Apple updates MacBook line with Core 2 Duo processors
Apple Computer on Wednesday unveiled its new line of MacBook consumer notebooks that now include Intel Core 2 Duo processors.
At just one-inch thin, the new MacBooks are up to 25 percent faster than the previous generation and feature a built-in iSight video camera for on-the-go video conferencing, Apple's MagSafe Power Adapter that safely disconnects when under strain, and the iLife '06 award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications.
"MacBook has helped drive Apple's notebook market share to over 10 percent in US retail, and the new MacBooks will be among this holiday season's most exciting new products," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With Intel Core 2 Duo processors across the entire line, these new MacBooks are up to 25 percent faster than their predecessors."
With prices starting at just $1,099, the new MacBook lineup includes three models: sleek white 1.83 GHz and 2.0 GHz MacBook models, and a high-end black 2.0 GHz MacBook model.
Helped by Intel's latest Core 2 Duo processors, the new MacBooks are up to 25 percent faster than the previous models and up to six times faster than the iBook, making it even easier for consumers to manage and enjoy their digital content with iLife '06.
Consumers will also benefit from the added power in the new 2.0 GHz models, including double the memory and greater storage capacity than the previous generation, as well as a double-layer SuperDrive for burning professional-quality DVDs.
Each new MacBook features a 13-inch glossy widescreen display, ideal for viewing high-quality videos, DVDs and photos with Apple's Front Row media experience software. MacBooks also includes a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing on-the-go with friends or family using iChat AV, recording a video podcast or iMovie using iLife '06, or taking fun snapshots with Photo Booth.
For those users frequently on the road, the MacBook includes Apple's MagSafe Power Adapter that magnetically connects the power cord to the MacBook and safely disconnects under strain, preventing the notebook from falling off its work surface. Apple now also offers a MagSafe Airline Adapter that makes using a MacBook on an airplane even more convenient by connecting the notebook to in-seat power ports for continued productivity throughout the duration of a flight.
Apple's Core 2 Duo MacBooks also includes Apple's Sudden Motion Sensor, designed to protect the hard drive in case of a fall, and a simple and intuitive Scrolling TrackPad for scrolling through long web pages or panning across large photographs.
The lightweight MacBook design packs built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 400 port, combination analog and optical digital audio input and output ports and a mini-DVI video output to connect up to a 23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display.
Each MacBook comes with iLife '06, the next generation of Apple's award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications featuring iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand and iWeb, the latest iLife application that makes turns web publishing and blogging into a trivial task. The notebooks also include the latest release of Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger (version 10.4.8 ), including Safari, Mail, iCal, iChat AV, Front Row and Photo Booth, running natively on the Intel-based notebook.
Pricing & Availability
The new MacBook is available immediately through the Apple Store, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter is available for a suggested retail price of $59 (US).
The 1.83 GHz, 13-inch white MacBook, for a suggested retail price of $1,099 (US), includes:
13.3-inch glossy widescreen 1280 x 800 display with 250 cd/m2 brightness 1.83 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor 667 MHz front-side bus 512MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB 60GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor a slot-load Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) optical drive Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately) built-in iSight video camera Gigabit Ethernet port built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog Scrolling TrackPad the infrared Apple Remote; and 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
The 2.0 GHz, 13-inch white MacBook, for a suggested retail price of $1,299 (US), includes:
13.3-inch glossy widescreen 1280 x 800 display with 250 cd/m2 brightness 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor 667 MHz front-side bus 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB 80GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor a slot-load 6x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately) built-in iSight video camera Gigabit Ethernet port built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog Scrolling TrackPad the infrared Apple Remote; and 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
The 2.0 GHz, 13-inch black MacBook, for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US), includes:
13.3-inch glossy widescreen 1280 x 800 display with 250 cd/m2 brightness 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor 667 MHz front-side bus 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB 120GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor a slot-load 6x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately) built-in iSight video camera Gigabit Ethernet port built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog Scrolling TrackPad the infrared Apple Remote; and 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
Additional build-to-order options for the MacBook include the ability to upgrade to 80GB, 120GB or 160GB (5400 rpm) or a 200GB (4200 rpm) hard drive, up to 2GB DDR2 SDRAM, Apple USB Modem, Apple Mini-DVI to DVI adapter, Apple Mini-DVI to VGA adapter, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare Protection Plan. Additional build-to-order options also include: pre-installed copies of iWork '06, Logic Express 7, Final Cut Express HD 3.5 and Aperture 1.5.
At just one-inch thin, the new MacBooks are up to 25 percent faster than the previous generation and feature a built-in iSight video camera for on-the-go video conferencing, Apple's MagSafe Power Adapter that safely disconnects when under strain, and the iLife '06 award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications.
"MacBook has helped drive Apple's notebook market share to over 10 percent in US retail, and the new MacBooks will be among this holiday season's most exciting new products," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With Intel Core 2 Duo processors across the entire line, these new MacBooks are up to 25 percent faster than their predecessors."
With prices starting at just $1,099, the new MacBook lineup includes three models: sleek white 1.83 GHz and 2.0 GHz MacBook models, and a high-end black 2.0 GHz MacBook model.
Helped by Intel's latest Core 2 Duo processors, the new MacBooks are up to 25 percent faster than the previous models and up to six times faster than the iBook, making it even easier for consumers to manage and enjoy their digital content with iLife '06.
Consumers will also benefit from the added power in the new 2.0 GHz models, including double the memory and greater storage capacity than the previous generation, as well as a double-layer SuperDrive for burning professional-quality DVDs.
Each new MacBook features a 13-inch glossy widescreen display, ideal for viewing high-quality videos, DVDs and photos with Apple's Front Row media experience software. MacBooks also includes a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing on-the-go with friends or family using iChat AV, recording a video podcast or iMovie using iLife '06, or taking fun snapshots with Photo Booth.
For those users frequently on the road, the MacBook includes Apple's MagSafe Power Adapter that magnetically connects the power cord to the MacBook and safely disconnects under strain, preventing the notebook from falling off its work surface. Apple now also offers a MagSafe Airline Adapter that makes using a MacBook on an airplane even more convenient by connecting the notebook to in-seat power ports for continued productivity throughout the duration of a flight.
Apple's Core 2 Duo MacBooks also includes Apple's Sudden Motion Sensor, designed to protect the hard drive in case of a fall, and a simple and intuitive Scrolling TrackPad for scrolling through long web pages or panning across large photographs.
The lightweight MacBook design packs built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 400 port, combination analog and optical digital audio input and output ports and a mini-DVI video output to connect up to a 23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display.
Each MacBook comes with iLife '06, the next generation of Apple's award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications featuring iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand and iWeb, the latest iLife application that makes turns web publishing and blogging into a trivial task. The notebooks also include the latest release of Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger (version 10.4.8 ), including Safari, Mail, iCal, iChat AV, Front Row and Photo Booth, running natively on the Intel-based notebook.
Pricing & Availability
The new MacBook is available immediately through the Apple Store, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter is available for a suggested retail price of $59 (US).
The 1.83 GHz, 13-inch white MacBook, for a suggested retail price of $1,099 (US), includes:
13.3-inch glossy widescreen 1280 x 800 display with 250 cd/m2 brightness 1.83 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor 667 MHz front-side bus 512MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB 60GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor a slot-load Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) optical drive Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately) built-in iSight video camera Gigabit Ethernet port built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog Scrolling TrackPad the infrared Apple Remote; and 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
The 2.0 GHz, 13-inch white MacBook, for a suggested retail price of $1,299 (US), includes:
13.3-inch glossy widescreen 1280 x 800 display with 250 cd/m2 brightness 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor 667 MHz front-side bus 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB 80GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor a slot-load 6x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately) built-in iSight video camera Gigabit Ethernet port built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog Scrolling TrackPad the infrared Apple Remote; and 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
The 2.0 GHz, 13-inch black MacBook, for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US), includes:
13.3-inch glossy widescreen 1280 x 800 display with 250 cd/m2 brightness 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor 667 MHz front-side bus 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB 120GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor a slot-load 6x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 Mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately) built-in iSight video camera Gigabit Ethernet port built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR two USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog Scrolling TrackPad the infrared Apple Remote; and 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
Additional build-to-order options for the MacBook include the ability to upgrade to 80GB, 120GB or 160GB (5400 rpm) or a 200GB (4200 rpm) hard drive, up to 2GB DDR2 SDRAM, Apple USB Modem, Apple Mini-DVI to DVI adapter, Apple Mini-DVI to VGA adapter, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare Protection Plan. Additional build-to-order options also include: pre-installed copies of iWork '06, Logic Express 7, Final Cut Express HD 3.5 and Aperture 1.5.
Comments
No 999 USD model, I guess. In the swiss AppleStore, the price for the entry-level model is the same as before. And even http://www.apple.com/macbook/ says it's still 1099 USD...
Yeah, 999 USD is a real psychological point, I'd say. I realize Apple has a margin to maintain, though...
Pretty good updates, but really Apple would have to, to stay competitive.
DOH!
2.0GHz White 60GB 512MB -> 80GB, 1GB.
2.0GHz Black 80GB, 512MB -> 120GB, 1GB.
It looks like Apple loves it's Black premium policy - will be here for long time - unfortunately.
Other than that it's great news! It shows how important the MacBook brand is to them - and that they're deadly serious about keeping up the demand..
One black Mac winging it's way to me now...
I would still have liked the option to put a graphics card into the Macbook, making it a true consumer gaming machine. Perhaps with the next revision...
Crap. I bought a Black Macbook last week, can I take it back for a Core 2 Duo?
I amazed how many people don't bother learning about the return policy. Yes you can take it back for a 10% restocking fee as long as you bought it stock, with no customization, and you have all the original packaging, accessories, and documentation.
Unless they also made these things 20% lighter, they aren't worth my time.
I recently got a MBP but these are pretty attractive nonetheless IMO.
Crap. I bought a Black Macbook last week, can I take it back for a Core 2 Duo?
yes if not upgraded. restocking fee.
A better MB and a better Congress on the same day! Happy holidays! 8)
You are right there
Apple Computer on Wednesday unveiled its new line of MacBook consumer notebooks that now include Intel Core 2 Duo processors.
Darn! I just ordered mine Monday night. It's a black with upgraded ram. It hasn't shipped yet. Think there's any chance they'll go ahead and send me the new one instead?
Darn! I just ordered mine Monday night. It's a black with upgraded ram. It hasn't shipped yet. Think there's any chance they'll go ahead and send me the new one instead?
It's possible. I've heard similar tales before. Try contacting your supplier about it to make sure.
As for the 4mb v 2mb l2 cache thing - isn't that clock specific? As in I was under the (perhaps false) impression that Intel assign a cache size to each cpu and don't issue overlapping ones for the same clock. A 4mb 2.0GHz v 2mb 1.83GHz divide sounds more likely to me. It'll be interesting to see if this is resolved.
Fingers crossed for discrete graphics card option on the Santa Rosa MacBooks next year, or it'll have to be a Pro for me and at the moment I can't really justify the price difference.