Apple MacBook MC207LL/A 13.3 in. Mac Notebook
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- HDD Size: 250 GB
- Family Line: MacBook
- Processor: Core 2 Duo 2.26 GHz
- Installed Memory: 2 GB (DDR3 SDRAM)
- Display: 13.3 in. LED
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A review for the Holiday shopper: The MacBook vs. The MacBook Pro
Pros
Has nearly everything a MacBook Pro has, at a better value.
Cons
Can't change batter yourself, color accuracy is slightly low, surface scratches easily.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
A great value for first time Mac-ers and veterans alike. This baby packs a punch - but make sure it's the one that knocks you out before you buy it.
You may not think it from my outward appearance (or at least I hope not), but I'm a computer geek. It has its advantages; I can spot a lemon a mile away, I can take apart and fix my own computers and I've made a pretty good living as a web and graphic designer. It also has its disadvantages too; I never go a day without having a friend leave me a voice mail asking for help when their computers go kablooey.
Up until just about two years ago, I swore by PCs and I do infact still keep an Acer with me when I travel. But for web and graphic presentation, Mac has won me over time and again. Audio and video production? It doesn't get better than what Mac has to offer.
I started out with a MacBook Pro a few months ago and it was love at first type. I was impressed with the interface, the speed and overall performance. While there were a few flaws, they were in no way great enough to match the countless flaws of the PC. Sadly, I had to sell my MBP, being a student severely strapped for cash, and downgrade back to a PC.
Being in slightly better standing now, I recently cruised by my local Apple store to see if their prices had lowered within the last few months. No chance. The MBP's were the same and in between salivating in the middle of the busy isle, I looked over to a computer that was just shy of $1,000. It was a MacBook. But it wasn't pro. Though aside from the color and the absence of the endlessly cool looking blacklit keyboard, I could hardly tell the difference.
After grilling a clerk for more than twenty minutes and comparing the specs to the MBP (which are, as we'll get into, essentially identical), I came to the conclusion that I could possibly get everything I want out of this machine while paying a few hundred dollars less. Heck, the clerk even told me "This is basically a MacBook Pro, only in white."
Well, he wasn't completely right. Good thing is he only missed pinning the tail on the donkey by a hair of its buttocks.
Lets get into the pros. Obviously, the price is great, and people who have never owned a Mac and want to make a clean break from the PC will probably jump at it without thinking. As said, the MacBook and MacBook Pro's specs are nearly identical; both have Intel's 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of DDR3 memory, and an 8x SuperDrive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M 256MB graphics. Both also have standard WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, gigabit Ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports and Mini DisplayPort. Where the MacBook may earn points for some is that the standard hard drive is actually bigger than the Pro at 250GB 5,400rpm.
Of course, pros and cons are subjective. You may not be a computer geek like yours truly and only understood the last sentence of the previous paragraph. For the cons, I'll make it simpler. First, there is no FireWire port. This may be problematic for most users and I have to admit that I was momentarily stung by this fact (I got over it). There is also no SD Card slot which didn't outright throw me into a frenzy, though it would've been nice to know it was there. My one major complaint is that on this MacBook you can't simply change the battery yourself, which was a key advantage of my old MBP.
Another complaint which affected me as a web and graphic designer was that the color accuracy of the MacBook Pro is greater than my recently purchased MacBook - though its still brighter than every portable DVD player I've had. But perhaps this had affected me since I owned a MacBook before and have a base of comparison. This model only comes in white and is easy to scratch. The supposed 'non-stick' bottom picks up a lot of dust and cloth so you may wanna switch back into your jeans before resting this onto your lap at night.
So which should you buy, a MacBook or MacBook Pro? Depends. While the two aren't exactly the same, if you're a non-computer geek the differences will hardly matter and most likely never affect you. If you simply want a reliable machine that offers a lot at a reasonable price, this one is for you. If you're a seasoned Mac user, the only thing you have to look at is whether or not upgrading would be of greater service to you personally. Like any other computer on the market, this machine is only as good as what you intend to do with it.
Personally, I'm sticking with this baby for a little bit. I'll no doubt upgrade down the road, but this should keep me satisfied until my current income allows it. I've tried both machines in the last year and regardless of what some may consider major or trivial differences, there's no doubt that Apple has the best notebooks on the market today - hope that makes your Holiday shopping a little easier.
Up until just about two years ago, I swore by PCs and I do infact still keep an Acer with me when I travel. But for web and graphic presentation, Mac has won me over time and again. Audio and video production? It doesn't get better than what Mac has to offer.
I started out with a MacBook Pro a few months ago and it was love at first type. I was impressed with the interface, the speed and overall performance. While there were a few flaws, they were in no way great enough to match the countless flaws of the PC. Sadly, I had to sell my MBP, being a student severely strapped for cash, and downgrade back to a PC.
Being in slightly better standing now, I recently cruised by my local Apple store to see if their prices had lowered within the last few months. No chance. The MBP's were the same and in between salivating in the middle of the busy isle, I looked over to a computer that was just shy of $1,000. It was a MacBook. But it wasn't pro. Though aside from the color and the absence of the endlessly cool looking blacklit keyboard, I could hardly tell the difference.
After grilling a clerk for more than twenty minutes and comparing the specs to the MBP (which are, as we'll get into, essentially identical), I came to the conclusion that I could possibly get everything I want out of this machine while paying a few hundred dollars less. Heck, the clerk even told me "This is basically a MacBook Pro, only in white."
Well, he wasn't completely right. Good thing is he only missed pinning the tail on the donkey by a hair of its buttocks.
Lets get into the pros. Obviously, the price is great, and people who have never owned a Mac and want to make a clean break from the PC will probably jump at it without thinking. As said, the MacBook and MacBook Pro's specs are nearly identical; both have Intel's 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of DDR3 memory, and an 8x SuperDrive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M 256MB graphics. Both also have standard WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, gigabit Ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports and Mini DisplayPort. Where the MacBook may earn points for some is that the standard hard drive is actually bigger than the Pro at 250GB 5,400rpm.
Of course, pros and cons are subjective. You may not be a computer geek like yours truly and only understood the last sentence of the previous paragraph. For the cons, I'll make it simpler. First, there is no FireWire port. This may be problematic for most users and I have to admit that I was momentarily stung by this fact (I got over it). There is also no SD Card slot which didn't outright throw me into a frenzy, though it would've been nice to know it was there. My one major complaint is that on this MacBook you can't simply change the battery yourself, which was a key advantage of my old MBP.
Another complaint which affected me as a web and graphic designer was that the color accuracy of the MacBook Pro is greater than my recently purchased MacBook - though its still brighter than every portable DVD player I've had. But perhaps this had affected me since I owned a MacBook before and have a base of comparison. This model only comes in white and is easy to scratch. The supposed 'non-stick' bottom picks up a lot of dust and cloth so you may wanna switch back into your jeans before resting this onto your lap at night.
So which should you buy, a MacBook or MacBook Pro? Depends. While the two aren't exactly the same, if you're a non-computer geek the differences will hardly matter and most likely never affect you. If you simply want a reliable machine that offers a lot at a reasonable price, this one is for you. If you're a seasoned Mac user, the only thing you have to look at is whether or not upgrading would be of greater service to you personally. Like any other computer on the market, this machine is only as good as what you intend to do with it.
Personally, I'm sticking with this baby for a little bit. I'll no doubt upgrade down the road, but this should keep me satisfied until my current income allows it. I've tried both machines in the last year and regardless of what some may consider major or trivial differences, there's no doubt that Apple has the best notebooks on the market today - hope that makes your Holiday shopping a little easier.
