I purchased the 13-inch MacBook Pro about eight months ago. I needed a new laptop and it was a toss up between a Mac and Dell. I've always been a PC person, so I was a little hesitant about switching operating systems. But after speaking to several people, I decided to give the MacBook a try. I can't believe I waited so long to get a Mac! I use my laptop exclusively for my business and personal projects, so quality, speed and ease of use are all very important to me. The video quality is great - I watch movies on it all the time. It's lightweight and sleek, perfect for travel. I had debated between the 13-inch and 15-inch models and am glad I went with the 13-inch. I thought when I was ordering that it might be too small and would be difficult to work with for long periods of time. It's not at all. I think it's about the perfect size! The backlit keyboard is nice for times when my kids are sleeping and the lights are dimmed. I can run multiple programs and applications at the same time without any lag - a necessity for sure! I've found that the Mac is easy to navigate and is very user-friendly and intuitive. I like the built-in webcam, which has come in very useful when traveling. The built-in mic and speakers aren't bad, either. The battery life is pretty good - about 7 hours or so on battery alone depending on what you're running. It recharges very quickly, as well. My software updates regularly and they're usually completed quickly and without interrupting what I'm doing. Even when it needs to reboot, the loading time is so fast that it's barely an issue. I have yet to get any viruses on my Mac - my old PC got viruses every other week and the only way to prevent it was to pay a fortune in anti-virus software. From now on, when I need a new computer, it'll be a Mac.

GMRsMom

Oakland Gardens, NY

The MAC Air is incredibly lightweight which makes it perfect for extensive traveling. It fits into any briefcase or a lightweight computer bag to keep it from getting heavy like many other notebook computers out there. The screen is nice sized so I have been able to view movies on planes and read books to keep me busy. I do not like the fact that it only has one USB port. When I want to burn a CD or DVD, I have to unplug my external keyboard and mouse and then use an external CD/DVD drive. For some reason it does not let me use my multiple external USB equipment with the external CD or DVD drive equipment. The magnetic power switch, however, is the best. I cannot count how many times I have walked past the cord while working on the computer and accidentally knocked the power plug out in the past and with the magnetic plug this does not seem to happen as much. I would definitely recommend the Air for anyone wanted a great, lightweight computer.

zenarudo

Austin, TX

I got my Mac last year and I've never been happier! I had only used PC's previously and though I had never had any major problems, I have gone through three laptops over the past 10 years. I'd heard great things about Mac's in the past, but I had no idea! The screen is crisp, clean, and clear. It's quiet (no more loud motors) and it doesn't overheat. I have not had any problems with viruses or crashes either. I use it every single day and I can't believe it took me this long to get one. I don't know if I will ever buy another PC again...

justsayitolduso

San Pedro, CA

This laptop is, simply put, great. It looks great: a nice aluminum body, a sleek screen, a backlit keyboard, and a great screen. It's also very thin and easy to carry around, yet the DVD drive has noot been sacrificed as it has been with the MacBook Air. But more important, it is fast. It takes on average less than thirty seconds to boot up after the power button is pushed, and the software is easy to use. The screen and backlit keyboard automatically adjust for brightness whenever the light levels change. The hard drive is big enough to hold all of my personal stuff (although some people who are more digital than I am should probably look into getting a larger hard drive). The hardware is also durable, which is a plus. There are a couple of problems, thought, but they are not major. First, the price: the computer is a lot more expensive than a PC with similar specs, and it also gets dirty easily (smudges, etc.). Although the computer comes with a cleaning cloth, it is practically impossible to get it back to its original clean, prisitine state. But aside from that, this is a great computer.

ffooshie123

Colorado Springs, CO

This computer is the best thing in the world! I am so happy that I purchased this. At first I did not know if it was the right decision because it was pretty expensive. But after the first week I knew that it was the right decision. Another great thing is that the customer service is amazing. There is no way that anyone could ask for something better. Everyone is english speaking. They will assist you with anything that you need. There is usually no wait time. They are very polite and happy to help. The macbook pro also comes with top of the line software built in to it. This software is exactly the same as the pros use except this software is very easy to use. No matter how experienced you are with computers it is very easy. And if you are having problems with it you can just quickly pick up the phone and call apple and they will help you with anything. I would recommend this computer or just even this brand to anyone who is interested in buying a new computer. It always stays very fast and you wont get any viruses!

wboro101

Marcy, NY

I got my Macbook Pro 2 summers ago and have been using it daily since. I picked out the smallest MacBook Pro because I didn't want to lug a heavy computer around with me wherever I went. But it's still so heavy! My friend's 17 inch Samsung felt a lot lighter than my 13 inch Mac! Everyone in my family uses Macs except for my mom who has to use the specific laptop provided for her work because we just don't want to deal with viruses (and running the virus scan every morning) anymore. I have not been very much in touch with the PC world to make a good comparison since my college has Macs in the labs as well. However, when I was traveling last year I used the computer (a desktop) at the hotel and was amazed at how fast it responded! As compared to my Mac (loud fan noises, slow to super slow loading of web pages, freezing up about once a day, the Safari browser crashing, motion pad unresponsive to clicking so that I have to set it to click-by-tapping, and of course, incompatibility with a lot of imported software), I'm very willing to try out a PC that would run fast and not have the risk of being virus-infected. Also, after I updated the system to Snow Leopard, my Chinese character input in simplified had disappeared and instead, the option of being able to draw out the characters on the motion pad appeared! How fast is drawing as compared to PinYin? Apple has a long way to go still.

TG4TG

Rochester, NY

i have had my macbook for over a year and have not had any major problems with it. it has served as my workhorse computer, being lugged back and forth from school. i use it for at least 6 hours and a day and have had little reliability problems with it.  the few complaints i have are regarding the battery life which could be improved for the earlier macbook aluminum body models with the external battery. The computer began to crash at around 40% battery life but once i replaced the battery that problem stopped. the only other issue i have experienced is that when the computer is on and i physically move it or it shakes it sometimes crashes. i am not sure if this has something to do with the harddrive stability feature.   this laptop is also easy to upgrade, i have performed hard drive upgrades and RAM upgrades without an issue. be sure to invest in the torx screwdriver that is needed to remove the back cover. this is a great laptop!

esch8

Los Angeles, CA

When I started my first "real" job outside of college, I was introduced to the world of Macintosh computers. I had always used PCs in the past, so the everything was new. Once I had been using it a week, I decided that it was the best computer ever. As a marketing professional and a graphic designer, I am very pleased with the graphics, especially. The MacBook Pro's easy-to-use features and clean look help to keep me focused. I don't spend as much time trying to figure things out as I used to. The laptop runs quickly and I've yet to have trouble with it. After using it for a year at work, I decided to go out and buy my own. I purchased the exact same one that I have at work, the 13 inch MacBook Pro. I love the lightweight of it along with it's sleek design and size. When I travel, it's easy to pack up and carry on and the battery life seems to last an eternity before I find myself having to power up. 

mlw21

Safety Harbor, FL

The MacBook Pro 13" is the perfect laptop for a student. It is light, portable and you feel really cool having it under your arm when carrying it to class. Its sleek design and aluminum body not only makes this laptop sturdy (good for clumsy teenagers), but also a sleek new accessory that you can carry with you around campus. Because I study at night, and I have a room-mate that can't sleep with the lights turned on, I especially LOVE the illuminated keypad, and the intensity of the light is absolutely up to me. The extra large touch pad has awesome features. An example; sliding 4 fingers forward clears your screen instantly and leaves you with your desktop background and icons. This may be useful if your afraid of snoopy parents or siblings. And that is just one of so many cool things you can do with the keypad!  Unlike other, older versions of the MacBook, the MacBook Pro has an in-built SD Card-Reader which is great for uploading pictures. Ofcourse, if you're not used to the Mac operating system, it may take a while for you to get a hold of all the features, but I assure you, once you do, you will look back on your XP or Vista and realize how much simpler and easier it is to navigate with Macs, especially because people hardly ever design viruses to work on the Mac OS!!

ZainahKhan

Washington, DC

When deciding what type of laptop I was going to get for school I was really drawn between sticking with my normal PC background, or to switch to a mac.  I braved the decision for the mac and I am so glad I did.  I have yet to have a problem with it.  No viruses, or hardware problems, or anything for that matter.  Every one of my friends who came to college with a brand new PC has had an issue with malfunctions viruses.  If you looked at the tech help office you wouldn't find a mac in site! A great product and worth the little extra money to avoid all the future problems.  Also, great for taking to class or anywhere else on campus like the library, cafeteria, classes, outdoors, or anywhere else.  I'm not sure about durability because I have yet to drop it, but so far so good. A student doesn't really need larger than the 13 in unless it is staying at their desk or for movies.  All in all great!!!!

kmeteyer

Woodbine, MD