The 11.6" 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 2.4-pound computer.
To say that the Air is svelte is all at once stating the obvious and understating the truth. The system is defined by its sleek lines and stunning aluminum enclosure. At its thickest point the computer is only 0.68" -- it tapers down to 0.11" at its thinnest.
The system is loaded with 128GB of SSD flash storage rather than an old-fashioned hard drive. Flash storage doesn't just give you a lighter, thinner computer. It also allows for impressive battery life -- up to 5 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 11.6" in size, the 16:9 display feature a native resolution of 1366 x 768 -- delivering more pixels than the 13.3" MacBook Pro! It features a glossy finish and LED backlight technology 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 a standard-size backlit chiclet keyboard, the same as on the larger computers in the MacBook line. 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 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 processor and boasts 4GB of RAM. Graphics are provided by an integrated Intel GMA HD 3000 GPU. The computer features all the amenities you expect on a Mac -- a FaceTime webcam, dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and built-in stereo speakers.
iLife '11, a complete suite of digital creativity applications, is installed on the system. Easy enough for anyone to use, iLife will help you edit your home movies, organize digital photos, and compose original music.
The computer is loaded with Apple's Mac OS X 10.7 Lion operating system. The 64-bit OS features Time Machine backup, which automatically backs up system data to an external hard drive. It also features intuitive natural scrolling, the innovative Launchpad application launcher, and support for full screen applications. Mission Control combines the functionality of Dashboard, Exposé, and Spaces -- giving you a bird's eye view of everything that is happening on your computer.
Lion also adds Auto Save to your Mac, ensuring that you won't lose data if you forget to save a file. The OS tracks different versions of your documents, so you can go back to a previous draft of a document with ease. AirDrop makes it easy to transmit files wirelessly between computers, even if there is no central Wi-Fi network available. The revamped Mail application takes full advantage of modern widescreen displays.
And of course, you can expand the functionality of your computer system by browsing through the multitude of productivity applications, games, and other software that is available for purchase from the Mac App Store. Because the software in the store is curated by Apple, you can be sure that it is free of malware and safe to use. And, like the iOS App Store, you'll automatically be notified when updated versions of your favorite programs are available for download.
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Processor | 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 |
| Cache | L3: 3MB |
| System Bus | Not Specified By Manufacturer |
| Memory |
Slots: Onboard Type: PC3-10600 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM Installed: 4GB Capacity: 4GB |
| Graphics Card |
Type: Integrated Installed: Intel GMA HD Graphics 3000 with 384MB DDR3 SDRAM Shared |
| Display | |
|---|---|
| Type | Widescreen |
| Size | 11.6" |
| Backlight | LED |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Finish | Glossy |
| Native Resolution | 1366 x 768 |
| Supported Resolutions |
1366 x 768 at 16:9 Aspect Ratio 1344 x 756 at 16:9 Aspect Ratio 1280 x 720 at 16:9 Aspect Ratio 1152 x 720 at 16:10 Aspect Ratio 1024 x 640 at 16:10 Aspect Ratio 1024 x 768 at 4:3 Aspect Ratio 800 x 600 at 4:3 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) 1x Thunderbolt |
| Audio |
Integrated Stereo Speakers Integrated Omnidirectional Microphone 1x 1/8" (3.5mm) Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack |
| Expansion Slots | None |
| Flash Media Slot | None |
| Communications | |
|---|---|
| Network | None |
| Modem | None |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11a/b/g/n |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Webcam | Yes |
| General | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Mac OS X 10.7 Lion (64-bit) |
| Security | None |
| Keyboard |
Type: Standard Notebook Keyboard Features: Backlight, Chiclet Style |
| Pointing Device | TouchPad with Double-Tap, Drag, Four-Finger Swipe, Inertial Scrolling, Multi-Touch Control, Pinch, Rotate, Tap, Three-Finger Swipe |
| Battery | Built-In Lithium-Polymer Providing up to 5 Hours per Charge (35Wh) |
| Power Requirements |
AC: 100-240 V AC, 50-60Hz Consumption: 45W |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 11.8 x 0.68 x 7.56" / 29.97 x 1.73 x 19.20 cm |
| Weight | 2.38 lb / 1.08 kg |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
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Most Liked Positive Review
Perfect for everyday computing on the go
As a girl, I don't like to haul big heavy laptops so this 11.6 MBAir is just perfect for me. It's light and small enough to fit into a purse...although I don't ...Read complete review
As a girl, I don't like to haul big heavy laptops so this 11.6 MBAir is just perfect for me. It's light and small enough to fit into a purse...although I don't have a purse big enough to fit this laptop yet, I still don't mind carrying this in my arms. It's like cradling a baby.
The screen size is great. Although smaller than the 13" MBAir, the screen size of this 11.6 is just about the same. Therefore, you are not really sacrificing screen size by getting a smaller laptop. And with the way Apple has engineered the touch pad controls, you can easily zoom in on the texts if they are too small to read (i.e. web browsing, etc.). It might sound like a hassle, but it's not such a big issue once you get used to it. Before purchasing this, I had bought a 13" Acer which had the same touchpad functions. However, I prefer Apple's because zooming and scrolling on the touchpad is so much SMOOTHER and FASTER than my Acer. We all use the laptop mainly for internet browsing and so Apple does an excellent job of making that fun and effortless for us. No more having to squint to read the small texts - zoom in and it would still be clear and crisp (with my windows laptop and netbook, zooming in made everything look pixelated). Apple makes web browsing much more effortless and enjoyable, and that's the way it should be!
Audio quality on the MBAir is excellent. Simply put, sound is loud and clear. I didn't think audio quality would be a big issue to me until I bought and tested an ASUS Transformer Tablet (1st Gen). Speakers were tiny and I had trouble hearing it even when the volume was maxed up. As for the air, I can hear everything clearly even in a noisy living room...and the volume level wasn't even maxed out (about 3/4 of the total volume level).
Keyboard is perfectly comfortable. Not cramped like most netbooks. Everything is evenly spaced out and I've not had any trouble at all.
I decided on the MBAir simply because I wanted a hassle free laptop. I was tired of bloatware, small keyboards, mousepad scrolling/zooming delays, and not being able to control the way I web browsed. I have had a lot of experiences with windows laptops and netbooks and never grew to love them. While their price tags were much cheaper, they were always lacking in one or two things that would always bother me later on as I used it more. We know Apple's products are pricey, but it is worth it (unless you are a computer programmer and would like more flexibility and customization).
Battery life is average 5-7 hours, depending on what programs you're running. Normal web surfing and with music on is about 6 hours. However, I played Bejeweled on this unplugged and it ate my battery REALLY fast. So this Air not good for gaming if that's what you want. Also, battery AC adapter plug is nice, but the cord that connects to the adapter seems too thin and might wear off easily if it's constantly stressed. Not a big deal though, as it is easily replaceable anyway. Oh and yes, there's no CD drive, but I realized that I hardly ever use the CD drive nowadays.
I ended up getting the Air also because I already have an iPhone and iMac and figured that it's just easier since it's more compatible and I don't have to deal with any file compatibility issues. I grew up using Windows, which is also a great OS, but not for me. I'd also like to point out that I'm not extremely knowledgeable about computers, but I DO do my research and I have tested out a lot of other products before I settled on my MBAir. I know what I like and what I don't. I like hassle free web browsing. I don't like bloat wares. I like portability. I like how the Air does a lot of the work for me - no need for me to have to figure things out because I'm lazy like that.
Oh, and it's pretty too.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Great Hardware, Disappointing OS
Let me start by saying that I have solely owned Apple computers for 20+ years now, and this is the first time I have been disappointed in their product.
The hardware/comput...Read complete review
Let me start by saying that I have solely owned Apple computers for 20+ years now, and this is the first time I have been disappointed in their product.
The hardware/computer itself is super - it is amazingly light, comfortable to type on, and quiet. Extremely well-engineered.
Where this computer fails for me is the Lion OS X (10.7) operating system that it comes with. I had anticipated buggy performance with Lion OS X on some apps based on what I had read, so I figured I would install the previous Mac OS Snow Leopard (10.6) to get around that... well it turns out that ALL of the new MacBook Airs & Mac Mini computers can only run Lion OSX. The new hardware in these machines is not supported by any other Mac OS. So if you are like me, and have the need/desire to run older software programs (Like FinalCut Studio; Adobe CS2, CS3, or CS4; MS Office 2004 for mac, etc) - Lion OS X will not play nicely. In fact, it flat out won't work with most of these previous generation applications.
Forcing people to upgrade their software packages is nothing new, so while this does annoy me, it doesn't completely surprise me. What does surprise me, and further disappoints me, is how Apple has also re-written some of the bundled apps, like iCal, AddressBook, and Mail. While the new versions are more 'iPad and iPhone' like in terms of their hand gestures/interface look - they are sadly all 'dumbed down'. I find them harder to use than the previous versions and disappointed that they are actually less useful than before. Simple intuitive stuff like the 'save as draft' button in Mail is now gone. Address book now forces you to view your groups in a manner that is less tree-structured & intuitive; iCal now has this annoying leather binder motif at the top that you can't change & can't add calendar labels to.
Again, all of this would be a moot point for me, if I could install Snow Leopard OS 10.6 on this machine & enjoy the great hardware mixed with a better OS; but you can't. Like so many other professionals, I'm weary that Apple has lost sight of its pro-user core, and is focused on making mass-market devices that, while they look great, have limited ranges of use.
Reviewed by 22 customers
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Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
As a girl, I don't like to haul big heavy laptops so this 11.6 MBAir is just perfect for me. It's light and small enough to fit into a purse...although I don't have a purse big enough to fit this laptop yet, I still don't mind carrying this in my arms. It's like cradling a baby.
The screen size is great. Although smaller than the 13" MBAir, the screen size of this 11.6 is just about the same. Therefore, you are not really sacrificing screen size by getting a smaller laptop. And with the way Apple has engineered the touch pad controls, you can easily zoom in on the texts if they are too small to read (i.e. web browsing, etc.). It might sound like a hassle, but it's not such a big issue once you get used to it. Before purchasing this, I had bought a 13" Acer which had the same touchpad functions. However, I prefer Apple's because zooming and scrolling on the touchpad is so much SMOOTHER and FASTER than my Acer. We all use the laptop mainly for internet browsing and so Apple does an excellent job of making that fun and effortless for us. No more having to squint to read the small texts - zoom in and it would still be clear and crisp (with my windows laptop and netbook, zooming in made everything look pixelated). Apple makes web browsing much more effortless and enjoyable, and that's the way it should be!
Audio quality on the MBAir is excellent. Simply put, sound is loud and clear. I didn't think audio quality would be a big issue to me until I bought and tested an ASUS Transformer Tablet (1st Gen). Speakers were tiny and I had trouble hearing it even when the volume was maxed up. As for the air, I can hear everything clearly even in a noisy living room...and the volume level wasn't even maxed out (about 3/4 of the total volume level).
Keyboard is perfectly comfortable. Not cramped like most netbooks. Everything is evenly spaced out and I've not had any trouble at all.
I decided on the MBAir simply because I wanted a hassle free laptop. I was tired of bloatware, small keyboards, mousepad scrolling/zooming delays, and not being able to control the way I web browsed. I have had a lot of experiences with windows laptops and netbooks and never grew to love them. While their price tags were much cheaper, they were always lacking in one or two things that would always bother me later on as I used it more. We know Apple's products are pricey, but it is worth it (unless you are a computer programmer and would like more flexibility and customization).
Battery life is average 5-7 hours, depending on what programs you're running. Normal web surfing and with music on is about 6 hours. However, I played Bejeweled on this unplugged and it ate my battery REALLY fast. So this Air not good for gaming if that's what you want. Also, battery AC adapter plug is nice, but the cord that connects to the adapter seems too thin and might wear off easily if it's constantly stressed. Not a big deal though, as it is easily replaceable anyway. Oh and yes, there's no CD drive, but I realized that I hardly ever use the CD drive nowadays.
I ended up getting the Air also because I already have an iPhone and iMac and figured that it's just easier since it's more compatible and I don't have to deal with any file compatibility issues. I grew up using Windows, which is also a great OS, but not for me. I'd also like to point out that I'm not extremely knowledgeable about computers, but I DO do my research and I have tested out a lot of other products before I settled on my MBAir. I know what I like and what I don't. I like hassle free web browsing. I don't like bloat wares. I like portability. I like how the Air does a lot of the work for me - no need for me to have to figure things out because I'm lazy like that.
Oh, and it's pretty too.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
Very light weight.
Slick design
Performs great.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
Excellent!
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
This notebook is great combination of small built and high performance. Exactly what I need for my traveling . I am a traveling photographer so having an opportunity to process my pictures on the go with such a lightweight notebook is something of a miracle for me.
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Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
very fast, i use for keeping business records, only thing I didn't like was that I had to buy the external CD driver- it was not included. Being that this computer does not have a CD drive it would have been nice to have that included. Otherwise, love it!
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Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
I spend a ridiculous amount of time on the road, so this lightweight, compact laptop is ideal. I had previously been told that the Air version of Macs wouldn't meet my needs but the upgraded processing capacity has proven this theory completely wrong. It handles my photo editing needs perfectly. Definitely recommended.
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Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
I use to work,carry with me im my trips
Pros
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Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
As most of Apple's product very intuitive to use.
Only problem I had was migrating the user from an old PowerBook G4 (TIGER) to the new Macbook Air (LION):
- Ethernet upgrade between TIGER and LION is not supported
- Macbook Air does not have a FIREWIRE connection to upgrade in Target Disk mode
- No TimeMachine Backup on TIGER
So only way was to use a different MacBook running SNOW LEOPARD as an intermediate step.
Finally MIGRATION ASSISTANT transfered more information, than I wanted to and I had to delete manually.
One last tip:
If you run into problems with TimeMachine after a migration. Try to delete/rename the System Keychain first. With a new System Keychain file everything is running smoothly now.
Pros
Cons
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Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
A very fast, reliable laptop. Replaced my 13" Macbook Pro with this computer and did not regret it. Battery life could be better but for the size of the computer its to be expected.
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Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
My job requires huge amount of travel so I chose Macbook air 11", excellent product though its battery is really poor, I called B&H back so I could return it, I got a sorry response that it cannot be returned as I have opened it, however somebody please tell me without using a product how can you tell the length of the battery? Apple gave same sorry answer as i didn't buy from them they couldn't take it either. Same old BS runaround. Disappointed when I didn't even asked money back I wanted to buy MACBOOK PRO instead.
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Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
I have owned many notebook computers over the years. Yes, I finally made the leap from PC to Mac. This MacBook Air lives up to all the rave reviews it gets and then some. Beyond this, the purchase experience with B&H was so quick and easy. I did have occasion to contact Apple Care with a question and was totally blown away by their service skills, technical expertise, and their communication skills. I will NEVER return to a the dark side---of course unless this computer does something terrible to me....
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Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
I like a lot to interact with apple world...
Pros
Cons
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Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
Let me start by saying that I have solely owned Apple computers for 20+ years now, and this is the first time I have been disappointed in their product.
The hardware/computer itself is super - it is amazingly light, comfortable to type on, and quiet. Extremely well-engineered.
Where this computer fails for me is the Lion OS X (10.7) operating system that it comes with. I had anticipated buggy performance with Lion OS X on some apps based on what I had read, so I figured I would install the previous Mac OS Snow Leopard (10.6) to get around that... well it turns out that ALL of the new MacBook Airs & Mac Mini computers can only run Lion OSX. The new hardware in these machines is not supported by any other Mac OS. So if you are like me, and have the need/desire to run older software programs (Like FinalCut Studio; Adobe CS2, CS3, or CS4; MS Office 2004 for mac, etc) - Lion OS X will not play nicely. In fact, it flat out won't work with most of these previous generation applications.
Forcing people to upgrade their software packages is nothing new, so while this does annoy me, it doesn't completely surprise me. What does surprise me, and further disappoints me, is how Apple has also re-written some of the bundled apps, like iCal, AddressBook, and Mail. While the new versions are more 'iPad and iPhone' like in terms of their hand gestures/interface look - they are sadly all 'dumbed down'. I find them harder to use than the previous versions and disappointed that they are actually less useful than before. Simple intuitive stuff like the 'save as draft' button in Mail is now gone. Address book now forces you to view your groups in a manner that is less tree-structured & intuitive; iCal now has this annoying leather binder motif at the top that you can't change & can't add calendar labels to.
Again, all of this would be a moot point for me, if I could install Snow Leopard OS 10.6 on this machine & enjoy the great hardware mixed with a better OS; but you can't. Like so many other professionals, I'm weary that Apple has lost sight of its pro-user core, and is focused on making mass-market devices that, while they look great, have limited ranges of use.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
I love this computer. It is fast, light, beautiful.Great for travel or just around town. I was going to buy the 13 inch but I found that I like the size of the 11.6 better.
I own a mac desktop and wanted an Apple laptop for some time now and this is wonderful. I use it for writing and photos on the go I load them up to the web, Surfing web, Garage band. Overall a really versatile laptop!
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Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
I chose the MacBook Air to serve as a laptop for work travel. I needed a light weight, fast laptop that could still handle desktop publishing software like InDesign. I am an editor of a quarterly publication and was in need of a laptop to take on the road in case I needed to make edits. I do not use this laptop to do the entire magazine, but it really serves its purpose well for quick edits and any other office-related task that needs to be done. It is everything you would expect from a Mac in a nice, light weight package.
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Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
available for carrying,you can use everywhere,awesome Apple product
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
This computer is very much worth to consider if you are looking for a lightweight sturdy built yet fast and powerful notebook. I have never felt buying MB Air before. I own almost all kinds of Apple products from phone to desktop but right now this is my favorite. I use it mostly for business and travel, carry files and photos for presentations and movies or music for pleasure. It has all features for that. It has proven so far that my choice was right. I sold my MB Pro and bought this from BH.
I really love the backlit keyboard which is a major pro comparing to the previous model. Not even mentioning the lightning fast Sandy Bridge CPU and Samsung or Toshiba SSD.
The only major con is the battery life and the first version of OSX Lion which is not compatible with MS Office 2008. Buying the 2011 would probably solve this problem. I can not say anything about the included Parallels Desktop 6 Software because i haven't installed it yet.
This machine is definitely worth the price!!!
Pros
Cons
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Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
Excelent. Top speed, light and thin
Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
The new macbook air is so light that it can literally fit in a medium sized women's purse and be carried everywhere. With the new faster i5/i7 processors, it runs just as fast as regular macbook pros.
Pros
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Comments about Apple 11.6" MacBook Air Notebook Computer:
Love my new MB Air! I have been thinking about getting one for many years. I've been debating about spending that much money compared to buying a mini pc. But I'm glad I did! Nothing compares to the sleek design, the fast processor, and the wows you get from other people. I noticed that the new 13 inchers now have an SD card slot. That's an absolute plus! None on the the 11 inchers, though. But still very happy with my purchase.
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