Unibody, Apple's preferred term, is a little misnomer, cause of the bottom panel is split, also lid and display are made up by different parts.
Some Apple consumers really hoped for MacBook to be an entry level notebook,
but Apple didn't think the same way, nor the long-rumored touch-screen device or neither with a touch-screen display when compared to MacBook Pro it is more affordable by many customers, that's why people sticks with them, thanks to an upscale makeover that keeps the cost stable at just under the $1,000 mark.
Billed as a replacement to both the iBook and the 12-inch PowerBook, the 13.3-inch MacBook offers a great compromise between size and portability for a reasonable price. Even better, that low cost gets you a number of attributes also found on the more pricey MacBook Pro notably, Core Duo processors, digital audio in/out, and the groovy MagSafe power adapter. Its performance doesn't match that of the MacBook Pro, which is outfitted with discrete graphics and more memory, with the new upgraded features, design and softwares the MacBook closes gap between desktop computers.
Unibody, Apple's preferred term, is a little misnomer, as the lower panel is split, as are the multiple parts that make up the lid and screen. This MacBook is completely quiet in terms of creaks or noise. Although the placstic hinge on this model is more fragile than the hinges on the Aluminum models, its not useless. All MacBooks use a magnetich latch to keep lid closed instead of a LCD latch mechanism. White plastic polycarbonate is used on this model, the material that we know for a long time now.
Like its predecessors (I can say I owned three versions) build quality is hit and miss. Where panels connect there are small gaps and also the battery sticks out a little bit. Controlling tolerances with plastic construction is harder than when using metal.Apple choosed building MacBook laptops not from metal, from a single chunk of polycarbonante, the though stuff we all have been using for a long time; from CDs to bulletproof windows, from Nalgene bottle to MacBooks now. When inspected from all around the chassis, the polycarbonate could make a second-rate laptop feel very fragile, but on MacBook it feels tough. The same solidification that happened on the MacBook Pro carries right over to plastic version, and we love it just the same.
LED backlit screen system is used on the 13.3 inch display (making that a standard attribute across the all Apple laptop lineup), LED backlit displays are known for their low energy consumption rates and quality. Yet, they are not the same as more expensive Pro models, you need to pay more money to get a better display. Also MacBook lack a backlit keyboard and an SD card slot and we would like to see a change on screen aspect rate towards to 16:9 as they are becoming the standard. For watching films or working with two windows the MacBook's 13.3 inch display provide the perfect size, still its small enough to allow you to put and airplane table on your lap.
It's also incredibly bright (measurements show 230cd/m² which is above average), and its 1,280x800 native resolution offers the perfect amount of detail for the size of the display. In a first for an Apple laptop, the MacBook offers a glossy screen for starker contrast and more intense color, keep in mind to be careful of bright places, gloosy coating causes glare.
We're not typically fans of Chiclet-style keyboards, which always seem to lack the satisfying click of traditional models, still nobody can resist Apple's quality.
FireWire fans should note that the port has finally left the building. This would be a good chance to place an SD card slot just like on MacBook Pro, but they didn't.
Generally performance is good, but there are speedier notebooks on the market from brands like HP, Acer and Dell at about the same price. Still they don't have any of MacBook's best features; in my opinion iLife and OS x.
When our video playback charge drain test is applied, the Apple MacBook kept going on for 5 big hours plus 42 minutes. By having advantage of using Intel's low voltage powered processor, Toshiba's Satellite T135-S1310 lasted 30 minutes more than the Apple Macbook and hit the six hours mark.
