Expert's Rating
Pros
- Solid performance
- 2GB of RAM standard
- Larger hard drive than previous model
Cons
- No video adapters or Apple Remote in the box
- $200 premium for color and larger hard drive
Our Verdict
The next-generation of the Core 2 Duo processor — code-named Penryn — highlights this round of MacBook updates. The processor upgrade delivers faster speeds than the previous generation, but less shared L2 cache (3MB, compared to 4MB in the previous generation). Hard-drive capacities have also jumped — this top-of-the-line model offers 250GB of storage, in addition to a black matte finish. Like the white 2.4GHz MacBook, this model now ships with 2GB of RAM.
The new MacBooks represent some progress–PowerBook and even some first-generation MacBook users will definitely see substantial improvement over their current systems. If you just bought a MacBook a few months ago, however, you won’t be kicking yourself for buying too early, since the differences between the two aren’t that great. Performance between both 2.4GHz models is similar, so the $200 extra you’ll pay for this model will get you the black matte finish and a much larger hard drive.