Apple MacBook review

Apple's MacBook may have received a new all-metal look, but popular demand has revived the all-white version.

The significant changes have taken place inside the familiar 13.3in chassis. While the processor of choice is an Intel P7350 running at 2GHz, Nvidia's integrated 9400M graphics chipset makes its debut. It's a strong combination, and despite the 9400M swallowing 256MB of the 2GB of system memory, the MacBook scored a solid 0.99 in our benchmarks.

Gaming showed off the 9400M's abilities, and it managed 26fps in our most modest of Crysis tests. Even cranking detail up to medium and the resolution to 1,280 x 1,024 saw it struggle manfully to a result of 8fps.

A strong start for Apple's entry-level portable, but it soon begins to flounder. In typical Apple style, the specification is meagre. The 120GB hard disk is just plain stingy, and even the 2GB of memory comes in two 1GB sticks - a choice that leaves you throwing away one if you choose to upgrade.

Gigabit Ethernet, draft-n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are present, but the MacBook comes up short elsewhere. Just two USB ports and a six-pin FireWire port adorn the MacBook's left-hand side, and the mini-DVI output is useless unless you shell out extra for a matching DVI or VGA adapter.

While we've no problem with the MacBook's looks, its build and ergonomic qualities disappoint. It may be light at just 2.22kg, but it also feels creaky and insubstantial. The keyboard is nothing to type home about either. The spaces between the keys keep mispresses to a minimum, but the light, bouncy feel doesn't feel particularly pleasant under the fingers.

The display, while bright, is also disappointing. Highlights are chronically overblown, a trait that leaves test subjects looking like they're about to be engulfed by a nuclear shockwave.

The MacBook boasts one ability that no other laptop here can match, and that's being able to run Apple's OS X alongside Windows Vista. This alone helps it retain its appeal, but it still lags behind the best laptops here.

Author: Sasha Muller