Today Apple finally announced their iBook replacement - the new MacBook (non-pro), which replaces both the iBook line and the 12″ Powerbook. They come in black and white.

Don’t hold your breath for a 12″ MacBook Pro - the new MacBook does everything you’d expect from a 12″ MacBook Pro.

The new MacBook is available in a single size - 13″ wide screen - and it’s powered by the Intel Core Duo chip, the same as you’ll find in the MacBook Pro. The MacBook Pro line tops out with the slightly faster 2.1GHz Core Duo an offers 15.4″ and 17″ models, while the MacBook line only offers 1.8GHz and 2.0GHz.

Both lines offer similar specs:

• 2GB maximum RAM
• Bluetooth 2.0
• 802.11b/g wireless networking
• gigabit ethernet
• USB 2.0
• Firewire400 ports
• built-in Front Row
• built-in iSight
• “Mag Safe” power connector
• analog and digital audio in and out
• can boot into Windows using Apple’s Boot Camp
• modem support through external Apple USB modem

The differences are:

• graphics performance: MacBook Pro offers ATI’s x1600 mobile graphics chipset, while MacBook offers integrated Intel GMA 950, which shares main memory instead of using dedicated high-speed graphics memory. Don’t expect to be playing Quake 4 at high resolution on this thing, Intel’s integrated graphics are not known for their performance
• screen resolution: 15″ MacBook Pro is 1440×900, 17″ MacBook Pro is 1680×1050, MacBook is 1280×800
• the case: MacBook Pro has the most recent aluminum Powerbook case, MacBook has white or black plastic cases
• the weight: 15″ MacBook Pro is slightly heavier at about 5.6, 17″ MacBook Pro weighs in at 6.8 pounds, MacBook is about 5.2 pounds
• the ExpressCard slot (MacBook Pro has one; MacBook doesn’t)
• hard drive options (MacBook has the same size options as MacBook Pro, but not the optional 7200RPM drives)
• lower wattage power supply - 85w for MacBook Pro, 60w for MacBook - this may make a difference for you when traveling, as 85w exceeds what most airline power jacks can provide

The low end MacBook Pro comes in at $1099. I’m disappointed that Apple couldn’t keep the price point under $1000… just as the low end Mac Mini ended up about $100 higher than the previous G4 model. I suppose that the extra features like Front Row support and the built-in iSight must increase the cost a bit, but when you’re dealing with entry level models, the higher the price, the fewer the entries…

I don’t expect to ever see a 12″ MacBook Pro. The 13″ MacBook clearly provides the feature set you’d expect to see in that model, only in a plastic MacBook case.

Intel’s processor roadmap and offerings are a lot less opaque than the PowerPC roadmap, so it’s a little easier to make predictions… what I do expect to see at some point is a new offering in a sub-mini format, a very lightweight and compact notebook based on the low voltage Intel Core Single processor, allowing Apple to provide an ultraportable notebook. The new MacBook is only a few ounces heavier than the old iBook, but if Apple could get a 3 pound lightweight notebook out there… say, a MacBook Mini… they’d garner a lot of love. Don’t expect such a machine to be a Photoshop or game-playing speed demon… it should be good for on-the-go email, web browsing and some document preparation, but it’s certainly not going to replace your desktop.

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