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Apple Quietly Updates Entry-Level White MacBook

That's wrong

Eidorian said:
I hate to tell you this but the iMac isn't using the X9100...
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I'm sure that you loved telling me that. :D

What model is it?


sndvm said:
the new 17" carries a 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache, were you referring to something better?
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Apple isn't using them in the MacBook - the context of the comment I was replying to.
 
ShaunPriest said:
Wait a minute, is that correct?

So this new white MacBook will be faster than my MBP (non-Unibody) 2.4Ghz 800Mhz FSB, 667 DDR RAM?
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There is always going to be a bottleneck somewhere (usually the HDD), in this case one uses DDR3 ram and the other DDR2. I am certain this is done on purpose by Apple.

I would say equally comparable in day-to-day usage. You are paying a premium for the UniBody manufacturing process. I believe this was mentioned in one of Apples Campus Events wen it was introduces last year.
 
svndmvn said:
since NVIDIA seems to work with 800MHZ DDR2, do you think it's possible for these white macbooks to work with that memory?
checking out the processors linked earlier I guess the next Alumacbooks could have a 2.26GHz and a 2.66GHz processor, I'm being really optimistic:)
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It's possible but I believe Apple set the firmware to DDR2-667. This update also opens up the white MacBook to the rest of the 1066 MHz Montevina tied Core 2 processor line as well in the future.
 
Wow, this might just be what I need to get out of my 15" 2.16ghz MBP. I'm not sure though about the 13" screen, but everything else would be a slight upgrade for me.
 
Refurbished?

with the exception of the aluminums, does it make sense to even buy a refurbished macbook, with its out of date gfx, when you can get these ?
 
ghstmars said:
with the exception of the aluminums, does it make sense to even buy a refurbished macbook, with its out of date gfx, when you can get these ?
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The 9400M G at the $999 price is worth it. Just upgrade to 4 GB of RAM and a 500 GB hard drive yourself off of NewEgg for less then $200.
 
memco said:
Wow, this might just be what I need to get out of my 15" 2.16ghz MBP. I'm not sure though about the 13" screen, but everything else would be a slight upgrade for me.
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Care to elaborate your "slight upgrade"? I honestly think the MBP of your possession is superior or at least more than equal than this computer :)
 
Buy a pc for 799.99... a year or couple years later the same machine can be bought for 300-400 bucks.

Buy an apple for 2499.99... a year or couple years later buy it @ 1200 off.
So in reality apple loose as much value or more as PC, the diffrence is apples resale price is still high because it was overpriced to begin with.

Wonderful.

I know some of you are obsessed with apple and dont dare see pass the shady side. But man one good look @ apple and you see a worst face then microsoft when it was growing up. Microsoft since then have calmed down a little not much. But apple is hungry and their ugly side is not beautiful. Specially since this damn cult is adored by so many.

I am afraid.
 
Achiever said:
The only reason the FW 400 is still offered on this machine is b/c Apple has essentially acknowledged that it is the machine of choice for those looking almost exclusively at the fiscal bottom line in their purchasing decisions. .
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Many of us choose function over form. I live on the road and I need the 13" size but I also need FW. Since Apple decided not to make a 13" Pro model I am left with one choice. I would like to have the new Al model but functionality over-rides looks.
 
GenNovE said:
Buy a pc for 799.99... a year or couple years later the same machine can be bought for 300-400 bucks.

Buy an apple for 2499.99... a year or couple years later buy it @ 1200 off.
So in reality apple loose as much value or more as PC, the diffrence is apples resale price is still high because it was overpriced to begin with.

Wonderful.

I know some of you are obsessed with apple and dont dare see pass the shady side. But man one good look @ apple and you see a worst face then microsoft when it was growing up. Microsoft since then have calmed down a little not much. But apple is hungry and their ugly side is not beautiful. Specially since this damn cult is adored by so many.

I am afraid.
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Sure they're a business first and foremost. What makes it worth it is OS X and the closed system. Simple as that.
 
!¡ V ¡! said:
I suspect that once this PolyCarb MB is opened it will show that the motherboard is the same as the Al-MB. However since the previous PolyCarb MB had a cutout or punch-out for FireWire there might have decided to keep it in.
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Impossible, the white macbook has ports on both sides, therefore the motherboard is much different. They wouldnt redesign the inside of a computer thats probably going to be discontinued soon anyway.
 
ltldrummerboy said:
That was unexpected. Very nice little machine. I would pick this over the unibody MacBook.
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I get this feeling that Apple is still keeping this PolyCarb MB to compete with the NetBooks. It is slightly larger, but it has better specs and about double the price.

People forget that the WiFi reception on these PolyCarb are far better than the Al notebook. I know this from experience, my MBP not the UniBody has terrible reception when compared to my netbook and White 24" iMac.

For a portable this is bad, look at the iPod Touch with its metal back shell, something tells me that the 3G iPod Touch will adopt plastic like the 3G iPhone. It might not look expensive however it allows for better reception and in the end that is what these devices are meant to do access the internet.
 
NT1440 said:
Impossible, the white macbook has ports on both sides, therefore the motherboard is much different. They wouldnt redesign the inside of a computer thats probably going to be discontinued soon anyway.
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The Plastic Macbooks only have ports on the left side.

ghstmars said:
with the exception of the aluminums, does it make sense to even buy a refurbished macbook, with its out of date gfx, when you can get these ?
Click to expand...

Eidorian said:
The 9400M G at the $999 price is worth it. Just upgrade to 4 GB of RAM and a 500 GB hard drive yourself off of NewEgg for less then $200.
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:(
 
terriyaki said:
Damnit. My refurbished 2.2Ghz C2D SR Macbook doesn't seem as great a buy anymore.. ugh, and I just got it on Monday. Argh. Oh well, with the price difference I was able to max out the RAM and upgrade the HD.

I have a question, though. Just how significant is the jump up from the X3100 to the 9400? What does the 9400 offer that the X3100 doesn't? I've done some searches and have read about how in Snow Leopard things can be offloaded to the 9400 for better graphical performance. What does that mean exactly? I'm assuming the same can't be said for the X3100?
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I just did the same thing. My refurb 2.1 is supposed to arrive tomorrow. My 4GB RAM and 320GB HDD upgrades were less than the cost difference to buy this new Whitebook with the 9400 in it. I think I'll be just fine since I stick to Internet, iweb, itunes, iphoto... Not a gamer, not a high end editor...
 
BenRoethig said:
But you loose
** Easy access to memory. unibody machines require taking the entire bottom panel off.
** Firewire
** Target disk mode. Could possibly return in the future using USB2 transfer cables.

As for the hard drive, with $110 500GB 2.5" drives at newegg, 120GB or 160GB doesn't matter as the hard drive would be upgraded shortly after anyhow.

Honestly, unless aesthetics or the backlit keyboard in the 2.4ghz model are your main selling points, I don't see much of a reason to choose the unibody Macbooks.
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Yes, however....Easier access to the RAM isnt necessarily a feature....the RAM is fairly easy to access on the unibody as well and you only go in there once (if ever)......Faster RAM/LED backlighting/the new trackpad, the thinner/lighter/more durable package & the better speaker are far more advantageous than how easy it is to get to the RAM.

After using an LED display....CCFL is quite disgusting
 
ZachsMacDaddy said:
I just did the same thing. My refurb 2.1 is supposed to arrive tomorrow. My 4GB RAM and 320GB HDD upgrades were less than the cost difference to buy this new Whitebook with the 9400 in it. I think I'll be just fine since I stick to Internet, iweb, itunes, iphoto... Not a gamer, not a high end editor...
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I'd return it. In the long run the GMA will have you kicking yourself I think. The 9400M is just THAT much better
 
NT1440 said:
Impossible, the white macbook has ports on both sides, therefore the motherboard is much different. They wouldnt redesign the inside of a computer thats probably going to be discontinued soon anyway.
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There was no redesign, when Apple releases any product they have test machines for future revisions. The drop of FireWire might have been a later call. This machine or the motherboard at least must have been in testing for 6+ months. It would have been more expensive to drop FireWire to bring it in line with the other UniBody MB.
 
svndmvn said:
apple's refurbs are usually better or as good as new.
and the unibodies have newer technology even than today's white macbooks: glass trackpad with multitouch, aluminum shell with a better cooling system, better screens(as in more power efficient and LED is anyway better), DDR3 1066MHz as opposed to DDR2. If you can live without FireWire, and I guess you can, the unibody is the better choice. It also looks to me like the Mini display port can output a Dual Link DVI and the plastic one can't.
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The plastic MacBooks never had problems with heat, the glass trackpad is fine but not that big of a deal, the unibody is nice but mainly cosmetic upgrade.

I think the biggest shortfall of the white MB right now is the screen, it has smaller viewing angle and is not LED-backlit. OH, and the white MB keyboard doesn't feel nearly as good as the new ones IMO.

The white MB is pretty attractive now with the upgrades...
 
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