Smart Design and Easy Drive Replacement will Make the MacBook a Winner
- 2006.05.19
Somehow the sleek new MacBook,
available in black and white (much like the current iPods), didn't
surprise anyone. The iBooks were long overdue for updating, and
everyone knew the replacements would be Intel-based. Plus the rumor
sites had been predicting the MacBook launch for weeks.
That all said, some features of the new models were a bit of a
surprise.
The less surprising ones include the Intel processor (which is
thankfully a Core Duo, not the single processor found in the low-end
Mac mini), iSight video camera, and 13.3" widescreen.
Shiny Screen
The glossy screen was a bit of a surprise (I've read other
people's comments that Apple would never release a laptop with this
type of a screen). I've generally avoided looking at machines with
this type screen, specifically because they tend to reflect light
easily and can be hard to see outdoors, as well as make it more
difficult to do any Photoshop work where color correctness is a big
deal. Sure, it may enhance the contrast, but when working in
Photoshop on something for print, what you see on your screen and
what gets printed out would be two separate things.
I have yet to look at a new MacBook, though. Perhaps the screen
Apple uses is better than those of competing Windows notebooks.
Easy Hard Drive Replacement
The other surprising feature is the user-replaceable hard drive.
Apple laptops have historically had difficult-to-replace hard drives
(especially the smaller ones, like my current 12" PowerBook), so this
feature is a welcome improvement. Since laptops generally come with
smaller hard drives, users tend to run out of space quickly. Today,
laptops are replacing desktops for many, and a large hard drive and
the ability to upgrade it are becoming more of an issue.
My sister's Dell laptop came with a 20 GB drive, which was quickly
filled up. Her machine has a slightly more difficult to replace
drive, so we opted for an external hard drive to store her
non-critical files. This worked, but it was less than convenient.
Some Dells from as long as five years ago had user-replaceable
drives; it's a shame Apple waited until now.
Being able to actually replace the hard drive yourself with a
larger one is something that should be standard in all laptop
computers.
Visuals
There's
also the look factor, with many people probably opting for the black
case simply because it's cool. That said, Apple has foreseen this and
made the black version the high-end model, charging $200 more than
the midrange white model.
Two screws on the left side of the MacBook's case appear to be
present simply for design reasons, not because they hold anything
together.
The keyboard has also been redesigned and is hopefully a welcome
improvement to the iBook's lousy keyboard. I found the old keyboard
to have poor tactile response, and it was just too easy to hit the
wrong keys. The MacBook's keyboard supposedly lies flush with the top
of the case, preventing marks on the screen.
Unfortunately, it also means that if something happens to the
keyboard, the entire top casing may have to be replaced.
Drawbacks
So what's lacking? The video card. Unfortunately, this is where
Apple saves money, by installing the same Intel graphics processor
featured in the Mac mini. Sure, it's fine for a low-end machine, but
in the $1,500 version of the MacBook? It seems a bit underpowered,
stealing 64 MB of system memory to use for the video.
MacBook buyers can say "forget it" to high-powered games, video
editing, or even heavy Photoshop work.
To make the MacBook the perfect consumer laptop, it needs two
options: the option of having a standard matte LCD screen, which
would allow those who do much of their work outdoors to feel
comfortable purchasing a MacBook, and the option to have an dedicated
video system, not one that shares system memory.
Otherwise, the 1.83 GHz and 2.0 GHz processors are more than
adequate, the case design is fantastic, and the built-in iSight and
magnetic power adapter are both great features pioneered on the
MacBook Pro.
Mac of the Day: PowerBook 500 Series, introduced 1994.05.16. 'Blackbird' includes a 25 to 33 MHz 68040 along with smart batteries and grayscale or color displays.
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We believe in the long term value of Apple hardware. You should be able to use your Apple gear as long as it helps you remain productive and meets your needs, upgrading only as necessary. We want to help maximize the life of your Apple gear.
There's
also the look factor, with many people probably opting for the black
case simply because it's cool. That said, Apple has foreseen this and
made the black version the high-end model, charging $200 more than
the midrange white model.
