MacBook Pro 2011 Questions

Hey guys....sorry I'm a noob when it comes to Apple notebooks but I was wondering if any of yall with the most recent line of MBP's could tell me if you have installed Windows 7 on it thru bootcamp and if so does it run smoothly?

And my 2nd question was in regards to this new I/O port called Thunderbolt I believe. Does Windows 7 recognize it after you've installed it or will it pretty much be useless when you're running it in W7 mode?

I've been deadset on getting an HP Envy these last few months but I've recently been thinking a lot about Apple products. I hardly hear any complaints from users of their laptops and desktops. My only concern is the high price of course and the fact that it has no USB 3.0 ports....

Anyways I'd appreciate any help you can provide.
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1) Yes, win7 runs great on the mbp through bootcamp
2) Windows should recognize thunderbolt (apple provides the driver through bootcamp), but as I don't have a thunderbolt device to test it out on... I cant say for 100%
3) My only issue with apple is the price (but not so much that I did not buy one)
4) USB 3 ports would be nice, but I still find my usb3 hard drives perform quite nice so not a huge deal to me

D.

 

Thanks for answering my questions. I'm gonna think long and hard about it. If I do end up deciding on a MBP though I may end up waiting till the next refresh or until Lion comes pre installed on it

 

Thunderbolt is recognized under Windows 7 on a MacBook Pro. Apple provides working drivers. I have yet to actually try it out but there arne't any glaring driver issues on my 2011 13" MBP.

On a side note, you should purchase a MBP if you want to run Mac OS X. It is nice having the ability to run Windows and I use it every so often but it is not something that should be your primary OS on a MBP. There are plenty of other less expensive notebooks with similar build quality if you are going to run Windows the majority of the time. The same can be said for any computer: you buy Apple hardware to run Apple software. Now some would disagree with my train of thought but that is the main idea you will find across all notebook related forums.

Edit: Apple updated the MBP line a few months ago so a complete refresh likely isn't going to happen until 2012. Anything that is done to the MBP line between now and then will probably just be some minor spec bumps (as Apple has done in the past). I say "likely" and "probably" as nobody truly knows what Apple is going to do until they officially announce it. I am just going off of their past trends.

 

I'm aware of both points that I highlighted in bold. I've always bought PC's form the various manufacturers and my experiences with them haven't been that great.

As for Mac OS its fine I'm sure but I've never really grown fond of it. The computer I buy will be for me so its my business if I want to run Windows 7 as my primary OS. Just look in the HP threads and the Dell threads. You'll see that almost every single PC manufacturer has had one hardware issue after another. Frankly I'm getting sick of it.

I've never heard of serious hardware issues with Macs (save for heating) and I like the style and design of the MBP. Thats just my personal preference. The only other PC that comes close or even bests it would be the Envy

As for timing I know that Apple just released the new MBP's which is why I'm inquiring about them and the new Thunderbolt port.

I'm more than willing to wait till 2012 to see if Apple updates their MBP with USB 3.0 and/or whatever else they've got cooking in Cupertino. As an iPhone 4 owner I know how Apple operates and I'm totally fine with waiting. In the meantime I'll probably keep this replacement from HP.

Anyways thanks for the information.

 

I know it is your computer and you can run anything you want on it but you would be saving yourself quite a bit of money if you were just looking to run Windows. That is like buying a 2011 Chevy Camaro and only driving it backwards on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday while leaving it in the garage the rest of the time. You are spending a lot of money when a Honda Civic could have operated the same while coming in at a lot less. That's all. You can go buy a $15,000 MacPro and run Windows for all I care. It's your money, you can choose how to (waste) spend it.

 

Apple products run into hardware problems just like any other manufacturer's products do--but Apple typically has excellent service if you're still covered under the AppleCare warranty.

I've owned 3 Apple laptops: a 2007 MBP, a 2010 MBP, and a 2011 MBP. Nothing went wrong with the latter two, but the 2007 MBP broke down about once a year (screen issue, then USB issue, then logic board). That said, having AppleCare and ProCare, Apple quickly fixed or replaced the defective parts in under 24 hours each time. They also replaced the entire outer chassis (there was pitting around the palmrest).

USB 3.0 in future MBPs? Unlikely. Thunderbolt making it to PC laptops? More likely. I have no idea if Thunderbolt works as advertised under either OSX or Windows 7, and I doubt any consumer would since there are no Thunderbolt devices out yet. I can definitely say that the port is recognized in both OSX and Windows 7 though (using it as minidisplay port for external monitor).

 

Wasn't planning on spending quite that much but like you said it's all about personal needs.

And perhaps all that money I'd be saving by going thru HP or Dell isn't worth the hassle and stress that I'm sure I'll be experiencing later while dealing with customer service or returning the laptop for multiple times...

Yeah hear what you're saying. Apple is very hard to figure it out when it comes to future releases. Anyways it just depends on what I decide over the next 2 weeks.

Thanks for all the input

 

I'd strongly consider the HP Elitebook if you're looking at the Envy and MBP. It's far better build than either of them and has a similar style.

 

Yea. For both Dell and HP, their business support is leagues ahead of consumer support (obviously you pay for the difference though). If all you really want is good customer service and something that won't break down, either of the business lines from HP Dell, or even Lenovo should serve you equally well.

The business laptops all are more expensive of course, but worth the price. They're also not quite as thin and sleek as the Envy or MBP, but apparently notebook manufacturers think business people don't care about aesthetics

 

Most businesses don't care about aesthetics since the ones that order it do it in mass orders without even looking at the laptop. The HP Elitebook is definitely heavier and has slightly less battery life but its price is comparable to the Apple MBP and performance wise, it's on par or above the MBP in every way. Looking at the new HP Elitebook, they seem to look more like the MBP than the last generation, though IMO I dislike the looks in both laptops and preferred the more basic looking last generation design.

 

I agree with the Elitebook recommendation, but it sounds like the OP might be ready to move on from HP.

I also strongly considered a second Elitebook (see sig) before getting run away from the idea with all the people discussing various driver problems. Perhaps that's been sorted. Perhaps not. But part of the reason this subforum is dead quiet is because most people aren't having issues.

OP, if you want to go with an MBP, just do it. In no other computer in the market will you find the combination of power, quality and portability. And my god...DAT TOUCHPAD. It's a deal-maker.

difference is more than "slight".

With a Mac, he's looking at somewhere in the 6-7 hour battery range, realistically. With an Elitebook, he's looking at around 3.5 hours.

That's not a slight difference. It's double the mobile computing time. While running quieter, lighter, roughly equivalent power, and with a superior touchpad.

 

The OP wants to run Windows on it though. If he's running Windows 7 on the MBP, I don't think he'll get 7 hours battery life--3.5 hours might be generous.

 

In that case, I'd definitely recommend an Elitebook or a Precision.

I wouldn't get an MBP exclusively for Windows use. But that's me personally. Surely Windows Experience Index lists my machine at a 7, so it's clearly capable...i just think it loses some of the big the advantages of OS X. Specifically, touchpad functionality, battery life, and fan noise.

It'll still be stable as he'd expect, of course. I just...I think if you're going to spend that kind of money and not get the benefits of the battery life and touch pad, you mine as well get an WinBox laptop. Better expansion options.

 

Right, another reason why a MBP should not be purchased to run Windows as its primary OS. I forgot about the horendous battery life that a MBP gets under Windows. Even my 13" model with nothing more than the Intel HD 3000 manages to squeeze out 3.5 hours on a single charge while I have had no problems passing the 6 hour mark under OS X.

 

Hmm I had no idea people were still replying.

Thanks for all the mentions on the battery life. My last HP notebook only lasted an hour an half to maybe 2 hours so if I can get 3 to 3 and half with an MBP that's fine with me.

Lastly like others mentioned the business level notebooks are for lack of a better word...ugly. I want something that looks nice and performs good. And while I'm sure the business level laptops get superior support I've heard good things from consumers who buy Apple notebooks.

And I've got nothing but excellent service from them when it comes to my iPhone...

 

If he wants something that will get good battery life in Windows, it's not going to be an Elitebook, Precision, or MBP. The Thinkpad W520 is pretty much your best option because of its Optimus capability.

Also, running Windows on an MBP sucks regardless of the poor battery life. The touchpad is borderline unusable and the outer casing will get hotter than 100 degrees Fahrenheit under any sort of load. The thermal design on these laptops is simply terrible, IMO.

 

I think "borderline usable" is a bit of an exaggeration. The trackpad still works fine in Windows and is in fact better than the touchpad you'll find in some dedicated Windows laptops (first gen Envy comes to mind). It just doesn't have as much functionality as in OSX. If someday you decide to move to OSX, the trackpad will be amazing there.

No clue of the exact temperature of the outer casing in Windows, but while it does run hotter than OSX, it's not to the point where I've noticed any performance degradation.

 

I'm ignoring that comment. I've both seen and used Win7 on a macbook and I experienced nothing like that. Not to mention I also use wireless mice for navigation....