Lets get this straight. This is a great laptop from Apple, with only 3 minor glitches that seem to occur as a result of a “mid-life-crisis”. Usually occurring in the following order, they consist of: Battery swells and dies (remove it if it’s bulging as it’ll wreck the trackpad) Optical drive plays up (stops seeing disks intermittently) and finally, fan bearing fail and the laptop starts making a crunching whining sound). However, as with all Mac kit, it still soldiers on after some 5 years of service….
The Apple MacBook Pro “Core Duo” 2.0 15-Inch features a 2.0 GHz “Core Duo” processor (T2500), with two independent processor “cores” on a single silicon chip, a 2 MB shared “on chip” level 2 cache, a 667 MHz frontside bus, 512 MB or 1.0 GB of 667 MHz PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM, an 80.0 GB or 100.0 GB hard drive with “Sudden Motion Sensor” technology, and a 4X single-layer DVD±RW/CD-RW SuperDrive. It also includes an ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics processor with 128 MB or 256 MB of GDDR3 video memory and dual-link DVI functionality, and a 15.4″ widescreen 1440×900 TFT active-matrix display (glossy display option available starting May 16, 2006).
Like the PowerBook G4/1.67 15″ (HR) that preceded it, this model has the same fiber-optic-based “ambient light sensor” that adjusts keyboard illumination and screen brightness, the same “scrolling TrackPad”, and the same AirPort Extreme (802.11g), Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire “400″ port, two USB 2.0 ports, optical digital audio in/out, and DVI out.
However, the MacBook Pro models drop the Firewire “800″ and S-video out ports provided by the PowerBook G4/1.67 15″ (HR), substitute a new ExpressCard/34 expansion slot for the standard Type I/II PC card slot, and drop the internal modem. The MacBook Pro also includes a built-in iSight video camera, an Apple Remote for use with Apple Front Row, and a new “MagSafe” power connector that safely disconnects if someone accidentally trips over the cord.
Please note that there were two configurations of this model — MA464LL/A — which shipped with 1 GB of RAM, a 100 GB hard drive, and 256 MB of video memory from February 14, 2006 to May 16, 2006 for US$2499 — and MA600LL — which shipped with 512 MB of RAM, an 80 GB hard drive, and 128 MB of video memory from May 16, 2006 to October 24, 2006 for US$1999. The second configuration also was available with a build-to-order “glossy display”.
| Introduction Date: |
February 14, 2006 |
Discontinued Date: |
October 24, 2006 |
| Processors: |
1 (2 Cores) |
Geekbench: |
2450 |
| Processor Speed: |
2.0 GHz |
Processor Type: |
Core Duo (T2500) |
| Details: |
The Intel “Core Duo” (T2500) processor includes two independent processor “cores” on a single silicon chip. |
| Custom Speeds: |
N/A |
Architecture: |
32-Bit |
| Processor Upgrade: |
Soldered |
FPU: |
Integrated |
| System Bus Speed: |
667 MHz |
Cache Bus Speed: |
2.0 GHz (Built-in) |
| Details: |
667 MHz frontside bus. |
| ROM/Firmware Type: |
EFI |
EFI Architecture: |
32-Bit |
| L1 Cache: |
32k/32k |
L2/L3 Cache: |
2 MB (on chip) |
| Details: |
Includes a 2 MB shared “on chip” level 2 cache that runs at processor speed. |
| RAM Type: |
PC2-5300 DDR2 |
Min. RAM Speed: |
667 MHz |
| Details: |
Supports 667 MHz PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM. |
| Standard RAM: |
512 MB, 1.0 GB |
Maximum RAM: |
2 GB |
| Details: |
512 MB installed as a single module after May 16, 2006 (MA600LL), 1.0 GB installed as a single module before (MA464LL/A). One slot free. |
| Motherboard RAM: |
None |
RAM Slots: |
2 |
| Video Card: |
Radeon X1600 |
VRAM Type: |
GDDR3 SDRAM |
| Details: |
The ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 uses a 16 lane PCI Express bus. |
| Standard VRAM: |
128, 256 MB |
Maximum VRAM: |
128, 256 MB |
| Details: |
This system shipped with 256 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM from February 14, 2006 to May 16, 2006 (MA464LL/A), and 128 MB afterwards (MA600LL), along with a reduced price. |
| Built-in Display: |
15.4″ Widescreen |
Native Resolution: |
1440×900 |
| Details: |
15.4″ color “matte” widescreen TFT active-matrix display with a 1440 by 900 native resolution. Starting May 16, 2006, a “glossy” display also was available as a custom configuration. Apple reports that the system also supports “1280 by 800, 1152 by 720, 1024 by 640, and 800 by 500 at 16:10 aspect ratio; 1024 by 768, 800 by 600, and 640 by 480 at 4:3 aspect ratio; 1024 by 768, 800 by 600, and 640 by 480 at 4:3 aspect ratio stretched; 720 by 480 at 3:2 aspect ratio, [and] 720 by 480 at 3:2 aspect ratio stretched.” |
| 2nd Display Support: |
Dual/Mirroring |
2nd Max. Resolution: |
2560×1600 |
| Details: |
Simultaneously supports native resolution on the internal display and a maximum of 2560×1600 on an external display. |
| Standard Hard Drive: |
80, 100 GB (5400 RPM) |
Int. HD Interface: |
Serial ATA (1.5 Gb/s) |
| Details: |
This system shipped with a 100.0 GB (5400 RPM) hard drive from February 14, 2006 to May 16, 2006 (MA464LL/A). After May 16, 2006, it shipped with an 80.0 GB (5400 RPM) drive and a reduced price (MA600LL).
Hard drive uses a Serial ATA (1.5Gb/s) bus. |
| Standard Optical: |
4X SL “SuperDrive” |
Standard Disk: |
None |
| Details: |
Apple reports that this single-layer write, double-layer read DVD/CD-RW SuperDrive has a maximum write speed of “4x DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD+RW, and DVD-RW; 24x CD-R; [and]10x CD-RW” and read speed of “8x DVD-ROM; 6x DVD-ROM (double layer DVD-9), DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-RW; 4x DVD+R (double layered) and DVD-R (double layered); [and] 24x CD”. |
| Standard Modem: |
None |
Standard Ethernet: |
10/100/1000Base-T |
| Details: |
An external Apple USB Modem (56.6k v.92) was offered for US$49. |
| Standard AirPort: |
802.11a/b/g |
Standard Bluetooth: |
2.0+EDR |
| Details: |
AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g) and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR standard. |
| USB Ports: |
2 (2.0) |
Firewire Ports: |
1 (400) |
| Details: |
Two 480-Mbps USB 2.0 ports. One Firewire “400″ port. |
| Expansion Slots: |
ExpressCard/34 |
Expansion Bays: |
None |
| Details: |
One ExpressCard/34 expansion slot. |
| Incl. Keyboard: |
Full-size |
Incl. Input: |
Trackpad |
| Details: |
Apple reports that the integrated keyboard has “78 (US) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys, 4 arrow keys (inverted “T” arrangement), and [an] embedded numeric keypad.” It also includes a fiber-optic-based “ambient light sensor” that automatically “measures ambient light and works with integrated software to adjust keyboard illumination and screen brightness based on user preferences”.
The trackpad supports “two-finger scrolling, tap, double-tap, and drag”. |
| Case Type: |
Notebook |
Form Factor: |
MacBook Pro |
| Apple Order No: |
MA464LL/A* |
Apple Subfamily: |
MacBook Pro |
| Details: |
*This Apple model number was assigned to the configuration that shipped from February 14, 2006 to May 16, 2006. The model number for the subsequently shipped system is MA600LL and the subfamily formally is “15-inch Glossy”. |
| Apple Model No: |
A1150 (EMC N/A) |
Model ID: |
MacBookPro1,1 |
| Details: |
Please note that these identifiers refer to more than one model. |
| Battery Type: |
60 W h Li-Poly |
Battery Life: |
3.5-4.5 Hours |
| Details: |
Apple originally stated that battery life “depends on configuration and use”. On April 24, 2006, Apple changed this to “4.5 hours” formally confirming that battery life was less than the PowerBook that it replaced. |
| Pre-Installed MacOS: |
X 10.4.5 (8G1453) |
Maximum MacOS: |
X 10.6.8* |
| Details: |
*This system can run the last version of Mac OS X 10.6 “Snow Leopard”. However, it cannot boot in 64-bit mode nor does it support “OpenCL”. It cannot run versions of Mac OS X more recent than 10.6.8. |
| Minimum Windows: |
XP SP2 (32-Bit)* |
Maximum Windows: |
Vista, 7 (32-Bit)** |
| Details: |
*Apple’s Boot Camp only supports the 32-Bit version of Windows XP SP2 or higher. |
| MacOS 9 Support: |
None |
Windows Support: |
Boot/Virtualization |
| Dimensions: |
1.0 x 14.1 x 9.6 |
Avg. Weight: |
5.6 lbs. (2.54 kg) |
| Details: |
In inches while closed – height by width by depth, (2.59 cm, 35.7 cm, 24.3 cm). |