Apple MacBook user reviews (Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M)

Pros Still quite competitive and appealing

Cons but the design is getting a little stale

Summary I understand Apple may have followed "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and decided to play it safe. But, c'mon, seven years without any major re-design? Apple is being very un-Apple with such a cautious approach. They took some major risks 7-8 years ago and this catapulted them back to being a major player in the computer industry. Nowadays, they consistently prefer to go with the flow. I am getting a little tired of the minimalist, overly simplistic Apple laptops. The industrial look is still okay and the glass screen makes it stylistically compatible with the iPhone/iPod Touch, but I bet it will soon become the yesterday's news.

I am giving this one two stars out of five not because the laptop is bad but because it could have been much better, at least design-wise.

Pros Durable, unibody design with great features; 1066MHz memory and powerful NVIDIA graphics, killer software bundle includes OS X, iLife, and Boot Camp

Cons Apple decided to stray away from Centrino 2 technology, no firewire, ho-hum display

Summary I recently got this computer for the sake of change. I've heard many great things about Macs and I figured it was time for a step up from my Fujitsu laptop. Boy, was it a step up.

This is the most beautiful, sturdy laptop I've ever used. The machine feels so solid, yet it's so thin and light (.95", 4.5 lbs). The chicklet keyboard feels a bit odd at first, but I've decided I like it. The keyboard's backlight is appreciated, as well. The integrated iSight camera is a lot of fun to use. In combination with iChat and Photobooth (included in OS X), one can have an infinite amount of fun with all the included effects.

Apple included new faster 1066MHz memory (versus 667MHz on the previous models) in their new Macbooks; this means even faster sharing of data throughout the machine's parts. The processor is very powerful as well, packing a robust 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor. This makes the computer even faster, especially paired with the faster RAM. I do have a little gripe with the processor, though, but I'll get into that later. The new integrated graphics set is well-appreciated. Effects in iPhoto apply quickly, and making movies in iMovie is a smooth experience. Casual games (and even some heavy ones like Call of Duty 4) run well, too.

The software bundled with this machine is spectacular. Mac OS X is the best thing created since sliced cheese, and iLife is a very feature-rich package. The ability to run Windows is a dream come true, considering there are still applications that need Windows to work.

There are some downsides, though. Apple skipped over Intel Centrino 2 technology and are therefore not keeping up with the latest and greatest tech out there. The lack of firewire is a very minor annoyance, as there are tons of work-arounds. The display an annoyance, too, but not for the typical reasons. The glossiness of the display doesn't bother me one bit; I find it very attractive, actually. The size is just perfect, and LED-backlighting is a welcome, eco-friendly upgrade. It's the quality of the display, though, that is disappointing. Blacks are uneven and generally on the light-gray side, and the colors seem a little off. I hope these problems aren't caused by the LEDs; I'd hate to think this new technology is harming the quality of color reproduction.

Regardless of the few annoyances, this is an excellent machine. It's feature rich inside and out, and and a very capable computer overall.

Pros a few improvements but

Cons a great deal of disappointment

Summary Not too many things about the new Macbook impress, while many disappoint.

The colors on the glossy displays are way oversaturated and will cause more of a headache than it?s worth to color correct. The monitor resolution is just as crappy as before. One of the big talking points of the new Macbooks was the "leap" from the intergrated Intel chipset to an Nvidia 9400 version. Instead what we got was a babystep, just another integrated graphics chipset. Years are passing by and Apple is still not offering credible graphics performance in their mobiles? When people wonder why there are so few Mac games out there, point your finger at Apple and its hardware choices.

Then, every major laptop manufacturer on the planet offers a Blu-Ray option on their laptops, so the "bag of hurt" is only in Steve Jobs' head. Why anyone would want to watch a Blu-Ray movie on such a small screen, they ask. If that?s the case, then why would I want to watch hatchet-job quality, DRM-laced, iTunes HD movies on my laptop, either?

The standard DVI port is gone, and the mini-DisplayPort is the new Apple standard. Those of you who spent 30$ on mini-DVI cables for your last generation Macbook can just throw that crap in the trash because it's useless now. Apple?s new, magical display port can now power two external monitors once you empty your wallet for new, magical cables. It doesn?t handle the not-so magical HDMI, though. Also, the reasoning behind the axing of the FireWire port is more than apparent: by removing the FireWire port on the Macbook it almost forces you to spend the extra 500$ for a Macbook Pro.

And now here comes the all new, all-button trackpad. This is an invention truly worth the legacy of the puck mouse. Had they actually had it tried by anyone other than Jonathan Ive before it was adopted? The cursor easily slides off the link when you want to hit the stiff button underneath the trackpad with the index finger you're tracking with. Unlike a physical button, you cannot press it down with your thumb whenever you're tracking at around the bottom edge of the trackpad. Am I supposed to use my pinkie, instead, and try and hit on the upper edge? It may be a good idea to grab one of those Apple wireless mice while you're about it.

To be more positive, I like seeing the totally useless remote go.

Pros made by Apple

Cons constant changes in hardware

Summary I mean come on apple. first they put firewire on everything and make a fuss over how it's better than usb. Then they replace vga/svideo with that stupid dvi connector. Then they say f-u firewire people and put an even weirder video connector on this one. Did I mention changing the processor twice in 10 years. I suspect when 10.6 comes out it won't work on any apple laptop but this aluminum one.