MacBook Pro Early 2008

This Apple MacBook Pro, the "Core 2 Duo" 2.4 15-Inch (Early 2008/Penryn), is powered by a 45 nm "Penryn" 2.4 GHz "Core 2 Duo" processor (T8300). It features two independent cores, a 3 MB shared level 2 cache, an 800 MHz frontside bus, and 2.0 GB of 667 MHz PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM. The system includes a 200 GB (5400 RPM) hard drive with "Sudden Motion Sensor" technology and an 8X dual-layer DVD±RW/CD-RW SuperDrive. For graphics, it has an NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT processor with 256 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM and dual-link DVI support, driving an antiglare LED-backlit 15.4" widescreen 1440x900 active-matrix display (a glossy version was a build-to-order option).

Externally, this model is nearly identical to the preceding "Mid-2007/Santa Rosa" systems, with notable exceptions being the keyboard and trackpad. The keyboard keeps the ambient lighting but removes the embedded numeric keypad, substitutes a second option key for the enter key next to the right-hand command key, and features revised function key mapping. The trackpad is enhanced with "multi-touch gesturing" capabilities like two-finger scroll, pinch, rotate, and more. The "MagSafe" power connector and iSight camera are retained, though the Apple Remote became a US$19 optional extra.

Connectivity is consistent with its predecessor, offering an ExpressCard/34 slot, AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n), Gigabit Ethernet, both FireWire "400" and "800" ports, two USB 2.0 ports, optical digital audio in/out, and DVI out. Bluetooth is updated to the 2.1+EDR standard.

Under the hood, the "Early 2008/Penryn" models boast slightly faster and more power-efficient 45 nm "Penryn" processors over the 65 nm "Merom" chips of the "Mid-2007 Santa Rosa" line. They also feature larger L2 caches (6 MB on 2.5 GHz+ models vs. 4 MB, though this 2.4 GHz model has 3 MB), increased video memory (256/512 MB vs. 128/256 MB), and more spacious standard hard drives.

The early 2008 15-inch model, which adopted the Penryn architecture, represented a solid step up in performance. A particularly notable enhancement was the trackpad, which inherited multi-touch gesture support from the MacBook Air, significantly improving usability and earning praise from users. The more power-efficient 45nm processor also contributed to better battery life. While the external design remained largely unchanged from its predecessor, it featured steady internal improvements, including a revised keyboard layout and larger standard hard drives. Although it lacked dramatic changes, this model was recognized as a highly refined upgrade that enhanced both reliability and practicality.