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| | Location: Home » MacBook Air » Laptop Computers » Apple MacBook Air MB543LL/A 13.3 Inch Laptop (1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 2 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive) | January 8, 2009 |
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| Apple MacBook Air MB543LL/A 13.3 Inch Laptop (1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 2 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive) | 
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| Brand: Apple
Category: Personal Computer
List Price: $1,799.00
Buy New: $1,769.99
You Save: $29.01 (2%)
Buy New from $1,769.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  (10 reviews)
Sales Rank: 81
Media: Personal Computers
CPU Manufacturer: Intel
CPU Speed: 1.6
CPU Type: Intel Core Duo
Processors: 2
System Bus Speed: 1066
System Memory: 2000
Memory Type: DDR2 SDRAM
Hard Drive Size: 120
Floppy Disk Drive: None
Modem: None
Display Size: 13.3
Warranty: 1 year warranty
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 12.8 x 0.8
MPN: MB543LL/A
Model: MB543LL/A
UPC: 885909233571
EAN: 0885909233571
ASIN: B001GCTT7Q
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | Thinnest, lightest MacBook ever includes multi-touch trackpad, built-in iSight webcam, and up to 4.5-hour battery life | | • | 13.3-inch glossy LED-backlit screen; 120 GB hard disk drive; 2 GB of RAM (maximum capacity) | | • | 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor; NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics with 256 MB of shared memory | | • | One USB 2.0, built-in Wi-Fi (802.11n draft plus 802.11b/g), Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Mini DisplayPort | | • | Preloaded with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system and iLife '08 suite of applications |
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| Accessories:
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
MacBook Air has amazing new graphics?up to four times faster?and a larger hard drive. Yet it's still ultrathin, ultraportable, and ultra unlike anything else. It's just 0.16 inch at its thinnest point, 0.76 inch at its thickest point, and a mere 3.0 pounds. With a 120GB hard drive, 2GB of fast DDR3 SDRAM, and the Intel Core 2 Duo processor, MacBook Air has more power for everyday tasks. But unlike other ultraportable designs, it doesn't compromise on features. The LED-backlit display provides instant full screen brightness the moment you open MacBook Air. LED technology also makes the display more power efficient, which translates to long battery life. The NVIDIA GeForce 9400M provides up to an amazing 4x performance boost over the original MacBook Air. Photos appear in iPhoto quickly. Transitions in Keynote are seamless. Games play more smoothly. And movie and video playback is better than ever before. You also get a spacious trackpad with Multi-Touch technology. You can pinch, swipe, or rotate to zoom in on text, advance through a photo album, or adjust an image. Or try out the new four-finger swipe. With this gesture, you can navigate up and down to use Expose modes or left and right to switch between applications. Engineered for the wireless world, MacBook Air also comes with 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, and Remote Disc to deliver unparalleled wireless versatility. Mobile computing has yet another new standard. 13.3 Glossy (1280 x 800) LED Backlit Widescreen Display Built-in iSight Camera and internal omnidirectional microphone Full-size backlit keyboard with 78 (U.S.) keys, including 12 function keys; Solid-state trackpad NVIDIA GeForce 9400M with 256MB Shared Video Memory AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi Wireless (802.11a/b/g/n) Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR Ports - USB 2.0, Analog Line Out, Mini DisplayPort, MagSafe Power Port Unit Dimensions - 12.8 (W) x 0.76 (H) x 8.94 (D) Unit Weight - 3.0 Pounds
Amazon.com Product Description
With the MacBook Air, Apple has created the world's thinnest laptop--measuring an unprecedented 0.16-inches at its thinnest point (and 0.76 inches thick overall). Apple brings its vaunted multi-touch technology, found on the iPhone, to its laptops with the MacBook Air, enabling you to pinch, swipe, or rotate to zoom in on text, advance through a photo album, or adjust an image via the oversized trackpad. And the MacBook Air embodies Apple's continuing environmental progress with its aluminum enclosure, a material highly desired by recyclers; Apple's first mercury-free LCD display with arsenic-free glass; and brominated flame retardant-free material for the majority of circuit boards as well as PVC-free internal cables. 
The MacBook Air includes a vibrant 13.3-inch LED-backlit display and a full-sized keyboard. | Despite the its slender shell, the MacBook Air doesn't skimp on the specifications. It includes a 13.3-inch LED-backlit widescreen display, full-size and backlit keyboard, and a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing. The MacBook Air is powered by a custom-built 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which provides an optimized, multithreaded architecture for improved multitasking performance. And it features the integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor, which delivers outstanding 3D game play with up to five times faster graphics performance than the previous generation. Other features include 2 GB of RAM, a 120 GB hard disk drive, Wi-Fi connectivity via 802.11a/b/g/n standards, Mini DisplayPort video output (for DVI and VGA connections), and up to a 4.5-hour battery life. It comes pre-loaded with Apple's Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system, which adds over 300 new features including easy backup of your most important data via Time Machine, a redesigned desktop that helps eliminate clutter, and the newest version of the fast-loading Safari web browser. It also comes with the iLife '08 suite of applications, including iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband, and iTunes. Design
The thinness of MacBook Air is impressive, but even more impressive is that fact that there's a full-size notebook encased in the 0.16 to 0.76 inch of sleek, sturdy anodized aluminum. This svelte, 3-pound laptop has a vibrant, energy efficient 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display, and its spacious trackpad offers multi-touch gesture support for pinch, rotate and swipe--making it more intuitive than ever to browse and rotate photos or zoom into web pages in Safari. It also features a full-size keyboard that's backlit, making it ideal for dimly lit environments such as airplanes, studios or conference halls. It includes a built-in ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the brightness of the keys as well as the display brightness for optimal visibility. 
Amazingly thin at just 0.16 inches at its thinnest and 0.76 inches at its thickest point, the MacBook Air weighs just 3 pounds. | One of Apple's most celebrated innovations is the MagSafe power adapter connector, which offers a magnetic connection instead of a physical one. So, if you happen to trip over a power cord, you won't send the MacBook Air flying off a table or desk--the cord simply disconnects, without damage to either the cord or the system. 
See larger version. | Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
Custom-built to fit within the compact dimensions of the laptop, the MacBook Air is powered by a 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with a super-fast 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and an enormous 6 MB of Smart Cache, an L2 cache that can be shared between the cores as needed. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.) The Intel Core 2 Duo's 128-bit SSE3 vector engine handles 128-bit computations in a single clock cycle, accelerating data manipulation by simultaneously applying a single instruction to multiple data. And its two execution cores are designed to share resources and conserve power, helping it to achieve higher levels of performance since it uses fewer watts. And with 4MB of shared L2 cache, the MacBook Air is a multi-tasking monster. With such substantial L2 cache, data and instructions can be kept close to the two processor cores, greatly increasing performance and allowing the entire system to work more efficiently. And, because the processor cores share the L2 cache, either can use the entire amount if the other happens to be idle. 
See larger version. | Video Processing & Output
Whether you're working on a Keynote presentation or watching a movie before you catch a flight, every document, video, and photo on your MacBook Air will look sharp on the glossy 13.3-inch widescreen display. With the new NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics processor, the MacBook Air changes the game and just about everything you do with it. The 9400M provides up to an amazing 4x performance boost over the original MacBook Air. Photos appear in iPhoto quickly, transitions in Keynote are seamless, games play more smoothly, and movie and video playback is better than ever before. The 9400M graphics processor shares 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM with main memory. The MacBook Air now includes a next generation Mini DisplayPort, which delivers a pure digital signal that can drive up to a 30-inch widescreen display. The Mini DisplayPort is ultra-compact at just 10 percent the size of a full DVI connector, and is compatible with Apple's 24-inch Cinema Display. Adapters are also available for using VGA, DVI/HDMI and Dual-Link DVI displays Hard Drive and Memory
For storage, this MacBook Air comes with a 120 GB Parallel ATA hard disk drive (4200 RPM). The 2 GB of PC3-8500 DDR3 RAM (two SO-DIMMs of 1024 MB) has an industry-leading 1066 MHz speed, and it maximizes the capacity for this laptop. Optical Drive
Because of the amazingly thin design of the MacBook Air, an optical (DVD/CD) drive was not included. To install software from a disc, you can wirelessly use or "borrow" optical drives on remote PCs or Macs using the Remote Disk feature. This allows you full access to an optical drive without having to haul one around. If you want to have an optical drive for burning CDs and DVDs, you can purchase the optional MacBook Air SuperDrive (sold separately). This multi-format CD/DVD read/write drive is powered by the MacBook Air's USB port, eliminating the need to carry a separate power adapter. Networking
The MacBook Air doesn't include wired Ethernet networking, and instead relies solely on Wi-Fi to connect to your home network as well as wireless hotspots. The built-in 802.11n wireless networking provides up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g, but it's also backward-compatible with 802.11a/b/g routers, enabling you to communicate with the a wide variety of Wi-Fi resources. It works seamlessly with the optional AirPort Extreme base station as well as Apple's Time Capsule Wi-Fi base station/hard drive--both of which include 802.11n capabilities. If you don't have access to a wireless network, you can use an optional USB Ethernet Adapter (sold separately) Use the built-in Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) wireless technology to connect to your PDA or cell phone, synchronize addresses, or download pictures from your cell phone. You can also use a wireless headset for iChat audio chats and VoIP calls as well as quickly share files with a colleague. Video Conferencing with Built-in iSight
Artfully placed in the display bezel is an iSight camera, which enables easy video conferencing as well as allows you to snap pictures of yourself and create video podcasts. Using the iChat AV application, video conferencing is integrated into your iChat buddy list, so initiating a video conference is a breeze. iChat also lets you hold audio chats with up to 10 people and provides high-quality audio compression and full-duplex sound so conversation can flow naturally. For video podcasting, you can record a short clip using the iSight camera, then use iWeb to create a video blog entry or post your GarageBand-recorded podcast. Other Features
- Mini DisplayPort compatible with DVI, VGA, and dual-link DVI connectors (all optional)
- Analog audio output/headphone out (minijack)
- Built-in mono speaker and omnidirectional microphone
- Integrated 37-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery provides up to 5 hours of battery life
- Built-in full-size keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys, 4 arrow keys (inverted "T" arrangement), and embedded numeric keypad
- Supported resolutions: 1280 by 800 (native), 1152 by 720, 1024 by 768, 800 by 600, 800 by 500, 720 by 480, and 640 by 480 pixels at 16:10 aspect ratio; 1024 by 768, 800 by 600, and 640 by 480 pixels at 4:3 aspect ratio; 720 by 480 pixels at 3:2 aspect ratio
Environtmental Considerations
The entire new MacBook family meets stringent Energy Star 4.0, EPEAT Gold and RoHS environmental standards, and leads the industry in the elimination of toxic chemicals by containing no brominated flame retardants, using only PVC-free internal cables and components, and using energy efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. Preloaded with Leopard and iLife '08
The biggest Mac OS X upgrade ever, the Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system features over 300 new features, including: - Time Machine, an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac
- A redesigned Finder that lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs
- Quick Look, a new way to instantly see files without opening an application
- Spaces, an intuitive new feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them
- A brand new desktop with Stacks, a new way to easily access files from the Dock
- Major enhancements to Mail and iChat
Preloaded with Leopard, you'll enjoy enhanced productivity and a clutter-free desktop (thanks to the redesigned 3D Dock with Stacks). | Leopard's new desktop includes the redesigned 3D Dock with Stacks, a new way to organize files for quick and easy access with just one click. Leopard automatically places web, email and other downloads in a Downloads stack to maintain a clutter-free desktop, and you can instantly fan the contents of this and other Stacks into an elegant arc right from the Dock. The updated Finder includes Cover Flow and a new sidebar with a dramatically simplified way to search for, browse and copy content from any PC or Mac on a local network. Time Machine lets you easily back up all of the data on your Mac, find lost files and even restore all of the software on their Mac. With just a one-click setup, Time Machine automatically keeps an up-to-date copy of everything on the Mac. In the event a file is lost, you can search back through time to find deleted files, applications, photos and other digital media and then instantly restore the file. The MacBook Air also comes with the iLife '08 suite of applications that make it easy to live the digital life. Use iPhoto to share entire high-res photo albums with anyone who's got an email address. Record your own songs and podcasts with GarageBand. Break into indie filmmaking with iMovie and iDVD. Then take all the stuff you made on your Mac and share it on the Web in one click with iWeb. Included Software
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard (includes Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, Xcode Developer Tools) iLife '08 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand) What's in the Box
MacBook Air, 45W MagSafe Power Adapter, AC wall plug, power cord, cleaning/polishing cloth, install/restore DVDs, printed documentation
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| Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...
Little PowerHouse December 23, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have owned many laptops, mostly Dell's and Thinkpads (from both IBM and Lenovo). This laptop is without a doubt the best one I have ever had. The solid state hard drive makes it so snappy that you start using your computer in a new way. Instead of opening one program at a time, you simply click them all and get immediate action.
As for the laptop itself it is exactly what I wanted; it is smart, light weight and OS X just works. No more Windows hell and you still have the full power of a UNIX operating system at your fingertips. Also I have found it surprisingly easy to live without a optical drive, as most software is accessible over the internet; I do however keep a Macbook Air SuperDrive at home for the rare occasion where I use CDs (usually when ripping music or installing operating systems).
So how fast is it ?. It is quick enough for me and that should be good enough for most people, since I use some hefty software. I usually fire of Oracle (running in Vista inside VMWare fusion), IntelliJ IDEA, Firefox and ITunes - all at once - and the computer still feels fast, responsive and it doesn't overheat.
In short a great little, fast and expensive wonder from Apple.
Much More Than I Expected December 17, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I've been traveling the past two years and it was only a few months ago when I decided to get a Macbook Air. With my older non-ultra portable laptop, my backpack was always heavy. In fact, it made up for 80% of my handcarry's weight. You have to consider that many laptop companies do not include the weight of the removable battery and the power adapter in their laptop's specs. I've heard of Macbook Air before but I had been hesitant to buy one because it didn't look that sturdy in the store compared to the Macbook Pro and I thought that its processing power was extremely lowered to unbearable levels.
When I bought the Macbook Air, I knew what I was getting. First, it's going to have less disk space and less processing power, just one USB drive and no CD/DVD drive. So I'm not going to complain about those things knowing that this is not supposed to replace my desktop computer. And it was supposed to be a computer I can bring along while traveling for writing e-mails and surfing the net. I occasionally play games and I don't do video editing or use CAD.
PROCESSING POWER
But to my surprise, it was more powerful and faster than I expected. It's faster than my iMac. When you click on the Dashboard icon on the dock, all your widgets will load instantly and not even take longer than 2 seconds. Opening multiple programs at the same time did not slow down the computer at all.
I used to play World of Warcraft before I bought this laptop and plan to be playing again next year. I was thinking that I wouldn't be able to play WoW with a decent frame rate on this machine but I've been reading forums and they said WoW performs really well in MBA's with SSD drives.
KEYBOARD AND SCREEN
Another nice touch is the screen and keyboard size. Ultraportable used to mean small ultra light weight BUT ultra small screen and almost impossible to use keyboards. Macbook Air didn't sacrifice screen size and keyboard keys size. One thing I noticed was that the backspace button was renamed Delete and the real delete button was missing. But it really didn't become an issue with me later on. I'm one of those few people who like to crank up the brightness to its max level. I'm so happy with the level of brightness and crispness MBA has to offer. And the brightness is easy and fast to adjust, thanks to the keyboard shortcuts.
TRACKPAD
With the other laptops that I used before, I wouldn't survive a day without using a USB mouse. But MBA's trackpad is completely functional without straining the joints of my thumb. I don't do the new gestures at all. But being able to move the cursor when I want it to go without making my scalp sweat is such a blessing.
OPTICAL DRIVE
I bought the external DVD drive from Apple and it's funny how I've only used it to burn a couple of movies and install MS Office. I found myself not using the drive much because I don't: a) install applications from CDs/DVDs on a daily or even weekly basis, b) listen to CDs using my computer or c) burn data on DVD-Rs.
ONE USB PORT
My complaint about MBA is that it only has 1 USB drive. But take note that the port for the external monitor is separate from the USB drive. I thought that if I plugged my MBA to my monitor, I'd lose the valuable USB slot but I was wrong.
FORM FACTOR
Well what can I say? Great design! I was hesitant at first to take it out of my bag in a coffee shop when I realized that MBAs are more common than I thought. MBAs don't scream anymore, "Look at me wasting money!" like before. And people are used to seeing MBAs these days so you can take your laptop out and do your thing without grabbing attention.
When you get this laptop and give it a whirl for a few days, you will be surprised that it offers more functionality over form. If you want a powerful laptop that you can carry around without breaking your back and has a nice display and keyboard, this one's for you.
I was looking at the new Sony Vaio ultraportable which promises almost double specs at half the price of MBA plus support for Blu-Ray. But if you play around with the specs in their website and max it out to double the specs of MBA, it'll cost more than $4,000.
Apple's Flagship Macbook: Eminently Practical (marginally affordable) December 12, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Some of the "elitist" owners of this machine would have you believe that it's intended for some sort of exclusive club that's willing to sacrifice functionality for style. The fact of the matter is that the new solid state Air is where Apple is headed with all of it laptops. Especially given the mixed consumer reviews of the new Macbooks and Macbook Pros, you may wish to give this one a longer look--or at least wait for the price of solid state circuitry to come down to a more attractive level before springing for a Mac notebook.
I tried a Net Book but ultimately found it too cramped to accomplish the serious work all of the included programs (esp. MS Word) implied it was capable of. Then Amazon came through with a serious price break on the "other" Macbook Air, the one with a conventional hard drive. It was a nice objet d'art but arrived DOA (admittedly, mine was no doubt an exceptional instance). The solid state Air has twice the memory as last year's model and at a slightly reduced price (too slight to put it within range of most of us, unfortunately). But Amazon's enticer of free two-year financing finally proved too compelling.
This machine must be awfully good if it can win me over after two major disappointments: first, Amazon's sending me a (much) less expensive model that arrived DOA; 2nd, Amazon (or, rather, its Store Card Bank, which appears to be run by G.E.) refusing to extend me the no-interest credit offer (maybe they're looking for customers who will be likely to default on their payments, in which case "no-interest" is no longer not in the customer's interest). In any case, the display shows beautifully (no Shinola, and no requirement that you be in exact alignment with its brightest part to be able to read it). Moreover, even though the weight specs suggest it's no lighter than a small Net book, it "feels" lighter because of better distribution of that weight. And it's so thin, you could use the edges for cutting your Danish each morning.
If you want a mean and lean writing machine, look no further (unless it's out into the future for better prices). If you want an entertainment center, complement this one with a desktop model or iMac. My experience has been that once I start using the laptop to burn CDs and DVDs, watch movies, record and mix live music, etc., it soon becomes cluttered with programs and files and hangs up on me, going berserk with kernel panics. I haven't had this one long enough to proclaim it crash-proof, but the absence of a CD drive along with gratuitous firewire and numerous other unneeded ports is encouraging and strangely liberating.
[One small caveat: I'm not sure what the claims are re: battery life, but it's looking to be no better than that of previous machines--a couple of hours. Beats me how Apple can get a 32 gb Touch to go forever while the laptop Air remains comparatively fuel-hungry.]
Upgrading from Rev A to Rev B = well worth it. December 9, 2008
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
So - I bit the bullet and upgraded from a Rev A 1.6GHz 80GB HDD MBA - to a Rev B 1.86GHz 128GB SSD MBA. I wanted to post my observations on what it's like to upgrade - I know many Rev A owners have - or are thinking about - upgrading to Rev B.
In this review, I refer to "Rev A" and "Rev B". The Rev A is my older 1.6GHz 80GB HDD MBA. The Rev B is my new 1.86GHz 128GB SSD MBA
Caveat - Unlike some (but not all!) Rev A MBA owners, I love my Rev A MBA. I've had zero problems with it. It runs cool and I have not experienced any core shut downs. It would heat up when most laptops normally heat up and the fans would kick. It would cool down quickly when I moved on to something else. With video it never stuttered... Perhaps my Rev A has run so nicely because I don't ask a lot of it. It is a second Mac to my Mac Pro - I use it primarily for email, word processing, iTunes movies and web surfing - on the couch and on the road. It has REALLY been a great laptop and I have nothing bad to say about it.
So why did I update? I wanted more space. I have my Rev A setup to duel boot (Vista) for business uses from time to time when I travel. That kills a chunk of space. Also - with the Rev A, I compromised - by not having my music, photos and other large files with me. Not a bad tradeoff. But the Rev B's larger hard drive was enticing - additionally, the Rev A has been so great, I'm willing to make the investment to have the latest/greatest version of the Air because it is such a leap/improvement over the Rev A - both speed and graphics-wise. I won't spend time on the A's form factor - those of you that own one already get that - it's great...
So here are my observations - they are based on the things I can see and observe - not "Xbench scores" - real world use - and hopefully it will give you an idea of the differences between Rev A and Rev B. As I type this, I have my Rev A right next to me - side by side with the Rev B.
My observations:
1) Packaging - The Rev B's packaging was similar to the Rev A's in terms of layout, but the Rev A packaging materials were FAR nicer. The Rev B's packaging is more in-line with the other Apple notebooks - white briefcase with handle. I really liked the packaging of the Rev A - very solid and heavy duty in comparison - it set the original Air apart.
2) Sounds - The first thing I noticed when starting it up: The Rev B (SSD) is, due to form, noiseless. The Rev A's subtle hum and hard drive noises are (obviously) completely gone. The click and general noises of the Rev A's hard drive was never something I really noticed - until it was gone... The Rev B is eerily quiet! Upgraders from the Rev A HDD will notice the difference.
3) Trackpad button - The Rev A's track pad button is comparatively mushy - it takes more travel to make a click. The Rev B's is very tight - less play. The Rev A's button never bothered me - interesting that the Rev B's is tighter - a purposeful improvement?
4) Keyboard - This was a surprise - and I had to double check this. The Rev B keyboard has been improved in a similar way to the trackpad button - the keys are quieter and seem to be more tightly secured. It's hard to explain, but the improvement has resulted in a typing experience that is quieter - less "rattley". To see what I mean, run your fingers back/forth lightly over a Rev A keyboard and the keys have more play and make more noise due to the looser keys. The Rev B is tighter when you do this - less play and less noise.
5) Screen - Many complain that the Rev B's screen has faint lines. I've seen them on the Apple store floor models, and they do exist. It was a concerned when buying my Rev B, but I have yet to read about someone who was denied a refund by Apple if they had lines on the MBA screen. Bottom line - Apple stands behind their products - I was not afraid to risk having to make a return.
I've looked really hard at my Rev B and, if I get my head in just the right place and the screen tilted just right, I can see some lines - but they're REALLY hard to find and they are not as bad as what I've seen in the Apple store display Rev B airs. Looking at my Rev A, doing the same contortions, I can actually make out similar - albeit even fainter lines. My Rev B is a keeper - I really can't see the lines during normal use. Side by side, the Rev A and Rev B screens look identical to me. Same brightness, color saturation, etc, etc. I have both setup using the same display profile - the default "Color LCD" profile. I've played the same movie and frozen clips on the same frame - the screens look absolutely identical.
6) Display output - the Rev B has the newer Mini DisplayPort display - which replaces the Rev A's Micro DVI port. Unlike the Rev A, the Rev B does not include the VGA and DVI adapters. They're yours to purchase separately for an extra $29 each. Typical of Apple to remove extras in the Rev B edition... I never used the Rev A adapters and chose not to buy them for the Rev B until I need them.
7) 4 Finger gestures - I REALLY like these. I was surprised at how well they work and how much I use them. Four fingers up - see the desktop. Four down - Expose (awesome). Four to the right or left - switch applications. Good stuff. I like it.
8) Graphics - The Nvidia Graphics chip is a huge leap over the earlier Intel chip. I've run several games on my Rev B that could not run on the Rev A Air and they are actually very playable! I like this - I play games from time to time when I travel - while I fly... This is a great improvement and I like the ability to use applications that require mid-level graphics abilities.
9) Performance - I saved the best for last. This is the area where I'm really pleasantly surprised. The Rev B's performance is NOTICEABLY faster. Surprisingly so. In some respects it is faster than my Mac Pro (But not at the heavy lifting - not by a long shot!)
Here are some observations (note that applications start times are after a restart of OSX - I know that applications can be cached and load much more quickly the second time around).
Some of these differences may seem small, but they are huge - look at your watch and tick off 14 seconds... That's what it takes in additional time for Word to load on my Rev A. You start to really appreciate the SSD drive...
Start from complete shut down - Rev A: 56 Seconds; Rev B: 28 Seconds
Restart - Rev A: 58 Seconds; Rev B: 31 Seconds
Shut Down - Rev A: 3 Seconds; Rev B: 2 Seconds
Start Safari and load page (boston.com) - Rev A: 18 Seconds; Rev B: 7 Seconds
Start Entourage - Rev A: 24 Seconds; Rev B: 8 Seconds
Start iTunes - Rev A: 9 Seconds; Rev B: 4 Seconds
Open MS Word - Rev A: 17 Seconds; Rev B: 3 Seconds
If you're thinking about upgrading - it's a nice improvement.
 Weigh your needs December 9, 2008
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
After hearing so much about Mac's reliability I took the plunge with the MBA.
It is a beautiful piece of equipment with moderate power. I would recommend getting the Superdrive since the remote access does not play well with Windows machines. The wireless did link well with wireless internet at variable speed, but I could not help to notice that one of the first updates it downloaded was for the remote access.
The hard drive comes with 95Gig of available space due to the pre-installed Apple software. You can custom install a smaller version of the OS with a gain of seven Gig (remove languages, printer drivers and Alex's voice, etc.). It starts up and shuts down quickly. Battery life is not five hours, but expect at least three hours of use per charge.
If you use Windows, there are far faster laptops as a much lower price that exceed the processing speed of this system...but they ain't as light, pretty, and do not run Mac.
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These items can be shipped only via Priority International Shipping and are subject to an import fees deposit.
*Note: Books that require special handling because they are extremely heavy (for example, multi-volume sets) cannot be shipped outside the U.S. If this is the case, it will be noted on the product detail page.
When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Shipping date estimates will appear in the order form. After placing your order, you will see both shipping and delivery date estimates in the order confirmation e-mail and in the order summary in Your Account.
Calculating Cost
Shipping costs depend upon the method and option you choose.
If you choose to group items into as few shipments as possible, you'll be charged for one regular per-shipment fee, as well as a per-item fee for each item in that shipment.
If you choose to ship items as soon as they become available, we'll charge you full per-shipment fees for each shipment as well as a per-item fee for each item.
Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound. |
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