My MacBook Pro Sucks
September 10th, 2006 Filed in: Reviews, Mac Jump to commentsI recently bought a new MacBook Pro (my first Apple computer). Yes, I am one of the switchers. I have been a PC user for a while until Apple introduced Intel-based Mac notebook. I was tempted by the MacBook Pro and brought a 15.4-inch display, 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo, with 2GB of RAM (upgraded from 1GB). After couple hours of fun playing around with the Mac OS X, I installed Adobe CS2 and did couple test runs. I was so disappointed on its performance. It even runs slower than my old PC laptop (1.5GHz Centrino with 1GB RAM). That is impossible since the new MacBook has 2.16GHz CPU with 2GB of RAM. I thought it could be my Adobe software issue. So I went to install Macromedia Studio 8 to see how it perform. Same result - slow.
I got frustrated and did a quick search on Google. I found this review from MacWorld. Apparently, neither Adobe CS2 nor Macromedia Studio 8 supports Intel-based Macs (running on Rosetta) yet. Fortunately, Adobe has announced that they will fix this issue to support Intel-based Mac computers in the next versions. So, if you are planning to get a MacBook Pro as your work computer, you’ll be better off waiting until Adobe release the next version of Creative Suite.
Note: Universal application like Safari, iLife and Mail are running fine and smoothy on my MacBook.
Update
June 6, 2007
I’m now using Adobe CS3 on my MacBook and they run very nice. However, I still have problem with the heat issues (extremely hot when charging). I heard the second generation released in Oct 2006 is faster than my first generation and the heat issue is resolved.
March 9th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Ronny… I’ve used all kinds of Apple computers since I was about 10… I’ve never liked the PC and I think that my 10+ years of Mac experience are enough to warrant my opinion that Apple is, simply put, amazing. Compared to the PowerPC architecture, however, and the underdeveloped Mactel applications, it has got to be one of the worst products ever… for now. I rarely use my MacBook now… It’s all up to my PowerBook and the huge honkin’ G5 now! :)
I have not owned a PC since elementary school…
March 9th, 2007 at 5:02 am
Well, you can’t really blame Apple for Adobe and Macromedias slow progress.
I use both Illustrator and Photoshop daily, and it works fine on my MacBook Pro, with the same specs as yours. Not great, but I can accept the speed and usability.
Don’t cry about it, Adobe is coming with Intel compatible Creative Suite at the end of this month.
And for the record, I think you should have done better research before you bought a Mac, because it’s quite of an huge switch from a PC.
(Just for your information, I switch last autumn myself, so I know how you feel.)
March 8th, 2007 at 6:03 pm
I am very, VERY disappointed with my MacBook Pro… I bought it with the anticipation of speed and power, having used a PowerBook G4 for quite some time. Well, it turned out that CS runs better on the PowerBook… no big deal, I kind of expected it to run slow(er) under Rosetta emulation.
My biggest problem is that Apple’s own OS and apps CRASH… like Keynote. It’s very embarrassing when a “Whoops, Keynote screwed up. Wanna let us know?” window or the “Multilingual Screen of Death” pops up right smack in the middle of your presentation in front of 100+ people. =\ (Note that bad RAM is not the issue).
This is, by far, THE worst Apple product that I’ve had to use since the bulbously-awful original iMac. A trip to the Apple Store didn’t relieve my stress. Instead of being helpful and understanding, the Apple “Genius” told me (no lie): “You should’ve expected this. They haven’t ironed everything out yet.” Mind you, this is while he is picking his nose and talking to me in the most matter-of-fact unconcerned tone that I’ve ever seen… meanwhile, I am prancing around him on all fours, freaking out.
And what’s up with the “Alert! Couldn’t contact spell check module” window popping up three hundred-thousand-gazillion times? Apple’s solution: “do an archived install of the operating system.” After a wasted 2 hours, nothing. Same error across all users. Call them again: “The next logical step will be to install the OS from scratch.” Fine. I do that: wipe, install Tiger, reinstall CS, Lightroom, iWork… gah! The spell-checker module error of doom is back!
I guess I was expecing too much, like the Apple “Genius” had told me… or maybe I need to wait for Leopard in May…
Very disappointed. Very. :( I am glad I am not the only one.
March 7th, 2007 at 6:57 am
re: mac pro imac g5 w/megablasters, etc, etc…
i think most people missed the joke.
March 6th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
I have the same spec mbp as you and photoshop runs fine! I still cant wait for CS3 though!
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Yeah, I have a mac pro imac g5 powermac with quad core amd xeon and 200tb ram with 20mb hard drive with built in iphone and toaster. It’s a cracking piece of kit. ;P
February 25th, 2007 at 11:10 am
are you seroius!!!!!
you should go back to pc,
and get a big surgery!
February 25th, 2007 at 9:41 am
What’s a Mac Pro G5 with Xeons? I’m breaking “stones” here, but the G5 is not the generation of computer, but the generation of the Power PC chip. That would be like saying you have a Pentium 5 version of the Pentium 2.
It amazes me how many supposed computer saavy people out there have NO idea what they are talking about.
ya I agree with u. g5 is powerpc which called powermac, and mac pro is which with the new intel processor. Totally two different mac…..
February 23rd, 2007 at 6:02 pm
“i have a mac pro g5 with 2×2.66 dual core xeon and 16GB RAM…. its my first mac too… i have the same problem… with all programs ( CS2 and Studio 8 ) =(”
What’s a Mac Pro G5 with Xeons? I’m breaking “stones” here, but the G5 is not the generation of computer, but the generation of the Power PC chip. That would be like saying you have a Pentium 5 version of the Pentium 2.
It amazes me how many supposed computer saavy people out there have NO idea what they are talking about.
February 20th, 2007 at 8:09 am
Bravo for your first Apple computer… ;-)