Apple MacBook Pro (13inch, Mid 2012) Review

The Apples entry level 13-inch MacBook Pro is updated ultraportable laptop to keep it competitive, it got a set of specification upgrades and some of good connectivity the USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt ports. It got Intels new Ivy Bridge Processors Core i5 CPU integrated Intel HD graphics 4000, and a new SSD in capacities up to 512GB and the price of the base model is $1,199 Will it stack up to the competition? Read the full review.

Hardware

The MacBook Pro is just like its predecessors in 2011 on design, with the same aluminium unibody construction, backlit, island-style keyboard, and glass trackpad. The dimensions are 13-inch and weigh 4.5 pounds and measures 0.95 inches thick. It looks as polished as ever, and compact enough. It got the same angular black screen, matt black keyboard, and huge silver touchpad. You can tell anythings different from the outside is by looking at its connectivity, and specifically at the slightly more elongated MagSafe 2 connector (and no, your old MagSafe kit wont fit unless you buy an adapter). It ships with two USB 3.0 ports. Most of the connections includes Gigabit Ethernet, Thunderbolt, and the SDXC card slot, are crammed on the left edge, and with slot loading optical drive occupies the right. There is a place for headphone jack is well and the SD Card Slot on the right still doesn’t let you insert cards fully, which is a bit annoying. There is no upgrade on MagSafe 2 Connector is really a disappointment.

The Keyboard and Touchpad is really a worthy on this device, typing on the Chiclet-style keys is a pleasure; the glass trackpad is smooth and responsive. Travel is good and theres not a hint of flex, making it mostly a pleasure to type on. If youre going for ultra-high-resolution Retina display like the Premium version of MacBook Pro and iPad 2012, youll be disappointed. The resolution remains same as the last years model, at 1,440*900. The LED-backlit panel is plenty bright at its highest setting, and viewing angles are good, both horizontally and vertically. With the 13-inch MacBook Air 2012 were seeing more and more rivals offering 1,600 * 900 or even Full HD (1,920 * 1,080) at the same screen size. The 13-inch MacBook Pro screen has a lower resolution of 1,280×800, and does not offer any higher-res screen upgrades, meaning it has the highest-resolution 13-inch display you can get on an Air; if you want a Retina Display, you’ll have to pay up for that far larger one; the 15-inch MacBook. On top of that, while the panel Apple has used is certainly one of the better examples of TN, its still inferior to the IPS and PLS were beginning to see in premium laptops from other brands, such as Samsung. You get deep blacks, good dark detailing, and rich colours. Our only major negative is reflections from the glossy finish, but these are not as bad as on a glass-fronted laptop. The hidden stereo speakers play the music really good. The notebook filled a room with plenty of bass and treble, lacking any distortion even when cranked to the max. We played lot of music; everything sounded much richer and fuller.

Apple has upgraded the Webcam that sits above the screen. While previous models made do with just VGA resolution, the new models sport 720p FaceTime HD cameras with three times the resolution. Those who rely on video chat to keep in touch with far-off family and friends will certainly appreciate this update.

Its design unabashedly evokes the MacBook Pro, though, which depending on where you stand could be a bad or a good thing. The 1080p, IPS Radiance display offers great viewing angles, but colors, especially red and purple, were a bit off when we tested the machine. We’ll only mention the Retina display model in passing. The MacBook Pro’s aspirational older brother is costly, yes, but the screen is amazing, and with a quad-core CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics and up to 16GB of RAM, it’s an ace performer. The Intel HD Graphics 4000 are an improvement from the previous edition with 3000, the lack of discrete graphics holds you back from the real gaming power. When we played some of the games; World of Warcraft frame rates stayed within 45 fps. On Batman: Arkham Asylumthe system averages a good 50 fps. If youre not interested in gaming the modest graphics performance is less important than its capabilities.

Performance

The mid-2012 13 incher MacBook Pro steps up to Ivy Bridge, entry-level unit with a 2.5GHz Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 5,400RPM 500GB hard drive, benefit from this upgrade. On the synthetic performance tests such as Geekbench, Xbench, and Cinebench; the 13-inch MacBook doesnt set any records. In Xbench it scores a total of 366 tops the Macs. In the Geekbench it scores 6,536 and MacBook Pros of years past with discrete graphics also blew this guy out of the water. We used Bootcamp to install Windows so that we could put the laptop through its paces in PCMark Vantage and 3DMark06.

The battery of 13-inch Pro lasted six hours and 45 minutes in OS X, which is in line with Apples rated battery life of up to seven hours. The longevity is also par with other Macs. When we ran the test on the Windows side, the system lasted for 4 hours and 25 minutes, which puts it in line with ultraportables such as the 13-inch Series 9. Its got 63.5Wh battery gave us roughly five hours of runtime when we had about six programs running in the background while surfing the web, writing emails, working in the word processor and doing occasional photo editing.

Software and Warranty

The new 13-inch MacBook Pro comes with a OS X (Lion), if you purchase a new Pro or one of Apples Ivy Bridge-Powered MacBook Air now, you will get a OS X 10.8. If you don’t have a 2012 Mac, the upgrade will cost you $20. It includes deep iCloud integration, all new features such as Messages and Notification Center. Apple acclaimed the iLife suite is also included, it is used to edit your videos with iMovie, make music with GarageBand and organise your digital photographs in iPhoto.

Like other Apple computers the MacBook Pro is covered with a 1-year limited warranty, it includes 90 days of free phone support. You can extend that coverage for up to three years with the Apple Care plan, which will set you back $249.

For: Attractive design, Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 ports, Improved integrated graphics, Good keyboard and Trackpad, Good performance

Against: No discrete graphics, Screen resolution could be higher, Magsafe 2

Conclusion

The mid-2012 MacBook Pro is a formidable device; the improved integrated graphics, speedier Ram, and new USB 3.0 ports are excellent in the device. The keyboard and touchpad gives us a wonderful experience without any problems. The device is really strong and light and it got some better viewing angles on the screen. As we always say that the graphical power is important to you; there is no option for discrete graphics and that is a real disappointment for us. So, the Creative professionals and gaming enthusiasts might be better off with the bigger screen and better graphical capabilities of the 15-inch MacBook Pros, but the 13-inch notebooks are ideal for some users. If you need the device fair for simple day to day performance and activities for working means the MacBook Pro should be in your choice.