Mackbook

On October 20, 2009, Apple released a MacBook that introduced a new polycarbonate (plastic) unibody design,^[33] faster DDR3 memory, a multi-touch trackpad, an LED-backlit display, and a built-in seven hour battery. The polycarbonate unibody MacBook, like its aluminum predecessor, lacks FireWire and, like the 13-inch MacBook Pro, has a combined audio in/out port. On May 18, 2010, the MacBook was refreshed with an updated processor, a faster graphics card, and improved battery life.

[edit]Design

Like the MacBook Pro, the MacBook follows the same tapered design first seen in the MacBook Air; however, it is rounder on the edges than previous laptops in the MacBook line. This model has an all-white fingerprint-resistant glossy palm rest, unlike the grayish surface of its predecessor, and uses a multi-touch glass trackpad like the one found on the MacBook Pro. The bottom of the MacBook features a rubberized non-slip finish. The built-in battery of the late 2009 revision, a feature introduced earlier in the year with the MacBook Pro, is claimed by Apple to last seven hours compared with five hours in the older models. However, in tests conducted by Macworld, the battery was found to last only about four hours while playing video at full brightness with AirPort turned off.^[34] However, Apple's battery life was calculated with the brightness at the middle setting and while browsing websites and editing word documents, not with video and at full brightness.^[35] Gizmodo also reached about the same conclusion in their tests, but with AirPort turned on.^[36] The battery included in the mid 2010 model holds an additional five watt-hours over the previous model's and is claimed to last up to ten hours.^[37]

[edit]Reception

Despite being hailed by Slashgear as "one of the best entry-level notebooks Apple have produced," the unibody MacBook has received criticism for its lack of a FireWire port and SD card slot.^[38] Nilay Patel of Engadget added that the USB ports were easily dented and the bottom of the laptop became worn and discolored after a few days. He also drew particular attention to the fact that the price was not lowered, stating that the small price difference between the MacBook and the MacBook Pro makes it a "wasted pricing opportunity."^[39] However, most critics agree that the unibody MacBook's display is significantly better than its predecessor's. AppleInsider states that the new display "delivers significantly better color and viewing angle performance" than the previous MacBook, but still "not as vivid and wide-angle viewable as the MacBook Pro screens."^[40]