The RARE MacBook that only lasted 8 months!
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- Опубликовано: 14 окт 2024
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This may look like a perfectly normal MacBook Pro, but it's not. This is a relic of a very brief period of time where Apple's marketing put them in a very weird situation. Today lets' take a look back at this weird piece of rare Apple history!
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I bet people in 2008 were confused between the unibody MacBook Pro and this. This was a pretty good MacBook for the price for sure though. Great video as always Luke! Always love to see old Mac content.
No one was confused by this. It was communicated pretty well if you wanted more ports, better screens, or a backlit keyboard buy the pro.
Back then, there was no 13 inch MacBook Pro. Your choice was the unibody MacBook, the MacBook Air, and the 15 inch pre-unibody MacBook Pro
@@notfunctioning even more confusingly during this time they still sold the plastic MacBooks…it was a weird time.
@@trollzone1 not sure about US, in asia, they're no longer sell plastic macbook after they introduce unibody. the plastic macbook made a comeback more than a year later with new design.
There was a 2.0 and 2.4 Ghz version. The 2.4 Ghz had a backlid keyboard. The 2.0 Ghz did have a connection inside so you could swap the 2.0 keyboard for a 2.4 keyboard and get the keys to light up
yes 2.4 ghz model has backlit kb
I have the 2.0. No backlit keyboard but I’m pretty sure it was a cost option.
I’m also running 8GB of RAM.
I intend to do that mod, place the 2.4 Ghz model keyboard into my 2.0 Ghz one -- although it is said some production runs did not have the connector, so not sure which is mine.
I bought the 2.4 ghz version
I actually own this MacBook from new! Its still my favourite Mac! It used to go everywhere with me and yes I had three batteries which I used to swap out as needed, especially on long coach journeys! The 6GB of RAM can be upgraded to 8GB using a an old firmware patch. Which mine still does! It is now running with a 500gb SSD and 8GB of matched RAM. Unfortunately I got rid of the OS as it ran terribly on Catalina. Though using other third party patches you could upgrade to OS Sur, but again it ran like a dogs dinner.
That being said I now have it running Linux Mint with a fully specced out skin to make it run and feel like OS Monterey. Its still linux but with the flavour of MacOS. I use it everyday still and I still love the fact that its relatively easy to strip down and fix. I still love it!
Pleased you finally did a video on this Luke! Thank you!
My thoughts exactly about the firmware flash.
No hack needed for 8gb. Just a standard firmware update.
I have one with 8 GB and SSD as well. Intend to restore it and put a large HDD in the optical disc bay, as well as replace the battery. Was thinking of upgrading to a modded/unsupported newer OS... but now I think I probably should dual boot with Linux!
This was my Mac for my college years and is still alive today. The disk drive is SATA protocol, it can be customized to be a secondary SATA drive slot. I changed the OG slot to an SSD and changed the secondary slot to a hard drive. SSD in a 2008-2010 era Mac is unbelievable, going from HDD to SSD first time in your life is unforgettable to say the least.
over the years it had suffered a swell battery, broken wifi module but all fixed with parts sold on tabao, but it's pretty much unusable now due to the weak processing power.
Same experience here! Went from 2 GB RAM and HDD to 8 GB and a Corsair SSD! Oh man how phenomenal that was!
In the PowerBook era there was the 12” PowerBook, which was an interesting bridge between the iBook and PowerBook lines. That one was definitely not rare though.
I still have my 12" PowerBook, albeit without its keyboard and charger
Yep. 12-inch PowerBooks were awesome. Definitely not rare. During the intel transition, Apple must have (temporarily) decided that small laptops couldn’t be ‘pro.’
@@something2sea And then decided the same thing once it discontinued the 13-inch MacBook Pro last year.
Love this particular model. My school gave one to me for free when it was being decommissioned. Luke there were two models. The one with a 2.0ghz processor did not have a backlit keyboard. The one with the 2.4 ghz cpu did have a backlit keyboard, and takes 8gb of ram!! Awesome stuff. You are very correct that the screen is terrible. I replaced it with one from a 2012 MacBook Pro 13 inch and it looks beautiful. Thank you for this video and letting others know about this rare Mac!
Wow didnt know you could replace it with more recent screens. Definitely adding that to my list when I restore mine!
Thank you Luke! You have solved a bit of a mystery for me. Recently I got 3 of these in a bulk lot of Macs I bought from Melbourne Australia. I've got one working perfectly, but was scratching my head about the missing Pro on the name.
They probably should have kept the MacBook name, the 13 inch models were always a lot less ‘pro’ than the larger ones with their low watt CPUs and integrated graphics, and the white MacBook was on its way out at the time anyway.
I remember watching unboxing videos of this MacBook back in middle school. I was obsessed lol eventually saved up and bought the 2010 MacBook Pro 13" .. which I had all through HS. Great video Luke!
Actually, it CAN support 8 GB of RAM. Cat and Andrew said so in one of his macOS Mojave videos.
I am still using this old guy, I have it running monterey using the open core patcher. Few things to note though, if you bought the 2.4 ghz version, you did get a backlit keyboard. Also, I have it running with 8gb of ram (maybe that doesn’t work on the 2 ghz version?). Last thing, you could hot swap the batteries even without plugging it in, you just have to wait until the hibernation light starts ‘breathing’.
Looking for the backlit keyboard comment because mine had it too! It also recognized the full 8Gb when I upgraded the ram. Great computer, used it for years 🥹
I had this MacBook for about a week, then they announced the replacement MacBook Pro and I managed to swap to that. Still have it and it’s going strong 😊
Also, the PowerBook came in 12” as well.
Wow that’snuts.. you planning to upgrade to anything new or?
What 😳 I have no idea its rare 😳
I still use my Late 2008 MacBook and Currently rocking Monterey..
Edit: Luke, I use mine with 8GB of RAM. You just need to upgrade its bootrom version to the latest one.
My Late 2008 also has backlit keyboard, If u disassemble it and look right next to the trackpad flex slot, You’ll see a very small vacant slot (That is the Backlit keyboard slot!) I just bought an A1278 keyboard backlit (doesn’t matter which year) and it will work without any additional configuration needed..
Concerning the dodgy screen, I wonder if you could swap in a 2009 13" Macbook Pro screen? Might be a good subject for a video?
But one says Pro
@@Sparky400 I know, however it still may be doable?
Apparently the magnets in the lid are in a different place for each year? So if you mismatch them and close the lid the laptop won’t know it’s closed & that it’s time to sleep
@@markjo254 Interesting...but not an insurmoutable problem, just adjust the power settings accordingly.
The screen could be replaced with a Macbook Pro screen because mine was when it got cracked. Only thing is that it has Macbook Pro on it.
Love your vids about the good „old“ time between the swap from the powerbook to the unibody design! Go ahead Luke. Greetings from Germany. 🤙🏻
I got this MacBook as my first laptop and it was really durable, everything still functioning normally except the battery. For RAM upgrading, I can use 8 GB of ram without any problem. Moreover, mine does equipped with backlit keyboard. (Core2 Duo 2.4Ghz A1278)
I actually bought one of those, new, when they came out. The new design and all aluminum unibody was just so sexy at the time. Spent the extra money to get the backlit keyboard and better CPU. Sold on eBay in 2014 or 2015. I knew it was rare but it was pretty limited in capability and the old screens sucked when compared to the retina, so sadly it had to go. I think the "Pro" suffix is highly overused though. The plain old MacBook was just fine, and that's how I see the current 13". Air, MacBook, then the Pro models. Everything doesn't have to be "Pro".
Can I also add how much I prefer that style of MagSafe to the later ones, it was smaller and stayed on better and didn't get caught as easily because it went straight back and not out to the side.
The screen is not that bad TBH.
My much newer gaming laptop has a worse screen.
Also the 2.4GHz model has a backlit keyboard and supports 8GB of RAM.
A ton of these were bought by students since it was noticeably cheaper and looked like a Pro.
I own one of these (non-functional now) it served me well for 7 years until the logic board died. Had zero issues with it, which after replacing a couple windows laptops that couldn't even survive 2 years, was amazing. Pretty decent price to performance for the time! The main thing I missed from this edition was the lack of firewire port.
I actually got one of these for free a few years back. I never realized it was only in production for a few months! It’s a great little machine; I still use it from time to time for basic tasks
I bought the 2.0 GHz base model the day it was announced at the Toronto Eaton Centre Apple Store. My second new Apple laptop following an iBook G4 in 2003. Compared to the iBook this Aluminum MacBook was a massive leap into the future. I used it constantly for nearly a decade, then gave it to my teenage niece who used it daily until two years ago. It still works great today with 4GB RAM, an aftermarket battery, and 240GB SSD running DosDude1's MacOs 10.13 High Sierra. Easiest HDD/SSD swap in the history of computers. FYI it's worth noting that the more-expensive 2.4GHz version did in fact have a backlit keyboard. Those upgraded 2.4GHz's are *really* rare nowadays.
For quite a while I read your title Luke Miami :D
Btw! One of the best Mac content on RUclips! Great job on your production! Love those slider shots! I guess you have that edelkrone setup!
I want to see this replaceable battery on a new iPhone
I have one of these. Still works. And it DOES have a backlit keyboard! It was the 2.0 Ghz version that lacked backlit keyboard. Mine is the 2.4 Ghz version. That did have backlit keys.
WHY, the Hotswappable battery were SO COOL, also that part under the hatch was THE SAME until 2015…what a shame they didn’t profit from a good expansion program, what a great initiative could have been…
The 2008 MacBook was my first Mac. I used it for 10 years before I upgraded. It lasted me so long because I upgraded it to a SSD, updated the firmware to allow it to use 8GB of RAM, and have bought a few replacement batteries. I still have it and use it for Adobe CS4 and some other older applications. It may not have the best screen, but it’s a fantastic machine.
Awesome Video, Luke! I honestly never heard that this Mac even existed. How much did you buy it for & are the screens interchangeable between the two notebooks?
I just found one of these the other day that someone threw out. I saw the battery trapdoor and I was confused since I thought that design was only for the 2008 15in
This Mac wasn't actually a unibody. The display assembly is actually two parts that were glued together. In addition the glue was right where the fan exhaust was and that would cause it to literally unglue itself if you used it
Never really thought about it as rare. I bought one new and still use it couples times a month for various things.
Same here, rare didn't occur to me when I sent this one packing with an ex-gf during a breakup. I had happily moved on to a MBP which I still have
I actually had the 2008 Unibody MacBook, and it was kind of my first foray into the Apple ecosystem (I never owned an iPhone, actually). It worked for me until 2016, and currently my fully-upgraded 2012 MacBook Pro is my mac stop, which I mostly use for video editing, grad school, and creative work.
Wow! This was my mother's first Macbook and the Macbook I cut my teeth on playing flash games and Minecraft at like 20 fps! I still have it and have plans for fun projects on it like changing the battery, adding an SSD, and restoring my mother's old iTunes library
Actually, some Late 2008 MacBooks (13”, Aluminum) have backlit keyboards. I got one a year ago (in pristine condition) and I still use it as a daily driver for basic tasks. Plus I was actually able to upgrade to 8GB RAM, 2X4GB. I absolutely love it!
I love that removable battery part and don’t forget that you can also change the hard drive anytime you want with a different hard drive! Easy access thing in the past1
You can upgrade this to 8 GB of RAM with the right firmware update. Also, the 2.4 Ghz version of this MacBook had a backlit keyboard; only the 2.0 GHz version didn't.
This was the precursor to the 13" unibody MacBook Pro. At the time it came out, it was a replacement to the old 13" white plastic MacBook. They simply took this machine, renamed a MacBook Pro, and then up the specs slightly.
Hey I dig these old(er) Mac hardware vids. You should do more. And not just laptops
I'm typing this comment on the same machine reviewed in this video. I bought it for about $85 and for $85, I got an original uni-body MacBook with 8GB of RAM, NVIDIA graphics, and an SSD. Honestly, everything about the machine besides the screen is great and I think it can still be used practically in 2024 as long as it's being used for web browsing, document typing, and light gaming.
My Mac is also running Mavericks.
Crazy that nearly 14 years later the design hasn't changed all that much.
I have this Macbook and bought it brand new in early 2008. I replaced the battery in 2013 and put in a SSD. It's still running strong to this day.
Sorry but I must disagree with the description where you cited a lack of backlit keyboard and 6GB RAM limit.
As the owner of the higher-end 2008 aluminium MacBook, I would like to confirm that the higher end unit has backlit keyboard, and I have encountered no issues after upgrading the RAM to 8GB.
Also upgraded to Monterey via OpenCore and made it a triple boot configuration (Mavericks 10.9.5 + Windows 7 x64 on SATA SSD/ Monterey on second SATA SSD replacing faulty optical drive), though performance is abysmal under Monterey.
Is this video really blown out? Not complaining; just trying to figure out if my brightness is too high. Something looks different with your camera settings. Normally the MacBook screens in your videos don't flicker, and whites aren't so washed out. Is it my rig??
Luke, I bought one of these the day it was announced. As cool & futuristic as its form factor was I remember being profoundly disappointed by its lack of Firewire support. Apple had been committed to FW for a decade by then... I had numerous FW400/FW800 accessories including an unbelievably massive 1TB OWC dual-bay external RAID, several Lacie external drives, and even an EyeSight FW webcam. Plus my Canon video camera needed FW to connect with iMovie, and of course my 2G/3G iPods. Not to mention giving-up booting the MacBook into Firewire Target Disk Mode. I actually considered returning the laptop when I realized it was an "orphan". But I guess I assumed the difference between Apple's "consumer" and "pro" lines were the inclusion of FW connectors, and this laptop was decidedly "consumer". USB-2 on the MacBook seemed like a giant step backwards in every way compared to FW800 which by then was ubiquitous. Apple giveth and Apple taketh away...
I'm watching this video on my Late 2007 Black Macbook and I love this thing, after maxing out the ram replacing the thermal past and throw in an ssd, I can say that's it's pretty usable.
Awesome video Luke!
I have one, it’s pretty beat up, but it works.
I also have a 2009 one that replaced it.
And a 2010 15in (the computer I use daily)
And a 2011 15in
And a 2012 13in
I have this macbook and I still use it, i got it refurbished for $50 since the owner didn't know it was this rare. I use it for school and I used Dosdude1's catalina patcher. I use an SSD on it with 6 gb ram. the hatch is so useful when hotswapping batts. the only annoying part is the lack of an SD card slot, since i like to take pictures a lot. I use a SanDisk 240 GB SSD with this mac. In fact I typed out this comment on that macbook! I love this keyboard!
Actually, the last MacBook that had swappable batteries was the 2009 non-unibody MacBook.
I had (and still have this MacBook). I bought it new in 2009 but missed the timeframe to trade it in for the MBP. It was my first Mac after Windows Vista ruined me. It was a good machine for hauling around to class. When I bought it, Leopard was installed but a disc was included in the box for Snow Leopard. That unlocked the RAM to 8GB. Also, the keyboard did light up (at least on mine). The Macbook lineup was strange at the time. The white polycarbonate, the black polycarbonate and this aluminum. Finding replacement parts to revive this has not been very easy. Still, I got eight good years out of it.
I remember a buddy of mine had one of these. It was a great machine and I always wondered why it said MacBook. Only to realize it was a Unibody MacBook. Good video sir.
I have this exact MacBook. I was able to upgrade it to 8GB no problem. You just have to be on the latest firmware. This was my first pc. I got it for my birthday in grade 2 (back in 2008) and still use it today along my M1 MacBook Air. It currently has a 240 GB Crucial SSD, 8 GB of RAM, and Windows 10.
My wife has this one, I upgraded to 6GB RAM and 512 SSD. It worked very well until recently. My extremely expensive 15“MBP from 2016 has a startup fault („critical piece of software missing“) nobody can fix.
Wow, I had gotten one of these from a trade thinking it was a pro and I was devastated when I found out it wasn't. But now that I know they were rare, I kind of wish I didn't get rid of it. Thanks for the history lesson!
Luke u r not right. This model perfectly can upgrade up to 8gb 1066 memory ddr3 sodimm. Also only optional this models hasn’t keyboard backlight. U also can add kb bklight manualy from any a1278
I just recently bought an early 2009 MacBook 5,2. It is basically this MacBook in the older plastic case design, and DDR2 ram instead of DDR3. Also when you said a bit swappable battery is not something you’d see on any MacBook after isn’t true, as the early and mid 2009 models both have hot swappable batteries.
I used this machine for a few years and did not realize how bad the display was until I was transferring files from it to a new 15 inch Pro and they were side by side.
Yes! I actually found one of these MacBooks at the thrift store for $70 a few weeks ago. and in good condition too, at first I thought it was a regular 13 inch MacBook Pro but as soon as I saw the removable bottom plate I knew it was that uncommon MacBook, but the battery still holds a charge and was still on OS X Leopard. But I ended up putting in a 256GB SSD and upgraded the Ram, so it’s running smoother with OS X El Capitan.
Its runs great on Mojave with Dosdude’s patcher.
I have this MacBook! I remember in 2008 when i was still 11 years old i was looking for a laptop, little me notice there's an apple store in the corner so i went in and i completely fell in love with the unibody MacBook - the MB466LL/A!
All that years little me decide to disregard the Mac and around 2016 it has a broken Trackpad, broken keyboard, broken RAM bracket, broken speakers, a lot of scratch, etc. (when i was 13 years old, i started learning how to fix tech with this Mac!). In 2017 i decided to restore my MB466, i started with the same 2.0GHz C2D logic board (as it was still in great shape apart from the RAM and the Keyboard socket) ended up replacing the logic board from a donor MB466 MacBook with a 2.4GHz!!! (Some point the Keyboard socket of the 2.0GHz logic board gave up).
Now it is one of my daily driver! alongside the 2015 13 inch MBP Retina, 2007 17 inch MBP, 2010 11 inch MBA.
I have this machine and never noticed anything wrong with the display, but now I understand why is has proven SO hard to replace the battery/access door, which is not very sturdy. Every time I look for parts I get a 2009 Macbook PRO battery door, which does not fit. Was thinking of asking Luke if he knew what the correct search phrase might be, because even refurbished parts suppliers get it wrong or always assume it's the Pro version.
Mine is for sale, by the way, if the price is right :) Still a nice little machine with one of the best Macbook keyboards ever. Ships from Amsterdam though.
I just found one in a dumpster and the internals (fan and motherboard) look good except for the visibly damaged screen with white powdery stuff around the bezels and the speaker (at least the part where it bounces or the springlike rubber) is melted on to the back cover when I opened it. Can't test if it still works due to having no charger so I just kept it in a box in my room. (after cleaning it up and opening the underside cover, didn't take out the board to see the other side though.)
I used to daily one of these up until a few months ago when it got replaced by a 16” M1 Pro. Really cool piece of old tech and still surprisingly capable despite the poor display. Mines now running Linux.
How long did the 2019 15 inch MacBook last for? Before it was replaced by the 16 inch
21st May 2019 to 13th November 2019, so a little under 6 months.
Hot swappable battery was a feature for MacBook Pro 2009 and 2010 AFIK. Including de 15"
Two things, these actually could be specced with a backlit keyboard, if you got the 2.4GHz model, and they can also accept 8GB of LPDDR3 RAM, it was the polycarbonate MacBooks with their LPDDR2 that could only take 6GB.
"Hey, I got the new MacBook."
"You got the Pro or the Air?"
"Uhhh, neither."
Mr Miani would you recommend either getting a MacBook Air 2014 repaired or replace the laptop
I used to have one of those. When I tried to sell it to upgrade after a few years, I couldn't, because every potential buyer believed it was a Macbook Pro with a broken fan controller, so I actually had to give it away
I disagree that this has battery hot-swap, given that you have to plug into power or shut down. True hot-swap is present on Thinkpads from the T440-T480 eras, where they had two batteries and one was internal, the other was external. You could replace the external battery on the go without even closing the lid. Unfortunately they stopped supporting this feature and now have switched mostly to internal batteries.
The PowerBook had a 12" model. It was my first Mac laptop. I eventually upgraded it to the Late 2008 15" Unibody MacBook Pro.
My mom used this MacBook for over 10 years! Ran her whole business using photoshop and illustrator (pretty much still does except now with a 2011 pro). Biggest thing that was annoying apart from the screen was the lack of backlit keyboard. Still a great laptop though.
Oh and it still works
some friends gave me that exact MacBook about 6 months ago and with a new battery, new memory and an ssd it is now my daily driver! love it and thanks for the wonderful videos!
I almost bought that machine way back when; instead I went with the black polycarbonate Macbook. That computer still works today, if I want to use it with a Lion OSX and just do keyboarding and printing or listen to music off of a disc. Yeah I know a cult classic.
I don’t think people were really hot swapping batteries, it made user replacement at end of life easier, but most people would rather have a small charger and quick charging with decent battery life. Besides when I bought a polycarbonate MacBook 5 hours battery life sounded pretty great!
This MacBook happens to be my very first Mac I bought brand new for college. I still use it today! I have 8gb Ram in mine, and works like a champ!
I went through college on a 2008 2.4 13" Alum. MacBook and a 2.2 Thinkpad T400. Thanks loans! I loved that machine. Its replacement, a 2012 13" MBP, is sitting here with linux on it now.
when i was a little guy and was in grade K-5 my small town public school had these aluminum AND only these aluminum MacBook's. they are the reason i rock a Unibody MacBook Pro... I loved them so much.
That cough at 3:40 👌
I loved this MacBook. With a 240GB SSD, a bunch of external HDs and 8GB RAM this was a rockstar in 2008. It served me very well for 7+ years. I even started a design studio with this thing as my only computer for the Adobe stuff and light C4D use. Zero issues, which was mind blowing coming from Windows machines at this time. Unfortunately, mine didn’t have the connector for the backlit keyboard.
I had one, purchased used in 2011 and stayed with me till 2015, back then was a heck of a machine. Used with 8gb RAM and a duo disc (using the space of the superdrive), it went through a lot and never left me in the church
Huh, funny, I saw one of these Macbooks in 2011 and remarked about the missing 'Pro' at the end. Also tried to Bootcamp it before the official support, which worked but no audio drivers.
Our family’s first laptop was this MacBook, it wasn’t great compared to later macs but if you put it side by side with literally any laptop back then beside the late 2008 15’ Pro, it was far superior both in terms of looks and functionalities (heck it was the time of those single point trackpads and Apple made the iPhone screen their mac trackpad), and 5 hours of battery back then felt like 12 hours today, and on top of that the (then) new unibody chassis was indestructible compared to any consumer laptop back then (and even now tbh).
My theory behind this 2008 Unibody MacBook
Before this, whenever Apple want to make redesign on MacBook, base model MacBook is the first to has a redesign
Take a look at
2008 Unibody MacBook
and also 2015 12" MacBook
Same analogy is used right 😀
Unfortunately this analogy isn't be used anymore since iPad Pro 2018 and MacBook Pro 2021 introduction as
Each new redesign is firstly introduced on Pro model, not on base model anymore 🙃
A friend of mine bought one of these second hand in 2012. And I didn't realize it wasn't a "MacBook Pro" until I started using it. I noticed the lack of "Pro" in the label, and I realize it was the MacBook that replaced the white Unibody.
Then I started using it, and It had 4GB RAM at that time, but it ran significantly slower than a regular MacBook Pro with same configuration. Installing MacOS Snow Leopard took much longer than usual with these. And there was nothing wrong with HDD/memory, it was just.. slow
this model can accept 8 gb ddr3 1333 MHz ram ( 2x4 config) and it runs perfect. couple of months ago I salvaged them flea market, added ram ( Samsung ddr3 1333 2 x4 gb 1333 MHz ), sandisk ssd and new battery ( brand new original apple ) updated to Catalina with dosdude1 patcher, still usable for daily basic tasking and watching contents :) also this model can connect to the 5 ghz wifi without a problem. that MacBook goes for charity and lives many years before completely died ( a university student who works on thesis )
I still have this MacBook. I never knew it was different from the pro line though. I remember buying this when watching one of my favorite RUclipsr: itsmemorphious. He's the reason why I got into Mac in the first place. I still watch his old videos from time to time. RIP Carlos.
I bought this in 2009. With 2GB ram on OSX Snow Leapord, it was useful when I can change the battery while travelling.
I still run a Power Book 12" (for legacy applications). To this day, it's the most robust Mac I have ever owned!
Hey there Luke. I have one of these in pristine condition. New SSD and 8GB of RAM running Monterey and this thing is smooth. Nice to know that it is rare and might possibly be a collector’s item. Thanks for the awesome videos.
This MacBook is capable of supporting 8 GB of RAM if updated to Boot ROM Version MB51.007D.B03 and you use Linux or MacOS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard" or newer.
Hi Luke. I actually have one of those, and recently swapped the HDD for and SSD and upgraded the RAM
Thanks for the video, still have my MacBook in the box, don’t use anymore of course but i used it a lot back in 2008 till 2011… it’s a great and reliable machine.
Were the display panels actually different components, or did Apple just put the lower-quality units of the same panel into the non-Pro MacBooks & not bother calibrating them as thoroughly?
I had that macbook! It was my first ever mac. Back then there was only two Apple Stores in the UK, and I was in Glasgow. The genius bar staff were much more passionate and really hyped that you were choosing a mac back then, opposed to now where they are just retail staff. I loved that machine, it's been handed down through my family and is still running (battery is toast though)
I have one of the custom upgraded models with the backlit keyboard. I do sound design for theatre, and running High Sierra, I use this Macbook as a QLab playback device that stage management can use in rehearsals, while I make edits on a Mac Mini. When it comes time for tech rehearsals, I port the file over and reset levels for the performance space, and I'm good to go! It's obviously a limited machine, but it does still have its uses. 😊
I have one , still runs on Monterey, with 8 GR ram and a 256 BGC SSD…..it still serves at my sea house on a Greek island! Actually, there is an 8 gb firmware, as for the battery even if you had no power adapter if you put it into sleep and then hot swap the battery , the MacBook would turn on exactly where you d left at. Pure genius! I still miss the battery indicator in any MacBooks I enjoyed after 2008 including my M1 air !
I worked for a large computer server company. At one time we sold the same exact adapter cards but with two different versions of firmware. Why? One version would only run with that company's proprietary operating system and the other would only run under Linux. The company charged customers a lot more for the card which would would only run with the proprietary OS. Eventually, customers figured out they were being screwed and the company had to backtrack. All companies do shady things. That does not excuse any of it, though. It is all bad.
(If you see replies to this with WhatsApp or Telegram IDs, with strange links, or with Luke Miani's photo, those people are scammers who will take all of your money! Do not trust them.)
I'm sure Apple only made this as a test to see if people like the design of the Unibody, it ended up being super popular to the point they just upgraded to to better hardware and dropped the non pro version
My aunt picked up the unit with a backlit keyboard in 08 and handed it down to me in 2018. Currently got Mojave on it and am about to put Catalina on it to milk the absolute last remaining bit of MacOS ‘support’ it can get.
I got one of the rare ones, I bought if in the beginning of 2009 but it's a late 2008, it's the best version with 2.4GHz CPU and backlight keyboard.
I had one of those. I have a picture of it side by side with the Black MacBook it was replacing and then, I sold it for a 2011 MacBook Pro 13". Crazy.