The MacBook is a line of Mac laptops sold by Apple between May 2006 and February 2012. It replaced the iBook series of notebooks as a part of Apple's transition from PowerPC to Intel processors. Positioned as the low end of the MacBook family, below the premium ultra-portable MacBook Air and the performance-oriented MacBook Pro, the MacBook was aimed at the consumer and education markets. It became the best-selling Mac in Apple's history. For five months in 2008, it was the best-selling laptop of any brand in US retail stores.
There have been three separate designs of the original MacBook. The original design used a combination of polycarbonate and fiberglass casing which was modeled after the iBook G4. The second design, introduced in October 2008 alongside the MacBook Pro, shared the latter's unibody aluminium casing, but lacked a FireWire port. A third design, introduced in late 2009, retained a similar unibody construction but lacked a FireWire port and changed back to white polycarbonate.
On July 20, 2011, the MacBook was discontinued for consumer purchase, as it had been effectively superseded by the MacBook Air, which had a lower entry price. Apple continued to sell the MacBook to educational institutions until February 2012. A new line of computers by the same name was released in 2015, serving the same purpose as an entry-level laptop.
Polycarbonate (2006–2009)
The original MacBook, available in black or white colors, was released on May 16, 2006, and used the 32-bit Intel Core Duo processor and 945GM chipset, with Intel's GMA 950 integrated graphics on a 667 MHz front side bus. Later revisions of the MacBook moved to the 64-bit Core 2 Duo processor and the GM965 chipset, with Intel's GMA X3100 integrated graphics on an 800 MHz system bus. Sales of the black polycarbonate MacBook ceased in October 2008, after the introduction of the aluminum MacBook, however the white model continued to be sold until the introduction of the redesigned unibody polycarbonate MacBook.
The MacBook is thinner than its predecessor, the iBook G4, but it is wider than the model, and has a widescreen display. The MacBook was one of Apple's first laptops to adopt the MagSafe power connector (the first being the MacBook Pro), and it replaced the iBook's mini-VGA display port with a mini-DVI display port. The iBook's discrete graphics chip was initially replaced by an integrated Intel GMA solution, though the latest revisions of the MacBook were upgraded with the more powerful Nvidia GeForce 9400M and later the 320M.
The MacBook was Apple's first notebook to use features now standard in its notebooks – the glossy display, the sunken keyboard design and the non-mechanical magnetic latch. With the late 2007 revision, the keyboard received several changes to closely mirror the one which shipped with the iMac, by adding the same keyboard shortcuts to control multimedia, and removing the embedded numeric keypad and the Apple logo from the command keys.
A more expensive black model, with a larger capacity hard drive, was offered until the introduction of the unibody aluminum MacBook. The polycarbonate MacBook was the only Macintosh notebook (until the new 2015 model) to be offered in more than one color since the iBook G3 (Clamshell). The black MacBook was Apple's second black notebook, after the PowerBook G3.
Ports The ports are all on the left edge; on early models, from left to right, they are the MagSafe power connector, Gigabit Ethernet, mini-DVI, FireWire 400, 2 USB 2.0 ports, audio in, audio out and Kensington Security Slot.
For the unibody polycarbonate MacBook (2009), the ports from left to right are the MagSafe power connector, Gigabit Ethernet, Mini DisplayPort, 2 USB 2.0 ports, audio out and Kensington Security Slot.
On the front, there is a power light and an infrared receiver, while on the right edge, there is only the optical drive.
User serviceability The polycarbonate Intel MacBook is easier for users to fix or upgrade than its predecessor. Where the iBook required substantial disassembly to access internal components such as the internal hard drive, the Macbook requires that users only remove the battery and the RAM door to access or replace the hard drive. Apple has provided do-it-yourself manuals for these tasks on the Apple website.
Quality problems Some early polycarbonate MacBook models suffered from random shutdowns; Apple released a firmware update to resolve them. There were cases reported of discolored or chipping palmrests. In such cases, Apple asked affected owners to contact AppleCare.
Technical specifications Apple used the A1181 code, printed on the case, for the 1st generation polycarbonate family of models, though 17 variations may be counted if color is included.
Model Original Late 2006 Mid 2007 Late 2007 Early 2008 Late 2008 Early 2009 Mid 2009 Timeline Released May 16, 2006 November 8, 2006 May 15, 2007 November 1, 2007 February 26, 2008 October 14, 2008 January 21, 2009 May 27, 2009 Discontinued November 8, 2006 May 15, 2007 November 1, 2007 February 26, 2008 October 14, 2008 January 20, 2009 June 8, 2009 May 27, 2009 October 20, 2009 Vintage Obsolete Apple Order numbers (and color) MA254 (White) MA255 (White) MA472 (Black) MA699 (White) MA700 (White) MA701 (Black) MB061 (White) MB062 (White), MB063 (Black) MB061 (White) MB062 (White), MB063 (Black) MB403 (White), MB404 (Black) MB402/A (White) MB402/B (White) MB881 (White) MC240 (White) Model identifier MacBook1,1 MacBook2,1 MacBook3,1 MacBook4,1 MacBook5,2 Display glossy widescreen LCD, 1280 × 800 pixel resolution (WXGA, 16:10 = 8:5 aspect ratio), TN 6-bit color panel Performance Processor Yonah Intel Core Duo (T2400) Yonah Intel Core Duo (T2500) Merom Intel Core 2 Duo (T5600) Merom Intel Core 2 Duo (T7200) Merom Intel Core 2 Duo (T7400) Merom Intel Core 2 Duo (T7300) Merom Intel Core 2 Duo (T7500) Penryn-3M Intel Core 2 Duo (T8300) Penryn-3M Intel Core 2 Duo (T8100) Penryn-3M Intel Core 2 Duo (P7350) Penryn-3M Intel Core 2 Duo (P7450) Clock speed 1.83 GHz 2 GHz 1.83 GHz 2 GHz 2.16 GHz 2 GHz 2.2 GHz 2.4 GHz 2.1 GHz 2 GHz 2.13 GHz Front side bus 667 MHz 800 MHz 1066 MHz MemoryTwo slots forDDR2 SDRAM 512 MB (two 256 MB) 667 MHz PC2-5300 512 MB (two 256 MB) 667 MHz PC2-5300 1 GB (two 512 MB) 667 MHz PC2-5300 1 GB (two 512 MB) 667 MHz PC2-5300 1 GB (two 512 MB) or 2 GB (two 1 GB) 667 MHz PC2-5300 1 GB (two 512 MB) 667 MHz PC2-5300 2 GB (two 1 GB) 667 MHz PC2-5300 2 GB (two 1 GB) 800 MHz PC2-6400 GraphicsShared with system memory Intel GMA 950 using 64 MB RAM (up to 224 MB in Windows through Boot Camp). Intel GMA X3100 using 144 MB RAM (up to 384 MB available in Windows through Boot Camp) Nvidia GeForce 9400M using 256 MB RAM Storage Hard drive 60 GB 80 GB 60 GB 80 GB 120 GB 80 GB 120 GB (MB062), 160 GB (MB063) 80 GB 120 GB (MB062), 160 GB (MB063) 160 GB (MB404), 250 GB (MB402) 120 GB 120 GB 120 GB 160 GB Serial ATA 5400-rpm unless specified Optical drive (Slot-loading) Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW) Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW) Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW) Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW) Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW) Connectivity Integrated AirPort Extreme 802.11a/b/gGigabit EthernetBluetooth 2.0 + EDR Integrated Airport Extreme 802.11a/b/g/n Gigabit EthernetBluetooth 2.0 + EDR Integrated Airport Extreme 802.11a/b/g/n Gigabit EthernetBluetooth 2.0 + EDR Integrated Airport Extreme 802.11a/b/g/n Gigabit EthernetBluetooth 2.1 + EDR Peripherals 2 × USB 2.01 × Firewire 4001 × Optical digital / analog audio line-in1 × Optical digital / analog audio line-out Camera iSight Camera (640 × 480 0.3 MP) Video out Mini DVI-I (integrated digital + analog) Mini DVI-I (integrated digital + analog; composite and S-video output no longer supported) Operating system Original Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard Latest release Mac OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard Mac OS X 10.7.5 Lion Mac OS X 10.7.5 Lion OS X 10.11 El Capitan Battery 55-watt-hour removable lithium-polymer Dimensions Weight Volume 1.08 in × 12.78 in × 8.92 in (27.5 mm × 325 mm × 227 mm)
Aluminum unibody (2008)
On October 14, 2008, Apple announced a MacBook featuring a new Nvidia chipset at a Cupertino, California press conference with the tagline: "The spotlight turns to notebooks". It was replaced by the MacBook Pro the following year.
The chipset brought a 1066 MHz system bus, use of DDR3 system memory, and integrated Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics. Other changes include a display which uses LED backlights (replacing the fluorescent tube backlights used in the previous model) and arsenic-free glass, a new Mini DisplayPort (replacing the polycarbonate MacBook's mini-DVI port), a multi-touch glass trackpad which also acts as the mouse button, and the removal of the FireWire 400 port (thus this model doesn't support Target Disk Mode, used for data transfers or operating system repairs without booting the system).
There was only one product cycle of the aluminum MacBook, as Apple rebranded the next revision in June 2009 as a MacBook Pro using the same chassis with an added FireWire port and SD card slot.
Design The design of the unibody MacBook has stylistic traits of the MacBook Air that were also implemented into the design of the unibody MacBook Pro. This model is thinner than the original polycarbonate MacBooks, and it made use of a unibody aluminum case with tapered edges. The keyboard of the higher-end model included a backlight.
Reception Although Gizmodo concluded it to be "our favorite MacBook to date," they did claim, at this time, its display was inferior to that found on the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, alleging a smaller viewing angle, washed-out colors, and dimmer backlighting. Similarly, AppleInsider and Engadget concluded it "may well be Apple's best MacBook to date" and "these are terrific choices—not only from an industrial design standpoint, but in specs as well" respectively, while also drawing attention to a lower quality display as compared with the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. Charlie Sorrel of Wired News reached a similar conclusion about the MacBook display, citing its poor contrast and lack of vertical angle in comparison with the MacBook Pro and even the older white MacBook. Peter Cohen wrote an article discussing the loss of the FireWire port for Macworld, saying "The absence of FireWire ports is certainly an inconvenience for some users. But it shouldn’t be considered a deal-breaker for most of us, anyway."
Technical specifications