[MW Forums]

Apple on Tuesday updated its consumer MacBook computers adding faster processors, 1GB RAM and larger hard drives in all models. more

[d00d]

The MacBooks really are the best all around machine for most users now.
It's too bad they still insist on the black tax.

[g4zilla]

Dang. I was hoping for an update to the MacBook Pro. I'm ready to buy.
Hmm...Well, I will give myself a one-week window. If no update is announced, then I need to move ahead and get my new 17".

[Brendan_McKinley]

Sounds like Apple is planning to bring Santa Rosa to the MacBook Pros first. Oh well, at least we get a little more for the money, 802.11n is enabled by default, and they finally have 8x SuperDrives.
However Apple's continued use of the integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics chip in the MacBooks, is at the point of being an embarrassment.

[roadwarrior]

Those 950 graphics are a serious joke...pure fluff, almost totally useless. At the very least, add some kind of compact graphics card slot, for pete's sake! I've told some people at work who might consider switching to Mac not to waste their money on a MacBook or iMac with the integrated graphics. Of course, these are PC people who know how crappy integrated graphics are, so they totally agree with my assessment.

[OM_user]

Interesting, but why is the Apple Store still down? Is something else coming or have they just not updated the store yet for the new MB's?

[bigpics]

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MacBook already offers some of the technologies available in Santa Rosa, said Benjamin. We decided with this update that we would add more value with processor speeds, RAM and hard drive space. We feel this is the prefect line-up for the Spring.

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As a prospective purchaser, I beg to differ. The desirability of better built-in graphics for the MB -- as the only thing close to a small notebook in the Apple line up -- has been clear for some time, and since one gathered they weren't about to add a video card or a way to add your own, I'd been expecting the long-ago announced Santa Rosa benefits in this area for months. Like others in my sitch, it's not that I require primo game performance or anything, but I have read enough benchmarks and reviews to know that for my graphics and video editing, the MB slouches a bit in ways the new chipset would have addressed more effectively.
I suppose I should wait for reviews to actually verify this, but a processor speed bump plus the RAM (and less than I would've added anyway) doesn't sound like the move up the ladder I've been really quite expecting.
So call me a whiner in waiting on this one....
...reduced to now hoping that October's Leopard blitz will see a refresh of what the new HD and RAM are plugged into....

[edguzman]

I bought my macbook 3 weeks ago and by the looks OF this upgrade I don't think I'm missing much. Thank god!! I would have been very disappointed if the updated would have included santarosa. But I knew this was not the case. Buy your mac and DON'T LOOK BACK!!! By the way I don't even notice the intergrated graphics. this is a great machine

[Inkling]

No Santa Rosa, no sale. Apple certainly blew this one. According to what I've read, the new chips are both better and cheaper than the old, so unless Apple's using older chips dumped by Intel at firesale prices, they're back to playing their old games with us. They're crippling their low end to push more overpriced Macbook Pros out the door. Everyone else will have less-expensive machines with Santa Rosa but not Apple.
Looks like I'll be waiting for Santa Rosa, Leopard and perhaps LEDs to belatedly migrate to a MacBook--that's if I don't just get a used 12-inch Powerbook and tell Apple to take a hike.

[Gossamer_MW]

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It's too bad they still insist on the black tax.

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I'm not crazy about the white versions myself. But if I have to layout 200 bucks more, I'd be for more memory, not black paint.

[palane]

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I'm not crazy about the white versions myself. But if I have to layout 200 bucks more, I'd be for more memory, not black paint.

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Hey, you could probably get a custom paint job for $200. Polka-dots, anyone?
BB

[tomtom]

Folks relax, its is just an inexpensive notebook and perfectly adequate for mot peoples requirements.

[MacCheetah3]

Hi
I'm not disappointed but not quite as excited as I would have been for a Santa Rosa based MacBook.
Up from the previous MacBooks...
~160MHz more per core
8x SuperDrive over the 6x
next level per HDD, ~40GB more
802.11n enabled w/o the need for additional software

[webgodjj]

I myself am waiting for a macbook pro, however, it doesn't seem to make sense to by one now, or even in June. I'll wait for the new operating system in October. Then I don't have to pay to upgrade the system.