Apple MacBook Air 13" Touch ID 8GB 256GB I5 1.6Ghz Review

The 3-Minute Apple MacBook Air 13" Review

Apple’s Ultrabook Returns

By Graeme Messina | January 3, 2019

The Specifics:

Features & Design: 3/5 ● Performance: 3/5 ● Value: 2/5 ● Battery Life 3/5

The Best:

The Apple MacBook Air range of ultrathin notebooks were arguably the first and best super thin units that hit the market that didn’t sacrifice performance for the really thin chassis dimensions. It comes with an i5 CPU clocked at 1.8GHz and 8GB of DDR3 memory which means that it performs as well as it looks. It also has a flash based storage that adds to the speed advantage that this notebook has over previous models.   

The Bugs:

Apple is not the brand for everyone, especially if you already use a Windows based PC. The Apple ecosystem takes some getting used to, as well as the closed nature of the MacOS environment that this unit ships with. There is no optical drive either, which could be a problem for some people, although it is not a deal breaker as most software is available online, and there are plenty of USB devices such as flash disks and hard drives that replace optical media.

Is it for you?

This depends mostly on the type of environment that you find yourself working in, as MacOS, and most Apple devices for that matter, do not work well in mixed device environments. If you are not a part of a corporate network then you are far more likely to enjoy using a Mac, but you can still get some use from it with winning virtualized Windows operating systems on your Mac so it isn’t too much of a problem for most people.

Meet the Apple MacBook Air 13” Inch

The Apple MacBook is still as slim as previous models, but now with better internal components and an even slimmer chassis. The 13.3” inch LED backlit glossy widescreen display that also has support for millions of colors.   

What we like

We like the construction and overall aesthetic of the MacBook Air, and the fact that it is still really fast is definitely a plus. The screen resolution is 1440x900 which is good for such a small sized display. It features Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi for connectivity on the wireless front. The keyboard is also really good, and has decent key travel and tactile feedback.

It also has 2 x USB 3.0 ports for connecting your peripherals, and Thunderbolt. It has a backlit keyboard with a built in webcam, and an SD card slot. The touchpad is probably the most talked about feature and it does an excellent job of enhancing the navigation options that users have with this ultrabook.

What we don’t like

While the device is quite fast, the internal components are starting to show their age a little. DDR3 has been around for a long time, as it was launched back in 2007 originally, so there is definitely room for improvement here if Apple is going to compete with the latest laptops and ultrabooks.

Should you buy it?

How useful you find this device will depend on how you intend on using it. It is lightweight and small in size, which makes it ideal for taking it with you on the road. It lets you work anywhere, so it is definitely an ultra-portable device. Where some users might have problems is with the operating system because it does take some getting used to for people that come from a predominantly Windows environment.