The MacBook just keeps getting harder not to love. Apple’s bumped the specs on the notebook this morning, upping the processors to 2.0GHz and 2.16GHz (from 1.83 and 2.0 respectively) Intel Core 3 Duos. Wait. Wait. Sorry. Apparently that was from my press releases from the future. However, I can confirm that Apple is shipping the new MacBooks by default with 1GB of RAM. So, er, that’s something.
Other changes across the line include a 4MB L2 cache, up from 2MB (L2 cache fans, go wild), a faster SuperDrive (writes DVDs at 8x, up from 6x), and an option for a 200GB hard drive (the previous version maxed out at 160GB). Best of all, the prices for the three base-configured models stay the same, at $1,099, $1,299, and $1,499. While you’ll still have to shell out for the top of the line if you want the blackbook, the so-called “black tax” has been reduced slightly: a similarly configured white MacBook now only costs $125 less, instead of $150 less.
I applaud Apple for bumping the RAM to 1GB across the board. As we’ve established in the past, 512MB just isn’t enough for daily computing needs. And for those doing anything more than just everyday activities, I’d still recommend adding the extra gigabyte in to max it out. Overall though, the arguably most popular Mac in Apple’s line has just gotten even better.
Better than nothing, of course, but hardly likely to wow people given that every other manufacturer is knocking out Santa Rosa-based laptops at the moment. I'm certain that Apple will add this to the MacBook Pro line first but I can't help thinking that Apple is beginning to lag behind the competition when releasing new hardware. Sure, they were hot out the door with the original Core Duo and dual-core Xeon processors but they were well behind with the Core 2 Duo and quad-core Xeon releases and it looks like the MacBook will have to wait a while longer before a more meaningful update.
Not exactly time for high-5's but better than a smack in the nadgers with a wet cod. If you know what I mean...
@ Kelmon: Every other manufacturer is not knocking out Santa Rosa based laptops. Go to Dell and try to find one. There are two. You can order them and get them in a month. And with the same specs as the $1100 macbook, but with the new graphics card and faster fsb, it's about $1300. Meanwhile, An inspiron 1405 with the same specs as the $1100 macbook besides the dell having slower RAM costs $1150, not including any software or antivirus etc., and only with Home Premium, not Ultimate, which might not even run on it (Home Basic will bring it to about $1100).
Also on the Education Store.. the low-end White Macbook is $999.00. Finally a "Under $1K Apple Laptop" is available again.
@ Jack
Apologies, I'm evidentially hallucinating the slew of product announcements at the moment. Now that you tell me what Dell is doing I can see that the upgraded MacBook announcement isn't the "yawner" that was predicted and in fact this is a significant update guaranteed to strike fear into the competition. HP must be quaking in their boots.
I'm not trying to troll here but am trying to point out that this is not an exciting announcement and that, again, Apple is starting to lag on the Intel technology after starting out so well. I ended up waiting around 4-months longer than expected for the Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro models to be released last year for reasons unknowns because Apple seemingly wasn't able to keep up with the industry. With the transition to Intel it is incredibly apparent when Apple is behind as they no longer have a different architecture to, for want of a better term, hide behind. While I have no doubt that the MacBook Pro models will have Santa Rosa support soon, I do think that the release strategy of effectively putting older hardware in the consumer range with a view to updating it in 6-months or so will make their consumer range look dated. In this respect they might do better to wait until after the Pro update is made and then update the consumer range properly since this announcement is hardly likely to excite.
I would not consider a MacBook unless it had a matte screen.
The glossy screen is fine to watching movies and photos, but not great for doing work that demands starring at the screen for around 15 hours a day.
I got eyestrain just looking at the MP screen in the showroom with all the reflections in the background.
Apple does not offer matte screen on the MB, because they want to force people, who use their computers for work, to pay extra to get the MBP's. i.e. cripple the MB to make more money.