I will admit upfront that I am not good with the technical side of things when it comes to computers--I judge them mostly based on how simple and stress-free they are for me to use.  When my old Dell laptop died a few years ago, I found a good deal on a 17" MacBook Pro, and getting it ended up being one of the best buys I've ever made.  The operating system, OSX, is fantastically easy to use right out of the box--everything from the way you can access programs, to the wonderful (and FAST) search function--is intuitive and lets you get to work straight away.  Installing new programs is simple and straightforward as well.   This may all be obvious to people who are familiar with Macs, but it was all fairly new to me when I got the MacBook.  And, while it is easy to use, it's still a powerful machine, and runs very fast even with multiple programs running.  The only downside I've noticed is a tendency for the fan to start running high when I try to play graphics-heavy games--but otherwise, the MacBook has completely taken over as my home computer and entertainment system!

qa6

Eugene, OR

I use this computer daily for graphics and web publishing. Works great for what I need, I used mac towers and desktops before, this is my second portable. The SuperDrive is very handy for burning on the go too. Works well with our airport network, love the wireless printing!

CraftyGirlFriday

Austin, TX

This laptop is the best I've had in a long time. I got it before I went into grad school and it has been a lifesaver throughout these last 2 yrs. I love how big the screen is so I can look up several things at once. I have had some problems with the optical disk drive not working, but I have sorted that out by buying an external disk /optical drive which allows me to still watch and play DVDs and cds. I can also burn them. The mac is easy to use- very simple for even the least techie person like myself. I did buy it from a refurbisher but it may have been a better idea to get it from the mac store because I may have not had that problem with the disk drive. I recommend this to anyone who is kind of looking for something that'll get the job done!

ajacobsuk

Tempe, AZ

I love my apple pro that i brought 7 months back. it is so reliable. the 64 bit proccesing was what made me buy it and i am not disappointed. its fast. and the battery backup is for 10 hours ! the key board is very ergonomic. the new touchpad shockcuts are amazing. so amazing that even my toddler operates it. she plays her favourite youtube videos. If i had been using a windows based OS i would have got at least 3 blue sceern with all the antics i do with my computer but this new one is so incredibly reliable. No faults so far and keeping my fingers crossed to keep the same going. But the price is extremely high. its a big sum but i am happy i did it for me. now i can not imagine being with out my apple. the Airport is really cool accesory. very needy in my case and the sound is amazing even when my speakers are connected to the airport. onebig con is the difficulty to keep it clean with a toddler around seems very delicate. and one of my friend's kid lifted the laptop by screen and the display went crazy.

preethisweeps

Burbank, CA

Well, the Apple MC226LL/A is a bit different notebook than the other typical Apple notebooks. First of all, this screen size is quite large at 17 inches, which is very nice. Apple makes some of the best notebook screens and it is nice to have all that beauty captured in a larger size. A 17 inch screen equals more eye candy for you, whether we're talking about streaming videos, dvds, or bigger real estate for Excel and spreadsheets. Unfortunately, the MC226LL/A features an Intel Core 2 Duo, which is not horrible at all, but a bit outdated. If it was fitted with an i5 or even an i3 this notebook would fly. The Core 2 duo is powered at 2.8ghz . Harddrive space is sufficient at 500 gigs of space, and the typical 4 gigs of memory is put in this notebook. One thing I found interesting was that they broke away from the normal GeForce 330M graphics and went with an Nvidia Geforce 9400M + 9600M GT graphics. This notebook I found rather light and I think it is great for portability and carrying around. All around good notebook and I recommend it.

jessiebryant83

Beverly Hills, CA

What can I say about my MAC, besides that it's awesome, dependable, safe and wonderful?? I never have to install any stupid "virus" or "spyware" software or do 10000 updates a day just to make it work. I update it usually 1-2 times a WEEK. I've had my mac for around 3 years and have never had a problem with it! Would def. recommend it. I was actually talked into buying a mac-i wanted a regular PC, but boy am I glad they convinced me into trying it out! Now that the MAC is more popular all the applications and features are starting to be compatible with macs. I am a coupon fanatic and for the longest time couldn't print "brick" coupons from my mac or printer-but now they have resolved this issue and now I love my mac even more! I also like that you get Apple Care service for it if something happens to it!!! It did take some getting used to but like I said, once you go mac, you don't go back!

katiewrona

San Antonio, TX

I have been a PC user for a while, so maybe this is a biased review, but I think this laptop is terrible.  Actually, I am beginning to think everything made by Apple is terrible.  I had this thing for about 3 months before it started shutting off on its own (ran it on a hardwood desk) and then making a loud vibrating sound intermittently.  During the time this thing was actually working, I did not notice anything that it does (besides the cutesy useless features) that my PC for half the price couldn't do.  I really don't see what all the rage is about and am kicking myself for even giving them a shot. I guess it is like buying a Range Rover.  You want to look good, you want some cute featured, but you fail to see that they are NOT made to last.  You have a good first month or two, then things start to go wrong.  Yes, I maybe got a bad apple, but in this case, it DID spoil the whole bunch for me and I will not be going back to Apple again.  Furthermore, I will be telling as many people as I possibly can to save their money and buy a PC.

zack7983

Sacramento, CA

The Apple MacBook Pro 17" is a great laptop. I use it for work because it is very thin and light compared to other laptops I have used in the past. The machine is plenty powerful, boasting an Intel Core i5 2.53GHz processor, an Nvidia GeForce GT 330M graphics card, a 500GB hard drive, as well as many other features that make this laptop great. Even though I am not a big fan of Apple's computers, I think this laptop is great because of the specs, portability, and the design of the system. The operating system is good as well, and Windows can be installed easily to this system. I am planning on buying Windows 7 because I think Windows Vista is slow, which is what I currently have installed, as well as Mac OS X Snow Leopard. I can't wait for Apple to update their MacBook Pro line, and I will definitely be buying the new 17" laptop that Apple will make in the future. I recommend this product to everybody.

vc94112

San Francisco, CA

There is absolutely nothing bad to say about this computer. My husband had one when we first started dating and I completely feel in love with this computer. There is one downside about this computer, the price is a little out there but not having to buy  new computer every year is absolutely worth the price. There is nothing this computer can't do. The best part of having this computer is you don't have to have a fire wall on the notebook. This computer is virtually bullet proof to viruses. My macbook is just as fast as the first day i used it. We have had this computer for 3 years and absolutely nothing has gone wrong with it. The customer care at apple is the best if you ever need it. The computer comes with Itunes on it along with iphoto, ical, imovie. You can do just about anything you put your mind to on this computer. The internet no matter what internet provider comes in in full strength. Absolute best computer in the market

zandersmommy

Pasadena, TX

   **Apple MC226LL/A 17 in. MacBook Pro Notebook** Apple has really outdone themselves with this line of computers. The actual laptop is sleek, well built, comfortable to use and pretty much ready to go right out of the box, and that's just the first impression. After starting up and figuring out the OSX interface and navigation systems anyone can start to see why people love their Mac so much. Even if you are a long time PC user with some things to get adjusted to, whether it's just trying out something new or a serious consideration for a change of pace then the MacBook Pro will not dissappoint. As for the actual operation, the standard settings are pretty sufficient for anyone looking for a good "daily use" computer. While I haven't had a chance to get into many of the applications I have seen available I have taken some time to try out the gaming. While there are some cross over issues with games, namely half of the computer gaming market being PC only, I must say that the games I have played were overall much better both visually and functionally when compared to a PC for the same price range. Overall I really love this computer and all that it does, and though it is my first time using a Mac I must say I can certainly understand why people wouldn't stop talking about them before.

jessy0285

Elkton, MD