[glhart]

After 10 days, I returned my black MacBook (I had added 2G RAM) and decided to keep my 15 inch HR Powerbook (screen updated). Some of this would apply to the MBP also. Here's my take on the two machines:

1. Screen. MacBook is easier to read, has much darker blacks, but the PB has much more space, which makes a bigger difference than I would have thought.
2. Keyboard. The MacBook's keyboard is OK, but definitely not as good as the PB's. The keys on the PB have more give and elasticity. The illuminated keys on the PB are nice, but hardly a big deal.
3. Noise. When the MB gets hot, it moos. The PB doesn't get hot and doesn't moo (or make any other annoying sounds).
4. Heat. This was a real issue for me. The PB runs about 25 degrees C cooler than the MB. You cannot comfortably keep the MB on your lap, though it won't burn you (as the salesperson at the Apple store pointed out).
5. Speed. Not as much difference as you might think, though the MB definitely feels snappier and has the advantage of running Windows.
6. Ports. Not much difference, except the PB has Firewire, which according to XBench is over twice as fast as the built-in HD.
7. Weight. The PB wins here -- you get a lot more screen space for almost the same weight, I would probably have kept the MB if it had been 4 pounds or less.
8. Connectivity. On the PB, you don't need an extra dongle to connect up to an external monitor. The MB runs so hot I would not run an external monitor with it closed, while that is no problem on the PB.
9. Value. The MB is a great value -- the 2 gigaherz white one is about 40% less than the MBP (or my Powerbook), and it does most of the same things
10. RAM. The PB seems to do better on less RAM than the MB. This is partly because of Rosetta, of course.
11. Graphics. For me, both machines are fine -- I couldn't tell the difference. But I don't play games.
12. Upgrading. In the MB, you can easily upgrade the hard disk; you can't in the PB (or MBP).

Overall impressions. Both are great machines. For me, the deciding factor is 1. I already have a PB; 2. The PB screen is MUCH larger (and, as I said, that turns out to make much more difference than I had thought). 3. The MB is just too hot -- the heat subtly changes the feel of the computer for me, though I can see it doesn't bother many people. 4. The MB is too heavy for the size of screen you get.

[mduell]

Originally Posted by glhart

4. Heat. This was a real issue for me. The PB runs about 25 degrees C cooler than the MB.

25C difference on the outside? Even on the inside that'd be a surprising differential, but with the different case materials I'd expect the outside temp of the MB and PB to be much closer.

Originally Posted by glhart

6. Ports. Not much difference, except the PB has Firewire, which according to XBench is over twice as fast as the built-in HD.

So does the MacBook.

Originally Posted by glhart

For me, the deciding factor is 1.

Why did you choose to (attempt to) replace your PB with an MB instead of an MBP if the screen is the deciding issue?

[greenamp]

"The PB runs about 25 degrees C cooler than the MB."

Yeah right.

[glhart]

The screen on the MB is much brighter and has better contrast. I thought that would be the deciding factor, but in the end, I find that the size of the screen is more important to me. I didn't get an MBP because I wanted something smaller and lighter, and as I said, if the MB had been lighter, I would probably have kept it.

[Heavy]

I was just at the store goofing around with the macs. The older PB's seem to be fine for speed. I didn't notice that much difference between those and my blackbook either. The ibooks seemed to be the only slowpokes there. I did notice the screens were duller compared to my MB. I really love the MB's screen. Glossy and bright. It's so clear. Also I really like the widescreen format too.

[jere_69]

I can definitely see the heat being a problem if you are used to sitting laptops directly on your lap. I've always used a coolpad with my laptops, so I don't mind the heat.

[wilsonng]

I tend to prefer the iLap while using my PowerBook on my lap.

[photoeditor]

The HD Powerbook does run cool -- I think it was clearly better than all the other 15s. It makes sense because of how well the processor clock stepping is implemented on the HD -- it goes all the way down to 417MHz at idle, one quarter the maximum. (It's a pity FreeScale didn't get the 7448 processor to market in time for the HD Powerbook; that would have been another significant improvement in speed and thermal performance that probably would have enabled Apple to wait a few months on the MacBook Pro and get it right.)

A lot of the heat and noise problems on the MacBook and MacBook Pro arise from OS X's still beta-level handling of the Intel processor power management. It is worth noting that the MacBook doesn't do too shabbily in Windows -- it gets to one-half, which is the same as the previous Powerbooks before the HD, and it doesn't moo or whine or melt the table top, and it also has a little powerstepping thing the HD Powerbook didn't have which is to get to one-half in little steps rather than one big jump. However in Mac OS the MacBook 2GHz, for example, only throttles down to 1.5GHz. This is a flaw with the operating system Apple needs to urgently address.

[glhart]

Thanks -- that's very interesting. My other question: why is the MacBook so heavy? Does it have something to do with the necessity for heat dissipation? If so, maybe when newer, lower-power chips become available, the weight will decrease along with the heat?