Product Description
Product Features Faster Flash Storage; USB 3.0; 720p FaceTime HD
Camera 1.8 GHz Intel Core i5 Processor 128 GB Solid State Drive; 4 GB
DDR3 RAM Intel HD Graphics 4000; 13.3-inch LED Display Mac OS X v10.7
Lion Operating System Processor, Memory, and Motherboard Hardware
Platform: Mac Processor: 1.8 GHz Intel Core i5 Number of Processors: 1
RAM: 4 GB RAM Type: SDRAM Hard Drive Size: 128 GB Type: Solid State
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #32 in Personal Computers
- Size: 128 GB Storage
- Brand: Apple
- Model: MD231LL/A
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 2.96 pounds
- CPU: Intel Core i5 1.8 GHz
- Memory: 4GB DDR3 SDRAM
- Processors: 1
- Display size: 13.3
Features
- Faster Flash Storage; USB 3.0; 720p FaceTime HD Camera
- 1.8 GHz Intel Core i5 Processor
- 128 GB Solid State Drive; 4 GB DDR3 RAM
- Intel HD Graphics 4000; 13.3-inch LED Display
- Ships in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging
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Customer Reviews
I purchased both the newly updated 13" MacBook Air and the updated 13" MacBook Pro
the day they were announced at WWDC and released for sale in June 2012.
After using the two machines side-by-side for a couple weeks now, I can
say that the MacBook Air offers superior performance in virtually every
respect to such a degree that I've pretty much stopped using my brand
new MacBook Pro. Of course the Air (which I got factory upgraded to the
2.0 GHz i7 processor and 8GB of RAM) is lighter, slimmer, and sleeker
than the Pro, and yes, it does have a much higher resolution display,
but I was surprised just how much faster the MacBook Air is compared to
the Pro is despite the Air's slower CPU clock speed. The SSD hard drive
on the MacBook Air makes an enormous difference in everything from
casual web browsing to video editing.
Speed and Performance: Advantage MacBook Air
Apart
from the hard drives and port configurations, the technology inside the
machines is virtually identical in both the newly refreshed MacBook Air
and MacBook Pro. Both Pros and Airs come with either i5 or i7 Intel
"Ivy Bridge" processors, Intel HD Graphics 4000, USB 3.0, and
lightning-fast Thunderbolt ports. While the MacBook Air models are at a
disadvantage to the MacBook Pro models in terms of CPU clock speeds, any
performance disadvantage from the processor speed is more than made up
for by the lightning fast performance of the Air's SSD hard drive, which
Apple markets as "Flash" storage. In everyday tasks from gaming to web
browsing to watching Flash movies and editing video, the MacBook Air is
faster significantly faster in virtually every task. The Air boots up in
less than 12 seconds while the Pro takes upwards of one minute.
Screen: Advantage MacBook Air
Once
you get used to the super high resolution 1440 x 900 LED display on the
MacBook Air, the 1280 x 800 back-lit LED display on the MacBook Pro
looks downright grainy and primitive. Simply put, once you get used to a
higher resolution display, the 1280 x 800 display on the 13" MacBook
Pro just isn't acceptable. Even for simple tasks like email or word
processing where you wouldn't think the resolution would matter, the
graphics look grainy and pixelated, which just isn't acceptable for a
pro-level laptop in 2012.
Upgradability: Advantage MacBook Pro
One
major difference that's important to consider between the Air and the
Pro is that the Pro is more flexible and adaptable in terms of
upgradability. With only a screw driver and about 10 minutes of your
time, you can add more memory to the Pro, replace the hard drive, and
even add a second hard drive in place of the optical disc drive. The
Air, on the other hand, is stuck in the configuration you purchase it in
except that you can opt to replace the SSD "Flash" hard drive with a
higher capacity drive. However, both the Air and Pro have USB 3.0 (which
is five times faster than USB 2.0 and backward compatible) and
Thunderbolt (which is ten times faster than USB 2.0), I see no reason to
replace the Air's hard drive any time soon given how cheap external
hard drives are and how fast the connection has become.
Design, Weight, Portability, Battery Life, and Form Factor: Advantage MacBook Air
The
MacBook Air is the most beautiful computer ever produced by man. The
aluminum case is impeccably designed, almost tailored to accommodate the
necessary internal components, while maintaining practical ergonomics.
It's an incredibly thin, svelte, sexy little notebook. The aluminum case
seems sturdy and durable, and its mechanics are very similar to the
time-test unibody construction of the MacBook Pro. The MacBook Pro, on
the other hand, is a bit of a dinosaur in its bulky circa 2006 unibody.
The Pro is heavier than a half gallon of milk at 4.5 lbs, while the
MacBook Air weighs in at less than 2.9 lbs. Battery life is roughly even
on both machines at anywhere from 4 to 7 hours depending on workload
and settings.
Summary Judgement: Buy the MacBook Air
Simply
put, the guts of the two machines are basically the same, but the Air's
SSD hard drive gives it a tremendously significant boost in
performance. Sadly, the MacBook Pro's 5400-rpm hard drive leaves the
machine unable to capitalize on the newest, most expensive Intel "Ivy
Bridge" i5 and i7 processors that you're paying a $300 premium for in
the newly updated Pros. If you are going to buy a Pro, invest the extra
money and get it upgraded with a SSD hard drive and get an extra
external hard drive if you need additional cheap storage space for
multimedia files. When you also consider the superior display, lighter
weight, increased portability, and lower price of the MacBook Air, it's
hard to find a reason to justify purchasing the current 13" MacBook Pro,
which to me looks like a dinosaur rapidly headed for extinction.
Specs on the models compared:
13"
MacBook Air (mid 2012) factory upgraded to the 2.0 GHz dual core i7
processor and factory upgraded to 8 GB RAM (1600MHz DDR3L SDRAM) with
standard 256 GB SSD ("Flash") hard drive
13" MacBook Pro (mid
2012) with 2.9 GHz dual core i7 processor, 8 GB RAM (1600MHz DDR3L
SDRAM), and 750GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
Both feature Intel HD 4000 Graphics, 3.0 USB, Thunderbolt, 802.11n, etc.
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Editorial Reviews
The ultimate everyday notebook is better than
ever. The Apple MacBook Air now features the latest Intel processors
and graphics, faster flash storage, and a 720p FaceTime HD camera. All
packed into a notebook that's incredibly thin and light. With up to 60
percent faster graphics performance, it makes everything you do feel
quicker and more fluid than ever. And the latest flash storage is up to
4x faster than a traditional hard drive, making MacBook Air remarkably
responsive.
The MacBook Air with 13.3-inch screen (view larger).
Now with two USB 3 ports, a Thunderbolt port, and an SD card slot (view larger).
The
MacBook Air also now includes both a high-speed Thunderbolt port and
two USB 3 ports, enabling you to easily connect to external displays and
a wide variety of high performance peripherals.
This version of
the MacBook Air (model MD231LL/A) sports a 13.3-inch high-resolution
display, 1.8 GHz Intel Core i5 dual-core processor, 128 GB of flash
memory storage, 4 GB of RAM, an SD card slot, and up to 7 hours of
battery life (see full specifications below). It also comes with the
iLife '11 software suite, which includes the latest versions of iPhoto,
iMovie, and GarageBand.
Key Features
Intel Core i5 Dual-Core Processing
The
MacBook Air packs plenty of power thanks to the latest Intel Core i5
processor, which features a faster processor, more powerful graphics,
and a memory controller integrated into a single chip. The
third-generation dual-core Intel Core i5 has a 1.8 GHz speed, which can
dynamically accelerate up to 2.8 GHz to match your workload thanks to
updated Intel Turbo Boost Technology.
And with the Intel HD
Graphics 4000 processor, you get up to 60 percent faster graphics. So
the video you watch, the FaceTime calls you make, and pretty much
everything else you do is smoother and more detailed.
The spacious, full-sized keyboard (see larger image).
High-speed Thunderbolt and USB 3 Ports
A
high-speed Thunderbolt port allows the MacBook Air to transfer data at
lightning-fast speeds and connect displays like the Apple Thunderbolt
Display, enabling you to turn this highly portable notebook into a
highly versatile workstation. And with two USB 3 ports, you'll be able
to connect the latest USB 3 devices and access a pipeline that's up to
10 times faster than USB 2.
Because Thunderbolt is based on
DisplayPort technology, you'll be able to connect to a high-resolution
display from the same port. Any Mini DisplayPort display plugs right
into the Thunderbolt port, and you can also connect displays that use
DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, or VGA connections with an existing adapter.
You'll also be able to include your display into a daisy-chained set of
peripherals.
Flash Memory Storage
By replacing the
standard spinning hard drive typically found in laptops (as well as
desktop PCs) with flash memory, the MacBook Air delivers an almost
instantaneous boot-up when you open the display, as well as faster
application launches and snappier overall performance. Additionally,
Apple has shed the enclosure that typically surrounds flash memory
(usually about the same size as a standard hard drive), thus giving it a
smaller footprint and helping to decrease the size of the MacBook Air.
Multi-Touch Trackpad
The
Multi-Touch gestures in OS X make everything you do on MacBook Air more
intuitive, direct, and fun. You can pinch, swipe or rotate images on
the display screen with the brush of two fingers, or add more digits for
a four-fingered vertical swipe to open Expose and quickly glance at all
of your open windows.
Integrated HD FaceTime Webcam
You'll
be able to easily connect with friends, family, and business colleagues
using the MacBook Air's HD 720p FaceTime camera, which is integrated
into the thin bezel above the display and features three times the
resolution of the previous FaceTime camera. And with Apple's FaceTime
application, you're not limited to video chats with other Macs--you can
now make video calls to iPhone and iPod touch users.
Backlit Keyboard
The
MacBook Air manages to fit a full-size keyboard that makes typing as
natural as it is comfortable. And the keyboard is backlit, so you can
type with ease in even the dimmest light. A built-in ambient light
sensor detects changes in lighting conditions and adjusts the display
and keyboard brightness automatically.
Specifications
See larger image.
- 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with a 1440 x 900-pixel resolution
- Up to 7 hours of wireless productivity plus up to 30 days of standby time
- 1.8 GHz Intel Core i5 dual-core processor (2.8 GHz with Turbo Boost Technology; 3 MB L3 cache)
- 128 GB flash memory storage
- 4 GB installed RAM (1600 MHz DDR3; supports up to 8 GB)
- Intel HD Graphics 4000 integrated graphics processor
- Built-in HD 720p FaceTime camera for video chatting
- Wi-Fi wireless networking (based on 802.11n specification; 802.11a/b/g compatible)
- Bluetooth 4.0 for connecting with peripherals such as keyboards, mice and cell phones
- Thunderbolt port (up to 10 Gbps) with native video output support for Mini DisplayPort plus DVI, VGA, dual-link DVI, and HDMI (requires adapters, sold separately)
- Two USB 3 ports (up to 5 Gbps; backwards compatibility with USB 2)
- Built-in stereo speakers along with omnidirectional microphone, headphone minijack
- Dimensions: 12.8 x 8.94 x 0.68 inches (WxDxH)
- Weight: 2.96 pounds
What's in the Box
13.3-inch MacBook Air, 45W MagSafe 2 power adapter, AC wall plug, and power cord, printed and electronic documentation
Limited Warranty And Service
The
MacBook Air comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a 1-year
limited warranty, which can be extended to 3 years with the AppleCare
Protection Plan.
Installed Software
At the heart of
every MacBook Air--and every Mac--is OS X Mountain Lion, the world's
most advanced desktop operating system. Since the software built into
every Mac is created by the same company that makes the Mac, you get a
fully integrated system in which everything works together perfectly.
OS X works with the processor in your Mac to deliver the best possible
performance. Power Nap even takes advantage of the Mac hardware to keep
the entire system up to date while it sleeps.
- OS X Mountain Lion (includes Mac App Store, Safari, Mail, Messages, Calendar, Contacts, Reminders, Notes, Time Machine, FaceTime, Photo Booth, Game Center, iTunes, and more)
iLife helps you do more with
photos, movies, and music than you ever thought possible. In iPhoto, you
can browse, edit, and share your photos in stunning new full-screen
views. Create epic Hollywood-style movie trailers from your home video
in iMovie. And GarageBand gives you everything you need to make a
great-sounding song--including tools for keeping your song in perfect
rhythm and guitar and piano lessons.
- iLife (includes iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand)
AppleCare Protection Plan
Because
Apple makes the hardware, the operating system, and many applications,
the Mac is a truly integrated system. And only the AppleCare Protection
Plan gives you one-stop service and support from Apple experts, so most
issues can be resolved in a single call. Extend the complimentary
service and support on your Mac to 3 years from the original Mac
purchase date with the AppleCare Protection Plan. You get direct
telephone access to Apple experts for technical questions, and you get
global repair coverage--including both parts and labor--for your Mac and
select Apple peripherals.
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