Product Details
 | Apple MacBook Air MC966LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop (NEWEST VERSION) |
| List Price: | $1,599.00 |
| Price: | $1,594.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details |
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com
Average customer review:
(12 customer reviews)
Product Description
Introducing the new MacBook Air, the most Mobile Mac in every way, shape, and form. It features the latest-generation Intel Core i5 processor, high-speed Thunderbolt, all-flash storage, a full-sized backlit keyboard, Multi-Touch trackpad, a long-lasting battery and a high-resolution display. This MacBook Air isn't thin on features at all. These advanced features are packed inside a unibody enclosure that's light, thin, and strong enough to handle all your everyday tasks and then some, whether you're on the couch, in a lecture hall, or at a conference. It's mobility mastered. Optional external USB MacBook Air SuperDrive (sold separately) 13.3-inch (diagonal) high-resolution LED-backlit glossy widescreen display (1440 x 900) Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 384MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory (Dual display & video mirroring supported) FaceTime Camera and Omnidirectional Microphone 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology Stereo Speakers & Headphone Mini Jack (Support for Apple Earphones with Remote and Mic) Full-sized backlit keyboard & Multi-Touch trackpad Connections & Expansion - 2 x USB 2.0, Thunderbolt Port, Headphone & Microphone Jack, MagSafe Power Port, SD Card Slot Advanced lithium-polymer battery with MagSafe power adapter (up to 7 hours for wireless web & up to 30 days for standby time) Unit Dimensions - 12.8 (W) x 0.11 - 0.68 (H) x 8.94 (D) inches ( 32.5 x 0.3 - 1.7 x 22.7 cm) Unit Weight - 2.96 pounds (1.35 kg)Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #81 in Personal Computers
- Size: 256GB
- Brand: Apple
- Model: MC966LL/A
- CPU: Intel Core i5 1.7 GHz
- Memory: 4GB SDRAM
- Hard Disk: 256GB
- Processors: 1
- Display size: 13.3
Features
- Apple's Thinnest Design Yet
- 1.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor
- 256 GB Solid State Drive, 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM
- Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor
- Mac OS X v10.7 Lion
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Product Description
The new MacBook Air is up to 2.5x faster than before. It features the latest Intel Core i5 dual-core processor, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O, a backlit keyboard, and OS X Lion, the next major release of the world's most advanced desktop operating system. MacBook Air also comes standard with flash storage, so it boots up in seconds, launches apps quickly, and wakes from sleep in an instant. And a long-lasting battery powers MacBook Air for up to 7 hours and offers up to 30 days of standby time. All in a durable unibody design that's thin, light, and ready for anything.
This version of the MacBook Air (model MC966LL/A) sports a 13.3-inch high-resolution display, 1.7 GHz Intel Core i5 dual-core processor, 256 GB of flash memory storage, 4 GB of RAM, an Intel HD Graphics 3000 integrated graphics processor, and an SD card slot (see full specifications below). It also comes with the iLife software suite, which includes the latest versions of iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand.
In spite of its compact size, the MacBook Air has a full-size keyboard for comfortable, natural typing, and it's backlit so you can keep typing in even the dimmest light.
Note: The MacBook Air does not come with an optical drive, however OS X Lion offers the convenient DVD or CD Sharing feature, which lets you wirelessly "borrow" the optical drive of a nearby Mac or PC. So you can install applications from a DVD or CD and have full access to an optical drive without having to carry one around. Additionally, you can connect an optional optical drive (such as the MacBook Air SuperDrive) via one of the USB ports.
The MacBook Air with 13.3-inch screen--light, thin, and strong enough to take with you wherever you go (view larger).
OS X Lion
Every Mac comes with OS X Lion, the latest release of the world's most advanced desktop operating system. With over 250 features including Multi-Touch gestures, Mission Control, full-screen apps, and Launchpad, OS X Lion takes the Mac further than ever.Key OS X Lion Features
- Mission Control provides a bird's-eye view of everything running on your Mac.
- Launchpad puts all your apps front and center for easy access.
- View apps full screen and switch between them with a swipe.
- Interact with your Mac using intuitive new Multi-Touch gestures.
Key Features
Flash Memory Storage
By replacing the standard spinning hard drive typically found in laptops (as well as desktop PCs) with flash memory, the MacBook Air delivers an almost instantaneous boot-up when you open the display, as well as faster application launches and snappier overall performance. Additionally, Apple has shed the enclosure that typically surrounds flash memory (usually about the same size as a standard hard drive), thus giving it a smaller footprint and helping to decrease the size of the MacBook Air.The ultimate do-everything, take-everywhere notebook
(view larger).
(view larger).
Revolutionary Thunderbolt Technology
Developed by Intel with collaboration from Apple, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O (input/output) technology delivers an amazing 10 gigabits per second of transfer speeds in both directions. Built into the MacBook Air, the Thunderbolt port allows you to connect to new Thunderbolt-compatible peripherals as well as existing USB and FireWire peripherals using simple adapters. You'll be able to move data up to 20 times faster than with USB 2.0 and more than 12 times faster than with FireWire 800, and you can daisy-chain up to six high-speed devices without using a hub. Thunderbolt also supports DisplayPort for high resolution displays and works with existing adapters for HDMI, DVI, and VGA displays.Glass Multi-Touch Trackpad and Backlit Keyboard
With the smooth, glass Multi-Touch trackpad, the MacBook Air makes it easy to navigate OS X Lion and your software applications. You can pinch, swipe or rotate images on the display screen with the brush of two fingers, or add more digits for a four-fingered vertical swipe to open Expose and quickly glance at all of your open windows.Spacious, full-sized keyboard with backlighting (view larger).
Integrated FaceTime Webcam
You'll be able to easily connect with friends, family, and business colleagues using the MacBook Air's FaceTime camera, which is integrated into the thin bezel above the display. And with Apple's FaceTime application, you're not limited to video chats with other Macs--you can now make video calls to iPhone and iPod touch users (Wi-Fi connection required for mobile users).Specifications
- 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with a 1440 x 900-pixel resolution
- Up to 7 hours of wireless productivity plus up to 30 days of standby time
- 1.7 GHz Intel Core i5 dual-core processor with 3 MB shared L3 cache.
- 256 GB flash memory storage
- 4 GB installed RAM (1333 MHz DDR3; maximum capacity)
- Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor (with 384 MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory) for an outstanding everyday graphics experience.
- Built-in FaceTime camera for video chatting
- Wireless-N Wi-Fi wireless networking (based on 802.11n specification; 802.11a/b/g compatible)
- Bluetooth 4.0 technology for connecting with peripherals such as keyboards, mice, and cell phones.
- Two USB 2.0 ports with networking using optional Apple USB Ethernet adapter
- SD card slot
- Thunderbolt port with support for up to 2560 x 1600-pixel resolution (compatible with Mini DisplayPort devices)
- Built-in stereo speakers along with omnidirectional microphone, headphone port
- Full-size keyboard with backlighting
- Multi-Touch trackpad for precise cursor control; supports inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, three-finger swipe, four-finger swipe, tap, double-tap, and drag capabilities
- Dimensions: 12.8 x 8.94 x 0.68 inches (WxDxH)
- Weight: 2.96 pounds
What's in the Box
13.3-inch MacBook Air, 45W MagSafe power adapter, AC wall plug, power cord, printed and electronic documentationNote: The MacBook Air does not come with an optical drive, however OS X Lion offers the convenient DVD or CD Sharing feature, which lets you wirelessly "borrow" the optical drive of a nearby Mac or PC. So you can install applications from a DVD or CD and have full access to an optical drive without having to carry one around. Additionally, you can connect an optional optical drive (such as the MacBook Air SuperDrive) via one of the USB ports.
Included Software
- OS X Lion
Includes Mail, Address Book, iCal, the Mac App Store, iTunes, Safari, Time Machine, FaceTime, Photo Booth, Mission Control, Launchpad, AirDrop, Resume, Auto Save, Versions, Quick Look, Spotlight, QuickTime, and more. - Lion Recovery
OS X Lion includes a built-in set of tools for repairing your Mac in the Recovery HD, a new feature that lets you repair disks or reinstall OS X Lion without a physical disc.
Limited Warranty And Service
The MacBook Air comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a 1-year limited warranty, which can be extended to 3 years with the AppleCare Protection Plan.AppleCare Protection Plan
Because Apple makes the hardware, the operating system, and many applications, the Mac is a truly integrated system. And only the AppleCare Protection Plan gives you one-stop service and support from Apple experts, so most issues can be resolved in a single call. Extend the complimentary service and support on your Mac to 3 years from the original Mac purchase date with the AppleCare Protection Plan. You get direct telephone access to Apple experts for technical questions, and you get global repair coverage--including both parts and labor--for your Mac and select Apple peripherals.Optional Accessories and Related Products
 | Apple Thunderbolt Display The world's first Thunderbolt display doesn't just give you more pixels. It gives you more possibilities. Built-in Thunderbolt technology lets you connect as many as six devices through a single port and transfer data up to 20 times faster than with USB 2.0. |
 | Time Capsule Time Capsule is the revolutionary backup device that works wirelessly with Time Machine in OS X Leopard or later. It automatically backs up everything, so you never have to worry about losing important files. It also doubles as a full-featured 802.11n Wi-Fi base station. Choose from 2 TB and 3 TB models. |
 | Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive If you want to burn discs or install software you already own on disc, consider the external USB-based MacBook Air SuperDrive. It takes up very little space and easily connects to Mac mini with a single USB cable--there's no separate power adapter. |
 | Apple USB Ethernet Adapter The Apple USB Ethernet Adapter is a simple, one-piece external adapter that plugs into the USB 2.0 port of your MacBook Air to provide 10/100BASE-T performance. Simply plug your Ethernet cable into the RJ-45 connector--no external power is required. It's small, light, easy to install, and even easier to use. |
 | Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter The Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter lets you connect an advanced digital monitor, such as the Apple Cinema Display, to your MacBook Air. |
 | Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter Use the Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter to connect your MacBook Air to a 30-inch display that includes a DVI connector, such as the 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display. |
 | Apple Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter The Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter lets you connect a standard analog monitor, projector, or LCD that uses a VGA connector or cable to your MacBook Air. |
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews46 of 59 people found the following review helpful.
APPEAL: Yes. VALUE: Yes. Apple understands.By M.D.C.
Those that saw my previous review of the 2010 11" MacBook Air will fully understand that title. The 2010 MacBook Air suffered from a lack of true value, attempting instead to do the absolute minimum in an attempt to appeal to people's aesthetic tastes while sacrificing key features and not pushing the envelope. Well, with the 2011 version, they have gone back to the drawing board. Indeed, they have released what the MacBook Air should have been all along. You can read the specs above for details about what is all here. I'm only focusing on what's improved over the last gen.
After re-reading my review, I decided to reorganize things for fluidity. So I'm going to first start with the general hardware and its approach. First, let's talk about what's good.
- Base 13" is a great deal if you don't need storage on the device. The price is set just right, and there are very few compromises here. You can go to the higher storage for $300 if you want, but honestly, just buy an external for $100. My opinion.
- Apple has returned the backlight keyboard. There was huge consumer demand for this feature, and removing it was pointless. The machine is so much better with it back, and did great on the night flight back to San Diego.
- Mail is no longer a battery killer. In the older version of the MacBook Air, running the Mail app used to destroy the battery something fierce. Battery life is a little lower, but realistically it's good enough for the majority of uses. If you're a heavy user don't expect to get more than 4 hours out of it.
- Backlight keyboard alone does not seem to have very much impact on the battery. This was a worry for some, it really does not make that much of a difference on the battery at all, to my pleasant surprise.
- More, faster RAM included this time around. This is important for application multitasking. I don't like that it's soldered on again, but I give them a pass due to the 4GB being standard on the base 13" unlike last year's debacle.
So why'd I knock it down a star?
Well...in all fairness, there's absolutely no logical reason that Apple should have ignored USB 3.0 by now. Even accounting for the addition of the Thunderbolt port, the reality is that USB 3.0 being backwards compatible with 2.0 makes it the best future proofing choice for computers, and one that all competitors have made. Apple refusing to jump on board is going to hurt their chances of pushing units. They'll sell a lot of machines as always, but there will come a breaking point. Even if they wanted to push Thunderbolt harder, it would not have harmed them financially or competitively to include at least one USB 3.0 port.
Also, I wasn't really impressed with the quality of the screen. There's just something...off...about the screen. It's hard to put into words. But it just doesn't have that same visual presence as the Pro, or even the 2010 Air. My understanding is that the panel type has been changed, likely causing this phenomenon. There's pixelation in places, and the text doesn't have the same clarity as with the Pro line. There were some compromises here. For day-to-day usage it's not a deal breaker, but it's noticeable and thus I note it here. Don't expect "magical" screen quality. If the screen quality all around matters and you have a keen eye like me, go for a Pro.
Battery life is also quite finicky. I know it's rated at "up to 7 hours" but I want to stress that this is under EXTREMELY conservative use cases. I'm talking Safari only, no flash, low backlight keyboard, low screen brightness. On the plane when they dimmed the cabin lights, I was able to go to one notch on the screen and backlight, which let me see perfectly, and then it lasted quite well. But here at home, with the screen brightness at just over halfway, running Mail, Firefox and Safari (because right now Safari is the default browser for Mail links), I'm hovering around 5 hours, which isn't bad. Yet if Spotlight gets fired up and indexing, I watched in horror as that figure went down to 2 hours under the same conditions.
Lastly, I am compelled to knock them for their refusal to at least include a USB restore drive in the box. I know they're pushing downloads and streaming media, but the reality is that physical media for computer restoration is almost a necessity. The novelty of an internet-based reinstall is nice, and they can keep that, but I still say that they should have included the Lion OS on a USB drive like they did with the 2010. The additional cost is pennies for that drive, so cost isn't the reason. They're pushing an agenda, and I don't like being tethered to the internet if and when I need to reinstall my operating system. There is a hidden recovery partition for this purpose that you can also use. But I think Apple is missing the boat here. What if the drive itself, the physical drive, goes toast? You're stuck unless you pay money. Thus the value of having external media for restoration if and when that were to happen. The SSD bar in the Air is replaceable, and there are already options from OWC for those users. But it's useless unless you pay $30 to download Lion and burn it/write it yourself or pay Apple $70 for a USB stick with Lion on it. To me both are unacceptable alternatives for something that should be in the box of every computer.
-_- Mac OS X 10.7, CODE NAME LION -_-
I want to interject here and state for the record that the majority of what bothers me with this purchase really has more to do with Lion, the newest operating system from the Apple, rather than the Air hardware itself. Based on my experience, the Lion OS is a step in the wrong direction. Apple is attempting to blend what we know of Mac OS with what certain users know of iOS, and the output is a very clunky experience at times. They introduced plenty of new features, and changed some tried and true features at the same time. It's clear they are attempting to create a single OS for both tablets and the desktop OS, but it's just...wrong.
Apple introduced a new feature, Mission Control, which is designed to act as the evolution of Exposé and Spaces. The problem is that Mission Control is finicky. It wants each app to be run in Full Screen to be able to separate them correctly within a single desktop. However...running apps full screen is a bit of a pain because it disables the Dock. Thus if you're running Firefox, let's say, in full screen you can't then see the unread count on Mail in the Dock. This basically forces you to run a Desktop that is just a Desktop and then run other apps in their own Desktop space. If you don't run apps in full screen, Mission Control then just "Paper stacks" them in a very unorganized fashion within the same Desktop. If an app is minimized into the Dock, it does not show in Mission Control. This seems bass-ackwards...if it is minimized into the Dock it should be one of the icons on top in Mission Control automatically. The only way to force this is to manually create the Desktop and assign the app to it, or full screen the app and then switch out of it.
I know that's hard to understand, but the bottom line is that the approach isn't very well implemented.
Apple has introduced another feature, Launchpad, which is essentially an iPad view of all of the local applications. It supports the grouping concept also found on iOS. Anyone who owns an iPod Touch or an iPad/iPhone will instantly recognize this. The idea is obvious; the concept of it just does not work on a full computer. It translates on a simple touch interface, but not a computer where you're not really touching. It should be obvious that the intent is to have one operating system for both desktops and tablets in an attempt to extend iOS beyond its limitations and dumb down the desktop experience. I get it. But beyond the obvious issues, there are more functional problems. Launchpad shows queued up downloads or updates to existing apps rather than the app itself. So for example, I saw there was an upgrade for iPhoto and started it from the App Store when I was on the plane. But when I saw it was over 600MB I stopped it. Problem is that made iPhoto unavailable from Launchpad because it changed to a download prompt instead of the app. It's not a deal breaker, as one could go to the Applications folder by exiting Launchpad or not using it, but it's something to note...Apple's got some work to do.
"Natural scrolling" is a joke. It turns over 20 years of computing on its head and not in a good way. I turned that stuff off the moment I saw it. For those that don't know what this is, Apple has set the default scroll behavior to where the window will scroll in the same direction as where you scroll your fingers/mouse. So for example, right now if you scroll a window down, the the page will go up so you read down the page. That's logical. In the default scroll of Lion, if you do the same downward scroll, the page will move down. So if you want to read towards the bottom like normal people, you would scroll up, because you're "pulling the page up" in order to read downwards. If it sounds confusing, it is. I disabled this immediately.
Those who are on the fence about this, think of this way. If I asked you to get to the bottom of the stairs, what direction are you moving? DOWN. Down = Bottom. That's logical, right? So when looking at a piece of paper, if I wanted to go to the bottom of the page, I am reading DOWN the page. The analogy I stated before of "move the paper up to read downwards" works if my hands are directly on the paper. But when I am not touching the paper, my eyes go down; the paper itself, say if laying on table, goes up. That's why computer-based scrolling has worked for over two decades. It's designed to work for your eyes, not for your hands.
"Natural scrolling" makes perfect sense on an iPad, because you're "touching the paper" directly, thus you would move the paper so that you can get to the next parts of what you're reading. I didn't find it to translate well on a disconnected input medium like the trackpad at all. Your Mileage May Vary, but in my opinion it's more clunky than it's worth, and I would rather it had been disabled by default, with options for users who want to try that input type that are converts from the iPad.
Lion wants to remember open tabs by default in Safari. So let's say you have 3 tabs open and you shut the browser down because you're finished. In my mind if I close all three tabs it's because I'm done using them and the next time I open the browser I expect a clean slate; otherwise I would just use bookmarks. In Lion, by default, when you open the browser multiple times, it will reopen whatever tabs you had open the last time you ran it. Even Reset Safari does not stop this behavior. You have to disable it in System Preferences if you don't want it.
Lion has taken a questionable direction with regards to design strategy. It feels very much like Apple's strategy was to create an OS that could be used on both a computer and a tablet, and I'd be shocked if we didn't see a Lion version of the iPad down the road. The problem is a lot of the features just don't translate well to a computer environment at all, yet would feel right at home on a tablet. Things like rotating and the new Mail interface. I know some people have reported things as bugs with Lion...I don't think they are. I think a lot of what we are experiencing are intentional changes...and anyone who thinks it's a bug, is really feeling the negative impacts of the changes. Call a spade a spade.
In summary...do I recommend it? That's a big YES. The 2011 Air is a solid machine that IMO is hindered somewhat by a questionable OS design. The hardware is spot on and what the Air really should have been in the 2010 revision. The backlight keyboard adds significant value to the Air, and the 2011 just feels right. The base 13" is a great value and well worth the money you spend on it. It's not going to replace a Pro for many reasons. But it's strong enough to be someone's primary if they really want it to be. The review may sound like it's lower than a 4, but the more critical negatives are with Lion, not with the Air itself. The Air itself is rock solid. It's a strong VALUE and well worth the dollars you spend on it. The higher end 13" is pushing it in terms of true value, as is the low end 11", but the high end 11" and the base 13" both are the best values in the Apple lineup right now. The 13" Pro has a stronger processor but not by much, and you must add a SSD to make it slightly superior to the base Air. That's the way it should have been from the get-go. VALUE, people. Value.
13 of 17 people found the following review helpful.
The new CPU makes this a real everyday workhorse, and not a toy any more.By P. To
--- This section contains additional updates after my original review. ---
7/30/2011: I changed the star rating from 5 to 4 stars, because of frustration with Lion
I ran into all kinds of problems with Adobe suite of products. Dialog box from Flash Player (eg. web app that uses webcam) does not work with Lion. Flash Builder 4.0 does not work. And the entire suite of CS5 seems to have some issues with Lion.
Now, I am not dinging Apple for this. It might be Adobe's fault also. What I am frustrated is the lack of downgrade path to Snow Leopard. The official instructions to downgrade requires backing up the hard drive, wiping the disk, reinstalling Snow Leopard, and then restoring your data from backup. Ouch!! And, I have to pay cash to get a Snow Leopard CD.
7/27/2011: Samsung vs. Toshiba Solid State Drives:
Apparently not all Macbook Air 2011 are shipping with the faster Samsung Solid State Drives. Some users reported getting the slower Toshiba drives. You can check using About This Mac - More Info - System Report - Serial ATA. If the model is SM256 or SM128, you are good.
If you are very gung ho on getting the faster Samsung drive (like me), it might be a good idea to buy it from a place which doesn't charge a restocking fee so that you can return it. Or if buying from the Apple store, make them open the box and check it.
7/27/2011: You can install your own aftermarket SSD in the Macbook Air 2011
A couple of people have asked me this. Contrary to earlier rumors, the SSD in the Macbook Air 2011 IS replaceable.
OWC in fact sells aftermarket SSD for the Macbook Air 2011 model. Please see URL in the comments below (since Amazon editor does not allow URL posting here).
__________________
Original Review:
I have been waiting for this day for a long time. Finally, a lightweight Macbook that is a real work horse and not just for web surfing and MS Office.
First, I think the 13" Macbook Air (MBA) i5 w/ 256GB SSD is the best buy of all the various options, because:
Compared to the MBA 13" i7 model:
- It's $100 cheaper than the i7 version, which is only slightly faster. Most early reviews say that you cannot notice the speed improvement from the i5 to the i7.
- Due to tax savings, it's actually $250 or more cheaper, if you compare buying the i7 model from a local Apple store, vs. buying the i5 version from Amazon. (The i7 version seems to be available from Apple store only at the moment.)
- There are reports that the i7 model runs warmer and the fan is on a lot.
Compared to the MBA 13" i5 w/ 128GB SSD:
- An aftermarket 240GB SSD for the MBA (OWC brand) goes for $519. Given that it may be a crap shoot whether you get a MBA with a slower Toshiba or faster Samsund SSD from Apple, it may actually make some sense to get the 128GB model, ebay off the drive, and get the 240GB from OWC.
- On the other hand, you can try your luck with the 256GB model, or buy it from an Apple store where you can verify which SSD you are getting before you walk out.
Compared to the MBA 11" model:
- For just a bit more weight, the screen real estate you gain from 11" to 13" is very substantial.
- The pixel density in the 11" is 135 pixels per inch, compared to 128 in the 13". i.e. text, etc. will be more visible/larger
- You get an extra 2 hours of battery life for the 13" model
- The integrated SD card is also nice
The Solid State Drive (SSD) in these MBAs are also faster version than the 2010 models, and unlike 3rd party SSDs, they work with the TRIM support in OS Lion. This means that the performance is likely going to maintain over the long run, without the typical hassles of having to refresh the SSDs.
The MBA feels incredibly well made, just like the old ones. Except this ones feels very very fast, not only when using office apps, even when using Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. I'd say from the seats-of-my-pants, that this is as fast as the 2010 15" MBP it replaces, if not faster. And seems like the benchmark numbers coming out support this as well.
One more thing, it seems the screen on the MBA, while still "glossy" in finish, is LESS reflective than the regular MBP 13" glossy screen. This is a big plus for me. On my last purchase, I went up to the 15" MBP to get the matte screen because the reflections really bother me. But the new MBA 13" screen is like the best of both world. It has great contrast and colors like the glossy, but it is not as reflective as before.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
Comparison to the Macbook Pro 13 2011By Wayne N
Pros:
- Solid build quality like the MBPs
- The palm rest doesn't have a sharp edge
- Great multitouch trackpad
- High resolution 1440 x 900 screen that is semi-glossy (no glass cover)
so it reflects less than the MBP screens
- Boots up and shuts down extremely quickly compared to the MBP 13.
- The 2 USB 2.0 ports are on opposite sides of the laptop
- Light weight; 2.9 lbs or 1.3 Kg
- Speakers are surprisingly loud; they can fill up a small room.
- Runs extremely cool and it is so quiet that you can't tell if there's a fan or not.
I can definitely feel heat ~ 87 degrees F on the MPB 13's underside after 6 hours of use
where as the MBA 13's underside stayed relatively cool.
- Runs Windows 7 just as cool and quietly. (I installed Windows 7 via flash drive)
- Performance is almost identical to the MBP 13 2011 on everyday tasks because the Core i5 CPU
can turbo boost to 2.7 GHz.
- The SSD allows programs to load extremely quickly.
Cons:
- The advertised instant resume feature is overblown. The MPB 13 2011 resumes from sleep just as fast.
- The keyboard is backlit but a bit shallower than the MBP keyboards
- The screen is not as good as the MPB screens; it only covers ~46% of the sRGB color spectrum
compared to the ~ 77% that is covered by the MBP 13. The MBA's screen has very poor vertical viewing angles.
Even tilting the screen minutely causes colors to shift. You can't really trust the screen when it comes to colors
but for every day tasks it's not a big deal. I prefer the MBA screen just because it doesn't reflect as much as the
MBP screens.
- Not all models come with the same SSD. There are 2 variations, a Samsung SSD and a Toshiba SSD.
The Samsung SSD significantly outperforms the Toshiba SSD in benchmarks (check the AnandTech review)
[...]
- I personally get 5-6 hours on a single charge while surfing with 10+ tabs open on safari; I got 7-8 hours
doing the same tasks on the MPB 13 2011.
- No FaceTime HD Camera as on the MPBs (the quality is noticeable)
- The included SD card is not a SDXC card like on the MBPs
- The integrated microphone is located on the side of the laptop instead of on top of the keyboard as
on the MBP
Conclusion: Which one should you get?
Personally as a college student, I would go for the MBP 13 2011 if you can deal with the over reflective screen.
You get an optical drive, 1-2 more hours of battery life, a full voltage Core i5 processor, more storage capacity (320GB),
an Ethernet and Firewire port, and the ability to upgrade later down the line. The MBA internals can't be modified at all
once you buy it except for the SSD modules (which are expensive). College students also get an educational discount of $100 off on
the MBP 13 where as the MBA only provides a discount of $50.
Although the MBA's screen is nice with it's higher resolution, it is flawed for mission critical image editing because
of the dramatic color shifts even with the slightest change of your viewing angle.
You can always install a SSD to the MBP.
However, if you can't deal with the over reflective screen on the MBP 13, go for the MBA. You'll be happy with which ever one
you get. If you indeed want to do serious image editing with the MBA, you can always hook it up to an external monitor :)
I chose to keep the MBA 13 because of its cool operating temperatures and light weight. However, next year when the MBPs
are updated with a redesign and Ivy Bridge processors, I will definitely sell the MBA to upgrade.
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