Apple MacBook Pro 17-Inch

A Leap Forward in Laptop Performance

By David Leathers

October 1, 2006    Source: Studio Monthly

The latest laptop from Apple, the 17-inch MacBook Pro, is a leap forward in laptop performance, especially for video. That it blows away previous Apple laptops is not much of a surprise, given the Intel Core Duo processor and high-bandwidth architecture. But that it outperforms most desktops is impressive. It has the kind of power that makes it the laptop for video professionals, hands down.

Performance

The new processor and architecture provide slightly more performance than they did in the recently released MacBook Pro 15-inch model. Both Intel-based models far exceed the previous G4 laptops. However, the performance gains may not be fully realized by all third-party software until native Intel versions of the software are released. As of this writing, the native Intel-based versions of the major Adode/Macromedia programs have not been released. Where you see obvious and immediate performance boosts is in the Apple OS itself, as well as in Apple’s professional programs, including Final Cut Studio.

Features for Video Pros

There are loads of features that are worth noting and talking about, and much has been said already in the general press, so I won’t go into all that here. My comments will focus on its use and value as a production machine for video power users.

The 17-inch screen is bright and clear. You can put two script or budget pages side by side, without overlapping. The 1680 x 1050 screen resolution provides a nice environment for graphics programs and Final Cut Pro. I performed HD editing in both HDV and DVCPRO HD without problems. (An option for a 1920 x 1200 display would be even more interesting.) When you use the Desktop Cinema Display option in FCP, it delivers a full screen HD image that’s really good— no wait, make that great— for a laptop.

The 100 GB 7200-rpm hard drive is adequate for editing small amounts of 25 Mbs HDV or 100 Mbs DVCPRO HD. I was able to get two streams of DVCPRO HD with a long real-time dissolve between them to flow smoothly in FCP HD using Smart RT. It started to choke when a third stream was added— a limitation of the drive, more than the bandwidth, of the machine. By accessing the third stream from an external FireWire hard drive, it worked fine. Obviously, any serious volume of HD material will require some kind of external storage. But for shorter-form work, there are about 50 usable Gigs on the main drive after accounting for the OS and application software. All that being said, it’s very cool to be able to edit this quality of material on a laptop without resing down or dealing with unwanted motion artifacts.

For those who need a lot of fast external storage, the solution may lie in the Sonnet Technologies Tempo Sata Express 34, a newly announced ExpressCard/34 interface that contains two external 300Mb/s Serial ATA (SATA) ports and fits into the expansion slot on 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro laptops. It supports up to 10 drives when used with a port multiplier drive enclosure.

Test Run

At 6.8 pounds, it’s the lightest laptop available for its size and is easily portable. (Some PC-based laptops weigh over three pounds more.) This made it easy for me to test it in the field with a Panasonic AG-HVX200 (DVCPRO HD on P2 cards) and the AJ-PCS060G P2 Store Drive. All the devices ran on battery, and were relatively small and lightweight.

I shot 24 frame 100 Mbs DVCPRO HD for 20 minutes per 8 GB P2 card. Then I put the P2 card in the P2 Store, which transferred the data to the P2 Store’s internal hard drive and reformatted the card while I shot on a second P2 card. I then transferred the data into FCP from the P2 Store via USB. Another option is to use the camera’s FireWire port to transfer the data directly from the camera to FCP in the computer, though this ties up both units until the process is done. But this lets you view and edit HD while you’re still on the set or location— a big plus. And, you’re doing it all on lightweight, battery-powered equipment. (The laptop battery can last over four hours.)

A Few Missing Items

There are a couple of desirable video-friendly features, however, that existed in the previous G4, 17-inch laptop, that were eliminated on this model. Strangely enough, this model eliminated the Media Card Reader slot, which would accept the P2 cards directly. (It’s been replaced by the EV-DO Express card slot, a faster, more modern slot, but not compatible with media cards, such as the P2.) Also eliminated is the S-video port. However, there’s a DVI output and a powerful video card that will drive a 30-inch external Apple display or VGA, S-Video or composite video via adapters.

This machine is big enough and powerful enough to satisfy most demanding applications. A serious piece of gear, it will be the subject of much techno-lust on the set, in the field, on the plane or anywhere production gets done.

SMART ADVICE

• Though the new processor and architecture provide slightly more performance than they did in the MacBook Pro 15-inch, these gains may not be fully realized by all third-party software until native Intel versions of the software are released.
• The 1680 x 1050 screen resolution provides a nice environment for graphics programs and FCP.