The Scene

Apple's MacBooks

Published on Sunday, September 27 2009
Written by Super User

One noticeable difference on the new MacBook: the screen. Apple has finally adopted the glossy screen which PC users have had the luxury of using for a while already. The 13.3 1280 x 800 widescreen shines brilliantly and it actually looks sharper and brighter than the one found on the Sony XBRITE screen, one of the best in the PC world.

The MacBook is definitely superior to any iBook and the 12 Powerbook thanks to this widescreen glossy display, integrated iSight, larger trackpad, and the ability to switch into Windows to run it natively. The screen is definitely its most attractive feature and it really brings out the beauty of the Mac OS. However there is a lot of room for improvement for Apple's MacBook. The notebook is notorious for heating up to Death Valley temperatures. Also of note to gamers, there is no dedicated graphics card, which means that frame rates may be reduced on the latest games.

If you do need increased graphics capability, spring for the Macbook Pro, the MacBook's more powerful, big brother. In terms of physical appearance, the MacBook Pro is almost identical to the 15-inch PowerBook G4. It's slightly wider and thinner, and weighs the same. The MacBook Pro's trackpad, mouse button, and front latch are also slightly wider than the PowerBook's.

However, the MacBook Pro's screen is 60 pixels shorter than the most recent 15-inch PowerBook G4, offering a native resolution of 1440 by 900 pixels. However, the screen is definitely brighter than the PowerBook's, which was already a gorgeous site to behold.

Some features you won't find in the cheaper MacBook: a light-up keyboard, a light-sensitive display, a dedicated graphics card and an ExpressCard/34 expansion slot for cellular modems, card readers and other devices mostly not yet built. If these sound attractive to you, the MacBook Pro is the way to go.