[X4U] Current MacBook Pro lineup?

[Robert MacLeay]

On Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:41:14 -0500, Joe Sporleder <joe at wacondatrader.com>
 wrote:

> I've had a regular MacBook before, so don't mind the glossy screen,
> because when I need to process photos for production, I'm at the main
> office using extended desktop on a nice, bug external monitor with a
> matte finish. However, I'm not sure if I can go back to a 13" display,
> now that I've used a 15" one for a couple of years. There's been some
> refurbished last generation 15" MacBook Pros in the $1400-$1500 range
> at the Online Apple Store that support at least 4GB of RAM, and have
> 250-320GB HDs, or would it be worthwhile to spend an extra 200-300 or
> so for the just released ones? Most of our digital cameras are lower
> end Olympus that use the xD picture card, so i don't have much that
> would utilize the SD card slot on the new ones.
> 
> Joe

If you are going to be performing serious photo editing on any Mac portable
screen, you want the current generation MacBook Pros ONLY.

The overall color gamut of the new screens is 60% greater than that of the
older models, although still perhaps not the equal of a good desktop screen.

Big difference.

In addition to this, there is that matter of the number of colors the
display can reproduce.

Up until now, all MacBooks and MacBook Pros have used limited-color screens
that display only 6 bits per color channel, or 262,144 different colors.

Desktop screens typically have 8 bits per color channel, or 16 million+
colors.

They simulate 16 million colors on the MacBooks and PowerBooks by dithering.
Nevertheless, I can easily tell the difference between the 24 inch iMac
screen and the 2007 MBP; with identical images, the MBP shows blown
highlights where the iMac screen does not. This is not a matter of screen
adjustment!

Apple claims a better gamut with the current models, but AFAIK they have
said nothing about the bit depth of the new screens; it's a bigger secret
than the condition of Steve Jobs's liver.

(All MBPs have 8-bits/channel video chips so that you get what you expect
with an external monitor.)

For more info, check out
http://www.beloev.net/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=macbook-gammut:macbook-gamut
http://www.newschoolers.com/web/content/readblog/jid/172/eid/6281/