Mac Product Guide: 13-inch MacBook/2.1GHz

13-inch MacBook/2.1GHz

The next-generation of the Core 2 Duo processor -- code-named Penryn -- highlights this round of MacBook updates. The processor upgrade delivers faster speeds than the previous generation, but less shared L2 cache (3MB, compared to 4MB in the previous generation). Hard-drive capacities have also jumped -- this entry-level model now offers 120GB of storage, up from 80GB. However, this model only ships with 1GB of RAM installed; the other MacBooks now offer 2GB.

	Reviewed	Full Review

The 2.1GHz MacBook is a capable system, but for $200 more you can get a faster processor, bigger hard drive, SuperDrive, and--perhaps most important--an extra 1GB of RAM. That money is well worth it considering all the upgrades.

Pros: Performance comparable to previous high-end model; larger hard drive than previous model.

Cons: Only 1GB of RAM; no video adapters or Apple Remote in the box; no SuperDrive.

Basics

Reviewed Price: $1,099

Processor: 2.1GHz Core 2 Duo (Penryn)

Information about this system on Apple's website

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Lab Tests

Speedmark 5 Score	180
Cinema 4D XL 10.5	1:01
iMovie HD 6	0:56
iTunes 7.5	1:10
Photoshop CS3	1:19
Compressor	2:02
Unreal Tournament 2004	26.9fps
Tested Configuration	Mac OS X 10.5.2 with 2GB of RAM

Tested Configuration	Mac OS X 10.5.2 with 2GB of RAM
Display	flat panel (glossy); 13.3 inches; 1,280 x 800
Processor	2.1GHz Core 2 Duo (Penryn)
Cache	3MB shared L2
Frontside Bus Speed	800MHz
Memory	1GB of DDR2 SDRAM ; 4GB maximum - 667MHz
Graphics Card	Intel GMA X3100 with 144MB of DDR2 SDRAM (shared with main memory); Maximum resolution:1,900 x 1,200; Port(s):Mini-DVI port
Hard Drive	120GB Serial ATA, 5,400 rpm
Optical Drive	Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
Ethernet	10/100/1000BASE-T
Wireless	AirPort Extreme built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR built-in
Peripheral Ports	Firewire: 1 FW 400 port; USB: 2 USB 2.0 ports
Audio	Inputs: Combined optical digital input/audio line in;Outputs: Combined optical digital output/headphone out
Expansion Slots	None
Dimensions	12.78 x 1.08 x 8.92 inches
Weight	5.0 pounds
Battery Life	4.5 hours