If you are a technology teacher who needs to order new laptops for a school, or a student/professional who needs a new laptop and will only go for a Mac (for whatever reason), most likely, on your next trip to BEST BUY or the Mac Store, you will encounter the newest line of Macbooks and will be tempted to purchase one.
As a technology coordinator, I oversee school purchasing and connectivity of desktops and laptops in my part of District 29 of NYC Public schools. We are always getting new computers and laptops for student and staff use, and we are also solicited by companies who sell computers and accessories. I get to see the best of the best new technology regularly.
I like a lot of the new products Apple is turning out. I used to hate them because of product reliability (usually HDD failures) but more recently I’ve cozied up to them, their iPhone and their iMacs.
But, I am no Mac Fanboy either. It takes more than an aluminum case and some cleverly placed LED's to impress me.
I will still criticize when I have to and tell it like it is. As far as I’m concerned their products have steadily gotten better, while their prices remain ultra-premium. I’d have even more faith in them if they’d spend more time testing their products for everyday student/office use, but, as I said, I have noticed their quality has increased over time.
THE NEW MACBOOK MB466LL/A
The Macbook which I am reviewing is the MB466LL/A. It is the most recently released Macbook and most likely, the one students will aim for since the Pro model is much more costly. Overall, it is a very well manufactured and very competent laptop with a “luxury” feel to it. I will not review the Operating system: LEOPARD because Apple laptops will always differ based on the OS you are using. Apple’s SNOW LEOPARD OS is coming soon and I haven’t paid any attention to the previews for it. What I will say before I talk about aspects of its build quality, is that the MB466LL/A, is powerful enough to do most of the things you’d typically want to do with a Mac:
#1 editing videos for upload to Youtube
#2 video editing with the intention of sharing over school networks
#3 Sound editing using Pro Tools (and this laptop is more powerful than many older desktop MACS running the sound editing software.
#4 More than enough power to use Safari or Opera web browser
#5 More than enough power for multitasking while in Java enabled chat programs.
And, #6, enough power to run multiple Microsoft Office programs reliably such as Onenote, Excel and Word simultaneously. And this comes in handy for students.
The preinstalled software package includes: Time Machine (backup utility for USB Hard Drives or Apple’s Time Capsule), Spotlight, iChat, Safari, iCal, DVD Player, Front Row, Photo Booth, Xcode Developer Tools, iLife '08 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, and GarageBand).
The majority of the Macbook’s appeal is in its multimedia capabilities and its chat/interactivity. The Macbook comes with a built-in iSight webcamera with a high quality microphone. Whatever laptop you buy, be sure it has a webcam w/ mic because it makes the laptop so much neater when you can travel and still communicate with family through MSN Messenger on videochat. Leopard’s version of chat programs allows you to include video effects to make you appear to be on rollercoasters or even backdrops of famous landmarks.
The reason I can’t personally use Macs is simply because the majority of the market is geered towards PC releases as first priority and Mac releases as secondary. I want to be able to get games like CRYSIS or Far Cry 2 as soon as they are released (on my Tech teacher discounts) without having to worry about whether or not they’ll work. On Mac, that isn’t a reality. In fairness, Apple has released “Bootcamp” which allows some PC software to work on Mac, but, there are tons of compatibility issues beyond OS compatibility that come up when you have the game conflicting with the hardware.
CRYSIS for instance, won’t run in VERY HIGH mode on a Mac unless you have 12th level hacking skills to make it work.
The new Macbook even has the multi-touch trackpad that allows it to mimic scrolling functions of the iPhone. It supports 2-finger scrolling, pinch, rotate, 3-finger swipe, 4-finger swipe, tap, double-tap and drag. It’s fun to use when moving through files and folders, but it isn’t a major innovation to the internet browsing experience. The trackpad is interesting, however, because there is no longer the signature Mac "click button". Instead the whole top level of the trackpad must be tapped as if there was a button there. The software recognizes your tap in this area as a *click* and it registers just like the button would. Its not bad but it takes a little getting used to.
What’s to like?
The Macbook is just around 4.5 lbs and includes the standard ports a typical user would require (unlike stupid MacBookAir). There is the MagSafe power connection, Ethernet, a Firewire 800 port, two USB ports, Apple's Mini Display Port jack, 3.5mm audio in / out (multi-purpose analog and optical), and an ExpressCard slot.
The Macbooks have undergone shell and innard changes from the outgoing models. Most of the changes are very subtle while others require opening of the case to notice. Firstly, I like the new LED lighting that appears on the left hand side which indicates battery charge/capacity when you plug the laptop in. This makes it easier to check for charge then the older iBook I had where the LED’s were located on the underside of the computer on the battery itself.
The annoying hook latch of the previous Macbooks has also been replaced by a regular magnetic seal. When you close the Macbook up it simply snaps shut without that ugly latch having to come down. Now you simply pry it open.
The interior of the computer has been made much neater and now, you simply remove one cover and you install your battery (oddly painted to look like a 1st generation iPhone).
The battery is located right next to the HDD, something I’ve never seen APPLE do before. Changing either of these components is much easier now. The RAM, however, requires you to take out another cover. Most likely, you’d only need to upgrade RAM once, since expandibility is capped to 4GB, but its nice to see that Apple has designed the interior neatly and the total package still feels very sturdy and reliable.
And What’s not to like?
The new Macbook’s black screen bezel, as well as the screen is glossy. The first experience I got using screens like this was with a Hewlett Packard DV series and for the most part, it helped accentuate Windows VISTA’s graphic style. The problem is, however, some people will need to use this computer in places where the screen becomes a total hindrance. It is nearly impossible to raise/lower the contrast to an acceptable level to overcome the glossiness if you’re outside using this computer in daylight and the sun just happens to be at the right angle to mess up your day. Imagine you are a student trying to get homework done, working on the grass in your university’s quad. It can be a big problem.
There is a Firewire 800 port, but, Firewire 400 is gone. Serious video professionals with old equipment may not be so happy about that. Apple has also decdided to stop giving you free DVI connectors.
The 13.3” screen - MB466LL/A Macbook’s starting base configuration ( Intel Core 2 Duo/ 160GB HDD / 2GB RAM and DVDRW) will cost you about $1300 before taxes.
If you decide to go a screen size up to the base model 15.4” MB470LL/A (Core2duo / 250GB HDD / 2GB RAM and DVDRW) you’ll be hit with a $2000 bill (before taxes).
I don’t consider these prices to be deals at all. I regularly buy Hewlett Packard laptops for personal use and they usually come feature rich for less than $1000. My last model cost $800 and had a Core2Duo/ 250GB HDD and 3GB RAM with a 15.4” widescreen.
By no stretch of the imagination are the new Macbooks “a bargain”.
There is a cheaper model – the MB402LL/B which costs about $1000 and comes with a Core2Duo / 120GB HDD / and 1GB of RAM. Unfortunately, I don’t recommend running LEOPARD OSX on any less than 2GB of RAM and this laptop stupidly doesn’t have a DVD/RW…it has a DVD/ CD-RW. I don’t recommend it at all.
I’m also surprised that there is no option for a BluRay Drive/DVDRW (or a Blu Ray Writer). Blu Ray was a big thing when its 25 and 50GB capacity was competing with HDDVD but, now that HDDVD has been defeated, it seems, many companies aren’t really that interested in it – or, they demand far too much for it. Some people use their laptops to watch High Definition DVD’s on their HDTV’s (rather than buy a Playstation 3 or a HD DVD player) . Too bad that’s not an option here.
FINAL THOUGHTS
In my epinion, the new Macbooks are fine products and have definitely raised the bar for laptop quality. However, if you’re new to laptops and not particular about the OS you get, there really isn’t much here to sway a traditional PC buyer over to Mac.
There have been numerous complaints about Windows Vista’s power hogging ways, but Leopard isn’t that much better. Battery life here with regular use is about 2 and a half hours which could be squeezed to 3 with power saving options on.
Mac and PC designs come from two different philosophies. The Macs are very pretty and have minimalist styling, while the PC’s are user customized to do whatever it is you want done regardless how it looks.
I like the new Macbook and I recommend it to friends, but, I think Apple needs to give the customer a choice between glossy screen and non glossy. In a brightly lit room, the screen on this thing is as reflective as a mirror – and that ain’t nice.
OTHER APPLE PRODUCTS
APPLE eMAC - http://www.epinions.com/content_416728518276
MACBOOK AIR - http://www.epinions.com/content_432696168068
