Apple updates white MacBook with faster processor and memory

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Apple alongside its 2009 Back-to-School promotion on Wednesday also updated its entry-level white MacBook with a faster Intel processor, memory architecture and more hard disk space.



The update was announced quietly on the company's online store.



For the same $999 Apple charged for the previous iteration of the white polycarbonate model, users get a 2.13GHz processor (up from 2.0GHz), a 160GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm (up from 120GB), and 2GB 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM (up from 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM).



The update is the second this year to the Cupertino-based company's entry-level notebook offering, the first of which arrived on January 21st when model was updated with NVIDIA's 9400M graphics architecture.



That update also saw the notebook gain the same 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 1,066MHz front-side bus employed by the mid-range aluminum unibody MacBook, as well as a doubling of its memory to 2GB.



The new white MacBook is eligible for Apple's just-announced Back-to-School promo, which offers a $229 online rebate good for a free 8GB iPod touch to qualifying education individuals who purchase a qualifying Mac and the iPod on the same receipt before September 8th.



As can be seen in the photos below, the new MacBook is already shipping to retailers across the globe:



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 77
    lorrelorre Posts: 396member
    I guess this means Alu MacBook updates as soon as next week...



    Nice upgrade though, if I had to buy a laptop NOW, it would be this one. But my early 2008 2.4GHz white one will have to last until laptops get OLED screens
  • Reply 2 of 77
    mactrippermactripper Posts: 1,328member
    The case on the white MacBooks crack and chip.



    A piece near the corner just fell off (no it wasn't dropped) on a brand new machine too.



    My girlfriend isn't too pleased, being it's her first Mac.



    She doesn't like the glossy screen either. (yes I mentioned a anti-glare film, she says it shouldn't be needed on a $1000 machine and why was the matte screens removed?)



    I googled for macbooks crack chip and found it's a widespread problem, but it doesn't seem to be anymore widespread than any other normal defects found with products. But now I'm always on the defensive with her because of this and the glossy screen, having to teach her OS X and all on top of that.



    I'm trying to convince her to take it back to Apple before too much time has passed, but she's stuck depending upon it and can't take the time to travel 300 miles back to the Apple Store.



    Yes I said it could be shipped and all...



    She's stuck on the Stockholm Syndrome effect. This is a sad trend for Apple products.



    My advice, buy the metal case Macbooks. Better the matte screen models unless you like looking at yourself.





    I have a 5* *(typo: should be 2 ) year old MacBook Pro 15" with back lit matte screen, upgraded Hitachi hard drive to 7,200 RPM, 4 GB of RAM. I'm very pleased with this Apple product and it's been a excellent running machine, especially for a laptop.
  • Reply 3 of 77
    aldoniusaldonius Posts: 23member
    as long as those alu MB's have firewire... all will be well

    the rumored ones for next week, that is
  • Reply 4 of 77
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacTripper View Post


    The case on the white MacBooks crack and chip.



    A piece near the corner just fell off (no it wasn't dropped) on a brand new machine too.



    My girlfriend isn't too pleased, being it's her first Mac.



    She doesn't like the glossy screen either. (yes I mentioned a anti-glare film, she says it shouldn't be needed on a $1000 machine and why was the matte screens removed?)



    I googled for macbooks crack chip and found it's a widespread problem.



    Now I'm trying to convince her to take it back to Apple before too much time has passed, but she's stuck depending upon it and can't take the time to travel 300 miles back to the Apple Store.



    Yes I said it could be shipped and all...



    She's stuck on the Stockholm Syndrome effect. This is a sad trend for Apple products.



    My advice, buy the metal case Macbooks. Better the matte screen models unless you like looking at yourself.



    The only matte is the 17 incher, so be prepared to shell out $ome dollar$.

    You're a masochist if your gonna keep and get burned with a cracked case rather than returning it. Whining will not get you a new one.

    Personally I'd rather have a scratched white MacBook than a scratched metal one. The scrathes look really fugly on the metal wheras you barely notice them on the white plastic.. Check them out at any Best Buy.

    Also plastic is dent free whereas the metal ones get many dents. Again check them out at a Best Buy near you.
  • Reply 5 of 77
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aldonius View Post


    as long as those alu MB's have firewire... all will be well

    the rumored ones for next week, that is



    Well it will be great if that rumor is true. What is the probabilty of Apple actually admitting a misatake?
  • Reply 6 of 77
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    I almost bought the white one 3 weeks ago- so glad I didn't. This is now way more powerful than the MBA. Great deal. A price drop would be cool too but this is great.
  • Reply 7 of 77
    istinkistink Posts: 250member
    I actually gotta say, if I was a student starting classes, or even a continuing student, this would be something I'd seriously look at. Not bad for 1000 bucks.
  • Reply 8 of 77
    ivan.rnn01ivan.rnn01 Posts: 1,822member


    Where's the line "Designed By Apple in California"??



  • Reply 9 of 77
    rtdunhamrtdunham Posts: 428member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    ...For the same $999 Apple charged for the previous iteration of the white polycarbonate model...The new white MacBook is eligible for Apple's just-announced Back-to-School promo, which offers a $229 online rebate good for a free 8GB iPod touch to qualifying education individuals who purchase a qualifying Mac and the iPod on the same receipt before September 8th. ...



    So do students get the rebate AND a reduced price? what's the education price for the $999 MB?
  • Reply 10 of 77
    hattighattig Posts: 860member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacTripper View Post


    I have a 5 year old MacBook Pro 15" with back lit matte screen, upgraded Hitachi hard drive to 7,200 RPM, 4 GB of RAM. I'm very pleased with this Apple product and it's been a excellent running machine, especially for a laptop.



    Oh, is it 2011 already?
  • Reply 11 of 77
    londorlondor Posts: 258member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hattig View Post


    Oh, is it 2011 already?



    He's come back from the future just to post in this thread.
  • Reply 12 of 77
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,404member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rtdunham View Post


    So do students get the rebate AND a reduced price? what's the education price for the $999 MB?



    $949 + free shipping + iPod Touch.



    or \ depending on your point of view...
  • Reply 13 of 77
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member
    Nice to see this thing still kickin around.
  • Reply 14 of 77
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    $949 + free shipping + iPod Touch.



    or \ depending on your point of view...



    Do teachers get a discount - do they get a free iPod as well?

    Not that I am one, mind you.



    Update- I just read the prior thread and see that they do. Hmmm - who do I know?
  • Reply 15 of 77
    pg4gpg4g Posts: 383member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    (up from $120GB)







    Hmm... do gigabytes have a dollar sign these days?
  • Reply 16 of 77
    jingojingo Posts: 117member
    I still treasure my 2.4GHz MacBook purchased well over a year ago now. Irrespective of the upgraded graphics and bus speed, Apple really are short-changing us on processor speed. The lowest speed now available should be something in the order of 2.6GHz, IMHO.
  • Reply 17 of 77
    flounderflounder Posts: 2,674member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacTripper View Post


    I have a 5 year old MacBook Pro 15" with back lit matte screen, upgraded Hitachi hard drive to 7,200 RPM, 4 GB of RAM. I'm very pleased with this Apple product and it's been a excellent running machine, especially for a laptop.



    That is quite impossible as there was no such thing as a MacBook Pro five years ago. MBPs started shipping a little over three years ago.



    This was the professional laptop available from apple five years ago.
  • Reply 18 of 77
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by PG4G View Post


    Hmm... do gigabytes have a dollar sign these days?



    Always- when they come installed in Apple products.
  • Reply 19 of 77
    wobegonwobegon Posts: 764member
    While it's a nice deal, I'm guessing this is the last update to the white plastic MacBook. They might very well retire them right after their Back to School promotions, especially if they end up offering subsidized MacBooks/Pros with built-in 3G WWAN antennas and sold with a 2 year contract. I've been seeing a lot of Verizon's ads for their netbooks, which are priced at $199. With a contract, we could see MacBooks in the $500-$600 range. They'd still allow you to buy a standard MacBook unsubsidized sans mobile internet service/contract like they sell the iPod touch as basically an iPhone sans phone/service.
  • Reply 20 of 77
    If she doesn't like the glossy because of fear of glare, my personal experience is this. When I was getting ready to purchase my MBP last year, I was torn as to matte vs glossy because of glare. I friend who had a glossy told me it was rarely if ever an issue for them so I went with the glossy. I'm so glad I did, in my opinion it looks so much nicer, and I glare is almost never an issue.



    Having said that, if she wants antiglare, you can purchase an antiglare film. It's made by the same company that makes them for iPhone and iPod Touch. You can order directly from Apple here: http://store.apple.com/us/product/TR410LL/A



    Good luck!



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacTripper View Post


    The case on the white MacBooks crack and chip.



    A piece near the corner just fell off (no it wasn't dropped) on a brand new machine too.



    My girlfriend isn't too pleased, being it's her first Mac.



    She doesn't like the glossy screen either. (yes I mentioned a anti-glare film, she says it shouldn't be needed on a $1000 machine and why was the matte screens removed?)



    I googled for macbooks crack chip and found it's a widespread problem, but it doesn't seem to be anymore widespread than any other normal defects found with products. But now I'm always on the defensive with her because of this and the glossy screen, having to teach her OS X and all on top of that.



    I'm trying to convince her to take it back to Apple before too much time has passed, but she's stuck depending upon it and can't take the time to travel 300 miles back to the Apple Store.



    Yes I said it could be shipped and all...



    She's stuck on the Stockholm Syndrome effect. This is a sad trend for Apple products.



    My advice, buy the metal case Macbooks. Better the matte screen models unless you like looking at yourself.





    I have a 5 year old MacBook Pro 15" with back lit matte screen, upgraded Hitachi hard drive to 7,200 RPM, 4 GB of RAM. I'm very pleased with this Apple product and it's been a excellent running machine, especially for a laptop.



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