Intel must feel that the smaller L2 isn't detremental to the CPU's performance in respects to a certain price range. L2 cache will deminish in importance once the onboard memory controller hits. Plus I would figure yeilds are better for the 3mb chips versus the 6mb ones (hence lower street price). I would also think that (from a OC guy perspective) the 3mb chips are also more overclockable than the 6mb chips.
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Apple Releases Penryn-Based MacBooks
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Intel must feel that the smaller L2 isn't detremental to the CPU's performance in respects to a certain price range. L2 cache will deminish in importance once the onboard memory controller hits. Plus I would figure yeilds are better for the 3mb chips versus the 6mb ones (hence lower street price). I would also think that (from a OC guy perspective) the 3mb chips are also more overclockable than the 6mb chips.
I would have loved to see a brighter LED screen and perhaps a backlit keyboard but that's no big deal. I really could careless about the multi-touch trackpad because I don't think I would discipline myself to use its features.
My roommate just bought a compaq notebook for $700 and the screen is night and day better than the current Macbook line -- I really wish Apple would have tackled this issue in their update.
My roommate just bought a compaq notebook for $700 and the screen is night and day better than the current Macbook line -- I really wish Apple would have tackled this issue in their update.
With Apple's new policy of updating /releasing something new every week there is always next Tuesday...
Weird...I wonder why.
What does multitouch even DO on the laptops that have it. Is application support already in place?
Completely agree. I returned a black Macbook last month due to the screen quality. Very poor in my mind. I will wait for a LED backlit screen or until the MBA comes down in price (I think it may soon!)
-Andy
I love white. I'm miffed that the black costs more. Who's paying more for the generic color?? Every Dell made in the last 8 years was black. I'll keep white, thanks very much.
success, I don't have to pay restocking fee....however not available at the moment maybe later today he said
DVD burner drives are so widely available that the price difference compared to DVD-ROM when building these Macs is tiny. It's Apple that's placing an artificial premium on the burner.
That's what makes it so annoying to the majority of people - regardless of whether you need the burner or not. Especially as you can buy a cheap £400 laptop that does come with a DVD burner as standard.
(Yes, I know, A.N.Other laptop isn't a Mac, doesn't have OS X, etc, etc, etc.)
If the base Macbook had a DVD burner, I'd probably get one.
oh you are paying extra mate. if apple sell macbook with all the regular spec they have or even good processor and make you pay over 100$ usd more for the next machine up to get a dvd burner (dvd burners cost just a few hundred pennies more) you are paying much more than you need. they define the low end which i think you are paying way too much for.
for instance, what if you just had to burn a dvd or found out that you needed to even once... trust me, those extra 10 dollars would go a long way in the end. buying bare minimum in computers is never a good idea. neither is bleeding edge unless you are funded or really need it.
i would be very upset that it does not have dvd burner. when i had my ibook g4 (basic model) in 2004, i was upset that it had only a combo drive : 4 years ago!
apple are pathetic
Booo on the MacBook Update
I own a MacBook and for the most part love it. But there is one issue that plagues it, and Apple apparently refuses to fix it...the graphics card/chipset. It a pretty sad state of affairs when you buy a brand new Mac, only to find out there is Apple-Branded software that is won't run very well (Aperture) or in some cases won't run at all (Motion). I know what you're thinking...it's not a pro machine and those are pro apps. Explain games to me then...there's almost no games you can run on the MacBook because it doesn't have a true graphics card. Are games only for pros too?
I'm not suggesting they need to put it on par with the MacBook Pro...hell, put an older graphics card in there, with only a third of the VRAM of the MacBook Pro. Besides, there are lots of other things that distinguish the Pro...such as larger displays, backlit keyboards, now multi touch, firewire 800, much cooler enclosure, express card slot for expansion.
Come on Apple...stop selling us a crippled MacBook. You've never taken the "Cheap" route before...why do it now?
I own a MacBook and for the most part love it. But there is one issue that plagues it, and Apple apparently refuses to fix it...the graphics card/chipset. It a pretty sad state of affairs when you buy a brand new Mac, only to find out there is Apple-Branded software that is won't run very well (Aperture) or in some cases won't run at all (Motion). I know what you're thinking...it's not a pro machine and those are pro apps. Explain games to me then...there's almost no games you can run on the MacBook because it doesn't have a true graphics card. Are games only for pros too?
I'm not suggesting they need to put it on par with the MacBook Pro...hell, put an older graphics card in there, with only a third of the VRAM of the MacBook Pro. Besides, there are lots of other things that distinguish the Pro...such as larger displays, backlit keyboards, now multi touch, firewire 800, much cooler enclosure, express card slot for expansion.
Come on Apple...stop selling us a crippled MacBook. You've never taken the "Cheap" route before...why do it now?
can someone tell me about the led backlit screens, how much better are they in terms of the picture than an lcd? is it really worth it to buy a mbp over a mb because of this feature alone?
MB and MBP simultaneous update significant?
Although I'm not in the market for a new laptop (my 12" PB still does what I need it to do) I think it's interesting that they updated the MB and MBP on the same day. Has Apple done this recently? I hope they continue this trend then it would be clearer which laptop you should buy instead of having only one line updated every 3-4 months. Unless they've done this before, but I can't remember when
Although I'm not in the market for a new laptop (my 12" PB still does what I need it to do) I think it's interesting that they updated the MB and MBP on the same day. Has Apple done this recently? I hope they continue this trend then it would be clearer which laptop you should buy instead of having only one line updated every 3-4 months. Unless they've done this before, but I can't remember when
The smaller L2 cache means nothing.
If you are moving to a new chip completely, then the smaller L2 cache means nothing. Often, smaller is better, as far as chip design is concerned. Having a larger L2 cache could possibly have slowed things down. It all depends on the design of the chip, and the optimizations that Intel has made.
Dont worry, the sky is not falling. These chips are most probably going to be significantly faster. Also, the larger HD is pretty cool.
I dont get the gripes about the Combo Drive either. Yes it would be nice if Apple included a SuperDrive. And it would be nice if they included a backlit keyboard. It would be nice if they basically sold the Macbook Pros at that price point, but Apple has to create some differentiation. The point of the lowest Macbook is to provide a low featured device (so it doesnt steal sales from the upper models) yet at the same time give those who are not willing to spend more than 1100 an opportunity to run OS X. Hence the differentiations.
Besides, what does one do with a DVD Burner nowadays? The only thing I can foresee is burning Suse Linux DVDs (instead of the CDs) or burning movies, the second of which is illegal. You would be silly not to be backing up to a hard drive instead, what with Time Machine and all.
If you are moving to a new chip completely, then the smaller L2 cache means nothing. Often, smaller is better, as far as chip design is concerned. Having a larger L2 cache could possibly have slowed things down. It all depends on the design of the chip, and the optimizations that Intel has made.
Dont worry, the sky is not falling. These chips are most probably going to be significantly faster. Also, the larger HD is pretty cool.
I dont get the gripes about the Combo Drive either. Yes it would be nice if Apple included a SuperDrive. And it would be nice if they included a backlit keyboard. It would be nice if they basically sold the Macbook Pros at that price point, but Apple has to create some differentiation. The point of the lowest Macbook is to provide a low featured device (so it doesnt steal sales from the upper models) yet at the same time give those who are not willing to spend more than 1100 an opportunity to run OS X. Hence the differentiations.
Besides, what does one do with a DVD Burner nowadays? The only thing I can foresee is burning Suse Linux DVDs (instead of the CDs) or burning movies, the second of which is illegal. You would be silly not to be backing up to a hard drive instead, what with Time Machine and all.
Apple has (sadly) always taken the "cheap" route when it comes to graphics support. Steve Jobs finds gaming personally irrelevent and that attitude rains down upon Apple as well. Plust they want to make sure that their pro Apps only work on Pro machines, so technically while Apeture should at least "work" on a MacBook, allegedly it doesn't for some reason... I'm not going to point fingers, but it sounds like there's some crippling going on... I'll reserve judgement until I've tried it myself though.
-Clive
No, I'm not. But thanks for your concern!
Have a guess why I bought the 'bottom' spec MacBook in December of last year? It's because it does exactly what I want at a price point that I was willing to pay. Therefore, both Apple and myself were happy with the specs and price which resulted in a sale. It's basic economics.
Why do you think aeroplanes and trains have an 'Economy Class'? Or why do supermarkets sell both 'Value' and 'Premium' food ranges? Or why do Starbucks allow customers to add soy milk or an extra shot to their coffee?
Enough of the combo drive!
Apple, just kill that combo drive! WTF?! How can this drive still be around in order to cut costs? Oh please.
Apple, just kill that combo drive! WTF?! How can this drive still be around in order to cut costs? Oh please.
i understand the illustration you gave, funny. at least in a plane, you still can go to the toilet in the same section as the non-cattle sections. with a macbook using 5 or 6 year old technology, you may well be paying for scare components as well. the difference really is nothing more than 10$. they charge premium for the low end.
there should be no way that a 1099$ and in uk even more expensive for a computer that still has not only a combo drive but only 1gb ram. i think apple charge competitive for their higher end machines considering construction and everything but always, the low end seems to be quite expensive to the compeittion.
i understand the argument, they are sound. what is not sound is apple's dire conviction to stab the people who want a cheaper machine. the attitude is a basic, piss off if you want something that ain't gonna be more than 1500$. take this chewed on shoe string and we will call it a yo-yo.
there should be no way that a 1099$ and in uk even more expensive for a computer that still has not only a combo drive but only 1gb ram. i think apple charge competitive for their higher end machines considering construction and everything but always, the low end seems to be quite expensive to the compeittion.
i understand the argument, they are sound. what is not sound is apple's dire conviction to stab the people who want a cheaper machine. the attitude is a basic, piss off if you want something that ain't gonna be more than 1500$. take this chewed on shoe string and we will call it a yo-yo.
i don't mind apple putting a combo drive in the base model. if you want to burn dvd's, upgrade it. not that big of a deal. i am surprised that multi-touch is not included.
Re the apparent 14-day grace period for people who just bought the previous one:
* Does it start when you received it (I assume so) or when you ordered it?
* Is it only an exchange, or can you choose money back? (Price protection--although I don't see old ones at Apple.com for clearance pricing anyway.)
TIA - I know someone who ordered one from the Apple.com edu store and took delivery recently, after some order delay.
(And I know Apple will sometimes bend rules--but I'm wondering what the official rule is.)
* Does it start when you received it (I assume so) or when you ordered it?
* Is it only an exchange, or can you choose money back? (Price protection--although I don't see old ones at Apple.com for clearance pricing anyway.)
TIA - I know someone who ordered one from the Apple.com edu store and took delivery recently, after some order delay.
(And I know Apple will sometimes bend rules--but I'm wondering what the official rule is.)
