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Apple Quietly Updates Entry-Level White MacBook

Steve leaves and everybody goes crazy 😛

svndmvn said:
Apple is just full of surprises, would have never thought of seeing an updated white Macbook, let alone, no updated Alu Macbooks the same day. Since it's been more than 3 months since the last update, I hope we're not more than 3 more months away from speed bumps and possibly RAM upgrades to all Macbooks, don't know what else to expect.
Click to expand...
 
Well add this to my possible PowerBook G4 replacement list, and I had it down to 2
the refurb 1.6 MBA for $999 or the refurb unibody MB for $1099. I like the specs on the unibody better but I have not had a brand new machine in a long time not since my clamshell iBook.
 
Spock said:
Well add this to my possible PowerBook G4 replacement list, and I had it down to 2
the refurb 1.6 MBA for $999 or the refurb unibody MB for $1099. I like the specs on the unibody better but I have not had a brand new machine in a long time not since my clamshell iBook.
Click to expand...

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.
 
Apple Updates White MacBook

Apple has updated the white, polycarbonate MacBook to nearly the same specs as the base Unibody MacBook. Same processor, same graphics (DDR2), and now 2Gb's of RAM standard (DDR2). Yes, you do get a bump in hard drive space with the upgrade, but now it's even harder to distinguish the two from a performance standard.
 
I have to agree with the general sentiment: This makes the Unibody MacBook 2.0 and the updated WhiteBook almost indistinguishable from each other performance-wise and yet there is a $300 price difference...?

The Alu MacBook still has some benefits of course: The aluminum shell, LED backlit/better quality screen, the glasspad, DDR3 and a higher FSB, better multitouch support (that's just an assumption though that the updated Whitebook won't have this). However, the updated Whitebook will have the benefit of FireWire and a less glossy screen, mini-DVI port instead of the mini-Displayport, etc (again, assuming these things haven't changed). even battery life should be about the same between them because the WhiteBook still has the larger (original) battery correct?

A $300 difference for performance matched laptops seems like alot to me despite the benefits of the Unibody models. And Apple felt this was a better option than simply lowering the price of the AluBook and/or including a FireWire port or matte screen option? Strange update to the laptop line IMO...
 
nice upgrade...however

does that include the glass trackpad? I dont think it does..and i honestly am willing to pay $100-$150 for that feature alone...multiple finger gesturing is great.

unibody...willing to pay $100-$125 for the look and functionality.

and i like the screen of the unibody...$100ish for that..


so not much of a savings for me (also apple knows this and believes most people would value these features at around the $300 price difference)
 
iOrlando said:
nice upgrade...however

does that include the glass trackpad? I dont think it does..and i honestly am willing to pay $100-$150 for that feature alone...multiple finger gesturing is great.

unibody...willing to pay $100-$125 for the look and functionality.

and i like the screen of the unibody...$100ish for that..


so not much of a savings for me (also apple knows this and believes most people would value these features at around the $300 price difference)
Click to expand...

Totally agree and Apple is well aware of this for the majority of consumers.

EDIT: I would miss FW400 though, which is why I won't be upgrading my whitebook.
 
iOrlando said:
nice upgrade...however

does that include the glass trackpad? I dont think it does..and i honestly am willing to pay $100-$150 for that feature alone...multiple finger gesturing is great.

unibody...willing to pay $100-$125 for the look and functionality.

and i like the screen of the unibody...$100ish for that..


so not much of a savings for me (also apple knows this and believes most people would value these features at around the $300 price difference)
Click to expand...

You can have the very same gestures on an old one. If it has the three finger gesture, you can hack it (v. easy) and get the four finger gestures as well.
As for me, this seem like a very affordable price/power ratio and if I hadn't already had a fairly recent MBP I would definitely go for it - I miss the fact that the polycarbonate didn't show dents after dropping 🙂.
This will of course hurt the unibodies but whatever, it will keep the sales going in hard economic times.

Cheers!
 
windywalks said:
You can have the very same gestures on an old one. If it has the three finger gesture, you can hack it (v. easy) and get the four finger gestures as well.
As for me, this seem like a very affordable price/power ratio and if I hadn't already had a fairly recent MBP I would definitely go for it - I miss the fact that the polycarbonate didn't show dents after dropping 🙂.
This will of course hurt the unibodies but whatever, it will keep the sales going in hard economic times.

Cheers!
Click to expand...

should be hackable, but still, this new white book doesn't have more than the 2 finger scrolling we've been used to since 2003 or something like that..and the trackpad looks tiny compared to the new ones, doesn't it? I hope, for the ones that buy it, that it doesn't get as hot as it did till recently, since the aluminum one works cooler.
 
davwin said:
I have to agree with the general sentiment: This makes the Unibody MacBook 2.0 and the updated WhiteBook almost indistinguishable from each other performance-wise and yet there is a $300 price difference...?

The Alu MacBook still has some benefits of course: The aluminum shell, LED backlit/better quality screen, the glasspad, DDR3 and a higher FSB, better multitouch support (that's just an assumption though that the updated Whitebook won't have this). However, the updated Whitebook will have the benefit of FireWire and a less glossy screen, mini-DVI port instead of the mini-Displayport, etc (again, assuming these things haven't changed). even battery life should be about the same between them because the WhiteBook still has the larger (original) battery correct?

A $300 difference for performance matched laptops seems like alot to me despite the benefits of the Unibody models. And Apple felt this was a better option than simply lowering the price of the AluBook and/or including a FireWire port or matte screen option? Strange update to the laptop line IMO...
Click to expand...

Bold Mine: The FSB is the same. The RAM speed is different though.
 
does this mean the white one wont be discontinued? 🙁 thus no cheaper alu macbook?

i thought they were selling the white macbook to "clear the stock"...😕
 
Wow, the White MacBook just became a very good choice all of a sudden.

DDR2 however means the 9400M in the Whitebook isn't as good as the ones in Alu, but still!

For $999, I'd say White MB just became a very good deal.

Now if you can just bring back the Black MB with same spec as the Alu MB... 😀

I guess I just absolutely LOVE the Black MB... such a beautiful machine
 
I've also noticed that they haven't updated the White MB's page.. at all..

The TechSpec still shows it having X3100 and such.. haha...

And the "Buy Now" has DDR2-667... why? why not DDR2-800 for the sake of it?
 
question: if the new white macbooks could use 800MHz DDR2 memory would Apple still sell them with 667MHz to spend less?
 
akbc said:
DDR2 however means the 9400M in the Whitebook isn't as good as the ones in Alu, but still!
Click to expand...

No, the 9400M in the White MacBook is just as fast as that in the Aluminum MacBook. Since both have the same 1066 MHz FSB and they share the same 2.0 GHz processor.

The Aluminum MacBook does have faster RAM, though.

ConnorScott said:
Hey guys,
Just came across this on the apple site.

http://store.apple.com/ca/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook?cid=MKT-BUYNOW-MACBOOK

Maybe just a secret update? Accident?
Let me know what you think.😀:apple:
Click to expand...

This thread is already about your "discovery"
 
Jack Flash said:
No, the 9400M in the White MacBook is just as fast as that in the Aluminum MacBook. Since both have the same 1066 MHz FSB and they share the same 2.0 GHz processor.

The Aluminum MacBook does have faster RAM, though.
Click to expand...

Yes, the Alu MacBook has faster RAM... and 9400M shares memory with the main system RAM.. therefore faster performance with DDR3 9400M vs. DDR2 9400M 🙂
Although, yes the difference will be minimal

It's like the performance difference between HD4850 with GDDR3 vs. HD4850 with GDDR4 🙂
 
akbc said:
Yes, the Alu MacBook has faster RAM... and 9400M shares memory with the main system RAM.. therefore faster performance with DDR3 9400M vs. DDR2 9400M 🙂

It's like the performance difference between HD4850 with GDDR3 vs. HD4850 with GDDR4 🙂
Click to expand...

Doh! You're absolutely right that it relies on RAM. I forgot that the 9400M was integrated. 😱

But, we will have to see if the RAM speed difference makes a tangible impact on the performance of the 9400M.
 
Jack Flash said:
No, the 9400M in the White MacBook is just as fast as that in the Aluminum MacBook. Since both have the same 1066 MHz FSB and they share the same 2.0 GHz processor.

The Aluminum MacBook does have faster RAM, though.



This thread is already about your "discovery"
Click to expand...

His thread was merged into this one.
 
Jack Flash said:
Doh! You're absolutely right that it relies on RAM. I forgot that the 9400M was integrated. 😱

But, we will have to see if the RAM speed difference makes a tangible impact on the performance of the 9400M.
Click to expand...


It will be interesting to see if, since it is the same MB as the unibody, that they just put slower ram in there or if it is a unique design built to cripple the white one to DDR2...
 
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