Digital Trends

Apple MacBook Pro 15.4-inch 2.16GHz May 24th, 2006 | by Jason Tomczak

Setup and Use

Setting up the MacBook Pro is about as simple and care-free as any computer setup could be.  Unpacking the ultra-thin and plasticized MacBook Pro box is completed in less than 30 seconds. 

System as tested:

• 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo processor
• 1GB memory (667MHz DDR2 SDRAM)
• 100GB Serial ATA hard drive
• 15.4-inch widescreen display
• 1440x900 resolution 
• ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 with 256MB GDDR3 memory
• Double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
• Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
• Apple Remote

I set the MacBook Pro on a desk, plugged in the MagSafe power cord and prepared to time the overall setup of OSX.  I used my new favorite timer and count-down app, Chimoo Timer. 

Timer started and power button pressed, the 'select language' screen appeared in 1 minute 53 seconds.  The OS X "Welcome, Bienvenue..." screen appeared at 2 mins 21 seconds.  Wireless network password entered at 3 mins 15 seconds.  My full name, address and other account information were entered by 4 mins 35 seconds.  OS X was set up and running by the time 6 mins 05 seconds passed.  By 7 mins and 08 seconds, I had Tiger's firewall set up, the Dock configured and software updates had been started.

Unlike the Intel Mac Mini that took only 8 mins 36 seconds to perform updates, the MacBook Pro took exactly 13 minutes.  This is understandable because the MacBook Pro has more hardware built into it than the Mini, and Apple had since released additional updates for Intel-based systems. 

Once the updates were complete, and the system had rebooted, I began opening a few applications to test the system's responsiveness.  iCal opened as if it was already running.  iPhoto also opened very quickly - a little faster than on the Mac Mini and much faster than my loaded G5 iMac. 

All Universal applications open very quickly, if not instantly, on the MacBook Pro.  Adium - instant.  iLife - near instant.  iWork - less than 3 seconds. 

Rosetta apps, however, take a little more time and a lot more patience.  The worst of the pack was Photoshop CS2.  Photoshop CS2 was installed with the exact same configurations and preferences on the MacBook Pro running OS X, on my 20" G5 iMac running OS X and on the MacBook Pro running Windows XP via Boot Camp.  Each system was given a 2.1MB jpg file taken with a Canon Digital Rebel XT.  Times are counted from first clicking the Photoshop icon, without Photoshop running previously.

Photoshop CS2 - Windows XP on MacBook Pro via Boot Camp

Photoshop loaded then opened the 2.1MB image in 10.6 seconds.  The same image re-opened in 2.4 seconds.

Photoshop CS2 - OS X on G5 iMac

Photoshop loaded then opened the 2.1MB image in 22.7 seconds.  The same image re-opened in 0.9 seconds.

Photoshop CS2 - OS X on MacBook Pro via Rosetta

Photoshop loaded then opened the 2.1MB image in 52.2 seconds.  Ouch.  The same image re-opened in 3.0 seconds. 

It's painfully obvious that running non-Universal apps on the new Intel Macs is not the best experience for impatient people like me.  Rosetta performs necessarily difficult translations in order to allow PowerPC-based apps to run on the Intel architecture, much like how VirtualPC allows Windows operating systems and programs to run under OS X on pre-Intel Macs.  Some day all apps will be Universal and there will be peace on Earth.