Happy with my purchase

I purchased the Macbook Pro i7 and opt for next day delivery. Product received on time and in great condition. Upon startup, I setup profile and overall process took less than 15 minutes. After running Mac software Update, I am all set. Overall, I am pleased that I chose i7 over i5 as I want my macbook to last longer with better processor. Startup and shutdown time are significantly faster than my mac mini. I did not experience any screen freeze as mentioned by other Mac forum users on my macbook. The battery lasted about 6-7 hours in my testing, which is closed to the advertised 8-9 hours and much better than my other Windows laptops. Finally, I chose to buy from Amazon over MacMall or other stores because of Amazon's great customer service.

Beware of shipping

I received the apple Macbook Pro on August 10, which is later than the initial predicted time it was supposed to arrive. When the computer arrived, the outer box was torn and crumpled in and had a foot print on it. The tape was broken and dirt all over the box, mainly on one side. The inner box was crumpled in and had water stains. Apparently, the box was out in the rain or got soaked in water, and was damaged when transporting.
Thankfully, there was no apparent damage with the computer.

This extreme abuse in shipping should be known to all when you order this item or other from Amazon. Sure you can send items back, but that doesn't guarantee the next item would be treated the same way. I am very reluctant to purchase anything from Amazon, since I don't know if I am going to receive the items on time or in good condition.

I spent over 2000.00 on a the computer, and I expected it to not be banged around or shipped in the rain and kicked and torn.

Instead of sending the item back, I would even prefer to get some credit, in order for Amazon to try to, at least, keep my business.

Came from Windows, Glad I made the switch!

So to start I researched the new laptop market quite extensively for a computer for my everyday tasks (internet,iTunes, etc) and my graduate program that I will be starting (MBA). I have always used Windows machines and more specifically one HP four years ago and 3 Sony Vaio's since then. I have also owned all 3 iPhones and the new iPad so I thought that a MacBook Pro would be the next logical step but I have to admit that I was hesitant to put everything on the Mac platform having used Windows my whole life. However, the more I researched computers out there, there are really no PC's that have the fit and finish of the MacBook line. Most are plastic things that are made for 1 year at most. And of course they run Windows which even Windows 7 needs tending and caring more often then I prefer. I did consider the HP Envy line and while the specs are impressive I had a lackluster experience with HP so I wasn't sure that it would last at least 2.5-3 years that I need for my program. I also seriously considered the Sony Vaio Z and while impressive in specs, it is still a very expensive machine which is made more for portability and its screen flex caused me concern.

So I bought the MacBook Pro i7 and upgraded the hard drive to 7,200 RPM. I originally thought I would use mostly Windows on it and just got it for the fit and finish/styling that I really liked. I know that sounds crazy but I wasn't really planning on using the mac OS X part extensively. However, when I got the machine I must say that OS X is pretty amazing. Having used Windows extensively it is not that hard to learn OS X. Here are my findings for the machine:

Speed: The machine is blazing fast. There have been lots of articles on specs and benchmarks but just know from everyday use and even from transferring files over etc it is amazing! I personally chose the i7 chip because it future proofs the purchase and with the Amazon sale it was a great deal.

Overall System: It is a beauty to look at and work on. It is a very thin and not terribly heavy I mean if you are planning on lugging it around all day it might get heavy but it is not really bad. My old Vaio F was 6.5 lbs that felt much heavier.

OS X: It is very easy to work with. Things just work. That sounds like a cliche but in reality it is true. I think the hardest thing for Windows users like myself is trying to make things harder then they are. For instance, I expected installing my programs on OS X to be a pain like on Windows but it is so easy that I thought it wasn't working. But that is the point, things are a lot easier and you have to kind of go with it. Windows is a lot harder from that perspective. Yes after using it for years you know how to do things with it but it is a pain and you don't realize how easy it really should be until you start working on OS X.

Heat: It does get hot when you are doing a lot on it but mostly on the left side. It is not unbearable but it does heat up. But so does the Vaio Z and other machines using these chips. The design of laptops has not caught up to the chips from that perspective. So for me the heat was a wash because they all run quite hot at this point in time. This is by no means unbearable. But if you like to place the machine on your lap, probably won't work so well.

Screen: I have the base 1440x900 it is nice. I don't mind it I personally find the other one too small but again it is preference try an Apple store if you want to see the screen differences. And I was incredibly worried about glare. It picks up a ton outside because of the glass but I don't work outside so that is no big deal for me and in the house even by a window it has been fine for me. Again it is preference but I have been pleasantly surprised by the lack of glare experienced. I think the Apple Store lighting makes the glare very apparent so it is a good test of worst case scenarios but in reality in the house it is not as bad as at the Apple Store.

Windows 7/Boot Camp: Yes I do need some Windows things so reluctantly I am installing Windows 7 but I am miffed at how much space I need to devote to it. It reminds of why I got the Mac to begin with just bloated overall.

Apple Service: This I think is where it really shines. I had to use the Genius Bar to assist me in removing a stripped screw (my fault in trying to remove the cover to swap the hard drive for a faster one). Tip: Use the hardest screwdriver (Titanium) possible for it not the crap at Fry's it makes a difference. The screws are very soft and will strip quickly. So I took my new machine in without ever having turned it on and I know that Apple Store doesn't swap the drives for users but I asked the Genius to help me remove the screw. To my surprise he removed it, replaced it and then went ahead and did the install and reimaged the machine in 15 minutes. Now that is amazing service. And that is where the difference in pricing comes in. With my old Sony's I would drop good cash on those and when I went to Sony Style it was like why are you here again. They could care less about assisting me. Apple is just very different from that perspective. That is why the Vaio Z gave me pause. 2,500 knowing that they don't stand by their products is a hard sell!

Final Assessment: To each his own some people love Windows and that is fine, but I would submit to really study the build quality of the PC you are planning to purchase, the overall experience, service and ease of use etc before committing. People complain about Mac components being downgraded but honestly does it matter if you have a 1GB video card mated to a plastic rig or a completely designed system that is designed to work well together? Only the user can answer that for themselves depending on usage needs. For most the specs are great. But I think Apple did a nice job on this build and I really appreciate the fit, finish and ease of use. Is it worth the 2,000? I think so because it is a good machine for several years, has excellent service built in if you are close to an Apple Store and is just great to work on.

Great Computer - Factory Problems No real Warranty

Pros - The fastest laptop i've ever saw... amaizing...
Cons - Factory Problems (needed updates) No easy to get World Wide Warranty Offered...
Id to update firmware to solve that problem. all by myself, no real assistence.. (@paraguay)

******** wrote before ive solve that issue*************
It supossed to be a great computer... with the best services around the world... i ve bought it from amazon before i get back from us to paraguay, south america, i bought it for a present and the display daesnt work so im stuck with a computer that supposed to have wordwide waranty but (apple paraguay) wants to charge me... services sucks... the solucion that ive receive is that i have to buy a plane ticket to return it to an apple retail store... ! wooow! that really makes sense!

Worst MacBook Ever!

I've owned every "Pro" model Apple laptop for the last 8 years, this is BY FAR the WORST one I've ever had. It crashes, and when it goes flat, it just DIES (like a PC, maybe worse) and I loose all my open documents!

I Hate it!