How to Repair and Replace MacBook Keys
Identification
The easiest way to differentiate the standard MacBook from a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro is to look at the bottom of the display assembly. The standard MacBook will only list "MacBook." The model number and EMC number are printed on the bottom of the case.
MacBook Core Duo Series Model Number: A1181
Unibody Model Numbers: A1278 and A1342
Retina Series Model Number: A1534
Model History
The standard MacBook model came in a white plastic enclosure, while the high-end model was also offered with a black enclosure.
A completely new design was added to the family in January 2008 with the release of the three-pound MacBook Air. The MacBook Air, touted as the world's thinnest notebook, featured an aluminum enclosure. To create an incredibly thin and light machine, Apple made a number of compromises, including omitting the optical drive, using a 1.8" hard drive (normal is 2.5"), and integrating the RAM into the logic board, preventing future RAM upgrades.
After more than two years and numerous incremental upgrades, Apple announced a completely new MacBook model in October 2008, the MacBook Unibody. The MacBook Unibody is a hybrid of the original MacBook and the MacBook Air, packing all the features of the MacBook into a more stylish and lighter-weight aluminum enclosure.
The MacBook line was discontinued in Mid 2010, when the MacBook Air took up the role of Apple's consumer laptop line and was re-released in 2015 with a single USB-C port. As of July 9, 2019, the MacBook series has been discontinued again.