Apple Releases New MacBooks

[milo]

I generally have low expectations for updates, but this is disappointing by any standard.

Apple needs to put
1) DVD burners in all models. Period.
2) Better GPU - I'm fine with integrated, but intel has a better one than this available.

There's no excuse for those two, neither costs much at all these days.

It would also be nice to see Santa Rosa in these, but that's not that big a deal. Seriously, if apple wants to make a bare bones model, it should be $799 or something. Any computer over a grand should have a DVD burner and a graphics chipset that isn't years old.

 

[Grimace]

I have a hunch that this very modest update has nothing much to do with making MacBook users happy. It looks a lot like the baseline, minimal Mac that will credibly run Leopard.

That actually makes a lot of sense. If the minimum specs for Leopard include "1GB of RAM" -- Apple has to move the entire line up to that at some point.

 

[gmanrique]

hence my point...

I use the computer as a whole not individual pieces. No matter what is said about the integrated graphics card, the MacBook is way better than any iBook.

And, as I also said, Dell is not only selling Laptops with Santa Rosa chips on them. In fact, a similarly spec Dell to the mid line MacBook is more expensive.

Did you even read my post? I said the graphics card in my iBook was better than the current Macbook's integrated graphics. No **** the current Macbook processors are way faster, but the graphics card isn't.

 

[PlaceofDis]

That actually makes a lot of sense. If the minimum specs for Leopard include "1GB of RAM" -- Apple has to move the entire line up to that at some point.

1Gig min? unlikely. recommended? sure.

 

[nxent]

someone please explain to me why people expect apple to put newer technologies on the consumer products before the high end products?

 

[gmanrique]

or they could offer...

on option with the DVD burner and one without it. Oh, wait a minute, that is what they do.

People will always find way to complain.

Then maybe Apple should remove iDVD and iMovie from the iLife suite.

 

[Manic Mouse]

Ha, ha! Tell us how you really feel, OK?

Lol good post.

Like to say a big "thank you" to all that agree with me/supported me. I've been waiting a LONG time for this update and it was a SERIOUS disappointment. I went a little off the wall, for which I'm sorry. But it sure did bring out a lot of jerks and name calling, you lot should be ashamed of yourself. Take a good look at yourselves in the mirror, hope your proud.

Thanks to all those who agreed/supported me, especially wolfpup who put forward my POV perfectly while I was revising.

The last thing the MB needed is a CPU upgrade. Apple should have addressed it's weakness by putting in the new integrated graphics. This is such a backwards looking update in a time when transition to new tech is in full swing. Old CPU, old chipset, seriously old and crippled GPU. The Apple TV has a better GPU for flip's sake!

As for all those saying I should buy a MBP or that I'm cheap. I'm not. I have plenty of money to buy a MBP if I wanted one. I don't want one though, because I don't like the keyboard or design and size is a small issue.

 

[Ironduke]

well guys when you think about it Apple were never going to give the macbook Santa Rosa while leaving the MBP out.

I took the pinch and bought a blackbook, the way I see it is im getting a better specced product for 50 ukp's cheaper then people did a few weeks ago.

what this certainly means now is the MBP will recieve SR + LED when its officially updated in the next month or so.

 

[Shotgun OS]

Ahahahaha.
For once, I didn't get screwed nor feel pissed about buying something right before an update happens.

Totally weak update. Hopefully something exciting comes up soon. All this waiting for nothing is getting kinda lame.

 

[-hh]

just out of curiosity, what laptop did you take with you?

An IBM T41p. Note however, that these were bought waaaay back in December 2003, so they're now ~3.5 years old.

Our choices locally are highly limited because of Corporate policies: we're a Windows-only and a "must buy off of the corporate Dell contract" shop.

We didn't want to have Dells (again) because they were heavy, battery sucking and fragile ... we were only getting around 18 months out of them before they were trashed.

We were able to do a strong political push to get a waiver on local policy, based on our requirements (mostly weight & battery life), the fact that the Dells were breaking, and two rounds of bidding by the local pre-approved Dell vendor before he admitted that he couldn't meet the spec's of the IBM.

Considering that they've lasted twice as long as the Dells we would have bought...and none of them have gone out of service yet...I'd say that our position was strongly vindicated and that this 'more expensive' hardware has clearly paid for itself.

IIRC, they cost us around $3,500 each, including a docking station & 17" LCD monitor.

Only problem is that even though its only ~5lbs, it still feels like an anchor, carrying it through airports. I had to almost run through Amsterdam three weeks ago ... made it from Concourse "B" to "G" in only 30 minutes.


-hh

 

[mrpiddly]

If you hate this update so much why dont you go get a job with apple, then over a 30 year period you slowly become steve jobs personal advisor. Finally, in 2037, you tell jobs how much he sucks for not putting SR in the mac book update back in 2007.

 

[2tallyAwesome]

I generally have low expectations for updates, but this is disappointing by any standard.

Apple needs to put
1) DVD burners in all models. Period.
2) Better GPU - I'm fine with integrated, but intel has a better one than this available.

There's no excuse for those two, neither costs much at all these days.

Excuse me...but WHY?

Who made you the all knower of exactly what the consumer wants or needs? I personally don't NEED a dvd burner, and wouldn't want to pay more for it, even if it was a slight increase.

Apple offers product lines for the subsets of the market that they choose to cater to. One such subset are the people that don't give a flying f*ck about dvd burners, myself included.

IMO they offer enough in their low-end MB to counter the fact there is no DVD burner.

So please don't state something as a fact, that is completely your subjective opinion.

 

[tristan]

Good job, AppleInsider, you predicted all of this last week. You're the man now, dog.

 

[rs76]

The timing of this release had to be a problem for Apple. 6-8 weeks ago this probably would have made many MacBook fans happier they they are currently. On the other hand MacBook and Pro models would have been closer in features for several months (thinking that MAYBE new Pro will have Santa Rosa and SR wouldn't be available until mid-June).

Assuming Apple sticks with the Core 2 Duo for the MacBook what better integrated graphics card could have been used?

 

[CptnJustc]

someone please explain to me why people expect apple to put newer technologies on the consumer products before the high end products?

Because a major part of the specific technology in question -- the improved integrated graphics card -- is aimed at 'consumer' products. My Core Duo MBP (purchased a couple months before the C2Ds came out) will still likely beat the pants off of any Santa Rosa-GMA X3100 laptop when it comes to Warcraft. Not sure about Aperture, though. =/

 

[BigPrince]

I wish we could of had a more orderly discussion between the yay sayers and the nay sayers.

I wonder if the MBP will get Santa Rosa and if they don't, I wonder how many of these people will defend them because the next revision of the MBP does not need Santa Rosa, IF in fact there is really so little difference.

 

[Manic Mouse]

Exactly. I couldn't care less about Santa Rosa (or any other stupid Intel codename for that matter)...

The only thing REALLY missing from the MBs is a reasonable GPU, be it onboard or separate...that's all, and the only reason I am not buying one yet.

I totally agree with you on the GPU. However you do realise the main gain with Santa Rosa is that it has a significantly better integrated chip? And this is why many of use wanted it?

 

[sbbruiser]

There is a pretty wide price gap between the higher end MacBook and the MacBook Pro. My question would be if a machine in the $1600-1700 range that included better graphics would appeal to "gamesumers"? The 12" Powerbook used to fall into this price range and that price point is missing. As a 12" Powerbook owner I hope they fill that gap....but I worry that any new smaller, more powerful laptop will be priced higher then the current low end MacBook Pro.

I hear ya. I am a 12" PB owner, and I would love to have a "pro" laptop at 12"-13". 15" is just too much computer for me to lug around as much as much as I do my 12". I think a 13" MB with the SR motherboard or at least a separate, more powerful GPU would be the perfect spec combo for the "premium" BlacBook. At the very least, I would appreciate having the option to upgrade the GPU.

Speaking of the BlacBook, I was disappointed to find that the premium to get a MB in matte black went up from $50 to $125. The old mid-range MB used to be $200 less than the BlacBook, but only $50 less when upgraded to match the BlacBook's hard drive capacity. Now, you can upgrade the mid-range MB to equal a BlacBook for only $75, which leaves a $125 price gap between the two computers. I normally don't complain about Apple's pricing because I feel that the software package included with the systems is well worth the premium, but in this case, I am a little miffed. Yes, it might make business sense to pray upon people's lust for the dark case, but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth as a loyal apple consumer to be charged more to not get any extra "functional" value.

Anyway, I might have wanted more from this update, but I always do appreciate a price drop!

jp

P.S. More HD capacity + faster processors for the same price = a price drop.

 

[Azurael]

Nonsense.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/86/images_large/41.jpg

You show me where they could put it then (bearing in mind that you can't mount a BGA chip on the opposite side of the board behind another.)

And besides, they can just as well replace the GMA950 with the X3000.

They will. Later in the year, when the chipset in the Macbook gets upgraded to a 965 ('Santa Rosa' platform), it will get the GMA X3100M that is an inherent part of that chipset. They cannot 'replace the GMA950' without doing so; it is part of the northbridge.

That said, GMA X3xxx still sucks. At least it has hardware vertex shaders, which might help performance somewhat, but benchmarks today show the X3000 to be barely faster than the GMA950, and the mobile version (the X3100) is clocked substantially slower.

If Apple must stick to integrated graphics as a cost/board space saving measure, they could switch to an ATI or NVidia chipset, both of whom offer UMA solutions which are in the region of 2-3x as fast as GMA950. That said, Apple probably have an exclusivity clause in their contract with Intel, which is the reason they're allowed technology like 3GHz Clovertowns earlier than other PC OEMs.

 

[Starship77]

Why the hell they still put Combo drives in these things?? Well, that's something the typical MB user would enjoy... Superdrives in all models! I'm prety sure it's not that expensive and they could let the RAM in 512 or something (because the RAM is something you can upgrade later) but put Superdrives in the bottomline! I hate those minis with combos... they should all get DVD burners! it's simple...

 

[SiliconAddict]

Cmon Steve, I thought 2007 was gonna be better than any other year. Lame...

 

[maknik]

Losing the argument...

All you Defends of the Update are, I believe, losing the argument.

For this story right now:
Rating (252 Positives; 1079 Negatives)

The main complaints: the GPU still stinks, and no DVD burning is silly.

More to the point, your aggressive tone in defending Apple is off-putting to all the newbies here. Macrumors is the cutting edge for switchers, some of the most computer-savvy PC-to-potential-mac people out there, who can change a lot of other minds if they switch. Apple's entire ad campaign is oriented around switching these days. You of course own Apple nothing, but your "defense" of Apple is sadly misguided if you think taking a crap all over every disappointed potential switcher or once excited upgrader is the way to go.

All of you who say, Apple's just a company out to make a profit, if you don't want the product, don't buy it (though none that politely) -- what do you think product reviewers are doing? Mossberg, Pogue? They are saying exactly the same stuff these people are saying: for the price, given the competition, product X is weak. Maybe they are wrong (price comparisons are the only way to resolve that), but that doesn't mean the expression of this type of opinion is wrong; hundreds of magazines and blogs do exactly this every day. The whole point of Macrumors forums is to discuss the pros and cons of products and potential products.

And please, let us not fall back on the "it's all about the OS" argument. Of course the OS is better, but changing the topic to the superiority of the OS is a throwback to the bad old days when the PowerPC limped along and we touted the OS instead.

Snarky bits: Thirty years from now, there we are, hand-cranking our abacuses: "It may be slow, but the OS is awesome and no viruses ever!"

Or, Jobs has a brain hemorrhage and introduces the iTurd, a turd with an Apple logo. "Hey, no one's forcing you to buy it! Expressing disgust is so trollish!"

Arguing the merits of the MB is totally fair. And based on the voting, opinion is trending 5-1 against -- worse than GWB's numbers!

 

[tristan]

No mention in today's article, of course, about the bogus "five new MacBook models" prediction in yesterday's article.

That may be why the site is called "MacRumors", not "MacPredictions" or "MacFacts".

That said, AppleInsider did make the right call this time.

 

[MacFly123]

lmao. You're bitching about a Macbook not running Final Cut Studio and that you have to pay $1000 more to get a Macbook Pro to run it? lmao.

If you can afford to pay $1300 for Final Cut Studio, then you can afford to buy a Macbook Pro.

You're right, if I can afford one thing of course I just have more than double that laying around Thanks for reminding me that you know more about my finances than I do.

 

[2tallyAwesome]

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/86/images_large/41.jpg

You show me where they could put it then (bearing in mind that you can't mount a BGA chip on the opposite side of the board behind another.)



They will. Later in the year, when the chipset in the Macbook gets upgraded to a 965 ('Santa Rosa' platform), it will get the GMA X3100M that is an inherent part of that chipset. They cannot 'replace the GMA950' without doing so; it is part of the northbridge.

That said, GMA X3xxx still sucks. At least it has hardware vertex shaders, which might help performance somewhat, but benchmarks today show the X3000 to be barely faster than the GMA950, and the mobile version (the X3100) is clocked substantially slower.

You know how much of that the normal consumer cares about?

zero.

They don't even understand what any of that means, and from personal experience, it doesn't matter in the long run. Things just work, and that's what they care about. How the job gets done is irellevant. If you want to compare specs, get a PC, because since they ALL suck, it's the only thing worth comparing.