Apple’s 45nm Refresh: New MacBook & MacBook Pro
by Anand Lal Shimpi on February 29, 2008 12:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Mac
Glossy or Not?
With the exception of the MacBook Pro, all of Apple’s notebooks are available exclusively with a glossy display. The benefit of a glossy display is an improved contrast ratio but the downside is it reflects more ambient light, particularly when you have an unusually strong light source (e.g. sitting in front of a window or being outside with the Sun).
With the MacBook Pro you have the option of either a glossy or anti-glare display, the question that remains is: which should you choose?
As you’d expect, the decision really falls upon your intended use for the notebook. Indoors, the glossy display was much nicer in my opinion. Blacks appeared blacker and the screen was much more pleasant to look at:
Matte screen (left) vs. Glossy (right)
Matte screen (left) vs. Glossy (right)
Unfortunately the glossy screen can get pretty annoying when there's glare on it:
Glossy, see the window reflection on the left?
The matte anti-reflective screen just gets a little washed out but doesn't reflect its environment when presented with glare:
I still end up preferring the glossy screen but I don't use these things outside that often. If I were still using them outside on campus I might have to opt for the matte screen instead.
Cases, we need Cases
I can’t stress how important it is for Apple to start building good cases for its notebooks. Apple has done a tremendous job on styling its notebooks yet they are confined to the same cases that even the most generically designed PC notebooks are destined for. Many of Apple’s notebook peripherals are also not of standard shapes or sizes (e.g. the power brick), paving the way for even more synergy through a well designed custom case.
The MacBook Air needs a custom case to avoid losing the point of one of its biggest features. Who cares if you can stick the Air in a manilla folder if you have to carry it around in a standard laptop bag?
The MacBook and MacBook Pro are no different, although not as extreme of examples as the Air. These notebooks feature a very well proportioned shape and are as attractive as you can get in a computer (I’ll refrain from using the word sexy since, well, they don’t incite any sexual desire despite being well styled computers), yet they are carried in ugly, not well designed bags.
Apple seems to have the design sense to tackle such a thing, although I’m not sure if it really wants to get into the notebook case business. I figure that it spends so much time and effort on making sure its packaging is among the most stylish on the planet, why not create some packaging that you can actually take with you?
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alphaod - Sunday, March 2, 2008 - link
I also have different OS build. It's weird:System Software Overview:
System Version: Mac OS X 10.5.2 (9C31)
Kernel Version: Darwin 9.2.0
Boot Volume: Macintosh HD
Boot Mode: Normal
Computer Name:
User Name:
Time since boot: 2:35
TechGirl - Saturday, March 1, 2008 - link
wow, thank you so much for writing such a wonderful, informative, clear, and intelligent piece. As I begin to consider my next mac purchase, I will be coming back to your site! As of right now, my early 2004 ibook is chugging along, and I'm hoping to be able to wait until Montevina is put into apple's notebooks.TechGirl - Saturday, March 1, 2008 - link
Edit: I meant Nehalem :PJAS - Friday, February 29, 2008 - link
Thanks for publishing this comprehensive overview about the updated MacBook Pros. The timing is good because I've been thinking about getting one.I visited an Apple Store tonight to buy a 2.4 gHz 15-inch MacBook Pro -- but the clerk said there was a run on this model today and they're temporarily sold out. I'll go back in a few days. (Incidentally, within two hours, this store also sold out of the eight Time Capsules they received from Apple.)
Fuzzy33 - Friday, February 29, 2008 - link
The Penryn model numbers are not given on the Apple site or in your review.Are they T8100, T8300 and T9300 models or are they unique?
MacTheSpoon - Friday, February 29, 2008 - link
Thanks for the great review, Anand, and for including the update on how things are going with the Air in there.canuck44 - Friday, February 29, 2008 - link
Anand,Just to make it clear the MBP and MBA have LED backlight displays and the MacBook has a CCFL backlit screen. This is how much better the screens look in those respective products and why they have a much improved viewing angle.
RNDdave - Friday, February 29, 2008 - link
Well I'm new round these parts. I stumbled by whilst trying to decide if the MBP or the MB is the better option for me.As it stands I think I'm in the same place I was before stopping by in that the decision is up to me. :)
The article/review/blog/what ever was great and kept me interested through to the end. Great stuff.
Dave
crimson117 - Friday, February 29, 2008 - link
Any thoughts about gaming on the Macbook or Macbook Pro?Particularly World of Warcraft :)
TechGirl - Saturday, March 1, 2008 - link
I've read that it is playable on the Macbook, getting up to 30 fps, while it runs like a dream on the Pro, at a consistent 60 fps. Having said this, I haven't actually played WoW on either of them; I'm currently running it on my old G4 iBook (which I do NOT recommend :P)Given the dedicated graphics on the pro, it is obviously the gaming machine of the two. Plus, you can run windows well on it, and then play PC games. The standard macbook can do non-demanding stuff, but you will never be able to play the latest and greatest on it.