Introduction
Apple is almost in a class by itself when it comes to laptops. When looking at displays, phones, or music players, Apple usually produces the most attractive products. However, other companies are able to produce products that are almost as capable for less money. Laptops are a whole different story; you get what you pay for if not more.
Specs
Simply looking at the specs of the Macbook Air does not do it justice. A two GHz Intel Core duo processor, 2GB of ram, along with a 128GB solid-state drive is just not very impressive for a $1700 laptop. Apple’s own Macbook has a more powerful processor, a Superdrive, more ports for peripherals, and a battery that lasts twice as long for under $1000.
The Macbook Air, on the other hand, is just .78 inches at its thickest part and just .16 inches at its thinnest part. To accomplish this feat, Apple did not include a built in disc drive. Apple had the first desktop to not include a floppy disk drive, and now they have built the first laptop to not include a disc drive. How could Apple not include a disc drive, even an external one? Well, think about how rarely you use a disc drive these days. Music and movies are downloaded from the iTunes store, software, such as aperture, is bought online and downloaded via Internet. Even Netflix can stream most of their movie library online. After the introduction of the Macbook Air, Apple released a software update that would allow the Macbook Air to wirelessly share the disc drive of any Mac with permission on the same wireless network. Still feel that you need your own disc drive? For $100, an external Superdrive that plugs into the USB port can be included. This leads into the next possible problem: ports.
It has one USB port. Yes, you heard me correctly. It has one USB port, a mini display port, and a headphone/speaker out port. Many may feel that one USB port is not enough for the necessary inputs for today’s laptops. Apple has a different view. With built in Bluetooth and Wireless N, wired keyboards, mice, and networks are a thing of the past, at least for the Macbook Air user. Even flash drives and backup hard drives are becoming obsolete with Apple’s optional MobileMe subscription that has online storage for backing up files and transferring from computer to computer.
It boasts a fairly powerful graphics card, the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M. It can display full HD resolution when plugged into an external display. This is one of the major differences between the Macbook Air and a netbook: any media play on Apple’s screen looks gorgeous. The screen fits well into Apple’s new fairly new trend of “unibody designed” laptops that are carved out of one piece of aluminum that makes them thinner, lighter, and stronger than putting multiple pieces together. It is extremely light at only three pounds. It is almost the same as comparing two twin beds pushed together to a king bed, the king bed looks better and is a lot more comfortable. The Macbook Air will attract attention because of its thin and beautiful design that should be taken into account when buying it, not to mention the design is a lot stronger than other companies’ laptops that areheld together by screws.
The best part of this laptop is in the end the included software. Apple always includes its newest operating system with no strings attached; something you rarely get from any PC company. The iLife suite works great and the built in webcam is the same that is all Mac laptops.
Bottom Line
Whether the Macbook Air laptop is for comes down to three simple questions: Do you want to buy a Mac? Do you want a gorgeous thin and light computer? Are you not held down by a bunch of unnecessary peripherals? If your answers are yes, yes, and yes, then this is the computer for you.
