MacBook family
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The MacBook family is a range of Macintosh notebook computers by Apple Inc. that merged the PowerBook and iBook lines during the Apple Intel Transition. The first model released under this family was the MacBook Pro, which was announced on January 10, 2006 at the Macworld Expo. The consumer-focused MacBook was released on May 16, 2006. The newest addition to the MacBook family, the MacBook Air, was revealed on January 15, 2008.
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[edit] Products
MacBook |
Consumer-level notebook 13.3" screen with polycarbonate casing Replaced the 12" PowerBook and the iBook line |
MacBook Air |
Ultralight notebook 13.3" screen with aluminum casing |
MacBook Pro |
Professional-level notebook 15.4" or 17" screens with aluminum casing Replaced the 15.2" and 17" PowerBook |
[edit] Comparison of MacBook family models
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For more details on this topic, see Comparison of Macintosh models.
When it comes to CPU-intensive applications, such as iMovie and iDVD, the 13" MacBook Intel Core 2 Duo is virtually the equal of a 15" MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo running at the same core clock speed, even with a slower 5400 rpm hard drive.[1] This is due to the identical Intel Core architecture found in all MacBook models.
However, there are many distinguishing features in each notebook line. The MacBook Pro features an nVidia GeForce 8600M GT graphics card using 256 or 512 MB GDDR3, while the MacBook and MacBook Air use integrated Intel GMA X3100 integrated graphics with shared video memory. Both graphics solutions support DirectX 10 and OpenGL, but the overall gaming performance of the GMA X3100 is significantly lower than that of the GeForce.[2] This means that the GMA X3100 is capable of playing many popular game titles,[3] though typically at lower settings and/or framerates than the GeForce.
Due to their aluminium enclosures, the MacBook Pro and Air are relatively lightweight considering their overall dimensions, although the Pro is heavier than both the purposefully-built-to-be-lightweight Air and the MacBook, with its plastic case. The Pro models have larger screens with higher display resolutions (1440×900 for the 15.4" and 1680×1050 or 1920x1200 for the 17"); the MacBook and MacBook Air are 1280x800. Other notable differences include the illuminated keyboards on the Pro and Air models. A FireWire 800 port and an ExpressCard/34 slot are included with the MacBook Pro; the MacBook has a FireWire 400 port, while the Air lacks FireWire ports completely. The 17-inch MacBook Pro also features an extra USB 2.0 port (three instead of two on the 15" MacBook Pro and MacBook, or the single port found on the MacBook Air).
The lids of the MacBook and MacBook Air are held closed by a magnet with no mechanical latch, whereas the MacBook Pro lid is latched by traditional retracting hooks. RAM access is straightforward in the MacBook and MacBook Pro models, with the former also having a user-replaceable hard drive. The MacBook Air does not allow easy access to upgrade the hard drive or RAM, with the latter being soldered to the logic-board. In the USA, the basic MacBook starts at US$1099, the Air at US$1799 and the 15.4" Pro model at US$1999.
Timeline of the MacBook family
- See also: Timeline of Macintosh models
Timeline of portable Macintoshes
- See also: Timeline of Apple Macintosh models
[edit] See also
| Apple Intel transition |
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Architecture
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[edit] References
- ^ MacBook 13" Core Duo versus two other Macs doing iMovie and iDVD. Barefeats (May 29, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-04-12.
- ^ MacBook 13" versus MacBook Pro, PowerBook and iBook in 3D Gaming and Core Image. Barefeats (May 30, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-04-12.
- ^ Mobile Intel 965 Express Chipset Family Game Compatibility List. Intel (12 Feb 2007). Retrieved on 2007-04-12.
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