Which is easier to maintain, black or white?

[Lazernet]

Having just purchased my black macbook for myself as well as a white macbook to replace our "office laptop", I must say that although I love the look of the black, the white is of a higher grade plastic. All you have to do is "tap" on the palmrest areas to see the difference. The white feels and sounds harder and the black almost (to me at least) feels like it will get a mark if I were to push a fingernail into it.

The white not only doesn't show smudges, but doesn't seem to develop/collect them either due to the fact that the finish is different. I would have never noticed in the store because I "assumed" they were the same except for color, but sure enough after using both the black one just "feels" different as a result of the matte finish. Perish the thought, I almost wish I went for white. I still love my blackbook though, even if it requires daily cleaning.

- Eric

 

[mikeleeuk]

Having just purchased my black macbook for myself as well as a white macbook to replace our "office laptop", I must say that although I love the look of the black, the white is of a higher grade plastic

Hmm, that's really interesting. Maybe if the Blackbook plastic is "softer" it'll be less prone to cracking. My white MacBook (which I'm hoping to replace with a black one soon) has the cracking issue, and I can't say I'm surprised. It just seems so... hard and tightly screwed together. Like it has no "give".

I honestly feel like if I dropped it on the floor it would just break into pieces. Luckily I'm careful.

 

[Lazernet]

Hmm, that's really interesting. Maybe if the Blackbook plastic is "softer" it'll be less prone to cracking. My white MacBook (which I'm hoping to replace with a black one soon) has the cracking issue, and I can't say I'm surprised. It just seems so... hard and tightly screwed together. Like it has no "give".

I honestly feel like if I dropped it on the floor it would just break into pieces. Luckily I'm careful.

You know, I honestly never thought of that possibility. The white one for some reason does seem more rigid to me, but coming from the powerbook series rigidity=strength, but who knows. Either way, I still do love the black color, just be prepared to either work diligently on keeping it clean or (like me) learn to overlook the grease smudge marks, etc.

I'll probably post some sexy pictures of the Blackbook one of these days (center fold style *whistle whistle*) ;-)...

- Eric

 

[ipodtouchy333]

I'm looking to get a blackbook and have heard both good and bad things about the plastic. I can deal with smudges but as long as it doesn't crack I'm ok.

 

[BobbyNumber9]

I don't think I'm any closer to making a decision now.

:-/

 

[jojasary]

I personally have the white macbook, and the scratches on it are killing me! i work at a high traffic desk at work and people constantly put papers, pens, all kinds of bad things on my desk when I am in the middle of something. I have some large, seriously deep scratches. As for the track pad, I have seen some students who constantly rest their hands on the trackpad, leaving grease stains that look terrible. I always try to keep my hands off when I am not typing.

I think most of these issues, especially the scratching issue, would be solved by the black one, because it is not a shiny black, but a dull black. What I really want is a MBP that comes in the small 13.3" size or an aluminum macbook, because I love the small form factor of the MB but would prefer the way higher quality brushed aluminum.

 

[brn2ski00]

Yup, BLACK.... shows less grimey dirt marks on the handrests.

 

[ricpac]

I have the White MacBook but I covered it with the transparent smoke variant off macbook-case.com. I'm loving it so far, looks like it's a gray MacBook... now I'm piling up some on getting the MacBook Pro--nothing beats the metal feel I guess.

 

[ref26]

I have the White MacBook but I covered it with the transparent smoke variant off macbook-case.com. I'm loving it so far, looks like it's a gray MacBook... now I'm piling up some on getting the MacBook Pro--nothing beats the metal feel I guess.

Wow $69.95 is a lot, I'd probably just get the incase one for
$50, they're supposed to be really good.

 

[Scarlet Fever]

what about black and white?

 

[ricpac]

Wow $69.95 is a lot, I'd probably just get the incase one for
$50, they're supposed to be really good.

T'was around $59 when I got it around Valentine's (they ran a promotion). So far so good.

 

[hankstank]

the white shows dust and finger grease alot more.

but in aspects of "coolness" white has that special apple/mac touch.

 

[Marley]

i have a black macbook. my friend has a white macbook. grease and oil are visible on the black macbook (shiny on the matte surface), while anything that is not white will be visible on the white macbook... because the oil that is produced by your skin is nearly colorless, you wont see it on a white macbook, but you will notice a build-up of dirt and skin cells. you'll get used to the dirt that accumulates on your macbook whether it's back or white. it take my macbook to class and work with me every day, and i clean it at most once a week.

i got a black macbook because i think it looks cooler, and judging from the comments i get when i'm at the library, other people think so too.

EDIT: I've had my blackbook for eight months, and it still looks brand new save the smudges on the four rubber feet on the bottom and a bit of wear on the trackpad... just take care of it and you wont have a problem. BTW to one of the above posters, the black macbook is not just a white macbook with a coat of black paint, it's made of black plastic... i thought that was obvious, but i guess not

 

[iMaccore2]

i would go 100% for the white. I would just get some protective film for the palm rest. I wouldnt buy a mac to have people think im using a thinkpad. Not that i show off my computers anyway

 

[BobbyNumber9]

Don't want to sound like an ass but I don't care what other people think I'm using, I'm not one to act pretentious with my product choices so the "Apple or Mac" factor doesn't matter to me. I know it does to some people but I don't really care.

What if I were to buy an InvisibleShield with a white one? Then the scratches wouldn't be a problem right?

 

[daneoni]

Its simply down to Discolouration/Scratches or Smudges/Oil prints. IMHO one is easier to take care of than the other and thats the latter.

Im not a fan of shields on laptops since they might interfere with natural cooling and cause more heat.

I have the blackbook and i clean it once a week. Yes it will get smudges and prints but they're easily wipe able with a damp cloth. The whitebook however isn't as easy to clean.

Take your pick...otherwise get a palm guard or the MBA/MBP

 

[priller]

The discolouration problem with the white macbook doesn't seem to be an issue on the newer macbooks.

 

[ZiggyPastorius]

it's an apple sticker on a thinkpad. can't fool me

My friend put one of his iPod Apple stickers on his Toshiba and people have come up to him many times and asked "Is that really an Apple?!" Funny thing is, I'm just sitting here next to him with my Macbook ...

Are the finger prints and oil marks really that bad?

Are the scratches on the white models horrible?

From what I've been reading I don't know which one is worse to have, the price isn't really an issue. I really just want to know which would require less cleaning or anything like that.

With the blacks now being less of a fingerprint magnet, I would say it doesn't really matter much anymore. I haven't noticed any serious issues on my White Macbook, other than little things that show up from your hands, which is easily solved by just wiping. The scratches only show up on the white when it's directly in the light, you don't notice them in daily use. I haven't really examined the Blackbook too close, but seems like the little scratches would be easier to see? I like the look of the white Macbook better personally, but, I think it's less of a matter of which is easier, and more of just which you like more.

 

[isaack]

i'd go black if i was you. from what i've read the new penryn blackbooks are less grease prone than the old ones.