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Matthew Elliott,
Section Editor
October 29, 2008
Unibody construction. Giant, multitouch trackpad. Edge-to-edge glass display. Nvidia graphics. DisplayPort video connection. Meet the new MacBook family of laptops.
The MacBook ditches its old plastic chassis for brushed aluminum goodness (though it ditches its FireWire port in the process). Feeling the heat of the overhauled aluminum MacBook, the MacBook Pro now serves up dual graphics, which lets you switch between integrated graphics for longer battery life and discrete graphics for when you need to reach back for a bit more power. Having introduced the unibody construction previously, the MacBook Air didn't receive much of an upgrade, with some minor component updates on the inside and the addition of a mini DisplayPort connection.
Apple sells two configurations of each of its three laptops, and each model offers some degree of customization--such as adding more memory or upgrading to a solid-state drive. We've created this landing page for your comparison purposes, giving you a bird's-eye view of Apple's current laptop lineup.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,229.95 to $1,299.99 | $1,539.98 to $1,599.99 | $1,778.18 to $2,109.88 | $2,219.95 to $2,499.99 | $1,696.17 to $1,799.00 | $2,356.19 to $2,499.99 |
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| Average user rating | ||||||
| Review date | October 14, 2008 | October 16, 2008 | October 14, 2008 | October 21, 2008 | October 14, 2008 | October 14, 2008 |
| The Bottom Line | Apple's MacBook ditches its plastic shell and Intel chipset for a solid aluminum chassis with an Nvidia chipset, and serves up a multitouch glass trackpad, LED-backlit display, and mini DisplayPort. | Apple's redesigned 13-inch MacBook is essentially a shrunken version of the more expensive 15-inch Pro line. With its new aluminum body, new trackpad, and Nvidia graphics, it's an even more attractive choice for mainstream laptop buyers than was the plastic model it replaces. | Apple's 15-inch MacBook Pro received a design overhaul and now includes the unibody chassis built from a single piece of aluminum, a multitouch glass trackpad, a new black screen bezel, and black keys. | Apple's redesigned 15-inch MacBook Pro boasts a redesigned aluminum body that's stunning, thin, and sturdy; a new trackpad with expanded functionality; and a dual graphics setup for either longer battery life or better performance, but there's now less incentive to spend extra for it because its 13-inch mainstream cousin received a greater overhaul. | The MacBook Air introduced the unibody chassis design and multitouch gestures last year, and, thus, it doesn't receive much of an upgrade this time around. | The MacBook Air introduced the unibody chassis design and multitouch gestures last year, and, thus, it doesn't receive much of an upgrade this time around. |
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| Features | ||||||
| Networking |
- IEEE 802.11g - Fast Ethernet - IEEE 802.11n (draft) - IEEE 802.11b Network adapter - Ethernet - IEEE 802.11a - Gigabit Ethernet - Bluetooth 2.1 EDR |
- IEEE 802.11g - IEEE 802.11b - IEEE 802.11n (draft) Network adapter - Ethernet - IEEE 802.11a - Gigabit Ethernet - Bluetooth 2.1 EDR |
- IEEE 802.11g - Fast Ethernet - IEEE 802.11n (draft) - IEEE 802.11b Network adapter - Ethernet - IEEE 802.11a - Gigabit Ethernet - Bluetooth 2.1 EDR |
- IEEE 802.11g - IEEE 802.11n (draft) - IEEE 802.11b - IEEE 802.11a Network adapter - Bluetooth 2.1 EDR - Gigabit Ethernet - Ethernet |
- IEEE 802.11g Network adapter - IEEE 802.11a - IEEE 802.11n (draft) - IEEE 802.11b - Bluetooth 2.1 EDR |
- IEEE 802.11g Network adapter - IEEE 802.11a - IEEE 802.11n (draft) - IEEE 802.11b - Bluetooth 2.1 EDR |
| Battery |
Lithium polymer |
Lithium polymer |
Lithium polymer |
Lithium polymer |
Lithium polymer |
Lithium polymer |
| Telecom |
None |
None |
None |
None |
None |
None |
| Graphics Controller |
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M |
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M |
NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT / GeForce 9400M - 256 MB |
NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT / GeForce 9400M - 512 MB |
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M |
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M |
| Storage Removable |
None |
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