13" MacBooks

New to the MacBook in comparison to the 12" models it replaced are built-in iSight, a glossy screen, and support for extended desktop mode (not officially supported with iBooks, although long a PowerBook feature). The MacBook uses the same MagSafe power connector and power supply as the MacBook Pro line.

One useful new feature is auto-unmute (for lack of a better name). If your MacBook's volume is set on mute and you plug in headphones, it immediately turns on the volume. And it mutes as soon as you unplug the headphones.

There has been some controversy over the MacBook's glossy, reflective screen since the very beginning, but such screens have long been the norm in the Windows notebook realm - and Apple's implementation seems to be better than the bulk of them. Also note that the MacBook's screen displays 18-bit color, not the full 24 bits you might expect.

The MacBook used Intel 950 graphics, which offers far less performance than the ATI and nVidia graphics found in iBooks, PowerBooks, MacBooks Pros, and all but the low-end Intel-based iMacs. 80 MB of system RAM is tied up by the graphics processor and unavailable to applications.

Like the other Macintel models, the MacBook comes with Front Row and a remote control.

AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0 are standard features. The entry-level MacBook comes with a Combo drive; the top-end models include a SuperDrive.

Core Duo (May 2006)

The first version of the MacBook was built around the Intel Core Duo CPU running at 1.83 GHz or 2.0 GHz. This CPU has a 2 MB level 2 cache shared by both cores. The white models (1.83 and 2.0 GHz) shipped with 512 MB of RAM, while the 2.0 GHz black MacBook included 1 GB of RAM. Memory can be expanded to 2 GB.

Standard serial ATA (SATA) hard drives ranged from 60 GB to 80 GB. The SuperDrive on the 2.0 GHz models writes DVD±R at up to 4x.

The new model had some teething problems, particularly ones related to heat. It would take the next generation Intel Core CPU to fully address that.

Core 2 Duo (November 2006)

With the second revision, the MacBook retained its CPU speed while moving to the more efficient and more energy efficient Core 2 Duo CPU, which has 4 MB of level 2 cache shared by its cores (the 1.83 GHz model retains a 2 MB level 2 cache). The black model was bumped to a 120 GB hard drive, and a faster SuperDrive writes DVD±R at up to 6x.

The Core 2 CPU allows the newer MacBooks to support up to 3 GB of RAM, and the AirPort Extreme circuitry will support the 802.11n WiFi specification with a $2 enabler available from Apple.

Core 2 Duo (May 1997)

The next revision of the MacBook saw the first boost in clock speed: 2.0 GHz for the entry-level model and 2.16 GHz for the top end models. 1 GB of RAM was standard across the board. The improved SuperDrive writes DVD±R at up to 8x.

The entry-level MacBook moved to an 80 GB hard drive, the 2.16 GHz white model to 120 GB, and the black model has 160 GB. 802.11n WiFi is standard on this model; no additional enabler is required.

Santa Rosa (Oct. 2007)

The following revision saw the MacBook adopt Intel's "Santa Rosa" chipset, an 800 MHz system bus, and Intel X3100 graphics, which ties up 144 MB of system RAM. 1 GB of RAM is standard, and these models support up to 4 GB of RAM.

The faster system bus should boost overall performance on the order of 10%, and we haven't yet seen benchmarks for the X3100 graphics processor. The 2.0 GHz model comes only in white, and the 2.2 GHz MacBook is available in white or black.

Other than that, these pretty much match the specs of the May 1997 models.

Santa Rosa (Feb. 2008)

Four months later, Apple unveiled a speed bumped MacBook with 2.1 GHz and 2.4 GHz clock speeds. Bigger drives (120 GB at the bottom, 160 in the middle, and an awesome 250 GB at the top) improve the value, as does making 2 GB standard on the 2.4 GHz MacBooks. This is an incremental improvement, but a nice one.

Prices match those of the models they replace.