Quiet Update to Entry-level MacBook

Apple quietly changed the specs of the entry-level white MacBook this morning. The upside is that it now ships with 2GB of RAM (instead of 1GB), and features NVIDIA 9400M integrated graphics with 256MB of shared DDR2 SDRAM, which is improved over the previous Intel GMA X3100 graphics.

The new MacBooks ship with iLife 09 installed.

The downside about the new machine is that it now ships with a 2.0GHz processor (instead of the previous 2.1). However, the frontside bus on the new MacBooks has been boosted from 866 MHz to 1066 MHz. That should more than make up for the processor “downgrade”.

The standard drive remains 120GB, and there is now an option to upgrade to a 320GB drive.

Price is unchanged at $999.99.

Some will grumble about the downgrade of a 2.0 GHz processor from a 2.1 processor, but in my opinion, the much improved graphics, faster bus, and doubled RAM more than make up for it. Indeed, the faster bus should negate the processor difference.
Also, I would much rather have the NVIDIA 9400M graphics over the Intel GMA X3100 graphics.

See the new machine by clicking here.

We are accepting pre-orders now, with deliveries expected next week.