- Apple launched its MacBook product family in January of 2006 with the introduction of the MacBook Pro. Just four months later, Apple introduced a new product known simply as the MacBook. It would be nearly two more years before Apple introduced the third member of this product family. In January of 2008, the MacBook Air made its debut to a great deal of fanfare. In the years since 2006, all three MacBook varieties have undergone a number of improvements.
- The MacBook, MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air are the three varieties that make up this product family. The MacBook replaced a series of Apple laptop computers known as the iBook. This version is geared towards the home user and is the least-expensive product in the family. The MacBook Pro was specifically designed for power users and is the most expensive of the three laptop computers. The lightest product in the family is the MacBook Air, which has been designed for those who seek exceptional mobility.
- The MacBook features a display that is 13 inches in size. The original version of the MacBook weighed 5.2 pounds but this has been reduced to just 5 pounds. Apple has included more variety with the MacBook Pro which is available in 13-, 15- and 17-inch sizes. Depending on the size of the MacBook Pro, overall weight can vary between 4.5 and 6.6 pounds. The MacBook Air weighs only 3 pounds and features a 13-inch display.
- The displays on the latest versions of all products that make up the MacBook family are glossy. Earlier versions of the MacBook were offered with a matte display. The enclosures of the MacBooks are slightly different. The regular MacBook relies on an enclosure that is made out of polycarbonate pieces that have been assembled. New models of the MacBook Pro feature an aluminum unibody enclosure. The MacBook Air is easy to identify because it is just 0.76 inches thick, making it one of the thinnest laptops available.
- While the glossy screen is said to improve the overall appearance of colors, it can be difficult to work with outdoors as glare is a common problem. The MacBooks that feature a polycarbonate shell are much cheaper than those that have an aluminum unibody enclosure. It is important to keep in mind that the unibody enclosure is much stronger. MacBooks that feature the unibody enclosure do not provide Firewire ports.
