MacBook (2006–2012): Difference between revisions
m →Overview: linked mini displayport |
Price lowerd in the USA, other markets appear to have had a price increase. |
||
| Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
The '''MacBook''' is a [[Macintosh]] [[Laptop|notebook computer]] by [[Apple Inc.]] that replaced the [[iBook G4]] and 12" [[PowerBook]] series of notebooks. The first MacBook was released on [[May 16]], [[2006]], and used the [[Intel]] [[Core Duo]] [[Central processing unit|processor]] and [[List of Intel chipsets#Mobile Chipsets|945GM]] [[chipset]], with Intel's [[Intel GMA#GMA 950|GMA950]] integrated graphics on a 667 MHz [[front-side bus]]. Later revisions of the MacBook moved to the [[Core 2 Duo]] processor and the [[List of Intel chipsets#Mobile Chipsets|GM965]] chipset, with Intel's [[Intel GMA#GMA X3100|X3100]] integrated graphics on an 800 MHz system bus. |
The '''MacBook''' is a [[Macintosh]] [[Laptop|notebook computer]] by [[Apple Inc.]] that replaced the [[iBook G4]] and 12" [[PowerBook]] series of notebooks. The first MacBook was released on [[May 16]], [[2006]], and used the [[Intel]] [[Core Duo]] [[Central processing unit|processor]] and [[List of Intel chipsets#Mobile Chipsets|945GM]] [[chipset]], with Intel's [[Intel GMA#GMA 950|GMA950]] integrated graphics on a 667 MHz [[front-side bus]]. Later revisions of the MacBook moved to the [[Core 2 Duo]] processor and the [[List of Intel chipsets#Mobile Chipsets|GM965]] chipset, with Intel's [[Intel GMA#GMA X3100|X3100]] integrated graphics on an 800 MHz system bus. |
||
The sixth and most recent update to the MacBook line occurred on [[October 14]], [[2008]]. The update brought an [[aluminum]] case redesign, a multi-touch glass trackpad, and introduced an [[NVIDIA]] chipset, which uses an 1066 MHz system bus and includes integrated [[GeForce]] 9400M graphics. The white [[polycarbonate]] model is still available; its price has been lowered. |
The sixth and most recent update to the MacBook line occurred on [[October 14]], [[2008]]. The update brought an [[aluminum]] case redesign, a multi-touch glass trackpad, and introduced an [[NVIDIA]] chipset, which uses an 1066 MHz system bus and includes integrated [[GeForce]] 9400M graphics. The white [[polycarbonate]] model is still available; its price has been lowered in the USA. |
||
==Overview== |
==Overview== |
||
Revision as of 00:32, 15 October 2008
| The MacBook 13" | |
| Developer | Apple Inc. |
|---|---|
| Type | Laptop |
| Release date | 2008-05-16 (last updated 2008-10-14) |
| Introductory price | USD$999/$1,299/$1,599 GBP£719/£949/£1,149 |
| CPU | 2.0 / 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo |
| Website | Apple — MacBook |
The MacBook is a Macintosh notebook computer by Apple Inc. that replaced the iBook G4 and 12" PowerBook series of notebooks. The first MacBook was released on May 16, 2006, and used the Intel Core Duo processor and 945GM chipset, with Intel's GMA950 integrated graphics on a 667 MHz front-side bus. Later revisions of the MacBook moved to the Core 2 Duo processor and the GM965 chipset, with Intel's X3100 integrated graphics on an 800 MHz system bus.
The sixth and most recent update to the MacBook line occurred on October 14, 2008. The update brought an aluminum case redesign, a multi-touch glass trackpad, and introduced an NVIDIA chipset, which uses an 1066 MHz system bus and includes integrated GeForce 9400M graphics. The white polycarbonate model is still available; its price has been lowered in the USA.
Overview
The MacBooks feature a widescreen 13.3-inch glossy LCD display with a 1280x800-pixel resolution and a built-in iSight webcam. The aluminum model has LED screen backlighting, while the polycarbonate model uses traditional CFL backlighting. Input and output ('IO') ports on the polycarbonate model include mini-DVI, built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet, AirPort Extreme 802.11 wireless, two USB 2.0 ports, one Firewire 400 port, and Bluetooth 2.0. The aluminum model offers similar IO options, though it no longer offers a FireWire port, it replaced the mini-DVI port with Mini DisplayPort, and it features Bluetooth 2.1. Sound capabilities found on the MacBooks include built-in stereo speakers, built-in omnidirectional microphone, audio line in, and headphone audio out. The MacBooks close with a magnetic latch mechanism. The polycarbonate model uses a Scrolling TrackPad, while the aluminum model has an multi-touch glass trackpad. The upgraded aluminum MacBook also offers an backlit keyboard.
MacBooks come pre-loaded with Mac OS X v10.5, which includes Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, iTunes, and Xcode Developer Tools. It also comes with iLife '08, which includes iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand.
Specifications
Products currently offered for sale are denoted in green.
Aluminum MacBooks
| Model | Late 2008[1] |
|---|---|
| Release date |
October 14, 2008 |
| Display | 13.3-inch LED backlit glossy widescreen; 1280 x 800 pixel resolution |
| Graphics | Integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory |
| Processor | 2.0 GHz or 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (P7350/P8600) |
| Hard drive Serial ATA 5400 rpm |
160 GB or 250 GB , optional: 320 GB; 128 GB SSD |
| Memory Two slots for DDR3 SDRAM (PC3-8500) |
2 GB (2x1 GB) max. 4 GB |
| AirPort Extreme | Integrated 802.11a/b/g and draft-n |
| Internal Slot-Loading SuperDrive | 8x DVD+R DL writes, 8x DVD±R read, 4x DVD±RW writes, 24x CD-R, and 10x CD-RW recording |
| Minimum operating system required | Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.5 |
| Weight | 4.5 pounds / 2.04 kg |
| Dimensions | 0.95 x 12.78 x 8.94 inches / 24.1 x 325 x 227 mm |
Polycarbonate MacBooks
| Model | Early 2006[2]1 | Late 2006[3] | Mid 2007[4] | Late 2007[5] | Early 2008[6] | White [7][1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release date |
May 16, 2006 | November 8, 2006 | May 15, 2007 | November 1, 2007 | February 26, 2008 | October 14, 2008 |
| Display | 13.3-inch (viewable) glossy widescreen; 1280 x 800 pixel resolution | |||||
| Graphics | Intel GMA 950 graphics processor using 64 MB (64 MiB) of DDR2 SDRAM shared by main memory (up to 224 MB in Windows through Boot Camp).[2] | Intel GMA X3100 graphics processor using 144 MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared by main memory | ||||
| Processor | 1.83 GHz or 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo (T2400/T2500) |
1.83 GHz or 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (T5600/T7200) |
2.0 GHz or 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (T7200/T7400) |
2.0 GHz or 2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (T7300/T7500) |
2.1 GHz or 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (T8100/T8300) |
2.1 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (T8100) |
| Hard drive Serial ATA 5400 rpm2 |
60 GB or 80 GB Optional 100 GB, 120 GB |
60 GB, 80 GB or 120 GB Optional 160 GB, 200 GB (4200 rpm) |
80 GB, 120 GB or 160 GB Optional 200 GB, 4200 rpm. |
80 GB, 120 GB or 160 GB Optional 250 GB, 5400 rpm. |
120 GB, 160 GB, or 250 GB | 120GB Optional 160 GB or 250 GB |
| Memory Two slots for DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300) |
512 MB stock (2x256) max. 2 GB |
512 MB (2x256) or 1 GB (2x512 MB) max. 2 GB |
1 GB (2x512 MB) max. 2 GB |
1 GB (2x512 MB) or 2 GB (2 x 1 GB) max. 4 GB |
1 GB (2x512 MB) or 2 GB (2 x 1 GB) max. 4 GB |
1 GB (2x512 MB) max. 4 GB |
| AirPort Extreme | Integrated 802.11a/b/g | Integrated 802.11a/b/g and draft-n (n disabled by default)3 |
Integrated 802.11a/b/g and draft-n (n enabled) | |||
| Combo drive4 Base model only |
8x DVD read, 24x CD-R and 10x CD-RW recording | 8x DVD read, 24x CD-R and 16x CD-RW recording | n/a | |||
| Internal slot-loading SuperDrive3 | 8x double-layer discs reads. 4x DVD±R & RW recording. 24x CD-R and 10x CD-RW recording | 2.4x DVD+R DL writes, 6x DVD±R read, 4x DVD±RW writes, 24x CD-R, and 10x CD-RW recording | 4x DVD+R DL writes, 8x DVD±R read, 4x DVD±RW writes, 24x CD-R, and 10x CD-RW recording | |||
| Minimum operating system required | Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.6[3] | Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.8[4] | Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.0[5] (introduces non-beta Boot Camp for other operating systems) | Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.4 | ||
| Weight | 5.2 pounds / 2.36 kg | 5.1 pounds / 2.31 kg | 5.0 pounds / 2.27 kg | |||
| Dimensions | 1.08 x 12.78 x 8.92 inches / 27.5 x 325 x 227 mm | |||||
Notes:
1Some of these early MacBooks had a problem with "random shutdowns". According to Apple,[6] software and firmware updates have fixed the problem.
2Hard drives listed are configurations available from Apple. Since the hard drive is a user-replaceable part, there are custom configurations available, including the use of faster 7200-rpm drives.
3Enabling Wireless-N functionality may require an 802.11n-capable AirPort Extreme Base Station, which includes wireless-N enabler software to be installed on older MacBooks. Alternatively, the enabler software may be purchased from Apple separately.[7]
4Noted optical drive speeds are the maximum possible for each drive.
5Comencing with the Early 2008 revision, the Apple Remote became an optional addition.
Design
The polycarbonate MacBook's appearance is loosely based on that of its predecessor, the iBook G4. In addition to the classic white case, Apple had offered a "premium" black case option.
Display
The MacBook was the first Apple portable to feature a glossy display, which is now standard on Apple's notebook line. The different reflective properties of glossy displays are said to increase color saturation when compared with anti-glare displays. The earlier versions of the Intel-based MacBooks are noted for having very inexpensive screens, making them incapable of using the millions of colors promised by Apple. This seems to have been rectified and Apple has settled a lawsuit in court.[9] The defect was due to the use of inexpensive 6-bit Twisted nematic LCD screens, the use of which is nearly universal throughout the portable market. It was partially concealed through the use of dithering.[10] The screens of polycarbonate MacBooks are backlit by traditional CFLs, while the aluminum MacBook's screens have an LED backlight.
Keyboard
The MacBook was Apple's first notebook to feature its now standard sunken keyboard design. There are two physical keyboard layouts: an ISO/international layout with a vertical return key crossing two rows, and a US/North America layout with a horizontal, wider return key in one row. With the late 2007 revision, the keyboard underwent a slight redesign of offered functions and now closely mirrors the keyboard that ships with the iMac and includes the same player function hot-keys, removing the embedded virtual numeric keypad and the Apple logo from the command keys.[11] This presaged removal of the included remote control at the February 2008 revision. The color scheme for keys and labels is white with grey lettering for the white model, and black with white lettering for the black model. The upgraded aluminum MacBook features backlit keys.
Integrated graphics
The first three MacBook releases used an Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics processor. Starting with the Late 2007 revision, the MacBook used an Intel GMA X3100 integrated graphics processor. The latter is still used as the graphics solution for the white MacBook. Intel's integrated graphics chipsets have been criticized in the past for being unable to handle graphically-intensive tasks such as complex 3D gaming and other heavily GPU-dependent processes.[12] However, the GMA X3100 is capable of playing most older games,[13] and of rendering the Aero GUI when running Windows Vista. While the Intel GMA X3100 lacks dedicated video memory, it is, according to Intel, highly optimized for video playback and requires less power to operate than discrete graphics solutions, such as those offered by ATI and nVidia.[14][15] However, the X3100 chip does not include hardware acceleration for H.264 video, though at the time of its inception this would have put its features set in line with most discrete graphics options.[16]
The aluminum MacBooks feature the GeForce 9400M, an integrated graphics solution from NVIDIA, which is five times faster than the graphics offered on the white MacBook.[17]
User serviceability
The polycarbonate MacBook is different from its iBook predecessor in terms of user serviceability. Apple made it easier to disassemble compared to the iBook, which required removing many components to access anything, whereas the polycarbonate MacBook only needs the outer shell removed to access almost any interior component. Apple provides do it yourself manuals for replacing the hard drive or memory of MacBooks.[18]
Manufacture defects
Some early MacBook owners complained of discoloration that appeared on the palm rests of their white MacBooks.[19] Apple acknowledged the issue and replaced the defective part with more smudge resistant alloys.[20][21][22] There have been quite a few of customers complaining about the cracks on the polycarbonate MacBooks bottom case after weeks or months of careful use due to the poor quality of the plastic and over-tightening of those screws.[23] So far, Apple's policy towards these manufacture defects is providing free repairs for cracks that appear on the keyboard plate, not the bottom case.[citation needed]
| Timeline of portable Macintoshes |
|---|
 |
See also
References
- ^ scroll to bottom
- ^ "Mobile Intel 945 Express Chipset Family Datasheet". Intel. April 12, 2007.
- ^ Apple MacBook (13-inch, 2.0 GHz Intel Core Duo), CNET review, 23 May 2006
- ^ Apple MacBook (Core 2 Duo 2GHz), CNET review, 15 November 2006
- ^ MacBook Developer Note, Apple, November 2007.
- ^ "MacBook: Shuts down intermittently". 1 February 2007.
- ^ "AirPort Extreme 802.11n Enabler for Mac". Apple, Inc. Retrieved 2007-04-15.
- ^ An example can be seen in "Shiny Apple Blackbook Rumor: Merely a Coated Black MacBook?". Gizmodo. August 6, 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- ^ The issue with the LCD screens was addressed with a lawsuit. Apple Insider. March 26, 2008
- ^ Twisted Nematic Film LCDs were also used in the recent 20 inch iMacs. This article points them out specifically. Apple Insider. March 30, 2008.
- ^ The Vanishing Numeric Keypad, David Pogue, New York Times blog, 9 January 2008.
- ^ Bruce Gain (September 15, 2005). "Are Intel's Integrated Graphics Processors Good Enough for Gaming?". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- ^ "Mobile Intel 965 Express Chipset Family Game Compatibility List". Intel. February 12, 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-12.
- ^ Intel. "Intel 965 document" (PDF). Intel.com. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- ^ Intel. "Intel GMA 950 Brief" (PDF). Intel.com. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ Hardwarezone. "Intel 965 review" (HTML). hardwarezone.com. Retrieved 2007-05-12.
- ^ Apple. "Apple MacBook Graphics". Retrieved 2008-10-14.
- ^ Apple. "MacBook Manuals". Retrieved 2008-10-14.
- ^ Evan Blass (June 13, 2006). "White MacBooks showing premature discoloration?". Engadget.com. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- ^ Victor Mihailescu (June 29, 2006). "Apple Acknowledges MacBook Stains As Manufacturing Defect". Softpedia. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- ^ Rae Whitlock (July 13, 2006). "My Stained MacBook (and what Apple did about it)". not another blog. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- ^ "About white MacBooks' palmrest area". Apple Computer. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- ^ {{cite web|url=http://www.appledefects.com/wiki/index.php?title=MacBook/
External links
