Apple MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, 2017) vs Apple MacBook (13-inch, Late 2008)
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| AppleMacBook (Retina, 12-inch, 2017) | AppleMacBook (13-inch, Late 2008) | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | June 2017 | October 2008 |
| Display | ||
| Screen size | 12″ | 13.3″ |
| Resolution | 2304 × 1440 (better) | 1280 × 800 |
| Panel | IPS LCD | – |
| Touchscreen | No | No |
| Display type | Retina display; LED-backlit IPS; 16:10 aspect ratio; millions of colours | Glossy TFT widescreen display with millions of colours; exact panel technology, brightness and refresh rate unpublished by Apple. |
| Pixel density | 226 ppi | – |
| Display features | Supported scaled resolutions of 1440 × 900, 1280 × 800 or 1024 × 640 | – |
| Performance | ||
| Processor | Intel Core m3-7Y32, Intel Core i5-7Y54 or Intel Core i7-7Y75 | Intel Core 2 Duo 2.1 GHz (MacBook Late 2008) |
| CPU cores | 2 | 2 |
| CPU threads | 4 | – |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 615 | Intel GMA X3100 (144 MB shared DDR2) |
| Memory | 8 GB or 16 GB (better) | 1 GB, 2 GB or 4 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB to 512 GB (better) | 120 GB to 250 GB |
| CPU | Dual-core seventh-generation Intel Core m3 at Apple's specified 1.2 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 3.0 GHz, Core i5 at 1.3 GHz with up to 3.2 GHz, or Core i7 at 1.4 GHz with up to 3.6 GHz; all with 4 MB shared L3 cache. Exact m3-7Y32, i5-7Y54 and i7-7Y75 identifiers confirmed by TechRadar. Apple's configured clocks differ from Intel's nominal base frequencies of 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 GHz respectively. | 2.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core 2 Duo with 3 MB shared L2 cache and 800 MHz frontside bus. The chip record retains the maker’s clock and model without selecting an unverified Intel SKU. |
| GPU | Intel HD Graphics 615 | Intel GMA X3100 with 144 MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory |
| Memory type | 8 GB of 1866 MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory; configurable to 16 GB | 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM in two SO-DIMM slots; 1 GB standard, configurable to 2 GB or 4 GB. |
| Storage type | PCIe-based onboard SSD; 256 GB with the 1.2 GHz Core m3 base or 512 GB with the 1.3 GHz Core i5 base. The 256 GB base can be configured with Core i5 or i7; the 512 GB base can be configured with Core i7. | 120 GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive, configurable to 160 GB or 250 GB. The Late 2008 launch notice confirms an 8× SuperDrive rather than the Early 2008 base model’s Combo drive on the combined archived sheet. |
| Cooling | Fanless design (TechRadar) | – |
| Battery and size | ||
| Battery life (maker's claim) | Up to 12 hours | – |
| Battery capacity | 41.4 Wh | 55 Wh (better) |
| Weight | 0.92 kg (better) | 2.27 kg |
| Thickness | 13.1 mm (better) | 27.5 mm |
| Width × depth | 280.5 × 196.5 mm | 325 × 227 mm |
| Battery life detail | Lithium-polymer battery; up to 10 hours wireless web, 12 hours iTunes movie playback or 30 days standby. Apple's tests used the 1.3 GHz Core i5, 8 GB memory and 512 GB storage. Chassis tapers from 3.5 to 13.1 mm; weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process. | Removable 55 Wh lithium-polymer battery. Maker reference weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process; battery-life hours omitted because the archived sheet does not publish them. |
| Charger | 30 W USB-C Power Adapter, as listed in Apple's current technical specifications | 60 W MagSafe Power Adapter |
| Materials | Aluminium enclosure | Polycarbonate enclosure |
| Colours | Silver, Gold, Space Grey, Rose Gold | White |
| Connections | ||
| Ports | USB-C, headphone jack | 2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack, MagSafe |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 | AirPort Extreme draft 802.11n; compatible with 802.11a/b/g |
| Bluetooth | 4.2 | 2.0 + EDR |
| Webcam | 480p FaceTime | Built-in iSight camera |
| Operating system | macOS | macOS |
| Port detail | One USB-C port supporting charging, USB 3.1 Gen 1 up to 5 Gb/s and native DisplayPort 1.2; VGA and HDMI through separate USB-C multiport adaptors. 3.5 mm headphone jack. | Two USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 400, Gigabit Ethernet, MagSafe, Mini-DVI, separate combined optical digital audio input/line input and combined optical digital audio output/headphone output. Display adapters sold separately. |
| External displays | One external display up to 4096 × 2304 at 60 Hz alongside the built-in screen, at millions of colours | One external display up to 1920 × 1200 alongside the built-in screen; Mini-DVI adapters support DVI, VGA, composite video and S-video. |
| Keyboard | Second-generation butterfly switches (TechRadar); full-size keyboard with 78 US or 79 ISO keys, individual LED backlighting, 12 function keys, four arrow keys and ambient light sensor | Full-size keyboard with 78 US or 79 ISO keys, 12 function/media keys and four arrow keys |
| Trackpad | Force Touch trackpad with pressure sensing, Force clicks and Multi-Touch gestures | Scrolling trackpad with separate button; two-finger scrolling, tap, double-tap and drag |
| Speakers | Stereo speakers | Built-in stereo speakers |
| Microphones | Dual microphones | Built-in omnidirectional microphone |
| In the box | MacBook; 30 W USB-C Power Adapter; USB-C Charge Cable (2 m), as listed in Apple's current technical specifications | MacBook, removable battery, 60 W MagSafe Power Adapter with AC wall plug and power cord, install/restore DVDs and documentation. Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and iLife ’08; Apple Remote sold separately. |
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