Apple MacBook 13.3" 2.26GHz

This new release of Apple's polycarbonate notebook, the ubiquitous MacBook 13.3inch sees several features from the Pro range trickle down to the entry-level model.

The user-removable battery has gone, replaced by Apple's innovative internal version as used in the MacBook Pros.

Making it non-removable saves on space previously taken up by housing and connectors, enabling Apple to offer a bigger, more powerful battery without adding to the weight or size of the notebook.

The result? A battery that lasts up to seven hours on a single charge, and can be recharged up to 1,000 times before it wears out, which is about five years of typical use.

When it finally dies, professional replacement at an Apple Store costs £99, which is a bargain considering it lasts three times as long as the old style, user-replaceable MacBook batteries costing £97.

Housing benefit

The new MacBook is advertised as offering a unibody enclosure. Losing the seams and moulding its body as a single unit gives the notebook added rigidity, something that's further enhanced by the rubberised aluminium base plate.

It certainly feels sturdier and more robust than its predecessors, which were prone to cracking at weak points either side of the trackpad. Only time will tell whether the new housing actually solves the problem, but we'd be surprised if it doesn't.

Two more features associated with the Pro range that have been incorporated into this MacBook release are the LED backlit screen and the glass trackpad. Happily, these are now standard across Apple's entire notebook range.

Component upgrades include a 250GB hard drive, up from 160GB in the previous version, and a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor instead of the 2.13GHz chip in the mid-2009 model.

The Bluetooth antenna is routed into the display housing instead of being positioned – as previously – above the optical drive, which will likely improve its range.

We've a few complaints, however. The FireWire port has been removed, a bizarre decision considering the backlash caused by its removal from the briefly introduced aluminium MacBook. The infrared port's gone too, which means you can't control iTunes or Front Row using an Apple Remote.

Elsewhere, there's no LED showing the battery's charge state, but that's no great loss, and although it's trickier to upgrade components, it's far from impossible.

It's £50 more expensive too, but the additional features are worth the extra cost.

Overall, the late 2009 model represents an exciting and welcome upgrade for the MacBook. Gripes aside, Apple's entry-level notebook is moving in the right direction.