Well! If you're a bit of a computer geek like me, and into the Apple scene, you have probably heard some talk about the new laptops that Apple was rumored to be launching on October 14th. The rumor turned out to be true, and these new laptops are sweeeeet! Loads of new features have been announced, but the aesthetic is what is really exciting. I am totally drooling over them as I write this post on my old-school iBook G4.
The main event with the new laptops is the manufacturing process. In the old days, laptop bodies were made from several parts that had to be assembled. The new Macbooks (and Macbook Pros) feature a single component to form the top part of the case that they're calling a unibody. This piece is carved from a single piece of aluminum, creating a part that in the old days required several sub-parts. Make sense? This one piece is of course more rigid and more beautiful, and when you see the images of this new laptop, you'll be pretty amazed too.
New Macbook Closed
As for the look of the new Macbooks, you simply cannot beat how attractive these laptops are. The lid of the laptop, which contains the screen is extremely thin--like Macbook Air thin. Surrounding the screen is a black border. Covering the screen is arsenic-free glass. Sleek. Awesome. The body is uber-sleek with no seams or screws on the outside. Those engineers at Apple...A good crowd.
New Macbook Open
As for performance, the new laptops are similarly powered to the laptops they're replacing, with the exception of the graphics. The new laptops feature a new chipset from NVidia called the 9400M. This chipset is said to provide 500% more graphics processing power over the previous Intel integrated graphics of the previous generation of Macbooks. This chipset is also being installed in the new Macbook Pros, to conserve battery life (More on this in a second...)
The new Macbooks also feature a brand new trackpad. Made entirely of glass, it is said to be extremely "glide-able". What is really interesting about it is the lack of a button. The entire trackpad serves as a button, and through software, you can set it up to not only act as a dual-button mouse (ala Windows), but you can also use up to 4 fingers to accomplish certain tasks. COOL!!! Much like the iPhone, you can "pinch" the trackpad to zoom in (and out). You can rotate images by using two fingers and doing a turning motion (like adjusting the volume on a radio). With three fingers you can cycle through multiple images (also similar to the iPhone), and with 4 fingers you can set it up to switch applications, and enact various Expose functions. For those that don't know about Expose, it has completely revolutionized the way I interact with my computer and applications (In a good way, of course!)
New Macbook Trackpad
Also new in the new Macbooks: The display. Using a backlit LED, the new Macbooks achieve better contrast, brighter colors, and more energy efficiency for better battery life. I really can't wait to see these new screens in person.
These new Macbooks are a bit more pricey than the previous generation Macbooks (but not by much, if you consider the $1500 black Macbook), however, the older white Macbooks are seeing a price reduction to $999.
...And now the Macbook Pros
Macbook Pro 15
Everything you read about the new Macbooks is true for the new Macbook Pro laptops. New screens, revolutionary manufacturing and design, glass buttonless trackpads, new graphics processors...etc. However, the new Macbook Pros also feature independant graphics processors. Yes, that's right. In addition to integrated graphics (for better battery life), the new Macbook Pros have independant graphics processors for the ultimate in mobile graphic performance (with a sacrifice in battery life). So, you can use the basic graphics for web browsing, and word processing, then pull out the big guns for Photoshopping and video work.
The new Macbook Pros don't have much more power than the previous models (except in the graphics department), but I expect us to see faster models going into the 3Ghz range. Also of note, the new Macbooks are only available in the 15" size, but if everything goes like it did a few years back when Apple last released new Macbook Pros, we'll be seeing a 17" model coming along very soon.
If you're in the market for a mid-priced (at least in Apple-land) laptop, go for one of the new Macbooks. If you're a pro looking for the very best, I might hold off for a few months on a new Macbook Pro. We may end up seeing some more power from the CPU and possibly a 17" model just around the corner.
These laptops are super sexy, and I can't wait to get to an Apple store to play with one. Once again, our friends at Apple have set the bar higher for every manufacturer of computers by introducing a beautiful product that is higher quality, more powerful, and easier to use than anything else out there. Just another reason why this ex-PC guy has switched to Mac.
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