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 enlarge | Brand: Apple
Category: Personal Computer
List Price: $1,249.00
Buy New: $1,029.00
You Save: $220.00 (18%)
New (4) from $1,029.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  178 reviews
Color: White
Media: Personal Computers
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Operating System: Apple MacOS X 10.5
CPU Manufacturer: Intel
CPU Speed: 2.4
CPU Type: Intel Core Duo
Processors: 1
System Bus Speed: 800
System Memory: 2000
Memory Type: DDR2 SDRAM
Hard Drive Size: 160
Floppy Disk Drive: None
Native Resolution: 13.3
Modem: None
Display Size: 13.3
Shipping Weight (lbs): 20
Dimensions (in): 15.2 x 14.8 x 3.4
Warranty: 1 year warranty
MPN: MB403LL/A
Model: MB403LL/A
UPC: 885909214266
EAN: 0885909214266
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Hits the sweet spot of price, portability and performance March 16, 2008
39 out of 44 found this review helpful
Like some others I looked at a lot of different laptops. I considered the MacBook Pro but since I don't do any heavy video editing, 3D or gaming there is little practical advantage to the Pro model. This is a fast little machine that hits a sweet spot of price, portability and performance. Build quality is nice, too. I think the black model looks a little bit better looking but I'm not paying a $140 premium for the color.(after hard drive upgrade price factored in)
I also looked at Sony and Toshiba. (Don't tell my Mac friends) because I thought I might be able to save a few hundred bucks. I could, but not for a comparable notebook. It's true that you get what you pay for. Figuring in comparable specs, weight, AV/spyware software, and sound card quality there is really no Windows based laptop for less.
At 5 pounds this is a nice and light computer. iBooks, and now I suppose, MacBooks have a good reputation for being tough enough to stand up to school kids so I don't have a problem with the plastic case. I was waiting until Apple announced an update and am glad I did. The faster processor is nice and finally Apple added a reasonable amount of RAM (2GB). The 160 GB hard drive is adequate for my needs and noticeably quicker than the 4200 RPM drive in my old laptop.
Wi-Fi reception is pretty good, as is battery life. Both are a above average but not tops for laptops. The magnetic power connector is a great touch. I've tripped over power cords before. This should simply detach without tripping me or sending the MacBook crashing to the floor.
The keyboard takes some getting used to. At first I didn't think I'd like the button like keys, but within a couple of days I found that I didn't notice. They do seem less likely to get crumbs under them than normal keys. I had a similar reaction to the glass screen. At first I was bothered by its reflectiveness, and quickly didn't see it anymore. It's there if I pay look for it but, usually just don't see it. And I like the punchier colors it displays compared to matte screens, as well as its ease of cleaning. There's no need for expensive specialty screen cleaners that the soft matte screens require.
I do have a couple of small quibbles that didn't go away. I wish the trackpad had two buttons instead of one. It took Apple 15 years to finally decide to make a right clickable mouse and they should get on the ball and add a second button to their laptops. There is some two finger tap thing you can do with the trackpad but that isn't obvious or natural for me.
My old iBook came with a RGB connector. The new MacBook doesn't, or any other video out connector. That's an add on that I had to spring for.
I'm really liking the Leopard OS. I run OS X (Tiger), Windows XP and Gentoo Linux on other computers so am used to switching between operating systems. Each has strengths and weak spots but I find the new Leopard is the one that comes closest to just getting out of my way and letting me be productive.
nice product March 31, 2008
37 out of 37 found this review helpful
I am a software engineer with twenty years experience developing system services for MS Windows and generic UNIX platforms. For the last ten years, my experience has been with MS based servers and workstations. The last time I used an Apple personal computer was in 1980 when I owned an Apple II+.
On a whim I purchased a MacBook running OS X 10.5.2 for my wife who has virtually no computer experience and avoids all things computer. She was not happy with my home MS Windows systems and she was not happy with the available portable computers running windows.
She has taken to the MacBook like a duck takes to water. She likes the package design, the display, and the desktop layout. She does not have the experience to appreciate the thoughtful interfaces and bundled applications that come with OS X. She just knows the entire package is enjoyable and not intimidating.
Me - I like the UNIX foundation to OS-X. Knowing the internals of both operating systems, UNIX is the clear winner when it comes to reliability, durability, predictability, consistency, and security. Additionally, UNIX (with its open source variants) does not suffer from conflict of interest between operating systems and applications. One always wonders if some MS Windows quirk exists to solve a development problem in some MS application. I quickly put the terminal icon on the MacBook desktop so I could indulge myself with the UNIX shell command line any time I want ;-).
I installed a third party wireless router and configured internet services on the MacBook in a few minutes. I also added a third party optical bluetooth mouse in about thirty seconds. It took longer to install the mouse batteries than configure the MacBook bluetooth capability.
Apple has a very solid package with the current MacBook. There is little that one needs to add to the MacBook. It comes with just about every hardware interface available today. It has ample processor, RAM, and hard disk storage for average users. It comes with dual layer DVD RW. The bundled suite of applications is adequate for the full spectrum of casual computing (e.g., web browsing, email, chat, word processing, photo/video/audio processing). Apple stuff is a bit pricy but you receive the value you pay for.
If you want a good comprehensive companion book for your MacBook, I recommend David Pogue's "Mac OS X Leopard: The Missing Manual". This book is large and contains much technical detail but is very well written. It is not for the casual computing novice that finds reading and comprehension tedious.
I have used Apple support one time and found the wait to be acceptable and support engineer to be competent, efficient and attentive. I have used MS support many times over the years and found them to be equally capable.
I have not found anything I dislike about the MacBook after thirty days of usage. My wife, however, would like the Apple logo on the lid to glow red instead of white when the MacBook is powered up.
 Ditched my Dell -- went for the new MacBook March 8, 2008
29 out of 33 found this review helpful
So after 3 Dell PCs...I thought it was time to change it up and go back to a Mac. PLUS I thought, do I really want to deal with bloated Vista?
The new Mac book has been great - here are my pros and cons:
Pros:
- Simple to use, user friendly
- Sharp looking laptop, awesome 13" screen, good processor, DVD, and webcam all built-in and working seemlessly
- iLife and iWorks cover 90% of tasks needed
- Handles photos MUCH better than a PC
- Great battery life
- You can run Windows XP or Vista if really needed
Cons:
- Almost no OS X game software available (Not sure whats up with that since Sim City was BORN on Macs 20 years ago!)..of course you can run Windows software if needed via bootcamp/parallels
- Add-ons are white, so it doesnt match my nice black color MacBook
- semi-pricey options: power adapters, keyboards, etc
I was disappointed that Mac game Software is so limited. But really -- when you think about it, all you need is basic iworks software and an internet browser these days to do 99% of things you want to do. Plus I do have a windows option available.
Overall -- Great laptop, does what I want to do, has a great size and is much better quality than a Dell. Plus it can run Windows XP or Vista as well.
 My MacBook turned out to be a LEMON!! May 1, 2008
24 out of 77 found this review helpful
I am an IT product manager for a large nationwide AV technology company. I specify and recommend IT products to our many locations. I will no longer recommend Apple products based on my own personal experience. This laptop has given me nothing but issues over the 1+ year I owned it. I won't go over the minute details, but basically it was in for repairs at least 5-6 times to replace the battery, hard drive, random reboot, discoloration on the plastic, SuperDrive, etc.
The last issue I had was just this week. The screen began to flicker constantly and I was about to take it to my local Apple store when my wife accidently spilled water on the keyboard. As I said before, the logic board (motherboard) was already defective before the spillage. Because of the water damage, even though I have AppleCare, the repair is not covered--Apple wants close to $1000 for parts/labor to repair a system that at this point, it's not even worth that anymore. I can't believe the Mac "genius" even suggested repairing it when a new unit costs that much.
I have always been a big Apple fan for many years and have owned many of their products. I have bought and recommended Power Macs G4/G5, MacBooks/Pro, iMacs, CinemaDisplays, MacPros, you name it! Many of our locations complain about the premium price that our company pays for an Apple product as opposed to a Dell system. After the way I've been treated by Apple, I no longer feel that the premium price for a Mac system is worth it.
From A Clunker (MS) To A Maserati (Mac) August 8, 2008
21 out of 22 found this review helpful
I was a Windows user for 15 years. Although interested in a Mac, compatibility with the Windows network at my office made me hesitate. I'm now retired and since my ThinkPad was getting on (and acting up), I went with the MacBook.
I was surprised at the marked superiority of the Mac right out of the box. By "superior" I mean in all material respects--operating system, hardware and software. I realize some IT types, gamers and others may see some advantages to Windows, but I see none for a user like me (primarily, internet, email, iTunes, word processing and photos). It was a revelation to find a computer so stable and user friendly. Other adjectives that come to mind: Solid, Fast, Fun, Pretty, Snappy, Sleek. From frustration to the sublime.
I could go on describing the improved design, but let me give just one, seemingly trivial but representative, example. I don't like trackpads, so I use a mouse. In Windows several steps were needed to disable the trackpad and enable the mouse. On a couple of occasions I forgot the mouse and had to enable the trackpad using keystrokes. Frustrating and time consuming. I ordered a wireless mighty mouse with the MacBook and enabled it in 30 seconds. While searching Help to disable the trackpad, I noticed it was already disabled. Then I realized it was automatically disabled when the mouse was added. Then I learned it was automatically enabled when the mouse was turned off or moved away from the computer. Such a simple solution, but apparently lost on the Windows engineers.
Finally--the operating system and compatibility. The Mac OS is different from Windows and takes some getting used to. But not as much as I expected due to the intuitive nature of the Mac, the actually helpful Help menu and the hundreds of very well done tutorials on the Apple web site. As to compatibility, I expected to buy the Office for Mac suite, but after reading the critical reviews on Amazon I downloaded the less expensive iWork suite from Apple on a trial basis. It includes word processing (Pages), spreadsheets (Numbers), and presentations (Keynote). While those programs don't have all the bells and whistles of Word, Excel and Power Point, I had no problem opening and editing documents and spreadsheets in iWork and sending them back to Windows.
In short, my apprehensions about making the switch proved groundless, while being treated to a distinct upgrade in product. Go ahead and do it. You'll be glad you did.
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