The latest 17-inch MacBook Pro is by all measures a minor hardware upgrade over its predecessor, offering only slightly faster processor options and a bump in hard-drive capacity. The more significant change is the value you get for your money: Apple has dropped the price of the computer by $300 and similarly reduced the price of build-to-order upgrades. If you purchased a 17-inch MacBook Pro after February's unibody introduction, there's little reason to upgrade now--or to regret your earlier purchase. But if you've been on the fence about splurging for the monster of all MacBooks, the decision to buy just got easier: this is the fastest Mac laptop ever, at the lowest price Apple has ever charged for a top-of-the-line notebook.

This lower price also makes the 17-inch model more appealing to those considering the but who truly need an ExpressCard slot or who prefer a matte screen, as this is, sadly, the only Mac laptop still offering those features. And while moving up to the 17-inch model means lugging around a considerably larger machine, you also get incredible battery life and a screen big enough for this to truly be a desktop replacement.

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