"Apple designs its laptops to a very high spec, and everyone who owns one just loves them to bits."
John Hillman
The Apple MacBook is less expensive than the MacBook Pro models that come in a choice of 13, 15 or 17 inch sizes. This one is available only as a 13 inch and delivers a slightly less robust all-round performance than its MacBook Pro siblings.
However if you compare the Apple MacBook to the MacBook Pro, it still manages to give you many of the highly coveted features, and with prices starting at under £900 it represents pretty good value when taking into account its design, build quality and performance.
Our model came with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2 Gb of DDR3 SDRAM and a 250 Gb 5,400RPM SATA ATA hard drive.
What we like best
The Apple MacBook is just the perfect size for a laptop. The 13 inch screen is big enough to enjoy a movie or Internet browsing, the keyboard is really nicely spaced out and comfortable, the size and weight of the machine makes it very easy to slip into a shoulder bag or briefcase.
The build quality of the Apple MacBook is excellent – the whole thing is encased inside a white polycarbonate wrapper, including the battery. You only have to handle it to get a feel for just how well-made these Apple products are.
The screen carries a 1280 x 800 native resolution with a high glossy display. It gives the colours a sharpness and quality that really stand out when compared to other 13 inch screens on the market.
Another great feature, and one in which Apple really excels, is battery performance. The graphics are vented through a a powerful yet energy efficient NVIDIA Ge-Force 320M card that allows great visuals without draining the battery. It will offers up to 10 hours of wireless productivity, according to Apple, however this isn’t 10 hours of battery powered DVD watching, although you could still expect an impressive four hours of that.
What we like least
Apple designs its laptops to a very high spec, and everyone who owns one just loves them to bits. But the more wisened cynic out there knows that there are other laptops on the market that will give you a bit more bang for your buck.
A high spec Apple MacBook costing over £1000 will have fewer ports and a slower processor than a good PC in a similar price range. The lack of a media card reader is a good example of this. Ultimately with Apple you’re always paying a bit extra for the lifestyle statement, along with some truly exceptional performance and build quality I hasten to add.
The Apple MacBook is a highly portable and well-built laptop that has a number of excellent features, and a superb battery life. It’s a perfect travelling companion and a really good looking one too. It’s fast, powerful, reliable and just the right size whether you plan on travelling with it or keeping it on your coffee table. Just don’t think you can’t do better for the money, because in some cases you actually can.
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Processor Speed
2.4 GHz
Processor
Intel Core 2 Duo
RAM
Up to 2 Gb RAM
Screen Size
13.3 inch
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GT 320M Shared Video Memory
Hard Drive Storage
Up to 250 Gb Hard Drive
Battery
Built in 63.5 watt hour lithium polymer
Multimedia
Integrated webcam and omnidirectional microphone
Stereo speakers
Support for Apple iPhone headset with microphone
Headphone jack
8 x Slot loading DVD drive
Ports
2 x USB 2.0
1 x Ethernet
1 x Mini DisplayPort - connect to DVI HDMI VGA using adapter (sold separately)
Weight & Size
330mm (W) x 30mm (H) x 230mm
2.13Kg
Connectivity
AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking
IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible
Operating System
Apple MacOS X 10.4
The Apple MacBook 13 inch is a softer option then the MacBook Pro, but if your budget isn’t as high or you just don’t need that much computing power the Apple MacBook 13 inch is a great alternative.
Apple MacBook 13 inch
The Apple MacBook 13 inch comes in a range of other sizes, see alternative blog posts for more information, but the Apple MacBook 13 inch is very much the default Apple Mac Book. With a 13 inch screen the Apple MacBook 13 inch is fine for watching movies, the reduced size makes it ever so slightly more portable, but at 2.13 Kg this certainly nowhere near a netbook.
The Apple MacBook 13 inch out does itself in components compared to your average ultraportable so the weight is excusable. Intel Core 2 Duo processor and up to 250 Gb Storage makes for a high standard computer, but if you want more then a Apple MacBook 13 inch you can get it from Apple.
If you want to find out more about its features, read the PC Site Apple MacBook 13 inch review.
"Positive: looks great, quick, keyboard feels good, good graphics and batterr life Negative: expensive, starts to look dirty quickly, plastic looks a bit cheap, limited hard drive"
Bernard 07 January 2012
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