Yesterday, I bought a 2.4 Ghz 13″ MacBook with 4 GB RAM to replace my 2.5 year old 15.4″ MacBook Pro. I wanted to stretch the MacBook Pro out to the full 3 years, but it was not to be. For starters, take a look at the keyboard to get an idea of the kind of use that computer has seen:

For about 2 years the MacBook Pro was my sole computer, getting at least 10-12 hours of solid use a day. Now its second battery is wearing down, the drive is getting slower and slower and frankly, it’s heavy.

It served me well. Now it’s been handed down to Emily, who is needing a computer more and more for school. She enjoys making creations with iLife and it’s nice that she has her own space to do it.

The MacBook is the 5th Mac portable I’ve owned, (PowerBook, iBook G3, iBook G4, MacBook Pro) and it looks to be the best yet. The keyboard feels great (let’s hope the letters don’t get worn away like on my previous laptop). I love the new trackpad gestures. The display is gorgeous and it’s about a pound lighter.

I calibrated the battery last night and it now shows that I can get approximately 4-4.5 hours per charge. What’s it like to walk into a room and not immediately hunt for the power outlets?

Was it crazy to buy a MacBook days before WWDC, where new product announcements are often made? Maybe. If a new model comes out in the next 2 weeks I can always exchange this one except for a restocking fee. It was a chance I was willing to take.