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Weirdly, the 13 inch MacBook Pro marks a step backwards for Apple. It’s been two years since the company offered a professional-grade laptop in anything less than 15 inches. But here it is, a 13 inch MacBook Pro.
Not since the 12 inch PowerBook, discontinued in 2006, have Mac fans wanting a portable powerhouse had such choice, but how does the diminutive portable stack up against its bigger brothers?
The answer, is remarkably well. From the outside, the 13 inch MacBook Pro looks almost exactly the same as the larger 15 inch MacBook. But flip open its magnetically-sealed lid and you’ll find it’s still sprightly and fast, with just a hint of showy exuberance.
Apple’s also packed in a few extras to the MacBook Pro 13 inch. For a start there’s an SD Card slot in the side. For anyone toting a camcorder or camera all day, that’s indispensable. It makes offloading HD footage, or reams of photos, a no nonsense affair.
For those packing external hard drives or DV cameras, Apple’s also included a Firewire connector. And then there’s the battery.
An all-new built-in battery, using technology borrowed from the 17 inch MacBook Pro means the MacBook Pro 13 inch can now actively manage its own charging and power use. By removing the space inside used by catches, latches and trays, Apple has also made better use of its internal space, giving more battery for your buck.
Apple reckons the new MacBook Pro 13 inch will keep kicking for seven hours on a single charge. In practical use, using Safari to browse the web, with the screen brightness cranked to around 80% and using Wi-Fi, we squeezed just shy of that. Mighty impressive, given that entry-level MacBook models will give up at least two hours earlier.
13–inch MacBook Pro vs MacBook
Of course, that extra power comes at a cost: The 13 inch MacBook Pro lacks a removable battery, meaning your only choice is to seek a power socket when it finally fails. But that’s no great hardship when there’s enough juice inside to last all but the most long-haul flight.
Then there’s the power. Apple offers the new 13 inch MacBook Pro with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor up to 2.53GHz and with 2GB memory as standard. In practice, that means it simply tears through applications. We treated the laptop to some HD footage, and found editing in iMovie an absolute breeze, barely noticing it was shovelling hulking-great HD files around.
As with all Macs, the software suite included is second to none, with the latest iLife suite boasting the all-new GarageBand and iPhoto, ready to teach you to play instruments or recognise faces in your photographs.
Overall, the new 13 inch MacBook Pro represents a hammer-blow to other pro-level laptops. It’s sleek, sexy and boasts genuine improvements over the entry-level MacBook. In particular, those working with photos or footage on the road will love it, not least for its Herculean battery life and respectable pricing.
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