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Apple MacBook Air

Apple announced the new MacBook Air as the world's thinnest laptop at MacWorld in San Francisco on January 15th, 2008. Its thickness varies from 0.16" to 0.76" as measured from different points along its edge and weighs about 3 lbs. It features a 13.3" LED backlit display, a full-size backlit keyboard, and an oversized multi-touch trackpad. Apple has made use of several new technologies and design features to create an ultra-thin form factor laptop. It does not include an optical media drive.

Where to Buy

Apple MacBook Air
MSRP $1,799.00
Release date January, 2008
Brand Apple
love it
want it
have it
tag it
Pros & Cons28
Reviews38
Details
Buy It9
Competitors16
Comments6
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Pros & Cons

ProSCORE
28 reviews
52
negative
mixed
positive
10 positive
8 mixed
10 negative

[i] How is the ProSCORE calculated?

show me!

Pros:
Do you agree?
•
Extremely thin
+16agreedisagree

•
LED backlit display
+13agreedisagree

•
Large touchpad with advanced gesture support
+13agreedisagree

•
Large backlit keyboard
+12agreedisagree

•
802.11n WiFi support
+8agreedisagree

•
Runs Windows XP / Vista
+5agreedisagree

•
Intel Core 2 Duo is a great option
+4agreedisagree

•
Has a built-in camera
+2agreedisagree

•
Easy to replace hard disk with SSD.
+2agreedisagree

•
Battery lasts even longer with SSD.
+2agreedisagree

•
Has a built-in microphone
+1agreedisagree

•
Can get about 5 hours of battery life with the screen dim and backlit keyboard down
+1agreedisagree

•
Runs Snow Leopard.
0agreedisagree

•
Runs Mac OS X (Leopard)
-1agreedisagree

•
Easy to replace battery (you have to be able to remove and replace 8 screws).
-1agreedisagree

Cons:
Do you agree?
•
Fairly expensive premium for being thin
+23agreedisagree

•
Only 1 USB port
+19agreedisagree

•
No ethernet port
+17agreedisagree

•
No optical drive
+14agreedisagree

•
Expensive to replace battery. (It is replaceable though)
+13agreedisagree

•
Poor battery life (Ars Technica got around 2.5 hours)
+13agreedisagree

•
Recessed USB port makes it hard to connect a 3G USB modem
+7agreedisagree

•
Can't stay connected to WiFi
+7agreedisagree

•
Non upgradeable RAM limited to 2G
+6agreedisagree

•
Relatively heavy considering how thin it is
+5agreedisagree

•
Screen is flimsy, it bends and creeks.
+3agreedisagree

•
Battery is not replaceable
+2agreedisagree

•
Proprietary video out, should have common VGA or HDMi for this price factor
+2agreedisagree


38 people added to this review by submitting or voting on pros and cons. Add your say!
See individual votes »

Details

Specifications

  • 13.3" widescreen LED backlit display
  • 1.6 GHz Standard, 1.8 GHz Option -- Intel Core 2 Duo
  • 2 GB Memory standard
  • 80 GB 1.8" hard disk standard, 64 GB SSD as an option.
  • 5 hours of Battery Life
  • Multi-touch Trackpad
  • No optical drive
  • 802.11n + Bluetooth 2.1/EDR
  • 45 Watt MagSafe, 1 USB 2.0 port, Micro-DVI, Audio Out
  • Magnetic latch
  • 3 lbs
  • Thickness: 0.16" to 0.76"
  • it fits inside a envelope

Versions

There are two main options for the MacBook Air (now available for pre-order: 1) a 1.6 GHz CPU with 80 GB standard 1.8" hard drive starting at $1799, and 2) a 1.8 GHz CPU with a 64 GB solid state drive (SSD) starting at $3098.

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This report was started January 15, 2008 at 1:48 pm by V-Dawg
with the last edit occurring Monday, 9:48 PM by PaulNielsenSQL
This page has been viewed 5281 times, with 551 edits by 44 contributors.
See the full report history »

Buy It

Apple MacBook Air MC234LL/A | 2009 - 2.13GHz - 2GB RAM - 128GB SSD - Nvidia 9400M

• Apple MacBook Air MC234LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop

• 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook

UPC: 885909335602

EAN: 885909335602

MPN: MC234LL/A

Apple MacBook Air MB940LL/A | 2009 - 1.86 GHz - 2GB RAM - 128GB SSD - Nvidia 9400M

• Apple MacBook Air MB940LL/A 13.3 Inch Laptop (1.86 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 2 GB RAM, 128 GB Solid State Drive)

• 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook

UPC: 885909282883

EAN: 885909282883

MPN: MB940LL/A

Apple MacBook Air MB543LL/A | 2009 - 1.6 GHz - 2GB RAM - 120GB HDD - Nvidia 9400M

• Apple MacBook Air MB543LL/A 13.3 Inch Laptop (1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 2 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive)

• 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook

UPC: 885909233571

EAN: 885909233571

MPN: MB543LL/A

Apple MacBook Air

• Apple MacBook Air 13.3" Laptop (1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 2 GB RAM, 64 GB Solid-State Drive)

Competitors

Apple MacBook Air is ranked 3rd among it's competitors.  See the top picks in Laptops »
Lenovo ThinkPad X300

Lenovo ThinkPad X300

MSRP  $2,900.00    Released  April, 2008
Pros
  • Integrated DVD burner
  • Solid design
  • Very fast Solid State hard drive
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Not very stylish
  • Still using annoying trackball
ProSCORE
3 reviews
56
Vote! (6 votes)
vote Apple MacBook Air 50% vs. vote Lenovo ThinkPad X300 50%
Asus UX30

Asus UX30

MSRP  $1,000.00    Released  August, 2009
Pros
  • Thin & Lightweight
  • Led backlight
  • CPU ultra low-voltage
ProSCORE
1 review
100
Vote! (2 votes)
vote Apple MacBook Air 50% vs. vote Asus UX30 50%
Lenovo IdeaPad U110

Lenovo IdeaPad U110

MSRP  $1,799.00    Released  April, 2008
Pros
  • ultra light at only 2.4 lbs. w/ 4 cell
  • 11.1" screen for it's size
Cons
  • smudges easy
ProSCORE
3 reviews
100
Vote! (5 votes)
vote Apple MacBook Air 60% vs. vote Lenovo IdeaPad U110 40%
Sony VAIO Z

Sony VAIO Z

MSRP  $2,000.00    Released  July, 2008
Pros
  • amazing battery life
  • the latest chipset - including 802.11N, improved Intel graphics
  • 13.3" is a sweet spot - small and light but functional
Cons
  • fairly expensive - like any luxury super thin and light notebook
  • Only 2 usb connectors. Card readers inconveniently located at the middle-front.
  • can not enable Intel Core 2 Due Virtualization technology
ProSCORE
6 reviews
75
Vote! (5 votes)
vote Apple MacBook Air 60% vs. vote Sony VAIO Z 40%
Voodoo Envy 133

Voodoo Envy 133

MSRP  $2,100.00    Released  September, 2008
Pros
  • Thinner than the Macbook Air
  • Lightweight at 3.4 lbs
  • Slick carbon fiber case design
Cons
  • No built-in RJ45 connection (mitigated by Aura PowerConnect)
  • No built-in DVD drive
  • Lack of OS options (Comes bundled with Windows Vista)
ProSCORE
6 reviews
73
Vote! (5 votes)
vote Apple MacBook Air 60% vs. vote Voodoo Envy 133 40%
Toshiba Dynabook SS RX2

Toshiba Dynabook SS RX2

MSRP  --    Released  September, 2008
Pros
  • lighter than any umpc/netbook, regardless of size
  • best battery life to date of any laptop
  • semi-rugged design is water, drop and crush resistant
Cons
  • Japan only
ProSCORE
2 reviews
71
Vote! (3 votes)
vote Apple MacBook Air 67% vs. vote Toshiba Dynabook SS RX2 33%
Samsung X360

Samsung X360

MSRP  $2,399.00    Released  September, 2008
Pros
  • lighter than the MacBook Air - only 2.84 pounds
  • LED backlit display
  • amazing keyboard
Cons
  • boring old 1,280 x 800 resolution
  • slower than average 1.2GHz processor
  • might not be such a good deal for the price - one can afford a much stronger laptop/netbook combination for less money
ProSCORE
1 review
75
Vote! (3 votes)
vote Apple MacBook Air 67% vs. vote Samsung X360 33%
Toshiba 57H84

Toshiba 57H84

MSRP  $1,889.00    Released  --

The latest additions to Toshibas HD widescreen lineup represent the companys continued commitment to both quality and value. Toshiba TheaterView(R) and TheaterWide(R) projection televisions bring an end to the days of sacrificing picture quality in exchange for a large screen. With Toshibas new H84 series, you will appreciate the quality and convenience of advancements...

ProSCORE
0 reviews
N/A
Vote! (3 votes)
vote Apple MacBook Air 67% vs. vote Toshiba 57H84 33%
Sony VAIO P

Sony VAIO P

MSRP  $899.00    Released  February, 2009
Pros
  • great screen with an amazing resolution for the size
  • extremely lightweight and small
  • sleek Sony Vaio styling
Cons
  • expensive
  • no Linux version available
  • GPS uses Microsoft Streets and Maps by default which means no turn-by-turn directions
ProSCORE
13 reviews
60
Vote! (1 vote)
vote Apple MacBook Air 100% vs. vote Sony VAIO P 0%
HP Envy 13

HP Envy 13

MSRP  $1,699.00    Released  October, 2009
Pros
  • lightweight and thin (3.74 pounds, <1" thick)
  • high resolution LED backlit display (1600 x 900px) - superior colour gamut than the Envy 15
  • comes with the latest generation, powerful ATI Radeon HD 4330 graphics chip with 1GB of dedicated RAM
Cons
  • not the best value - closer to the underpowered ultra-portable side, quite expensive
  • only 2 USB ports
  • poorly implemented touchpad
ProSCORE
3 reviews
68
Vote! (1 vote)
vote Apple MacBook Air 100% vs. vote HP Envy 13 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad X301

Lenovo ThinkPad X301

MSRP  $2,000.00    Released  August, 2008
Pros
  • famous ThinkPad build quality
  • UltraNav combo (includes multitouch touch pad and TrackPoint)
  • LED backlit high definition 13.3" display (1440 x 900px)
Cons
  • very expensive
  • Intel GMA graphics only - no switchable graphics options, only good for basic 2D applications and media
  • poorer value - energy efficient components are very expensive, not as powerful / versatile as cheaper models from Lenovo
ProSCORE
2 reviews
64
Vote! (1 vote)
vote Apple MacBook Air 100% vs. vote Lenovo ThinkPad X301 0%
Dell Adamo XPS

Dell Adamo XPS

MSRP  $1,499.00    Releases  January, 2010
Pros
  • thinnest laptop in the world (1/2 an inch)
  • solid aluminum body
  • very thin and light - (1/2" thick, 1.5 pounds) great portability
Cons
  • this type of thinness is not intriguing from a usability standpoint
  • not pretty
  • makes you look stupid
ProSCORE
2 reviews
44
Vote! (1 vote)
vote Apple MacBook Air 100% vs. vote Dell Adamo XPS 0%
Apple Mac Pro

Apple Mac Pro

MSRP  $2,499.00    Released  March, 2009
Pros
  • Unlike past models, Mac Pro is very configurable
  • Fast, fast, fast! Quad core up to 3Ghz
  • Quiet while running.
Cons
  • expensive
  • Noisy DVD drive
  • No wi-fi
ProSCORE
9 reviews
73
Vote! (0 votes)
vote Apple MacBook Air   vs. vote Apple Mac Pro  
MSI X600

MSI X600

MSRP  $899.00    Released  May, 2009
Pros
  • Very thin 15" netbook - less than 1" thick
  • Very lightweight for a 15" netbook - 4.8 lbs
  • Excellent ports connectivity - including an eSATA and HDMI
Cons
  • No optical drive built-in
  • large size/weight makes categorization of this as a "netbook" questionable
  • Lightweight advantage lost when you include the external DVD writer
ProSCORE
4 reviews
62
Vote! (1 vote)
vote Apple MacBook Air 100% vs. vote MSI X600 0%
Sony VAIO TT Series

Sony VAIO TT Series

MSRP  $1,999.99    Released  January, 2008
Pros
  • compact and lightweight - 11", <3 pounds
  • great battery life
  • LED backlight
Cons
  • you pay a premium for the ultra-portable design
  • not as powerful as standard laptops
  • Blu-ray is largely useless with such a small display
ProSCORE
1 review
64
Vote! (1 vote)
vote Apple MacBook Air 100% vs. vote Sony VAIO TT Series 0%
Dell Adamo

Dell Adamo

MSRP  $1,999.00    Released  March, 2009
Pros
  • extremely thin (0.65-inch vs the 0.76-inch Macbook Air)
  • 128GB SSD storage
  • background-lid keyboard
Cons
  • Intel graphics
  • extremely expensive
  • regular laptop battery life (2.5 hours)
ProSCORE
9 reviews
29
Vote! (2 votes)
vote Apple MacBook Air 100% vs. vote Dell Adamo 0%

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Comments

18 taps
show more
1.  avatar Discordanian said:

The premium for 'thin' is too much. I don't think I'd be happy without my superdrive and firewire. Count me as an Apple fan, but I think that this one misses the mark.
Jan 17, 2008 9:17am
2.  avatar GT-D said:

I'd totally go for this for school. I have a large and, for the time, fairly powerful laptop. I've found that now I want a laptop that will do word processing, surf the net and a bit of other productivity stuff and be as light as possible.

Though I'd have to fool around with the laptop a bit before deciding, it is VERY thing... I might be scared of breaking it.
Jan 17, 2008 10:13am
3.  avatar Erik said:

I agree with Discordanian. While you can't deny how cool this laptop is because of its thinness, I think this is more of a response to the consumer's irrational obsession with "thin" products. I would preferred a sub-compact laptop that was also smaller in the LxW dimensions as well that would weigh less than that 3lbs. On the upside, this would be a great laptop for Flatlanders.
Jan 17, 2008 11:51am
4.  avatar Erik said:

4 reasons you need the MacBook Air according to The Joy of Tech.
Jan 28, 2008 11:11am
5.  avatar ruff_rugby said:

Side note- The MBA battery is replaceable. I don't know why it says you can't. Its just like an iPod battery were you have to go through apple.
Feb 10, 2008 3:43am
6.  avatar gbchaosmaster said:

If it weren't for the price, I'd take this laptop over many others, but, alas, I already have it. I must say, I love the keyboard. It's large and easy to type on, and I love the fact that it's lit up. I also like the built-in mic and cam, as well as light sensors that adjust the backlight and keyboard light automatically. If only the battery lasted longer...
Apr 15, 2009 11:54am
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Reviews

Sort by: Most helpful  •  Newest  •  Most positive

Yale

avatar
December 17, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
57
negative
mixed
positive
8 pros
6 cons
trustedtrusted
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • Extremely thin
  • LED backlit display
  • Large touchpad with advanced gesture support
  • Large backlit keyboard
  • 802.11n WiFi support
  • Runs Windows XP / Vista
  • Intel Core 2 Duo is a great option
  • Runs Mac OS X (Leopard)

Cons

  • Fairly expensive premium for being thin
  • Only 1 USB port
  • No ethernet port
  • No optical drive
  • Expensive to replace battery. (It is replaceable though)
  • Poor battery life (Ars Technica got around 2.5 hours)

Competitors

Yale prefers Samsung X360, Lenovo ThinkPad X300 over Apple MacBook Air
Yale prefers Apple MacBook Air over Sony VAIO Z, Voodoo Envy 133, Lenovo IdeaPad U110, Dell Adamo XPS
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

iambored8907

avatar
May 28, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
43
negative
mixed
positive
6 pros
8 cons
trustedtrusted
want itwant it
love itlove it
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • Extremely thin
  • LED backlit display
  • Large touchpad with advanced gesture support
  • Large backlit keyboard
  • 802.11n WiFi support
  • Intel Core 2 Duo is a great option

Cons

  • Fairly expensive premium for being thin
  • No ethernet port
  • No optical drive
  • Expensive to replace battery. (It is replaceable though)
  • Poor battery life (Ars Technica got around 2.5 hours)
  • Recessed USB port makes it hard to connect a 3G USB modem
  • Relatively heavy considering how thin it is
  • Battery is not replaceable

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Erik

avatar
February 11, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
45
negative
mixed
positive
5 pros
6 cons
trustedtrusted
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • Extremely thin
  • LED backlit display
  • Large touchpad with advanced gesture support
  • Large backlit keyboard
  • 802.11n WiFi support

Cons

  • Fairly expensive premium for being thin
  • No ethernet port
  • No optical drive
  • Expensive to replace battery. (It is replaceable though)
  • Poor battery life (Ars Technica got around 2.5 hours)
  • Relatively heavy considering how thin it is

Comments

"I agree with Discordanian. While you can't deny how cool this laptop is because of its thinness, I think this is more of a response to the consumer's irrational obsession with "thin" products. I would preferred a sub-compact laptop that was also smaller in the LxW dimensions as well that would weigh less than that 3lbs. On the upside, this would be a great laptop for Flatlanders."
"4 reasons you need the MacBook Air according to The Joy of Tech."
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Amanie

avatar
August 19, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
44
negative
mixed
positive
4 pros
5 cons
trustedtrusted
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • Extremely thin
  • LED backlit display
  • Large touchpad with advanced gesture support
  • Intel Core 2 Duo is a great option

Cons

  • Fairly expensive premium for being thin
  • Only 1 USB port
  • No ethernet port
  • Recessed USB port makes it hard to connect a 3G USB modem
  • Can't stay connected to WiFi

Competitors

Amanie prefers Apple MacBook Air over Lenovo ThinkPad X300
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

hawks22gk

avatar
December 19, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
83
negative
mixed
positive
5 pros
1 con
trustedtrusted
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • Extremely thin
  • Large touchpad with advanced gesture support
  • Large backlit keyboard
  • Intel Core 2 Duo is a great option
  • Runs Mac OS X (Leopard)

Cons

  • No optical drive

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

sebasg

avatar
March 19, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
17
negative
mixed
positive
1 pro
5 cons
trustedtrusted
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • Large touchpad with advanced gesture support

Cons

  • Fairly expensive premium for being thin
  • Only 1 USB port
  • No ethernet port
  • No optical drive
  • Poor battery life (Ars Technica got around 2.5 hours)

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Jan

avatar
February 15, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
50
negative
mixed
positive
2 pros
2 cons
trustedtrusted
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • Extremely thin
  • LED backlit display

Cons

  • Fairly expensive premium for being thin
  • No optical drive

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

ruff_rugby

avatar
February 10, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
0
negative
mixed
positive
0 pros
1 con
trustedtrusted
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Pros

Did not agree with any pros

Cons

  • Expensive to replace battery. (It is replaceable though)

Comments

"Side note- The MBA battery is replaceable. I don't know why it says you can't. Its just like an iPod battery were you have to go through apple."
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

fractalhorizon

avatar
October 11, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
88
negative
mixed
positive
15 pros
2 cons
trustedtrusted
have ithave it
love itlove it
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • Extremely thin
  • LED backlit display
  • Large touchpad with advanced gesture support
  • Large backlit keyboard
  • 802.11n WiFi support
  • Runs Windows XP / Vista
  • Intel Core 2 Duo is a great option
  • Has a built-in camera
  • Easy to replace hard disk with SSD.
  • Battery lasts even longer with SSD.
  • Has a built-in microphone
  • Can get about 5 hours of battery life with the screen dim and backlit keyboard down
  • Runs Snow Leopard.
  • Runs Mac OS X (Leopard)
  • Easy to replace battery (you have to be able to remove and replace 8 screws).

Cons

  • Fairly expensive premium for being thin
  • Non upgradeable RAM limited to 2G

Competitors

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Omar

avatar
February 10, 2008
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
40
negative
mixed
positive
4 pros
6 cons
trustedtrusted
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • Extremely thin
  • LED backlit display
  • Large touchpad with advanced gesture support
  • 802.11n WiFi support

Cons

  • Fairly expensive premium for being thin
  • Only 1 USB port
  • No ethernet port
  • Poor battery life (Ars Technica got around 2.5 hours)
  • Recessed USB port makes it hard to connect a 3G USB modem
  • Relatively heavy considering how thin it is

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No
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