In perhaps what is the only polycarbonate model remaining among the various Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops in the market today, the the $999 white MacBook 2GHz is perhaps entirely better than the other all-around system out int he market today.

The new 2GHz model is identical to its predecessor externally, with the same number of peripheral connections (a pair of USB 2.0 ports and a single FireWire 400 port) and the same mini-DVI port as before. Similarly it retains the same glossy, 1280-by-800-pixel display and the same 120GB Serial ATA hard drive. Like the previous version, it weighs in at 5 pounds.

Under the hood, however, the new model provides a few significant improvements. Most notable is the nVidia GeForce 9400M graphics subsystem, a major upgrade over the Intel GMA X3100 used previously. Like the X3100, the 9400M is an integrated graphics chip that shares its memory with main memory; but the 9400M uses 256MB of memory, versus the X3100’s 144MB.

The second big change is a doubling of system RAM: The entry-level MacBook now ships with 2GB of 667MHz DDR2 RAM. The latest white MacBook has a much faster front-side bus, too, at 1066MHz instead of the old 800MHz. Bucking the general trend, though, the new processor runs at 2GHz, whereas the previous version’s processor came in at 2.1GHz.

Though its slightly slower processor didn’t help its performance, this new white MacBook is a solid entry-level product. And if you need a Mac portable with FireWire, it’s your most affordable choice, since the cheapest MacBook Pro costs twice as much.

(Source) PC World