MacBook Air
Encyclopedia
The MacBook Air family is a line of Apple ultraportable
Macintosh
notebook computers
.
The first-generation MacBook Air was a 13.3"-only model, previously promoted as the World's Thinnest Notebook, introduced at the Macworld Conference & Expo
on January 15, 2008. It featured a custom Intel Merom
CPU and Intel GMA
graphics. In late 2008, the CPU was updated to a faster, non-custom Penryn
CPU and integrated Nvidia
GeForce
graphics while the hard drive capacity was increased and the micro-DVI
video port was replaced by the Mini DisplayPort
. A mid-2009 refresh, introduced alongside the MacBook Pro
family, featured a slightly higher-capacity battery, and a faster Penryn CPU.
On October 20, 2010, Apple released a redesigned 13.3" model, with improved enclosure, screen resolution, battery, and flash storage instead of a hard drive. In addition, a new 11.6" model was introduced, offering reduced cost, weight, battery life, and performance relative to the 13.3" model, but better performance than typical netbook
s of the time.
On July 20, 2011, Apple released an updated model in the same form factor as the prior model. The new model was powered by new dual-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, had a backlit keyboard, Thunderbolt instead of Mini DisplayPort and Bluetooth was upgraded to v4.0. Maximum flash storage and memory options were almost identical.
-related Multi-Touch
gestures such as pinching, swiping, and rotating. With the release of Mac OS X Snow Leopard, the Air's multi-touch trackpad also supports handwriting recognition of Chinese characters.
On the 11-inch MacBook Air, the left side of the computer has a MagSafe
power connector, a USB port, a headphone jack, and a microphone. The right side of the computer has a USB port and a Mini DisplayPort, now replaced by a Thunderbolt port in the 2011 version. On top of the screen bezel there is an iSight
, which is now dubbed the FaceTime
camera.
The MacBook Air was the first subcompact laptop offered by Apple since the full-featured 12" PowerBook G4
was discontinued in 2006. It was also Apple's first computer with an optional solid-state storage drive
. ArsTechnica found "moderate" performance improvements of the 64 GB
In this article, the conventional prefixes for computer storage denote base-10 values whereby "kilobyte" (KB) = 103 bytes, "megabyte" (MB) = 106 bytes and "gigabyte" (GB) = 109 bytes. solid-state drive of the first generation Air over the standard 80 GB hard drive in tests. On October 14, 2008, new models were announced with improved capacities of 128 GB (solid-state) and 120 GB (hard drive). For the late 2010 MacBook Air, only flash storage is available, in 64 or 128 GB capacities on the 11" model, and 128 or 256 GB on the 13".
The CPU in the first-generation MacBook Air was a custom engineered Intel Core 2 Duo
Merom
that was 40 percent of the size of the standard chip package. For models of late-2008,The CPU was replaced with a low-voltage Core 2 Duo Penryn
chip with 6 MB of cache, running on a 1066 MHz bus.
The MacBook Air has no user-replaceable parts. The flash memory and battery are enclosed within the casing, with RAM soldered onto the logic board. The flash memory, engineered to be difficult to access, has a 128MB cache and a mSATA connection to the logic board. The battery can be replaced using normal screwdrivers, though it is unclear whether this process would void the computer's warranty. As part of the out-of-warranty service, Apple offers to replace the battery for a fee.
Apple incorporated several features in the design of the MacBook Air, such as the reduction of toxic chemicals like lead, to make it more environmentally friendly. The MacBook Air contains no BFRs and PVC
wiring, meets Energy Star
Version 5.0 requirements, has a recyclable enclosure, and is rated EPEAT Gold; its display is made from arsenic
-free glass and does not contain mercury
. To reduce the computer's size and weight, several features were sacrificed. It was Apple's first notebook since the PowerBook 2400c
without a built-in removable media
drive. It also omits a FireWire port, Ethernet
port, line-in, media card slots (except the 13" 2010 and 2011 model, which has an SD card slot), and a Kensington Security Slot
.
To regain the features of an optical drive, users can either purchase a external USB SuperDrive
or the bundled Remote Disc software, only for disk browsing or software installation, to wirelessly access the optical drive of another computer that has the Remote Disc program installed. It can also be used to reinstall the system software from the included installation DVD. Remote Disc supports NetBoot
ing, so the MacBook Air can boot from its installation DVD in another computer's drive, which requires Remote Install Mac OS X
to be running on the remote computer. The software does not allow playback or information of DVDs
or CDs
, nor installing Microsoft Windows
. For these features, an external USB drive is required.
The 2010 revision includes two speakers for stereo sound while earlier versions have one speaker located under the keyboard.
CEO of Apple Steve Jobs
introduced the first MacBook Air during a speech at the 2008 Keynote. The MacBook Air was greeted with mixed reception when it was introduced. The portability of the MacBook Air was praised in reviews, however, the compromise in features was criticized. The full-sized keyboard, weight, thinness, and Multi-Touch
trackpad were appreciated in reviews, while the limited configuration options and ports, slow speed (in non-SSD models), non-user replaceable battery, small hard drive, and price were criticized.
Many commentators consider the 11-inch MacBook Air to have the essential attributes of a netbook
, despite not being marketed as such, and its comparatively high price.
The likewise discontinued Sharp Actius MM10 Muramasas was also described in some sources as thinner than the Macbook Air, being 0.54 inches (14 mm) thick at its minimum. It, like the MacBook Air, was a tapered design, with a maximum height of 0.78 inches (20 mm), in fact slightly thicker than the MacBook Air.
Since the release of the first MacBook Air, a number of ultrathin laptops have been released, including the Dell Adamo
, launched in March 2009, and a constant 0.65 inches (17 mm) thick, and the even thinner Adamo XPS, launched September 2009, only 0.39 inches (10 mm) thick. Also, the Sony VAIO X-series, launched in October 2009, is 0.55 inches (14 mm) thick throughout the entire body. As well, HP's VoodooPC ENVY 133 series which was released in June 2008 is 0.70 throughout. Apple has subsequently dropped the 'world's thinnest laptop' claim from their marketing.
Subnotebook
A subnotebook is a class of laptop computers that are smaller and lighter than a typical laptop....
Macintosh
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
notebook computers
Laptop
A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...
.
The first-generation MacBook Air was a 13.3"-only model, previously promoted as the World's Thinnest Notebook, introduced at the Macworld Conference & Expo
Macworld Conference & Expo
Produced by Boston-based IDG World Expo, Macworld | iWorld is a trade-show with conference tracks dedicated to the Apple Macintosh platform. It is held annually in the United States, usually during the second week of January...
on January 15, 2008. It featured a custom Intel Merom
Merom (microprocessor)
Merom is the code name for various Intel processors that are sold as Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Solo, Pentium Dual-Core and Celeron. It was the first mobile processor to be based on the Core microarchitecture, replacing the Enhanced Pentium M based Yonah processor. Merom has product code 80537, which is...
CPU and Intel GMA
Intel GMA
The Intel Graphics Media Accelerator, or GMA, is a series of Intel integrated graphics processors built into various motherboard chipsets....
graphics. In late 2008, the CPU was updated to a faster, non-custom Penryn
Penryn (microprocessor)
Penryn is the code name of a processor from Intel that is sold in varying configurations as Core 2 Solo, Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, Pentium and Celeron....
CPU and integrated Nvidia
NVIDIA
Nvidia is an American global technology company based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia is best known for its graphics processors . Nvidia and chief rival AMD Graphics Techonologies have dominated the high performance GPU market, pushing other manufacturers to smaller, niche roles...
GeForce
GeForce
GeForce is a brand of graphics processing units designed by Nvidia. , there have been eleven iterations of the design. The first GeForce products were discrete GPUs designed for use on add-on graphics boards, intended for the high-margin PC gaming market...
graphics while the hard drive capacity was increased and the micro-DVI
Micro-DVI
The Micro-DVI port is a video connection port used by the Asus U2E Windows Vista PC and Early 08 Apple MacBook Air laptop computers. It is smaller than the Mini-DVI port used by its MacBook sister models. To use the port for displaying video on a monitor or television that has a different-style...
video port was replaced by the Mini DisplayPort
Mini DisplayPort
The Mini DisplayPort is a miniaturized version of the DisplayPort digital audio-visual interface. Apple, Inc. announced the development in the fourth quarter of 2008, and now applies it in the LED Cinema Display and in all new Macintosh computers: MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini,...
. A mid-2009 refresh, introduced alongside the MacBook Pro
MacBook Pro
The MacBook Pro is a line of Macintosh portable computers introduced in January 2006 by Apple. It replaced the PowerBook G4 and was the second model, after the iMac, to be announced in the Apple–Intel transition...
family, featured a slightly higher-capacity battery, and a faster Penryn CPU.
On October 20, 2010, Apple released a redesigned 13.3" model, with improved enclosure, screen resolution, battery, and flash storage instead of a hard drive. In addition, a new 11.6" model was introduced, offering reduced cost, weight, battery life, and performance relative to the 13.3" model, but better performance than typical netbook
Netbook
Netbooks are a category of small, lightweight, legacy-free, and inexpensive laptop computers.At their inception in late 2007 as smaller notebooks optimized for low weight and low cost — netbooks omitted certain features , featured smaller screens and keyboards, and offered reduced computing...
s of the time.
On July 20, 2011, Apple released an updated model in the same form factor as the prior model. The new model was powered by new dual-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, had a backlit keyboard, Thunderbolt instead of Mini DisplayPort and Bluetooth was upgraded to v4.0. Maximum flash storage and memory options were almost identical.
Specifications
| Discontinued | Current |
| Table of models | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Early 2008 | Late 2008 | Mid 2009 | Late 2010 | Mid 2011 |
| Model identifier | MacBookAir1,1 | MacBookAir2,1 | MacBookAir3,1 (11"), MacBookAir3,2 (13") | MacBookAir4,1 (11"), MacBookAir4,2 (13") | |
| Model number | MB003LL/A | MB543LL/A, MB940LL/A | MC233LL/A, MC234LL/A | MC505LL/A, MC503LL/A | MC968LL/A, MC969LL/A, MC965LL/A, MC966LL/A |
| Display Computer display A monitor or display is an electronic visual display for computers. The monitor comprises the display device, circuitry, and an enclosure... (glossy) |
colspan=3 | 11.6", Supported up to 1366 × 768 (16:9) | |||
| 13.3", Supported up to 1280 × 800 (16:10) | 13.3", Supported up to 1440 × 900 (16:10) | ||||
| Graphics Computer graphics Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware.... (Shared with system memory) |
Intel GMA X3100 using 144 MB of DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 SDRAM is a double data rate synchronous dynamic random-access memory interface. It supersedes the original DDR SDRAM specification and has itself been superseded by DDR3 SDRAM... with Micro-DVI Micro-DVI The Micro-DVI port is a video connection port used by the Asus U2E Windows Vista PC and Early 08 Apple MacBook Air laptop computers. It is smaller than the Mini-DVI port used by its MacBook sister models. To use the port for displaying video on a monitor or television that has a different-style... output |
Nvidia NVIDIA Nvidia is an American global technology company based in Santa Clara, California. Nvidia is best known for its graphics processors . Nvidia and chief rival AMD Graphics Techonologies have dominated the high performance GPU market, pushing other manufacturers to smaller, niche roles... GeForce 9400M GeForce 9 Series The GeForce 9 Series is the ninth generation of NVIDIA's GeForce series of graphics processing units, the first of which was released on February 21, 2008.-Geforce 9300GE :*65nm G98 GPU*PCI-E x16*64 Bit Bus Width*4 ROP, 8 Unified Shaders... using 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 SDRAM In computing, DDR3 SDRAM, an abbreviation for double data rate type three synchronous dynamic random access memory, is a modern kind of dynamic random access memory with a high bandwidth interface. It is one of several variants of DRAM and associated interface techniques used since the early 1970s... with Mini DisplayPort Mini DisplayPort The Mini DisplayPort is a miniaturized version of the DisplayPort digital audio-visual interface. Apple, Inc. announced the development in the fourth quarter of 2008, and now applies it in the LED Cinema Display and in all new Macintosh computers: MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini,... output |
Nvidia GeForce 320M GeForce 300 Series The GeForce 300 Series is a family of graphics processing units developed by Nvidia. The first card of this series was launched in November 2009. Similar to the GeForce 100 series, the GeForce 300 series consists of re-branded video cards from the previous generation available only for OEMs... using 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM with Mini DisplayPort output |
Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor using 256 MB (11" base model) or 384 MB (all other models) of DDR3 SDRAM | |
| Front side bus Front side bus A front-side bus is a computer communication interface often used in computers during the 1990s and 2000s.It typically carries data between the central processing unit and a memory controller hub, known as the northbridge.... |
800 MHz | 1066 MHz | 800 MHz (11"), 1066 MHz (13") | DMI Direct Media Interface The Direct Media Interface is the link between an Intel northbridge and an Intel southbridge on a computer motherboard. It was first used between the 9xx chipsets and the ICH6, released in 2004. Previous chipsets had used the Hub Interface to perform the same function. Server chipsets use a... |
|
| Processor Central processing unit The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in... |
1.6 GHz (P7500) or 1.8 GHz (P7700) Intel Core 2 Duo with 4 MB on-chip L2 cache | 1.6 GHz (SL9300) or 1.86 GHz (SL9400) Intel Core 2 Duo with 6 MB on-chip L2 cache | 1.86 GHz (SL9400) or 2.13 GHz (SL9600) Intel Core 2 Duo with 6 MB on-chip L2 cache | (11") 1.4 GHz (SU9400) Intel Core 2 Duo with 3 MB on-chip L2 cache Optional 1.6 GHz (SU9600) Intel Core 2 Duo with 3 MB on-chip L2 cache (13")1.86 GHz (SL9400) Intel Core 2 Duo with 6 MB on-chip L2 cache Optional 2.13 GHz (SL9600) Intel Core 2 Duo with 6 MB on-chip L2 cache |
(11") 1.6 GHz (i5-2467M) dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3 MB shared L3 cache (13") 1.7 GHz (i5-2557M) dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3 MB shared L3 cache (Higher-End 11" & 13") Optional 1.8 GHz (i7-2677M) dual-core Intel Core i7 with 4 MB shared L3 cache |
| Memory |
2 GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM | 2 GBIn this article, the conventional prefixes for computer RAM denote base-2 values whereby kilobyte (KB) = 210 bytes, megabyte (MB) = 220 bytes and "gigabyte" (GB) = 230 bytes. of 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM | 2 GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM Optional 4 GB |
2 GB (11" base model; Optional 4 GB) or 4 GB of 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (all other models) | |
| Secondary storage | 80 GB Gigabyte The gigabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage. The prefix giga means 109 in the International System of Units , therefore 1 gigabyte is... 4200-rpm 1.8-inch PATA HDD or 64 GB SSD Solid-state drive A solid-state drive , sometimes called a solid-state disk or electronic disk, is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data with the intention of providing access in the same manner of a traditional block i/o hard disk drive... |
120 GB 4200-rpm 1.8-inch SATA Sata Sata is a traditional dish from the Malaysian state of Terengganu, consisting of spiced fish meat wrapped in banana leaves and cooked on a grill.It is a type of Malaysian fish cake, or otak-otak... HDD or 128 GB SSD |
64 or 128 GB (11"), 128 or 256 GB (13") of SSD | 64 GB (11") SSD128 GB (11") SSD Optional 256 GB upgrade128 or 256 GB (13") SSD | |
| Optical storage | None -optional External USB SuperDrive (4× DVD+/-R DL writes, 8× DVD+/-R read/write, 8× DVD+RW writes, 6× DVD-RW writes, 24× CD-R writes, and 16× CD-RW recording, 8× DVD read, 24× CD read) | ||||
| Keyboard | Gray characters, backlit | Silver characters, non-backlit | Gray characters, backlit | ||
| Connectivity |
Integrated 802.11 IEEE 802.11 IEEE 802.11 is a set of standards for implementing wireless local area network computer communication in the 2.4, 3.6 and 5 GHz frequency bands. They are created and maintained by the IEEE LAN/MAN Standards Committee . The base version of the standard IEEE 802.11-2007 has had subsequent... a/b/g and draft-n Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR Built-in infrared (IR) receiver for Apple Remote Apple Remote The Apple Remote is a remote control made for use with Apple products with infrared capabilities released after October 2005. The device was announced by Steve Jobs on October 12, 2005. The remote is largely based on the interface of the first generation iPod Shuffle and has only six buttons... Optional Apple USB Ethernet Adapter (Year 2008) |
Integrated 802.11 a/b/g/n (AirPort) Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR Optional Apple USB Ethernet Adapter |
Integrated 802.11 a/b/g/n (AirPort) (Broadcom BCM4322 300 Mbit/s) Bluetooth 4.0 Optional Apple USB Ethernet Adapter |
||
| Battery Battery (electricity) An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power... (non-removable lithium-ion polymer) |
colspan=3 | 35-watt-hour(11") | |||
| 37-watt-hour(13") | 40-watt-hour(13") | 50-watt-hour(13") | |||
| Unit weight | colspan=3 | 2.3 lb (1.04 kg) (11") 2.9 lb (1.32 kg) (13") |
2.38 lb (1.08 kg) (11") 2.96 lb (1.34 kg) (13") |
||
| 3 lb (1.36 kg) | |||||
| Dimensions | colspan=3 | 11.8 in (300 mm) wide × 7.56 in (192 mm) deep × 0.11 in (3 mm) to 0.68 in (17 mm) high (11") | |||
| 12.8 in (325 mm) wide × 8.94 in (227 mm) deep × 0.16 in (4 mm) to 0.76 in (19 mm) high (13") | 12.8 in (325 mm) wide × 8.94 in (227 mm) deep × 0.11 in (3 mm) to 0.68 in (17 mm) high (13") | ||||
| Peripheral connections | 1× USB 2.0 Universal Serial Bus USB is an industry standard developed in the mid-1990s that defines the cables, connectors and protocols used in a bus for connection, communication and power supply between computers and electronic devices.... 1× 3.5 mm headphone jack Micro-DVI Micro-DVI The Micro-DVI port is a video connection port used by the Asus U2E Windows Vista PC and Early 08 Apple MacBook Air laptop computers. It is smaller than the Mini-DVI port used by its MacBook sister models. To use the port for displaying video on a monitor or television that has a different-style... video port |
1x USB 2.0 1× 3.5 mm headphone jack Mini DisplayPort Mini DisplayPort The Mini DisplayPort is a miniaturized version of the DisplayPort digital audio-visual interface. Apple, Inc. announced the development in the fourth quarter of 2008, and now applies it in the LED Cinema Display and in all new Macintosh computers: MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini,... video port |
2× USB 2.0 port 1× 3.5 mm headphone jack Mini DisplayPort for digital display interface 1× SD card Secure Digital Secure Digital is a non-volatile memory card format developed by the SD Card Association for use in portable devices. The SD technology is used by more than 400 brands across dozens of product categories and more than 8,000 models, and is considered the de-facto industry standard.Secure Digital... slot (13" only) |
2× USB 2.0 port 1× 3.5 mm headphone jack 1x Thunderbolt port 1× SD card slot (13" only) |
|
Design
The MacBook Air is designed for thinness; it is also lighter than most competing models. The computer features a glossy LED backlit display and a full-size keyboard, as well as a large trackpad that responds to iPadIPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
-related Multi-Touch
Multi-touch
In computing, multi-touch refers to a touch sensing surface's ability to recognize the presence of two or more points of contact with the surface...
gestures such as pinching, swiping, and rotating. With the release of Mac OS X Snow Leopard, the Air's multi-touch trackpad also supports handwriting recognition of Chinese characters.
On the 11-inch MacBook Air, the left side of the computer has a MagSafe
MagSafe
MagSafe is a proprietary magnetically-attached power connector introduced by Apple Inc. on January 10, 2006 in conjunction with the MacBook Pro at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco...
power connector, a USB port, a headphone jack, and a microphone. The right side of the computer has a USB port and a Mini DisplayPort, now replaced by a Thunderbolt port in the 2011 version. On top of the screen bezel there is an iSight
ISight
iSight is a webcam, both external and internal, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. The external iSight was sold retail for US$149, connected to a computer via a FireWire cable, and came with a set of mounts to place it atop any then-current Apple display, laptop computer, all-in-one desktop...
, which is now dubbed the FaceTime
FaceTime
FaceTime is a video calling software application and related protocol developed by Apple for supported mobile devices running the iOS, in addition to Macintosh computers running Mac OS X 10.6.6 and higher...
camera.
The MacBook Air was the first subcompact laptop offered by Apple since the full-featured 12" PowerBook G4
PowerBook G4
The PowerBook G4 are a series of notebook computers that were manufactured, marketed, and sold by Apple, Inc. between 2001 and 2006 as part of its PowerBook line. It uses the PowerPC G4 processor, initially produced by Motorola and later by Freescale, after Motorola spun off its semiconductor...
was discontinued in 2006. It was also Apple's first computer with an optional solid-state storage drive
Solid-state drive
A solid-state drive , sometimes called a solid-state disk or electronic disk, is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data with the intention of providing access in the same manner of a traditional block i/o hard disk drive...
. ArsTechnica found "moderate" performance improvements of the 64 GB
Gigabyte
The gigabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage. The prefix giga means 109 in the International System of Units , therefore 1 gigabyte is...
In this article, the conventional prefixes for computer storage denote base-10 values whereby "kilobyte" (KB) = 103 bytes, "megabyte" (MB) = 106 bytes and "gigabyte" (GB) = 109 bytes. solid-state drive of the first generation Air over the standard 80 GB hard drive in tests. On October 14, 2008, new models were announced with improved capacities of 128 GB (solid-state) and 120 GB (hard drive). For the late 2010 MacBook Air, only flash storage is available, in 64 or 128 GB capacities on the 11" model, and 128 or 256 GB on the 13".
The CPU in the first-generation MacBook Air was a custom engineered Intel Core 2 Duo
Intel Core 2
Core 2 is a brand encompassing a range of Intel's consumer 64-bit x86-64 single-, dual-, and quad-core microprocessors based on the Core microarchitecture. The single- and dual-core models are single-die, whereas the quad-core models comprise two dies, each containing two cores, packaged in a...
Merom
Merom (microprocessor)
Merom is the code name for various Intel processors that are sold as Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Solo, Pentium Dual-Core and Celeron. It was the first mobile processor to be based on the Core microarchitecture, replacing the Enhanced Pentium M based Yonah processor. Merom has product code 80537, which is...
that was 40 percent of the size of the standard chip package. For models of late-2008,The CPU was replaced with a low-voltage Core 2 Duo Penryn
Penryn (microprocessor)
Penryn is the code name of a processor from Intel that is sold in varying configurations as Core 2 Solo, Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, Pentium and Celeron....
chip with 6 MB of cache, running on a 1066 MHz bus.
The MacBook Air has no user-replaceable parts. The flash memory and battery are enclosed within the casing, with RAM soldered onto the logic board. The flash memory, engineered to be difficult to access, has a 128MB cache and a mSATA connection to the logic board. The battery can be replaced using normal screwdrivers, though it is unclear whether this process would void the computer's warranty. As part of the out-of-warranty service, Apple offers to replace the battery for a fee.
Apple incorporated several features in the design of the MacBook Air, such as the reduction of toxic chemicals like lead, to make it more environmentally friendly. The MacBook Air contains no BFRs and PVC
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride is a plastic.PVC may also refer to:*Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honor*Peripheral venous catheter, a small, flexible tube placed into a peripheral vein in order to administer medication or fluids...
wiring, meets Energy Star
Energy Star
Energy Star is an international standard for energy efficient consumer products originated in the United States of America. It was first created as a United States government program during the early 1990s, but Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan and the European Union have also adopted...
Version 5.0 requirements, has a recyclable enclosure, and is rated EPEAT Gold; its display is made from arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
-free glass and does not contain mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
. To reduce the computer's size and weight, several features were sacrificed. It was Apple's first notebook since the PowerBook 2400c
PowerBook 2400c
The PowerBook 2400c is a subnotebook in Apple Computer's PowerBook range of Macintosh computers, weighing . Manufacturing was contracted to IBM. In a return to the PowerBook 100 form factor, It was introduced in May 1997 as a late replacement for the PowerBook Duo 2300c, which had been the last of...
without a built-in removable media
Removable media
In computer storage, removable media refers to storage media which is designed to be removed from the computer without powering the computer off.Some types of removable media are designed to be read by removable readers and drives...
drive. It also omits a FireWire port, Ethernet
Ethernet
Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
port, line-in, media card slots (except the 13" 2010 and 2011 model, which has an SD card slot), and a Kensington Security Slot
Kensington Security Slot
A Kensington Security Slot is part of an anti-theft system designed by Kensington Computer Products Group,Ltd....
.
To regain the features of an optical drive, users can either purchase a external USB SuperDrive
SuperDrive
SuperDrive is a trademark used by Apple Inc. for two different storage drives: from 1988–99 to refer to a high-density floppy disk drive capable of reading all major 3.5" disk formats; and from 2001 onwards to refer to a combined CD/DVD reader/writer....
or the bundled Remote Disc software, only for disk browsing or software installation, to wirelessly access the optical drive of another computer that has the Remote Disc program installed. It can also be used to reinstall the system software from the included installation DVD. Remote Disc supports NetBoot
NetBoot
NetBoot is a technology from Apple which enables Macs with capable firmware to boot from a network, rather than a local hard disk or optical disc drive. NetBoot is a derived work from the Bootstrap Protocol , and is similar in concept to the Preboot Execution Environment...
ing, so the MacBook Air can boot from its installation DVD in another computer's drive, which requires Remote Install Mac OS X
Remote Install Mac OS X
Remote Install Mac OS X is a remote installer for use with MacBook Air laptops over the network. It works by having it run on a Macintosh or a Windows-based PC with an optical drive and then connecting over the network to a client MacBook Air to perform system software installs.Remote Install Mac...
to be running on the remote computer. The software does not allow playback or information of DVDs
DVD-Video
DVD-Video is a consumer video format used to store digital video on DVD discs, and is currently the dominant consumer video format in Asia, North America, Europe, and Australia. Discs using the DVD-Video specification require a DVD drive and a MPEG-2 decoder...
or CDs
Red Book (audio CD standard)
Red Book is the standard for audio CDs . It is named after one of the Rainbow Books, a series of books that contain the technical specifications for all CD and CD-ROM formats.The first edition of the Red Book was released in 1980 by Philips and Sony; it was adopted by the Digital Audio Disc...
, nor installing Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
. For these features, an external USB drive is required.
The 2010 revision includes two speakers for stereo sound while earlier versions have one speaker located under the keyboard.
Launch and reception
Steve Jobs
Steven Paul Jobs was an American businessman and inventor widely recognized as a charismatic pioneer of the personal computer revolution. He was co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc...
introduced the first MacBook Air during a speech at the 2008 Keynote. The MacBook Air was greeted with mixed reception when it was introduced. The portability of the MacBook Air was praised in reviews, however, the compromise in features was criticized. The full-sized keyboard, weight, thinness, and Multi-Touch
Multi-touch
In computing, multi-touch refers to a touch sensing surface's ability to recognize the presence of two or more points of contact with the surface...
trackpad were appreciated in reviews, while the limited configuration options and ports, slow speed (in non-SSD models), non-user replaceable battery, small hard drive, and price were criticized.
Many commentators consider the 11-inch MacBook Air to have the essential attributes of a netbook
Netbook
Netbooks are a category of small, lightweight, legacy-free, and inexpensive laptop computers.At their inception in late 2007 as smaller notebooks optimized for low weight and low cost — netbooks omitted certain features , featured smaller screens and keyboards, and offered reduced computing...
, despite not being marketed as such, and its comparatively high price.
"Thinnest" disputes
At the launch of the first MacBook Air in January 2008, Apple claimed it to be the thinnest laptop in the world. However, the by-then discontinued Mitsubishi Pedion, released in 1998, was thinner than the Macbook Air at its widest point, being a rectangular 0.72 inches (18 mm). The first MacBook Air was thicker at its thickest point (0.76 inches (19 mm)), but it tapered down to 0.16 inches (4 mm), leading to some controversy over the thinnest laptop claim.The likewise discontinued Sharp Actius MM10 Muramasas was also described in some sources as thinner than the Macbook Air, being 0.54 inches (14 mm) thick at its minimum. It, like the MacBook Air, was a tapered design, with a maximum height of 0.78 inches (20 mm), in fact slightly thicker than the MacBook Air.
Since the release of the first MacBook Air, a number of ultrathin laptops have been released, including the Dell Adamo
Dell adamo
Adamo is a Dell subnotebook focused on design and mobility. A notebook prototype was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show on January 9, 2009. Dell also claimed it is the "world's thinnest laptop", at 0.65 inches thick...
, launched in March 2009, and a constant 0.65 inches (17 mm) thick, and the even thinner Adamo XPS, launched September 2009, only 0.39 inches (10 mm) thick. Also, the Sony VAIO X-series, launched in October 2009, is 0.55 inches (14 mm) thick throughout the entire body. As well, HP's VoodooPC ENVY 133 series which was released in June 2008 is 0.70 throughout. Apple has subsequently dropped the 'world's thinnest laptop' claim from their marketing.