Overall: 80 out of 100 points
There’s a reason why hordes of consumers eagerly await the next MacBook or MackBook Pro arrival and routinely flock to Apple Stores. The company offers generally superior notebook designs, top-notch performance, and stellar software, not to mention the best tech support in the business. In addition to bringing home the title of LAPTOP’s Best Notebook Brand of 2010, Apple took first place in three of our individual categories. While Apple has been a little slow to adopt the latest processors and graphics chips relative to the Windows competition—and its prices remain relatively high—the overall experience of owning a Mac is second to none.
Performance & Reviews:15 out of 20 points
Given that the cheapest MacBook starts at $999, it’s not a surprise that every single notebook Apple makes performs well. Of the five MacBooks and MacBook Pros we’ve reviewed within the past year, four received a 3.5 star rating or higher, and three were awarded the honor of Editors’ Choice. Apple’s systems returned the fastest boot times, longest battery life, and powerful graphics performance. In the end, Apple came up with an overall average three points higher than second place.
Design: 13 out of 15 points
Apple’s designs are iconic but highly functional. The sleek and streamlined unibody construction and edge-to-edge glass LED-backlit displays, which boast a wider color gamut than most notebooks, are tough to beat. Even the white MacBook looks and feels better than most other systems in its price range. Although speaker volume is unspectacular, heat was never a noticeable problem. Our only real complaint is skimpy port selection.
Keyboard & Touchpad:13 out of 15 points
Although Lenovo had the edge in this category, the luxurious glass multitouch touchpads have integrated mouse buttons that actually work. And we love the backlit keyboards found on MacBook Pros.
Tech Support: 15 out of 15 points
Despite the measly 90 days of free phone support, Apple consistently offers some of the best web and phone support of any vendor. Plus, Apple users have access to the Genius Bar, where trained technicians help them troubleshoot problems.
Value & Selection: 9 out of 10 points
We appreciate the ability to customize your MacBook or MacBook Pro at Apple’s website, but the systems and configuration options themselves are relatively expensive.
Software: 9 out of 10 points
The Snow Leopard OS makes it very easy to find files, back up your system, and manage open windows, but that’s only part of what makes Apple tops in this category (tied with HP). Not only does the company offer the most robust multimedia suite on any notebook with iLife, which allows users to do more with their photos and videos, but you can easily design a website or even learn how to play an instrument.
Customer Satisfaction: 3 out of 5 points
With Mac fanboys and haters squaring off in our comments section, Apple was bound to get a mixed reaction; from Andrew, who is “consistently happy with Apple,” to Nethawk7, who feels our readership is particularly astute, as 38 percent awarded the brand an F. However, the 17.4 percent failure rate from SquareTrade’s study was low compared to other manufacturers.
Innovation: 3 out of 5 points
Thanks to Apple’s unique Adaptive Charging technology, the MacBook and MacBook Pros can be recharged up to 1,000 times. That’s a reasonable trade-off for the batteries not being user-replaceable.
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Laptop
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