The noticeable quality of the MacBook, and really its primary selling point, is its appearance. Coming in either black or white, it has that classy, streamlined, slim Apple shape. Superficial? Yes, but quite honestly you will appreciate it. (If you are wondering which color to get, I would personally recommend black-it looks spiffy and doesn't accumulate crud the way white does.) In addition to its general good looks, it has a 13.3 inch display whose colors are really quite nice. It is bright, and its picture is very crisp. The MacBook also has a keyboard, which, while quirky, many people will find they like quite well.
Inside, the MacBook MB063LL/A is powerful, and really quite good for a laptop. It has a 2.16 GHz Intel Core Duo processor, up to 2 GB RAM, a 160 GB hard disk, integrated Firewire, Bluetooth, and WIFI. For those of you Mac users who have not purchased a new computer recently, or those of you who are wondering why a MacBook should use a PC processor, let me fill you in. A few years ago, Apple signed a deal with Intel, agreeing to use what are, essentially, PC processors. Thus, there is no longer any real architecture divide between Macs and PCs. While this does change the sort of performance you'd expect from a Mac, it is not a bad change. The dual core processor especially helps, eliminating that overheating problem that used to plague laptops. The MacBook MB063LL/A never gets to that point of burning up on you lap on a hot, humid summer day, and never shuts itself off as a result of overheating. The speed and battery life show major improvements, too.
As for the RAM, watch out. While the MacBook MB063LL/A can support up to 2 GB RAM, it only comes with one, which is not much. Do buy the whole 2 GB if you buy this machine, but be aware that it will cost you a few hundred bucks. Aside from the RAM, the features of the MacBook MB063LL/A are quite good. The 160 GB hard drive is quite large for a laptop, and the integrated Bluetooth, while not essential, is a nice thing to have. PC converts will also be pleased with the FireWire, which will open up a whole new realm of possibilities.
This whole system cost me about $1,500, which, while not being unreasonable, is not cheap for a laptop. Figure in the lack of an amazing battery life, (the thing runs for about three hours) and you don't have too great a deal. Buy this computer if you want a Mac, but otherwise shop around.
Review of the Apple MacBook MB063LL/A 13" Laptop -- Excellent, If You Want a Mac
