Apple MacBook Pro MB990LL-A Review

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Apple MacBook Pro MB990LL-A
1,300 $ at amazon.com
  • Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 (2.26 GHz)

  • NVIDIA GeForce 9400M G

  • 2 GB RAM Size

  • 160 GB HDD Capacity

2

Our summary of all reviews

  • Performance

    13 /100

    This low level of performance allows some multitasking. Word processing and similar applications work at an acceptable speed, as well as online games like “FarmVille”. At this level, gaming or HD videos are impossible, office work is suitable though.

    • 3DMark 06 1024 x 768

      2211.5 #

    • PCMark 05

      5941.25 #

    • PCMark Vantage

      2622.62 #

    • Cinebench xCPU 64Bit

      4028 #

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  • Design

    5.0/5

    The laptop design was received with great enthusiasm by reviewers. The crushing majority agrees that even people with the highest sense of aesthetics will be ecstatically pleased.

  • Build Quality

    5.0/5

    The extremely solid build quality provides for absolute protection of the inner components of this laptop. All the outer components -hinge, display panel, and chassis- are highly stable, with no gaps or cracking sounds ever experienced. This computer is ideal for people with very active lifestyles, requiring absolute endurance and solidity of their laptops.

    • Base Unit Flex

       : 

      5.0/5

      Active people with lifestyles requiring traveling, and who place a high value on perfection will be very satisfied with this laptop.

    • Hinge Stability

       : 

      5.0/5

      The hinge, connecting the screen and the laptop frame, has a great balance between tightness and flexibility. It allows for a smooth use without experiencing any cracking sounds or stiffness when moving around. The display does not suffer from any shakiness and yet you can open it easily with one hand.

    • Display Panel

       : 

      5.0/5

      The display panel is a prime example of excellence. When moving the display back and forth it does not bend the slightest bit. There are no color distortions on the screen, even when applying significant pressure to the back of the monitor.

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  • Display

    5.0/5

    This screen rates at the very top for all display characteristics. Professional photographers, designers and editors will be extremely delighted with it. Sharing quality time with friends watching HD movies or playing a high-resolution video game is enjoyable with this laptop. The monitor is more than suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. In short, this display is nothing but perfect at all levels.

    • Display Resolution

      1280 x 800

      This resolution does not allow for much multitasking. Opening two windows next to one another is quite annoying as much scrolling is needed to view the content of both. The users might get lost between their windows, as a continuous expanding and minimizing is required. Viewing highly detailed pictures demands quite a lot of zooming, and only low resolution picture and video editing is possible. Gamers could be satisfied with this resolution as many graphic cards support the native resolution of this display and run very smoothly. The gaming will not however be experienced to its full potential, as viewing graphic details is limited. The majority of movies will be viewed with black bars at the top and the bottom of the display.

    • Color Reproduction

       : 

      4.8/5

      This computer features perfect color reproduction. The color spectrum is fully covered, thus the colors are both attractive and true to nature. The screen fulfills the needs of professional designers as it displays the full sRGB spectrum. It as well is very attractive to non-professional users and gamers, because the picture is realistic and is thus perfect for high resolution games and HD movies for example.

    • Contrast

       : 

      5.0/5

      This laptop is able to produce a sharp contrast between the darkest color -black- and the brightest color -white-. This contrast ratio allows comfortable reading even when exposed to a bright ambient light. This feature is thus attractive to outdoor users, and office workers. Professional designers, gamers and movie viewers will as well be completely satisfied with this contrast. Shadows are so perfectly displayed that two-dimensional images appear almost three-dimensional. Movies using shadow effects extensively, like Horror, Mystery or Action movies, will be a delight to watch on this notebook. This contrast is especially appreciated with small-sized screens.

    • Contrast Value

      766.5 :1

    • Brightness

       : 

      3.8/5

      The maximum brightness of this computer is adequate for viewing the screen comfortably, even under bright ambient light. However, the users must be cautious to only push the brightness to its maximum in bright conditions, eg. outdoors. Setting the brightness to a high level will drastically decrease the battery life. In addition, using the notebook at maximum brightness in a dark room will be tiring for the eyes.

    • Average Brightness

      206.67 cd/m²

    • Reflections

       : 

      2.3/5

      In situations of medium indoor ambient light, the display can sufficiently fulfill its function. This laptop is thus acceptable for office work, and can serve as well as a family/home computer. Outdoor use is however not recommended, as it will be close to impossible to decipher the displayed information.

    • Viewing Angle

       : 

      3.7/5

      Two individuals can sit next to one another comfortably, and still view the screen with hardly any image deviation. Colours might start to change if you move far to the sides of the display, so viewing the screen with a group of people will not guarantee a clear picture for everyone.

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  • Sound

    3.0/5

    The sound quality of this laptop is average compared to other notebooks. Although these internal speakers are adequate for easy listening, you should not count on them for a fun movie night with friends. Gaming could still be fairly enjoyed, but the user should always account for external speakers or headphones for a better sound experience.

    • Maximum Volume

       : 

      2.0/5

      This laptop provides for a great opportunity to test your hearing abilities. At maximum volume, users can expect the sound to be loud enough to partially cover the space in one room. It would be difficult to enjoy a movie with a group of people if you are not all sitting close to the laptop. Headphones or external speakers should prove to be a good back up for action/thriller movies to be enjoyed.

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  • Keyboard

    4.5/5

    This keyboard has been rated to be among the best in the market. The reviewers were impressed by the comfort and the speed provided for when typing. It is ideal for users whose profession demands long typing hours such as for journalists or academicians, without suffering from the slightest pain or frustration in the process. It is as well impressively comfortable and enduring for gaming, as one of the many activities requiring frequent and long usage, all of which this keyboard is perfectly fitted for.

    • Layout

       : 

      4.5/5

      This keyboard is presented to the user with a layout easy on the eye requiring practically no time to get used to it. Typing feels accurate and the standard layout of the keyboard greatly contributes to increasing speed and comfort. The users will not at all be bothered with inconveniences such as a smaller than usual “Enter” key or swapped key positions. All in all, an agreeable layout for very smooth use.

    • Keyboard Size

       : 

      5.0/5

      This keyboard is characterized by large keys, thus dramatically reducing the frequency of typing mistakes. Typing is as well made very comfortable thanks to the deep palm resting area, which is as well handy when playing games, or for any activity requiring long hours of commitment. The whole keyboard is well proportionate with just the right spacing between the keys, providing for an ideal size for most users.

    • Key Responsiveness

       : 

      3.8/5

      The responsiveness of this keyboard allows for most users to be satisfied with individual key feedback. The keys do require some pressure for efficient typing, without being either too soft or too stiff for manipulation. Most users will find this keyboard supportive for long typing hours as the keys can be pressed down without any difficulty and they respond back quite fast. Although this keyboard might not be responsive enough for some, the general feel of the keyboard should be within the ranges of satisfaction for most of us.

    • Keyboard Flex

       : 

      5.0/5

      The users will be happy to find that this keyboard is sturdy and very reliable. The keyboard does not bend at all even under heavy typing or when forcefully pressed. The flex thus is practically non-existent, making the typing experience not only enjoyable, but as well fast and comfortable.

    • Keys Clicking Sound

       : 

      5.0/5

      Using this keyboard will not cause any disturbance noise wise. Clicking an individual key provides for an unobtrusive feedback fitting the quietest surroundings. In short: A nice recurring easy-to-get-used-to sound.

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  • Touchpad

    5.0/5

    The reviewers found this trackpad to provide for a perfect combination of size, accuracy, smoothness and resistance. All these qualities make this trackpad a perfect fit for laptops with big displays, or everyone who plans to use the touchpad extensively only for gaming you will find an external mouse needed. The buttons are as well suited for all applications even those requiring a high level of accuracy such as picture editing or design. In short, this trackpad will ease you into adapting to your laptop in quite a pleasing way.

    • Touchpad Surface

       : 

      5.0/5

      The touchpad surface of this keyboard is nothing short of perfect. The manufacturer has managed to keep the tricky balance of smoothness and resistance. The touchpad feels great, accommodating for users requiring either relative roughness against sweaty finger, or smoothness to help with sliding across the screen. No matter your needs, this surface will not disappoint you.

    • Sensitivity

       : 

      5.0/5

      This touchpad has proved to provided for excellent feedback with impressive accuracy. There was no lag or jumpiness, which greatly contributes to increasing your working speed. Your mouse pointer’s precision will be nothing short of an arrow splitting the stem of a flower. All in all, this touchpad is perfectly reliable concerning precision and reaction.

    • Touchpad Size

       : 

      5.0/5

      The generous size of this touchpad will remind of limitless playing fields when you were a little child. You can reach the furthest part on the screen with a single slide over the touchpad, even with big displays.

    • Buttons

       : 

      2.0/5

      The reviewers considered the quality of this trackpad button to be less than average. Although this button quality might be sufficient for some, it will be less than desired for most. Problems with the unclear feedback, excessive softness or stiffness of the button will be obstacles for efficient use. The clicking sound produced by this button might as well be a little too obtrusive for pleasant use.

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  • Battery Surfing

    6:06 h

    The battery life is outstanding. You will be able to use your laptop for the better part of a whole work day. This of course requires you to turn down the brightness of your screen, as the display uses a lot of energy. You should also only plan to do office work and light browsing. If you are going to play games, stream videos, or surf websites with a lot of flash advertisement, the expected battery life will be considerably shorter. The energy saving mode should be enabled at all times, if not this will of course cause the battery life to drop even shorter.

    • Battery DVD/Video

      4:22 h

      When performing energy consuming tasks, this battery will last from 4 to 5 hours. Be it for watching a couple of movies, preparing presentations, or streaming videos, this battery will not fail you for quite some time. Note: Gaming requires much more power thus you will only be able to enjoy it for a much more limited time.

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  • Weight

    4.50 lbs

    This computer is for most users still comfortable to carry around, although for those used to lighter computers, it might seem a bit heavy at the beginning. Mobile users will most probably need a somehow large bag to carry this laptop around, a backpack in this case would be ideal. Even when factoring the extra weight of the charger, walking with this computer will still be fine for most users.

  • Noise

    3.7/5

    Most users will find the laptop to be on the quiet side. There is some noise emitted from the fan, the CD drive and other laptop parts, yet most will not experience any inconveniences due to it. Noise sensitive people might opt for an even quieter computer.

    • Noise Idle

       : 

      4.0/5

      Normally you do not notice the noise of the laptop ventilation while idle.

    • Noise Normal Use

       : 

      4.0/5

      While doing office work or browsing the web, the noise emitted by this computer is barely noticeable. In a quite room, you can rest assured, the low noise of the fan will not hinder with your concentration.

    • Noise Full Load

       : 

      2.5/5

      The notebook can get quite loud when watching movies, editing videos, playing games or any other kind of performance demanding application. If you are in a quiet environment, you might want to avoid running such high performance applications to avoid annoying the people around you.

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  • Temperature

    2.3/5

    The laptop often gets too warm. Most reviewers found, at normal room temperature, it may be okay to keep the notebook on your lap when you are just surfing the net. The laptop will definitely get hot when you stress it, watching a movie or alike.

    • Heat Top: Full Use

       : 

      4.0/5

      The notebook warms up just a little at normal use.

    • Heat Top: Normal Use

       : 

      2.0/5

      The notebook can get a little bit warmer on top.

    • Heat Bottom: Normal Use

       : 

      1.5/5

      The laptop gets quite hot on the bottom. Using a laptop cooler could help.

    • Heat Bottom: Full Load

       : 

      0.0/5

      There are spots, where the laptop gets extremely hot.

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4

Where to buy

You can get the Apple MacBook Pro MB990LL-A for 1,300$
A

All external reviews  Apple  MacBook Pro MB990LL-A

Language Source URL Review Date Author

English

www.reghardware.co.uk 7/20/09 Stephen Dean

English

www.trustedreviews.com 7/6/09 Andy Vandervell

Deutsch

www.pcwelt.de 9/10/09 Thomas Rau

Deutsch

www.notebookcheck.com 8/4/09 Klaus Hinum

Deutsch

www.notebookjournal.de 6/29/09 Marco Obendorf
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Total number of reviews: 5