Review: MacBook Excels at Windows, OS X
- Jul 6, 2006 02:47 PM (AP Online)
By ROBERT WESTON Associated Press Writer
Apple Computer Inc.'s latest laptop looks sleek, runs fast and should
give makers of Windows-based notebooks considerable cause for concern.
The MacBook, which replaces Apple's iBook consumer notebooks, is the
last of the mobile Macs to make the switch to Intel Corp. chips that
have powered Windows PCs for years. With extra software, the newer
Macs can run Microsoft Corp.'s Windows as well as Apple's Mac OS X.
This could spell trouble for notebook makers who can't offer the best
of both worlds, particularly in light of the MacBook's starting price
of $1,099.
I tested a black, 2-gigahertz MacBook, which with no customization
retails for $1,499. My loaner had a $100 upgrade that doubled the
amount of memory to 1 gigabyte.
Apple claims the new laptops are up to five times faster than the
previous PowerPC-based iBooks. While I can't confirm it performed as
fast as claimed, the MacBook felt significantly speedier than the
PowerPC-based system it replaced.
Running Windows XP via Apple's free Boot Camp program, the system
felt as fast as any generic laptop PC. (To run Windows, however, you
need to buy a copy of the operating system. Prices start at $199.)
Programs designed for the new Macs in OS X were just as zippy.
Older software designed for PowerPC Macs, however, runs in a slower
emulation environment. Some of the most popular Mac programs, like
Microsoft Office and Adobe Systems Inc.'s Photoshop, are still being
converted to run natively on Intel-based Macs.
You'll want to check to see if your favorite programs have been
converted. So far, many have, including Mozilla's Firefox browser,
Bare Bones Software's BBEdit and Apple's iLife suite.
My only major complaint about the MacBook is that at 5.2 pounds, it's
a bit heavier than I would like. But it's still lighter than the
MacBook Pro, which starts at 5.6 pounds.
...
- http://www.quote.com/home/news/story.asp?story=59598173
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