January 21, 2009 10:49 AM PST
Apple bumps specs of $999 MacBook
(Credit:
James Martin/CNET News)
Sometime earlier this week, Apple updated its least expensive notebook.
Engadget noticed Wednesday that the white $999 MacBook was slightly--and quietly--upgraded. It now has a newer Intel processor (2.0GHz Core 2 Duo), 2GB of memory, integrated graphics (Nvidia GeForce 9400M), and a faster frontside bus, now 1,066 MHz.
Besides that, almost everything else remains the same. But at $999, it's now much closer to its more expensive, unibody-constructed MacBook cousins.
Erica Ogg is a CNET News reporter who covers Apple, HP, Dell, and other PC makers, as well as the consumer electronics industry. She's also one of the hosts of CNET News' Daily Podcast. In her non-work life, she's a history geek, a loyal Dodgers fan, and a mac-and-cheese connoisseur. E-mail Erica. 
Of course, that means having to buy a new USB 3.0 printer, external HD, etc.
I am still hoping for Apple to include an integrated multi-memory card reader.
I would also like to see the iSight upgraded to HD.
Apple has been known to innovate, let's see if they can deliver.
I haven't experienced any discoloration yet with my white MacBook. But I absolutely agree for the package it delivers quite nicely. I do like the glass trackpad better on the new MacBook.
I just don't get it how they choose what to write about! They could as well write about AOL, Sonny Tape-recorder, Zip Drives and etc. My point...keep the old junk out of the CNet.
it's funny how everyone so obsessed with specs !
I'm sure even the old PowerPc macs r better
than that gateway you mentioned
cause all that fancy hardware is infested by the pest that is Vista
Vista just sux no point in defending it, even Microsoft Agrees !
There is FAR more interest in stories about notebooks than desktop these days because notebooks tend to outsell desktops. Furthermore, I don't really think that they spent much time on the story. In addition, I found the sarcastic comparison to stories about zip drives completely off the mark.
i7 isn't new anymore
The Gateway isn't amazingly cheap or expensive, it doesn't blow everything else out of the water in price/performance, it isn't the first either and Gateway didn't send CNET a review machine.
@seven
We can install XP, Windows 7, Hackintosh OS X 10.5, Ubuntu, etc. on it
Furthermore...
A quick google as I was half-way through typing up my original comment this brought up some small/not-heavily-frequented blogs stating the release of an i7 FX series.. desktop. Pictures and specs accompany the article here: http://www.digitaltechnews.com/news/2008/11/gateway-fx-seri.html
There are some guys posting and stating that the model FX6800-01e (retail) is a laptop (http://www.pclaunches.com/notebooks/gateway_fx_series_intel_core_i7_based_laptops.php and others), but others are referring to it as a desktop. If you think about it, I don't recall Nehalem having a mobile counter part yet, and the i7 920/940 CPUs are desktop processors (use of these specific CPUs stated in the first link).
So I think it's you who needs to do some *thorough* research. Heck, these articles go back all the way to November, so I think you're just going to losing more and more credibility if I keep typing.
http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/gateway-fx6800-01e/4505-3118_7-33392302.html
You're the one making the big fuss here on news that's non-existant. Unless everyone but you heard of a mobile counterpart to Nehalem, or Gateway is suddenly stuffing CPU components into their budget-friendly mobile gaming units, you're making a big fuss out of old news and your lack of understanding of the basics of a computer.
1. There are only a small handful of manufacturers who actually use desktop components in a notebook.
2. A mobile counterpart to Nehalem has NOT been released or announced yet anywhere across any major blogs/news outlets.
3. The links I posted above which clearly state a confusion of whether or not the FX6800-01e/web-order-version is a laptop or desktop date back to November '08. A closer look at the model specs will reveal that the i7 chip being used is the desktop counterpart.
As for the article:
It's nice that they bumped up the performance of the bottom-of-the-line macbook. The upgraded GPU definitely makes it more worth the price.
My guess was that the newer CPU got cheap enough on the wholesale scale for them to upgrade or the older ones are starting to slow down/stop completely in terms of manufacturing. Because they either upgraded this because they were forced on the manufacturing side or just decided to do it, they figured an upgrade of all of the specs was also an option and applied it.
Though the design innovations (yes, I count them as innovations) on the uni-body's still make it tempting to pay the premium for it.
Combine this, their excellent numbers management for quarterly stats, their cash position, and overall popular products, it's no surprise that they performed extremely well with yesterday's earning's call with Steve Jobs ill and all...
Good for Apple, and good for consumers who can't quite afford the uni-body.
It's not like people are sold on Mac, it's just that Dell and many others are just too ugly (style-wise).
you're stuck in time, Dell looks good now. Dell still sucks though.
No I am not stuck in time, just that, you think dell is stylish now? studio, xps, which one? Only sony comes a little close in terms of styling, but u know, I am not going to argue with you, it is a suggestive matter.
Tell me again that Apple doesn't overprice its products.
I'm not a hater just a realist. I own an iPhone and my wife owns an iPod Touch and a Macbook. The iPod Touch and iPhone are reasonably priced but the Macbook is overpriced by about $200. Had she not been able to purchase it through a University and get the iPod free and a printer free she wouldn't have done it because without that it is a ripoff when compared to the competition.
It is funny that you should classify Microsoft as a Ford. Ford's upcoming vehicle lineup looks very promising... as does Windows 7.
When you buy this computer now will double the ram for free*!
*restrictions apply
Moore's Law and brand perception. Components get cheaper over time, so it might cost the same(if not, a teensy bit more) for the new specs. Now for the price. Why does apple charge what they do? Because they can, and because they deliver a product that people are willing to pay for. Only one reputable company can give you OSX, and apparently people think that it's worth it. I'm not trying to fanboy this. This is pure objectivity.
I understand that components get cheaper over time. That does not have any bearing on what I said. If configuration X is considered high quality and must be sold at price point P, then when prices go down, a company like Apple can still sell what they considered a high quality configuration (X) at a lower price. But, they did not go that route. They decided to keep the price up by raising the specs (though probably not enough to justify not lowering the price) . I understand that Apple sells things at the price they do because they can, but that's not the justification I've seen Apple give.
Apple can keep their overpriced and poorly performing machines. Sure, I can't claim to have an aluminum case, but for less than that Macbook costs (after taxes) I have an incredible amount more performance.
And for reference I dual boot Vista Ultimate and varying flavors of Linux (depends on my mood and functionality/compatibility at the time). So don't start doing the OS bashing, as I do use other things. Chiefly, I have to use Vista for DX10. Once Win 7 starts settling down I'll make the hop over.
my dell notebook (yes i kno..srry) 3GB RAM, 4 USB drives, 2 headphone out, 1 mic in, 2.6 GHz, Vista Sp1 (ok ok..i get it, vista sux), mike ming edition, 15.4 screen, 250 GB hard driv, crap load of software, other features im too lazy to type about
all for around $650
- by polis12 January 26, 2009 2:21 PM PST
- @ mistaqu:
- Like this Reply to this comment
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- by mistaqu January 26, 2009 2:42 PM PST
- interesting how u keep saying "probably"..
- Like this
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(50 Comments)Quote:
"w.e
my dell notebook (yes i kno..srry) 3GB RAM, 4 USB drives, 2 headphone out, 1 mic in, 2.6 GHz, Vista Sp1 (ok ok..i get it, vista sux), mike ming edition, 15.4 screen, 250 GB hard driv, crap load of software, other features im too lazy to type about
all for around $650"
End Quote
Learn computers before you comment. Your 3GB RAM probably runs at 667 Mhz. That 2.6 Ghz processor is probably by AMD I would assume based on that price (considering the P9500 2.5 Ghz C2D retails for about $330), which by default automatically means it sucks because AMD isn't even close to Intel's performance in laptops right now. And that 250 GB HDD probably runs at 5400 rpm, making it incredibly slower than a 7200 rpm drive. Oh, and I am highly skeptical of the 2.6 Ghz speed for that price unless it is an older processor or a refurb machine.
I bet you are one of those people who picks up an old P4 because it runs at 3.4 Ghz instead of a C2D that only runs at 2.0 Ghz. Clock speed ain't everything bub.
no, u dont kno when i got this comp
no, u dont kno how old it is
no, u dont kno how i got the comp
and yes, basically everything u just sed is wrong
u bet im one of those ppl? well woopdeedoo for u
i dont rly care
i was just putting my laptops specs out ther...how u judge me based on ur own assumptions doesnt matter to me