Apple’s flagship model, the Macbook Pro, recently got a boost in the form of its CPU being upgraded to the new 45nm processors, the addition of multi-touch capability borrowed from the Macbook Air, and an updated keyboard. Do these changes add up to anything significant when compared to previous models? Let’s find out.

The Macbook Pro may have been updated on its specifications, but physically not much has changed. It retains its smooth sexy minimalist design and aluminum construction. The trademark silver matte finish continues to dominate. The construction quality as usual remains top-notch. There's no extra flex or squeak. The only thing that's changed is that the power button has now moved to the right.

In continuation with its earlier practices, Apple has kept the keyboard free of any extra media keys or one-touch function keys that other manufacturers are so fond of. Weight-wise, none of the Macbook Pros has ever been blocks of wood. One of the advantages of aluminum is that it’s lightweight but provides the sturdy finish and construction that thicker plastic does. Hence the Macbook Pro is pretty light for a laptop and weathers well. If one were to place a 2007 Macbook alongside a newer one, the chances of telling them to apart are very slim.

If they are so similar where do the changes occur? The answer is that they don’t... existing hardware has simply been evolved. This is especially true of the keyboard, which now supports iTunes on the keyboard itself and the Exposé/Dashboard icons on various function keys. The keyboard itself offers the same smooth experience as earlier generations. The keys are well spaced and so smoothly textured that it feels like silk – the tactile feedback is such that you can type for hours and not feel any fatigue.

This innovation continues onto the display panel, which is a backlit LED affair. Unlike traditional LCDs, these offer significantly improved brightness, color, and contrast levels (with power savings) and can bring text/movies to a near-cinematic high. The LED panel is perfectly in line with the description used above and offers a magnificent upgrade over previous models. Its color, contrast and brightness levels have few equals. The screen retains its native resolution of 1440 x 900 (16 x 10 aspect ratio) and comes in a glossy or matte finish option. Also retained is the light sensor: depending on the ambient light in a room, this reduces/increases the brightness of the screen and avoids any need for manual adjustment.

In a step inherited from its slimmer cousin, the Pro now sports a multi-touch track-pad. Unlike the Macbook Air, which has a very large touchpad, this is of a more traditional size. The touchpad remains as smooth as ever, offering a good working set of mouse keys with soft clicks. The much-touted multi-touch option works... within reason. While it allows you to resize, squeeze scroll, and generally perform multiple actions similar to the operation of an iPhone, it’s not that smooth and lacks the fluidity of the mobile instrument. For now it remains a novelty item, but knowing Apple it will definitely improve in the future with better control over the UI.

In terms of peripheral connectivity the Macbook Pro offers a conservative range of options. It has 3 USB 2.0 ports, 2 Firewire slots (400 and 800 MHz), a DVI connector, and an Expresscard slot. Wireless connectivity is handled by 802.11a/b/g/n support and Bluetooth 2.0 EDR. For a comprehensive list, check out this page.