Let me let you down softly before we even start: no, there is no $899 MacBook. A shame, because I think this is what Apple needs in order to really start chipping marketshare away from Microsoft. The biggest change here is the new manufacturing process.

There are some other noteable changes however. Apple has stepped up its game and made its entry-level notebook more attractive. Gone is the plastic enclosure – it now shares the same design as the MacBook Pro. It will also get a graphical boost with the NVidia GeForce 9400M, and LED-backlit display.

The glass trackpad from the MBP is also making it to the MacBook line, which is another nice touch.

I think this is super smart. The previous MacBooks when compared side by side with the Pro line looked (for lack of a better word) cheap. The new model is much more classier looking, and includes a better feature set than its predecessor.

Again, a Mini DisplayPort and larger hard drive capacity also round out the feature set here. Altogether a nice system for the price.

Oh, by the way, the old style MacBook would still be available as an entry-level model, and that would retail for $999, that would include a 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1GB RAM, 120GB HDD and 8x SuperDrive

Feature set and price listing below the fold.

$1299

• 13.3″ widescreen LED-backlit display
• 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
• 2GB RAM, expandable to 4GB
• 160GB HDD with Sudden Motion Sensor
• 8x SuperDrive
• 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, and Ethernet
• iSight camera;
• two USB 2.0 ports
• one audio line in and one audio line out port

$1599

• 13.3″ widescreen LED-backlit display
• 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
• 2GB RAM, expandable to 4GB
• 250GB HDD with Sudden Motion Sensor
• 8x SuperDrive
• 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, and Ethernet
• iSight camera;
• two USB 2.0 ports
• one audio line in and one audio line out port

 
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