Apple bumps MacBooks, including "MacBook Ultimate"
By Ryan Block 
posted July 4th 2006 1:44AM
posted July 4th 2006 1:44AM
posted July 4th 2006 1:44AM
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Ugh, and I just got a Macbook too..
Exactly how I spec'd my MacBook to begin with. They probably had so many people doing it that it only made sense.
Yours isn't obsolete. Just buy more memory if you really want it.
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.
Still too expensive for a regular laptop.
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?
I wonder if it's just an excuse to relaunch the white Macbook with better plastic.
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.
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 !!!...
Time to dump the Mac Mini Core Solo and make Core Duo standard! I want a cheap Mac with power!
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 ?? :-)
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.
Kasper, you do realise there isn't even a silver Macbook. Theres the Macbook Pro, but thats a completely different line.
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
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/
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.
HihO, APPLE IS CHANGING THE PLASTIC OF STAINED MACBOOKS
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.
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).
"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!
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.
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.
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...!!!
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.
i really hope Apple fixed the WhiteBooks stain problem
BROKEN read LINK!!!
though i do agree. a product refresh now is just horrible!!
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.
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"?
"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.
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?
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.
last!
Not any more...