When Apple announced a 17 - inch interlingual rendition of its MacBook Pro , many imagine that the performance of this larger laptop computer would match that of a custom - construct 15 - in MacBook . After all , both machines run on a 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo mainframe .
For the most part , that supposition shew to be correct — our initial tests of the 17 - in MacBook Pro produced like outcome to Macworld Lab ’s benchmark of the build - to - order 2.16GHz 15 - inch configuration . However , in many of the tests , the 17 - inch modelling deal to eke out a picayune more performance than its 15 - inch twin .
Unveiled at last month ’s National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas , the 17 - inch MacBook Pro shares many of the specifications of the high - end 15 - inch role model . The notable exceptions include the extra two in of slanted cover space , a FireWire 800 port , 20GBs of extra punishing disk distance , and , of class , the 2.16GHz processor as a standard option ( as contradict to a $ 300 minimal brain dysfunction - on ) .
Speedmark 4.5 scores are relative to those of a 1.25GHz Mac mini, which is assigned a score of 100. Adobe Photoshop, Cinema 4D XL, iMovie, iTunes, and Zip Archive scores are in minutes:seconds. All systems were running Mac OS X 10.4.6 with 1GB of RAM, with processor performance set to Highest in the Energy Saver preference pane when applicable. The Photoshop Suite test is a set of 14 scripted tasks using a 50MB file. Photoshop’s memory was set to 70 percent and History was set to Minimum. We recorded how long it took to render a scene in Cinema4D. We used Compressor to encode a 6-minute, 26-second DV file using the DVD: Fastest Encode 120 minutes – 4:3 setting. In iMovie, we applied the Aged video effect to a 1-minute movie. We converted 45 minutes of AAC audio files to MP3 using iTunes’ High Quality setting. We used Unreal Tournament 2004’ Antalus Botmatch average-frames-per-second score; we tested at a resolution of 1,024 by 768 pixels at the Maximum setting with both audio and graphics enabled. We created a Zip archive in the Finder from a 1GB folder. To compare Speedmark 4.5 scores for various Mac systems, visit our Apple Hardware Guide.—Macworld Lab testing by James Galbraith and Jerry Jung
Our psychometric test compare the 17 - inch MacBook Pro with the build - to - purchase order 15 - inch laptop . As you may see in the chart below , that usance model ’s faster backbreaking effort ( a 7,200 - rpm 100 GB drive compared to the 17 - column inch MacBook ’s 5,400 - rpm 120 GB drive ) give it an reward in our Zip Archive test , as well as data file duplicates .
17-inch MacBook Pro Benchmarks
good results inbold . Reference scheme initalics . Asterisk ( * ) denotes build - to - order model
Speedmark 4.5 scores are proportional to those of a 1.25GHz Mac miniskirt , which is attribute a score of 100 . Adobe Photoshop , Cinema 4D XL , iMovie , iTunes , and Zip Archive scores are in minutes : seconds . All systems were persist Mac OS X 10.4.6 with 1 GB of RAM , with processor performance put to Highest in the Energy Saver preference pane when applicable . The Photoshop Suite test is a Seth of 14 written tasks using a 50 MB single file . Photoshop ’s retention was fructify to 70 percentage and chronicle was set to Minimum . We recorded how long it took to render a scene in Cinema4D. We used Compressor to encode a 6 - minute , 26 - 2d DV file using the DVD : Fastest Encode 120 minutes – 4:3 context . In iMovie , we applied the Aged video gist to a 1 - minute movie . We convert 45 second of AAC audio data file to MP3 using iTunes ’ High Quality setting . We used Unreal Tournament 2004 ’ Antalus Botmatch average - soma - per - second score ; we tested at a resolution of 1,024 by 768 pixels at the Maximum setting with both sound recording and graphics enabled . We create a Zip archive in the Finder from a 1 GB booklet . To compare Speedmark 4.5 scores for various Mac system of rules , visit our Apple Hardware Guide.—Macworld Lab testing by James Galbraith and Jerry Jung
One covering producing interesting solvent was Unreal Tournament , with the 17 - inch laptop computer outwit out all of the other simulation shown in the chart . It even make out to gouge out 5.5 more frame per 2nd than the 15 - inch model , even though they have the same nontextual matter central processing unit and video memory constellation . We ’ll go a few more game tests on these systems and see if the 17 - inch MacBook Pro maintains its advantage across other app .
One applications programme we ’d taken out of our suite for deficiency of a Universal version of the software has now render to the fold . I ’m well-chosen to report that we finally received our Universal Binary variation of Final Cut Pro and can now start reporting Compressor MPEG-2 encode scores again . In these tests we get , once again , that desktop system with similar central processor still hold the carrying out advantage with the two 2.16GHz laptop computer turning in very similar account , but with the 2GHz Core Duo iMac finishing the test in a little bit more than 15 percent less time and the Power Mac with a 2GHz Dual Core PowerPC finishing about 30 percent quicker .
Stay tuned forMacworld ’s complete review of the 17 - inch MacBook Pro , as well as more tests using the Final Cut Pro ’s new Universal Binary version .
[ James Galbraith is director of Macworld Lab . ]
