Patrick's Soapbox

If you're thinking about whether you should get a fast laptop, or a slower laptop and fast desktop, you're crazy. Just get the fast laptop (and the cheapest desktop for connecting to your array of hard drives). Seriously. Desktops suck. They're not portable (try taking one with you when you move countries), and trying to synchronise your laptop and your desktop will get tiresome. You won't do it, in fact. Sure .mac helps a lot with things like calendars, address books and bookmarks. IMAP helps with the email (in fact, that part works perfectly).

So with that in mind work replaced the Mac mini (and essentially my 12" PowerBook G4) I've been using for the last 3 months with a shiny new MacBook Pro - 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo, 1GB DDR2, ATI Radeon X1600 w/ 256MB GDDR3, 15.4" LCD, 100GB@7,200rpm hard drive, and of course, a super drive. I'm back down to one machine. (Well, and my PowerBook, which is sitting on my desk sharing my external hard drives.)

Things I love

• The processor. The move to Intel? This thing is smoking fast. Obviously it kicks my PowerBooks poor anaemic butt. Dual cores make it that much faster than the iMac G5 I had at VUW. Almost everything I use (with the exception of Entourage and Fireworks) is universal, and those two that aren't are still fast. Fireworks is definitely faster than on the PowerBook.

• The screen. This thing has is brighter and has more contrast than the 20" Viewsonic LCD on my desk at work. I'm quite sure there are even brighter screens available, but it's great not to be one of the dimmer kids on the block. 1440x900 is the right resolution I think - any higher than this and I wouldn't be able to use it comfortably.

• The harddrive. It's definately faster, and it's got so much more room than my G4's.

• MagSafe. It stays in, unless I pull on it (or the laptop). Doesn't happen by accident.

• The touchpad - it's nice and large.

• The speakers - the PowerBook G4 had way better speakers than the iBook G4. The MBP is way better again.

• No pesky modem. No more port that I never use. Hoorah.

• The case. The design is still perfect in it's appearance (no fluff and protruding bits), and function (I still love the display hinge).

Things I... don't love quite so much

• The size. I loved my 12" laptops - they're the perfect size. The weight isn't so much of an issue (I do notice it in my backpack though), it's just... bigger. Strangely it doesn't feel bigger than my 13.3" celeron laptop that I had in 2001, except of course it's wider.

• The keyboard. It feels mushier than the PowerBook. At work I use a wired Apple desktop keyboard, and I have the bluetooth version at home, so for serious work it's not going to be a problem. I suppose I'll get used to it soon enough.

• Needs more USB ports. Two isn't enough.

In conclusion

It's a beautiful machine. Go buy one, or persuade someone else to buy it for you.