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Mac Musings

Thinking Different About the Next Consumer MacBook

Dan Knight - 2009.10.05 - Tip Jar

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Rumor has it that we'll be seeing an update of most Macintosh models within the month. This is especially important as Intel has just released the mobile version of the i7 CPU, which means top-end iMacs and MacBook Pros could have quad-core CPUs.

The Windows world has already embraced i7, and it's overdue to appear in new Macs. I would be surprised if Apple didn't offer quad-core CPUs as options on at least the 24" iMac and the larger (15" and 17") MacBook Pro models. And if it wanted to create a premium Mac mini, a lot of us would be chomping at the bit for a quad-core i7 mini with nVidia graphics and a fast hard drive.

This would also be the perfect time to introduce USB 3.0, moving Apple ahead of the competition in that area.

The Polycarbonate MacBook

The MacBook White is overdue for a design update. The design was introduced in May 2006, and users have been reporting problems with the case cracking ever since. Moving to a unibody enclosure was one way of solving the problem, but it also made the Unibody MacBook quite a bit more expensive than the polycarbonate model, which has essentially the same circuitry inside.

There's also the prospect of an Apple Tablet, widely projected to sell for US$799, cutting into sales of Apple's entry-level notebook. And finally, there's the widespread popularity of netbooks, those compact, underpowered things that everyone has an opinion about.

This would be the perfect time to introduce a brand new entry-level MacBook, one that addresses a slightly different market than the 13" MacBook Pro.

First off, it should be smaller, exactly what both the netbook crowd and those who love their 12" PowerBooks are looking for. Not too much smaller, mind you, but perhaps with an 11" or 12" widescreen display. How does 768 x 1366 grab you? That's one resolution often found on 11.6" netbooks - fewer vertical pixels but more horizontal ones than the 13" MacBook Pro and the current MacBook - and a lot more than you get on low-end, low-cost netbooks.

Apple should be able to retain the same chicklet keyboard it's been using since mid-2006 in an 11.6" MacBook, and you can pretty much count on it having a built-in battery - like all of Apple's other notebooks - although perhaps with only 6 hour capacity instead of 7 to 8.

The best way to reduce the cost, size, and weight of a new MacBook is to eliminate the optical drive, making it an option (as Apple has already done with the MacBook Air). After all, netbooks don't have built-in optical drives either. The only important addition compared to the current MacBook White would be an SD Card slot, which is a must have feature these days.

Acer makes an 11.6" netbook with an 11.2" x 7.8" footprint that weighs under 3 lb. Without an optical drive, Apple could probably make the MacBook 0.8" to 0.85" thin and still have plenty of room for a high capacity battery. It would weigh a bit more than the Acer, perhaps 4.5 lb.

Give it 2 GB of RAM with room for at least 4 GB. Use a low-end 120 GB or 160 GB 2.5" SATA hard drive. Offer an external SuperDrive with its own battery.

Best of all, it would be a real Macintosh, not a half-crippled, Atom-powered, one-core cheapie with a stripped or outdated version of Windows. Use the same CPU and nVidia GeForce 9400M found in the current MacBook, make sure RAM and hard drive upgrades remain as easy as they are on the current MacBook, and price it at US$799, and it will redefine the entry-level point for Mac notebook users - and prospective ones.

One More Thing

This would be the perfect time for Apple to move past MagSafe and make wireless charging a reality across its notebook line. The MagSafe power supply would still ship with the MacBooks, but Apple could offer an accessory charging pad as an option. Just imagine how many people would love being able to set down their MacBook at home or work and not worry about forgetting an AC adapter or running out of power!

For the MacBook Air, this could eliminate the last wire, and it would also pave the way for iPods and iPhones with wireless charging in 2010. LEM

Dan Knight has been using Macs since 1986, sold Macs for several years, supported them for many more years, and has been publishing Low End Mac since April 1997. If you find Dan's articles helpful, please consider making a donation to his tip jar.

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