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.
June 8th, 2008 at 4:44 am
People who complain about using a Mac don’t know what the hell they are talking about, or don’t know a good computer form a bad one.
PC’s are a virus magnet and just a hassle. They are slow, dumb, and can’t boot if you forget to take the floppy out the A drive. Yes I said floppy remember those!!! Who needs an A drive anyway?
I just think Mac’s are the best. Dude keep up with time.
June 7th, 2008 at 7:58 am
This is food for thought. I was looking to buy a macbook air. I don’t know why they don’t make it in glossy white. For that reason I might just go for the glossy white macbook..
June 6th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
I just bought a MacBook Pro, installed Fusion to run Windows XP,
I’ve installed a software in XP that use a dongle protection, the sucker (the Mac OS) has crashed on me, and I can’t reboot the bastard, I get a white screen with an interrogation mark, I bought the Mac 6 hours ago, I’m now considering giving it back to the Apple reseller, get my money back and purchase an IBM ThinkPad instead …
June 2nd, 2008 at 8:41 am
im a student at a design university in sydney. i bought a top of the line 2.33GHz, 3GB macbook pro because the uni is 100% mac run and storage and compatibility issues were becoming a pain.
i have never been so torn between two mindsets about anything. i love the mac os. (maybe im just bored of XP)
but… i am yet to use my MBP for one single session of doing ANYTHING without the application crashing or freezing completely.
i’m not just talking about high end programs like Final Cut, Maya, Photoshop, flash etc, but also everyday programs such as firefox, safari and word crash all the time.
Using audio programs like Ableton and Reason don’t crash, but once CPU usage gets up to 30% they get all glitchy.
what a joke.
the uni macs are bad too, i just use mine at home more often so i notice it more.
i will never buy another mac. i could have bought 3 top of the line PCs for the price of this shiny paperweight.
the only people who want to use macs are people who like sitting around waiting for their computer to restart enjoying the downtime, re-doing the work that was lost in the crash.
oh did i mention the hard-drive failed in the first 12months and i had to pay AUD$600 to get the data recovered.
that being said, i’m probably in the 1% of people who havent had a problem with their iPod! but thats because its a 4GB nano, solid state flashdrive.
May 15th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I had bought a Mac Book Pro in February. Ok well, the usability is crap. Come on guys, while savng files you can actually name them in Windows, in mac no way. Plus those windows all over the place, you have to hold from tiny corners to scale and some only from one corner. Later realised some programs are behaving different. And Mac boasts for usability? Yeah if you have never worked with PC… My case is damaged because I screw came loose on the screen. Plus keyboard is slow many letters are missing, they keep updating the firmware but service tld me mine way not responding. Even the touchpad and this is brand new Mac. They changed the case and keyboard and guess what the same screw i loose again damaging the case one more time.
And what is this undo problem with Macs. I used many Mac computers in odd places they always stumble when you do undo. PCs never wait for undo you can do 20 in a row. Especially Flash nearly crashes with undos. Mac is thinking too much on history.
It did not impress me. It actually looks cheap. I mean I should not be so negative I like certain things. Battery lasts fairly well, but yes it heats a lot during charging.
And it’s reception on wireless is quite good even though it is only b/g… But hey this machine should only cost £900 not £1400.
G
May 11th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Switching from pc to mac was just a hassle until i just had to bear down and take it. I’m more pc than mac, mac just seems like those people you were told to watch out for giving out candy to kids…just too child friendly; I mean, it reminds me of Windows 3.1(i know pc got it from mac but still) if anyone remembers that. I dunno that Macbook air just seems soooo pointless. I read the specs and then what they wanted for it, just pointless. And the only reason it can effeciently “protect” itself is that apple had plenty of time to figure all that stuff out, whereas pc was pushin out new OS’s every few years because of demand when apple was slippin.
May 5th, 2008 at 9:44 am
This is food for thought. I was looking to buy a macbook air. I don’t know why they don’t make it in glossy white. For that reason I might just go for the glossy white macbook..
May 4th, 2008 at 6:08 am
I’ve been a MacBook Pro user since it came out, and even though I’m using the first edition I can’t complain on it’s performance. Of course, with the change to intel processors many applications were running slow, but hey. You’d see the same if Microsoft decided to switch to PowerPC processors. All in all I think Apple did a great job with Rosetta and the transfer to Intel processors was way easier that a lot of us had expected.
The only thing I can complain about on my MacBook Pro is, as with many of them, that the thermal paste is used in wrong amounts and applied wrong. This is the root of most of the heat problems, since heat doesn’t travel to the temperature sensors or the fans easily. Find the closest geek and have him/her fix it for you.
Ian: True. Although in Leopard they’re bright dots. To close a window you can also use the shortcut Command-W, and to close the application Command-Q. Press Command-Tab to switch applications, and if you hold down the Command button while doing so you can close the applications you want by just pressing Q when they’re marked. And so on. Really, there’s a million shortcuts and wonderful possibilities to assign your own.
May 3rd, 2008 at 4:58 pm
I am with folks who says MacBook Pro & Mac OS sucks. I have bought this recently and having a lot of problem. I am one of the crazy man that had decide to switch and try this mac.
Whatever Microsoft XP is the right choice. I was using MS proucts since 20 years and never had a problem.
Now Everyday I am kind of struggling with this toy (Mac/OS) and crying..
:-(
April 29th, 2008 at 10:19 am
I bought a macbook pro in January ‘08 and it also gets really hot, especially when its on charge. Ive never had a problem with photoshop or illustrator though. It all runs pretty quick on here!