Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro

Review by Julian Prokaza on Thu 30 October 2008

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Summary

Cheapest price
£696.84 from Amazon Electronics UK
Rating
 4 out of 6
Good
Stunning design; sturdy build; switchable graphics
Bad
BootCamp problems; not a huge spec increase over old model; pricey
Verdict
Improved screen and switchable graphics aside, the MacBook Pro isn't vastly superior to the MacBook and the price looks very high as a result – but it's still a highly capable (and desirable) laptop.
Manufacturer
Apple

Review

Apple MacBookWhen the most anticipated aspect of a new laptop is what it looks like, it can only be a new laptop from Apple. After all, when did a website last run leaked photos of a new laptop chassis from Dell..?

To be fair, the external design of the new Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro is a little bit special, largely because of the manufacturing process behind it. Both the MacBook and MacBook Pro have cases that are carved from a single block of aluminium and assembled from three (or four, if you count the battery cover) single pieces. We’ll leave aside any potential strength advantages that this new “unibody” design bestows and focus on something much more interesting instead – how it looks.

In short, both the new MacBook and MacBook Pro look absolutely gorgeous. Most laptops have a sleek and curvy lid, but that’s about as far as PC manufacturers go, and the undersides tend to be black, vent-ridden plastic. Not so the new MacBooks. The rounded aluminium case completely envelops the laptops and there are no vents to spoil its smooth, matte finish. Both models feel extremely solid as a result and no matter what you think of Macs, there’s no doubt that these are the best-looking laptops by a significant margin.

Size aside, both the MacBook and MacBook Pro are all but identical externally and the only other giveaway is the selection of ports. These now all sit on the left of the case (along with a battery status indicator), but this bit of streamlining isn’t without sacrifice – the MacBook has lost its FireWire port and the MacBook Pro has just FireWire 800. How big a deal this is depends on how badly you need FireWire and while there will be situations where its loss will be keenly felt, we suspect USB 2.0 will prove just as functional for most people (and there is apparently a reason for the omission).


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Apple MacBook specification

MacBook (MB467*/A) specifications
Processor
2.Intel Core 2 Duo (2.4GHz)
Memory
2Gb DDR3
Graphics
nVidia GeForce 9400M (256Mb DDR3)
Hard disk
250Gb SATA (5400rpm)
Optical drive
DVD-Writer
Floppy drive
NA
Screen
13.3in (1280 x 900) LED-backlit
Connectivity
802.11g/Draft-N, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, 2 x USB 2.0, Ethernet, Mini DisplayPort, 3.5mm line in, line-out
Other
Webcam
Operating system
Apple MacOS X
Size
241 x 325 x 227mm
Weight
2.04kg
Battery life
7:03 light use; 4:39 heavy use
Warranty
1 year limited
MacBook Pro (MB134*/A) specifications
Processor
Intel Core 2 Duo (2.53GHz)
Memory
4Gb DDR3
Graphics
Switchable nVidia 9400M (256Mb DDR3) & 9600M GT (512Mb DDR3)
Hard disk
320Gb SATA (5400rpm)
Optical drive
DVD-Writer
Floppy drive
NA
Screen
15.4in (1440 x 900) LED-backlit
Connectivity
802.11g/Draft-N, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, 2 x USB 2.0, FireWire 800, Ethernet, Mini DisplayPort, 3.5mm line-in, line-out
Other
Webcam
Operating system
Apple MacOS X
Size
241 x 364 x 249mm
Weight
2.49kg
Battery life
5:53 light use; 3:20 heavy use
Warranty
1 year limited

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