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White & Black MacBook Q&A - Published May 18, 2007
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What are the differences between the "Mid-2007" MacBook Core 2 Duo models and the "Late 2006" MacBook notebooks that they replaced?
Please note that all systems mentioned in this Q&A have been discontinued. The "Mid-2007" MacBook Core 2 Duo models were replaced by the "Late 2007/Santa Rosa" series.
The short answer is "not much." The "Mid-2007" MacBook Core 2 Duo models -- the MacBook "Core 2 Duo" 2.0 13-Inch (White - Mid-2007), MacBook "Core 2 Duo" 2.16 13-Inch (White), and MacBook "Core 2 Duo" 2.16 13-Inch (Black) -- are a modest "speed bump" of the "Late 2006" MacBook series that they replaced.
Photo Credit: Apple, Inc.
The "Mid-2007" MacBook Core 2 Duo models use the exact same relatively compact and easy to upgrade polycarbonate case as previous MacBook models, and have the same 13.3-inch "glossy" widescreen display with a 1280x800 native resolution, "flush against the bed" keyboard design, and "catchless" magnetic latch. All MacBooks share the same "scrolling Trackpad" with "two-finger click" capability, integrated iSight video camera, bundled Apple Remote, and "MagSafe" power connector.
The "Mid-2007" and "Late 2006" models additionally share the same connectivity -- AirPort Extreme (although the "Mid-2007" models support 802.11n "out of the box" and the "Late 2006" models require a firmware upgrade), Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, Gigabit Ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire "400" port, mini-DVI out (supports an external display up to 1920x1200 pixels), and optical digital audio in/out. None support an internal modem, although an external Apple USB Modem is available for US$49.
Apple quotes the same maximum battery life of six hours for all of the MacBook notebooks with the provided 55-watt-hour battery, although the company estimates 3.5 hours while using wi-fi and 2.5 hours of DVD playback.
The "Mid-2007" and "Late 2006" MacBook Core 2 Duo models effectively use the same logic board design -- with a 667 MHz frontside bus, support for 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300) RAM, and integrated graphics -- "the Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory". All MacBook models have hard drives with "Sudden Motion Sensor" technology that stops the hard drive heads from moving if the notebook is dropped as well.
The primary differences between the "Mid-2007" MacBook Core 2 Duo models and the "Late 2006" MacBook Core 2 Duo model that each respectively replaced is the processor speed and configuration. These differences are summarized below for your convenience.
The entry-level model received a faster processor with twice the amount of level 2 cache, twice the memory, and a larger hard drive:
| MacBook: | "Late 2006" 1.83 13" | "Mid-2007" 2.0 13" |
|---|---|---|
| Processor: | 1.83 GHz "Core 2 Duo" (T5600) | 2.0 GHz "Core 2 Duo" (T7200) |
| Level 2 Cache: | 2 MB | 4 MB |
| Standard RAM: | 512 MB | 1.0 GB |
| Hard Drive: | 60 GB | 80 GB |
| Optical Drive: | 8X "Combo" | 8X "Combo" |
| Apple Part No: | MA699LL/A | MB061LL/A |
| Original Price: | US$1099 | US$1099 |
The mid-level configuration was upgraded with a faster processor, a larger hard drive, and a faster dual-layer write SuperDrive:
| MacBook: | "Late 2006" 2.0 13" (White) | "Mid-2007" 2.16 13" (White) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor: | 2.0 GHz "Core 2 Duo" (T7200) | 2.16 GHz "Core 2 Duo" (T7400) |
| Level 2 Cache: | 4 MB | 4 MB |
| Standard RAM: | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Hard Drive: | 80 GB | 120 GB |
| Optical Drive: | 6X DL Write "SuperDrive" | 8X DL Write "SuperDrive" |
| Apple Part No: | MA700LL/A | MB062LL/A |
| Original Price: | US$1299 | US$1299 |
Like the mid-level configuration, the high-end black configuration was upgraded with a faster processor, a larger hard drive, and a faster dual-layer write SuperDrive:
| MacBook: | "Late 2006" 2.0 13" (Black) | "Mid-2007" 2.16 13" (Black) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor: | 2.0 GHz "Core 2 Duo" (T7200) | 2.16 GHz "Core 2 Duo" (T7400) |
| Level 2 Cache: | 4 MB | 4 MB |
| Standard RAM: | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Hard Drive: | 120 GB | 160 GB |
| Optical Drive: | 6X DL Write "SuperDrive" | 8X DL Write "SuperDrive" |
| Apple Part No: | MA701LL/A | MB063LL/A |
| Original Price: | US$1499 | US$1499 |
Please refer to the Ultimate Mac Comparison feature to dynamically compare any MacBook model to any other G3 or later Mac.
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