17" MacBook Pro (Santa Rosa)

• Thinking about a MacBook Pro or have one? Sign up for our MacBook email list.
• Tiger List is for those using Mac OS X 10.4.
• Leopard List is for those using Mac OS X 10.5.

Overview

Details

• introduced 2007.06.05 at US$2,799; 2.6 GHz build-to-order option added 2007.10.31
• requires Mac OS X 10.4.9 or later
• CPU: 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (2nd generation Merom), soldered in place, no upgrade options
• bus: 800 MHz
• performance:
• Geekbench 2 (Leopard): 3296 (2.6 GHz), 3003 (2.4 GHz)
• Geekbench 2 (Tiger): 3119 (2.4 GHz)
• RAM: 2 GB, expandable to 6 GB using PC2-5300 DDR2 RAM
• Level 2 cache: 4 MB shared cache on CPU
• Video: nVidia GeForce 8600M GT on PCI Express with dual-link DVI support, faster GPU speed than Core Duo model
• VRAM: 256 MB
• Video out: DVI connector (VGA supported with included adapter; S-video and composite video supported with optional adapters)
• display: 17" (43 cm) 18-bit 1680 x 1050 color active matrix
• optional display: 17" (43 cm) 18-bit 1920 x 1200 color active matrix
• supports 1680 x 1050, 1280 x 800, 1152 x 720, 1024 x 768, 1024 x 640, 800 x 600, 720 x 480, and 640 x 480 pixels at 5:4 aspect ratio; 1024 x 768, 800 x 600, and 640 x 480 pixels at 4:3 aspect ratio; 720 x 480 at 3:2 aspect ratio
• allows mirroring to external display or extended desktop mode

hard drive: 160 GB 5400 rpm Serial ATA; optional 160 GB 7200 rpm and 250 GB 4200 rpm drives

optical drive: 8x dual-layer SuperDrive writes DVD±R at up to 8x, DVD±RW at up to 4x; reads DVDs at 8x (double-layer at 6x), writes CD-R at 24x, writes CD-RW at 10x, reads CDs at 24x

floppy drive: external USB only

expansions bays: none

USB: 3 USB 2.0 ports, only 1 high-powered device device allowed

FireWire: 1 FW400 port, 1 FW800 port

IR port: one

ethernet: 10/100/gigabit

modem: optional v.92 56k external USB modem

WiFi: 802.11n AirPort Extreme built in

Bluetooth: BT 2.0 built in

ExpressCard/34: 1 slot

size: 10.4 x 15.4 x 1.0" (265 x 392 x 25.9 mm)

weight: 6.8 pounds (3.08 kg)

Part no.: MA897

Online Resources

• Best online 17" MacBook Pro deals, updated biweekly.
• Best Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.4.
• Best Mac OS X 10.5 'Leopard' deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.5.
• 'All nVidia GeForce 8600 chips bad', subcompact MacBook in 2009?, instant on notebooks, and more, The 'Book Review, 2008.08.15. Also MacBooks in high demand in education, first quad-core ThinkPad, new Dell notebook claims 19 hour battery life, new Logitech mouse clips to your notebook, bargain 'Books from $200 to $3,069, and more.
• Virtualization shootout: VMWare Fusion 2 vs. Parallels Desktop 4, Kev Kitchens, Kitchens Sync, 2008.11.20. Both programs do the same thing, but one runs Windows XP smoothly alongside Mac apps, while the other bogs down everything but Windows.
• Love my refurb MacBook Pro, Eudora forever, and the lightest AA batteries, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.11.18. Also questions about nVidia GeForce 8600 problems in earlier MacBook Pro models and importing Eudora mailboxes into Eudora successors.
• How to clone Mac OS X to a new hard drive, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 2008.10.07. Whether you want to put a bigger, faster drive in your Mac or clone OS X for use in another Mac, here's the simple process.
• CodeWeavers brings Google's Chrome browser to Intel Macs, Alan Zisman, Zis Mac, 2008.10.02. Google's new Chrome browser uses separate processes for each tab and brings other changes to Windows users. Now Mac fans can try it as well.
• Dell's quad core workstation notebook shows where Apple's 17" MacBook Pro falls short, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2008.09.30. Inch thin notebooks have their place, but some users need more power and expansion options that current MacBooks simply cannot accommodate.
• Apple trumps Microsoft in making the 64-bit transition transparent to users, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 2008.09.18. To use more than 4 GB of RAM under Windows, you need a 64-bit PC and the 64-bit version of Windows. On the Mac, OS X 10.4 and later already support it.
• Bring back the Macintosh Portable, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2008.09.09. Not to fault today's MacBooks, but there's something to be said for a no compromise, very expandable, portable Macintosh as well.
• SATA, SATA II, SATA 600, and Product Confusion Fatigue, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 2008.09.08. In addition to the original SATA specification and the current 3 Gb/s specification, SATA revision 3.0 is just around the corner.
• Does running OS X system maintenance routines really do any good?, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.08.26. Mac OS X is designed to run certain maintenance routines daily, weekly, and monthly - but can't if your Mac is off or asleep.
• MagSafe out of warranty replacement, nVidia Flaw Affecting Macs, MacBook Air revision soon, and more, The 'Book Review, 2008.08.22. Also 160 GB microdrive from Intel, MacBooks on grocer's shelves, Intel future CPU plans, a checkpoint friendly notebook case, bargain 'Books from $220 to $2,699, and more.
• Tricking out your notebook for superior desktop duty, Charles Moore, 'Book Value, 2008.07.29. For desktop use, you don't need to be limited by the built-in trackpad, keyboard, and display or a notebook's compromised ergonomics.
• The compressed air keyboard repair, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.07.24. If your keyboard isn't working as well as it once did, blasting under the keys with compressed air may be the cure.
• Free VirtualBox for Mac now a virtual contender, Alan Zisman, Mac2Windows, 2008.07.21. A year ago, the Mac version of VirtualBox lacked some essential features. Over the past year, it's grown into a very useful tool.
• Laptop a better bet than desktop, MacBook vs. Pro, problems with 17" MacBook Pro screen, and more, The 'Book Review, 2008.06.26. Also making AppleCare worthwhile, Toshiba takes on Apple in the 'thin laptop' war, 200 GB 7200 rpm drive for $99.75, bargain 'Books from $150 to $2,749, and more.
• 5400 rpm 1.8" drive, Apple grows notebook share by 61%, MacBook Air attracts, and more, The 'Book Review, 2008.06.13. Also poor WiFi in MacBook Pro linked to Real Player, how to dim the Penryn MacBook Pro's sleep light, low-end notebook sales taking off, 2-finger scrolling for older 'Books, bargain 'Books from $150 to $2,749, and more.
• SSD prices to dive, MacBook heat, solid state drives for MacBook and MacBook Pro, and more, The 'Book Review, 2008.06.09. Also Scorpio 7200 rpm 300 GB notebook drive, USB 2.0/FireWire Blu-ray drive, Acer's tiny, low-cost Linux laptop, bargain 'Books from $180 to $2,699, and more.
• Fast drives mean fast Macs, 256 MB SSD, 16:9 ratio notebook screens the new norm, and more, The 'Book Review, 2008.05.30. Also Centrino 2 delayed, traveling with a MacBook Air, time for notebooks to drop internal optical drives, how to right click with a trackpad, bargain 'Books from $279 to $2,699, and more.
• WiMax likely, Apple not green enough, next MacBook in Q3, Cool Feet for notebooks, and more, The 'Book Review, 2008.05.23. Also LED backlighting in all MacBooks in 2009, cooling down hot laptops, OLPC plans second generation laptop, universal Apple notebook battery charger, slim external third-party SuperDrive, bargain 'Books from $150 to $2,699, and more.
• SheepShaver brings Classic Mac OS to Intel Macs and Leopard, Alan Zisman, Mac2Windows, 2008.05.20. Mac OS X 10.5 doesn't support Classic Mode. Neither does Leopard. But SheepShaver lets you emulate a PowerPC Mac and run the Classic Mac OS.
• Limited USB bus power in Santa Rosa Macs, 1 TB in your 'Book, MacBook cooler, and more, The 'Book Review, 2008.05.16. Also Hitachi first to market with 320 GB 7200 rpm notebook drive, Apple to refund for sparking power adapters, interoffice style sleevecases, 10 hour external MacBook Air battery, bargain 'Books from $150 to $2,699, and more.
• Windows on Macs: Three paths for integration, Jason Packer, Macs in the Enterprise, 2008.05.14. Mac users have three routes for running Windows apps: Run Windows using Boot Camp or virtualization, or use a compatibility layer such as WINE.
• MacBook Air overheating, MacBook Pro vertical striping, flash vs. hard drive, and more, The 'Book Review, 2008.05.02. Also the 2008 econo-Mac stimulus plan, MacBook Air 'most attractive laptop ever', low latency RAM put to the test, combo notebook/monitor stand, bargain 'Books from $150 to $2,699, and more.
• Mac growth 4x PC rate, USB power famine, Montevina chips not in new iMacs, and more, Mac News Review, 2008.05.02. Also reducing energy waste from peripherals, fixing the Mac's shortcomings, Open Computer shipping and reviewed, why Apple bought PA Semi, 5x the range for Time Capsule, Mac gaming mouse, and more.
• Firmware 1.5 screen blanking, air travel notebook stand, battery calibration, and more, The 'Book Review, 2008.04.25. Also aluminum MacBook rumored, PowerBook converted to desktop, Apple IIgs converted to notebook, new battery tech may end explosions, bargain 'Books from $150 to $2,699, and more.
• 18 bits can't display millions of colors, today's magic is different from yesterday's, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.04.16. Also more feedback on Mac browsers, slow dial-up Internet, and a SCSI-to-USB 2.0 solution.
• Mac benchmarks, firmware updates for all MacBooks, sleep-and-charge USB ports, and more, The 'Book Review, 2008.04.11. Also troubleshooting the MacBook Air, keyboard protectors and sleeve cases for the MacBook Air, bargain 'Books from $150 to $3,099, and more.
• 18-bit video inadequate, restoring AppleWorks speed, Macintosh display info, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.04.09. Also problems importing AppleWorks drawings and a damaged, unfixable mail database in Outlook Express 5.
• Millions vs. thousands of colors: What's the difference?, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2008.04.07. Once again Apple is being sued over a Mac that can display 'only' 262,144 colors per pixel, not the millions it claims. Does it realy matter?
• MacBook Air tossed out with newspapers, Penryn MacBook and MBP reviews, MacBook Periscope, and more, The 'Book Review, 2008.03.14. Also Intel shows 160 GB SSD, Microsoft losing ground, fix for MacBook Air overheating, mini surge protector with USB power, multiple monitors with MBP, bargain 'Books from $260 to $2,699, and more.
• When is 2.1 GHz slower than 2.0 GHz? When it's the new MacBook, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2008.02.28. It's completely counterintuitive, but the 2.1 GHz MacBook benchmarks slower than the 2.0 GHz model it replaces.
• The 2008 MacBook Pro value equation, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2008.02.27. "Perhaps the best thing about the new models is what they've done to prices of last year's MacBook Pro line."
• Restore stability to a troubled Mac with a clean system install, Keith Winston, Linux to Mac, 2008.01.15. If your Mac is misbehaving, the best fix just might be a fresh reinstallation of Mac OS X - don't forget to backup first.
• Modbook shipping, new MacBook confirmed, Blu-ray for MacBook Pro, XO vs. eMate, and more, The 'Book Review, 2008.01.04. Also fixing MIA Bluetooth on MacBook Pro, US bans spare batteries from checked luggage, an in-flight laptop stand, bargain 'Books from $200 to $2,649, and more.
• MacBook nano rumored, laptop sales strong for holidays, MacBook Software Update 1.1, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.12.21. Ultralight MacBook expected at Macworld Expo, Software Update for MacBook and MacBook Pro, Sonnet's ExpressCard/34 memory card reader, and bargain 'Books from $140 to $2,599.
• MacBook Pro 'absolutely flies', not just for pros; mobile 'Penryn' to debut in January; and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.12.07. Also 8 steps to buying a MacBook, MacBook nano "short of a sure thing" at Macworld Expo, more LED backlighting expected from Apple, Hitachi vs. Seagate 7200 rpm drives, bargain 'Books from $200 to $2,688, and more.
• iPods, notebooks, and other modern electronics more readily replaced than repaired, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 2007.12.07. Whether it's an intermittent failure or a broken display cable, more often than not it's cheaper to replace a broken electronics device than repair it.
• Fast, compact, light, quiet, cool, long battery life, large screen, affordable: You can't have it all, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 2007.12.05. Notebook design involves trade-offs. Small, light, and quiet means a smaller screen, lower capacity batteries, and a slower, cooler running CPU.
• MacBook replaces PowerBook: The name grows on you, Trevor Wale, One More Thing, 2007.12.04. A PowerBook by any other name would be as sweet, but it took a while to get comfortable with the new MacBook name.
• MacBook Pro 'the best', PC veteran falls for Pismo, solar power for laptops, folding keyboard, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.11.30. Also Leopard gobbling up battery power, first laptop orchestra, 802.11n for AirPort Extreme Macs, battery status widget, bargain 'Books from $149 to $2,699, and more.
• 64 GB flash drive in a MacBook Pro, Leopard kills keyboards, X3100 vs. GMA 950 graphics, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.11.16. Also PowerBook Medic, MacBook vs. MacBook Pro, MIT's pedal powered laptop, a free battery logger, bargain 'Books from $200 to $2,719, and more.
• Cross-platform computing: Better than it's ever been, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 2007.11.13. Macs can read PC media, both Macs and Windows PCs play nice with each other on networks, and emulation makes it easy for Intel Macs to run Windows apps.
• Beyond Google, 10 years on the G3, the Cube is not a Road Apple, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.11.13. Also the 64-bit advantage of Core 2, OS 9 on a USB flash drive, sound problems since switching to Leopard, and 7200 rpm in an eMac.
• MacBook Pro fastest Vista notebook, 2-finger scrolling for older 'Books, 802.11n USB stick, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.11.09. Also Samsung announced 64 GB flash drive, bling shells for MacBooks, online petition about vertical lines, bargain 'Books from $100 to $2,719, and more.
• External $100 Sony DVD burner likes Macs, Brian Gray, Fruitful Editing, 2007.10.10. The box and manual say nothing about Mac compatibility, but this 18x USB 2.0 DVD burner is plug-and-play (at least with Tiger).
• FastMac 8x SuperDrive and BurnAgain DVD: Fast and easy multisession disc burning, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.10.08. FastMac's 8x SuperDrive upgrade is remarkably fast compared with older PowerBook burners, and BurnAgain DVD makes it easy to append files to a previously burned CD or DVD.
• Danes refunded for defective G4 iBooks, rumored Mac minitablet, handle for MacBooks, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.10.01. Also software update for MacBook and MacBook Pro, Give 1 Get 1 XO laptop program, CardBus adapter for ExpressCard notebooks, and bargain 'Books from $130 to $2,688.
• Importing video into iMovie, jumping the gun on G3s and Leopard, interference robustness, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.09.18. Also, Intel Macs support 802.11a WiFi alongside b, g, and n, and USB card options for beige G3 Power Macs.
• Region free DVD viewing on Macs and Windows PCs, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 2007.09.07. There are three ways to get around region restrictions on your computer's DVD player: software, hardware, and extraction.
• Apple #3 in laptops, 5 802.11 options below $100, Dell's color laptops not available, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.08.31. Also rendering of a possible MacBook Lite, Sonnet delivers FireWire/USB 2.0 and 21-in-1 memory card reader for ExpressCard/34, bargain 'Books from $130 to $2,599, and more.
• PC war losers, Mac 'just works', $68 802.11n for older Macs, a free font manager, and more, Mac News Review, 2007.08.31. Also DVD region locking, the iMac's glossy screen, Mac mini powerful enough, Chromac iMac housings, SanDisk's 8 GB flash drive, and more.
• MacBook Pro 'a dream machine', wanted: MacBook with TrackPoint, MacBook power alternative, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.08.17. Also the MacBook as a back-to-school option, a lemon of a MacBook, software update for Santa Rosa 'Books, bargain 'Books from $130 to $2,599, and more.
• Titanium PowerBook to the rescue, laptop component shortage, 2007 'Book performance comparo, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.08.10. Also cooling the MacBook Pro, hi-res MacBook Pro suitable for color work, new batteries for G3 and G4 'Books, bargain 'Books from $130 to $2,599, and more.
• AirPort and screen problems affecting MacBook Pro models, Apple stripped of Energy Star label, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.08.03. Also a steampunk PowerBook, After Effects CS3 on OS X vs. Windows, a vertical notebook stand, bargain 'Books from $130 to $2,199, and more.
• I love the Mac mini, no iPhone in court, no region-free DVDs on MacBooks, and more, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 2007.07.31. Also 15 years of ThinkPads, reliability and all-in-one devices, and thoughts on upgrading operating systems.
• Mac OS X 10.4.10 AirPort bug undermines use of MacBook Pro on battery power, Andrew Conachey, Classic Mac Nostalgia, 2007.07.30. AirPort bug introduced with 10.4.10 update means MacBook Pro can't access certain routers with encryption enabled while running from battery. 10.4.9 was fine.
• 250 GB 5400 rpm notebook drive benchmarked, Apple shrinks pro MagSafe adapter, $150 Linux laptop, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.07.27. Also touchup paint for TiBooks, Dell and Lenovo offer wireless USB, Logitech's nano mouse and receiver, and bargain 'Books from $130 to $2,199.
• Laptops trump handhelds, 1.3 MP webcam in new MacBook Pro, a foldable mouse, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.07.13. Also Sony takes a lesson from the MacBook, SuperDrive Firmware Update warning, Plantronics' new USB headset, Belkin's Mouse Trap, bargain 'Books from $130 to $2,199, and more.
• Apple 4th in notebook sales, the ultimate notebook hard drive, Samsung's 64 GB flash drive, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.06.29. Also a Fujitsu subnotebook Apple could learn from, man smashes MacBook with sledgehammer, several gushing reviews, lots of new cases, bargain 'Books from $130 to $2,299, and more.
• iPhone launch a religious event, Apple's 13% market share, noise in OS X 10.4.10, and more, Mac News Review, 2007.06.29. Also Apple's 500 MB drive shortage, Seagate's first 1 TB drive, a memory optimizer for OS X, MigliaTV software, and more.
• World going notebook crazy, MacBook Pro reviews, 802.11n for PowerBooks, iTilt notebook stand, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.06.22. Also LED backlight flicker, 4 GB upgrade for newest MacBook Pro models, DuelAdapter PCMCIA adapter for MacBook Pro, bargain 'Books from $170 to $2,299, and more.
• Run over MacBook Pro keeps working, overwhelmingly positive 'Santa Rosa' MacBook reviews, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.06.15. Lots of MacBook Pro reviews and benchmarks, a digital tuner for the MBP, NewerTech's battery charger and conditioner, new cases from Brenthaven and Tom Bihn, bargain 'Books from $170 to $2,299, and more.
• 'Santa Rosa' MacBook Pro released, rugged 250 GB and 15,000 RPM notebook drives, 64 GB flash drive, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.06.08. Also MacBook reviews, new MacBook Pro benchmarked, one in five take notebook on vacation, WiFi finding software, bargain 'Books from $170 to $2,299, and more.
• A FireWire flash drive, 'refreshed' Mac bargains, Santa Rosa or Merom in new MacBook Pro?, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.06.07. A fast FireWire flash drive, the value of "refreshed" Macs from Apple stores, upgrade a G4 or buy a used G5?, an autorization dongle, and how to get the hard drive out of a Mac IIcx.
• The June 2007 MacBook Pro value equation: Some surprises, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.06.06. Apple's newest MacBook Pro models generally offer modest improvements. Which are the better buys, the new ones or the discontinued models?
• Apple sued: Can 262,144 colors be considered 'millions'?, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.05.16. A new class action lawsuit claims Apple is deceiving buyers when it claims to display "millions of colors" on its notebook computers. What's really going on here?
• VMware Fusion beta 3 adds new features, takes a giant step toward release, Alan Zisman, Mac2Windows, 2007.04.11. Looking for a virtualization solution for your Intel Mac? The latest beta of VMWare Fusion makes several improvements and includes some unique features.
• 1 core, 2 cores, 4 cores, 8: How much difference does it make?, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.04.10. Geekbench scores make it possible to compare the newest 3 GHz 8-core Mac Pro with the 1.5 GHz Core Solo Mac mini - and all the models in between.
• 11 ways to optimize your Mac's performance, Ed Eubanks Jr, The Efficient Mac User, 2007.03.12. If your Mac is getting sluggish, here are 11 tips that can help restore its original performance.
• CrossOver: Run Windows apps on Intel Macs without Windows, Alan Zisman, Mac2Windows, 2007.02.28. If you need to run Windows apps on your Intel Mac once in a while, CrossOver may be the least expensive way to do so since it eliminates the need to buy a copy of Windows.
• Simple ergonomics for the road warrior, Ed Eubanks Jr, The Efficient Mac User, 2007.01.16. The benefits of external keyboards and mice, laptop stands, typing gloves, and anti-RSI software for notebook users.
• Parallels revisited: Release version far more polished than beta, Alan Zisman, Mac2Windows, 2006.11.21. Parallels lets you run Windows or Linux without rebooting your Intel-based Mac, and it's made great strides since the beta came out earlier this year.
• To AppleCare or not to AppleCare?, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.11.20. Consumer Reports, which generally recommends against extended warranties, says AppleCare makes sense. But does it?
• Pre-2006 software: The big reason you shouldn't buy an Intel Mac today, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2006.11.09. If you work with software that predates the Intel transition, you may be better off sticking with PowerPC Macs. And if you use classic apps, you definitely want to avoid Intel.
• Better laptop performance: What's the best upgrade?, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 2006.10.09. Memory, CPU, bus speed, and hard drives all impact performance and battery life. Which upgrades will give you the most up time in the field?
• Region free DVD viewing options for Intel and PowerPC Macs, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 2006.09.12. Several hardware and software options that will let your view 'wrong region' DVDs on your PowerPC or Intel Mac.
• 7 tools for keeping your laptop (uh, notebook) cool, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.07.24. A quick look at the Podium CoolPad, ChillMat, ChillHubs, Laptop Desk, Xpad, iLap, and iBreeze - seven stands designed to keep you 'Books running cooler.
• Drive matters, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2006.06.14. There's more to picking the right hard drive than size, spindle speed, buffer size, and price. But how can a 5400 rpm drive ever outperform a 7200 rpm drive?
• Power strategies for using your 'Book in the field: Batteries and AC adapters, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 2006.06.05. One or two extra batteries and at least one spare AC adapter can be essential when you're traveling and need to get hours and hours of use from your 'Book.
• Comparing Apples to Apples: When is Macintel faster? When does PowerPC make more sense?, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2006.01.29. Benchmarks show the Intel Core Duo flies through native code but plods through PowerPC programs. Will PowerPC or Intel give you the more productive workflow?
• Apple Profile

About LEM | Support | Usage | Privacy | Contacts

Entire Low End Mac website copyright ©1997-2008 by Cobweb Publishing, Inc., unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Advice presented in good faith, but what works for one may not work for all. Please report errors to .
  LINKS: We allow and encourage links to any public page as long as the linked page does not appear within a frame that prevents bookmarking it.
  Access our RSS news feed at http://lowendmac.com/feed.xml.
  Email may be published at our discretion; email addresses will not be published without permission, and we will encrypt them in hopes of avoiding spammers. If you prefer your message not be published, mark it "not for publication." Letters may be edited for length, context, and to match house style.
  PRIVACY: We don't collect personal information unless you explicitly provide it. For more details, see our Terms of Use.
  Low End Mac is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, iBook, iMac, eMac, iPod, iPhone, PowerBook, MacBook, MagSafe, Mac Pro, Apple TV, and AirPort are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks and are hereby acknowledged.

Have a question?
Ask an expert!

Navigation

Used Mac Dealers
Apple History
Best Used Macs
Video Cards
Email Lists
InfoMac's Low
End Mac Forum

Favorite Sites

MacSurfer
MacMinute
MacInTouch
MyAppleMenu
InfoMac
Macs Only!
The Mac Observer
Accelerate Your Mac
RetroMacCast
PB Central
MacWindows
The Vintage Mac
   Museum
DealMac
DealsOnTheWeb
Mac2Sell
ramseeker
Mac Driver Museum
JAG's House
System 6 Heaven
System 7 Today
the pickle's Low-End
   Mac FAQ
Abandonware
   Petition
Mac vs. PC Info

Affiliates

The Apple Store
Mac Connection
MacMall
TechRestore
MacResQ
ExperCom
Crucial Memory
batteries.com

Advertise

All of our advertising is handled by BackBeat Media. For price quotes and advertising information, please contact at BackBeat Media (646-546-5194). This number is for advertising only.

Problems viewing this page with Internet Explorer 5.5 or 6? It works fine in other browsers, including IE 7. We recommend Firefox for those using Windows, as it is standards based and more secure than IE 6 (and earlier). More LEM visitors use Firefox than any other browser.