Ever since the iPod made its debut, Apple has been on a roll. And they do not intend on stopping. Though they haven’t made every single product result in a major hit (who has?), they’ve corrected their mistakes and continued to put out crowd-pleasers.
Earlier this fall I looked at the updates on the iPod line, and earlier this year the iPhone got updated. But what about Apple’s original product? All this talk of iPods and iPhones have left Apple’s Macs out in the cold. But no longer. On October 20, Apple introduced OSX 10.7, iLife ’11, as well as a Mac App Store.
But that’s not all. The big-ticket item of the day was an updated MacBook Air, which Apple sees as carrying its brand further than ever before and into new territory. Apple took the lessons they learned from the iPhone and iPad and applied them to OSX and the MacBook Air.
It features ‘instant-on’ along with a 30-day long standby time (yes, 30 days). While other companies have long touted their focus on improving battery life, Apple has the goods to back up their claims.
The new MacBook Air is also now offered in two sizes, a move that has sent the tech community abuzz with chatter. They keep the 13.3” size as before, and add an 11.6” model. Let’s talk specs, shall we?
| 11.6” model | 13.3” model | |
| Processor | 1.4 or 1.6 Ghz | 1.86 or 2.13 Ghz |
| Memory | 2 GB or 4 GB | 2 GB or 4 GB |
| SSD | 64 GB or 128 GB | 128 GB or 254 GB |
| Graphics | nVidia 320M | nVidia 320M |
| Battery | 5 hours | 7 hours |
| Standby | 30 days | 30 days |
| Weight | 2.9 lbs | 2.3 lbs |
| Base price | $999 | $1299 |
Both models stick to the same processor family as the previous generation, for reasons I’ll explain shortly. They also have only 2GB of RAM in their default configuration, which is something of a let-down. Getting 4GB of RAM is an extra $100, and since the memory chips are soldered on, there is no real chance of any post-purchase RAM upgrades.
Another move that Apple made in the interest of battery-life, size, weight and speed is to make SDD the default storage option. Part of the reason is that they’ve developed a new sort of proprietary connector that will allow for thinner SSD package size.
The new Airs are both thinner and lighter than the previous generation (0.11” to 0.68”), and carry the nVidia 320M video chipset, which matches the current generation of MacBook Pros, so there are no issues there.
The battery life on the 13.3” model is 7 hours, while the 11.6” model is 5 hours. Compared to Apple’s recent battery standards, these numbers may sound somewhat low, but Apple makes a point to mention that these numbers are the result of a new, more stringent battery testing setup which involves being online and approximating real-world usage more closely. So you should actually get somewhere close and possibly even past the purported numbers.
Both models also have 2 USB slots (that’s one more than before), a mini-display port and only the 13.3” inch model has the added SD card reader.
In early reviews, the general consensus seems to be that the 2GB of RAM that comes default is not really holding back the machine, and that the system does not get particularly hot, even under continuous full load. So why the processor hold-back? Many have wondered why did not make the switch to Core i3. The reason is simply this: power.
The older Core 2 Duo ULV chips are smaller in size and have a lower thermal footprint. The i3 is a combined CPU and GPU, so even though the CPU portion got smaller, the overall chip size is larger due to the added GPU. However, Apple deems Intel’s integrated GPU to still be insufficient for proper performance. Thus it made no sense for them to include the i3’s integrated graphics solution as well as the nVidia chipset. A lower power draw from the Core 2 Duo meant better battery life coupled with lower heat levels. In this new light, the answer seems almost obvious.
So ultimately the question is: Is it worth your hard-earned cash? It is very likely that Apple has a product on their hands that, priced right, can make a big impact on mobile computing. At $999, the base model stands to make a big impact right away. It competes directly with their standard MacBook, which starts at the same price point.
In terms of portability, the Air is virtually untouched. It is undoubtedly the thinnest laptop out there, and features excellent build-quality (unibody construction makes its debut in this line, finally). If you’re looking for a laptop from Apple, the MacBook Air should definitely be in your mind, though not exclusively.
As a full-time computer, the Air may or may not suffice for a college student’s needs. You will need to consider what it is that you want to do on your laptop. Video playback is a non-issue, but games will have to be put on hold. Intense number crunching (for all you engineering and statistical folk) will not fare so well, either. And if you opt for 2GB of ram, know that keeping numerous applications open will not work out so well in terms of performance.
On the whole though, the Air would serve as an excellent business-esque computer for a student looking to get work done. It does lack a LAN jack, which for some is a deal-breaker if they are in the dorms and need to be connected via land-line.
However, Apple does offer a USB to LAN converter, but it will cost you a USB port on a machine that only has two to begin with. So definitely give it a look-over, but be smart about your purchasing decision.
