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I went to the Apple Store today: verdict...

AlBDamned

AlBDamned

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Mar 14, 2005
2,641
15
Macs:

MBP - Loved it, especially the 17" glossy. verdict = thumbs up

The 15" looked much bigger and better than I remember it. verdict = thumbs up.

MacBook: Too small screen for the large size of the unit, nasty dirt and discoloration marks on the white one and a horrible, greasy feel to the BlackBook. verdict = big thumbs down.

The iMacs: as always I was really impressed with the 20". It's a great computer for the money. verdict = thumbs up

iPod
The iPod stands looked stale, though the iPod hi-fi looked (and sounded) cool.


My 2cents
 
AlBDamned said:
nasty dirt and discoloration marks on the white one and a horrible, greasy fee to the BlackBook
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Is this really an inherent problem with the Macbooks, or just due to people playing with them after eating a huge Cinnabon 5 minutes before?
 
Applespider said:
Hmm... I'm the opposite. The Macbooks are much better than I expected them to be... so much so that I'm now seriously thinking about replacing my current Powerbook with an iMac/Macbook combo
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It's a real shame to be honest. I was hoping I'd like the white one (can't see the point in paying extra for the black one). It could well have been caused by using a 12" powerbook for several days last week, but unfortunately nothing sold the MacBook to me. Small screen with a huge bezel, very plastic, with a nasty feel to it. The dirt on the white one was very off-putting, the matt finish and general mank feel of the black one equally so.

Next to the MBPs (which, for some reason, this time around really impressed me) I thought they looked decidedly rubbish.

If Apple brought out a 12/13" MBP for say £150-200 more than the Blackbook, I think it would be a huge upseller.

Also - the BT Mightymouse: £49 for a mouse? The one one display with a 20" iMac kept going mental. verdict = GTFO of here.
 
I disagree with the macbooks. They are amazing. They just feel so much more sleek and sexy than an ibook. I'm typing on an ibook right now and my fiance's macbook just oozes class. I have to admit, I kind of want one more than a macbook pro right now. If only they had macbooks with 17 inch screens:eek:
 
I've got to disagree with the MacBook looking bad. Granted, I'm a little biased, but if I were shopping for a notebook again, I'd still get the MacBook. I've got the black version, and mine doesn't look greasy at all. I'm sure that the reason the MacBooks in the Apple Store look like that is just because of the number of people using them, and not caring whether or not their hands are dirty or clean.
 
The Macbooks look nice when they're not placed right next to a MBP.

The store I go to puts them right next to the MBP's though. No comparasion!
 
Well, of course the MBP's look better than the MB's. They are much more sleek, classy looking, and a better design. My opinion is, though, that the MB's look and feel much more sturdy than the MBP's do. Every time I pick up my MBP i feel as if I am going to break it. The MB's do not feel as if they are going to snap in half when you pick them up.
 
gauchogolfer said:
Is this really an inherent problem with the Macbooks, or just due to people playing with them after eating a huge Cinnabon 5 minutes before?
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I concur with both - at least as far as display models go. The white MB's get dirty easily and people who go into the store to look at Macs as opposed to going into the store to buy them are dirty :p
 
extraextra said:
The Macbooks look nice when they're not placed right next to a MBP.

The store I go to puts them right next to the MBP's though. No comparasion!
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I couldn't disagree more. I think the MacBook Pro is incredibly dated and desperately in need of a major revision of the case. The MacBook, on the other hand, I find to be absolutely beautiful, wonderful to work with, and quite portable.
 
T-Stex said:
I'm sure that the reason the MacBooks in the Apple Store look like that is just because of the number of people using them, and not caring whether or not their hands are dirty or clean.
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As the owner of a macbook for 2+ months, I have to agree. You can't judge by models that have been used and abused by thousands of random people for months.
 
T-Stex said:
I've got to disagree with the MacBook looking bad. Granted, I'm a little biased, but if I were shopping for a notebook again, I'd still get the MacBook. I've got the black version, and mine doesn't look greasy at all. I'm sure that the reason the MacBooks in the Apple Store look like that is just because of the number of people using them, and not caring whether or not their hands are dirty or clean.
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Mine gets cleaned about ones per month with gentle window cleaner sprayed on tissue paper, and after that it looks like brand new.

But I must say, a while ago I was at a PCWorld shop, and not only did they sell a G4 MacMini for exactly the same price you could buy an Intel MacMini for, the also had a white iBook which was about the dirtiest iBook I have ever seen in my life. It was full of dust. If it had been kept in my garden shed for a year, it couldn't be any dirtier. I would have looked for cobwebs, but I didn't dare getting any closer for fear I would catch some infection off it. How anyone cut put a computer looking like that on a shelf in a shop is absolutely beyond me. The only explanation would be that someone absolutely didn't want to sell any Apple computers.
 
I don't understand the complaint about the screen. 13 inches is perfectly big enough and the widescreen is a great addition.

The screen on my black MacBook is as good as any computer I have ever used.
 
gauchogolfer said:
Is this really an inherent problem with the Macbooks, or just due to people playing with them after eating a huge Cinnabon 5 minutes before?
Click to expand...

I haven't see the white MacBooks look bad but the black versions feel odd with their matte finish. It reminds me of the mouse fur that Ferrari used to put on the dashboards of their cars to reduce reflection info the windscreen.
 
I'm sorry but with the MacBooks, should it really make a difference that people have been using them? No. The MBPs looked great, brand new, as if they'd just come out of the box.
 
AlBDamned said:
I'm sorry but with the MacBooks, should it really make a difference that people have been using them?
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Well, I always put clean towels in the bathroom, and they look dirty once people are using them...
 
AlBDamned said:
I'm sorry but with the MacBooks, should it really make a difference that people have been using them? No. The MBPs looked great, brand new, as if they'd just come out of the box.
Click to expand...

You just do what you do with an iPod, you put a sleeve on it.
 
Eraserhead said:
You just do what you do with an iPod, you put a sleeve on it.
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But you can't put a sleeve on the inside unless you want to use one of those horrible keyboard covers.

gnasher729 said:
Well, I always put clean towels in the bathroom, and they look dirty once people are using them...
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I'm not sure this is a valid analogy. How many times are those towels designed to be used before they're washed? A few days? A week?

To be honest, I don't think the dirt was that much worse than some iBooks that I've seen but that's missing the point a little. It just seems the plastic that's used on the inside is too porous given the amount of use it's designed for. The shiny, sealed finish on the outside (of the white ones) would make a better, harder wearing finish than the matt finish that's used.

As said, next to the finish on the MBP, they didn't really compare. And, considering they're portables and thus subjected to a fair amount of wear and tear beyond what a desktop comp would have, I just don't agree with a computer that will look trashed in a couple of weeks if you don't give it a regular dose of wet-wipes.

One other really positive thing to bring up; I was really impressed with the opening speed and multitasking on a 2GHZ MBP with 2GB RAM. Word, P/Point and excel opened as quick if not quicker than anything I've used before (dual 1.8GHZ G5 PM included). I can imagine with less RAM - especially 512MB - it would lag a little. Didn't get to try Photoshop as it wasn't loaded on the ones I tried.

The glossy screens were great across the board too. As and when I get to buying a new machine it would probably be glossy.
 
I must say, AlBDamned, your thoughts pretty much reflect my own. Your initial analysis is spot on, IMHO, and the MacBooks, while still capable of competing in the market, are simply not well designed for an Apple product. While I know people who have and love their MacBooks, there are obviously issues that need to be addressed.
 
To be honest, when I saw the MacBook Pros I was disapointed and happy I was only getting a MacBook. They look ok, but I don't know what it is about them - but I just don't like the look of them for some reason. I think it's the fact that the MacBook has such a nice keyboard (IMO), which I really like.

Not that the MBP is bad or anything, I'd be very happy if someone bought me one, but the price ranges are set nicely and I am quite content that they are that highly priced compared to the MB so that I don't feel I should fork out the extra to get the Pro.

Just my 2 pennies anyway!
 
mattjgalloway said:
To be honest, when I saw the MacBook Pros I was disapointed and happy I was only getting a MacBook. They look ok, but I don't know what it is about them - but I just don't like the look of them for some reason.
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The MacBook Pro is only disappointing in the sense that it's old, IMHO. It'd have been much nicer to have a redesign. However, the PowerBook/MacBook Pro is well designed to be sure, even if the Intel ones do get, ahem, 'warm', and I just don't think the proportions and materials of the MacBook compare with the iBook on any level. Cool keyboard though, I agree :)
 
I like my black Macbook, and it gets attention when I pull it out of my case. The MBP's look dated to me, kind of reminiscent of a Dell, only sleeker. ( Don't be hating MBP owners!!!:D ). I am jealous of the MBP's speakers though
 
dsnort said:
I like my black Macbook, and it gets attention when I pull it out of my case. The MBP's look dated to me, kind of reminiscent of a Dell, only sleeker. ( Don't be hating MBP owners!!!:D ). I am jealous of the MBP's speakers though
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Uuugh I disagree, in comparison the MB looks cheap and plasticky. I also hate the way it feels. In what way is the MBP reminiscent of a Dell?? What model are you reffering to??
 
Have to say i agree with the OP on this one.

I saw the MB and MBP side by side this weekend in John Lewis. In fact it'ts the first time I've seen a MB in the flesh, and I was really dissapointed. I was considering going 2g White MB or a 2g MBP, and I think I'll go with the MBP, once I've seen whats happening re processor revisions over the next month or so.

My main reasons are : -

  • Overall finish of case (in either black or white)
  • Glossy screen was far too reflective IMHO
  • Despite it being better to use than it looks on the MB, the keyboard on the MBP was far more to my likeing
 
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