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Definition: MacBook


The MacBook is Apple's third laptop computer family, introduced in 2006. Prior laptops were the PowerBook and iBook. The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are the remaining models. The original MacBook was dropped in 2011 only to be resurrected thinner and lighter in 2015 and then discontinued in 2019.

In 2015, new MacBooks featured Apple's Retina Display and higher resolutions, as well as the Force Touch trackpad that senses different pressure levels. By the end of 2016, all MacBooks used solid state drives (SSDs).

MacBook Pro
The MacBook Pro was the first Mac laptop to use Intel CPUs, and the Pro line offers the fastest laptop processors and largest screens (see MacBook Pro). In 2020, Apple replaced the Intel CPU with its own designs (see Apple M series).

MacBook Air
Launched in 2008, the Air is Apple's lightest laptop, and its touchpad added gesture-based multitouch like the iPhone. In 2023, a 15" Air debuted with the largest screen on an Air model, and an M3-based Air was introduced a year later. See MacBook Air, Macintosh Portable and Mac computer.

 CURRENT MACBOOK MODELS

                            Max   Max
     Screen      Max Cores  SSD   RAM  Weight
      Size   CPU   CPU/GPU  (TB)  (GB)  (lbs)

 Pro  16.2"  M3 Max  16/40   8    128   4.8
 Pro  16.2"  M3 Max  14/30   8     96   4.8
 Pro  16.2"  M3 Pro  12/18   8     96   4.7
 Pro  16.2"  M3 Pro  12/18   8     36   4.7

 Pro  14.2"  M3 Max  14/30   8     96   3.6
 Pro  14.2"  M3 Pro  12/18   8     36   3.5
 Pro  14.2"  M3 Pro  11/14   8     36   3.5
 Pro  14.2"  M3       8/10   8     24   3.4

 Air  15.3"  M3       8/10   2     24   3.3
 Air  13.6"  M3       8/10   2     24   2.7
 Air  13.6"  M3       8/10   2     24   2.7
 Air  13.6"  M3       8/8    2     24   2.7

 Air  13.6"  M2       8/10   2     24   2.7





PowerBook to MacBook in 15 Years
Dramatically thinner, the processing power in the 2016 MacBook (right) was considerably greater than the first Mac PowerBook in 1991. See PowerBook. (Image courtesy of Apple Inc.)