GRIPES for a WA611 MBP 1.83 coming from a former Ghz TiBook user:
1.
Gaps
Yes, my MBP has gaps all around. The screen has 1.5 mm gaps on both the left and right sides when closed (I can see objects on the other side the computer if I get down and look from the front to the back). There are also gaps between the plastic rim and the body. The gaps there are so big that I can push the left wrist panel edge up and down and hear it slide past the lower casing by a good 1.5 mm. NOT cool.
2.
Popping during warm up
Perhaps related to the gaps, when I start or wake up the computer from a cool state, it will make popping sounds for 10 or 15 minutes. The pops sound like the whole case is adjusting due to thermal expansion. The pops are quiet and widely spaced in time (+30sec) but it is really freaking annoying. Sounds like they are coming mostly from the upper right corner.
3.
Occassional LONG delay to screen on from wake
This one just started happening and I have no idea what is going on. Sometimes, when waking from sleep I'll hear the HD spin up but the screen will stay off so long that I'll think it has crashed (+10sec). I have disabled safesleep so that can't be the issue. It also doesn't do it all the time. I'm clueless here but the problem does suck.
4.
The whine
This is old hat by now and the mirror widget for a second does the trick, but it is still really annoying when it happens (which is rarely since I rarely shut down the machine).
5.
Power adapter
It's just too big. The old brick was much more portable friendly than the current one. You wouldn't think it would be a problem but it really is. I feel compelled to cary the three prong cord because the bulk of the brick.
6.
Stock 512 RAM
This isn't really a complaint about the machine, but geesus 512 sucked monkey! I hadn't run OS X with 512 for a long time but it really does cause a slow down as the disk swaps like a mofo. Apple should not be shipping OS X machines with 512.
PRAISES for a WA611 MBP 1.83:
1.
Speed
This baby flies on Universal Apps (well, it flies after dropping in another Gig of RAM). PowerPC apps are noticeably slower, but not painfully so.
2.
Form factor
The weight is great and proportionally it works very well. I wish the screen would open up another 5-10 degrees but this is less of a problem than I thought it would be.
3.
Screen
Bright, very pleasant to use and pixels are sized just about right. Too many more pixels and the defaults on most interfaces would be too small IMHO.
4.
Keyboard
Big improvement over the TiBook I was using. Sometimes some of the lateral keys don't seem to register a stroke because they are so soft and my stroke is weaker there, but it really is nice.
5.
Airport reception
Range/sensitivity much improved over the TiBook...occassionally will drop down a bar or two for no apparent reason though.
6.
Mag safe
This one is almost neutral but I find magsafe very convenient not for its inherent safety factor but for the ease of plugging and uplugging the laptop.
BOTTOM LINE: Pleased overall, but it's too bad some of the cons really are more than just cosmetic.
Hope that helps would be buyers evaluate what they are going to be getting if they go MBP.
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