At a Glance
Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Very good overall performance
- Integrated iSight camera
- Sturdy but elegant design
- Ample RAM
- Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth
- Double-layer SuperDrive
- Great glossy screen
- Bigger hard drive
Cons
- No expansion card slot
- Mediocre graphics performance
Our Verdict
As with the Intel-based iMac and MacBook Pro lines, the consumer MacBooks get a new processor in the form of the Intel Core 2 Duo chip, which promises better performance without any decrease in battery life. This 2GHz model features more significant changes than the 1.83GHz MacBook — L2 cache has doubled to 4MB. Compared to the older Core Duo 2GHz MacBook, there’s also 1GB of installed memory now, as well as a faster DVD-burning SuperDrive and a higher-capacity hard-drive.
This is a sturdy, versatile, and fast computer, recording the best score of all three Core 2 Duo MacBooks in our benchmark testing. It boasts a dramatic improvement in speed over the fastest iBook. And it’s $200 cheaper than the black 2GHz MacBook.