Cupertino (CA) - Apple refreshed its consumer MacBook notebook earlier today. The updated model runs on Nvidia hybrid graphics and comes with 2 GB memory and a 250 GB hard by default. There is a new glass trackpad that is almost 40% larger than the previous pas and supports multi-touch.
The consumer 13.3” MacBook breaks away from the black and white plastic design in favor of an all-new aluminum enclosure. Like its MacBook Pro counterpart that is targeted at professional users, the new MacBook is manufactured from a single piece of aircraft-grade aluminum, using the new high-tech "Brick" technique that promises a much more rigid unibody enclosure. The updated notebook integrates a black MacBook Air-styled keyboard and a larger glass trackpad. The new trackpad enables multi-touch gestures like the iPhone and doubles as a button that can be clicked, with multi-button functionality available through the software.
The new MacBook features has a glossy 1280x800 display covered with glass and black borders around it - like the iMac. The back of the notebook reveals access to the internal user-replaceable hard drive and battery that can be easily released with a hatch. Just like the new MacBook Pro, the MacBook comes with Nvidia GeForce 9400M “motherboard GPU” (which is really just a fancy name for integrated graphics chipset) with 16 parallel graphics cores. Apple CEO Steve Jobs claims that the GPU runs "up to 5 times faster than Intel Integrated graphics in previous MacBook and MacBook Air."
The new MacBook comes with a SuperDrive, Airport Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and an iSight camera built-in, in addition to expansion ports on the left side: Magsafe power connector, Gigabit Ethernet, two USB ports, a Mini DisplayPort for external display units, audio in and out (both analog and optical digital), an ExpressCard 34 expansion slot and a battery indicator. The notebook lacks the FireWire 800 port found in the new MacBook Pro models introduced earlier today.
The 13” $1299 MacBook model includes 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2 GB of RAM and 160 GB hard drive. More expensive $1599 model comes with 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 250 GB hard drive and a backlit keyboard. Both Macbook models can be upgraded with up to 4 GB of RAM, 250 GB 5400 rpm or 320 GB 5400 rpm hard drive and 128 GB SDD. The company refreshed 13” white MacBook model which will remain available at the reduced $999 price point, with 2.1 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processors, a 120 GB hard drive and a 8X SuperDrive.