Aluminium or White Macbook???

[gazfocus]

My fiance has asked me for advice regarding buying a Macbook. She is having trouble deciding between the white and the aluminium Macbook.

Is the difference between the 2 really worth an extra £200?

She will only be using it for web browsing, iTunes, MSN, etc.

What are your thoughts? What should she go for?

 

[ID_Field_Blank]

If that's all she want's to do the whitebook will be more than adequate!

I have a previous gen whitebook (late 2007) and I use it for those things and more.

I'd save the money personally.

 

[scienide09]

I concur. For those uses, the white MB will be sufficient.

Upgrading to the alu unit would get you the unibody construction, but otherwise be mostly the bells and whistles.

 

[gazfocus]

Are the Macbooks due to be updated at any point between now and May?

 

[alarob]

One reason to prefer the aluminum to the white MacBook: There is a structural problem with the white MacBook that neither older laptops nor the aluminum MacBook have. If you have cats, for instance, who are drawn to nap on the warmth of a gently glowing laptop, you will probably find some cracks around the outer edge of the panel surrounding the keyboard, where it is glued to the rest of the assembly. This is due to the pressure of the cat's weight. Any comparable weight resting on top of the closed laptop may cause this cracking.

This is not a disabling problem, but it is unsightly, and it probably admits unexpected amounts of dust into the interior of the laptop. First there is scoring about a millimeter from the edge of the panel, then small pieces of polycarbonate start to break off.

I've prevented further damage to the surface by never leaving the laptop closed on a flat surface. When the laptop is out but unattended, I always lean the LCD panel towards me at about a 45 degree angle so cats are not tempted to rest on the keyboard.

 

[jpk32092]

Are the Macbooks due to be updated at any point between now and May?

no

 

[dbwie]

aluminum MacBook!

I just bought an aluminum MacBook and heartily recommend it. The unibody construction has a great finish and feel to it. Feels sturdy and durable. You can actually use it as a "lap" top, because this thing will be barely pushed by basic computing tasks, and the heat dissipation is superb. Also, does the White MacBook have the LED display? If not, definitely go for the unibody MacBook. LED display is viewable in bright light, e.g. outdoors, and the ambient light sensor adjusts the display in the dark to minimize eye strain. I don't think the older MacBook does these things.