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White & Black MacBook Q&A - Revised November 16, 2006
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What are the differences between the original MacBook and the MacBook Pro?
Please note that all systems mentioned in this Q&A have been discontinued. The original MacBook and MacBook Pro were replaced by the "Late 2006" MacBook and MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo models. For comparisons between later models, please refer to the main Q&A page and the MacBook Pro "Aluminum Unibody" Q&A.
Apple enthusiasts correctly anticipated a great number of the specifications and features of the MacBook, the consumer-targeted replacement for the iBook G4 and 12" PowerBook G4. Nevertheless, many probably are surprised that the systems have as much in common with the MacBook Pro 15" as they do.
Photo Credit: Apple Computer
Upon first glace the similarities are not immediately apparent, as the MacBook models use "bright white" or "sleek black" polycarbonate cases with 13.3-inch "glossy" widescreen displays with a 1280x800 native resolution. While closed, the MacBook systems are 1.08 inches "tall", 12.78 inches wide, 8.92 inches deep, and weigh 5.2 pounds. The MacBook Pro 15" models, on the other hand, use silver-colored aluminium cases with 15.2-inch "matte" displays (as of May 16, 2006, a "glossy" display also is available for the same price) with a 1440x900 native resolution. The MacBook Pro 15" models are 1.0 inches "tall", 14.1 inches wide, 9.6 inches deep, and weigh 5.6 pounds.
Upon closer inspection, one is bound to notice a number of external similarities. Both the MacBook and MacBook Pro 15" have "scrolling TrackPads" that allow one to scroll or pan by touching the trackpad with two fingers instead of one (although the MacBook also has a new "two-finger click" capability, which allows one to place two fingers on the trackpad and click with a third and the notebook interprets this action as the same as a "control-click"), built-in iSight video cameras for easy videoconferencing, included Apple Remotes for use with Apple Front Row media organization software, and the clever "MagSafe" power connector. The MacBook lacks the fiber-optic-based "ambient light sensors" that automatically "measure ambient light and work with integrated software to adjust keyboard illumination and screen brightness based on user preferences" of the MacBook Pro models, but does have a unique "flush against the bed" keyboard design that provides a "firmer touch" for the MacBook than the iBook G4 that it replaced. The MacBook also has a magnetic latch that "catches without a catch", meaning that it is "sealed" simply by two magets rather than a magnetically attracted latch with a moving part.
Connectivity is practically identical, as both the MacBook and MacBook Pro 15" models have AirPort Extreme (802.11g), Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, Gigabit Ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire "400" port, and optical digital audio in/out. The MacBook, however, substitutes a mini-DVI out port for the DVI out provided by the MacBook Pro, and lacks the ExpressCard/34 expansion slot. Neither the MacBook nor the MacBook Pro have an internal modem, although an external Apple USB Modem is available for US$49.
There are some important internal differences between the MacBook and MacBook Pro, but there are a number of similarities. Both systems include Intel "Core Duo" processors -- with two independent processor "cores" on a single silicon chip -- a 2 MB shared "on chip" level 2 cache, a 667 MHz frontside bus, and support for 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300) RAM.
The most notable internal difference is that the MacBook systems include "integrated graphics" -- "the Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory" -- whereas the MacBook Pro models all include the substantially faster ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics processor with either 128 MB or 256 MB of dedicated GDDR3 SDRAM. The MacBook systems support an external display up to 1920x1200 pixels, and the MacBook Pro models have dual-link DVI and consequently can support an external display up to 2560x1600 pixels, including the massive Apple Cinema Display 30".
Configuration is similar too, particularly between the "consumer high end" MacBook 2.0 13" (Black) and the reconfigured/pricecut "professional entry level" MacBook Pro 2.0 15". Both have the same processor speed, 512 MB of RAM (although the MacBook has RAM installed in pairs to help the performance of the integrated graphics, and the MacBook Pro has it installed on a single DIMM to make upgrading easier), and 80.0 GB 5400 RPM hard drives (Serial ATA for the MacBook and Serial ATA/100 for the MacBook Pro). Both systems include "Sudden Motion Sensor" technology that stops the hard drive heads from moving if the notebook is dropped.
Both the MacBook and MacBook Pro 15" models are capable of reading dual-layer DVDs, but only the MacBook Pro 2.16 17" is capable of writing to dual-layer DVD media.
Of particular interest for those who were perplexed when Apple did not originally disclose the battery life of the MacBook Pro 15" when it was introduced, Apple quotes a maximum battery life of six hours for the MacBook using a 55-watt-hour battery, although the company estmates 3.5 hours while using wi-fi and 2.5 hours of DVD playback. This compares to an Apple estimated 4.5 hours using a 60-watt-hour battery with the MacBook Pro 15".
In a nutshell, the configurations vary, but the most notable differences between the MacBook and MacBook Pro 15" are that the consumer-targeted MacBook models are smaller and lighter with 13" displays, come in white and black cases instead of silver, have less expensive, and slower, "dedicated graphics", lack ExpressCard/34, but provide longer battery life and cost less.
Please refer to the Ultimate Mac Comparison feature to dynamically compare any MacBook model to any other G3 or later Mac.
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