Apple MacBook MC207LL/A 13.3Inch Laptop
The MacBook uses a graphics processor that economizes space in a whole new way. A traditional computer logic board contains multiple components: the CPU, two chips that control communication...read more
$999.00
$924.00
$924.00
Average Customer Rating
5 out of 5 |
Product Features
- Ships in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging
- 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB on-chip shared L2 cache running 1:1 with processor speed
- 250GB Hard Drive, 8x Double-layer SuperDrive, 2GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM
- 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with support for millions of colors
- Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard, up to 7 Hours of Battery Life
Product Description
Features:
- Ships in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging
- 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB on-chip shared L2 cache running 1:1 with processor speed
- 250GB Hard Drive, 8x Double-layer SuperDrive, 2GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM
- 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with support for millions of colors
- Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard, up to 7 Hours of Battery Life
Product Accessories
35 Responses to “Apple MacBook MC207LL/A 13.3Inch Laptop”
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Apple White MacBook 13.3″
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Package arrived on time. Product is well packaged and looking brand new.
No problem whatsoever. Thank you.
Much better deal than a macbook pro.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Shop around. You might find this for $800. If you can find it for $800 it so much better than paying the extra for a Macbook Pro. I can’t tell you where I got it for $800 (MicroCenter).
Why I like it:
-cheaper than a macbook pro but with a bigger hard drive
-thin and light
-long battery life, both in hours of charge and years of use
-does not get hot like most laptops
-nice casing…although it is plastic, it is not worth spending the exrta for aluminum
Why I don’t like it:
-still expensive compared to what you can get for a Windows based system
-still does not play certain Windows apps
-does not have firewire input (only an issue if you want to pull video off of a Camcorder from the first decade of the new century)
-does not have a memory card slot (for SD or other cards)
Just what we needed.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is my 4th Apple laptop (PB150, White iBook, MacBookPro Alumnium). All personally owned. I’ve also been a user of many PC laptops for work. Our last 2 Mac Laptops have been our sole home computer when we’ve owned them. Getting probably 6 hours of daily average use.
I have to say that this new unibody MacBook is by far, my favorite laptop I’ve ever owned and used.
We’ve been using it for a month now with the same rate of usage. Maybe more because of the holidays.
It has some slight imperfections.
1. I wish it still had composite TV out, but when I become the last person on earth to finally upgrade to HDTV, it will be ready (3rd party HDMI/video out cables are cheap).
2. The edge of where your arms go needs to be rounded because it slightly slices into your wrists. (I haven’t filed it down yet, but will…)
3. And sure, target mode in firewire would be nice. But, it’s rarely needed ($15 for a shell and a disassembly gets you to the harddrive in the disasterous event your system is so fried you can’t get a network hookup going).
4. An SD slot would be nice too. But, everything I have a card in is USB anyway, and I already have card readers for when I don’t (or my devices connect directly anyway).
5. It’s more expensive than Windows laptops. But, at under $1000 ($850 if you’re smart with rebates and deals) the MacBook makes buying a Mac almost equivalent to a nicer Windows laptop. Almost. Well, it’s at least not embarrassing to admit anymore.
But, that’s it with the negatives.
It’s slim and sleek. The unibody means no flex when I hold the corner with one hand (RIP 2.5 year old G3 iBook with graphic chip recall). The plastic means no permanent deformation when I drop it from 4 feet (RIP 2.5 year old MacBookPro with a slow overheating death near the corner I dropped it on.) The battery life is impressive. (RIP every PC laptop I’ve ever used within 6 months.)
The white keys mean keyboard lighting is not such a big deal. The glossy screen is not really that glossy. The screen is bright and sparkly. The processor is speedy. (I run Windows on it just fine.)
The 250 gig HD is big enough (I’d need a few terrabytes to hold all my media anyway.) 250G is enough to simply expose the low end MacBook Pro for what it is – Apple’s cynical attempt to milk money out of folks.
The mousepad is just wonderful. Takes a day or two to get used to not having a “button”, but it’s simply wonderful after that. Two fingers for a right mouse click and for scrolling. I zoom in and out of dual browsing sessions with the pinch like I never expected to do. And it’s CENTERED in front of the screen. I don’t know what Windows design idiots decided to stop centering their mousepads and keyboards and to give them tiny recessed buttons, but I refuse to personally purchase a lopsided laptop where you have to flop 4 inches off one leg just to type and where your thumb is rigidly fixed to an ergonmically challened button. The keyboard is equally well designed and easy on the fingers for this touch typist.
And, 2 of my Apple pet peeves have been fixed: the latchless lid is perfectly designed, and, there’s no feet to get rubbed off the bottom anymore.
Oh, and it’s light. Not MacBook Air light. But, surprisingly light and thin. I carry a 17″ Windows machine for work. Yet, the 13″ screen rarely feels restrictive. And, its performance blows away the MacBook Air. Try running full screen video off of YouTube on a MacBook Air. It can’t do it. This MacBook has the juice to display without stuttering.
Plus, importing the old data from my old MacBookPro was seamless. Import and done. Just a few apps that needed to be upgraded for 64 bit and Snow Leopard. No crap on the desktop to remove like a new Windows computer. No annoying security messages. No virus worries. Basically, ZERO “Windows” worries. (Yes, I’ve got XP running on VM ware fusion and Vista on Boot Camp for certain games. So, I know of what I speak… Yes, I’m a masochist.)
And finally, it’s MacOSX. I’m the kind of guy that has people coming to me for tech help at work, asking for recommendations “for a new PC cause their old one has a virus”. They need help reinstalling windows. They have driver issues. They have reps from foreign countries advising to “recover” their systems (which means wiping the entire Harddrive). They have trojans running wild. They are always confused and frustrated. The only ones who don’t have problems are the ones who are too scared to do anything with their computers. Or, who are technically savvy enough to navigate the waters. Who like the complication.
The annoying things people have come to accept from Windows computing astound me. As a daily user of both OS’s for decades, I always breathe a small sigh of relief when I get back to my Mac.
MacOSX is wonderful. It rarely frustrates. (Just scan down the list of Amazon’s laptop best sellers, and see the average stars for Mac machines vs. Windows machines. Clearly, there is a difference in quality and ease of use that justifies the difference in cost.)
So, this review is much longer than I intended. But, after reading the initial reviews a month ago — of Mac zealots who hadn’t purchased one who were whining about “no firewire” — of clean freaks who worried about microscopic scratches (barely a blemish on ours in this household with 3 cats, a dog, and 3 and 6 year old kids), I just had to put my 2 cents in. This is, in my opinion, the best laptop Apple has released.
Why? Because it is inexpensive (for a Mac) and does everything you need it to do.
Macbook 13 inch great, not sure about Snow Leopard
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Just bought our second Mac for the family (also have a 24″ iMac), and we
are very happy with this laptop. The only issue we have encountered is an
issue with DVD and image (.DMG) file access in Snow Leopard, which seems to
be an OS issue, not specifically related to the Macbook.
I also upgraded the memory from 2GB to 4GB with 3rd party RAM, and that was
easy (once I got the small casing screws out).
3+
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I started out with an Apple computer many years ago. Moved on to PCs and then to a Dell laptop with Vista (hated it). Finally gave into the pressure from family/friends/advertising and purchased my MacBook very recently. Initially, I was thrilled. The thing is solid – love the power cable and keyboard. The picture quality is sublime – video and audio both great. When I set up my network and wireless connection, this part of it was so easy to set up. (Unfortunately, this is now the only computer I own that I can use to access the Internet – have no clue as to why). I’m still figuring out how to use my Mac, but I’m assuming it won’t take too long. Those are my positive comments – now on to the negative.
1. MUCH too expensive! Nearly 1K is a crazy cost for something that will probably only last a few years.
2. SHOCKED that basic software is not included (should have done more research first)! I edit books from home, and all of the files sent to me are in Word format. I downloaded the trial version of iWork and am not impressed. I do not need all the extras – only a compatible word program – yet now I have to shell out another $80 for additional software. In my humble opinion, a word processing program should take front seat to programs such as GarageBand and Photo Booth!
3. Why white and shiny? Shows every fingerprint and every speck of dust! At this price, additional colors and finishes should be options at no additional cost.
4. Why can I not download a Yahoo or Google toolbar that is compatible with Safari? I really miss those! Am not fond of the toolbar on Safari – nor the Bookmarks feature.
5. The battery charge does not last as long as stated.
In summary: I’m still unsure as to whether I made a HUGE mistake switching to a Mac, or whether it will grow on me – guess only time will tell. To the folks who developed this product – lower your prices and provide more variety in both hardware and software!
First time mac user, but not yet ready to completely abandon windows
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I’ve always wanted to buy a mac, even more so after seeing them roaming the college campus, even all my professors show up in lecture with them. When I saw this particular white glossy macbook being sold for [...] after rebate, along with lots of bonus, I impulsively bought one. So far, I do not for a bit regret my purchase. However, maybe I put in way too much expectations on this entry level macbook, I have not been overly impressed. Before I started using mac, I have been an avid pc user my entire life. Vista was a huge let down, but windows 7 really picked up the pace. I was a very happy pc user, but I also wanted to experience the mac os. So here is my initial impression of the macbook.
Mac OS:
The interface is gorgeous, and almost fun to fiddle around with. The various visual effects, genie effect of max&min windows, expose, spaces, magnifying dock, and etc, really make the revamped windows 7 aero effect look pale in comparison. Also, the main difference that I noticed between the mac os and windows is that the mac os is amazingly simple. In windows, they used to put my video, my music, my pictures folders all in my document, in vista and onward, they created individual folders under the user name, and there are a bunch of folders for public access, and it usually took me at least 3 clicks to access the download folder. Not to mention the countless folders within computer>local disk. In mac, everything is categorized in a very simple fashion. On the dock, there is a folder for download, which can be accessed with 1 click. Your photo, music, and videos are all organized with iphoto and itune respectively. (Even though there is also itune on windows, but it seems to work better on mac) Before I just tuck away my photos in folders under my pictures, but now I actually check them out occasionally in iphoto. I wonder if it is because the software is readily available to me that is making me pay more attention to my pictures. Also for application installations, it’s a totally different methodology on the mac. Unlike in windows where each application when installed, creates a folder in program files, most of the mac applications are self-contained packages. All the files the program needs to run are packaged within the program icon. All I do is drag and drop the program into the application folder. Uninstalling is also uber easy, I just delete the icon. But installing AppTrap is recommended to remove remnant files. (Wonder why that function isn’t built-in) Also, I’ve found a list of miscellaneous features that are a lot easier on the mac. Unlike windows where the system comes in different languages for machines bought in different countries, so if you need the os to be in another language, you need to install that version of windows. For mac, the system language can be changed by going into system preferences, and basically any language is supported. This is really helpful for my parents who aren’t so adept in English. One of the greatest thing I love about the mac is its multi touch trackpad. It basically imports the whole iphone gizmo onto the mac, along with several new gestures. Windows 7 picked up the two finger scroll, but that’s about it, unless you install third-party program to enable other gestures. I particularly love the four finger vertical scroll, which I found very intuitive. Swipe up to show the desktop and swipe down to show all windows (expose). A side function enabled by the trackpad is the hand writing recognition. As for now, it only seems to support chinese. The trackpad basically acts as a mini tablet, on which you can write chinese characters. I found that to be very cool, though not so practical. Also, to debunk the common “no right click” myth, two finger tap pops up the secondary menu, similar to that in windows. These are all features that have amazed me thus far, I’ll update as I learn more about the os.
What prevents me from completely transitioning to the mac os is its limited application support. For those major softwares: microsoft office, firefox, photoshop, dreamweaver, skype, and etc, there are mac versions. But more specialized or less well known softwares such as matlab, solidworks, autocad, and software developed in foreign countries do not support mac. Some of the online games I used to play also do not support mac. I am not a big gamer, so I can live without them. Even though apple advertises that “mac is the only computer you’ll ever need” because mac can also run windows. There are three major ways of doing that, the built-in bootcamp, vmware fusion, and parallel. I know for bootcamp, you basically load into the windows os at power up, but that seems awfully isolated. So I use fusion, which came free with my mac. I would say running windows 7 within the mac os as another program is awesome, but it’s cumbersome. Maybe I need to upgrade for more memory. Running windows-only programs via fusion takes a while to launch, and the graphic can be choppy. Fusion does seem more integrated than bootcamp, but still not ideal. If one day apple and microsoft ever work together to create an operating system that uses mac’s infrastructure and windows’s compatibility and price tag, that’ll be hallelujah for all computer users.
Hardware:
Like its inside operating system, the outside is very aesthetically appealing. Continue with what I mentioned above with mac being simple, the laptop design follows the same principle. The hardware components are visibly divided into the unibody casing, one piece rubber bottom, ports, sleep light, screen, keyboard, trackpad, camera, and almost unnoticeable microphone. Everything is white, glossy (except for keyboard and trackpad), and very fragile. I dented the outside cover minutes after unboxing, when my flashdrive dropped onto the macbook. Afterward, while I was typing, with my wrist watch on, I made several hairline scratch on the palm rest (why would they make the palm rest glossy as well???) The power cord, which snaps on with the strong magnet, has managed to make irregular ridges on the plastic casing around the power port. So my partial solution right now is to install a clear plastic casing, at least that protects the outside. The ports is minimal, but sufficient for my daily use. One thing I do want is the sd slot, but that can be remedied with an adapter. I would also really like a hdmi port, but that has not become available on any mac, so I can’t complain. The screen looks exceptionally bright and crisp. Not sure if it’s the screen itself or the graphic card. The keyboard, oh I love the chiclet keyboard. My fingers bounce freely on the very responsive keys, and they’re so widely spaced that I make far less mistakes than on my traditional keyboard. The trackpad is very intuitive to use. I normally use a mouse on a laptop, but with the trackpad so easy to use, I can free up that usb port. The camera is mediocre, 1.3 mp I heard. I tried out photobooth, the picture quality really no better than the webcam on my HP laptop. Lastly, for the speakers, I hate them. I know the sound quality on a laptop is not supposed to sound good, but the macbook speakers are below average. The treble carries a hissing sound, uncomfortable for prolonged listening. I usually use a pair of headphone. I wondering if that’s standard among all macbook or it’s just mine that’s defective. One last thing to mention is the battery life. Last night I was trying to drain the battery fast for calibration, so I turned on the screen brightness to max, bluetooth wireless all on, and watch videos on hulu for the entire time via headphone, the battery lasted around 4.5 hours. If you’re to use it normally, reading articles online, watching youtube occasionally, do some light processing work, the battery could easily reach the advertised 7 hours mark. The laptop itself is fairly light for its class, so carrying it for an entire day on campus should require no recharging.
These are all I think think up right now. I now do most of my every day computing on the mac, it’s just a joy to use. But when it comes to programs that only run on windows, I would rather turn on my old hp laptop instead of running windows within mac.
The way computing should be
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After 20 years of Microsoft-based computer use, I finally took the plunge. I’ve been using my MacBook for a week now, and helping my family with their computers in the past few days (Yeah, I’m the tech guy for the family) I have found myself missing what I can do easier on my Mac.
It is solidly constructed, the user interface is pleasing and intuitive to me. I really like the touchpad. The multi-finger gestures are just brilliant. Why has no one thought of this before now?
I was apprehensive about the keyboard. However it has a very consistent and pleasing feel to type on. The large wrist rest area is quite nice. It is “slick” plastic, though, so in the summer, I might not like it as much. We’ll see.
The rubber on the bottom keeps it from sliding on your lap, limits the feeling of cooking your lap that most laptops give you, again, another smart idea.
The display is magnificent. I loaded up some of my pictures and I found myself really enjoying just watching them scroll through in the screen saver. Very sharp and crisp.
My only real gripe so far is that Mac accessories (whether from Apple or 3rd parties) seem over-priced. Not sure why that is. But this is no different than iPod accessories, in my opinion. It’s irritating, and requires more shopping to get what you want at a reasonable price.
wow…!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this laptop because I wanted one, already had experience with apple because I also have a imac and I have no plans to switch to pc for now, the difference is heaven to earth … This perfect ….!!!
As long as you don’t have MacBook Pro envy..
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It’s great. Lightweight and portable, it’s the perfect laptop for the everyday student. That said, most people are running over to the MacBook Pro, so you’ll be getting a lot of “Why didn’t you upgrade?” questions. My usual response goes along with “I didn’t feel like spending an extra $200 when for a backlit keyboard I have a LAMP for that.” However, I digress; If you can live without that and an SD slot & firewire then you’re set. Buy it!
excellent computer
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve had this mac for a month and i completely love it. I switched from a pc to a mac and i couldn’t be happier! This Mac is so easy to us, only thing i wish it had was a camera card slot, but other than that it’s wonderful!
Great Machine!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Really excellent computer. Got it as a gift for my daughter and she loves it! Much easier to use than a Windows PC!
Just beautiful.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am totally in love with my new Macbook. The transition from PC to Mac was easy.I would advise buying a laptop skin though since the laptop is all white and can be scratched- but it is beautiful.
Windows Users Beware: Worst Touchpad
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
This review is for those who consider using this as a Windows OS notebook.
Although Windows OS (Vista or 7) works on Macbook via Bootcamp, the touchpad has always posed some problem. There was shifting or drifting of the cursor . Right-click using two fingers has always been a problem, as at the moment you put two fingers, the cursor will move around and select a wrong area. Right-clicking on songs in the Itunes has always been a pain — you end up using the mouse rather than the touchpad. That was with the previous version Macbook.
This new version makes things even worse. The supposedly improved touchpad is a nightmare, as now clicking is even harder — you have to push it really hard to click, and as you push hard, the cursor will almost always dance around. You end up pushing wrong buttons in your browser. Of course you can click in the center of the touchpad and the cursor will move around less (because you are not lifing your finger and you are using the same one finger) but the middle-part of the touchpad needs to be applied even more force to be pushed. This is truly problematic. So I am currently almost always using a mouse, rendering the touchpad useless. You don’t have this issue when you run the system using Snow Leopard. You have this drifting cursor issue only when using the Windows. I think this may be a driver compatibility issue. Lots of unwanted right-clicks too if you bring your hand too close to the touchpad. Furthermore, none of the much touted multi-touch capability would work in the Windows environment.
I have contacted Apple several times, but they are clueless and do not care. Their response is always simple: this is Windows OS problem, not our problem. (Of course, if you contact Microsoft, you get the opposite answer: this is a Mac problem.) It’s like a ping pong game between these two giants and customers lose out in the middle. I’d say this is a Mac problem since Mac specifically advertises that the Macbook works seamlessly in a windows environment. It doesn’t. By design? I don’t know. But they don’t seem to care.
So I have this suggestion for Windows users: buyers beware until Apple irons this problem out. Otherwise you will end up always using a mouse like me when using the Windows.
This is just one issue, albeit the biggest one. You will always hear tick, tick sound when you are using the Windows on this computer. (You will not hear it if you turn off the volume.) You may have all kinds of sound card and voice driver incompatibility issues — I searched the Internet for answers as my Skype did not work and had to install drivers that did not come with the Macbook. In other words, the Windows system on this computer — you must regard it as beta, or some sort of experimental stage. I do not think it is right for Apple to treat Windows users that way, since many of us have bought this computer based on Apple’s claim that Windows works nicely on this one.
A perfect solution to portability
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I just got it yesterday. It easily exceeded my already high expectations. Make sure to immediately check for software updates and update snow leopard. The first version may have a few bugs which the update should correct.
Very good product.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It’s a good product. Right now I’m in Brazil and having some trouble to install internet, but I will be fine in the next few days. This is my first Apple, I would recommend everyone to buy this laptop.
Well….. they were all right!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have heard from some friends for years that Mac was this and that, would not crash, ran better, easier to use, etc., but honestly didn’t think it could be true. Wow, was I wrong. I have used Windows based computers for a long time, probably close to 15 years now, and within 10 minutes, I swore I would never buy another one. I put it to the test. I had it rendering a movie with IMovie, transferring about 20 gigs of ITunes content from old comp to this, backing up my Iphone, all while watching my slingbox on a second display with a displayport VGA adapter. Never stuttered, never crashed. Even burned a DVD with IDVD while still doing similar task. Truly impressive. On my other comp (2.6 dual core, 3 gigs of ram, 320 HD, vista) no chance all of those programs would have functioned. Burning a DVD on it means stop all other programs and don’t touch it until it’s done and then it still may crash or make you a nice disc cup holder regardless. That is if you can avoid the daily, random blue screen of death that pops up regardless of how much your tasking the system.
The ILIfe software is among the best I’ve ever used. The whole package is impressive. It’s not just that “it all just works” it all just works very well. I’m truly shocked as I thought it would take me quite a while to be able to maneuver through the system but it has not. Great pre-Black Friday deal on amazon for well under $900, couldn’t be happier. Would highly, highly recommend.
MacBook doesn’t disappoint, as is common with Apple products
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
After using a reliable old Power Mac G4 “Sawtooth” for the last three years or so (a rescue from my employer who sold it to me for five bucks) I figured the time had arrived to treat myself to a new Mac machine. Sure, the price of a MacBook is a premium compared to (inferior) Windows-equipped computers, but I spent so little on the Power Mac that I figured even with the expenditure for the new machine, I’m money ahead. (and I’m even further ahead thanks to Amazon’s generous sale prices over the Thanksgiving holidays…thanks y’all)
This 13-inch “Late 2009″ MacBook delivers pretty much everything I expect from a Mac–qualities that in my opinion make a Mac superior to other personal computing products:
*Ease of use…within minutes of unpacking the MacBook, I was using it just like my old Power Mac. Configuration can be as easy or as complicated as you wish. I use Gmail, so no email configuration was necessary. Getting AirPort up and running was a cinch. And the interface, of course, is unmatched in its elegance and sophisticated simplicity.
*No worries with B.S. spyware or viruses…No need to run anti-virus software or anti-spyware or anti-malware, so you’re left with a very snappy and responsive machine. I will always have a problem with Windows machines because they cannot be used worry-free out of the box–countermeasures are a MUST and they sap machine resources in the process.
*Leading-edge design…Sure, $400 of what I paid may have gone to the illuminated Apple logo built into the lid…but it sure does look cool. Seriously though, every aspect of this product, from the computer itself to the design of the box to the way the items are packed inside the box, is obviously and thorougly well-thought-out. When you spend the extra money on a Mac, you see where it’s going.
These are just a few of the qualities that endears Mac to me. I could go on and on, but others have done that. If you’ve read reviews and articles, you know what makes Mac tick and whether or not it’s for you. All that’s left for me to do, then, is evaluate the hardware itself.
Exterior…The MacBook sports a beautifully-polished white polycarbonate “unibody” which feels luxuriously smooth to the touch. The unibody design makes for a more rigid chassis, with none of the flex or otherwise cheap feel I’ve seen on other notebook computers. That said, this MacBook’s build is just a bit short of perfect. Out of the box, there were a couple of very small nicks on the edges of the lid (you can feel them when you run your finger along the sharp edges), and a couple on the edge of the body itself. Additionally, the bottom access cover fits perfectly on three of its four sides, but is slightly warped on the 4th. No gap exists, but the fit is definitely off. I could get worked up about it, but won’t since I like the computer very much and none of these issues impacts performance. Still, for prices approaching $1,000, better attention should be paid to quality of build.
Display…LED backlighting produces an instantly-bright display when the computer is fired up–very nice compared to other LCD displays which use cold cathode tubes to light up their screens. The stock color balance of the display is actually not very good, however. Calibration is necessary to get it right. One can use the built-in calibration tool, which relies on your own taste and vision to get things right, or there are hardware/software solutions available from third-party vendors for more precise adjustments. I used a shareware app called SuperCal and it works very well, provided you have good eyesight and are patient enough to go through all the calibration steps.
***EDIT: After another few days using the computer, I concluded that I actually was happiest with the color balance out of the box. Go figure.***
Keyboard and Trackpad…Though the MacBook uses “chiclet” type keys, they are responsive and feel good when typing. Owing to the design of the body of the computer, you do not feel the keyboard flexing like you would on other notebook computers. The trackpad is a single piece of frosted glass that also acts as the button. I am particularly keen on the so-called Multi Touch gestures available with the trackpad, such as a three-finger swipe to go back or forward when browsing webpages or photographs, a two-finger push or tap on the pad for a right-click, and two-finger swipe for scrolling. The trackpad is excellent. My only gripe is that only the bottom 2/3 of the pad is really usable for clicking–the top third doesn’t give enough to be used as a button. Surely this is by design, and I have already adapted to it.
Internal Components…Very much up to snuff with mostly the same hardware found in the more expensive 13-inch base MacBook pro. In fact, you get more hard disk space on this computer–250GB–than the MacBook Pro which gives you only 160GB in base configuration. Sure, you don’t have FireWire or an SD card slot, but you don’t buy this computer if you want those doodads. I am particularly impressed with this machine’s speed. Here’s a good gauge of it. I used to use my Power Mac for ripping DVD’s into a format suitable for play on my iPod using a program called Handbrake. It would take around 7-8 hours to encode one hour of DVD material. On the MacBook, it takes only 40-45 minutes to complete the same task. There simply is no substitute for computing cubic inches, and the 2.26 GHz Core 2 Duo processor, along with the 1GHz memory and NVidia chipset, make for a brisk machine.
I would have given the MacBook a fifth star but feel the minor issues with the build warranted backing it off. Despite that, I am thrilled with this machine and am looking forward to the usual longevity I have come to expect with Mac computers.
Come on, it’s a MacBook
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Well I’m quite thrilled with this computer because i switched from my PC and it feels great. Computer came neat, on time, looking great. Very happy with the product and with Amazon.
I love it
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
First off this is the first time I’ve ever owned a mac so I was unsure of what to expect. Friends of mine have stated that their overpriced and gave me the same old arguments that I’ve heard from PC lovers before. Yet I found my macbook to be able to do a lot more out of the box than my PC which has better specs but with my pc I couldn’t even play dvds on it. No I have to buy a dvd decoder or get preferably one for free.
In either case I happen to love this beautiful macbook and wish that the beautiful iMac 27 inch was in my budget but unfortunately it isn’t right now.
First Mac purchase!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I was looking for a laptop for my GF for Xmas. I got an awesome deal on this $849 delivered through Amazon. I don’t know if the price will come down again like that, but I will keep watching.
I originally started out on C=128, then an Amiga 500 and Amiga 1200 (The true ‘multimedia pioneer’ not Apple) and have been a Windows user for sometime now, my main computer at home is W7, and I admit, I like it a lot. So here is my view as a “PC User”
It arrived and was nicely packed. After unpacking, I opened it up and powered it on Viola! Comes to life, asks a few questions, and we are done. The first thing I notice is no butt-load of crap-ware found on most PC’s (McAffee, Norton, RealMedia and the plethora of other junkware I usually must spend about 20 mins removing).
Next I set up her email, it asked for her Email address/pw (which is hotmail) and boom, away it goes determining the server and settings, next thing I know its downloading her Email messages! Fortunately the default was set NOT to delete them from the server. I set up a few “Smart Mailboxes” for family members and friends which was easy.
Next install was Skype, download, install and done easy-peasy! No spitting files all over the drive, and registry, etc…
I really like is the multi-touch pad, pretty sweet, the OS reminds me al ot of the older Amiga days with the menu bar up top.
That was about all it really needed, so on Xmas morning she can open it up and start using it. There is a slight learning curve, but nothing huge, any PC user would pick it up quickly.
The build is solid, it doesn’t feel cheap.
The LED backlit display is very nice and easy on the eyes.
Keyboard feels nice and easy to use.
Many operations in this are pretty intuitive for any PC user to pick up on.
Even with its 5400RPM HD, The OS still feel snappy and responsive.
Light-weight
It has been a real pleasure to use. I wouldn’t mind getting one for myself.
$849 was a steal, and any similar configured, quality PC would have cost about the same. It was too hard to pass up at this price.
I would like to download Parallels (I think thats it) and try running my older copy of Vista or XP in it. Id that works pretty well, I may just upgrade to the iMac or a MacBook like this.
If you are on a budget, there are plenty of fine PC Laptops out there. If you can afford a little bit more but still want value, I would seriously consider this laptop. If you have an Apple store near you, try to get over there and check them out (something I also did before purchase).
Another interesting thing I notice when looking around at Mac’s they hold their value MUCH better than a PC. There are older versions out there going for $600. I figure if anything, in 2 years we can sell this, and get the latest model at a “discount”.
I would not call myself a “convert”, but I would certainly like to add a Macbook to my lineup of hardware!
Apple Does It Again
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I have had my macbook for 3 years now, and I have yet to be let down. I don’t have to worry about it locking up or getting updated for security threats every 2 hours. About 2 years after I got it the hard drive did quit on me, but I was using about 75% of the hard drive. It was covered by applecare which did not let me down one bit. A very dependable product from such a reliable company. It may have cost more, but it’s just like paying more for a better quality of car. If you want to get what you pay for, pay for the macbook. I would recommend the black one so it doesn’t collect dirt and show it as much.
Best Device Technology Has To Offer
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The last time I used Apple computers was somewhere in the 80s then the whole barrage of PCs took over. What a difference it made through the years. Like the others, have been using PCs and Microsoft basically that almost forgot how I missed this innovation. Every time I use my Macbook I can’t stop smiling by the ease and conception of every function it is capable of. Here are some points:
Pros:
-The design concept is truly amazing
-You can run 2 OS linear or parallel using Desktop Parallel 5.0 or Fusion
-Blazing fast, I haven’t upgraded mine yet (plan to increase memory) but it is very fast in every way
-Included software fits every need no matter what your background is
-Gorgeous LED display
-Core 2 Duo processor is very efficient and reliable
-Quiet operation and barely gets warm
-Larger hard drive than the Pro version
-Insane 7 hr battery life, Netbooks have 10 hr battery life but is limited in what it can do
-Included software is very functional to every need
-Very light
-User friendly
-Tutorials available on Apple site
-Boots up in approx 20 seconds and shuts down in 5 seconds
-Glass mouse has a myriad of functions not available in PCs
Cons:
-Non user removable battery (although you can charge it up to 1,000x)
-Additional software and accessories could be very expensive
-Dirt magnet
-USB ports could be more
-People are complaining about the missing firewire port but my Sony HD cam uses a regular usb connection when transferring AVCHD video files. Besides, firewire speed is rated at 400mbps while USB 2.0 is 480mbps.
I just purchased Desktop Parallel 5.0 to add flexibility in handling Microsoft apps and operation, still thinking whether to install Windows 7 or XP but definitely not Vista. I bought mine from Bestbuy and it came with a $150 gift card so it’s like I just paid $849. I wanted the regular white Macbook because it has a larger hard drive and I heard the aluminum unibody case dents easily. I am planning to use my Macbook for our church website construction even if we have an existing one I made through a PC software, the iWeb feature using MobileMe is just too nice to ignore. I’m planning to get an iMac next time for my 2 girls.
Nice but feel swindled
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I have had my macbook for about 3 years. I love the interface and the aesthetics of the computer. Within the last year, I have begun to experience trouble with my internet speed. It took 30 seconds for a webpage like DrudgeReport, all text, to load. Trying to watch streaming video is almost hopeless. I watch video for 10 seconds, it loads for 3 seconds, I watch for 10, load for 3, etc. My blackberry Bold is faster than my 13″ Macbook!
I upgraded to Leopard and thought surely that will solve my problems. No, it did not. I bought a new router. That did not do a single thing. I am not a computer whiz but I have been using PCs for the last 20 years (actually, my first computer was an Apple IIe). I am not computer illiterate. It should not be this difficult to get my mac to perform as fast as a PC laptop. Incidentally, I can connect my wife’s Dell to our wireless and she gets blazing fast wireless, so the router and network are working just fine.
I am so fed up and frustrated with Apple. After doing online searches to solve this problem, it seems that many, many people share my frustration and have uber slow internet. There are a myriad of proposed solutions…not of which have worked for me. It should be easy and quick to fix any problems and updates should be made available from Apple.
Here I am, stuck with my thousand dollar computer which I purchase specifically so that I could easily and quickly access the internet and streaming media. I feel like I have gone back 12 years in regard to speed.
Buyer beware…Apple is not as intuitive or as functional as they advertise. Yes, it is a sexy machine but it seems that often it does not perform like it should. I would much rather have a PC than this white brick of a computer.
PS – forgot to add that the internal fan likes to run at 6000+ RPMs on a regular basis. It is LOUD and HOT. Also, when this fan runs so loud and hot, it suck up your battery and slows down everything else that you are trying to do. oh, guess what? Apple does not have a fix that you can download. WTF?! Seriously. You have to get a third party program that is fortunately free and fortunately it works. Apple should provide this themselves but they do not.
I cannot understand this company. They do some things so well but just drop the ball on other things.
Video Review: MacBook – More than enough for the fun stuff
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1UZDPX5TFLZ8G
I made this video to hopefully add a little more life to the product.
Snow Leopard adds a lot more than I thought.
This is a great computer if you want to play with pics, surf the web, mess with your music collection.
This is not the Mac if you want serious processing power of lots of inputs to create a home network.
Look to a MacBook Pro or iMac for that.
I would have given it 5 stars if it had more inputs.
This is a pricy computer already, now I have to spend more to get adaptors.
I wish it was still available in black or you could opt for the non-glaze display.
I hope you enjoy the video, I had fun making it.
I’m jealous!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought a Macbook Pro to use in my business 3 or 4 months ago….. now Apple offers the same processor, and bigger hard drive in their entry level macbook! Although I love the macbook pro, I’ve ordered this unit for my family room – casual usage to replace an aging macbook …. don’t really feel like I’ve given up much. This model doesn’t have the firewire port or light-up keyboard but I’ve never used firewire and can live without both options. If you are considering your first macbook you are getting a very powerful, quality laptop for a great price. If you don’t believe me, go to ebay and look at the price of used macbooks, then compare to the price of used dell or HP laptops. They retain their value because they are made well and last a long time. Plenty of ram, processing power, dvd superdrive and huge hard disk drive coupled with a great price makes this one a winner!
Great Apple Quality but the Aluminum Body is hardier
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
This is a great laptop but the aluminum body Macboook Pro is much hardier for $ 200 more. Of course the Apple laptops are 30 to 40% higher priced than HP and other Windows laptops so you need to see which OS suits you best – Windows 7 or Mac OSX.
Also the price of this laptop was $999 list and sold to me by Amazon for $952 + tax. Around 2 weeks later the price has gone down to $ 884.98. I feel ripped off.
Best Laptop I’ve Owned – Excellent MousePad!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Always had windows computers. Have the new Toshiba w/ Windows 7. This Mac blows it away – yes it’s $300 more but has a much faster processor, a built-in camera that blows away the toshiba in resolution – the toshiba is worthless taking pics – the pics are too dark to make out. Video card and screen graphics blow the toshiba away. Mac boots up and is surfing the internet faster and also shuts down faster. Mousepad along is worth $100 xtra in my book – I always used Logitech wireless notebook mouse because of the sucky designs. No need to with this – just scroll to where you want on the pad and click down right on that spot – no searching for a separate button in lower left. Much more comfortable design w/ more room before the keypad and much more comfortable on hands. Is heavier than toshiba, but not enough to make any usable difference. Extension cord power cord is great also and no massive transformer to tote around – like the magnetic plug in connector as well. I recently switched to iphone 3GS and was so impressed vs blackberry curve I had to try this out and will purchase one for my daughter when she starts college next year. Also do not plan on wasting money on antivirus software – a huge annual savings as mac osx snow leopard doesn’t get the hackers that windows does because windows is in corporations and most people own them. Was cheaper on amazon w/ free 2 day ship w/ amazon prime which I am a huge favor of and no sales tax ($225 total savings).
decisions decisions…
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
First and foremost I love MAC. When i was younger my mom had a mac and i absolutely HATED it. After buying a windows HP last year and getting billions of stupid pop-ups, and having to search through 20 folders to find one thing, or programs closing for “unexpected reasons”. I decided to switch. I personally think mac’s are very simple to learn and once you learn all the ins and outs you’ll wonder why you ever used windows. It reminds me of the iphone, how the App’s are click and go. It is the same with the mac. I’ve debated getting the macbook and macbook pro, but for the price and the fact i won’t be using it for games, i decided on the macbook. I currently own the macbook air and love it. I have zero problems with viruses, i never get pop-ups or random programs on my comp that i will never use. The Iphoto is awesome, and has a face recognition so you can create albums depending on whose in the picture, by place or by date. I also love IWORK, which i use to do all my homework for school, it saves in pdf. and .doc which is the most common. A random thing i noticed is the webcam is way clearer then other windows computers. Garage band is loved by many who love music and want to create ringtones or tracks. There is also Imovie for burning movies. the mac i use is only 1.6 ghz (speed) and I can have 5 windows open and running and i never get an “unexpected error must close”. So if you are daring enough to try something new, are tired of silly pop-ups, and stupid stuff that comes with your computer then this is the laptop for you.
Fabulous laptop – but check before you depart the store!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I just picked up a MacBook Pro 13″ for my daughter yesterday (not from Amazon). All the raving reviews are really true – it is a very well-built and fabulously running system. Bright LCD, great backlit keyboard, very good battery life and MacOS is fast and snappy. I have installed Windows 7, using Bootcamp, and it also runs very well. Mine did not come with Snow Leopard so I had to download a 23-Mb update from Apple to get the drivers “right” in Windows 7. But, caveat emptor, I assumed this MB would be equally nice as the one I bought late last year (from Amazon) for my oldest daughter. After I brought this one home, I discovered a rub mark (not bad – but noticeable) and a long but small scratch on the aluminum lid. I will put a nice laptop skin on it to cover both – but an $1100+ system should not have damage like this. So – if you don’t want any scratches/etc – buy from Amazon! If you buy from a brick and mortar – I suggest that you open the package in the store and check for visible damage.
MAC IS GREAT!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I actually bought a year ago, but now I remember how much this comment and reviews helped to choose this mac. Ive got the black one which in my opinion is better than the white one (white one sometimes get yellowish) and although the black one does get some smudges as everyone says, they are minor, really, they will not make it look worse. IT IS THE NICEST AND BEST COMPUTER EVER MADE!! and now at a really good price (I paid $1499 for it). It is even nicer than the new one!! The new one has really good features so you might be opting for that one, but please buy a MAC. It is, really, the BEST OPERATING SYSTEM EVER!! It is easy, fast and you will like it (if you are thinking you might not i assure you that you will). There is nothing out there that can compete with the mac operating system.
This computer is great for everything. If you are a heavy gamer I don’t recommend it, but if you are not buy it or buy any mac out there!!
MACS ARE THE BEST!! It will really make your life simple and more entertaining.
If you do buy one before buying Iwork or Microsoft stuff try Neooffice which I believe is great and sufficient for school and probably work!!
Worth the wait for me!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have been an Apple computer user exclusively since the early 1990’s when I first purchased an LCII for use at home and then a Powerbook for use at work. For some reason I never got around to buying another laptop until this new model of the MacBook was announced, although I had used several other Apple desktops over the years.
After reviewing the specs and comparing the price and features to the lowest priced MacPro, there didn’t seem to be any reason not to go with the MacBook over the MacPro, at least for my own purposes. I was initially worried about the lack of a Firewire connectivity since I have always used a separate Firewire drive with my desktops for Time Machine backups and/or extra storage space. It was not necessary to utilize a Firewire connection to load everything onto my laptop from my desktop since this was done wirelessly through the SetUp Assistant. Since I am not using my laptop as my primary computer, I do not feel that the lack of Firewire connectivity is going to present me with any problem going forward.
Thus far I have been very pleased with my MacBook. I believe that my high-school age son feels the same about the one that I purchased for him but to find out for certain would require me to get him off of his long enough to actually hold a conversation!
First Mac Ever! Best Operating System Ever!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This laptop should be a great choice for anyone young and old alike. Easy to use and stunning display made it a easy choice for me. They talk this laptop up and they definitely should. It is everything they say it is. I am actually using it now. I was skeptical about the seven hour battery but it is true. The only con is there no SD card slot, but hey i’m not paying an extra $300 for the pro, just for it. I can always get a usb SD slot for cheap. But yeah definitely a great laptop. I’ve used Windows up until this laptop and I will never go back. Mac is an all around great operating system with everything you need and could want. And best of all Mac can’t get viruses, we all no Windows can…
Great Laptop, very powerful, but PC might still be better for you!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Hi everyone,
Yesterday I purchased the brand new Macbook. This is my first Mac and have been using Windows products for over 15 years. I have not had any major issues with Windows, but I needed a change because of some issues I was having with my Sony Vaio. The Vaio had Vista on it so it was a memory vampire but I figured when I upgraded its memory, I thought it would fix the issue. I still had problems with running my photoediting programs and internet. I knew I needed a switch and after looking at all the things I need a laptop for (word documents, music creation, photography, etc.).
Do I think everyone needs to chuck their Windows computers out the Window (see my joke, I am a funny guy) to go and purchase a $1000 laptop? Definitely not!!!! Do I think that if you use the laptop for the same things as me that you should consider purchasing one? Yes! I do love the quick speed with my Photoshop Elements and Garageband is amazing because I don’t need to go and shell out lots of money for recording equipment,
With this ongoing battle between Mac and Windows users, I say forget who makes one and look at what your going to truly being using the computer for and make your decisions from there.
Hope this helps!
Mac is Over Rated and Over Priced… Buy a PC with Windows 7
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
My son has had a MacBook for about 2 or 3 yrs, and it has been a disapointment. I’ve got 3 Dell’s in the house, but my son insisted on getting a Mac because he thought it was better. First of all, for $1K, all you get is a basic computer with a small HD and only a 13″ screen. For ~ half the price, you can get a PC with a 15″ screen and more powerfull chip and drive. We’ve had several reliability issues with the Mac. One time, the bottom half of the screen stayed blank, so we had to bring it to the “genius bar”, and fortunately it was still under warranty – solution was to replace the screen. On two other occassions, we had to bring it in to have the disk drive replaced since the CD/DVD’s got stuck and would not eject. Another problem with Mac is they don’t run all the programs that a PC does. So my son just partitioned his HD and installed Windows7 on his Mac so he could run the programs his Apple OS won’t run. He conclueded that Windows7 is better, and he wants a Dell notebook for his next computer. My other son also wants a Dell notebook now.
My kids learned a valuable lesson which I am passing on to you – you don’t always get what you pay for.
The Missing Firewire Port will lock you out of many great products
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
The absence of a FireWire Port is a MAJOR flaw.
Get the smaller MacBook Pro instead. (Only $168 more)
This Macbook is a non-starter due to no Firewire. Removing Firewire is like taking all the Philips screwdrivers out of a toolbox.
Firewire Target Disk Mode is arguably one of the most useful Mac diagnostic tools. With Firewire you can safely migrate, REPAIR, or perform component tests on a Mac, without damaging the internal drive. Ethernet may work, IF you have two FUNCTIONAL machines. The great thing about Firewire Target Disk mode was that if the Hard Drive or OS was corrupted, or the computer was for some reason unbootable you could still get data off of it quickly, without tools or special equipment. Firewire Target disk mode has saved my rear several times on every machine I have owned.
Thousands of devices are Firewire ONLY, with more coming out all the time and this Macbook will NEVER be able to use ANY of them.
Some FireWire advantages are:
True Target Disk Mode (ethernet can be used ONLY if the ‘Bad’ machine will boot)
FireWire can be daisy chained
Bus Power – FW – Up to 30V/45W vs USB 5V/500mA
Peer to Peer Connections (no host or CPU required)
Multiple Host on a bus support
TCP/IP Networking support
No Drivers Required (config ROM built in) aka Plug and Play
Remote Control of devices like cameras
CableTV Box Support
You can’t transfer (at full quality) a VHS tape or other Video tape using an Analog-to-DV Converter without Firewire
DMA transfers – device to device data transfer no CPU involved
Firewire allows two operating modes. One is asynchronous, like USB which suffers from latency, bus contention and collisions.
The other is isochronous mode, and it lets a device carve out a certain dedicated amount of bandwidth that other devices can’t touch. It gets a certain number of time slices each second all its own. The advantages for audio/video should be obvious: that stream of data can just keep on flowing, and as long as there isn’t more bandwidth demand than the wire can handle, nothing will interfere with it. No collisions, no glitches. Firewire is Rock Solid.
There are no USB to Firewire adapters. (Desperate Macbook owners are looking, but it can’t be done.) Firewire MUST be in the computer. USB can not “keep up” with Firewire speed.
The Macbook Pro has Firewire. (The 13.3 inch is Only $168 more.)
The MacBook has no slot for an Express Card. There’s NO WAY to connect any Firewire device to the new MacBooks…period.
Keep in mind that when Apple dropped ADB, SCSI and floppy drives in the Mac at least there where alternatives. USB floppy drives and usb to ABD adapters that protected your investment. There is NO option to connect existing or future Firewire products to the new Macbook.
When you have a Mac (with Firewire) that will not boot, it will most often still work in target disk mode making it possible to either fix the hard drive or at least back it up.
If you want to go into a creative field then Firewire is a must, and will be a standard for a long time, this includes video, photo, and especially anything to do with music.
Firewire is “isochronous”, basically meaning that you can pump “clocked” data though it in real time. USB works more like TCPIP, with the data chopped up into packets and later reassembled.
Firewire is continuing to improve. (Firewire 3200 will be out soon.) Firewire is more relevant than it ever has been.
Apple has always been a visionary company, leading the way in new technology adoption. This one has me scratching my head. They have removed a mature, ubiquitous and robust protocol and replaced it with… NOTHING!
Get the smaller MacBook Pro instead.