Apple has refreshed its MacBook model, incorporating a new faster 2.4GHz processor, and NVIDIA GeForce 320m graphics processor.
These changes bring it into line with recently released MacBook Pro model, and were initially rumoured by Macworld UK yesterday.
Apple is claiming that the new MacBook provides 80 per cent faster performance, largely due to the the improved graphics NVIDIA GeForce 320m graphics processor.
Like the NVIDIA 9400m graphics chip it replaces, the 320m shares its memory (256MB) from the main system RAM, rather than possessing the discrete graphics memory found on the NVIDIA 330m (used by the MacBook Pro).
Currently, Apple is the only manufacturer to be using the NVIDIA GeForce 320m, although our understanding is that the chip has not been exclusively made for Apple, and other manufacturers can begin using the chipset.
As well as offering faster performance, the NVIDIA 320m is 40 per cent more efficient than the 9400m chip it replaces. Apple is claiming a fairly hefty 10 hours of wireless productivity from the new MacBook.
Another new feature (albeit a small one) is that the DVI socket now supports the DVI to HDMI adaptor, enabling you to connect the older monitors to the laptop.
Aside from that the rest of the specifications, sockets, and features remain the same. Not that this is a bad thing, with its unibody casing and glass trackpad the MacBook offers most of the functionality of the MacBook Pro at a lower price.
However, this is slightly tinted by the price rising again in the UK, this time from £819 to £849. In what is a familiar story, the price of Apple products continues to rise as the UK exchange rate continues to fall against the US dollar.
The UK price is also considerably higher than the US price due to the 17.5 per cent VAT added on to the price in this country. Potential customers might also want to consider the mooted rise in VAT (sales tax) from 17.5 per cent, to 20 per cent by the new government. The new government has announced that an emergency budget will take place in the next 50 days, and it is likely that VAT will rise at this point (this would take the new MacBook to approximately £870).
Contact Us
Digg
It's easy and free to get the latest news headlines, reviews and opinions straight to your email inbox. Sign up NOW to make sure you receive the latest Mac news, reviews and tutorials on your favourite topics.
Comments received
ratkat said on Tue, 18 May 2010
Hate to say it but Apple are slowing but surely pricing themselves out of the UK laptop market. US price plus vat = £811 which was close to the £819 they were selling the Macbook at, now they are charging a £39 premium
ari-boy said on Tue, 18 May 2010
If the UK exchange rate continues to fall against the US dollar, then surely Apple UK should be lowering the price, not increasing it!! The disparity between US prices and UK prices (even when you remove all the varying amounts of tax between the countries) proves what we all know – we get shafted on prices in this country!!!
Dragonfly said on Tue, 18 May 2010
@ari-boy, If the UK rate falls against the dollar, then you get less dollars for every pound. (this shows how the £1 has weakened over time).
www.x-rates.com/d/USD/GBP/graph120.html
So Apple are right to increase prices to get the same $ equivalent revenue.
I think the words 'higher UK price' will appear even more in the future especially with increasing VAT.
Dragonfly said on Tue, 18 May 2010
@ratkat
In California they have an $8.00 recycle fee before sales tax, which means the premium drops to just an additional £25 compared to the US.
I think Apple laptops are a bit overpriced, but they are selling well at those prices, so it probably means we're just getting poorer :-)
£849 will become £867 when we get 20% VAT.
Anaxagoras said on Tue, 18 May 2010
Sorry, posters, but I think you're being a bit petty here. for several reasons.
1) Apple is a commercial company. It can set its prices at whatever level it wants. UK customers have no God-given right to buy their products at US prices.
2) Exchange rates fluctuate by the minute. Apple are sensible to build a safety margin into their prices in case of sudden, large fluctuations. And common sense says that having set a product's price, it has to stand for several months whatever happens to exchange rates.
3) It's pretty obvious that the costs of doing business differ in different parts of the world. I'm no expert, but I suspect it probably costs Apple more to do business in the UK than at home. Transport, warehousing, rates/rents, stock turnover, wages, warranty costs, supply/demand, etc. will all be different here.
Bottom line is - if you don't like, don't buy.
BTW. You had YOUR chance on VAT ten days ago!
Jerky said on Tue, 18 May 2010
It's all relative. In America you can pick up a pretty decent PC laptop for $500, in the UK £400 both about half the price of the MacBook in the US and UK respectively.
But Apple are still storming on because people in the US and UK would rather have good machines...
Leg-End said on Tue, 18 May 2010
How long 'till its £1000??????
Dragonfly said on Tue, 18 May 2010
If anyone has any doubt how these entry level Macs compete with top of the range £1695 Sony Vaio model, watch this HD editing test on the Gadget Show.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Itxa7AD2-bA
Disclaimer
Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Macworld. Macworld accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content.
Click here to read the house rules.
Click here for the latest reader comments