MacBook Pro Early 2011 17"

The MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.2 17-Inch (Early 2011/Thunderbolt) is equipped with a 32 nm "Sandy Bridge" 2.2 GHz Intel "Core i7" processor (2720QM). It has four independent cores on a single chip, a 6 MB shared L3 cache, and 4 GB of 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (PC3-10600) installed in pairs. The system includes a 750 GB Serial ATA (5400 RPM) hard drive, an 8X DL "SuperDrive," dual graphics processors—an AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 1 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory and an Intel HD Graphics 3000 sharing 384 MB of system memory—and an integrated FaceTime HD webcam.

The standard configuration has an LED-backlit 17.0-inch widescreen TFT active-matrix "glossy" display (1920x1200), with an "anti-glare" (matte) display offered for an additional US$50.

Connectivity includes AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, Gigabit Ethernet, a FireWire "800" port, three USB 2.0 ports, separate audio in/out ports, an ExpressCard/34 expansion slot, and a new "Thunderbolt" port. This port is backward compatible with Mini DisplayPort, supports external displays up to 2560x1600, passes audio, and works with other Thunderbolt peripherals at up to 10 Gbps.

This model uses a "Unibody" aluminum case, a backlit keyboard, a "no button" glass "inertial" multi-touch trackpad, and a non-swappable battery with an estimated 7-hour life. Compared to its predecessor, it has a similar exterior but adds a higher-resolution webcam and the Thunderbolt port. Internally, it boasts a significantly faster architecture, quicker RAM, and improved graphics.

The Early 2011 17-inch MacBook Pro stood as the ultimate mobile workstation in Apple's lineup, receiving high praise for its massive screen real estate and the immense power of its new quad-core Sandy Bridge i7 processor. The potent AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics made it a formidable machine for video professionals and photographers. The inclusion of a high-speed Thunderbolt port, along with an ExpressCard/34 slot, provided exceptional connectivity and expansion options that were highly valued by its target audience. While its size made it less portable, it was seen as a worthy trade-off for the power and screen space it offered. Unfortunately, like its 15-inch counterpart, its reputation was later tarnished by the prevalence of graphics chip failures.