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MacBook Pro Q&A - Revised November 19, 2006
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How does the MacBook Pro "Core Duo" 17-Inch compare to a similar Windows notebook?
Please note that all systems mentioned in this Q&A have been discontinued. The MacBook Pro "Core Duo" models were replaced by the "Late 2006" MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" series.
As noted various times before, one of the advantages from the consumer's standpoint is that the switch to Intel-based processors makes it easier than ever to compare Apple's systems directly to Windows PCs.
Although there are numerous other systems as well, two notebooks that could be configured similarly, but not identically, to the stock MacBook Pro "Core Duo" 2.16 17-Inch are the Dell Inspiron E1705 and HP Compaq nx9420.
Photo Credit: Apple Computer (Top), HP (Bottom Left), Dell (Bottom Right)
The base model of each Windows notebook is a woefully underpowered shadow of the Apple model, but both could be customized to have the same 2.16 GHz Intel Core Duo processor with 2 MB shared "on chip" level 2 cache that is used by the stock MacBook Pro "Core Duo" 17-Inch.
All three systems use similar, but not identical, logic board designs with a 667 MHz frontside bus and 667 MHz PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM support (the Windows notebooks also support slower 533 MHz DDR2 SDRAM). The Apple system shipped stock with 1.0 of RAM on a single SO-DIMM module and can be upgraded to 2.0 GB of RAM. Both Windows systems could be configured with 1.0 GB of RAM, and the Dell was advertised as having a maximum capacity of 2.0 GB and the HP system 4.0 GB, although both have two SO-DIMM slots, just like the MacBook Pro "Core Duo".
The Apple system shipped stock with a 120 GB 5400 RPM Serial ATA/100 hard drive. The Dell and HP technical specs page lists the maximum available capacity as a 100 GB Serial ATA drive, but the Dell could be configured with a 120 GB 5400 RPM Serial ATA drive in the online store. The drives used by the Apple and HP systems both have anti-shock technology designed to stop the hard drive heads from moving if the laptop is dropped or jolted suddenly (the "Sudden Motion Sensor" for the MacBook Pro and "HP Mobile Data Protection System 3D" for the nx9420). Dell's technical information page did not mention anti-shock capability.
The Apple system shipped stock with an 8X dual-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW), and both Windows models could be configured to have the same. When the Dell model was first configured on April 28, 2006, the company was offering a dual-layer DVD burner as a "free" upgrade, but on August 3, 2006, Dell had not only slashed the price but increased the "freebies" to include a dual-layer DVD burner, 2 GB of RAM, an extended life battery, and a three year warranty. A 120 GB hard drive also was offered for less than the price of an 80 GB one.
The Apple and HP systems are equipped stock with ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics processors with 256 MB of GDDR3 video memory, although the MacBook Pro "Core Duo" supports dual-link DVI and the HP website simply stated "DVI out". The Dell could not be configured with the same video subsystem, and it shipped with Intel integrated graphics by default, but for the sake of comparison, it was configured with the inferior ATI Mobility Radeon X1400. It also could be configured with a NVIDIA GeForce Go 7800 for a bit more. Dell's offerings appear to have DVI out, but not dual-link.
All three models could ship with 802.11a/b/g support (dubbed AirPort Extreme on the MacBook Pro), Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, and a FireWire "400" port, as well as the previously mentioned DVI. The remainder of the ports vary quite a bit.
In addition to those already noted, the MacBook Pro "Core Duo" has an ultrafast Firewire "800" port, three USB 2.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, optical digital audio in/out, and an ExpressCard/34 expansion slot as well as an integrated video camera. It lacks an internal modem, although an external Apple USB Modem was available as an optional purchase.
In addition to the common ports, the HP system has four USB 2.0 ports, a VGA port, analog mic in and line out, Gigabit Ethernet, an internal 56k v.92 modem, S-video out, a connector for a docking station, a Type I/II PC Card slot, an integrated Smart Card reader, and an integrated 7-in-1 media reader. The Dell has six USB 2.0 ports, a VGA port, analog mic in and line out, 10/100Base-T Ethernet (not Gigabit), an internal 56k v.92 modem, an ExpressCard/34 slot, and an integrated 5-in-1 media reader.
The MacBook Pro "Core Duo" 2.16 17-Inch has a display with a 1680x1050 native resolution that Apple promoted as 36% brighter than the one used in its predecessor. The HP could be configured with an inferior display, but offered a "WSXGA+ wide viewing angle BrightView display with 1680x1050 resolution" thought to be nearly identical. The Dell likewise could be configured with a lesser display, but also could be configured with an "UltraSharp Wide Screen UXGA Display with TrueLife" with a 1920x1200 native resolution, higher than both the Apple and HP systems.
The Apple and HP systems have fiber-optic-based "ambient light sensors" that adjust screen brightness and keyboard illumination as well as "trackpads" that are capable of interpreting "scrolling" with two fingers. The Dell does not. The HP lacks an equivalent of the Apple Remote, although the Dell system could be configured with one. Both Windows systems lack the "MagSafe" power connector that safely disconnects if someone accidentally trips over the cord.
As one also would expect for PC notebooks, the Windows systems are larger, arguably less attractive, and quite a bit heavier (7.9 pounds for the Dell, 7.4 pounds for the HP, and and 6.8 pounds for the MacBook Pro 17-Inch).
Pricing for the equivalently configured HP system was not available on April 28, 2006, but on August 3, 2006, the HP website provided a price of US$3014, roughly US$200 more than the MacBook Pro "Core Duo" 17-Inch model's list price of US$2799. On the other hand, the Dell system, as configured, plummeted in price from US$2845 on April 28, 2006 to US$1860 on August 3, 2006. Apple likely will need to become more aggressive about price cutting in order to stay competitive.
Of course, Apple does not support running MacOS X on the PC notebooks, and to date, that remains perhaps the most important differentiation.
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