For a while it was 899 but it used to be 949. It must have been just a quick promo for those who noticed.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Macbook Update in progress (2.4Ghz)
- Thread starter pdubak
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
For a while it was 899 but it used to be 949. It must have been just a quick promo for those who noticed.
GPUs possibly soon.
An upgrade to the new GPUs can happen anytime now. New processors are a bigger issue.
An upgrade to the new GPUs can happen anytime now. New processors are a bigger issue.
khunsanook
macrumors 6502
Firewire is absolutely crucial for some of us. Those that don't need it...well, buy a MacBook.
Add to that list:
- Battery level indicator
- Slightly less weight
- Slightly smaller in all dimensions
I'd pay US$200 for that list (or NZ$250 in my case) if I was in the market for a 13" model. (Just bought a 15".)
ghostlyorb
macrumors 6502a
Education Store
The old model's price in the education store was $899 now it has gone to $949.
Urgh!
The old model's price in the education store was $899 now it has gone to $949.
Urgh!
DontMacTheGyver
macrumors regular
I don't understand.
Why is everybody discussing differences in specs regarding Macbook vs. MBP 13"? Obviously, Apple is about fashion rather than technology.
In that sense, spending USD 200 more on a MBP is a vanity move (hey, shiny aluminum), not one about better performance/specs.
If you want to get a decent price/technology ratio, simply opt for some non-Apple product.
Why is everybody discussing differences in specs regarding Macbook vs. MBP 13"? Obviously, Apple is about fashion rather than technology.
In that sense, spending USD 200 more on a MBP is a vanity move (hey, shiny aluminum), not one about better performance/specs.
If you want to get a decent price/technology ratio, simply opt for some non-Apple product.
Garion
macrumors regular
They don't know how to use an SD slot? As in "I don't know how to insert an SD card into an SD card slot?". Wow. "Most people", must be pretty stupid, huh? 🙄
iSamurai
macrumors 65816
bwillwall
Suspended
thejadedmonkey
macrumors G3
cmChimera
macrumors 601
There's been a lot of Apple bashing as of late. Did this become a Windows forum?
The differences between the two clearly justify the price difference.
alphaod
macrumors Core
Looks like a nice computer I can buy and toss in my bag… Now do I need a fifth notebook?
The SD card slot is useless for those of us who use professional cameras. The good stuff.
The SD card slot is useless for those of us who use professional cameras. The good stuff.
I'm in a pickle now. Do i get a Macbook and put the saving over a MBP (£150) towards a new Digital Camera, or are the extra list of features on the MBP worth that extra cash ?
- SD slot doesn't really bother me, i find it just as easy to plug my cameras in by cable.
- Battery level indicator, a neat feature but nothing worth making a decision over.
-Alluminium body, more resistant to scratches than the Macbook, but less durable overall. Looks nicer, and this will only continue over time as your Macbook gets dirtier. (If only the Macbook was matte, the decision would be much easier)
-4GB vs 2GB. Heard conflicting reports about the necessity for 4GB of RAM under 10.6
-Backlit keyboard, i've managed fine without one with my current laptop, but again, would be a nice bonus.
-Firewire. I haven't used it in years.
😕
- SD slot doesn't really bother me, i find it just as easy to plug my cameras in by cable.
- Battery level indicator, a neat feature but nothing worth making a decision over.
-Alluminium body, more resistant to scratches than the Macbook, but less durable overall. Looks nicer, and this will only continue over time as your Macbook gets dirtier. (If only the Macbook was matte, the decision would be much easier)
-4GB vs 2GB. Heard conflicting reports about the necessity for 4GB of RAM under 10.6
-Backlit keyboard, i've managed fine without one with my current laptop, but again, would be a nice bonus.
-Firewire. I haven't used it in years.
😕
Looking over the posts so far, here is a collected summary of the differences between the base 13" MBP vs the base 13" MB. For 200 dollars more, you get:
- Illuminated Keyboard
- FW800 port
- Crack resistant aluminum case
- SD card slot
- 4 GB of RAM instead of 2GB on the MB
- Separate Audio In and Audio Out/Headphone jacks (this has generally been overlooked so far, but is crucial if you want to use both headphones and audio out at the same time, or just don't like switching between them a lot)
- Battery level indicator
- Slightly less weight
- Slightly smaller in all dimensions
Both have about the same battery life. Only thing in favor of the MB is that Wi-fi reception may be better with the polycarbonate case. Other than that, it's really a no-brainer that the MBP is the much better deal. I'm sure Apple knows that and would be happy for most people to go for the MBP.
The real problem here is that the MB is $100 or so too expensive. If the same base model were $899, it would differentiate itself much better and would look more reasonable in relation to the MBP.
- Illuminated Keyboard
- FW800 port
- Crack resistant aluminum case
- SD card slot
- 4 GB of RAM instead of 2GB on the MB
- Separate Audio In and Audio Out/Headphone jacks (this has generally been overlooked so far, but is crucial if you want to use both headphones and audio out at the same time, or just don't like switching between them a lot)
- Battery level indicator
- Slightly less weight
- Slightly smaller in all dimensions
Both have about the same battery life. Only thing in favor of the MB is that Wi-fi reception may be better with the polycarbonate case. Other than that, it's really a no-brainer that the MBP is the much better deal. I'm sure Apple knows that and would be happy for most people to go for the MBP.
The real problem here is that the MB is $100 or so too expensive. If the same base model were $899, it would differentiate itself much better and would look more reasonable in relation to the MBP.
grefenius
macrumors newbie
Well, with the EUR going tits up these days, I do have some sympathy for Apple's price bump.
999 US / 1,24 USD/EUR (exchange rate) = 806 EUR excl VAT
806 EUR * 1,19 (VAT rate in Germany) = 959 EUR incl VAT
alphaod
macrumors Core
That will never happen if Apple wants to keep using the Lynnfield processors.
I think the justification depends on a persons needs, personally the only difference that would make any difference for me is firewire. The shiny aluminum case, SD slot, illuminated keyboard and battery indicator (which my late 2008 macbook has) are all mute, they're nice but not really essential for me in a notebook.
It's odd, as apple have made some really nice strides in their notebooks, with the unibody design, vastly improved battery life, multi touch trackpads. But in other areas they have been very stagnant, or have made what to some seem like odd choices.
- Bluray
- ESATA
- USB3
- FW 1600/3200
- HDMI
- Not having matte display options across all Pro models
- Not having a dedicated GPU across all Pro models
- Sticking with the Core 2 Duo on some models (granted the Nvidia/Intel thing hasn't helped)
- Nixing the Expresscard slot in the 15" MBP
- The SD card slot seems to suit consumer models more than the Pro models
I doubt I'd need all the above in a notebook, but there are solid arguments for and against them all, and IMHO for quite a few the arguments for outweigh the arguments against.
jlc1978
macrumors 604
Apple's port also connects with monitors, projectors, etc - which often don't have an HDMI port. While an HDMI port would be nice addition, replacing the mini-display port with it would not get rid of the need for adaptors for many users.
