Apple slips a MacBook update, more power and 10 hours of juice

By on May 18, 2010 at 12:12 PM
Retail May 18, 2010

apple-macbook-refresh

That MacBook leak was the real deal, folks. Today, right on cue, Apple announced it had refreshed its popular, low-end MacBook unit. Now offering a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics card and non-user replaceable battery rated for 10 hours of battery life (up from a previous 7), the new $999 MacBook is perfect for hipsters on a dime. Of course $200 more will bump you into MacBook Pro line, but we know you’re style conscious and fully aware that only the white polycarbonate frame of the MacBook matches your painfully ironic K-Swiss kicks.

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  • macbook pro’s FTW

    Mac laptops are still a decent price, their desktops maybe not so much… The balance is what matters to me(maybe not to all). The battery life, ease of use, and reliability in their laptops it just unmatched. I’ve tried to buy elsewhere but always find myself selling it and coming back to my macbook pro’s.

    • FML

      Yea totally! I think I had a Core2Duo laptop back in 2008, it was awesome! Of course, I’ve moved on to an i7 laptop for the same price as the Macbook that’s coming out but I’m sure they’re basically the same processor…right?

      Actually, who cares about that nerdy crap like “cpu’s, cores, and RAM”, I care about how my laptop looks and if it makes me “look cool”. Computers aren’t for getting work done, they’re fashion statements, and I want my computer to state that I’m “hip”.

      • QuickWeevil

        You’ve obviously never used a Mac. You may be packing an i7 but you’re still stuck on Windows. Enjoy, tool…

      • StevenHamburg

        you’ve obviously never used windows 7. dumbass

    • DockOfTheBay

      I always wonder why no one talks about the insurance plans offered by Apple vs. PC makers. I know that not everyone is as clumsy as me, but I expect to drop or spill something on my computer because I take it everywhere I go… it’s just inevitable.

      That said. What does AppleCare get you? I have always known it to be a joke. I really don’t think it gets you anything and that is what scares me most about Apple. On the other hand, Dell CompleteCare has helped me to avoid buying a computer for full retail for the last decade.

      I am not even a Dell fan, but as long as I continue to extend my warranty for $150 bucks every 3-4 years, whenever my computer breaks and no matter how it happens, Dell provides me with the latest equivalent of the computer I had. That means if I dropped my 5 year old Windows XP notebook today, they’d send me the Windows 7 equivalent with an HD screen, HDMI out, and slot load Blu-Ray player. I know from experience.

      This is all at the cost of $150 every 3-4 years, after paying $800 when I first got the notebook 8-10 years ago. Again I ask, what does AppleCare get you? I want a Macbook Pro too. They seem pretty awesome… but what if I dropped it? Then what?

  • Matthew

    Nice digg on the K – Swiss

  • griffen72

    What is it with Apple and their non-user replacable batteries? Sure, they make great products, but would it kill them to let me swap out a battery or two every now and then?

    • Jay

      ya i’ve never understood that either. then again, after trying macs, i’ve never been that impressed.

    • Oh Blah Dee Blah Dah

      To make the battery replaceable would also make the notebook heavier and the battery SMALLER, giving the notebook FEWER hours of runtime.

    • MikeD

      Because the NPD research found that less than 5% of the public will buy extra batteries. Plus the battery technology has improved greatly, plus it allows for slimmer and smaller devices.

      Don’t believe me? Okay Heres Walt Mossberg’s article from 2009.

      - – - – - – -
      The majority of laptop computers come with removable batteries. This approach allows you to pop in a fresh spare when your battery runs out of juice between charges, and to easily replace a battery when its lifespan is over.

      But there’s a dirty little secret about removable-battery laptops owned by average consumers: Hardly anybody buys extra batteries. Research firm NPD estimates that fewer than 5% of consumers buy a spare. So, a small trend has begun in the industry: More electronic products are being designed with their rechargeable batteries sealed inside. For instance, Dell’s (DELL) new high-end laptop, the Adamo, has a sealed battery, as does the excellent Flip pocket video camera…

      http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20090624/new-mac-laptops-use-batteries-sealed-for-power/

      - – - – - – -

    • Gag

      It may be inconvenient to have to go through Apple to replace the battery but in terms of cost and the amount of time the battery lasts, it’s better than most laptop batteries to begin with. I’d rather have a best in class battery with that one hassle than dealing with other laptop batteries that don’t last nearly as long, both long term and short term.

  • cristoz

    WOW now the only difference between this and the macbook pro13 is 2gb ram and aluminum…oh and $200

    • vzy

      Go to Microcenter.com, you get the new model for only $799.
      This sale has been around almost 6 months.

      • jay

        Holy crap…
        I totally did not know that

    • CV

      + backlit keyboard, SD card slot, FireWire800 port, choice of faster processors, choice of SSDs, up to 8GB RAM.

      It’s best to Google before snark.

      • cristoz

        most of what you mentioned increases the price of the macbook pro by alot buddy

        SSD = $$$
        Faster processors (2.66ghz)= $$$$$

        8 GB ram installed by apple = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

        SD card, firewire and backlit keyboard are the only extra features that actually come with the macbook pro13 along with the 2GB extra ram…for alot of people a firewire port is useless and they could save over $200 by just getting the macbook with pretty much the same specs

  • SteveBerman

    Put CHROME on this or maybe DROID and it might be worth it.

    • StevenHamburg

      get back under your bridge!

    • macbook pro’s FTW

      idiot

  • laker200

    $1000 for a laptop!? Are you freaking crazy!
    My Windows 7 laptop with 4 GB of memory was only $500 and it rocks!

    • macbook pro’s FTW

      how heavy/ugly is it? How about the battery life? See us in the business world can’t really be plugged into wall jacks all day and need something to work smoothly. Also in the business world, it is about looks as well. So go to your Wendy’s 9-5 and enjoy your shit box that will break by next year.

      • Norm

        “Also in the business world, it is about looks as well”
        You are such a tool.
        “Oh man, look that guy has a white macbook, wow I’m gonna go do some business with him”
        I love how damn smug you get to be, just with the purchase of 1 Apple product.

      • macbook pro’s FTW

        Think and say what you want, ill continue to do what I do and enjoy it ;)

      • macbook pro’s FTW

        Was I referring to my white macbook meanwhile my name is “macbook pro FTW”??? I clearly own a macbook pro and I am stating facts. In our day and age, looks MATTER. Think about the style of cell phones and why people buy them? Figure it out dipship.

        Why are their tech sights who talk about “style and sleekness” to cell phones then? If looks didn’t matter, we would all be using ugly bricks. Get a blue before making your dumbass peasant assumptions.

        You will never be successful so enjoy your life, peasant.

      • Norm

        Not just this day in age but looks have always mattered.
        More successful business types use ibm/lenovo/dell/hp/etc. than macbook.
        Don’t get me wrong while you are writing your cliche coming of age novel, where you call everyone fakes, you should do it in public on a macbook.
        Real business, other than your sweet new poems and paintings, should probably be done on a PC.
        What’s more is how foolish a peson that pays twice the necessaryamount for a computer calls another a peasent? Like I was always taught though, sheep need to be fleeced or they overheat, sounds like you are runnin cool.
        I do appreciate you reinforcing my claims of smugness though, you are the personification of the apple hipster vain d0uchebag. And if success makes a person talk like you, and sound like a bottom feeder, that can’t make a well based intellectual defense, rather blanket statements and insults

    • macbook pro’s FTW

      Ill take a #5 with a side of chicken nuggets, please. Oh and dont forget the honey mustard. Thanks kind sir

    • Norm

      Solution!!
      Get two windows laptops for the $1000. Problem solved. Twice the battery, screen and lognevity.

      • macbook pro’s FTW

        Solution!!
        Buy a macbook and dont have to replace it every year!

      • Norm

        Yeah, but when a friend says hey can I use your comp, you’ll say, man I’m busy writing my coming of age novel.
        Then he will say, its alright I just did it on my droid, mac doesn’t have a compatible program anyways.
        Sorry this is me making assumptions that you have even a single friend. You probably burned that bridge with your first apple purchase when you let all of your non sheep friends know that they were peasents, because only non peasents piss away money.

      • Larry

        and twice the headaches!!

    • Larry

      Yeah and you still have a piece of junk powerred by Microsoft…

      • Norm

        And ubuntu

  • Gag

    This thing needs a backlit keyboard. It’s pretty dumb that Apple refuses to put one. And also, not offering this in Black sucks. Apple is a bit skimpy on the hard drives across the lower end of the notebook line. For example, a 1499 MacBook Pro should not have a 320 gb hard drive. For that money, I’d definitely want at least 500 gb.

    • macbook pro’s FTW

      SSD’s are the future. Use this one until they get a bit cheaper and replace it on your own. That is what anybody smart would do. I really dont care because 250gb is enough for me, you know there is something called external HD’s right? You shouldn’t be holding much more than 250gbs on your laptop anyhow, it will slow it down and be cluttered.

    • http://desyatochka.livejournal.com/ Daria

      I quite agree with this remark.

  • Phoneaphile

    Most of the people the say this is too expensive have never owned anything but a cheap bestbuy 499$ laptop full of crapware.
    This computer is an excellent deal. Getting one for the wife. I was just waiting for this update. OS-X is awesome, will buy a $99 oem copy of windows 7 for dual boot and have two computers in one.

  • SupAll

    Watch “macbook pro’s FTW’s” avid defense of the “low-end” MackBook! Shooting left, shooting right, putting up a solid wall of defense so strong that Pink Floyd can’t even write a song about it, even less tear it down!

    I’m sorry, but $1000 laptop with those specs just doesn’t seem worth it. How long would you even be bothered to keep it? A year? Two? It’s already using hand-me-down technology and with its proprietary accessories, a new user would be spending more money than is necessary. For $1000, I’d buy a Sony VAIO, which look gorgeous might I add.

    • nefan65

      I dunno…I’ve had my 2.4 C2D for 2 1/2 years now, and it runs as good as the day I bought it. I use it at work all day [8 - 10 hours] and then when I get home. Never failed me, runs as fast now as the day I got it.

      So the $999 I paid for it, plus the $50 for the extra 2GB of RAM was worth it.

      Friend of mine got a slick i3 Acer…he’s brought it back to BB twice for problems. Not to mention it’s not the nicest thing to look at…blech….black, shiny plastic thing. Feels cheap. But hey, he only paid $500 for it…lol

  • RJ

    It’s kind of obvious that you over paid for something when you get angry if someone makes a remark towards it. Calling someone names and demeaning the great fast food chain that is Wendy’s only makes you look ridiculous. Most people pay more for the Apple logo just like they pay more for Lucky brand jeans. Sure, you could buy some nice looking, high quality designer jeans for a 100, but you feel really great in your 300 jeans. When it comes down to basic use (web surfing/basic documents) all new laptops are pretty much equal, it’s just a matter of getting use to the one you have.

  • SteveBerman

    Apple sucks. Bring on the DROID tablet, put Apple out of business already!

    • nefan65

      Uh Oh…they let you on computers during study hall? I thought you couldn’t do that, or use your cell phone during school?

  • RJB

    I have a near five year old Mac Book Pro. I never liked the design of the current Mac Book. The specs are to near my current Mac Book Pro for me to want it. I seen my first iPad today, I don’t feel a desire to have one. I thought I might after seeing one, but no, I’m not interested. I would like to buy one of i7 or i5 15 inch Mac Book Pro’s. I have compared it’s specs to other manufactures and Apple has priced the new Mac Book Pro’s very competitively.

  • http://www.twitter.com/jasonsobolow Jay Everette

    I love when BGR posts anything Apple related beacause the comments are a great source of free entertainment.

  • ricky

    I own a Macbook Pro, iPhone, iPod Nano and soon to be iPad

    I freakin’ love Apple!!!

    Apple owns me! Apple is the greatest!!!

  • Homer

    I’ll admit that Macbooks are visually appealing and are overall good products, but they are WAY overpriced for what you get… I’m sorry but I’m not paying an extra $500 to have an Apple logo on my computer.

    • StevenGlansburg

      I wouldn’t say they are overpriced. I have one Macbook Pro that has lasted longer than two Toshiba laptops that both cost around 750 each. Sooooo long story short, you pay for what you get.

    • RJB

      You are way off. Mac Book Pro’s are on average £80 more compared to others with similar specs.

  • http://photogipermarket.com Photogipermarket

    Glamour model. Very good for video games, but it is not suitable for image processing due to the setting screen.

  • Wekebu

    A Core 2 Duo????????????? Did they get them on the sale rack? My old laptop, circa 2007 had a T7500.

    • nefan65

      Guess you can say the same for Sony VAIO. Their 13″ offerings only have C2D as well. Not to mention they’re only 1.8…with 2GB of RAM.

  • Michael

    bsharafak?

  • Sliznut

    I got the refreshed version of the 13″ MacBook Pro for this same price at Fry’s Electronics. I think they’re overstocked or something. They have the Pro sitting by the regular MacBook for the exact same price.

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