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Black Macbook worth the extra $200 dollars

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Freakx45

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 27, 2005
24
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I tried searching the forums and came up with nothing. I am going to buy a new macbook and trying to decide whether the black macbook is worth the extra $200 dollars. I am going to be buying it from an actual apple store, so i guess i will be getting the base model hdd for the machines. I know that the white comes with 120gb and the black comes with 160gb but that doesn't matter to me at the moment since i can easily upgrade.

From your experiences, is it worth to get the black or save the $200 dollars.

I am coming from an iBook, so i have dealt with a white computer before.

Thanks
 
To me, no. To you? Depends on how much you want a black laptop. A few days before I got my white, I saw a guy's black, and didn't like the fingerprints all over the keyboard and trackpad. In my experience, it doesn't show nearly as much on the white.
 
Where I work, we have both the White and Black MB's. Personally, I prefer the black color (with the exception to the greasy after look). The biggest complaint I hear is how the black MB needs to be cleaned often.... But it does look very nice and professional. Since the only other difference is HD space, it totally a cosmetic preference.

I'm partial to aluminum... but if I went MB ... I would get a black one.
 
I went for the black one basically because I thought it was a sleeker look. It also scratches far less than the white model, though it does show grease and fingerprints...so you have to use a cloth often to get them out.

I don't regret my purchase though; I'm gonna keep this laptop for 3+ years and I'd rather have something that makes me feel good when I look at it everyday! Plus I bet the blackbooks go for a bit more when you sell later ;)
 
White

I would say that it depends on what you want: if just the computer for everyday needs, dont waste your money. I agree that macbook looks a bit better in black, and black aslo hides the dirty spots which appear on white in case of active usage. But, you can buy the protection case of any color for your white macbook - it's about 40$, and it also saves your mac from scratches. So i would buy a white one.
And if you have some more money - wait until new MBP.
 
I have got the black one. I don't like how white-coloured objects become yellow or grey rather quickly. Also, the texture of the plastic feels different between the white and black MacBooks. The white ones are smoother, like glass; while the black ones feel quite like the non-stick surface of touchpads.

Fingerprints can be a problem on the BlackBooks, but a quick wipe down with a damp cloth or tissue cleans it up nicely! :cool:
 
If you're going to be in any type of professional setting, get the black. Otherwise, stay with the white.
 
I prefer the white one and if you BTO it, you can add a 250gb hd and it's the same price as the base black one.


And though I don't care about having to constantly clean things, my friend does have a black one and can attest to the fact that you can very easily see finger prints and stains.
 
Basically, you end up paying $125 for the black case vs white case after customizing the upper level white book.

If that is worth it to you, go for it. If not, don't bother.

$125 for the color - It's all personal preference from there.
 
DocSmitty said:
Basically, you end up paying $125 for the black case vs white case after customizing the upper level white book.

If that is worth it to you, go for it. If not, don't bother.

$125 for the color - It's all personal preference from there.
Click to expand...

I was going with 200 unless i was able to get the hdd upgrade on the white one at the apple store the day i buy it.

I am still up in the air on it. Gonna have to head to the apple store myself and see how the black is with fingerprints and if i want to deal with it and pay the extra money. It will be my main computer, so i am looking for longevity and something that won't be dirty looking for the next 3 years
 
The black macbook is very sexy but the keyboard and the trackpad is a PITA to take care off. ONce your keyboard starts getting greasy therez no way back!
 
I used to own a blackbook. I just upgraded to the MBP right before Christmas. I loved the black because it reminded me of the old Pismos. It also looked a bit more sleek and I did not want to deal with the stains I saw on my sister's ibook.

That being said, I was careful to clean about once a week or so and never went near it with dirty hands. I also got this great little trackpad sticker that you can find near the keyboard protectors in the Apple store. It is black and covers the trackpad and button. It has a nice look and feel to it and, most importantly, kept my trackpad from getting all greasy.

So, in my case, I chose the blackbook purely for looks. It is a personal decision but one that I was never unhappy with.:)
 
Freakx45 said:
I tried searching the forums and came up with nothing. I am going to buy a new macbook and trying to decide whether the black macbook is worth the extra $200 dollars. I am going to be buying it from an actual apple store, so i guess i will be getting the base model hdd for the machines. I know that the white comes with 120gb and the black comes with 160gb but that doesn't matter to me at the moment since i can easily upgrade.

From your experiences, is it worth to get the black or save the $200 dollars.

I am coming from an iBook, so i have dealt with a white computer before.

Thanks
Click to expand...

As much as I love the black macbook, I would go with white. It's easy to clean, doesn't stain as easily as the black matte finish, and it's cheaper by $200 and especially since you said you can easily upgrade, why waste that money?
 
I just got my Blackbook on Tuesday and I love it. My school has nothing but white Macbooks and they all look cheap compared to the black ones. I just never liked the white at all. I didn't even consider it.
 
Agreeing with all the prior sentiments, personally, I think black is the way to go. I believe the black is made of a slightly different material (so it is more than just a paint job), and that helps explain some of the price difference. And if you are concerned about grease on the black, the white is susceptible to staining brown from the dirt/skin that will inevitably rub off from your hands on to the palm rest. I think grease is the lesser of the two evils... so if you're willing to pay the extra $$ for it, and you want it, definitely get the black!
 
I love the look and feel of the matte black casing, but I found the screen bezel made the display look small, the trackpad looked bad after a few minutes use, and the keys were harder to read than the white macbook. That's why I did this to mine:
mbclosedsf6.jpg


mbhalfwn9.jpg


mbfullde7.jpg
 
Scarlet Fever said:
I love the look and feel of the matte black casing, but I found the screen bezel made the display look small, the trackpad looked bad after a few minutes use, and the keys were harder to read than the white macbook. That's why I did this to mine:
mbclosedsf6.jpg


mbhalfwn9.jpg


mbfullde7.jpg
Click to expand...

wow how did you do that?
 
i was going to get the black one, but at the last minute i chose the white. i'm happy i did. black is such a common color with PC laptops. white stands out much more. and the 40GB HD difference doesn't even matter since i plan to upgrade to the 320GB soon.
i'm on my second week with my macbook...it still looks brand new.
 
lshirase said:
wow how did you do that?
Click to expand...

Sceneshifter said:
Wow I wonder too, looks freaking awesome! I'd do the same thing but the other way around however :-D
Click to expand...

I just got myself a black bottom case and display case, took apart my white macbook and put the parts in their new home. If I had a black macbook to start with it would have been much easier, because then I'd just have to replace the keyboard and display bezel.

If you want to do it yourself, just have a look on ebay or ifixit.com for the parts. Changing the display bezel and keyboard is really easy, but making a white macbook black is kinda tricky. You have to completely disassemble the whole computer.

The hardest part about it was getting the magsafe out of its port. You have to push it in and up at the same time, with enough force to get it out, but gently enough that it doesn't break. But with patience and care, anything can be done :)

This is the biggest mod i've done to a computer, but everything is still working now, so it's all good :D
 
Scarlet Fever said:
I love the look and feel of the matte black casing, but I found the screen bezel made the display look small, the trackpad looked bad after a few minutes use, and the keys were harder to read than the white macbook. That's why I did this to mine:
mbclosedsf6.jpg


mbhalfwn9.jpg


mbfullde7.jpg
Click to expand...

Hands down, you've got the best-looking Macbook I've ever seen. I like the atmosphere of wherever you took the pictures, too. Looks mellow. :cool:
 
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