Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

How rare are blackbooks? and are they worth more?

C

cootersgarage6

Guest
Original poster
Nov 6, 2010
215
0
I'm 14, and LOVE apple products, best thing in the world, no matter what. Lol. So, I can't afford a fancy new macbook JUST let, but we ONLY have apple products in our house for computers, MP3 players, we have the Apple TV's, Ipads, I phones, Imac's .. everything like that (my stepdad is rich, but he wont let me get anything) so... I could only afford the '06 macbook.... are the black books worth more then the other white ones that are NOT THE NEW ONES? and how much are they worth? with these specs

Thankss!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Check this site out:

http://www.mac2sell.net/

It's a good guide for how much a given model is worth. Your local craigslist and ebay are also good for ideas. Very, very few computers are worth more as collectibles. But have a look through that site with the specs you're interested in.
 
I still wonder why they don't sell the current plastic Macbook in black as well as white. Given that black plastic doesn't cost much more than white, it would probably increase sales.

Back in the day Apple sold iBooks in like five different colors, so it's not like they're not experienced in doing this.
 
They are a good bit more rare than the white ones, and typically are a little bit more expensive (not that much anymore) because they were always the highest spec models
 
I must admit that the black does look really cool but it shouldn't be worth more than the same spec White one. If you are really desperate and a brilliant White one comes take the White one because you'd find much more use for it in years to come and then you can buy other cool stuff out of your money.
 
dukebound85 said:
Partly so. People also value color. I mean heck, just look at the pent up want of the white iphone
Click to expand...

You're right, the blackbook was priced about $150 more (if I remember correctly) than a white macbook specced exactly the same. I can't imagine someone paying much more for a 4-year old notebook simply because it's black. Maybe you could get an extra $50...maybe.
 
Only worth more to the owners of the blackbooks.

Almost as crazy as people who call their aluminum MacBooks "limited edition".

If I recall they were 150 or so more, but came with a larger hard drive. After putting apples fee for the same hd in the white MacBook, it was a $50 or so premium for the color.
 
I used to have one before. Sold it on craigslist for a great price - much higher than what a white macbook with similar specs would have netted.

They generally seem to be worth more although the specs between the white and black are pretty much the same.

Yeah the blacks do look much better (IMO). But they show fingerprints and smudges very easily. Some problems with the black plastic exist. The keyboard case cracks easily on the edges. I had to replace mine twice over 4 years.
 
SidBala said:
problems with the black plastic exist. The keyboard case cracks easily on the edges. I had to replace mine twice over 4 years.
Click to expand...

There isn't a pre 2009 MacBook in existence that doesn't have this problem. Believe me - I saw every one on eBay.c.oUk for about two months before just plonking for a unibody. Brilliant now though - as long as the battery doesn't swell.
 
Well worth it at any price...

As an owner of a black MacBook for several years now, the envious (and sometimes curious) stares from the white MacBook owners at the coffee shop was well worth the extra money I paid for it. Also the lighted Apple logo really stands out and looks great!
The only downside is that you have to be meticulous about keeping it clean and avoid scratching it. Mine is over 3 years old now and in great condition considering I take it everywhere I go.

Important note though, whatever color you choose, be sure it has the Intel X3100 graphics and not the GMA950. VERY IMPORTANT!!!!
 
Actually had a black MB when I was 13/14. :)

I will say, it is nice to not be lumped in with everyone and their uncle with the white MBs. They did have larger hard drives and the higher spec CPU that you could also get in the high-end white model.

If you're looking to buy one, you probably won't pay more than $50-75 extra for a black one. I know the way kids operate; you'll probably want one. ;)
 
DeviaImmortalis said:
Important note though, whatever color you choose, be sure it has the Intel X3100 graphics and not the GMA950. VERY IMPORTANT!!!!
Click to expand...

Like that is going to make a big difference. Both are absolutely garbage GPUs. Both will perform dismally in games.

In 2D, they are not that much different.
 
My Blackbook was the final generation of black Macbook before the ill fated attempt to take Firewire out of the 1st gen unibody 13" Macbook (before they readded a Firewire (800) port and rebranded the machine as a Macbook Pro).

In the UK it was about £150 more iirc than the highest spec white Macbook (which was the middle of a range of 3, black being the top). With that generation the Blackbook had a 2.4GHz Core2Duo and 2Gb memory and 250Gb hatrd drive, while the highest spec white Macbook had a 2.1GHz Core2Duo, 1Gb memory and 160Gb hard drive.

Beyond that they were identical across the range.

And as someone else pointed out, both the GMA950 and X3100 graphics chipsets suck balls.
 
I have the mid-2008 BlackBook (and I love it, though I also had the cracking trackpad problem. Because it is a known issue, Apple will fix it for free though).

If aesthetics are important to you (and I'd wager they are important to quite a few Apple fans), I'd go for the black...not just because black "looks cooler" than white (or whatever), but because a four-year-old white plastic computer is likely to be discolored in some way and look more obviously "used" cosmetically.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back