That's not to say that the $999 MacBook is hands-down a better value than the next step up the product line, the $1,299 MacBook. With both of those machines now sporting the same processor, there are some distinct differences that might make the aluminum MacBook worth considering.

The more expensive aluminum-clad MacBook features faster memory--1,066MHz DDR3 SDRAM, compared to 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM. It also has a hard disk drive that's one-third larger than the drive on the $999 model--160GB, versus 120GB. You also have the option of getting a Solid State Disk (SSD) drive on the aluminum MacBook, something you can't buy for the $999 model. And that Mini DisplayPort interface is compatible with Apple's new 24-inch LED Cinema Display, which won't work with the white MacBook.

Apple doesn't do much to its product line out of pure altruism, near as I can tell, and despite protestations from consumers when the new MacBooks debuted last fall, I don't suspect that the company's freshening-up of the low-end MacBook is motivated by trying to appeal to those customers. Instead, I suspect that the decision to upgrade the $999 model is driven by Apple's desire to stay competitive in "fleet sales"--large volume purchases made by institutions and school districts, where the added $300 per unit would put the aluminum MacBook out of consideration all together.

Regardless, Apple deserves credit for dramatically improving the low-end MacBook without charging Mac users any more for it. If you're considering a new Mac and you're on a tight budget (and really, who isn't these days?), the $999 MacBook definitely deserves a closer look.