Hands on with the new Apple MacBook Air
Netbook plus?
Preview Let's get the hard part out of the way at the start. The new MacBook Air isn't a cheap computer, and was never going to be.
If you're the sort to throw a fit because you can by a 15in octo-core über machine for half the 850 quid Apple wants for the even most basic, smallest Air, stop reading now. Let me assure you, your prejudices will be reinforced.
Tasty: Apple's 11.6in MacBook Air
Likewise, netbook fans who believe compact machines should cost no more than £300 aren't going to be interested either. Back to your Atoms, folks.
Apple fans will, of course, love the new Air no matter what, so they can probably quit reading at this point too.
The question is, then, does it have anything to offer to all the rest of us?
The answer is yes, if you're someone who values portability over performance. With a 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo in the 11.6in Air and a 1.86GHz chip in the 13.3in model, neither Air is a powerhouse. But neither was the original, 1.6GHz machine, and that was eminently suited nonetheless to word processing, basic photo editing, media playback and app development. I know, those are all tasks I put mine too. I even played Halo on it.
Iconic
And with the much superior graphical horsepower of the Nvidia GeForce 320M. It takes up to 256MB of the 2GB of 1066MHz DDR 3 memory soldered to the Air's motherboard - 4GB is a build-to-order option - and is built into the chipset. A quick peek at Mac OS X's System Profiler shows the Air's SSD connects to an Nvidia controller.
Next page: Faster chippery, sort of
COMMENTS
Didn't get a review machine I see
I love the fact that the reviewer has clearly just wandered down to the Regent St apple store and had a play around with one of the desk models :)
Shows an enterprising spirit!
RE:Like a bad eeepc 1215pn surely?
Doesn't the Asus EEE 1215pn have the Atom processor. Comparing the Atom to a Core2Duo is like comparing a Skoda to a Ferrari.
Didn't Author tell you to stop reading?
"If you're the sort to throw a fit because you can by a 15in octo-core über machine for half the 850 quid Apple wants for the even most basic, smallest Air, stop reading now. Let me assure you, your prejudices will be reinforced."
...but no...you had to come in and comment anyway.
You should probably highlight the downsides of a Hackintosh before evangelising them too btw. You and I have built 'em and know the pitfalls, but Joe Public is probably nowhere near technical enough to build one himself.
Seriously overpriced
What, £1100 for an ultra-thin 11" notebook PC with just 64GB SSD and 2GB RAM?
What kind of idiot would pay for that?
No, I'm not talking about the Air, I'm talking about it's direct competitor, the Sony Vaio X. Which only has a 1.86Ghz Atom, as opposed to the Air's Core Duo.
Makes the £850 Air seem pretty good value, doesn't it.
Err...
Did you read the review at all???
I was going to post how great and balanced a review it was, hopefully quashing the usual slatings, but no.... still they trudge in.
I love the product, but have no requirement for one that i couldn't fix with my iPad or MBP, but i know of many folk who'd love one, my other half at uni for instance, to complement her iMac!
