Apple bumps MacBooks, including "MacBook Ultimate"

Looks like Apple's tacked on two new out-of-box MacBook configs supposedly available in retail locations, well, immediately. AppleInsider is reporting a new white version upped to 1GB of RAM, and an 80GB drive for $1449 -- which is what you'd pay to configure a stock WhiteBook with the above options online. Apple is apparently still keeping the margin on the BlackBook though, with the "MacBook Ultimate," your regular 2GHz BlackBook with 1GB of RAM (instead of the stock 512MB) for -- you guessed it -- the same $100 price bump you'd pay to configure it yourself online, thus topping it out at $1599. Tricky.

[Michael @ Jul 4th 2006 1:57AM]

Ugh, and I just got a Macbook too..

[Jake @ Jul 4th 2006 2:01AM]

Exactly how I spec'd my MacBook to begin with. They probably had so many people doing it that it only made sense.

[Isaac Levy @ Jul 4th 2006 2:02AM]

Yours isn't obsolete. Just buy more memory if you really want it.

[Xavier @ Jul 4th 2006 2:13AM]

Well damn I want one even more. Too bad I can't (legally) get a job. And to bad I live in New Orleans, right by the effing levee, where we can't even get internet right now. At all. Well unless I use my 2g cellphone to get speeds of 9kbs on an obsolete desktop with a p2 in it that I got from school because I'm a part of the tech-team. And my stupid city hasn't implemented the free wifi thing yet.

But I still want one for Garageband and iLife.

Oh and excuse my rant. I'm just sick of this trailer.

[Don Wilson @ Jul 4th 2006 2:59AM]

Still too expensive for a regular laptop.

[John B. @ Jul 4th 2006 3:01AM]

I don't get it... there has been a white MacBook with a 2.0 Ghz Core Duo since the MacBook debuted. What about the processor is upgraded?

[Alex Deva @ Jul 4th 2006 3:07AM]

I wonder if it's just an excuse to relaunch the white Macbook with better plastic.

[techyted @ Jul 4th 2006 5:04AM]

I bought my Black MacBook back in June, added 2GB of after market ram and it best computer I have ever owned. I am a first time Mac guy and previously custom built my PC's. For the features (built in iSight, bluetooth, WiFi) and speed of this MacBook, you can't beat the price for a "Regular" laptop.

[Keith L. Dick @ Jul 4th 2006 5:12AM]

So were is my 24-Core Intel CPU, Multi-Tower with 55-gigs of Ram and a Letter Box 14-foot Wide Plasma Screen MAC???...

Where are the Towers anyways???... We got the Laptops, I want the Meat & Potatoes, the Hardcore Mean Machines with all the Bells & Whistles, the ones that know who, what and why you are just when you look at them and before you can even touch a button they are on and running at your beckon call...

I Want My Mac and I Want It With Cheeze & Fries Damn It !!!...

[Tinus @ Jul 4th 2006 5:20AM]

Time to dump the Mac Mini Core Solo and make Core Duo standard! I want a cheap Mac with power!

[Kasper Larsen @ Jul 4th 2006 5:56AM]

Save som cash!

just buy the silver MacBook - and use it for long enough - then it will proberbly go black anyway - so why pay extra for black ?? :-)

[PMX @ Jul 4th 2006 6:29AM]

Both the specs page & the store still show only 3 default configurations:
a. $1099 White MacBook, 1.83GHz/512MB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM/60GB SATA HD
b. $1299 White MacBook, 2.00GHz/512MB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM/60GB SATA HD
c. $1499 Black MacBook, 2.00GHz/512MB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM/80GB SATA HD

You can configure (b) with an 80GB HD & 1GB of RAM for $1449, that is, cheaper than the similar Black MacBook, but with twice the RAM. There has been a 2.0 GHz White MacBook from the start, this isn't new.

[Jeffler @ Jul 4th 2006 6:36AM]

Kasper, you do realise there isn't even a silver Macbook. Theres the Macbook Pro, but thats a completely different line.

[John from Buffalo @ Jul 4th 2006 7:22AM]

MacBook 1.83 Core Duo
$1050.00 (educational discount
1GB of RAM
$100 (being liberal)
100 SerialATA 7200 from newegg.com
$165
COST: 1314+tax

Ok.. here's where it gets good
Free Ipod (sold on ebay $169) - ebay fees = $150
Free Printer (sold on ebay $49.99) - ebay fees = $45
$1314 - 150 - 45 = $1119

So, kick the 5% speed difference and I have ONE REALLY KICKER of a MacBook on a VERY cheap budget! :-D

[John from Buffalo @ Jul 4th 2006 7:33AM]

Just a follow-up. The educational discount requires a valid College ID (sure most readers can get one of those in some fashion), and the taking advantage of the "Back to School" and "Perfect Companion" promotions.

Upfront it ends up being around $1440 or something, but after it's all said and done, the cost is back down to what I stated before.

http://www.apple.com/backtoschool/

[chenry @ Jul 4th 2006 8:46AM]

Alex Dave says:
"I wonder if it's just an excuse to relaunch the white Macbook with better plastic."

I would not be displeased if this were the case. Some new, non-dirtying plastic would be very nice. Like whatever the DS Lite is made out of; mine's pretty clean and I've been using it pretty much non-stop since i got it.

[Carlos @ Jul 4th 2006 8:56AM]

HihO, APPLE IS CHANGING THE PLASTIC OF STAINED MACBOOKS

[Manu Sharma @ Jul 4th 2006 9:11AM]

Another post from Engadget that gets the facts wrong. There is no free processor upgrade. The $1449 price for upgraded Macbook is the same you'd get by configuring the 2.0Ghz machine at Apple's online store.

[Julian @ Jul 4th 2006 9:36AM]

I thought this applied to RETAIL, not ONLINE. You could always get this models online, but retail wouldn't sell me more than the very basic. I had to go aftermarket for the ram (for 1gb, Apple's price is unbeatable).

[SonicYouth @ Jul 4th 2006 10:57AM]

"Another post from Engadget that gets the facts wrong. There is no free processor upgrade. The $1449 price for upgraded Macbook is the same you'd get by configuring the 2.0Ghz machine at Apple's online store. "

Understand the english language please.

"...AppleInsider is reporting a new white version gaining equal footing with its darker counterpart with a 2GHz Core Duo, as well as 1GB RAM, and an 80GB drive for $1449 -- which is what you'd pay to configure a stock 1.83GHz WhiteBook with the above options (thus the processor upgrade is free)..."

The Writer is clearly saying that if you were to upgrade the 1.8 ghz version to the same memory it would be the same price as the 2ghz in terms of memory but you also get .2ghz of power free (meaning you didn't have to pay for the change in processor). In easier terms for those not understanding, 2ghz > 1.8ghz both systems if they had the same amount of memory...follow it yet.... are the same price ...don't get lost now....except you get a a slightly better processor for the same price!.... yeah!!!!!!...You get a gold star today!

[Special_K @ Jul 4th 2006 6:25PM]

Here's a hint: GIVE IT A DECENT GRAPHICS CARD! In fact, give it a graphics card PERIOD! I wanted one of these, because it's just so smexy, but I didn't get it because the graphics just weren't good enough to run Aperture (my choice for photoediting). "But John, isn't the MacBook a consumer laptop, while the MacBook Pro is a professional laptop? In that case, since Aperture is a ProApp you'd want to run it on a MacBook Pro!" Yeah, that's true but, in my humble opinion, the MacBook is an all around better designed laptop, and I shouldn't have to sacrifice build quality for usability.

[seth brundle @ Jul 4th 2006 6:33PM]

I just bought a BlackBook, my first mac, and I like it.

However, I was annoyed to find out that you cannot buy a MacBook in a store with enough harddrive space to hold an iTunes library for a standard 60GB iPod (80GB with 55 GB free).

120 GB macbooks are only available direct, stores cannot upgrade drives, and replacing your drive yourself voids the warranty :(

Obviously they didnt think out their product synergy very well.

[Rafael @ Jul 4th 2006 9:56PM]

I was lucky I delayed my purchase a few weeks...to compare/think about this purchase...David from Apple Store told me about the "Ultimate"...I picked it up later that weekend...!!!

[Justin @ Jul 4th 2006 11:10PM]

Seth Brundle

Replacing the hard drive yourself does NOT void the warranty. Apple specifically made the RAM and the HD user replaceable, your warranty will still be intact if you choose to upgrade your HD.

[MacGeek @ Jul 5th 2006 12:13AM]

i really hope Apple fixed the WhiteBooks stain problem

[Jerrick @ Jul 5th 2006 2:20AM]

BROKEN read LINK!!!
though i do agree. a product refresh now is just horrible!!

[Drew @ Jul 5th 2006 9:59AM]

You don't need a college ID or any kind of evidence that you go to college to get the educational discount when you shop online. Just say you go to some school and you're good.

[Jack @ Jul 5th 2006 12:25PM]

By naming it the "MacBook Ultimate" they didn't leave much room for the next MacBook. Is this the end of the line for the MacBook Maybe they should have called it the "MacBook Penultimate"?

[Manu Sharma @ Jul 7th 2006 4:14AM]

"Sonic Youth" you didn't get it. Ryan Block, who wrote the post did, and corrected the error. The reference to a "free processor upgrade" is no longer there.

Original version: "...which is what you'd pay to configure a stock 1.83GHz WhiteBook with the above options (thus the processor upgrade is free)."

Edited Version: "...which is what you'd pay to configure a stock WhiteBook with the above options online."

Ryan, in the spirit of good journalism, it'd have been more appropriate had you acknowledged the mistake while making the correction.

[praneet @ Jul 9th 2006 5:52PM]

is it possible for me to configure the 1.83 GHz processor version along with a superdrive? I don't see why apple has not allowed tht modification to be done when booking online....any ideas on this?

[Adam Mabe @ Jul 19th 2006 1:29PM]

I spoke directly with applecare yesterday. Upgrading hard disk or RAM will not void your warranty at all. Just remove the battery and three screws and you can get at the ram and the hard disk (there is a youtube video on this). Save yourself some money. Jetram at buy.com is $80 shipped for a 1gb stick and a 120Gb SATA drive will only set you back $150....a hell of a lot better than apple's $450 for 2Gb RAM or $225 for 120Gb hard disk.