MacPrices.net

MacBook vs. MacBook Pro: Which Is The Better Value?

by Charles W. Moore (edited by Steve Hildreth)

Check out the MacBook Price Trackers at our sister site Mac Prices to save potentially hundreds of dollars on a new MacBook. Prices are updated daily. For a quick comparison of MacBook/MacBook Pro features, click here.

Early 2008 15"/17" MacBook Pros (scroll for 13" MacBooks):

After a long interval, since the last refreshment in June, 2007, when the Intel "Santa Rosa" CPU-based MacBook Pros were released, Apple announced the latest revision of its professional notebook line on February 26, 2008, with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo "Penryn" processors, the first using Intel's new 45-nanometer 45 nm chip technology, but no change in form-factor. The chipset and rest of the platform remain as before. Intel's 45 nm process results in transistors so small you could fit a hundred inside a single human cell. With smaller distances for electrons to travel, and two execution cores designed to share resources and conserve power, the Intel Core 2 Duo achieves higher levels of performance without using more power. Battery life is projected to be 30-60 minutes longer than on earlier MacBook Pro models, and the machine will run cooler compared with their "Merom/Santa Rosa" 65nm predecessors.

Also new to the MacBook Pro is Apple's Multi-Touch trackpad that debuted in the MacBook Air in January, 2008. The Multi-Touch technology includes gesture support for pinch, rotate and swipe, making it easy to zoom and rotate photos and browse web pages. Multi-Touch trackpads will appeal especially to folks who use their 'Books in mobile mode a lot particularly if they do graphics editing.

Carried over are standard LED display backlighting on the 15" model (also newly available as a $100 option on the 17" model), the high-res 1920-by-1200 display option on the 17" MacBook Pro, a built-in iSight video camera; Apple's MagSafe Power Adapter, the latest generation of 802.11n wireless networking, built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth; analog and digital audio inputs and outputs; USB 2.0; FireWire 400 and 800 ports, and a built-in SuperDrive

The MacBook Pro now features features CPU speeds up to a 2.6 GHz with 6MB of shared L2 cache; supports up to 4GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory and up to a 300GB hard drive is optional, plus NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics with up to 512MB of video memory (256 MB is now standard on the lower-end model). Every MacBook Pro includes an illuminated keyboard that automatically adjusts the brightness of the keys as well as the brightness of the display for optimal visibility.

Price points remain the same as with the previous models.

So, is now a good time to buy a MacBook Pro? Never better! This latest revision adds substantial value and significantly enhanced performance, with modest increases in speed, but more importantly cooler running and longer battery life, while holding the existing price points.

On the other hand, if you have a Revision C Core 2 Duo Santa Rosa MacBook Pro, there's no need to be suffering buyer's' remorse. The speed improvements with these latest models are, as noted, modest, and the specification upgrades, while all welcome, are not in the must-have category. The LED display backlighting was introduced in the previous, Santa Rosa 15" model, so it might be worth considering as an Apple Certified Refurbished unit if you're on a tight budget.

Whichever you choose, with machines like these, it's little wonder that Apple's notebook sales are at record levels.

MacBook Pro (Early 2008) Model Chart

The 2.4 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro:

* 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 LCD display;
* 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB shared L2 cache;
* 800 MHz front-side bus;
* 2GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB;
* 200GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
* a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
* NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256MB GDDR3 memory;
* DVI-out port for external display (VGA-out adapter included, Composite/S-Video adapter sold separately);
* built-in Dual Link support for driving Apple 30-inch Cinema HD Display;
* built-in iSight video camera;
* Gigabit Ethernet port;
* built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
* ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot;
* two USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port and one FireWire 400 port;
* one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;
* Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard; and
* 85 Watt Apple MagSafe Power Adapter.

Price: $1,999 (US)

The 2.5 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro:

* 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 LCD display;
* 2.5 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
* 800 MHz front-side bus;
* 2GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB;
* 250GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
* a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
* NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 512MB GDDR3 memory;
* DVI-out port for external display (VGA-out adapter included, Composite/S-Video out adapter sold separately);
* built-in Dual Link support for driving Apple 30-inch Cinema HD Display;
* built-in iSight video camera;
* Gigabit Ethernet port;
* built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
* ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot;
* two USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port and one FireWire 400 port;
* one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;
* Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard; and
* 85 Watt Apple MagSafe Power Adapter.

Price: $2,499 (US)

The 2.5 GHz, 17-inch MacBook Pro:

* 17-inch widescreen 1680 x 1050 LCD display;
* 2.5 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
* 800 MHz front-side bus;
* 2GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB;
* 250GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
* a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
* NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 512MB GDDR3 memory;
* DVI-out port for external display (VGA-out adapter included, Composite/S-Video out adapter sold separately);
* built-in Dual Link support for driving Apple 30-inch Cinema HD Display;
* built-in iSight video camera;
* Gigabit Ethernet port;
* built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
* ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot;
* three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port and one FireWire 400 port;
* one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;
* Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard; and
* 85 Watt Apple MagSafe Power Adapter.

Price - $2,799 (US)

Build-to-order options for the MacBook Pro include the ability to upgrade to up to 4GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, a 2.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 200GB (7200 rpm), 250GB (5400 rpm) or a 300GB (4200 rpm) hard drive, Apple Remote, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter, Apple USB Modem, glossy widescreen display, 17-inch LED-backlit 1920 x 1200 high-resolution display and the AppleCare Protection Plan.

Additional build-to-order options for both MacBook and MacBook Pro include pre-installed copies of iWork '08, Logic Express 8, Final Cut Express 4 and Aperture 2.

In appearance, there are no changes. Dimensions-wise, here are the specs:

15-inch MacBook Pro
Height: 1.0 inch (2.59 cm)
Width: 14.1 inches (35.7 cm)
Depth: 9.6 inches (24.3 cm)
Weight: 5.6 pounds (2.54 kg) with battery and optical drive installed

17-inch MacBook Pro
Height: 1.0 inch (2.59 cm)
Width: 15.4 inches (39.2 cm)
Depth: 10.4 inches (26.5 cm)
Weight: 6.8 pounds (3.1 kg) with battery and optical drive installed

MacBook Pro At a Glance

2.4 GHz, 2.5 GHz, or (BTO) 2.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo "Penryn" 45nm processor
3 MB of shared L2 cache
800MHz Frontside Bus
2 GB memory expandable up to Up to 4GB
200 GB or 250 GB Serial ATA hard drive (Up to 300 GB optional)
Slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256MB GDDR3 memory or NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 512MB GDDR3 memory
DVI-out port for external display (VGA-out adapter included, Composite/S-Video out adapter sold separately)
Built-in Dual Link support for driving Apple 30-inch Cinema HD Display
built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR;
ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot
Built-in Gigabit Ethernet
Two or three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, and one FireWire 400 port;
One audio line in and one headphone out port, each supporting optical digital audio;
Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard
85 Watt Apple MagSafe Power Adapter.

For more information, visit:
http://www.apple.com/macbookpro

Early 2008 13" MacBooks:

Barely three months after its last previous revision in November, 2007, in which it was upgraded to Intel's "Santa Rosa" Core 2 Duo CPUs, Apple refreshed its MacBook notebook computer line again on February 26, 2008, with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo "Penryn" processors, the first using Intel's 45-nanometer chip technology, but with no change in the notebook's form-factor. The chipset and rest of the platform remain as before as well. Intel&Mac226;Äôs 45 nm process results in transistors so small you could fit a hundred inside a single human cell. With smaller distances for electrons to travel, and two execution cores designed to share resources and conserve power, the Intel Core 2 Duo achieves higher levels of performance without using more power. With prices starting at $1,099, the MacBook lineup includes three models: a base white 2.1 GHz unit with a Combo drive, and two 2.4 GHz models: one in white and a black 2.4 GHz MacBook model topping the line.

The revised Macbooks still come with the familiar 13-inch glossy display, still are offered in three models, and larger hard drives are standard. The new clock speeds are 2.1 GHz and 2.4 GHz with 120GB or 160GB 5400 rpm hard drives on the low-end and middle white models. The top of the line black 2.4 GHz model comes with a 250GB 5400 rpm hard drive, previously only available as an option. The 2.4 GHz MacBook models ship with 2GB of memory standard, expandable up to 4GB across the line.

Every MacBook and MacBook Pro includes a built-in iSight video camera; Apple's MagSafe Power Adapter, the latest generation of 802.11n wireless networking, built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth; analog and digital audio inputs and outputs; USB 2.0; FireWire and a built-in SuperDrive on all but the entry-level MacBook which still ships with a Combo drive.

This MacBook uses the Intel GMA X3100 integrated graphics processor, which annexes up to 144 MB of system memory for graphics support. The entry-level MacBook includes 1 GB of RAM, while the faster models ship with 2 GB. They all support up to 4 GB.

The MacBook has two RAM expansion slots easily accessible through the battery bay on the bottom of the computer, and incorporates easy access to the hard drive, which we hadn't seen in Apple laptops since the 2000 Pismo PowerBook. Getting access to the hard drive in Apple's previous consumer notebook, the iBook, could be fairly described as nightmarish, and G4 PowerBooks and MacBook Pros are only a slightly better prospect. By contrast, in the MacBook, the hard drive lives behind a door beside the RAM slots in the battery bay, making it the easiest to access and change in any Apple laptop ever.

The mild speed bumps and move to 45 nm "Penryn" chip architecture are welcome enhancements, but speed was not a notable deficiency of release any MacIntel laptop, all the way back to the original 1.83 GHz Core Duo models. However, early testing reports indicate that the Penryn chips run significantly cooler than do previous Core Duo and Core 2 Duo mobile Intel CPUs, which is welcome in itself, and also should result in longer battery life as well as more peace and quiet free from fan noise, so those factors definitely need to be considered in a purchase decision.

That decision will also have to determine whether a DVD-burner, 300 MHz more porcessor speed, 40 gigs more hard drive capacity, and an extra megabyte of RAM are worth the $200 price spread between the entry-level 2.1 GHz MacBook and the middle, 2.4 GHz unit. If you want the black case livery, you'll have to pop for an additional $200, which also gets you the 250 GB hard disk.

The other operative decision between buying a MacBook or opting for its professional notebook stablemate the MacBook Pro must take into account whether the latter's superior graphics support, bigger display with higher resolution and matte option, LED display backlight, ExpressCard port, larger hard drive, MultiTouch trackpad, backlit keyboard and FireWire 800 connectivity, and sleek, aluminum case represent good usable value for the extra capital outlay, or whether a smaller, less-costly MacBook is all you really need. The price spread of $900 between the entry-level MacBook and the lowest-priced MacBook Pro is quite substantial.

MacBook Model Chart:

The revised model and specification lineups are as follows:

The 2.1 GHz, 13-inch white MacBook includes:

* 13.3-inch glossy widescreen 1280 x 800 display;
* 2.1 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB shared L2 cache;
* 800 MHz front-side bus;
* 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB;
* 120GB 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 X3100;
* 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 802.11n 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; and
* 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

Price - $1,099 (US)

The 2.4 GHz, 13-inch white MacBook includes:

* 13.3-inch glossy widescreen 1280 x 800 display;
* 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB shared L2 cache;
* 800 MHz front-side bus;
* 2GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB;
* 160GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
* a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
* Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100;
* 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 802.11n 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; and
* 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

Price - $1,299 (US)

The 2.4 GHz, 13-inch black MacBook includes:

* 13.3-inch glossy widescreen 1280 x 800 display;
* 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB shared L2 cache;
* 800 MHz front-side bus;
* 2GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB;
* 250GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
* a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
* Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100;
* 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 802.11n 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; and
* 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

Price - $1,499 (US),

Build-to-order options for the MacBook include the ability to upgrade to up to 4GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, Apple Remote, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter, Apple USB Modem, and pre-installed copies of iWork '08, Logic Express 8, Final Cut Express 4 and Aperture 2.

$1,499

MacBook at a glance:

2.1 GHz or 2.4 GHz Intel "Penryn" 45 nm Core 2 Duo processor
3 MB L2 Cache
800MHz Frontside Bus
1 MB - 2 GB memory expandable up to Up to 4 GB
120 GB, 160 GB or 250 GB Serial ATA hard drive
Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) or 8x Double-layer SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Intel GMA X1350 graphics processor
DVI connector, VGA adapter
Built-in Gigabit Ethernet
Analog and digital audio
Expansion via USB and FireWire 400
Built-in iSight video camera;
iLife '06, Mac OS X Tiger
60W MagSafe Power Adapter, AC wall plug, and power cord
Lithium-polymer battery

June 2007 MacBook Pro models:

Apple released its second refreshment or Revision C of the MacBook Pro line of professional notebooks in June, 2007, with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 ("Santa Rosa") processors, some eight months after the Revision B MacBook Pro refresh of October, 2006, which introduced the Core 2 Duo chips. Also new was LED display backlighting on the 15" model, a high-res 1920-by-1200 display option on the 17" MacBook Pro, a 33 percent increase in the memory expansion limit, to a much more practical 4 GB from 3 GB, the latter being awkward on machines that prefer memory pairing, and 2 GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM is now standard on all models, (configured in two 1GB SO-DIMMs) of PC2-5300 (667MHz) DDR2 memory filling the MacBook Pro's two SO-DIMM slots, which provides the technical advantage of RAM "pairing," but means that you will need to remove both SO-DIMMs and replace them with 2 GB ones if you want to expand the notebook's RAM capacity to the maximum-supported 4 GB (which will cost you a whopping $750 if you BTO it from Apple, but should be obtainable for a street price of $250 - $300).

Don't forget to check out the MacBook Price Trackers at our sister site Mac Prices to save potentially hundreds of dollars on a new MacBook. Prices are updated daily

There is also a new NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics processing unit that Apple claims is more than 50 percent faster than the one in the original Core Duo MacBook Pro, and comes with either 128 MB or 256 MB of VRAM.

The Santa Rosa processor, which sports 4MB of shared L2 cache and an 800 MHz frontside bus (which can be slowed down to 533 MHz to save power), is still being called a Core 2 Duo rather than a Centrino Duo as with Santa Rosa based PC notebooks that include Intel's "Robson" Turbo Memory technology, which incorporates solid state NAND flash memory as a 'smart storage' buffer between system RAM and the hard drive.

Presumably Apple determined that Turbo Memory, which is reportedly optimized for Windows Vista, would not offer enough benefit running under the Mac OS to justify its extra cost, so they opted to go with the basic Santa Rosa chipset and CPU. Perhaps they'll revisit the Turbo Memory feature in the next MacBook Pro revision after OS 10.5 Leopard is on the prowl.

In the meantime, the Santa Rosa chips provide the faster bus speed, the ability to address 4 GB of RAM, and is less power-hungry (and presumably runs cooler).

Along with the new CPUs comes a very modest speed bump from 2.16 GHz to 2.2 GHz on the base 15" MacBook Pro and from 2.33 GHz to 2.4 GHz on the high-end 15-incher and the 17-inch model. Those increases amount to the low single digits percentage-wise, so in and of themselves are nothing to get up in the night and write home about, but should increase performance marginally.

Another specification upgrade is built-in 802.11n wireless networking, which Apple says provides up to five times the performance and twice the range of the 802.11g spec., and the 17" model gets better low frequency response audio speakers.

Internal hard drives of up to 250GB capacity are now supported. The 15" MacBook Pros gets an 8x SuperDrive, and the 15" 2.4GHz MacBook Pro now comes with a 160GB hard drive.

The MacBook Pro form factors remain exactly the same as they have been since the original MacBook Pro introductions in January and March 2006 respectively, and indeed are very little changed since they debuted as the 17" and 15" aluminum PowerBooks back in 2003. However, the design has aged very gracefully, and there would seem to be no compelling reason to change it other than for the sake of change. Remember, Porsche has stuck with the essential 911 form factor for more than 40 years. I can't think of a PC notebook that exudes the charm, understated elegance and tasteful classiness that the MacBook Pros do. Mind you, I would be delighted if the ease of hard drive swapping introduced with the MacBook Pro could be grafted into the MacBook Pro, but I expect we'll have to wait for the next form factor revision for that.

The smaller model comes with a 15.4-inch widescreen at 1440 x 900 resolution, while the 17-incher is equipped with a 17" widescreen at 1680 x 1050 resolution and 300 cd/m2 brightness. Both sizes are available in the customer's choice of matte or glossy screen surface. A new 1920-by-1200 high-resolution display is available as a BTO option on the 17" MacBook Pro.

Price points remain the same, at $1,999 for the "base" 15-incher, $2,499 for the 2.33 GHz 15" model, and $2,799 for the 17" king of the hill. As before, my take is that the $1,999 15" model is a bit of a bargain, the 17" machine a very decent value considering what you get, and the $500 premium you pay for the higher end 15" unit more than a bit steep for 16 MHz more clock speed and an extra gig of RAM.

The new Santa Rosa CPU, NVidia's 8600m GT GPU, and the LED backlighting all use less power than their predecessors, contributing to longer battery life. Santa Rosa's improved power consumption profile increases Apple's projected charge life for the 15-inch MacBook Pro's 60-watt-hour Lithium-polymer battery to six hours, up from the previous model's claimed five hours, while the 68-watt-hour battery in the 17" model now has a theoretical run time of 5.75 hours. None of these optimistic figures is likely to be achieved in real-world conditions..

Returning good stuff includes built-in 10/100/1000 BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), FireWire 800 FireWire 400 ports, a backlit illuminated keyboard, an ambient light sensor, an ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot, a DVI video output to connect up to a 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display, a built-in iSight video camera, and Apple's sudden motion sensor, scrolling trackpad, and MagSafe magnetic AC power adapter connector technologies. Bundled software includes iLife '06 featuring iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand and iWeb.

The new 15" MacBook Pro is the industry's first notebook to ship with an LED backlit display, offering the advantages of lower power consumption, increased brightness (and also can dim more without turning off) with more even light distribution, sharper contrast, instant full brightness, won't get dimmer with age, and "greener" mercury-free construction. The 17" model will have to soldier on for a while yet with conventional Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lighting (CCFL) display backlighting until LED illuminated screens become available, but the 17-incher does get a new optional 1920-by-1200 high-resolution display, which provides in excess of 30 percent more screen real estate than the standard 1680-by-1050 display. All the MacBook Pro displays are available in either gloss or matte screen finish versions.

In appearance, there are no changes. Dimensions-wise, here are the specs:

15-inch MacBook Pro, Height: 1.0 inch (2.59 cm), Width: 14.1 inches (35.7 cm), Depth: 9.6 inches (24.3 cm), Weight: 5.6 pounds (2.54 kg) with battery and optical drive installed

17-inch MacBook Pro, Height: 1.0 inch (2.59 cm), Width: 15.4 inches (39.2 cm), Depth: 10.4 inches (26.5 cm), Weight: 6.8 pounds (3.1 kg) with battery and optical drive installed

So, is now a good time to buy a MacBook Pro? Sure! This latest revision adds significant value, especially in the 15" models with the LED backlighting, while holding the existing price points, and it's definitely a step up from the original Core Duo MacBook Pros

On the other hand, if you have a Revision B Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro, there's no need to be suffering buyer's remorse. The performance improvements with the latest models are modest, and the specification upgrades, while all welcome, are not in the must-have category. Which begs the question of whether an Apple Certified Refurbished Revision B machine might not be a better buy.

Whichever you choose, with machines like these, it's little wonder that Apple's notebook sales are booming.

Original article, January 2006 models:

From a cost/power/value perspective, the short answer to the propositional question is of course the base, $1,099, 1.83 GHz MacBook, or if you really need a SuperDrive, the white, 2.0 GHz version. You've never been able to get more raw power and features in a Mac laptop for that kind of money (and don't forget to check out the MacBook Price Trackers at our sister site Mac Prices to save potentially hundreds of dollars on a new MacBook. Prices are updated daily).

However, it's a bit more complicated than that.

On paper, the MacBook is impressive, with Core 2 Duo processors, its wide, medium resolution display, 2 GB of memory capacity, support for monitor spanning, and the usual raft of Apple laptop features carried over from the iBook.

Indeed, Apple narrowed the power and features spectrum from low end to high end to less than it's ever been with Apple portables, save for a short interval in 1996 when the PowerBook 1400 was the only available choice in two not-too-different iterations. At least on paper, there's not a humongous difference in performance between a 1.83 GHz and a 2.33 GHz Core 2 Duo, which the overall price gap (from base MacBook to 17" MacBook Pro) is a whopping $1,500, and the price difference between a similarly configured MacBook and 15" MacBook Pro (2.16GHz, 1GB, 1200GB HD) is still $650. That low-end MacBook may be $100 more expensive than the iBook model it replaces, but it's still a stunning value for the money.

So is the MacBook Pro a poor value by comparison? Not necessarily. I do think the 2.33 GHz 15" model is overpriced, both by comparison with the MacBook and with the 17" MacBook Pro, but I also expect its price will drop in the not too distant future. Price aside, there are definitely advantages that at least to some degree justify the MacBook Pro's price premium over the MacBook. These might include:

• Aluminum housing
This is not necessarily an advantage. I have both an aluminum PowerBook and a gaggle of polycarbonate-bodied 'Books, and I think the ruggedness of the high-strength plastic makes it a more desirable material for this purpose. Metal skins also diminish wireless range, but in the plus column, metal dissipates heat more efficiently than plastic.

• Illuminated keyboard
My 17" PowerBook has this feature, and it's great, but not something I can't live without.

• Ambient light sensor
Also nice to have, but hardly an essential

• Auto-dimming display

My comment above, redux.

• ExpressCard Port
Definitely an advantage in terms of increased versatility and expandability. I can't say as I've found the lack of a PC Card slot any real hardship with my iBook, but the one in my Pismo facilitated the addition of FireWire 800 connectivity.

• PCIe graphics system
If you want to use a graphics-hungry application like Final Cut Studio, this one could be a deal-breaker for the MacBook, whose integrated graphics system does not support FCS, and eats up 80 MB of your system RAM. I prefer to have a real graphics processing unit and dedicate video RAM.

• Higher-resolution display
The MacBook's 1280 x 800 resolution would be plenty enough for my current and anticipated needs. However, if you want more, the MacBook Pro is the machine for you.

• Matte display option
This one is a substantial advantage in my estimation. I dislike screen reflectivity, and it's bad enough with a matte finish display.

• Larger hard drive
You can order up to 200 GB in the MacBook, and with the latter's drive so easy to access and change, I don't see the MacBook Pro's larger OEM hard drive capacities as being a super big deal.

• Three USB 2.0 ports (17-inch MacBook Pro)
You can never have too many USB ports in my estimation, especially with Apple having nickel-and dimed us out of the built-in modem in the MacIntel portables.

• FireWire 800 port (2.33GHz MacBook Pros)
Only important if you need FW 800 connectivity, but if you do, the MacBook is not for you.

• Lower operating temperatures. As noted above, metal tends to be a more efficient conductor and dissipator of heat, and a less cramped internal cavity in the MacBook Pros compared with the MacBook both contribute to less heat buildup.

Here are the basic specs:

Be sure to read our comprehensive MacBook Review and MacBook Pro Review at Mac Prices.

Anyone considering the purchase of a new Apple portable will have to decide whether a MacBook Pro is with the higher cost of admission. However, my experience buying the Apple Certified Refurbished 17" PowerBook G4 that I'm composing this column on has made me a bit of a booster for a third option — a refurbished MacBook Pro as opposed to a new MacBook Pro.

It's something of the same dynamic as I considered three months ago; the refurb. BigAl PowerBook as opposed to a new G4 iBook with the same clock speed. as with the MacBook Pro/MacBook saw-off, the 17" PowerBook was still a bit more expensive than the new iBook, bit I deduced that the PowerBook's higher end features - faster bus speed, better graphic processor with twice the VRAM, bigger display, greater and more flexible RAM upgrade support, SuperDrive, PC Card slot expandability, much better keyboard with backlit illumination, FireWire 800, monitor spanning support, and the intangible I call "The PowerBook Mystique," made it worth the extra bucks. After three months using it for production, I still think so.

It's not quite an exact analogy. The performance advantage of the MacBook Pro over the MacBook is probably narrower, as is the display resolution advantage. The MacBook supports monitor spanning and the same maximum RAM capacity in two slots, and the MacBook has that wonderful, easy access to the hard drive.

However, a refurbished 1.83 GHz MacBook Pro at $1,299.00 with a full 1-year warranty and AppleCare eligibility seems an attractive alternative to a 2.0 GHz MacBook at $1,299.00 or $1,499.00, at least if some or all of the MacBook Pro advantages cited above resonate with you. Or you can go to clock speed parity with a 2.0 GHz MacBook Pro at $1,349.00, or transcend it with a 2.16 GHz MacBook Pro for $1,499.00. These deals are currently posted on the online Apple Store's Refurbished Macs page.

I'm not saying that's the route I would go. The MacBook is a mighty attractive package at a hard-to-resist price - at least the base, $1,099 model, which may (or may not; it's early days yet) turn out to be the best value Apple has ever offered in a portable Mac. We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, I'm loving this big ol' 17" PowerBook, and am comfortable biding my time.

Find the lowest prices on a new MacBook or MacBook Pro at Mac Prices. Over 2 million served.

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