Apple MacBook Pro 15in 2.8GHz review

The 2.8GHz MacBook Pro sits at the top of Apple's new range of 15in Pro laptops. The only MacBook Pro above it in the line-up is the 2.8GHz 17in model, which is almost identically specified, save for the larger screen and an ExpressCard slot.

There are two major changes to the 15in MacBook Pro, aside from the usual speed bump, and Ram and hard disk changes. The first is the integration of the new high-capacity battery first seen in the 17in model earlier this year. This battery, according to Apple, provides up to seven hours of use on one charge when you use the Nvidia 9400M graphics chip, or six hours if you use the 9600M GT. And it can be charged a thousand times before it needs to be replaced.

There's a significant caveat: it's sealed inside the unibody enclosure. This means you can't take a spare battery with you for, say, a long-haul flight. Nor can you replace the battery if it reaches the end of its life. Apple's explanation is that sealing the battery inside the case was necessary in order to be able to use it without increasing the size or weight of the enclosure. It adds that seven hours of use between charges is enough for most journeys and that with a thousand charges, the battery will probably outlast the lifetime of the machine, as most people will upgrade before they reach that limit. For those who never swap batteries or buy a new battery for an ageing laptop, it won't be an issue; for others, it will be a deal breaker.

Apple calls the measure it uses for battery life 'wireless productivity'. By this it means that with AirPort switched on, you should be able to email, surf the Internet and use word processing and spreadsheet applications for seven hours between charges. Using Bluetooth, for example, or running applications that place greater demands on the processor or graphics chips will reduce that time.

The other significant change is the SD card slot. Apple has dropped the ExpressCard slot on all but the 17in model, and has replaced it with a slot for the most common flash media used in digital cameras and flashbased video cameras. The logic is that the ExpressCard slot was under-used, and that the SD card slot will allow many photography and video enthusiasts to upload images and clips to iPhoto, Aperture or iMovie without needing an additional card reader. However, the SD slot is less flexible than the ExpressCard slot, which can be employed in a number of ways, albeit with the addition of a card. We can't help feeling that a third USB slot would have been more useful.

In addition to the battery, the 15in MacBook Pro benefits from another improvement first seen in the 17in model - its display. Apple claims the new display has a 60% wider colour gamut than that on the previous 15in MacBook Pro, which means that those photographers and designers who felt compelled to opt for the 17in machine because of the quality of the display, rather than the size, can now choose the 15in model instead.

Other notable features, aside from the 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, are the 6MB of shared Level 2 cache (twice as much as in the other two 15in models), 1066MHz bus, 4GB of Ram, 500GB 5400rpm Sata hard drive and 8x SuperDrive. The processor can be upgraded to 3.06GHz at a cost of £240, Ram can be doubled to 8GB for an astonishing £800, and the hard drive can be swapped for a 7200rpm unit for £40.

Interface ports are the same as on the previous range: two USB 2, one FireWire 800, mini DisplayPort, Gigabit Ethernet, and digital audio in and out. If you don't have a mini DisplayPort display, you'll have to buy a mini DisplayPort-to-DVI or mini DisplayPort-to-VGA adaptor. For single-link DVI or VGA displays, the cost is £20, but if you have a dual-link DVI display, such as a 30in Apple Cinema Display, then the price is an eye-watering £68.