Customer Reviews

Apple MacBook 13.3-inch Laptop (Intel core_i5 2.6GHz, 8GB RAM, 128GB Memory, Mac OS X)

Bought this laptop for University, moving from Windows 8 and its fantastic. I haven't always liked Apple, but with this laptop i love it so much! I use it for everything Work, Netflix, FaceTime and web surfing with ease. Best laptop to date I've used, only downside is when the screen brightness is on full it drains battery quickly. Purchased over the Air as was much better value for money, screen is amazing.

If you're like me, you'll have spent ages comparing features and specs before splashing the cash on a new laptop. I certainly did, and I finally settled for the Macbook, and here's why.

Quick word of warning first - if you already own a Macbook Pro or Macbook Air, and want a techie comparison best skip this review. I've come from a Windows background, and I'm not an expert on the Apple mac line-up, and this is meant for similar non-experts.

Firstly, the hardware - which is just stunning. It's incredibly thin and light, and I hardly notice it when I carry it around. The unibody design, carved out of a single peice of brushed aluminium gives this device a firm but incredibly light-weight feel, with a huge track-pad and beautifully made back-lit keyboard - great for typing in bed when it's dark. It's astonishing really, that a device this thin is so rigid - it just screams top build quality and beautiful attention to detail.

Just like the iPad Air - this really is "a thing of beauty".

Apple make a point of not comparing the numbers, (it's all about the experience not just a comparison of numbers) but here's a summary of this device:-

* 2.6Ghz Core i5 processor
* 8Gb of memory
* 128Gb of "hard disk" - it's actually an incredibly fast SSD (Solid state drive)
* 13.3 inch screen backed with Intel Graphics Iris 5100 - FANTASTIC RETINA display

I have to say, 128Gb is not huge, and if you've a large video, photo or music collection I'd advise the 256Gb model. You should be OK with 4Gb of memory though unless you plan to run an awful lot of programs simultaneously.

In terms of connectivity you get:-

* Mag Safe 2 power plug.
* 2 x Thunderbolt port - to attach to fast external disks etc
* 2 x super-fast USB 3 ports (one either side - nice touch)
* Dedicated HDMI output for an external monitor
* Headphones output for external speakers
* 720p front facing web camera
* SDSX Card Reader

Apple hardware is more expensive than the equivalent running Windows, but you do get what you pay for,. This includes the cleverly designed "Mag Safe" magnetic power socket - so if a small child accidentally pulls on the power cable it disconnects from the laptop rather than dragging it crashing to the floor.

These machines don't come with a wired network connection - it's assumed you'll connect using WIFI, but they are well future proofed - as they support the latest 80211ac standard - basically the same as before but faster. Be aware you may need to update your router to make use of this. My existing router is fast enough - but it's nice to have the future proof design.

As a prior Windows laptop user, the multi-touch trackpad is a real revelation. You can scroll down web pages or documents (two fingers up/down), or scroll through web history (two fingers left/right), or (just like the iPad), use three fingers to scroll through your running applications. This is a fantastic feature if you're constantly switching between two apps, for example a web page and a document, or a web page and your mail application.

Open the "System Preferences" window and you see a short video illustrating how you can configure the options. It's hard to over-state the benefit of the track-pad. It's so wonderfully accurate, it makes your laptop a real pleasure to use (again compared to my Windows laptop).

As already stated, the keyboard is fantastic. Island style black keys - nicely spaced out, and back-lit. There's a set of dedicated keys along the top to control features including screen brightness, play, fast forward and stop, plus sound.

Of course you don't get a CD/DVD drive - but all software is available online through the Apple Mac Store, and another nice surprise - consistently cheaper than equivalent windows software, and without the annoying collection of boxes, software keys and disks to avoid losing. You can of course buy an external DVD drive if you really need one (I found several on Amazon for as little as �26 - and it means you can leave it at home).

Battery life is quoted at something silly, and I generally get an entire day of general use (web browsing, videos, mails etc), before I started get a warning - so you should be able to take this on a long haul flight or a long train journey without any problems.

Where this really shines though is the screen, and looks just stunning. Videos are crisp and clear, but where is really shines is reading or writing text.

Sound quality is not bad, although not as good as I'd have hoped - but I plug in external speakers myself - or better still, stream music wirelessly to a bluetooth speaker. it's worth noting, you can now stream anything on screen (videos or Netflix) to an Apple TV - including high quality sound. A great bonus.

I get to test an awful lot of wireless bluetooth speakers, and they're a fantastic way to listen to music or the radio streamed from your Mac, iPad or Smartphone, and sound quality is astonishingly good.
The best devices I've tested and reviewed at every price point are:-

* �25 - Lepow Modre - Really cute design, bright colours and impressive sound for the money.
* �40 - ADX Fusion - Stylish aluminium design and excellent sound quality. Great value for the money from a small UK based company
* �60 - Audio Dynamix Atom V2 - Solid build in a beautiful brushed aluminium design with an impressive sound stage. Incredible value.
* �90 - Audio Dynamix Pulse V2 - Quirky design, but packs a punch way above its weight. Incredible sound quality, amazing value.
* �129 - Soundblaster Roar - Fantastic design with tons of features and a great sound
* �160 - Bose Soundlink Mini - Beautifully stylish with a warm and full room filling sound
* �250 - Bose Soundlink V3 - Simple but stylish design with an incredible sound stage
* �400 - Bowers & Wilkins A5 - Mercedes top end HI FI in a bluetooth speaker. Unlike the others, this is mains only, not rechargable
* �700 - Bowers & Wilkins A7 - Mercedes S Class. Absolute top end HI FI quality at a price to match

But back to the Macbook. In terms of software, these are well provided for straight out of the box including free copies of:-

* Pages - a fully featured word processor similar to MS Word
* Numbers - Excel spreadsheets for Apple
* Keynote - PowerPoint equivalent
* Calendar, Mail and iPhoto editor and organiser
* Movie Maker - to edit and publish home-made videos
* Reminders - to remind you

Of course if you need it, you can always buy Windows, Excel and Powerpoint for the mac (additional cost).

I love the fact the Macs now work well with the iPhone and iPad. That means (for example) you can set a reminder on your Mac and have it automatically appear on your iPhone. Likewise, enter contacts on one device, and they're available on all. You can take a photo on your iPhone and it automatically appears on your Mac (and iPad) without having do do anything. Finally, you can even start a document on your Mac and then continue to edit on your iPad by saving stuff in "the cloud".

Be aware as well, you'll also certainly find this Macbook is an American rather than a UK model (hence the discounted price). Don't worry, Apple do provide world-wide warranty, and it makes no difference to your support contact, but you will find it as a USA rather than an English keyboard. Again, not to worry. Look down at your keyboard. Over the 3 you'll find a � sign. On the American keyboard, this is the "hash" sign. Can can however always get the � symbol, by pressing "Option 3" instead of "Shift 3". As with all US shipments it will come with a standard charger with both the US and UK plug (it's illegal to sell electrical devices in the UK with a UK plug) - so think of that as a bonus. The power is auto-sensing - which means it will work world-wide, in the UK, USA or Europe.

But a final word of warning - and not something Apple tend to shout about. I'm used to being able to upgrade hardware when it starts to slow down. Be aware you can't upgrade ANYTHING on these machines. Even the memory is soldered in place so buy the best you can. OK so you can always attach a large external disk, but it's a bit disappointing you can't upgrade the memory.

On balance - I'd have to say I love Apple Macs - and indeed all Apple hardware (iPhone, iPad included) so it's hard to give a purely objective view. But this is a beautifully designed, well built machine - just buy the biggest, fastest you can afford - or accept you'll be selling it on eBay in three years time to replace it.

However, as long as you're aware of the limitations, go for it. This is a truly beautiful device, and will give you years of sheer pleasure. Believe me, once you've moved from Windows to a Mac, you'll never go back.

I do hope this review was helpful.

What a laptop! I have been a Windows user for about 20 years and was finally getting sick of the Microsoft Corporation. Windows has the tendency to annoy you after a while. Too many updates need to be carried out to maintain the laptop, when you download files they are scattered all over your hard drive, basically nothing was straight froward. So I decided to go for the Mac OS and take the plunge with a Macbook Pro. And I do not regret this one bit! The machine itself is stunning looking! You can see Apple take their time in ensuring that the machine not only performs well, but it looks great too. The anodised aluminium body is perfectly crafted. The trackpad is the easiest one I have ever used. The keyboard is light and feels simple to use. The Retina Display is fantastic! The boot up time for the Macbook Pro is roughly about 10 seconds. Which is lightening fast compared to any Windows based laptop.

Now using the Macbook for the first time can be daunting, but that's only because when you are so used to Windows and the way that it operates. But it takes next to no time to get used to things. Built in customisations isn't as good as Windows, but you are always able to download applications (whether from the App store or from a 3rd party source) to help you customise it to your requirements. And not everything you ever used on Windows will work on a Mac, but you are able to download/purchase software to help you run Windows programs on the Mac, or you can use the built in Bootcamp to install Windows on the Mac (something I will not be doing).

Now downloading and installing applications and software is another bonus with Macs. Unlike Windows, you don't have files scattered all over your hard drive. So you if you do need to uninstall, it's as simple as putting the application/software into the Trash. That's it. If you are worried about missing out on great browsers like Chrome and Firefox, then don't! The work just as good, if not better, on a Mac. Finally, the battery life is fantastic! I get about 8-10 hours use on heavy use!

Overall I am extremely impressed with my Mac. It is fast, it's so quick to turn on and off. There is so much you can do with it, it almost brings the fun back into using a laptop. There are far too many people splashing out on tablets, fair play to them. But I am old fashioned in the sense that I like a screen that I do not want to touch, and to have the top end functionality of a laptop, which you cannot get in tablets. If you are a Windows user, do not think twice about making that leap. Once you go Mac, you won't look back.

This is my first Mac, and after just a month's use have quickly mastered new techniques, superior in my opinion to Windows, familiar with since 3.1. This Mac is a truly remarkable machine, fast and it's clarity is superb for ageing eyes. I have struggled with the fuzziness and paleness of Windows, which worsens with arrival of new operating systems after XP. The Mac keyboard automatically illuminates, when daylight is dull. Fantastic, and the battery seems to last for ever after a full charge. A brilliant machine; well worth the extra expense. Regret not buying one a few years ago.

This has got to be the best �800 I've spent EVER. I didn't get a macbook for my first year of uni, because I thought that it wasn't necessary. However I often found myself wanting to write code and do other things on the go. So second year came around and I bought one!

The macbook is just fluid in every aspect. I don't encounter any lag or crashes (if not rarely). I wanted to get an air but I couldn't live with the under-par display. The MacBook pro has an awesome screen, with everything clearly readable. Battery life is SECOND TO NONE PERIOD. I can easily last a day and a half on a full charge doing YouTube, coding, music etc. I also must point out how fast it is at charging with the MagSafe charger.

One aspect of the macbook that isn't spoken of often are those speakers!! They are fantastic! Loud and crisp with a good balance between bass and treble easily hearing vocals and other background instruments.

I also upgraded to OS X Yosemite and that just adds to the excellent experience I've had so far. Being able to answer phone calls and text messages from my macbook is awesome although I don't use Handoff as much, if I be honest.

I must say Apple has got it 100% right with the integration of software between other iOS devices like my iPhone.

If you're looking for a powerful portable laptop. It stops with the MacBook Pro

Ordered and it wednesday, on super saver and it was originally said to be delivered the following Tuesday. I was then e-mailed saying that it would come on Saturday. I then got a notification on Friday saying it will be delivered that day! brilliant! the Macbook is amazing, starts up quickly, runs efficiently and hasn't gone wrong. Brilliant! Plus cheaper than the apple store, at �999 so bonus!

Fantastic. Box arrived 3 days before estimated time. Well packed. Macbook Pro is new as on description. I decided to move form windows platform and now I know I will never go back to windows again after my few days with apple software. Its worth the money. Macbook is aluminium not plastic like other notebooks. Its nice cold feeling when you touch the case. Keyboard is great. Compare to other notebooks it's like flying commercial flight ( notebook ) and then go onto business flight ( Macbook ). But the most exiting is Retina display. You can read many reviews but when you get it and see it....well... you have to see it :)

This is a US MacBook Pro and it is simply marvellous.
The box was well sealed and protected and I highly recommend it!

it is what it is, everything you would expect from the new macbook pro. Beautiful, elegant and oh so fast! Prior to this I had a macbook air, which was only 200g heavier than this product. This is where i saw it's biggest merit - it is sooooo light!! perfect for carrying in a handbag; as I use it mainly for uni work.
Price was ridiculously good, which was the one thing making it ridiculous to not buy - amazing bargain. Downfall was that it comes from China, so I had to wait two weeks for the product to be delivered. The delivery company weren't all too great either as they decided they couldn't be bothered to find my address. So after a lot of complaining - they delivered it the following day.
Have had issues with the charger - the mac seems to take a while sometimes to register that a charger is plugged in. But that's what apple customer services is for - they did offer to sort it out, which was great.
Otherwise, no issues at all, very happy customer and proud owner of this beautiful macbook.

five stars for the laptop.
the laptop itself is very good, but there are two big mistakes in the product information!

first, the original price of this laptop(128GB memory) is 999 pounds, not 1199 pounds which is the price of the type with 256gb memory! so if you are a students, please just have a look at the official iPod website.....with special offer for students...

second, the size of the laptop is 13 inch, not 13.3 inch (check the official website). I brought a case for 13.3 inch and that was not fit at all.