| Product: |
Apple MacBook Air MB003B/A |
| Date: |
17/09/08 (360 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Ultra thin construction, light weight
Disadvantages: Ultra thin construction, light weight
BASIC IDEAS AND BACKGROUND
Since last ten years, there is super boom in personal computers and technology.
After that if we consider laptop market than it covered modern market of pc users, due to fast moving life, more competition in market, globalization and latest technology effect in every field.
Since last five years, the boom which rolled out computer users in laptops, given many advantages as better configuration, technology, portability and accessibility.
Now a day's computers maker companies considering the portability as main target and they are providing laptops which are light in weights and small in size.
First gainer of this idea was SONY when they launched ultra thin portable laptop 'Sony VAIO X505VP' which was 2cm thick and weight of probably 820gm.
But this model of SONY failed to capture the market due to configuration and some basic accessibility features.
Apple is a grandfather of laptop market, when they launched their super hit model MacBook Pro, rolled out market toward Apple.
The main reason behind hitting market by Apple MacBook was its configuration and superb graphics quality.
After the huge success of MacBook Pro Apple has decided to go for ultra thin laptop market, considering high profile market, and they have launched newly MacBook air, light weight an about 2cm thin laptop.
Here I will discuss on configuration, portability, handling, advantages and disadvantages of MacBook air.
Size and Weight
First of all this is the main feature of MacBook air so that I would like to mention its size and weight here.
The main aim of MacBook air was its ultra thin size so having this, it has about 2cm thick and weight is about 1.36Kg.
The accurate size is 1.94 x 32.5 x 22.7 cm (H x W x D).
0.16-0.76", 12.8", 8.94" (H, W, D)
Processor
Human is a ruler of earth, why?
There are other lives also, but they doesn't deserve to this? Ofcourse.
Because Human has a brilliant mind, a processor which can think about right and wrong as well.
So whenever I write a review on laptops or computers my first target always remains a processor.
Considering this MacBook air available in 2 Model one has 1.6 GHz (1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 4MB shared L2 cache) core2 duo and 1.8 GHz (1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 4MB shared L2 cache) core2 duo Intel processors.
Now if we have a look on processor than we will find that it is something less than its hit model MacBook pro.. Why?
Because the main aim of MacBook air was its size and weight so that they have done some compromise with configuration as well
But if we consider 1.8 GHz processor than its more enough for this kind of laptop, we will never fell lesser.
Display
Here is the second main feature of laptop is its display size, not more than A4 size notebook.
The display is 13.3-inch (viewable) glossy widescreen LED 1280 x 800 pixels.
Now we can put this as in our bag and its smoothly portable size.
Memory
The other main feature is its memory, random access memory which is more important for live work on laptop that is 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM.
Here I wants to say that 2GB memory is more enough but the more important feature should be consider as graphics card, as it can handle large size of application.
Such kind of application can't be handling smoothly by memory. So we have to put better quality graphics card to access them.
Hard Disk Drive
The another main considerable feature is its hard drive capacity but here its also less than its MacBook pro model, but most important poit is that it has SSD(solid state drive ) in it and it is more reliable hard drive but more expensive also.
The provides hard disk is 64GB Solid State Drive and it is available for extra payments, but basic hard disk is 80GB 4200rpm parallel ATA hard disk drive.
80 Gb not more but it is satisfactory.
Now a days we are getting higher memory consumer applications so that we need some better capacity hard drive.
Optical drive
Here is the considerable point.. that how can this kind of thin model will handle optical drive?
Ofcourse it is not possible to put DVD ROM in this model so that they have provided an option of External MacBook Air USB SuperDrive (8x DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW).
It is necessary also to keep ROM so that we have to put some extra money for that as well.
Graphics Card
I always used to consider graphics card as top priority, because without it we will struggle to handle latest software's.
So graphics is more important and Apple is the main player for providing good graphics card in laptops but here they also sacrificed this in its size.
Due to its ultra thin size, the graphics card also provided as traditional which we have seen in many previous models.
And this graphics card is Intel GMA X3100 graphics (144MB of shared memory).
Here is what means by shared memory?..
Shared memory means the graphics card will share memory from RAM, it does not have dedicated memory which has its own memory for graphics, but due to the ultra thin portability the graphics also provided as traditional Intel GMA X3100 graphics.
Now have a look some basic features
Wireless card which is more important for latest Wi Fi technology that is AirPort Extreme WiFi (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n).
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
Micro DVI, USB 2.0 port (480Mbps), Audio out
Battery
Integrated 37-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery, here is also have a lower capacity battery but provides better back-up as about 3-4 hours of backup.
Conclusion and Bottom line
As I told in review that Apple has sacrificed many of its features due to making its ultra thin and portable.
So we have some lower configuration but its build quality is excellent and it is super portable model available in the market.
So we will definitely enjoy this laptop as it does not give more burden in our bag and it is a best traveling laptop.
Summary: Best portable laptop
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