Apple's MacBook/MacBook Pro Redesign: A Discussion of Specifications
by Anand Lal Shimpi & Manveer Wasson on October 14, 2008 6:40 PM EST- Posted in
- Mac
The New MacBook: I Think I Might Like It
The new MacBook does a bit better, you don't give up too much but what you do get in return is pretty much what I've been asking for. The dimensions are basically the same, but we get a much thinner unit.
The LED backlit display fixes my biggest complaint with the MacBook, the screen should be on par with that of the MacBook Pro - finally.
Apple continues to put FireWire 400 on the chopping block, there's absolutely no FireWire support on the new MacBook. The GeForce 9400M + DDR3 combo also reduce power consumption, but Apple outfits the new MacBook with a smaller 45WHr battery.
You do pay for all of this, the updated configuration will run you $1299 up from $1099 (although you can still buy the entry level MacBook at $1099). The display alone is worth the $200 price premium honestly.
| New MacBook | 2008 Penryn MacBook | 2007 Merom MacBook | |
| Dimensions | H: 0.95" W: 12.78" D: 8.94" | H: 1.08" W: 12.78" D: 8.92" | H: 1.08" W: 12.78" D: 8.92" |
| Weight | 4.5 lbs | 5.0 lbs | 5.0 lbs |
| Screen Size/Resolution | 13.3" / 1280 x 800 (LED backlit) | 13.3" / 1280 x 800 | 13.3" / 1280 x 800 |
| CPU | Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz or 2.4GHz (45nm Penryn, 1066MHz FSB) | Intel Core 2 Duo 2.1 - 2.4GHz (45nm Penryn, 800MHz FSB) | Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0 - 2.2GHz (65nm Merom) |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce 9400M (256MB UMA) | Intel GMA X3100 (144MB UMA) | Intel GMA X3100 (144MB UMA) |
| Memory | 2GB - 4GB DDR3 1066 | 1GB - 4GB DDR2-667 | 1GB - 4GB DDR2-667 |
| HDD | 160GB - 320GB 2.5" 5400RPM SATA HDD 128GB SSD optional | 120 - 250GB 2.5" 5400RPM SATA HDD | 80 - 160GB 2.5" 5400RPM SATA HDD |
| Optical Drive | Integrated SuperDrive | Integrated Combo drive or SuperDrive | Integrated Combo drive or SuperDrive |
| Networking | 802.11a/b/g/n 10/100/1000 Ethernet | 802.11a/b/g/n 10/100/1000 Ethernet | 802.11a/b/g/n 10/100/1000 Ethernet |
| Built in iSight | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Inputs | 2 x USB 2.0 1 x Audio in 1 x Integrated mic | 2 x USB 2.0 1 x FireWire 400 1 x Audio in 1 x Integrated mic | 2 x USB 2.0 1 x FireWire 400 1 x Audio in 1 x Integrated mic |
| Outputs | 1 x Audio 1 x mini DisplayPort | 1 x Audio 1 x mini-DVI | 1 x Audio 1 x mini-DVI |
| Battery | 45WHr | 55WHr | 55WHr |
| Price | $1299 | $1099 | $1099 |
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
34 Comments
View All Comments
Griswold - Friday, October 17, 2008 - link
"Unless you'll always be using your laptop with a light or window right behind you, you never really notice it. "You make no sense at all. A notebook is a portable device I want to use everywhere - also and especially outside my own house. Glossy screens are a failure there. Glossy screens can work just fine on a desktop system if the environment is right, but its as dumb as it can get for a notebook, because not everyone, like you, will use it on the same table in the same position every day. Period.
code65536 - Wednesday, October 15, 2008 - link
> Unless you'll always be using your laptop with a light> or window right behind you, you never really notice it.
>
That's like saying, "unless you find yourself using your laptop far away from a power supply for very long periods of time, 5 hours of battery life ought to be enough for anyone." Sure, that might apply in many cases, but I still want the flexibility and robustness of a matte screen so that when I do encounter adverse lighting, things still work fine.
And I'm surprised at how many defenders of glossy use the "you must have never seen one before" line. Well, I used to have a glossy screen. And it was so unbearable that I actually went through the trouble (and it was a LOT of trouble) to get the screen replaced with a matte screen.
JarredWalton - Wednesday, October 15, 2008 - link
Honestly, there's a lot more to an LCD than the glossy vs. matte discussion. In fact, I know Anand is happy to see the new specs, but I'm not convinced the new MacBook will actually have a display that's on par with the Pro - we'll see when he gets a chance to actually test it in person.One of my major complaints with laptop LCDs is contrast ratio and color gamut. I have yet to test anything that comes anywhere near the ASUS G2P I tested over two years ago, which still falls behind pretty much every single desktop LCD I've tested.
I've got an LED backlit LCD right now that one might expect to perform well... but it doesn't. The contrast ratio is about 200:1, because the black level is about 1.0 nits. Sitting next to it is a non-LED laptop with a black level of around .25 nits, and let me tell you it makes a huge difference. I've tested LED lit laptops that do much better, and I've tested non-LED backlit laptops that do worse. Bottom line is that LCD panel technology still has a lot of variation.
Maybe if I'm lucky, I can get Anand to send me a few Apple MacBooks for some quick LCD testing. I've always heard they're "better" than other models, but have never had a chance to sit down and run some objective tests to prove that. I think they even used to use S-IPS panels on some notebooks, but I'd be very surprised if they still do that - which is really a shame.
marsbound2024 - Tuesday, October 14, 2008 - link
This is a new glass screen... and Engadget is a pretty respectable site. http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008...">http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com...8/10/app...And this is from Gizmodo: "The glossy screen is what it is, and is bright, fast to light up and a bit too reflective if you position it with the sun behind you (no matte option anymore)."
But of course I'd be absolutely pleased if the glare isn't so bad. I just know that I'll be using my laptop for what laptops are intended for: mobility. I want to go anywhere... a cafe, a park, the deck, who knows. I am not afraid of the sunlight like many geeks are sometimes stereotypically portrayed, but I certainly don't want my laptop's glare to instill that fear.