It's been a very quick thirteen days since I brought the DarthBook home, oh where has the time gone? As promised, here are a few more notes on the performance and durability of the new MacBook in response to questions that have come in from my last post on the subject.
I have yet to see any wear or tear on the black case and I see no evidence of chipping of flaking of any kind. I should state that I treat my things, laptops included, with the upmost care and that could make all the difference. I suppose time will tell but my guess is that if you don't bang it around or pick at it, the black matte finish will last for a long, long time.
The black is very unforgiving when it comes to hand perspiration, dust, and finger prints but these all wipe off very very easily with a warm towel. I had similar experiences with the aluminum books but these marks only appeared at certain angles whereas the matte finish of the DarthBook hides nothing in a well lit room. Yet with all the human markings left behind I have yet to see a trace of it on the screen. Who ever engineered the keyboard did well to prevent contact with the screen and that is a huge plus.
Speaking of which, the screen is bright enough that I can use the laptop outside during the middle of the day. I could never do that with the old screens without having to squint — not so with the DarthBook.
Did I mention this thing is fast? There are two tasks in which I have noticed a big, big difference in the speed of operation: Loading and surfing. Too much has already been said and demonstrated by others on boot speed but I haven't seen too many mentions of Safari's performance — it damn near matches the speed of FireFox on my PCs. Used to be that loading multiple tabs (around 15-20) was a heavy undertaking that sent the Mac into fever but not anymore, and single page loads are snappier than ever. I don't know what makes this possible but the rendering speed is a big improvement.
Having said that I can not emphasize the need for additional memory in these units. Mine came with 512MB and that was fine for operating an application or two but beyond that the experience is far from happy with agonizing lag switching between applications, especially if anything had been copied to the clipboard. Adding an additional 1GB for a total of 1.5GB has done the trick and even created room for improvement. Like Windows XP, Mac OS X loves memory and the more you give it the happier the Mac will be and the more pleasurable it is to use. As always I bought the additional memory from Crucial — it's half the price of what Apple charges, great quality, and you can get it sent next-day without paying through the nose.
Despite the additional memory, any applications that has to load in Rosetta still takes a bit longer to open but once they are loaded I have yet to experience any real noticeable lag in performance. For example it takes Microsoft Word about ten seconds longer to load than it did on my G4 based Powerbook. Adobe Photoshop CS 2 requires a even more time to load but once it's open, game on.
Since the debut of the MacBook Pro there has been much ado about the poor performance of Photoshop. Benchmarks from multiple sources were not encouraging, showing that Photoshop was as slow as a three legged dog in a swim meet on a January day. Said tests were usually conducted with a large document being altered by automated actions or tasks but I rarely find that this method mirrors average use of the application. Apple used this technique when trying to demonstrate the awesome power of the G3, G4, and G5 when compared to Intel or AMD chips but how many times does anyone really open up a 300 DPI Photoshop document apply 150 actions to it and start a stopwatch?
It's possible that for a print designer (or anyone working with large resolution documents) that Photoshop, in it's current state, will run too slow but form the work I have already done (72 DPI web-design) I don't see what all the fuss is about. If you're a web designer waiting for Adobe to release Photoshop CS 3 before upgrading to a then stop waiting and go get yourself a new MacBook.
Hell, if you breathe oxygen and are looking to upgrade or try something new, go get yourself a MacBook.
Join the fray by reading through and commenting at the end.
The Photoshop info is most interesting. That was my primary concern. I had to upgrade the RAM on my PoewrBook cause by the time i opened 2-3 files to be working on which were each a few hundred mb each it would grind. (the hard disk that is).
So if a MacBook with 2gb of ram runs fine for every day chopping and cropping of 72dpi files then that might be my next computer related purchase! Thanks for the feedback.
Well, that's certainly damned good news about Photoshop; I was definitely going to hobble along on my PowerBook for another year until Adobe got off their duff and supported the new Intel machines. Rock.
Can you write me a note telling my wife I need one?
See, I still can't decide if I want white or black. I certainly like glossy screens better then matte regardless of the what the glare whiners say. Thanks for the Crucial link. Also, I second Beerzie.
Interesting note about the RAM.
I say this knowing that the MacBooks are stock with 512 in a 2x256 configuration both online and in the store. The reason for this setup is due to the fact that the RAM is more efficient when it is paired. See the following from the Apple Store.
And if both slots are loaded with an equal amount of RAM — which is strongly recommended — you can take advantage of the system's dual-channel memory architecture for an additional performance boost. With a dual-channel memory interface, both banks of SDRAM can be addressed at the same time, enabling MacBook to reach a memory throughput of up to 10.7 GBps.
Why paired on MacBook and single on Pro when they are the same sticks? Possibly due to most consumer purchasers will be fine with 512 and that keeps the entry cost low and the RAM more efficient.
That being said, I am wondering how you got your MacBook configured with a single 512 so you could add a single 1.0.
Good to know you are enjoying your enjoying your MacBook.
PS - I too think that the "fingerprint flap" is unwarranted.
Can you write me a note telling my wife I need one?
How's this:
It is with strong conviction and grace that I tell you that your husband is in dire need of a singular device which would enable him to grow as a man and find better, stronger, and faster ways to provide for your beautiful family in this life and the next. I don't want to bore you with specifics but with your tender approval I believe this whole matter could be wrapped up in a short road trip followed by a happy-dance upon return to the homestead. I can assure you that whlie said device might look evil in nature it can easily be tamed for the greater good of man.
Feel free to send it to your wife with my 'signature'. Note: there are only two g's in my name and admiral is normally abbreviated ADM, except during wartime.
That being said, I am wondering how you got your MacBook configured with a single 512 so you could add a single 1.0.
By accident. I could have sworn the guy at the Apple store said the black MacBook came with a single stick of 512 so I went to the web and bought another 512 before cracking the case open. When it arrived I found 2x256, wiped the tears from my eyes, and ordered a single 1G stick. Had I read the website or instruction manual and saw the bit about paired RAM I probably would have sent back the 512 to Crucial and bought another 1G to match.
But how does it handle WoW???
Apparently the MacBooks come with 2x256mb chips because the video card uses system memory and benefits from that faster dual-channel speed. MacBook Pros, on the other hand, have a video card with dedicated RAM, so they ship with 1x512mb chip.
My question: what can be done with all of the 256mb DDR2 chips floating around on Ebay for pennies?
Thanks for the followup Greg.
Yes, Apple is happy price gouging RAM like there's no tomorrow. However, if you're anything like me, who is coming from the third world to the U.S to get a Macbook this weekend (double the price on these shores!) and all you can afford is 1 gig of RAM for the time being, Apple's upgrade price ($100) is very much on par with the price of that amount of RAM elsewhere, give or take $10-$20... and in my situation, it's not really worth the hassle to save that amount. YMMV of course.
They will most likely stick 2x512 on it, but in the meantime that should suffice for me. I can always get a 1G stick from a third party seller later.
Pick'in one up tonight. Thanks for the headsup.
Maybe I should collect all the spare change I can find and see what I come up with. I'll call it the Spare Change Fund. If I were to go for the MacBook, I'd want to make sure it's something I can really afford.
But how does it handle WoW???
Not. At. All. With everything turned off I was able to get a whopping framerate of 5. Needless to say, this thing with all the RAM in the world is a far cry from being a game machine. The Intel graphics adapter works well for work but not for entertainment.
Do you have any estimates as to how long the black finish will last if I pick at it though? This is a key metric for me.
Great, thanks a lot for the Photoshop information. Maybe now I can convince my wife to let me have one. =)
RE: WoW - Penny Arcade had something about that... if you play WoW on Windows through Boot Camp the frame rate it can handle can double, or more. Worth a try.
I should add, that was with a MacBook Pro. Same idea though, right?
Steve: No, see my previous comment. The MacBook Pro has a vastly superior video card. The best solution for a MacBook gamer is to get a Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360.
This will make you chuckle Greg, but I just upgraded the RAM in the ol' Titanium Book G4. Yup, it's still running like a champ. Other than an expanding aesthetic pimple below the keyboard (that's south) I've successfully been able to multitask work, freelance, and a little play around Orlando with little trouble. The RAM upgrade was something I'd been holding off on until I absolutely had to. Well, CS2 later, it had to happen. I brought it to a local Apple shop (nicest guys I've ever met) who were quite taken and tickled (I didn't tickle them personally) that it had lasted in such good shape for so long. Lesson? None...just a nice outcome from keeping good care of cherished items. It's been my workhorse for, oh, how long? Long. And it's still running like a champ. I saw a DarthBook in the shop and, yes, I drooled, but then I patted myself on the back for an investment I'll never be able to make twice.
Will a room temperature towel work or does it have to be warm?
Towel warmth is CRITICAL. You can drop it in the microwave, but use the "upmost" care.
Must have a macbook. My ibook is getting weaker by the day...everytime I read a post like this, I feel the distance between me and the ol' ibook getting greater. Thansk for the tech specs!
Peace
Pointing out typos isn't even close to funny, Tony. Don't be an Asshat.
You lose. Try again.
I am with brian o! My ibook is getting weaker by the day...
My ibook and I are not playing so well anymore. But like Blake said, an investment I'll never be able to make twice.
I am so j-lo cause I want a darthbook!
Uhm, Greg, did you actually use Photoshop? Its speed on my MacBook Pro makes the our government's disaster response look like Ichiro Suzuki. Reaction time from selecting a tool and applying an action is sluggish, and while it may only be milliseconds delayed, it adds up.
/end kneejerk
You mention purchasing your RAM at Crucial. I usually purchase mine at Ramjet. So I decided to check out your resource, as I thought it might save me some money in the future.
Turns out, Ramjet is a better deal. According to prices currently shown on each web store, Ramjet will save you $102 for a 2GB package, and $24 on a 1GB package.
Just for future reference, man. :)
Congrats on your new machine! Everyone deserves the best, right? Sounds like dollar for dollar, the MB is the best machine Apple offers right now.
Newegg has great prices on RAM. No affiliation, blah, blah. I use a MacBook Pro and am considering a MacBook for my g/f. She doesn't play games...well, those type of games.
How does de macbook handles the heat.. This is a possible deal breaker for me. Can you have it in your lap for a long time... how much or less hot is compared with an ibook g4 /*ibook g4 is a relly cool machine*/??? doy you feel the fans runing intermediatly?
Please I need a very detailed explanation on this matter.... THX!!!
On last week's edition of TWiT (the episode titled "So Sue Me"), the panel really picked the MacBook Pro apart (though Leo bought one). They mainly focused on the plethora of rumors surrounding the overheating issues. According to Will Harris (of Bit-Tech.net, he was on TWiT), there's even a spot on Apple's support page that says not to leave the MacBook Pro on your laptop for too long, or it might burn you. Have you had any heating problems?
Great review, appreciate the insight. :)
Wearing shorts and using my black Macbook both connected to a power source and on battery hasn't been a problem at all. I'd almost say it's cooler than my 12" powerbook. Part of the reason might be that the heat is located toward the center of the Macbook as opposed to the hot left side of my powerbook.
Hi Greg - Just one quick question - have you found a case, slim or otherwise, that was actually custom made for the Darthbooks? It has been bugging me for a while... might just have to wait a while for people to catch up with Apple's freakin secrecy. :)
Sean: No, I did not use Photoshop at all. I just saw a picture of it being used and made assumptions about performance. Of course anything running in Rosetta isn't going to perform like it will on the chipset it was programmed for but I hardly think the performance is as bad as tech-head benchmark tests make it out to be.
Flaco/Filmnut: My experience is similar with Kent's, the MacBook, being made of plastics, doesn't get nearly as hot as the Pro or even the aluminum Powerbooks. It's fine for laps, in fact I've been using my for two hours and feel a little heat but nothing near as hot as the Pro.
Hamaza: I've looked but nothing is available at the moment.
Have you tried running photoshop underWindows using Parallels Desktop? I am very impressed with Parallels and willing to beat that PC Photoshup running in a virtual PC will beat the pants of Mac Photoshop running under Rosetta?
So are you saying that the glossy screen is better for using outdoors? I was under the impression that it was worse, given its reflective nature.
I.E. If someone was buying a Macbook Pro soon, and liked sitting in the garden in summer, which would you recommend choosing, glossy or matt?
@Pierce: Glossy screens would only be bad outside if the sun is behind you. Which would mean it would be reflecting off the screen.
I was considering spending the extra money for a 2.16 Ghz pro but after reading this post I've decided on a white Macbook with a gig of RAM and a 120 gig HD. I was a bit concerned with the integrated video RAM having problems with running games but it just means I'll have to stick to playing games on my 360.
I've been working on a MacBook after 6 years on a Pismo, and let me tell you that Photoshop seems very very fast to me :)
Makepeace: I haven't tried anything on Parallels yet but I would I bet it's fast. All my type (fonts) are for Mac so using Photoshop on Windows would be limiting. Running anything, let alone Photoshop, under Virtual PC sucks and I would not subject myself to that, ever.
Pierce: If you have the choice go with the MacBook Pro because it's screen luminance is a tad brighter than the MacBooks. That said, having an aluminum plate warmer on your lap in the summer could cause slight discomfort.
Greg: Yeah, it would be the Pro I'd be going with; I'd need the extra pixels. What I was wondering was whether to take the optional glossy screen or stick with the old matte. You can take either with the Macbook Pros, the Macbooks only offer glossy. All I seem to get are contradictory opinions everywhere I try to read up on them.
Ah, I forgot you can choose now. Always go with the new mattes, they are bright and brilliant.
Okydoke. Thanks.
Greg: Parallels isn't Virtual PC. It offers similar functionality but because it is running x86 code on a x86 it is really fast. Except for graphics it is as fast as booting windows and running that. The graphics aren't exactly slow, but more like straight software rendering, no hardware acceleration. My wife uses MS Publisher and the like a whole lot, and it is much much much faster then her (year old!) Windows PC.
Granted it was only a mid-range windows laptop, and it was close to the end of it's lifecycle, but the MacBook Pro with Parallels runs total circles around it. Easily four times faster.
(FYI she got the Pro before the MacBook was out, probably would buy the same thing since she wanted the larger screen. When the budget permits I'll do the same since I use my 15" ALBook as a desktop replacement. If it weren't for the screen size I would get the MacBook non-Pro, the few Windows games I want to play don't need super fast graphics (GalCiv II))
My experience is that running Minesweeper on my MacBook Pro through BootCamp is significantly slower than running it on my Dell Dimension B110 (gaming machine). Could it be that the MBP can't handle the graphics?
The black is unforgiving of palm perspiration? Sounds like a personal problem. :)
Open Type fonts will work flawlessly on XP. That may make it a bit easier to give Windows a test run.
Damn. Too bad about not being able to run WoW. I've been wanting to upgrade my laptop. Have some piece o' crap PC at the moment, but I do get about 20fps out of it. Seeing's how I only really use my laptop while traveling, the WoW factor is crucial. Being able to get in a quick WSG while waiting for my plane is a lifesaver :)
Glad you're plugging Crucial too. I've used them for years, mainly cause they are based out of my home town Boise. But gotta support a great and cost-effective American product. It's how I roll.