Black MacBook Vs White MacBook

BFassassin

Ok so these prices all include the student discount but I just realised that the Black MacBook is hugely overpriced.

I mean, I could update the White MacBook to 160GB and 2GB RAM for just Euro 1,372.14, just 10Euro more than a Black MacBook with 160GB and just 1GB RAM for Euro 1,362.46.

Am I missing something or are they just charging more for the "status symbol" associated with owning a Black MacBook?

Thanks.

Creamy Goodness

yes they are charging more for it.

i have a black one, i didn't mind paying extra for it.

it's as simple as if you don't like it lump it i suppose.

whiterebel

Yes, being the simple answer.

K.O.Kiki

Now, why anyone would pay Apple prices for RAM & HDD upgrades for a Macbook when they have Komplett & Dabs...

BFassassin

Ok. Thanks.

Erm, probably another stupid question but does the white MacBook get dirty easily? I've seen pictures of really grubby ones but I'm almost sure that that was just a select batch that did that. Does anyone know?

Thanks again for the answers to all the noobie questions..:o

BFassassin

K.O.Kiki wrote:

Now, why anyone would pay Apple prices for RAM & HDD upgrades for a Macbook when they have Komplett & Dabs...

Hrm.....indeed....

I *could* get 2GB of ram and stick it in the Black Macbook, true...

Ah! Decisions FTL..

big_moe

i bought the white one. added a 250GB hard drive from komplett for 150ish and 2 gb of ram from crucial.com fro 95 quid. better than apple ram/hdd

as for dirt issues, my white keyboard is a little dirty. it would prob clean up well with a damp cloth... i should really do that!

the outer case is grand, when any dirt gets on it, again damp cloth and its gleaming again!

i bought a protective case for mine which is the business. no scratches etc with it. makes the thing a tiny bit chunkier, but not much.

http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/irlstore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=9469170B&nplm=TK977

moe

Idleater

Cremo wrote:

yes they are charging more for it.

i have a black one, i didn't mind paying extra for it.

it's as simple as if you don't like it lump it i suppose.

Yeah, but white is the new black.

I just got the white, and a nice case for less than the black.

If I wanted a black laptop I'd have bought a Dell

Gangsta

How'd you get a student discount?

edit: never mind lol.

BFassassin

I'm presuming that Ram is easy to install on MacBooks, yeah?

If I got the Black one, I can see the 160GB hard drive being big enough so it would only be the RAM that is of major concern of me.

Creamy Goodness

nereid wrote:

Yeah, but white is the new black.

I just got the white, and a nice case for less than the black.

If I wanted a black laptop I'd have bought a Dell

aye but using it in the dark, you're apple logo blends in with your case where as mine is contrasted against the black.

white was never a cool colour tbh, and it will always be the new beige to me anyways.

RAM and hard drive are easy to install once you have a No. 00 phillips head screwdriver and a T7 screwdriver.

the no.00 screwdriver is to get the protective bracket off and the T7 is for the hard drive slider screws, so you'll only need the no. 00 screwdriver if doing a RAM upgrade.

BFassassin

Thanks Cremo for all your help but I mean, I don't have any idea about the installation of computer components so if I just whip out the old RAM on the MacBook and then stick in my new 1x2GB sticks of RAM then is should work straight away. I'm just asking if it is as simple as that or do you need to install drivers or somethin'.

I'm thinking of getting a black one (because it looks neat ) and then adding RAM of my own to it whenever I feel I need it....

Hugh_C

nereid wrote:

Yeah, but white is the new black.

White will never be the new black.

nereid wrote:

If I wanted a black laptop I'd have bought a Dell

but then you'd own a Dell and all that goes with it ...

leeroybrown

nereid wrote:

If I wanted a black laptop I'd have bought a Dell

Dell don't do black laptops. They typically do nasty grey and silver plastics.

BFassassin

A little help lads, please?!?

Dell > Apple

Creamy Goodness

BFassassin wrote:

Thanks Cremo for all your help but I mean, I don't have any idea about the installation of computer components so if I just whip out the old RAM on the MacBook and then stick in my new 1x2GB sticks of RAM then is should work straight away. I'm just asking if it is as simple as that or do you need to install drivers or somethin'.

I'm thinking of getting a black one (because it looks neat ) and then adding RAM of my own to it whenever I feel I need it....

i used this guide that apple kindly offer...

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303721

use a 10cent piece to take out the battery.

once you have the ram in, that's it nothing else to be done except replace battery etc, but no drivers or anything to install the macbook just recognises that it has more ram in place and allows you to use it.

K.O.Kiki

Also: you CAN buy 1x2Gb stick -- but keep 512mb of the original RAM, for 2.5Gb total!

BanzaiBk

RAM upgrading is pretty easy for a macbook tbh, I'd almost call it a basic operation. I also used the apple guide to install mine and it took maybe ten minutes, but I was taking my time. Once you've removed the battery and memory cover, it's pretty much a few swift movements and the RAM is installed. Bought 2GB off crucial and sold my 512mb stick for 60 euro.

440Hz

Beware of the "Black Peel"

:-o

I like the look of the black but I wouldnt waste money on it, personally.

big_moe

K.O.Kiki wrote:

Also: you CAN buy 1x2Gb stick -- but keep 512mb of the original RAM, for 2.5Gb total!

i thought macbooks were limited to 2gb total??

moe

ZENER

No they can take 3GB but the RAM performance is reduced slightly because you don't have 2 matched modules.

ZEN

BFassassin

I've kinda decided that I'll go for the White MacBook with the 2.16ghz and 120GB HDD and 1GB or RAM.

I'll update the RAM myself when I feel the need to but for now, it should do grand. And the same goes for the HD. It should be alright for now. We'll see how it goes...

I'm seriously considering getting a Hard Case for it too. I was wondering what people's opinions were on a black case on a White MacBook.

http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&viewitem=&frommaketrack=true&item=190151171892

Or maybe just a see through one.....

Is the Black on the White tacky or is it all personal preferance.....

iUseVi

Or maybe just a see through one.....

Is the Black on the White tacky or is it all personal preferance.....

I have no experience of hard cases, I prefer the soft protectiveness of neoprene.

However, theres no doubting this is a much cheaper way to get a black macbook, and would probably look better than painting it yourself.:p

justfortherecor

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Also: you CAN buy 1x2Gb stick -- but keep 512mb of the original RAM, for 2.5Gb total!

Do the memory sticks in the 2 slots not have to be equal though. Would one slot holding 512mb and the other holding 2gb not throw things off a bit? Would a 1gb stick in the other slot be better?

Sorry, not too sure about this whole ram stuff!

Creamy Goodness

they don't have to be equal, no.

if you want your memory to work in dual channel mode, then yes, both sticks need to be identical.

there's only about 2-5% difference in the speed i find tbh.

2Scoops

The dreaded "Black Tax". If you really love black, u gots 2 PAY!

Gordon

I was going to buy one from the Apple store but the guy I spoke to told me not to bother (the Apple employee) unless I only want it for the status. He advised that I could get the extra bits and bobs with the smaller whitebook for cheaper elsewhere than I would there too.

That was nice customer service/salesmanship.

luckat

Black peel, 440hz? Are you seriously saying the black peels off?

I'm thinking of getting a blackbook - not for the status (who sees my laptop?) but because I'm going to be looking at it for the next four years or so, and I'd sooner it was pretty.

Good points on buying the memory/hdd elsewhere than Apple. I wonder why they charge so much - it's kind of a risky customer tactic, sending their techie-est customers off to buy offside.

zAbbo

Once you go black, you never go back

440Hz

luckat wrote: »

Black peel, 440hz? Are you seriously saying the black peels off?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13388265@N00/147998842/

so the reviews say yes. I was tempted myself at one point, but so many things changed my mind!

Creamy Goodness

Gordon wrote: »

I was going to buy one from the Apple store but the guy I spoke to told me not to bother (the Apple employee) unless I only want it for the status. He advised that I could get the extra bits and bobs with the smaller whitebook for cheaper elsewhere than I would there too.

That was nice customer service/salesmanship.

yeah Gordon, for a little more than the black macbook you can buy a white macbook with 2gig's and 250gig hard drive. this is getting the ram from crucial and the hdd from komplett though, but it's easy enough to install.

golden rule is never get upgrades from apple they shaft you.

Idleater

440Hz wrote: »

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13388265@N00/147998842/

so the reviews say yes. I was tempted myself at one point, but so many things changed my mind!

Ugh! that's not good.

I still maintain that white is the new black that was the new white.

IRLConor

440Hz wrote: »

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13388265@N00/147998842/

so the reviews say yes. I was tempted myself at one point, but so many things changed my mind!

The guy who posted that photo posted a clarification on his blog later.

My black MacBook certainly hasn't peeled or flaked despite pretty heavy use (50+ hours a week average since March).

And yes, I paid the premium just for the colour.

440Hz

IRLConor wrote: »

The guy who posted that photo posted a clarification on his blog later.

My black MacBook certainly hasn't peeled or flaked despite pretty heavy use (50+ hours a week average since March).

And yes, I paid the premium just for the colour.

That was just the first example I found. But there are loads of them, and I have seen it with my own eyes. Sure im the biggest Mac nut going, Id love to say it wasnt true

IRLConor

That sucks. Must look out for it with mine.

Do you know if the ones you've seen were all from the same batch or an early rev or something?

440Hz

Yeah they were fairly early revs for the black models, I think the problem is fairly much sorted in the current models tbh, at least that's what they claim and I havent seen any recent ones.

IRLConor

Cool. Mine is not that old so I'll keep my fingers crossed. (Though I'll ditch it the instant they come out with something smaller )

leeroybrown

My Black MacBook gets more than 60 hours of use every week and I move it around quite a lot. I've had no peeling or colour problems.