My Macbook experience

Question

I've had my Macbook for almost two weeks, and after spending a lot of quality time getting to know it, I thought I'd share my thoughts for anyone who is on the fence.
I've never had a laptop before. I loved playing with my friend's Powerbook 12" whenever I had the chance, but I always thought the Powerbooks/iBooks were too underpowered for the price. The iBooks were total crap to me, especially after I played with one on display. I hated the clicker on the trackpad and was disappointed with the screen resolution and brightness (on the PB too). Seemed cheap, felt cheap, and technically was cheap. So when I got a computer last year, even though I wanted a laptop, I got an iMac. I loved that little guy and even though the Superdrive gave me some problems with reading discs and the fans got loud sometimes, I have to admit it was hard to say goodbye to it. I sold it on Craigslist with plans to get a Macbook.
I ended up getting the White 2.0 Macbook and upgraded the RAM to 2 gigs. I love the way this thing is built. Everything seems to mesh well together, from the screen to the keyboard, to the case. I have to admit, I had serious reservations about buying a white laptop. I've already had my girlfriend get ink on my wristpad (wash your hands before using it!) and scrubbed it off with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Consequently, you can see some of the finish has worn off if you tilt the Macbook to the right angle. Drives me crazy, but if it ever gets worse Applecare said that you can replace it for $89. Not bad. The keys are great and they feel better than the Powerbook's and more responsive. The trackpad is HUGE! I love having a two-finger right click and can never imagine having a laptop without it or two-finger scrolling.
This computer is a champion. It takes almost everything I can throw at it. It still impresses me every time I download or watch a movie and can do anything else without seeing a major slowdown. I don't get bummed everytime I have to restart, since restarts now take only 20 seconds. No joke. Photoshop CS (not CS2) seems to work pretty good. Of course my G5 runs circles around it with CS, but not very big circles. It's usable, but I generally close everything else when I use it. Universal apps FLY on this thing. iLife '06 is really impressive, especially since my girlfriend is a shutterbug and we play a lot with iPhoto. Frontrow...it's cool, but not that great. I downloaded MediaCentral and have only demoed it, but it seems like everything Frontrow could be. Search for it! I was seriously worried about the GMA 950 integrated graphics when I bought this computer, but I don't think it's a big deal now. I don't play computer games much, that's what my Xbox 360 is for. I downloaded Civilization 3 and find that with the RAM installed it works great. Oh and this thing is quiet! My G5 had fans that drove me nuts when I was trying to sleep. I'd describe myself as having very sensitive hearing and when the fans kick up during installs they are still quieter and less annoying than my G5 was. You never hear them during normal use unless the temps get over the 80 degree barrier. Even then they stay on for only about 30 seconds while the temps drop.
So what don't I like? This is my second Macbook. The first one had a terrible trackpad button and was flimsy and didn't register clicks well on the sides.It's been said before, so I won't drive it home, but this guy is hot. Yes you won't be able to keep it on your lap for a long time, but it's better that way. That heat can make you sterile, so use a desk or a lap stand. I'm buying one soon. The hard drive is small. So small I can imagine few people will not upgrade it. I was going to buy a bigger drive this week, but there was a deal on a 300 GB internal drive (that I made into an external)...and I was overdue for a backup. I can say that upgrading the memory is easy, but you have to really push the sticks in there pretty hard. Hard enough to leave marks on your finger for a while, but if you're lucky you only have to do it once. The screen gets dirty and scratches easily. The case does too, but you'll get over it.
This is a great computer for the money and a more than worth successor to the iBook/PB 12". I have no problem recommending it to anyone who asks. It does have some downsides, but it's a Macbook Pro minus the graphics card for almost $1000 less! Seriously, this little computer can outpace my year old G5 and costs the same as it did when I bought it. It's the most functional, flexible computer I've ever had. Barring serious problems down the line, I'm really happy with it!

Answer 1

your mackbook experience sounds really lame!
Actually his MacBook experience comes off as very knowledgeable and believable, especially for an experienced Mac user.
check out the inquirer, do a search on the macbook,
read(big key), you'll see all the problems that you
have are the same as eveyone else.
The Inquirer isn't really a reliable or well-respected source for Mac users. 95% of all MacBook users haven't had problems, its the small majority of who have and of those, the largest majority don't even own or use a MacBook and are here trolling.
i really like the part about apple wanting to charge
you $89 to replace their faulty finished case.
Hey, you screw up the case and want it replaced, $89 is a small price to pay. Try getting a replacement for one of Lenovo's newer ThinkPads and you're talking $250 and up. I own three of those machines and haven't opened them since buying my BlackBook.
as for runnig hot, that's a HUGE problem. it's a
laptop, not a desk top, it should be on your lap!
remember all that cash-money you paid to have a
laptop??
No, it's a notebook dubbed a "MacBook" and it is no hotter than any other laptop on the market today. Dell notebooks are hotter as are ThinkPads. And with the latter you have to run an MS operating system which makes them a poor choice for the notebook user.
So when are you going to stop using your Microsoft machine and actually buy a Mac machine?
Tim...