Macbook Air Review

Introduction
The New Macbook Air is out!

Check it out right here – Apple MacBook Air MC503LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop

New Macbook Air
Introduction
Apple has made an addition to its Macbook line, by not only upgrading the 13 inch Macbook Air, but making an 11-inch version with a lower starting price of $1000. This brings a whole other level of decisions to made, for the price makes it competitive with Apple’s own iPad, Macbook, and Macbook Pro. Will this new addition and upgrades broaden the Air’s fan base?

Specs
1.4 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
2GB RAM
64 GB Solid State Hard Drive
11.6 inch 1366 x 768 resolution
H .11-.68in W 11.8 in D 7.56 in W 2.3 lbs

Outside
It’s a Mac…ok, I’ll explain again. So it looks amazing and is extremely well made. The brushed aluminum just looks so much better than any other computer out there in my opinion. Just like its older brothers, the Macbook and Macbook Pro, the unibody design is completely seamless. It really is a feat how perfectly it is made. It is very strong taking its weight in consideration, and almost feels like an iPad because of its size and weight. Hmmmm, size and weight of an iPad, yet it is a fully functioning computer…interesting. Apple ditched the push-to-open port revealer, having something move on the outside is just not very Apple like…anyway, and decided to add a second USB port on the other side (and an SD card slot on the 13 inch model). This means there are just five ports on the 11-inch (4 ports on previous model). Because the ports don’t move, the actual hardware will last longer. Other ultra thin notebooks such as the Sony X are completely flat, so the height of the machine is consistent. While this may seem ideal, even the slightest slant in a keyboard makes it much more comfortable to type on, the Air is built this way.
Inside
Opening up the screen looks identical to the previous Macbook Air. The only noticeable difference is the higher resolution screen. Upon closer inspection, the screen actually has more resolution than the current 13inch Macbook Pro, while the 13 inch Air has the same resolution as the 15 inch Macbook Pro. This is a very surprising move by Apple, to actually have a less expensive model that has a higher resolution screen. Then again, watch Apple announce a brand new line of Macbook Pros with a huge upgrade in screen resolution; the latter is probably more likely.
Everything else is about it is identical to the rest of the Mac line: keyboard, multi touch trackpad, and web camera. The 11 inch’s keyboard appears to be identical to the 13 inch model, except the F-keys are a little smaller. My only complaint is the lack of a backlit keyboard. This is something that could actually steer me away from switching over to the Macbook Air. Business class laptops such Lenovo’s ThinkPad line and the Sony Z class have this feature standard. Aside from the aluminum and firewire port, this is the biggest difference between the Macbook and Macbook Pro. When it is necessary to do work in different lighting situations, a backlit keyboard is completely necessary. As a student I rely on my Macbook Pro’s backlight so I can see what I am typing when watching a Power Point presentation in a dark lecture hall. For the few times a year that I fly, it is so useful to be able to see the keyboard clearly no matter what the cabin lighting is. An easy but inconvenient option is to purchase a usb keyboard light.
The trackpad is about 30% smaller on the 11inch model. The multi touch technology is wonderful and works amazingly. What I often find is that the more features that are jammed into something, the more poorly it works. This is the opposite with the Macbook line’s trackpad. This thing is a work of art. The entire thing is touch sensitive, and you can click anywhere. There are over 10 gestures (all of them are optional and easily changed in a menu) that can be used, and all 10 work flawlessly. This Mac is smart enough to detect than when you swipe your fingers faster, you want to move down a page faster.
Performance
Apple completely redesigned the actual motherboard and core of the Macbook Air. Along with upgraded specs, Apple worked to make components more compact to save space for the larger battery. Apple got rid of the casings covering the flash memory ,and put the memory right onto the logic board. This saves a lot of space for typically the traditional hard drive is not on the motherboard, but with compact flash memory this is an option.
The actual performance is somewhere between a Macbook and an iPad. The processor is nothing to write home about, but it is much more powerful than the Atom processors that come in thicker netbooks. While one would not think that this processor is game worthy, in combination with a newer graphics card (identical to the one in the 13-inch Macbook Pro), an upgraded RAM module, and extremely fast flash memory, this machine can actually handle light to medium level gaming. While it does not have anything on an Alienware machine, performance pound per pounded and size, this machine can put up quite a fight. The speakers (notice how there are no apparent speakers) are actually behind the keyboard, and while it does not sound as loud of my Macbook Pro, they sound so much better than any other laptop even close to its size.
Recommendations
The original Macbook Air (only came in a 13 inch) was pretty cool because it was so thin and blah blah blah, it just was not a game changer. It was expensive, not that much smaller than a 13 inch Macbook, and had unimpressive performance. Even the current 13 inch Macbook Air is not that impressive to me. Don’t get me wrong, there is a niche for it. It is cool, but in that size there are much more impressive machines such as the Sony Z which although is thicker, is a workhouse machine (my favorite PC). It is also not that much smaller than the Macbook which will perform better for longer.
Now the 11-inch model is VERY intriguing to me. It fits in somewhere between the iPad and Macbook in size and performance. It is much easier to transport than a Macbook, yet is an actual computer unlike the iPad. For someone looking to lug around all of his or her music, photos, and videos, the hard drive may be pressed to its limit. I’d upgrade the hard drive and RAM. For a student looking for an extremely portable Mac that is a not a multimedia enthusiast, this is definitely an option. I think the targeted audience is the high end businessman looking for an ultralight laptop that can look and play the part needed to travel across the country, or across the building. It makes a big difference on the back between carrying this versus a full 15 inch laptop. The aluminum structure is extremely thin yet very strong, and will put up to abuse. If you don’t move your laptop that much, save the money (assuming you would get upgrades) and get a Macbook.

Posted in: Macbook