Which Apple MacBook Pro would you buy?

As I discussed in my 2011 MacBook Pro introduction, all three models of Apple’s Pro lineup include key inside upgrades: Speedy “Sandy Bridge” CPUs and Intel’s new Thunderbolt port. Although the aluminum case is unchanged, it was these features I was waiting for. But which model to buy?

Once I decided to upgrade from my 3-year-old “Santa Rosa” MacBook Pro to one of these new models, I was left with a few key decisions:

1. Which model – 13″, 15″, or 17″?
2. Base model or up-rated?

I might have considered a built-to-order model with an SSD or upgraded display, but Apple’s upgrades are often over-priced. It’s usually better to upgrade RAM or swap in an SSD from aftermarket channels, especially since this does not void the Apple warranty!

Which Model? 13″, 15″, or 17″

I’ve been very happy with my existing 15″ MacBook Pro overall, but it does seem a little large sometimes. I travel but am too cheap for first class, and even though I spend a lot of time on United planes, I don’t always get upgraded. Sadly, the 15″ MacBook Pro is not entirely tray table-compatible. I often find it cradled in a V after the seat back in front of me has smashed rearward.

The 17″ model is right out for my needs. And although the top of the widescreen 15″ MacBook Pro is slightly lower than my old one, I wanted something smaller. I would never have bought the old 15″ MacBook Pro, with its outdated Core 2 Duo CPU, when the larger models had “Arrandale” Core i5 and i7 processors, but the new line changes everything.

Number	MC700LL/A	MC724LL/A	MC721LL/A	MC723LL/A	MC725LL/A
Model	13″ MacBook Pro MacBookPro8,1		15″ MacBook Pro MacBookPro8,2		17″ MacBook Pro MacBookPro8,3
CPU Model	i5-2415M	i7-2620M	i7-2630QM	i7-2720QM
CPU Speed	2.3 GHz	2.7 GHz	2.0 GHz	2.2 GHz
CPU Cores	dual-core		quad-core
CPU L3 Cache	3 MB	4 MB	6 MB
Integrated GPU	12-EU Intel HD 3000
Discrete GPU	N/A		AMD Radeon HD 6490M with 256 MB GDDR5	AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 1 GB GDDR5
Hard Disk	320 GB	500 GB		750 GB

The critical differences between 2011 MacBook Pro models

All three MacBook Pro models offer Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge CPUs, though only the 15″ and 17″ models get quad-core processors. Upgraded discrete graphics cards are also limited to the larger machines, but the integrated 12-”execution unit” HD 3000 graphics found across the board performs admirably (as we will see in the next article in this series). Since I’m mostly a writer these days, especially on the laptop, I didn’t really need an upgraded graphics card.

Although I will miss the expansion capabilities of the ExpressCard slot, Intel’s new Thunderbolt technology promises much more capability in the future. That little jack is capable of more than 8 times the bandwidth of an ExpressCard slot, reducing the impact of Apple’s foot-dragging on USB 3.0.

All three models come with 4 GB of RAM standard, but upgrading RAM is fairly straightforward. OWC already offers an 8 GB upgrade kit for a very-reasonable $88.99, after a $26 rebate when you send them the original RAM. It is disappointing that Apple only offers 5400 rpm hard disk drives across the board, but at least the drives perform reasonably well (unlike my Mac Mini!) Upgrading the hard disk drive to a faster model, hybrid Seagate Momentus XT, or SSD is fairly easy as well.

My final area of concern is the screen resolution. Although the new 13″ MacBook Air offers a high-resolution 1440×900 screen, but the new 13″ MacBook Pro sticks with just 1280×800. This is a step down from my old 15″ model, let alone the glorious 2650×1440 iMac I use in my home office. This resolution issue was the main thing to give me pause, and almost derailed my purchase entirely.

Comparing the MacBook Pro Models

One additional comparison is worth considering. The 2011 MacBook Pros all offer high-performance Sandy Bridge CPUs that rival Apple’s current-generation desktop computers. But not all CPUs are created equal, and it can be difficult to weight the cost versus the benefits.

One important consideration is that the Core i7 CPU used in the 13″ model has just two cores, while the Core i7 found in the larger machines has four. In fact, there is very little difference between the Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs used in the 13″ model apart from clock speed, but the quad-core chips are in another performance league entirely.

The base-model 13" and 15" models are best on a cost-per-performance basis

I decided to compare the Geekbench scores of all five basic models against their cost. As an additional twist, I added in the cost of the AppleCare extended warranty since I recommend everyone buy it. Interestingly, AppleCare is $100 cheaper on the 13″ model than on the larger MacBook Pros. This extends the cost difference between models – the basic 13″ MacBook pro costs a full $700 less than the cheapest 15″ model once AppleCare is added!

Once we compare how many GeekBench points our dollar buys, it’s clear that the base models are winners. Although the up-rated Core i7 CPUs do offer more performance, it doesn’t offset the additional cost.

Buyers might still consider the higher-end models for other reasons. The 2.2 GHz 15″ MC723LL/A model is particularly attractive thanks to its upgraded Radeon HD 6750M graphics card. And an additional $100 spent on upgrading this model’s display to 1680×1050 is probably money well spent as well!

Base Model or Up-Rated?

I decided that the 13″ MacBook Pro was right for me, so the next question was which version to get. Apple offers to basic models at retail, the 2.3 GHz Core i5 and 2.7 GHz Core i7. Although the CPU used in the 13″ model is a previously-unknown and still-unannounced model, it is part of the new Sandy Bridge series.

The only differences between these two models (apart from $300 on the sticker) are the following:

• Both use a dual-core CPU with hyper-threading and HD 3000 graphics, but the Core i7 CPU in the upgraded model runs 400 MHz faster and has 1 MB more L3 cache. This translates into 900 Geekbench points (about as fast as two iPads) or 15%.
• The upper model also features a 500 GB hard disk drive, though it spins at the same 5400 rpm speed.

That’s it. $300 extra buys 15% better performance and a bit of extra space. If Apple had offered some compelling difference (a high-res screen, for example, or a 7200 rpm drive) it might be compelling. Some buyers might jump to the conclusion that the Core i7 CPU has four cores like the 15″ and 17″ MacBook Pro models, and the technically-savvy might think the Core i5 doesn’t have hyper-threading or has just 6 graphics execution units, but they would be wrong.

As it stands, there is no really good reason to buy the more-expensive 13″ MacBook Pro, so I decided on the base model. The cost savings went to AppleCare and two Mini DisplayPort adapters.

Stephen’s Stance

The combination of portability, performance, and build quality made the base-model 13″ MacBook Pro the right choice for me. Others might be tempted by the upgraded graphics, quad-core CPU, and high-resolution display of the 15″ model. But the dual-core i7 CPU in the up-rated 13″ MacBook Pro is hard to justify, as is the massive 17″ model.

Note: Some of these links include affiliate codes that help pay for this blog. For example, buying an Amazon Kindle with this link sends a few bucks my way! But I don't write this blog to make money, and am happy to link to sites and stores that don't pay anything. I like Amazon and buy tons from them, but you're free to buy whatever and wherever you want.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | Decision Point: Comparing the 2011 MacBook Pro Models
This post was categorized as Apple, Everything, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

The new Apple MacBook Pro lineup is here! Here's why I bought one!

Yesterday, Apple refreshed the entire MacBook Pro line. Although the new machines look identical to the old ones, massive changes were made below surface. I have been waiting to upgrade my now three-year-old Santa Rosa-based MacBook Pro, and seize the opportunity yesterday to pick up a brand-new 13 inch model. What made me pull the trigger? Read on!

New Guts, Old Glory

There were many rumors ahead of yesterday’s launch regarding a new case design for the MacBook Pros.  Many suggested that Apple would introduce an all-new wedge-shaped case reminiscent of the recently launched MacBook Air, or even a thinner and lighter shell using the ”liquid metal”  technology they recently acquired. Instead, the new MacBook Pro line looks exactly like the previous one, complete with a machined aluminum unibody enclosure.

Underneath that skin, however, just about everything has changed. Where the “Arrandale” Core i5 and i7 CPUs used in the previous 15 inch and 17 inch MacBook Pros diverged from the “Penryn” Core 2 Duo used in their 13 inch brother,  the new MacBook is all “Sandy Bridge” inside. These second-generation Core i5 and i7 CPUs include many performance improvements, as we will discuss in a moment.

Another major area of improvement, and one which I have been waiting for for quite a while, is the addition of Intel’s Thunderbolt high-speed I/O port. Apple’s refusal to adopt USB 3, and their substitution of an SD card reader for the ExpressCard slot  found on the 15 inch model, left these supposedly high-end computers with pathetic I/O capabilities. I simply would not buy a new computer with a measly two USB and one FireWire port!

Stepping up to Sandy Bridge

Intel’s tick-tock strategy of new product introductions has served the company well for a decade. Each year, the company moves to a new smaller silicon process technology, increasing transistor density, performance, and energy efficiency in what is known as a “tick”. Then, in the “tock” phase, Intel moves to a new processor microarchitecture, complete with new instructions and features.

In this tick-tock strategy, Sandy Bridge is a “tock”, with new features that deliver performance gains beyond obvious clock speeds. Sandy Bridge features architectural improvements for performance, faster integrated graphics, and new instructions that will likely be used by Mac OS X in the future.

The company also made improvements to the underlying architecture, allowing faster performance than previous generation at the same clock speed. Independent tests have shown that Sandy Bridge processors perform 15 to 20% better than the previous generation at the same clock speed. Additionally, Sandy Bridge CPUs are capable of overclocking higher than previous generations when only one core is in use.

In practice, Sandy Bridge powered computers like the new MacBook Pro should be noticeably quicker than those using first-generation Core i5 and i7 processors, and should leave the old Core i3 and Core 2 Duo machines in the dust.

Graphical Changes

One of the most important advancements and Sandy Bridge after is the integration of Intel’s HD graphics processing engine with the CPU itself. These graphics processors run at full CPU speed, and can even be overclocked when the CPU cores are idle. Lower-end desktop processors in the Sandy Bridge line make do with just six graphics processing engines, but all mobile Sandy Bridge processors include a full 12. This means that every mobile device using Intel’s built-in graphics processing will perform well.

In tests performed by AnandTech, the Intel HD 3000 graphics included in the mobile Sandy Bridge processors perform competitively with low-end discrete graphics solutions. Although Apple continues to use a powerful discrete graphics engine in the larger MacBook Pros, the 13 inch model, it’s basic integrated graphics, should still perform well enough for office productivity and light gaming tasks.

The full-size MacBook Pro includes a discrete graphics card in addition to the Intel HD 3000 GPU. This time around, Apple has switched from Nvidia to AMD as a graphics card supplier, and the new Radeon HD 6490M and high-end 6750M should perform well indeed.

The 13 inch MacBook Pro retains the same 1280 x 800 screen resolution, a disappointment compared to the 1440 x 900 screen found on the 13 inch MacBook Air.  Although the 15 inch model starts at the same 1440 x 900 resolution as my old MacBook Pro, a 1680 x 1050 screen is available as a build-to-order option.  The 17 inch MacBook Pro uses a glorious 1920 x 1200 display.

Introducing Thunderbolt

For me, the most important change in the new MacBook Pro line, is the introduction of Intel’s Thunderbolt high-speed I/O interconnect. The familiar Mini DisplayPort connector found on the side of these machines functions normally, allowing an external monitor (or iMac) to be connected. And that’s about all that will be connected for the time being.

But, like a super hero, this new enhanced “Thunderbolt” port has a secret identity: Attach a special Thunderbolt-compatible device, like LaCie’s forthcoming Little Big Disk, and it transforms into an amazing high-speed I/O bus. As I discussed in detail yesterday, Thunderbolt opens a whole new world of possibilities for buyers of the new MacBook Pro.

Indeed, Thunderbolt is the one piece of technology I had been waiting for before upgrading from my old MacBook Pro to a new model. I have high hopes for this technology, and expect that we will see a number of compelling peripherals appear in the coming months.

Stephen’s Stance

The new MacBook Pro lineup from Apple is something of a paradox:  Ordinary buyers may not see a compelling reason to upgrade, since most of the changes are under the skin and too technical for them to grasp. Indeed, while shopping at the Apple Store yesterday, I observed another buyer examining the previous generation 13 inch MacBook Pro still on display. When the Apple Store associate told him about the new model that had just come out, his words were disheartening: ”It’s pretty much exactly like this one, just a little bit faster.”

Truth be told, the new MacBook Pro line from Apple is different and better from those that went before in many important ways. The performance of the Sandy Bridge CPU and graphics chips used is noticeably better, and the new Thunderbolt port is important bridge to the future. As this technology spreads throughout the Apple line, buyers will be glad that they waited until now to purchase a MacBook Pro.

In the next post in this series, I will discuss my own decision point explaining why I selected a base model 13 inch MacBook Pro instead of the larger and more powerful 15 inch model I had previously used. I will also benchmark and discuss the performance and capabilities of this new machine.

Note: Some of these links include affiliate codes that help pay for this blog. For example, buying an Amazon Kindle with this link sends a few bucks my way! But I don't write this blog to make money, and am happy to link to sites and stores that don't pay anything. I like Amazon and buy tons from them, but you're free to buy whatever and wherever you want.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | 2011 MacBook Pro Review: Introduction
This post was categorized as Apple, Everything, Features, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

There are many great laptop computers like this HP Envy 14 out there, but it's hard for the average consumer to identify a good one

Lots of folks are shopping for new laptop computers right now (me included), so I thought I would put down a few words on what I consider to be the key elements separating a great buy from a mistake. This is only my own opinion, of course, and my Apple- and storage-geek status might taint the results. But what can you do? It’s my blog after all!

You might also want to read my post, The Best Black Friday Deals For Nerds Like Me (2010 Edition)

The Junk Laptop Landscape

Dell's Inspiron line includes some decidedly low-spec offerings, but spend a little extra on upgrades and it can be a great choice!

Laptop computers are rapidly eliminating the desktop market. Who doesn’t want portability? Even folks who don’t spend as much time on a plane as I do want to be able to move their computer from the office to the kitchen, living room, or even bed!

Intel now uses the once-vaunted "Pentium" name on "value" (read "cheap and slow") CPUs

But the vast majority of laptops sold these days are total junk. The world of Windows PCs is a cutthroat race to the bottom, and this fierce competition means that just about every “great deal” you’ll find at retail is a nightmare in disguise. It makes me crazy to watch someone throw away their money on a flimsy, down-spec, outdated computer when a little extra money could get something much better.

But how could a “regular person” possibly decode the array of choices out there? With yesterday’s must-have brands now seriously degraded, a buyer simply cannot depend on their instincts when shopping: “Pentium” used to be a sign of performance but now signifies a slow, outdated machine. The same goes for “Turion”, “Celeron”, “Vista”, and “High-Speed USB”!

Apple and Windows

Apple's Core i5 MacBook Pro sets the standard for excellence in modern laptops, but many PCs offer similar quality and specifications for less

The advent of cut-rate laptops and netbooks is one reason so many buyers flock to Apple’s admittedly-expensive products. Although one can argue with their choice of CPUs, Apple doesn’t sell “mistake” machines. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend any current MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air. Every one is solidly-built and has decent specs, longevity, and resale value. The only real caution is the prospect of switching to Mac OS X!

This is not to say there aren’t great Windows machines, though. Many familiar manufacturers (HP, Dell, Toshiba, and Sony, for example) make great machines; they’re just hidden in a thicket of junk! Others, though not household names, are also worth considering. The problem is that most brick-and-mortar stores compete on price, stocking the cheapest-possible machines with the skimpiest specs.

What To Look For

Just about anything with an Intel Core i3 or Core i5 will be worth buying

A high-spec CPU is often a better sign of a good PC than the brand name on the box, though I wouldn’t advise buying a no-name computer. Look for Intel’s latest-generation Core i3 (or better yet, Core i5) CPU and you’re likely to find a halfway decent machine at a good price. Anything with a Core i7 is going to be great but pricey, and anyone needing that kind of performance doesn’t need my advice! Conversely, anything till sporting an AMD Turion, Intel Pentium, or Celeron CPU isn’t worth your money.

It’s always wise, as the old saying goes, to watch out for deals that are too good to be true. It’s very hard to find a decent laptop below $500, and this eliminates just about everything advertised in Sunday newspaper ads or sold by general merchandise stores like Walmart. But not every higher-priced machine is worth the money, either!

Here are my steps to finding a decent PC. Look for the best price without sacrificing these “must-haves” and you’ll have found a solid buy.

1. Reject anything without an Intel Core i3 or Core i5 CPU unless you know what you’re doing.
2. Make sure it has 4 GB of RAM. Geeks will buy less and immediately upgrade to save $50 or so, but regular folks should get more from the start.
3. Look for a 500 GB or larger hard disk drive. This isn’t just about capacity: Anything this large will perform better thanks to a modern design, 2 platters, and decent cache.
4. FireWire ports, ExpressCard, and slot-loading optical drives suggest a better machine with quality components inside. These would be the first to go when a manufacturer tries to cut corners.
5. Cases that don’t flex and hinges that don’t wiggle suggest better build quality and reliability. Look for good keyboard feel and a larger trackpad, too.

Consider the warranty and manufacturer’s support offerings as well, but don’t spend too much on an extended warranty. Your credit card probably offers some protection, and you might not want to keep the computer more than a few years anyway.

Stephen’s Stance

At this point, I should point out that this advice doesn’t apply to everyone. Lots of people don’t need much of anything in terms of computing power, and there are better options for them than a $600-$1200 laptop. Inexpensive and super-portable netbooks and tablets are worth consideration, but these are a topic for a different day!

One more thing: Most PCs come loaded with “crapware” that ruins performance and battery life. The first thing I do when buying a computer is remove all the software I don’t plan on using!

Note: Some of these links include affiliate codes that help pay for this blog. For example, buying an Amazon Kindle with this link sends a few bucks my way! But I don't write this blog to make money, and am happy to link to sites and stores that don't pay anything. I like Amazon and buy tons from them, but you're free to buy whatever and wherever you want.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2010. | What To Look For In A Laptop (Holiday 2010 Edition)
This post was categorized as Apple, Deals, Everything, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

The 27" iMac is simply gorgeous, and it has the technical chops to match!

Last week I bought my third (modern) Mac, a new Core i5-powered 27″ iMac desktop. My new iMac has become a video editing workstation, running Apple’s Final Cut Studio software to process the video footage from Gestalt IT‘s Tech Field Day. The massive display and speedy quad-core CPU and graphics continue to impress: This new iMac is a keeper!

Purchasing Genius

The 5th Ave NYC Apple Store is truly amazing (it's downstairs!)

The Tech Field Day video was recorded in DVCPRO 720p60 format with four tracks of 48KHz audio. The project was so large I had to make a Fry’s run and buy a new 1.5 TB hard disk drive just to move it around! After casting around for an inexpensive way to process the video, I realized I would have to bite the bullet and buy Apple’s professional Final Cut Studio suite.

I’ve long wanted to learn Final Cut, but the US$999 list price is certainly quite steep. I thought to use Bing Cashback to find a discount and rebate, but time pressures meant Amazon.com would have to do. Amazingly, Amazon was able to arrange same-day delivery in New York City, and the total price tag was more than US$100 cheaper than the local Apple Store.

Final Cut was way too much for my MacBook Pro or Mac Mini to handle, however, and my old 20″ 1680×1050 screen wasn’t much help either. I decided that the 27″ iMac would be the perfect editing station, especially with a the impressive new quad-core Intel Nehalem CPU. Luckily, I chose the perfect store (the Fifth Avenue Apple Store in New York) and day (Tuesday, November 17) to go shopping: This store received one of the first shipments of Core i5 iMacs just that morning! In fact, the helpful Apple dude mentioned that I was the first i5 buyer – could my new Mac be the very first Core i5 iMac in consumer hands?

I cabbed the (huge) iMac back to my (tiny) hotel and headed over to the Interop conference where I was presenting – I would have no time to play with my new toy for much of the week.

Initial Impressions

Later that evening I did get a chance to unbox it and was amazed by a few things:

How to attract attention: Lug this box around!

• The shipping box is huge – much larger than the iMac itself. At 30″x25″x10″, it’s small enough to be checked as baggage (more on that later) but does not fit in a Mazda MX-5 Miata (ditto!)
• Although it only weighs 30 lbs, the 27″ iMac is not easy to handle. It balances nicely on its pedestal, tilting with a soft touch, but this thing is a beast made of aluminum and glass!
• It’s not as tall installed as you might think (20.5″ is enough headroom), but it’s almost 26″ wide and more space is needed on the right for the Superdrive and SD card slot.
• Apple hates cables. The only “wire” in the box was the power cord! The keypad-less BlueTooth Keyboard and Magic Mouse look positively tiny next to this giant computer.
• Also in the box were glossy white Apple stickers, a slim book, iLife and Snow Leopard DVDs, and an inexplicable package containing some kind of black cloth.

Initial setup revealed more about The Beast:

• The power button is hard to find by touch: It’s so nicely integrated into the left rear panel that your finger can brush right over it.
• It has even fewer ports than my Mac Mini: Audio in and out, 4x USB, FireWire 800, Mini DisplayPort, Gigabit Ethernet, and power.
• The ports appear impossibly tiny since they are flush with the back. I have trouble finding the right port and orientation since they all look too small to fit my cables!
• BONG!!! The startup chime is very loud!
• It takes much longer to boot than my other Macs – the Apple logo, “circular file”, and desktop all wait long enough for me to wonder if something is wrong.
• The (removable) screen glass is a fingerprint magnet. Every touch leaves a smudge.
• The system is quiet and cool, even with 5 fans, a 7200 rpm hard disk drive, and server-grade CPU and graphics.
• The iSight camera is concealed at the top of the display, but the microphone is invisible. I have no idea where it is – I just talk to the computer!
• Two of the four RAM slots are empty with 4 GB installed, and Apple actually gives instructions on expanding the system RAM! But everything else (hard drive, CPU, Superdrive, etc) are totally inaccessible behind the LCD.
• The IPS LCD panel is so bright and beautiful, especially with the new darker Snow Leopard gamma, that it attracts attention from anyone nearby.

Up and Running

Now that I’ve been using the iMac for almost a week, I can safely say it is the best Mac I have ever used. The gorgeous screen alone was worth the price, and it came with a speedy computer built in! Sadly, the giant iMac was in New York and my home office is in Ohio. Holding my breath (and applying lots of extra bubble wrap), I checked it as baggage for my flight home. AirTran must employ non-gorillas, because the iMac made it in perfect shape. It was actually much more difficult to get the box into my car, but opening the top gave plenty of room.

Final Cut is simply brilliant with this much screen real estate: I can view 720p video at 100% scale with plenty of room left over for the Timeline and Browser windows. Even 1080p would fit with a slimmer timeline, and the Core i5 CPU and ATI 4850 graphics have no trouble keeping up. Rendering and compressing is quick, though it could always get quicker, and Snow Leopard seems to do a good job allocating work to the four CPU cores.

One interesting anomaly is the CPU load graphs: The “Lynnfield” Core i5 CPU has an effective “turbo mode“, allowing cores to ramp from 2.66 GHz to 3.2 GHz if others are unused. It appears that iStat and Activity Monitor leave “room” for this additional speed, so intensive CPU activity always leaves about 10% idle time. Or perhaps some system bottleneck keeps the CPU from being totally saturated. Regardless, the Core i5 iMac is easily three times as fast at media encoding as my 2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo Mac Mini. MacWorld’s benchmarks agree, with this Core i5 iMac being “the fastest standard configuration Mac (they’ve) ever tested.”

The Core i5 iMac is much faster than my other two Macs, and this is even evident with the outdated Xbench suite

Although it’s not much of a benchmark, Xbench shows the relative performance of my systems clearly: The iMac is 1.3x to 3.5x faster than my 2009 Mac Mini and 2008 MacBook Pro at just about every CPU and graphical task! This is to be expected of course, since there are twice as many cores and each is faster, but it validates the seat-of-the-pants feel of using this machine.

What’s Next

I plan to keep posting about the iMac over the coming weeks and months (as I have with the Drobo, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, and iPhone) so watch this space for more:

• The 27″ iMacs (and not the 21.5″ models) have a bi-directional Mini DisplayPort connection, allowing other computers with DisplayPort output to use the screen. I’ve got my Mac Mini hooked up this way and will be talking more about that.
• As I dive into Final Cut Studio, I’ll probably be posting more about that on this site.
• I’d like to do more comprehensive benchmarks on the machine.
• I’m also considering the (limited) upgrade possibilities.

Let me know what you’d like to hear by leaving a comment below!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2009. | Quad-Core 27″ iMac: First Impressions
This post was categorized as Apple, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.