Apple Releases the MacBook

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After waiting for months, Apple fans can finally open their wallets and dish out some cash towards Apple's new consumer portable, the MacBook. Replacing the aging iBook, the new MacBook targets the fastly growing iPod market with a reasonably powered consumer widescreen notebook.

The new MacBook sports on all models an Intel Core Duo processor, combo or superdrive, 13.3" widescreen display with a 1280x800 resolution, 512 Mb of ram, and integrated Intel Graphics chip set (same as that in the Mac Mini). In addition, the MacBook features an all magnetic latching sytem with no moving parts unlike that featured on the MacBook Pro.

The MacBook also is featured in a second color black ($1499 USD model only). Continuing on with the line, the MacBook features integrated iSight and Front Row with remote as well as 802.11 b/g and bluetooth.

The MacBook is avaliable today at a baseline price of $1099 USD featuring a 1.83 Ghz Core Duo in white. Black version starts at $1499 USD with a 2.0 Ghz Core Duo, 80 GB HDD and a Superdrive.

News source: Apple

#1 Fanon on 16 May 2006 - 14:02

I can finally start strategizing on how to spend my money. Too bad these don't have a separate graphics solution =(

(1 reply) #2 eilegz on 16 May 2006 - 14:05

too bad i really hate those Intel extreme crappy graphics... Anyways nothing new here...

#2.1 IGx89 on 17 May 2006 - 00:15

Me too, my college lets me decide between a PC or Mac laptop and this laptop will be the one they'll be using in the fall, so I'm definitely going to go with the PC and its ATI X600SE graphics now.

(1 reply) #3 kl33per on 16 May 2006 - 15:02

The price gap between these and the pros is to much. Almost AUS$1000 more and the only thing you really get for it is a slightly bigger screen. Ridiculous!

#3.1 voidpharoh on 17 May 2006 - 14:01

Don't forget a much better video card in the Pro version. Suprisingly, I've seen the MacBook Pro play recent games fairly well with average looking quality. But the video card in the MacBook, "Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950", I would assume is a lot weaker. So I'm assuming the MacBook wouldn't be built for medium/high-end gaming at all.

(3 replies) #4 evo_spook on 16 May 2006 - 15:07

Thats a first someone complaining something by apple is too cheap

#4.1 Starcom826 on 16 May 2006 - 17:13

Rather it means the pro is too expensive.

#4.2 aristotle-dude on 17 May 2006 - 04:35

"Rather it means the pro is too expensive."

Not if you need/want DUAL LINK DVI, a backlit keyboard, dedicated 128/256MB gfx ram, a larger screen and an expresscard slot.

Last edited by aristotle-dude on 18 May 2006 - 04:38

#4.3 QuarterSwede on 17 May 2006 - 20:15

Not to mention a better keyboard.

#5 Miran on 16 May 2006 - 15:16

Wow this really brings the value up from the iBook. Looks like a nice machine.

#6 mpat1024 on 16 May 2006 - 18:18

Sweet. I'd seriously love one of these. I think I'll buy from the USA this summer, since they are close to £400 cheaper than the UK version. Well, for the higher end specification, anyway.

(4 replies) #7 Toastyone on 16 May 2006 - 18:58

Woot I love the black

That is rockin

But it sucks they charge more for it

#7.1 evo_spook on 16 May 2006 - 19:32

the black specs are slightly higher

#7.2 roadwarrior on 16 May 2006 - 20:01

evo_spook, the specs on the 2Ghz white MacBook and the 2Ghz black MacBook are exactly the same, except for the size of the hard drive. When you upgrade the white one to the same hard drive as the black one, there is still a difference of about $150. I'm hoping that Apple simply made a mistake on this (it's happened before), and didn't really expect people to pay that much of a premium just for a different color.

#7.3 evo_spook on 16 May 2006 - 20:59

yeah I know its just the hard drive - but that still a higher spec even thou it is pushing it a bit

Nope I think its done on purpose, but I'd be a bit tempted for black - works good on laptops

#7.4 tiagosilva29 on 17 May 2006 - 10:40

+20GB = +200$? This is not kosher, if you ask me.

#8 Webgraph on 16 May 2006 - 20:48

Black MacBooks? Damn! But then again, the SuperDrive in the MacBook doesn't write DVD+R's as fast as the SuperDrive in the iBook G4 (4X for the MacBook vs. 8X for the iBook). But even with these enhancements, I'm satisfied with what the iBook G4 has to offer for the time being.

(4 replies) #9 Beastage on 16 May 2006 - 22:31

OMG a black laptop... geezus come on!

A quick look around newegg.com and dell bring endless amounts of better and faster laptops for similar prices

#9.1 PCyr on 16 May 2006 - 23:04

Yes, but do all those laptops have built-in webcams and a lot of the little things the MacBook*s have?

Thats one thing I find about Apple, you don't pay for the parts, you pay for the parts being in a laptop. I mean, I haven't seen any non-Apple laptops with something like MagSafe.

#9.2 LTD on 17 May 2006 - 00:05

A Dell still aint an Apple. And Dells don't run OS X. At least not easily or legally.

#9.3 Danrarbc641 on 17 May 2006 - 01:30

Quote -

Yes, but do all those laptops have built-in webcams and a lot of the little things the MacBook*s have?

Well I know of at least one Acer in the MacBook price range has a camera. And the Core Duo. And an ATi graphics chip for that matter.

#9.4 Brandon Live on 17 May 2006 - 07:01

and some extra software to bring it up to half the functionality of iLife 06

(1 reply) #10 Danrarbc641 on 17 May 2006 - 01:26

All I know is I'm glad I got the laptop I did now that we know the MacBook uses Intel graphics.

#10.1 jjk5 on 17 May 2006 - 04:27

Are that many of you really looking to game on ~1000 dollar laptops? It's not a mobile gaming machine, and most of its target market don't expect it to be.

(1 reply) #11 aristotle-dude on 17 May 2006 - 04:27

Wrong. I spec'ed out an Inspiron E1405 Dual Core similar to the low end Macbook and it came out to $1,154 USD but it did not have an option for adding a built-in web cam or Gigabit ethernet. It also will not get up to 6 hours of battery life like the macbook.

All in all, the macbook is competitively priced. I'm sure someone could find all sorts of coupons to get a dell cheaper or substitute an laptop with a lowerend single core CPU but the Inspiron I quoted had the same GMA chipset, Bluetooth 2.0 EDD, 512MB ram, a 60 GB HD, a combo drive and some extra software to bring it up to half the functionality of iLife 06. It still did not have an HD video editing suite like iMovie HD or DVD authoring.

Your trolling is out of date so you better learn some new tricks.

@Danrarbc641: I'm sure you can find larger laptops a little cheaper with other CPUs and what not but it is not overpriced for a sub 15" laptop. Nobody can make that argument anymore as it is either the cheapest for features or close to being the cheapest which would be "good" enough for everyone but the most pedantic bargain hunter who will sacrifice features and software for a cheaper base price.

Last edited by aristotle-dude on 17 May 2006 - 04:33

#11.1 Danrarbc641 on 17 May 2006 - 20:44

Quote - aristotle-dude said @ #9.4

@Danrarbc641: I'm sure you can find larger laptops a little cheaper with other CPUs and what not but it is not overpriced for a sub 15" laptop. Nobody can make that argument anymore as it is either the cheapest for features or close to being the cheapest which would be "good" enough for everyone but the most pedantic bargain hunter who will sacrifice features and software for a cheaper base price.

That wasn't PCyr's arguement. His was that no other laptops offer said features. They do.

(1 reply) #12 Gaius Baltar on 17 May 2006 - 10:13

well after looking at a macbook being pulled apart i definitely am going for one.

http://www.macx.cn/a/a4000I190159A1A1.htm

i mean, they've definitely made servicing it easier.

i mean ok it doesn't have separate graphics memory but who cares my girlfriend still uses her dell inspiron 6000 and that was the same too.

she even has a plaster on the back case where it got scratched (it looks ucte that way).

love it.

#12.1 QuarterSwede on 17 May 2006 - 20:36

Wow, I wish my 12" PowerBook was that easy to take apart. I mean, you can even change the hard drive on that thing easily.

#13 Gaius Baltar on 19 May 2006 - 08:52

mine's ordered, just hope i'm at work to pick it up.

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