboard scratches. (Note that keyboard scratches also happen on other notebooks, as well as the tough Apple Macbooks, so I am not taking off any points).

Overall:
I’m giving this laptop five stars because it represents a great value. I paid $835 for the system, and replaced the hard drive with an Intel X25 M 120GB SSD ($175). The total cost of my system so was $1010, which puts it in entry level Macbook territory.

(Note that the SSD is easy to install you unscrew two panels in the back, exchange the drives, and clean install your operating system).

Why the SSD? With the SSD plus Sandy Bridge processor, performance is superb startup is fast (15 seconds from button to login screen, plus eight seconds from login to loaded desktop). Programs launch quickly, and shutdown is fast also. I’d say the stock system with the hard drive is a bit imbalanced (processor is too fast for the 5400 RPM hard drive) but at least it comes with lots of room and does not cost much. With this configuration, program launching and startup are slower, and you’re stuck with bloatware, but the computer still operates reasonably fast.



Comparisons with other systems:

Compared with the Air, the R835 (with SSD installed) gives you:
More storage space (120GB SSD on my R835 and 64GB for the $999 11″ MBA model)
With SSD, alike bootup times (23 seconds for R835 and 15 seconds see 6/2/2011 edit for MBA) and wakeup times (both about two seconds)
A better processor (core i5 2410M and a core two duo) and more memory
Longer battery life + removable battery
A DVD drive, USB 3.0 port, eSATA, VGA (no have to carry a dongle around)
0.9 or 0.3 pounds more weight (vs. The 11″ and 13″ MBA models, respectively).
About 0.25″ more thickness

Compared with the Macbook Pro (13″ entry level model), you get:
$190 in savings (with SSD in the R835) or $365 savings (with stock HDD)
With SSD exchange, you get performance gains in comparison to the MB. With the default hard drive, you get twice as much storage (640GB and 320GB, both 5400 RPM).
Removable battery
Alike metal build quality (Macbook pro feels a little sturdier, but weighs 40 more)
1.3 pounds in weight savings (!)

Compared with the plastic Macbook (13″ $999 model), you get:
Metal build quality
An SSD (for about the same total cost), or $165 in savings + 390GB more hard drive space
Better processor (two generations ahead) and RAM (4GB and 2GB).
1.5 pound weight savings (!)

So, I saw no reason to go with the Macbooks when I could get superior performance and save money, weight, and battery flexibility with the R835.

Compared to other PC systems it is thinner and somewhat less costly than the Lenovo x220 (but is not as rugged and has somewhat shorter battery life), and is much cheaper and has a better processor (but has an inferior screen) than the Sony Z series.

In short, the R835 makes its Apple competitors look seriously overpriced (or under featured, based on how you look at it) and costs less than its PC competitors.



My evaluation of the unit:

I liked the design it is quite tough (with its metal construction) and light (3.2 pounds). It does not feel as “dense” as the Macbook Air, but it is sufficiently tough and light enough, such that you may lift it by a corner with one hand. As well, it surely breaks a threshold in thinness, so it surely looks thin. The CD/DVD drive makes a great “but wait, there is more” parlor trick!

(The design also appeals to me because it is pleasantly different from the Macbooks’ design. In my Econ class, it seems stealthy and elegant in comparison to the sea of glowing Apples. Humorous how “Think Different” should now apply to a PC rather than a Mac.)

As noted above, the performance is good, particularly with an SSD installed. The weakest point is the integrated graphics, though it is not totally pathetic; I was able to play Portal without too much choppiness.

The battery life is great I got 7.5 hours with mixed use (web browsing, spreadsheets, as well as an hour of Steam running). I estimate you get about 4 5 minutes per used (according to the Windows battery icon), or 400 500 minutes total.

There are some minor drawbacks. For one, the screen is just average because the vertical looking at angle isn’t good. As well, a downside to the black body color is that I obsessively clean it with every fleck of dust. The unit had a distinctly industrial smell when it 1st came, but now it is gone. As well, its cover depresses a little, which I suspect will lead to the keyboard leaving scratches on the screen (this also happens to Macbooks, which are supposed to be the pinnacle of design, so I guess it is acceptable). To counter this, I use the included part of fabric between the screen and keyboard when I transport the unit around.

Despite these minor drawbacks, the system in general exudes great quality, and I could recommend it to anybody looking for a well built, fast, and greatly movable notebook. I could strongly recommend replacing the stock hard drive with an SSD to balance the performance, particularly given that the comparatively low price (for this weight class) leaves many money to get an SSD.

EDIT (5/16/2011): PCMark Vantage scores for my system are here: 3dmark.Com/pcmv/444144. You may be able to compare with other Core i5 2410M systems here: 3dmark.Com/search?ResultTypeId=18&cpuModelId=1208

EDIT (6/2/2011): I visited the Apple Store today. The 11 inch MBA started up in about 50 seconds (not sure what took so long), while the Core i7 MacBook Pro ($1500) started up in about 35 seconds (didn’t have a chance to attempt the i5 MBP). If I remember properly, the default R835 took about 60 seconds to start up. Again, the startup time for my configuration is 23 seconds.

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28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of five stars For the weight and price, I do not see how you may be able to beat it, April 14, 2011
By T. Boehnlein (Dayton, Ohio, USA) See all my reviews
(REAL NAME) This review is from: Toshiba Portege R835 P56x 13.3 Inch LED Laptop (Magnesium Blue) (Personal Computers) I love this notebook. My last one was a 6.5 pound beast of a Dell that I carried around for four years and got two hour battery life if you were lucky. This is such a big improvement.

PROS:
The battery life is excellent. Only if I’m doing really calling for computational tasks do think about plugging it in to the AC adapter.

The weight is great. Many of people I have showed it to can not believe how light this notebook is. My bookbag is so much lighter now. The AC adapter is way lighter than my Dell’s.

The CPU power is more than enough as is the RAM at 4GB.

The trackpad is a good size. I do not think you could ever make a trackpad too big. It also has multi touch and gesture support.

I was able to play L4D2 with this machine at medium settings. More than I expected given the graphics on here.

For the price, this is such a great notebook if you need something that’s really light and still has a full blown mobile CPU.

The build quality is really good. Just a bit of flex under the DVD drive. Everything else feels hard.

It has USB 3.0 and you may be able to charge through USB it the notebook is not on. That is great for a gadget geek like me.

It also has HDMI, VGA and eSATA. So many ports!

CONS:

They just released the R830 series which offers faster CPU’s and a docking port. If you have the money to use up, look at those instead. The i7 CPU R830 is really rated at over eleven hours. They have an SSD alternatives too.

I am going from a 1920×1200 15.4″ on my Dell to this 13.3″ 1366×786. It is been kind of a shock for many of my programming related apps that require lots of screen real estate but have not really noticed the difference for everyday home and office tasks. I’m also going from matte to glare so that has lead to a couple new problem with reflections but nothing too bad.

Two finger scroll isn’t as smooth as I wish it may be but it is still usable.

No bluetooth. Again, look at the R830 series.

Maybe this is not the perfect notebook for you for whatever reason, but you really have to think about it if you’re in the market for a new one.

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39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of five stars Cool laptop with some minor issues, April 8, 2011
By B. Le (San Jose, CA USA) See all my reviews
(REAL NAME) () This review is from: Toshiba Portege R835 P56x 13.3 Inch LED Laptop (Magnesium Blue) (Personal Computers) what firstly got me into the portege series was the aesthetic. It has a simple and clean look. I am not exactly tech savvy as I do not keep up with all the new processors and whatnot, but for all the praise and hype about the new Sandy Bridge processors, this laptop looks decently fast. Does not blow me away in comparison to my some number of years old core duo desktop or my 1 2 year old, $500 toshiba satellite. In general, I like it many because it is large enough that hopefully it will not give me carpel tunnel syndrome, but small enough for easy mobility, which is good for a student.

Since I am not doing any hardcore computing and just using it for some basic functions like browsing, streaming movies, programming, etc, it satisfies me (but then again I think any computer in this day an age could pull those tasks off). Unfortunately, for those basic functions there are some issues that Toshiba can improve on:

1) the keyboard keys CLACK. Really loudly. Typing in the library or in class will most likely stir up a ruckus. Clackity clackity clack. Not that big of a deal though, I guess.

2) I do not know where everyone is to get all these claims about a nine hour battery life (even cnet said they were able to get something like seven hours in their tests) when I am running the laptop in ‘eco’ mode with 77 battery life left and only four hours and eleven minutes of claimed life left. A second afterward, I have 76 batter life left but only three hours and 41 minutes left??? I am only on my battery’s second charge but I have been noticing these really occasional projections and it is really annoying.

3) the track pad straight up sucks. I am not a fan of mac at all, but when my girlfriend had her 13.3″ macbook, one of the things I found coolest was how easy it was to surf the net. The two finger scroll feature they had was super cool and many other functions included: three finger swipe up to open a new tab, three finger swipe down to shut a page, three finger swipe left to go ‘back’ and right for forward, two finger tap to function as a right click extremely useful. Relatively, you can not really set any three finger functions to your liking, the two finger scroll is really jittery if it manages to detect your fingers there’s no sensitivity and can go crazy and jump complete pages at any given moment. In general it is pretty frustrating to use the multi finger features.

4) may be a part of gripe #3, but the two clicker buttons for the track pack are inflexible. I like to use the tap function because my thumb could most likely get sore if I used the clicker too much. Yes, it’s that inflexible.

Other than that, it is really light and powerful enough that I can use it without to get irritated and just looks awesome which is good enough for me. I could give this laptop five stars otherwise and when a 2 star deduction may seem severe, I feel these basic attributes may have easily been included and are prerequisites to just being a decent laptop. I mean, how costly could it be to develop and include a good track pad?? in general, laptop looks tough and dependable and I am looking forward to using it

Update: an issue with the r705 series was that the fans could get really deafening or that the laptop could get hot, but for either case, toshiba remedied the problem on this model. The laptop stays very calm after I have been using it for six hours with just one break. It does warm up when in my lap over a sheet, but on a desk it does not heat up at ALL.

4/25 I have had the laptop for two or three weeks now but since it is my backup/extra I am really taking care of it and have not used it that much still. Usually for school and not for browsing/videos pretty much. But one thing I noticed today was a little clacking sound that is from the chrome hinge, which is loose. I dont have idea how it may have gotten loose as I have used the laptop most likely less than a total of seven times and it is only been handled with the utmost care. REALLY annoying because for a $900 laptop, this really should not be an issue.

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