You'd never have expected it, but Apple is proving to be one of the biggest cheerleaders for Intel's new Core Duo processor: According to the Cupertino company, the new 17-inch MacBook Pro with 2.16GHz dual-core CPU and 667MHz front-side bus delivers up to five times the integer and floating-point benchmark performance of its PowerBook G4 predecessor. It's also a trim 6.8 pounds and one inch thin despite its widescreen (1,680 by 1,050) display.

Priced at $2,799 with 1GB of DDR-2/667 memory expandable to 2GB, the laptop includes a 120GB Serial ATA hard disk; slot-load 8X SuperDrive DVD±RW and DVD+R DL burner; and ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 PCI Express graphics with 256MB of GDDR-3. Gigabit Ethernet, DVI-out, USB 2.0, and FireWire 400 and 800 ports are standard, as are AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0 wireless, an iSight videoconferencing camera, and Apple's Front Row multimedia interface with infrared remote control. The MagSafe power adapter, first seen on the 15-inch MacBook Pro, disconnects instead of yanking the notebook to the floor if someone trips over its power cord.