If you're in the market for a new laptop you'd be struggling not to have already heard about Apple's new Macbook and Macbook Pro. As a long time Apple fan, I bit the bullet and ordered the new Macbook and have to say that there are no regrets (well only a few). There are many many good reviews around the web which cover everything, and include benchmarks etc. (Ars Technica for example), but I will cover it from a consumer point of view.
Just quickly this Macbook is the 2GHz Core Duo version, and comes in a shiny slick white. 512MB RAM and a 60GB hard drive are standard, integrated intel GMA 950 graphics,
Bluetooth 2.0 EDR and Airport. The screen is 13" and glossy (which I will address later), making for a perfectly sized computer just larger than a sheet of A4 paper. It's a stunning 1" thick, has built in iSight and an interesting new keyboard layout. It weighs in at 2.4kg, which isn't heavy, but it isn't as light as i was hoping for either.
Firstly I would recommend that anyone seriously consider upgrading to 1Gb RAM straight away, this will bump up the price by £70, but it's worth it to avoid painfully slow loading times on your new computer, especially if using Rosetta programs. Rosetta is an emulation layer which gets Apple through the transition from PPC to Intel architectures, but it eats up RAM like nothing else.
How about my experience? Well, the glossy screen is amazing, and reflections are minimal and no problem. It doesn't wash out in sunlight like a matt screen does, and anyone who complains about glossy screens hasn't seriously used a good one before. The colours are vibrant, bright and the viewing angle is very good. The new keyboard layout, while looking cool is actually very easy to type on. It's quiet, natural, different and very Apple. The huge trackpad is awesome, the lack of a right-click button is negated by the two finger right-click functionality, which I'm seriously considering as better than a right button!
Battery life is good, you'll squeeze 5-6 hours with all wireless turned off and brightness turned right down. But expect more like 3-4 hours with wireless and some light working. Still pretty good I must say. The Magsafe power adapter is cool and useful, I can't tell you how many times I've tripped on a trailing power cord. Ports are well positioned along the left hand side, and there are just enough to keep everyone happy (2 USB, Firewire, mini DVI, optical/analogue audio in/out!). The slot loading superdrive is standard but doesn't burn DL DVD's, I find it fast and quiet overall.
But there must be some bad points I hear you wonder. Well, you'd be correct. There have been many rumours and complaints floating around internet forums and I can clear those up here for you:
Do Macbooks Moo? Mooing, as it's now technically known, is when the fans switch on/off repeatedly as the Macbook sits around 67-71C. Now, this sound is annoying to say the least. Do I have it? Yes I do. However, I do believe that I'm one of the unlucky ones as it sounds like almost all of the newer units are problem free.
Is the Macbook Hot? Yes it is. If you use it on bare legs while plugged in, you won't be doing it for long! But then all new Core Duo notebooks have been getting very hot, and as long as it's used unplugged on low brightness you won't have any problems.
Do Macbooks Whine? Well, this one is a CPU problem. When the Core Duo is in idle mode it has a tendency to emit a high pitched whining sound. This sound, although audible, is incredibly quiet and there are workarounds. I really wouldn't worry about this, I'm very picky with my technology and it's doesn't bother me.
Any other downsides? Not really. It's a great computer, blazingly fast and it looks cooler than anything else around. I'm slightly worried than my shiny new white will over time turn into a scratched up creamy yellow sort of disgustingness, but who knows. I'm neurotic about cleaning it at the moment, so fingers crossed. In the US a company is currently selling the Macbook coated in a glossy paint of your choice. They look very good, and I have no doubt that they'll be coming over here soon.
So overall, this is a great start for Apple's Intel transition, and just in time for the school buying season. I would strongly recommend the laptop for anyone who does just about anything but serious gaming. It'll set you back £899, but if you're a student you can bag an amazing deal of £768. It's actually cheaper than any other brand, a first from Apple?
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
(+) cool and quite robust trackpad, good display,64-bit windows 7 (-) few connectors,dell drivers only, not realy for gameing (most models), finger print prone!
I've been looking for a laptop, and my friend is fanatical about Apple, so I wanted to know what I could get out of an Applemac notebook. This review has told me everything I need and more, and I look forward to purchasing one ASAP.
Thanks for such a wonderful review!
MacBook delivers the power of the Intel Core 2 Duo the latestgeneration of Intel ... more
processors and a slew of innovative featuresincluding: a built-in iSight camera for video chatting on the go;iLife 06; Front Row; a glossy 13-inch widescreen display;e
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Advantages: Design, iSight, solid OS (OS X), battery life, build quality, good value for money Disadvantages: White Macbook turns dirty quickly, lack of popular games, no dedicated graphics, no card reader
Advantages: Thin and light; cutting edge software pre-installed; Mac OS X; DVD burner; built in webcam Disadvantages: No media car reader; non-native software is slow
Advantages: portable, runs very fast, large storage with TimeMachine application for backing up your work Disadvantages: some problems with using Safari, though this may be due to the wireless network I am using, costs!
Advantages: Bright vivid screen, great keyboard and large multi touch trackpad with gestures Disadvantages: Sometimes the trackpad is a bit "jittery" in feel due to the texture level of my finger
exceptional by (7%):
very helpful by (81%):
helpful by (11%):
