The white MacBook was updated on 18 May 2010. There are minor differences between 2010 and 2009 Macbook model, described below.
The upgrades
1) NVIDIA GeForce 320M integrated graphics processor with 48 cores. This is better than the GeForce 9400M in last year's model. Useful for creating content.
2) Mini Display Port now support video and audio with a compatible mini-DP to HDMI adapter. (Last year's model is only supported video)
That's it.
STANDARD EQUIPMENT - from last year's model (minor changes noted in parentheses)
Polycarbonate unibody
Core 2 Duo processor (2.4 GHz - up from 2.26 GHz)
1280 x 800 resolution glossy LED-backlit screen;
iSight camera
2 GB RAM - 1 GB RAM x 2
250GB hard drive
8x SuperDrive DVD Burner
Large Multi-Touch trackpad (Intertial scrolling is now activated)
2 USB 2.0 ports
Wi-Fi - 802.11n, 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth 2.1 and Gigabit Ethernet -10/100/1000.
Built-in battery - (. As Apple promotes that can last between 9-10 hours) Not true. Actual battery life is between 3 to 6 hours depending on the tasks you use your computer.
Included software is OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and iLife 09 suite of tools to create content. A 1-year warranty on parts and 90 days of telephone technical support is standard.
MacBook as it is - is good for basic computing tasks - such as surfing the Internet, write articles or watch movies. But if you plan to buy a Macbook for multimedia work, such as editing photos in HD or HD video and plan to use several programs simultaneously, make sure you upgrade the RAM from 2 GB to 4 GB.
Why?
Since using a MacBook with 2 GB of RAM (like this) to do several things is a great way to drive you crazy when your computer is struggling to keep up. Try to edit 10 megapixel RAW images while playing music in iTunes with Safari open. 2GB RAM is not enough for multitasking / extra CPU-intensive applications on a MacBook. I understand that Apple has to differentiate between the MacBook and MBPro to justify the price differences, but the lack of RAM and put 2GB in a $ 999 product, and thereby affect the user experience is not the way to do it.
Upgrading RAM from 2GB to 4GB is a good idea. Currently CT2KIT25664BC1067 Crucial 4GB 204-pin PC3-8500 DDR3 SODIMM Memory kit (2GBx2) costs $ 39.99. So that gives your total to $ 1010 ($ 969 RAM + $ 39.99) if you upgrade your MacBook RAM
So for just $ 160 more than the MacBook (if one takes into account the cost of the RAM upgrade) a viable alternative is the standard Apple MacBook Pro MC700LL / A 13.3-inch laptop that costs around $ 1160 on Amazon. The MBP 13 comes with the added advantage of a more durable aluminum unibody, a backlit keyboard, a SDXC slot, one FireWire 800 port, a port lightning and most importantly, 4 GB of RAM. That allows you to multitask with ease.
If you must use the MacBook for compute-intensive activities, such as content creation, editing large RAW images or HD video, you should upgrade RAM to 4GB or just buy the standard MBPro 13 inches. The significantly faster i5 processor and 4GB RAM MBPro 13 make a big difference in the daily use experience.
But if you just want to use the Macbook for general tasks such as writing articles, reading web pages or watch movies, it will handle these tasks. At the same time, also consider that if you just need a laptop for basic tasks, many other manufacturers offer cheaper laptops are equally (if not more) can.
Hope this helps!
P.S. Update - February 15, 2011 - present extremely Macbook outdated compared to other computer manufacturers current products. C2D processor, 250GB 5400 rpm hard drive, 2 GB RAM, 2 USB ports. In 2011, these are quite different from a $ 999 laptop specs, and more as a netbook's specifications (excluding C2D processor)
I would recommend waiting for a Macbook Pro update from Apple. Another good option would be to buy a laptop from HP, Sony and Toshiba (for $ 999 you get a much more powerful machine in terms of hardware) or buy the updated 2011 Macbook Pro 13 base model.
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