"The big change is that the chip has more cache, 4MB of Level 2 cache," Benjamin said in an interview. And because the Core 2 Duo is a 64-bit processor, "it's processing 128 bits of data per cycle, which is double what the Core Duo did," he said.

On top of that, Apple continues to tweak Mac OS X so that it can better take advantage of the newer processor, Benjamin said. "We always take the time to optimize Mac OS X. You don't just pop [new hardware] in and use it for free. We always like to take advantage to add enhancements where possible."

I did notice that bootup times from startup happy Mac chime to desktop took a little longer than on my earlier MacBook Pro. Benjamin said that could arise from the amount of RAM installed; I think it's more likely something that was copied over when I migrated my files that may slowed things down a tad. I often reinstall the OS when I get new hardware so I can pare back on programs, foreign language fonts and printer drivers I won't need. There's nothing like a fresh copy of the OS for that snappy software feeling.

I haven't done that with this particular laptop, however, preferring to use Apple's migration assistant to move my directory over for me.

While I and other users often clamor for faster processors and more speed, many have also noted how hot the Core Duo-based laptops get -- especially with all of that heat radiating through the MacBook Pro's aluminum shell. Apple seems to have tackled that issue head on: Heat is significantly reduced in the new models.