MacBook Laptops

Apple revamps its MacBook lineup

Apple has two laptop lines: MacBook (*Est. $1,000 and up) and MacBook Pro (*Est. $1,200 and up). Apple made some major changes to both of these lines in 2009. Every Apple laptop is upgraded, and the 13-inch aluminum MacBook introduced last year is moved into the Pro family. As a result, Apple has three MacBook Pro models (ranging from 13 inches to 17 inches) and one 13-inch white MacBook.

The new 13-inch MacBook (*Est. $1,000 and up) -- the only white laptop remaining in Apple's lineup -- was updated in October, although it still comes in just one standard configuration. The latest model sports a 2.26 GHz processor, 250 GB hard drive, 2 GB of memory and Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics. On the outside, the biggest change comes to the design, as the MacBook gains a sleeker, unibody design molded out of white polycarbonate, a multi-touch trackpad and a built-in battery. Other than a slightly thicker design, the new white MacBook looks remarkably like the aluminum MacBook Pros.

The MacBook has traditionally been overlooked in favor of the stylish and more powerful 13-inch MacBook Pro, but this latest update has reviewers taking another look. Vincent Nguyen at Slashgear.com calls it "one of the best entry-level notebooks" that Apple has ever produced, and Dan Ackerman at CNET says the MacBook is "the best version to date of Apple's non-Pro laptop line." Testing shows that the white MacBook is just as fast and powerful as the entry-level MacBook Pro, and most say the design is sturdy with a responsive and solid keyboard. The LED-backlit display is brighter and richer than previous generations. Reviewers appreciate the design upgrades, especially the glass trackpad and larger hard drive, and most say the latest model represents an excellent update for Apple's entry-level laptop.

Nearly all reviewers echo one complaint about the new MacBook, namely that the notebook has few expansion ports. The MacBook does include two USB 2.0 connectors and a Mini DisplayPort, but Apple dropped the FireWire 400 port found on the previous MacBook model and there's still no memory card reader. Nilay Patel at Engadget.com describes his reaction as "totally underwhelmed," mainly because of these omissions. Patel also notes that the redesigned plastic unibody is very vulnerable to scratches, a finding confirmed in a review at Slashgear.com. The built-in battery is rated for seven hours of light use, but tests show that four to five hours is more realistic.

When it comes to choosing between the MacBook and the entry-level MacBook Pro, opinions are split. Patel recommends spending the extra $200 on the 13-inch MacBook Pro, which includes an SD memory card reader and a FireWire port. Other reviewers say the white MacBook is the better value. "If you're weighing the new MacBook or the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro, unless you require high color accuracy (in which case you're likely using a larger, external display) right now we'd plump for the MacBook," says Nguyen at Slashgear.com. A number of reviewers, including Jonathan Seff at Macworld and Michael Prospero at Laptop magazine, say the MacBook is an excellent choice as long as you can live without FireWire and an SD memory card reader.

MacBook Pro drops in price

Although much of the media attention at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June was devoted to the iPhone 3GS, Apple also announced major news regarding the MacBook Pro family. In a very un-Apple-like move, it slashed prices on each MacBook Pro and announced that the 13-inch aluminum MacBook would be joining the Pro lineup.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro has the same unibody aluminum design, glossy widescreen and large trackpad as the MacBook it replaces, but it boasts some internal improvements. For 2009, Apple adds a much-requested SD memory card reader, a FireWire 800 (IEEE 1394b) port, a full-size backlit keyboard, a brighter display and a built-in battery. The 13-inch MacBook Pro now has two standard configurations, including a 2.26 GHz model (*Est. $1,200 and up) with 2 GB of memory and a 160 GB hard drive. The other configuration is a 2.53 GHz version (*Est. $1,500 and up) with 4 GB of memory and a 250 GB hard drive. Both have Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics.

Among all of the MacBook Pros, experts overwhelmingly pick the 13-inch 2.26 GHz MacBook Pro as the best choice for most users. It wins numerous accolades, including Editors' Choice awards from CNET, PCMag.com, Laptop Magazine and ComputerShopper.com. Dan Ackerman at CNET calls the 13-inch MacBook Pro "one of the most universally useful laptops available." In PCMag.com's tests, Cisco Cheng praises the improved battery life, lower price and zippy performance. Dana Wollman at Laptop Magazine likes the speedy processing and good graphics quality, saying the 13-inch Pro offers "the best combination of performance, endurance and smart software." The more expensive 13-inch MacBook Pro (with a 2.53 GHz processor) also gets high marks, but most reviewers say that the 2.26 GHz MacBook Pro will suit most users and offers the best value. In PC Advisor's review, tests revealed that the 2.53 GHz 13-inch MacBook Pro was slightly faster -- 12 percent overall -- than the 2.26 GHz model.

According to PC Advisor, the performance of the new 13-inch MacBook Pro nearly matches that of its older 15-inch sibling -- and it costs $500 less. However, a few downsides emerge in reviews. Laptop Magazine would like to see more hard drive space on the base model and better sound quality from the built-in speakers. In addition, although Wollman says the 13-inch Pro can handle light gaming, hard-core gamers will want to look further up the line to the 17-inch MacBook Pro or an Apple desktop.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro comes in three standard configurations, 2.53 GHz (Discontinued), 2.66 GHz (*Est. $2,000 and up) and 2.8 GHz (*Est. $2,300 and up). All have 4 GB of standard memory, and the hard drive sizes are 250 GB, 320 GB and 500 GB, respectively. Although it receives fewer picks overall than the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro, the 15-inch MacBook Pro earns its fair share of accolades. Those include an Editors' Choice award from Laptop Magazine, where Jeffrey Wilson says "you won't find a more powerful 15-inch notebook that's this easy to carry." The 2.66 GHz and 2.8 GHz MacBook Pros offer improved graphics performance over the 2.53 GHz version, thanks to the use of two graphics cards instead of one -- a Nvidia GeForce 9400M and a GeForce 9600M GT. At these configurations, Wilson finds the 15-inch MacBook Pro can handle most games but not at the highest resolutions.

If you are considering the entry-level, 15-inch MacBook Pro with a 2.53 GHz processor, it may be worthwhile to consider the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the same processing speed. James Galbraith at PC Advisor finds little difference between the 13- and 15-inch 2.53 GHz MacBook Pros. Except for a larger screen and higher price tag, the performance and speed of the two laptops are nearly identical in tests. So unless a larger display is important to you, you can stick with the 13-inch 2.53 GHz MacBook Pro and save $200.

The 17-inch MacBook Pro (*Est. $2,500 and up) comes in one standard configuration -- a 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4 GB memory and a 500 GB hard drive. It's the only MacBook that still includes an ExpressCard/34 slot; the other MacBook Pro laptops have traded that feature for SD memory card compatibility. Like most Apple computers, you have the option to increase the processing speed (up to 3.06 GHz), memory and hard drive at extra cost. Compared to the previous 17-inch MacBook Pro released in February, reviewers say Apple has made only modest changes to this laptop but has significantly upped the value. Even though the processing speed and hard drive capacity have increased, the starting price has fallen compared to the previous generation.

Dan Frakes at Macworld compares the 17-inch MacBook Pro to the previous 2.66 GHz version, finding it only slightly faster in Speedmark tests. Still, Frakes thinks the new MacBook Pro offers solid performance, and he says the 17-inch MacBook Pro is "the fastest Mac laptop ever, at the lowest price Apple has ever charged for a top-of-the-line notebook." DigitalArts also has good things to say about the new 17-inch MacBook Pro, giving it their Best Buy designation. It also earns an Editors' Choice award from ComputerShopper.com. These sources are among the few reviewers that test the updated 2.8 GHz MacBook Pro -- since little has changed, most others report only on the 2.66 GHz version released in February. User reviews for the new 17-inch MacBook Pro are also highly positive. Initial reports at sites like Amazon.com indicate that consumers are very pleased with the new laptop, calling it "absolute perfection" and "the best laptop I've ever owned."

Beyond the obvious -- a larger screen -- there are some significant perks to the 17-inch MacBook Pro compared to 13- or 15-inch notebooks. For one, the battery life is longer -- a single battery charge should last for eight hours of light use (Macworld gets eight hours and 20 minutes in its test), as opposed to seven hours for the rest of the MacBook Pro laptops. In addition, you'll also get more USB ports and the aforementioned ExpressCard/34 slot. The 17-inch MacBook Pro is also available with an optional anti-glare display (*Est. $50), an option that Apple also extended to the 15-inch MacBook Pros in August. Reviewers are nearly unanimous in saying that the glossy display on the MacBook Pro can be too reflective and distracting, and some users might appreciate having an anti-glare option. If you're looking for a desktop replacement, reviews indicate that the 17-inch MacBook Pro is the laptop to get.