The 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer from Apple is an extremely portable, stunningly designed laptop computer. Apple's engineers have leveraged the lessons they learned in designing the miniaturized iPad and applied them to the design of this 2.9-pound computer.
The original MacBook Air's slim profile was made possible due to the lack of an optical drive. This system eschews the hard drive as well -- opting instead for 128GB of flash storage -- resulting in an even slimmer profile. When closed, the computer is only 0.68" at its thickest point.
Flash storage doesn't just give you a lighter, thinner computer. It also allows for impressive battery life -- up to 7 hours of web browsing and an amazing 30 days of standby time!
The MacBook Air is housed in an aluminum unibody enclosure, which is as strong as it is light. Because it is cut from a solid block of aluminum, the housing is stronger than those found on laptops built via traditional means.
The computer's high-resolution display makes working on the go a breeze. At 13.3" in size, the 16:10 display feature a native resolution of 1440 x 900 -- equal to that of the 15.4" MacBook Pro! It features a glossy finish and a LED backlight for enhanced image quality and energy efficiency.
Computers in the MacBook Air's weight class are most often classified in the "netbook" category. Netbooks typically feature less-than-full-size keyboards, cramped trackpads, and low-powered CPUs. Not so with the MacBook Air. This computer features the same chiclet keyboard found on every computer in the MacBook series. It also boasts a large multi-touch glass trackpad, giving you full control over your computer -- without sacrificing ergonomics.
The computer is powered by a dual-core 1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and boasts 2GB of RAM. Graphics are provided by an integrated nVIDIA GeForce 320M GPU with up to 256MB of shared DDR3 memory. The computer features all the amenities you expect on a Mac -- a FaceTime webcam, dual-band 802.11n AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, an SD card slot, and built-in stereo speakers.
iLife '11 has a complete suite of digital creativity applications. Easy enough for anyone to use, iLife will help you edit your home movies, organize digital photos, and compose original music.
The 64-bit OS features Time Machine backup, which automatically backs up system data to an external hard drive. It also features intuitive Cover Flow navigation, the powerful Spotlight search tool, and Quick Look document preview. You'll be able to use Boot Camp to run Windows on your Mac, or FaceTime to participate in video chats with iPhone, iPod touch, and Mac users.
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Processor | 1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo |
| Cache | L2: 6MB |
| System Bus | 1066MHz Front Side Bus |
| Memory |
Slots: Onboard Type: PC3-8500 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM Installed: 2GB Capacity: 2GB |
| Graphics Card |
Type: Integrated Installed: nVIDIA GeForce 320M with 256MB DDR3 SDRAM Shared |
| Display | |
|---|---|
| Type | Widescreen |
| Size | 13.3" |
| Backlight | LED |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:10 |
| Finish | Glossy |
| Native Resolution | 1440 x 900 |
| Supported Resolutions |
1440 x 900 at 16:10 Aspect Ratio 1280 x 800 at 16:10 Aspect Ratio 1152 x 720 at 16:10 Aspect Ratio 1024 x 640 at 16:10 Aspect Ratio 800 x 500 at 16:10 Aspect Ratio 1024 x 768 at 4:3 Aspect Ratio 800 x 600 at 4:3 Aspect Ratio 640 x 480 at 4:3 Aspect Ratio 720 x 480 at 3:2 Aspect Ratio |
| External Resolution | Up to 2560 x 1600 |
| Dual Display | Yes |
| Video Mirroring | Yes |
| Storage | |
|---|---|
| Hard Drive | Installed: 128GB SSD |
| Optical Drive | None |
| Input/Output Connectors | |
|---|---|
| Ports | 2x USB 2.0 (A) |
| Display | 1x Mini DisplayPort |
| Audio |
Integrated Stereo Speakers Integrated Microphone 1x 1/8" (3.5mm) Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack |
| Expansion Slots | None |
| Flash Media Slot | 1x SD |
| Communications | |
|---|---|
| Network | None |
| Modem | None |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11n Airport Extreme |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 2.1+EDR |
| Webcam | Yes |
| General | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Mac OS X 10.7 Lion (64-bit) |
| Security | Not Specified By Manufacturer |
| Keyboard | Type: Standard Notebook Keyboard |
| Pointing Device | TouchPad |
| Battery | Built-In Lithium-Polymer Providing up to 7 Hours per Charge (50Wh) |
| Power Requirements | Not Specified By Manufacturer |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 12.8 x 0.68 x 8.94" / 32.51 x 1.73 x 22.71 cm |
| Weight | 2.9 lb / 1.32 kg |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviewsPros
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Reviewed by 28 customers
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
3rd one of these I've owned and they have gotten better each time. Pretty much everything you could ask for in a laptop computer.
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
The notebook is great. The only problem is that It doesn't have a cd room. The mouse is not necessary to have with this notebook.
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
Bought this to start testing Mac OS X in the enterprise environment. Thin, fast, beatuiful!
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
I really like the macbook. It's a little heavier than I imagined but still so much easier to fit in a backpack. The fact there's no fan makes it really quiet. The software runs great. No complaints here except I wish they had an ethernet port and a few more USB slots.
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
I use it for daily us. To surf the web. It's light and easy to carry around. Wish it had more hpurs between recharge.
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
light weight, fast and long battery life. [...] got parallel desktop for free.
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
Extraordinary product. We have compared with our old HP y the diferent is outstanding. Much more easy to use and easy to go throw. Fantantic product. Excelent the help we received from the shop vendor. Congratulation for this trained people.
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
You can't beat a B&H deal! Saved some cash and got the same great name brand product. [...]. Always coming back to you for the best products at a discount.
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
nice computer can install windows best of both worlds
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
What is great about this product is it is very very light, easy to handle. There is nothing I do not like about it. I highly recommend everyone to try it. One thing I must add there is no Turkish software available which is a disadvantage.
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
I bought for my sister and she loved it so much.
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
This is, doubtless, the best notebook I've ever had! Not only it's light and thin, but has a surprisingly long battery life (up to 7h of web browsing and using aperture and a amazing 11 HOURS with bluetooth and airport turned off). I admit that the main use for my mac air is word processing at college. But sometimes I edit some photos with aperture and it shows no problem at all. By being thin and light, I can carry it on my messenger bag all day and I can barely feel it. The keyboard is great and the multisensitive trackpad makes everything easier when multitasking. The only thing I would change is the webcam, because I thought it would be something like crystal clear, but I admit that I was thinking too high... Another thing that must be said is that sometimes the cooler becomes too noisy when I'm using the battery, but in a while it cools down. That being said, I spend all day with it and I love this macbook more and more. So, BUY IT!
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
I love this laptop. Boot time is just a few seconds and the form factor is second to none. Battery life is exceptional.
I would recommend this laptop to anyone who enjoys cutting edge electronics.
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
My new job most probably will require a lot of traveling so I opted to duplicate my existing MacBook which is our general home machine with this one. I was torn whether to get the smaller one but because of almost the same price vs specs ordered the 13". Still wondering about that as all that it'll be used for is notes and internet! In any case it certainly doesn't delude and after loading all my stuff I'm looking forward to grinding.
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
I recently bought a MacBook air from B&H. Best laptop ever! So light n thin, you don't even realize the limits of having a more bulky n heavier laptop until you've made the switch. I am more prone to taking it out of the house, running upstairs with it, keeping it on my lap or in the bed.
Of course the lack o a cd is a limit but honestly how much do you use them theses days anyway. My thumb drive works just as well and I can virtually download and install everything over broadband anyway.
Get one!
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
I recommend this Macair if you already have a desktop or laptop already. If this is going to be your only computer, go check out something else. Other than that, I am very pleased with the macair 13.3 Startup and shut down process is lighting fast. Transferring between macs is very simple and easy. I had an issue with the mousepad upon arrival as I wasn't able to click on anything. Thinking it was a defect, I plug in an usb mouse and change the setup then everything is fine now. The unit makes no noise and rarely heats up after hours surfing on the net. So far the battery last around 6ish hours. The speakers are fine but not loud enough, use headphones. However, my intention was to use this for traveling and I should have gone smaller to the 11". Overall, I am happy with this.
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
I use the Mac Air for word processing and access to the internet. It's fast. It's light to carry around (hence Air) and has excellent battery life. I find it very convenient to import photos directly into my Mac Air and plan to use photo shop as well.
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
We use plenty of Macs in our business. We normally use the 13" MacBook Pro, but wanted to try one of these. It's fantastic...the speed is great...the solid state drive is super fast. The screen is super bright.
The two down-sides are ones that I understand are limitations of its size, but still downsides nonetheless.
The first is battery life. Don't get me wrong, it's several hours whcih is great for a notebook...but it's not as good as the 13" macbook Pro.
The second is upgrade options. There are none. The memory is soldered onto the system board, so there are precisely zero options to upgrade the RAM...
That said...if you make sure that you get the model you want and will be happy with, you will love this notebook!
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
Lightweight and durable for transport around classes.
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Comments about Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
My wife loves it. She was a PC person but after getting set up with her new laptop she is very pleased. After all, if she not happy no one is happy.
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