The MacBook Pro's Mini DisplayPort jack supports VGA, DVI, and dual-link DVI video output using the appropriate adapter. Unfortunately, no video adapters are included, not even the basic DVI version, which will cost you another $29. Similarly, you can use an Apple Remote with the 17-inch MacBook Pro, but you have to pony up another $19 to get it. These omissions feel cheap given the price you're paying for the computer.

The 17-inch model retains the same dimensions as its short-lived predecessor: 15.5 inches wide, 10.5 inches deep, just under an inch thick, and 6.6 pounds. And unlike its 15-inch siblings, which now feature an SD-memory-card slot, the latest 17-inch MacBook Pro keeps the popular-with-pros ExpressCard/34 slot, making it the only Mac laptop with such expandability.

So what Apple change since February's model? Not much, but those changes serve to make the 17-inch MacBook Pro a better value. First, the stock processor is now a 2.8GHz Core 2 Duo, up slightly from the previous model's 2.66GHz. (Level 2 cache remains at 6MB.) Second, you get more storage in the form of a 500GB 5,400 rpm hard drive, up from 320GB. And that's it on the hardware side. But while these are relatively minor changes, Apple also lowered the price of the laptop from $2,799 to $2,499--the same price as the best previous-generation MacBook Pro--giving you a better computer for less money. It's tough to argue with better value.

Apple also improved the build-to-order upgrade options for the largest MacBook Pro. You can now bump the processor up to 3.06GHz for $300; the previous CPU upgrade, priced similarly, topped out at 2.93GHz. An upgrade to a 7,200 rpm drive with the same 500GB capacity is $50. And the cost of upgrading to a solid-state drive (SSD) is now lower: a 128GB model will set you back $200 (compared to $300 a week ago), and a 256GB model costs $650 (compared to $750 before).