Cupertino, California - Quicker graphics, cutting edge processors, and a completely novel aluminium casing: those are the highlights of the completely reworked laptop line from Apple, as presented by CEO Steve Jobs at a recent press conference in Cupertino.

Apple also used the occasion to announce new lower prices for its portable computers, including a MacBook starting at 950 dollars. Many fans were nevertheless disappointed that Apple chose not to enter into the inexpensive netbook market, a class that includes machines for less than 300 dollars.

The rebuilt computer starts with a new production method. "Apple has invented a whole new way of building notebooks from a single block of aluminium," Steve Jobs explained. The company is also responding to environmentalists by using recyclable materials and avoiding components that are damaging to the environment. The company's products have received poor grades on the green front in the past.

As part of the new production process, Apple cuts the body of the laptop from a more than 1 kilogram block of aluminium. The final casing created in that process weighs no more than 100 grams. The remainder of the laptop's components are mounted into the shell. This complicated process has to date only been applied to the high-end MacBook Air model to create its extremely flat casing. The MacBook Pro and MacBook models will now also be created in this way. Only the lower priced introductory model, the MacBook White, still comes in a white plastic casing.

Another change is related to graphics hardware. The integrated graphics chips from Intel have been replaced with chips from graphics specialist Nvidia. The MacBook now comes with the GeForce 9400M chip set with DDR3 RAM, estimated by experts to run twice as quickly as Intel's current Centrino 2 graphics chips. Apple also included the Nvidia GeForce 9600M chipset in its MacBook Pro, known to provide an extra boost to 3D graphics in particular. Fans of 3D games may well come to see the MacBook Pro as a viable gaming option.

The new graphics chips will likely not be able to let the throttle all the way out until OS X Snow Leopard is released. The upcoming OS update from Apple will allow for added graphic power to be turned on and off dynamically. The current version of the Mac OS X forces the user to log in and out to switch the GeForce 9600M on or off. As the MacBook Pro's battery life is longer with the graphics card switched off - five instead of four hours - users are well advised to leave the Nvidia chip turned off by default when running on battery mode.

Apple has also used the renovation of the MacBook line to get rid of the mouse button on its multi-touch trackpad. The new glass touchpad can itself be pressed like a button, even while increasing the usable control space by 40 per cent. The multi-finger gestures familiar to iPhone users can also now be used to control the MacBook.

The new MacBooks in their aluminium casing will be available for around 1,200 to 1,500 dollars. The MacBook White is available for about 950 dollars. Analyst Gene Munster offered a positive review of Apple's presentation of the new production process and technical possibilities for the devices. Even so, he was uncertain whether Apple's price cuts would be sufficient in the hard competition with other laptop makers.

"People wanted a price cut on the MacBook to 800 dollars," he said. Munster nevertheless presumes that customers will be impressed by the new MacBook.

Joshua Topolsky from the popular US tech blog Engadget summed up the new MacBooks as "evolution, not revolution." The blogger felt the MacBook Pro could have used an integrated UMTS modem, already available in high-end models from other manufacturers. Topolsky noted that the MacBook series in particular has closed some of the price/performance gap with the Pro models. (dpa)