Where are the White MacBooks?

PcKiller · Jul 25, 2011

I'm looking to buy a new MacBook (mainly for gaming) to go along with my iMac desktop, thunder bolt as well as the new HD graphics chip looks exciting but I don't want to spend 1,700 dollars for a computer with a screen bigger than 13 inches. I've been looking through the apple website and I can't find a regular MacBook anywhere, only pros and airs. Does apple no longer make white MacBooks, or am I not looking in the right places. Links and comments are always great.

CrimsonRequiem · Jul 25, 2011

PcKiller said:
I'm looking to buy a new MacBook (mainly for gaming) to go along with my iMac desktop, thunder bolt as well as the new HD graphics chip looks exciting but I don't want to spend 1,700 dollars for a computer with a screen bigger than 13 inches. I've been looking through the apple website and I can't find a regular MacBook anywhere, only pros and airs. Does apple no longer make white MacBooks, or am I not looking in the right places. Links and comments are always great.

Answered your own question. They have been replaced by the MBA.

MacDude121 · Jul 25, 2011

CrimsonRequiem said:
Answered your own question. They have been replaced by the MBA.

Wait, so...there's no longer just a "Macbook" anymore? You have to get either an ultra-portable MBA, which some people may not need, and want a DVD drive, or a freakin Ethernet port for that matter. Or you can get a MBP, which may be overkill for some people.

:Confused:

I can understand killing off the plastic MacBooks, but I hope Apple makes a replacement aluminum one or something.

CrimsonRequiem · Jul 25, 2011

MacDude121 said:
Wait, so...there's no longer just a "Macbook" anymore? You have to get either an ultra-portable MBA, which some people may not need, and want a DVD drive, or a freakin Ethernet port for that matter. Or you can get a MBP, which may be overkill for some people.

I can understand killing off the plastic MacBooks, but I hope Apple makes a replacement aluminum one or something.

The MBA does everything a MB can do but read a disk.*(Remedied by external superdrive for the MBA) >_>" I don't use my superdrive that often, but other people might.

Replacement aluminum one would be the Unibody Macbooks or a MBP technically. >_>"

MikeM · Jul 25, 2011

MacDude121 said:
Wait, so...there's no longer just a "Macbook" anymore? You have to get either an ultra-portable MBA, which some people may not need, and want a DVD drive, or a freakin Ethernet port for that matter. Or you can get a MBP, which may be overkill for some people.

I can understand killing off the plastic MacBooks, but I hope Apple makes a replacement aluminum one or something.

The 13" MBP really is the successor to the MB. It's the only Pro model to not offer discrete graphics and before the Sandy Bridge refresh, it was nearly the same hardware anyways. I personally think that the new offerings make more sense and that the MB was ready to go away. The plastic white case was a bit of an oddity as well since even the iPad has an aluminum shell.

MacDude121 · Jul 25, 2011

CrimsonRequiem said:
The MBA does everything a MB can do but read a disk.*(Remedied by external superdrive for the MBA) >_>" I don't use my superdrive that often, but other people might.

Replacement aluminum one would be the Unibody Macbooks or a MBP technically. >_>"

But what if you want to: Watch a movie, Use an external mouse, and use the ethernet port at the same time? Get a slow USB hub? What if you want to sit in the car and watch a DVD? It just seems awkward to have to drag a DVD drive along with you... and why have to pay the price of a MBP when you don't need the extra processing power?

Also, just think about it. You have a MacBook Air a MacBook Pro, but no MacBook? Huh?

I didn't see any i3 processor machines when I last went to Apple's website. If they had just put an Intel i3 in the white Macbook, and bumped the price down a little, I think it would've made a more practical machine for a lot more people. IMHO.

CrimsonRequiem · Jul 25, 2011

MacDude121 said:
But what if you want to: Watch a movie, Use an external mouse, and use the ethernet port at the same time? Get a slow USB hub? What if you want to sit in the car and watch a DVD? It just seems awkward to have to drag a DVD drive along with you... and why have to pay the price of a MBP when you don't need the extra processing power?

Also, just think about it. You have a MacBook Air a MacBook Pro, but no MacBook? Huh?

I didn't see any i3 processor machines when I last went to Apple's website. If they had just put an Intel i3 in the white Macbook, and bumped the price down a little, I think it would've made a more practical machine for a lot more people. IMHO.

Unfortunately that's not how Apple works. They tell you what you want.

schweb · Jul 25, 2011

MacDude121 said:
Also, just think about it. You have a MacBook Air a MacBook Pro, but no MacBook? Huh?

I didn't see any i3 processor machines when I last went to Apple's website. If they had just put an Intel i3 in the white Macbook, and bumped the price down a little, I think it would've made a more practical machine for a lot more people. IMHO.

Sure because the extra $150 or so the 13" MacBook Pro costs for a machine that's 100X better than the Macbook is certainly not practical right?

PcKiller · Jul 25, 2011

Is the 15 inch pro worth the money?

Dysfunction · Jul 25, 2011

PcKiller said:
Is the 15 inch pro worth the money?

Worth the money for?

If you're just browsing the web, etc.. probably not.

southchatham · Jul 25, 2011

Go to a local Apple store, macmall or Bestbuy soon and you can still get one, or buy a refurbished.

PcKiller · Jul 25, 2011

Dysfunction

Worth the money for?

Gaming, Mainly stuff like World of Warcraft.;P

iHarrison · Jul 26, 2011

PcKiller said:
Gaming, Mainly stuff like World of Warcraft.;P

Well, if you want it for that then you'd want the dedicated graphics, faster CPU, and more RAM (up to a maximum of 8GB) of a MacBook Pro anyway...

A regular MacBook, even with the RAM maxed-out at 4GB, wouldn't cut it for that purpose...

If you're on somewhat of a budget, get the 13" MBP with the basic 4GB of RAM; if that's not fast enough, upgrade it to 6 or 8GB yourself (cheaper than Apple's upgrades offered at purchase).

Good luck, & happy computing

TomTomTuning · Jul 26, 2011

PcKiller said:
I'm looking to buy a new MacBook (mainly for gaming) to go along with my iMac desktop, thunder bolt as well as the new HD graphics chip looks exciting but I don't want to spend 1,700 dollars for a computer with a screen bigger than 13 inches. I've been looking through the apple website and I can't find a regular MacBook anywhere, only pros and airs. Does apple no longer make white MacBooks, or am I not looking in the right places. Links and comments are always great.

Here's the thing... MacBook's only ever came in 13"...
So the extra 150-200 dollars, you get a 13" MacBook Pro, which is much better then the previous plastic Macbook's.

If you did in fact want a 15" computer, then the only option has always been a MacBookPro.

As far as the MacBookAir's, yes not having an optical drive will suck for some people but I can't remember the last time I used mine and my guess a majority of people are on the same boat.

You can always get this external MacBookAir SuperDrive. Keep it in your computer bag just in case.
If your planning a trip and want to watch movies, just rip them to your computer.

osxx · Jul 26, 2011

Another way of looking at it is no company ever killed one of their best selling products
with the cost difference not being enough to deter sales the MBP13 and Air probably canalized the MB sales not to mention stories of discoloration and cracking hinges adding to warrantable situations that cut into profits.

Dysfunction · Jul 26, 2011

One other thing to mention. The 11" MBA is the same price as the whitebook was. Currently the 13" MBA is actually more expensive than the 13" MBP. So, if you don't want an 11" screen the 13" MBP certainly is worth the couple hundred bucks.

southchatham · Jul 27, 2011

I think Apple is going to replace the white macbook with something new. Apple is the master at marketing and just pulling macbook off the shelves and saying just buy either the pro or air doesn't seem like something they would do. An 11" air is not a replacement for a laptop. The it's only $200 more for a pro argument falls flat because the white macbook probably gets new users who are comparing $699 to $799 pc's, who may then decide for another $200 to$300 I can try a macbook. Now it's $400 to $500 more. Apple would make more money selling the entry macbook because most probably then go buy a pro in 2 years. So Apple sold 2 computers to you. Now you have no need to buy a new one in 2 years since your specs are so good you won't need to, so Apple loses money. I say bye Xmass you'll see a $999 or less mac laptop.

osxx · Jul 27, 2011

southchatham said:
I think Apple is going to replace the white macbook with something new. Apple is the master at marketing and just pulling macbook off the shelves and saying just buy either the pro or air doesn't seem like something they would do. An 11" air is not a replacement for a laptop. The it's only $200 more for a pro argument falls flat because the white macbook probably gets new users who are comparing $699 to $799 pc's, who may then decide for another $200 to$300 I can try a macbook. Now it's $400 to $500 more. Apple would make more money selling the entry macbook because most probably then go buy a pro in 2 years. So Apple sold 2 computers to you. Now you have no need to buy a new one in 2 years since your specs are so good you won't need to, so Apple loses money. I say bye Xmass you'll see a $999 or less mac laptop.

If this were the case then they would have refreshed the line not delete it.
They must have lost sales to other models would not be surprised if it was to
entry level iMac's there is a lot of bang for the buck there.

Postoak · Aug 28, 2011

Apple controls you!

CrimsonRequiem said:
Unfortunately that's not how Apple works. They tell you what you want.

Why were they so secretive about it? Not a word to anyone saying they were abandoning the MB. It was ranked #1 in CR for years and the most popular sell on the Apple store forever, then it just vanished for the more expensive MBP & MBA. I take it the support for it has also been eliminated, right? Why not... like you said, Apple tells you what you want and need!