The mac community has been talking about it for years, and finally it happened. Apple today reintroduced the MacBook, now in aluminium.
Let’s start off with the base model first. Starting at $999, the base model keeps its white plastic body frame with very similar specifications to the previous model. 2.1Ghz processor, SuperDrive standard, and a 120GB hard drive. Nothing new here, and moving on.
The new aluminium enclosure, carved out of a single block of aluminium, makes the new MacBook look just as stunning as the MacBook Pro. In fact, they are almost similar in looks, and in specs. Coming in a 0.95 inches thin, the MacBook sports a glossy glass 13.3″ LED display, as well as the large buttonless multitouch glass trackpad.
The display is driven by a Nvidia 9400M graphics processor, a big jump from the integrated graphics of yore. The 256MB DDR3 Nvidia chip is said to be 5 times faster, and can drive upto a 30″ Cinema Display using its tiny Mini DisplayPort. Finally people can game on the MacBook!
At $1299, the MacBook aluminium brings with it a 2.0 Ghz Core 2 Duo processor, a standard 160GB Hard Drive, with an option to upgrade to a 128GB SSD. The higher end model, at $1599, gets you a 2.4Ghz processor, 250GB HDD, and an illuminated keyboard.
The MacBook also supports the Apple stereo headset with mic, including the ones on the iPhone. And bringing in the raw speed is DDR3 SD RAM at a blazing fast 1066 Mhz. There’s 2GB standard, 4GB max. Firewire is also done away with on the new MacBooks. However, the cheaper $999 plastic MacBook still sports the Firewire port!
Apple has been pushing it’s products to be more environmentally friendly, and they have strike out quite a few toxins from their notebooks. The new MacBook is said to be the most environmentally friendly MacBook (just as the new MacBook Pro, and the MacBook Air)
All in all this was a stunning upgrade to the MacBook lineup. If you were holding out from buying one, now there’s no reason not to. If the product shots here are not enough, go ahead and check out the gallery. Apple has also released a new ad featuring Johnny Ive, VP of Design, explaining how the new MacBook was conceived. A must see.
What’s your take on the new MacBooks? Are they all you’ve been waiting for, or do we still want that Bluray drive included?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m soooo getting one of these babies! Dying to run my fingers over that touchpad. I love it how they realised that the button is not so much a priority anymore! PCs will always carry along with them the baggage of the past, but macs are the future.
Any word on the Indian pricing ?