MacBook Special Report: Release notes

On May 16th, Apple released a newly designed line of consumer notebooks dubbed MacBooks.

The MacBook lineup includes three models: a 1.83 GHz and 2.0 GHz MacBook in a newly designed white enclosure and a 2.0 GHz MacBook in a new black enclosure.

Like the Intel-based Mac mini, the new MacBooks sport integrated Intel GMA 950 chipsets rather than dedicated video cards, requiring the systems to share main memory with graphics functions.

A press release states:

"At about one-inch thin, the new MacBook is 20 percent thinner than the iBook and features a gorgeous new 13-inch glossy widescreen display. With a display that is 79 percent brighter than the iBook and the 12-inch PowerBook, the MacBook provides incredibly crisp images with richer colors, deeper blacks and significantly greater contrast. At a resolution of 1280 x 800, the MacBook display provides 30 percent more viewing area than the iBook and the 12-inch PowerBook."

Full specifications are as follows:

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 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 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 SuperDrive (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 Duo processor;
• 667 MHz front-side bus;
• 512MB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 2GB;
• 80GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
• a slot-load SuperDrive (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, 100GB or 120GB 5400 rpm hard drive, up to 2GB DDR2 SDRAM, Apple USB Modem, Apple Mini-DVI to DVI adapter, Apple Mini-DVI to VGA adapter, and the AppleCare Protection Plan. More information is available from http://www.apple.com/macbook/.

Index:

• Do-it-yourself hard drive replacement instructions
• Excessive heat: Usage notes, cooling pads and more
• Final Cut Express is supported by GMA 950 chipset
• Irritating noises; eliminating
• Keyboard suddenly stops working
• Matched RAM pairs can come from different manufacturers
• Poor speaker output: Software-based workarounds
• Projector issues
• Release notes
• Sudden shutdowns -- possible fix
• Trackpad button "mushy", not registering clicks -- solutions
• Vertical lines appear on screen during startup
• Wireless (AirPort) dropouts -- fixes

Resources

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