In a sly turn of events, Apple has updated their low end almost forgotten white MacBook to unibody specs! Here we all are, watching the iMac and Mac mini pages when in fact Apple quietly slips in a huge upgrade for their cheapest notebook. They didn’t even put it at the top of the “New to the Store” list!
As noted by Engadget, the new specs feature the new generation Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB L2 cache with a 1066Mhz FSB, 2GB of DDR2 667Mhz memory (surprisingly, no DDR3), and the much appreciated Nvidia 9400M graphics chipset. Luckily, Apple has left the FireWire 400 port intact along with the rest of the externals. The machine ships in 4-6 days, and it comes with iLife 09 (meaning iLife will also hit the shelves this week!).
This update puts a whole new perspective on the survival of the white MacBook. Apple has clearly geared this up for Snow Leopard, and will hold on to this product line for some time to come. So, would this affect your possible purchase of an aluminium MacBook? Or can you still justify the extra $300 for the svelte looks and the glass trackpad?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
That rocks for the ‘base’ MacBook consumer. They should just ditch the middle MacBook now.
I have the MacBook mentioned in the article, the late 2007 White MacBook. I am also under AppleCare Protection Plan, now is there any way that I can replace my existing MacBook for a new unibody one ?? I don’t mind paying a couple of Ks for the replacement.
The point here is, I love my MacBook and the way it functions it looks like its gonna run healthy for atleast 5 more years to come. I am dying to try the new hardware, does Apple have a plan for us ??
No way Azeem; I think they quietly introduce these models so they don’t aggravate customers who have bought the same (lower spec) model recently. I suppose there is no harm in trying though, or use Ebay?
Very glad to see this update. Low end MacBook very welcome. Ordered one yesterday as soon as I found out about the update. As for glass track pad, I don’t care for track pads anyway, I use a wireless mouse, so the upgraded MacBook meets my needs (desires) better than the new Al MacBooks and $300 less makes it all the better for me.
Of course, now I can happily kill Milind.
This happened just 3 days after I got the Aluminium Unibody one!!
I’m sad, really really sad. I mean, why? Why Apple?
It looks so nice, better than Aluminium one IMO.
There’s almost no reason why one whould buy the 1299$ Aluminium Macbook base model! Why for the trackpad, or the unibody enclosure?
Wait, on the brighter side, my MacBook has 1066MHz DDR3, and its newer.. And it matches my iPod a bit more.. pooh! Nothing at all seems to compensate for what happened..
But if I would have bought the white macbook ealier Id have regretted even more. Perhaps I should keep all that to myself and get a good nights sleep..
Hey IronmanForever… you’ve got the Glass TRACKPAD dude, and the mega-great screen! I was using my boss’s ‘old’ MacBook Pro and it totally sucked.
Be happy!