Apple MacBook Air MC965LL/A Price Review

Size: 128GB

345 of 365 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of five stars Comparison to the 2011 Macbook Pro 13″ and a Wifi Drop Problem, July 29, 2011
By Wayne N See all my reviews This review is from: Apple MacBook Air MC965LL/A 13.3 Inch Laptop (NEWEST VERSION) (Personal Computers) Updated January nineth, 2012 skip to bottom to read updates.

I’ve owned the machine for five months now and simplified the review for your convenience.

Things I like:

+ Light weight; 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg). You may be able to easily hold it with one hand the MBP 13″ is observably heavier at 4.5 lbs.

+ hard build quality like the MBPs. Chassis is rock hard, no keyboard flex, screen housing is rigid with minor flex in the center.

+ Better ergonomics than the MBPs; the palm rest edges do not dig into your wrists like the edges on the MBPs do.

+ Same liquid multitouch trackpad and the backlit keyboard makes a return.

+ The screen is a pleasure to use with it is high resolution (1440 x 900) and semi gloss finish.
There is no glass cover so there will be considerably less reflections in comparison to the screen of the MBPs
I personally chose the Air over the Pro because of reduced glare.

+ 18 second boot ups and three second shut downs. Resumes from sleep inside three seconds.

+ The two USB 2.0 ports are on reverse sides of the laptop (less clutter than MBP)

+ Speakers are amazingly loud; they can fill up a small room.

+ Runs very cool and it is so calm that you will wonder if the fan is running at all.
I can certainly feel heat 87 degrees F on the MPB 13′s bottom after six hours of use
Where as the MBA 13′s bottom stayed comparatively cooler.

+ Runs Windows seven just as cool and silently. (I installed Windows seven via flash drive)

+ Performance is nearly same to the MBP 13″ 2011 on everyday tasks because the Core i5
CPU can turbo increase to 2.7 GHz and the SSD lets for instant application launching.

+ Gaming: it has the same Intel HD Graphics 3000 as the MBP 13″ 2011. I was able to run
Starcraft II smoothly at low settings on native resolution. Medium settings also ran nicely but
You get less FPS throughout big battles. League of Legends ran smoothly at medium settings
30 FPS flat) on native resolution.
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Things I do not like:

IMPORTANT Wifi drops constantly on my unit (skip to the bottom to read more)

The keyboard is shallower and has less travel than the MBP keyboards (you’ll get used to it
Within some days)

The screen has less color gamut than the MBP 13′s screen. This screen covers only 46 of
SRGB color spectrum where as the MBP 13′s screen covers 77. For image editing,
I could use an external monitor.

The vertical looking at angles are not so great. One minute tilt of the screen causes colors to shift
Dramatically (for example: a purple color may change from lavender to light blue as you tilt
The screen rearward or forward). Again, I could use an external monitor for tasks in
Which correct colors are mission important. For everyday use it is not obvious and is
Actually easier on the eyes than the glare prone screens of the MBPs.

Not all models come with the same SSD. There are two variations; a Samsung SSD and a
Toshiba SSD. The Samsung SSD considerably outperforms the Toshiba SSD in
Benchmarks (check the AnandTech review)
To check what SSD you have, click on the Apple logo > About this Mac >
More info/system report > Then look on the left hand side and click on “Serial ATA”.
If your SSD’s serial number starts with “SM” it is a Samsung and a “TS” means it is a
Toshiba.

I personally get five hours of battery life max on a single charge while surfing with 10+ tabs open on safari; I got
7 hours doing the same tasks on the MPB 13 2011. My actions included watching
YouTube videos, looking at flash content on tech and news sites, reading/writing email,
And using AIM.

No FaceTime HD Camera (720p) as on the MPBs. The quality difference is, unfortunately,
Very obvious.

The integrated microphone is on the side of the laptop instead of over the keyboard
As on the MBP. Throughout Skype calls, my buddies told me that my voice sounded muffled
When using the Air. Using a headset with a mic, I was able to enhance the sound quality.

The base of the machine developed a creaking sound inside the 1st week of use. I suspect this to be
Caused by uneven tension in the screws.

After five months of, a white cluster of stuck pixels developed in the bottom left corner of the screen.
The machine was handled with care so it is not accidental damage.
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Conclusion: Which one should you get?
As a college student, I could recommend the Macbook Pro 13″. The Air is more than able of being a main machine because
Of it is superb performance and in general good screen. For everyday tasks, it should be snappy and a pleasure to use.
However, students will get a $100 discount on the Pro while the Air only gives a $50 discount. That means that there’s a price
Difference of $150 for students. The storage space on the Air is imited to 128GB or 256GB while the Pro comes standard with 500GB.
Plus, you may be able to generally add a SSD to the Pro afterward on. The Pro will be the better choice for creative students because it is screen has more
Color gamut than the Air’s. Lastly, you’re to get a full voltage processor which can make a difference
In video encoding or another CPU intensive tasks.

If you aren’t a student:
If you value the extra ports (Ethernet, Firewire, optical drive), a high gamut screen (although more reflective), and the capability to upgrade
Later down the line go for the Pro. If you prioritize portability (light weight), higher screen resolution, fast boot ups/shut downs,
And less reflections go for the Air.

In everyday performance the Air feels faster when booting up and launching applications because of its SSD. In CPU intensive tasks,
The Pro will have a slight edge but not much. (the two CPUs are really pretty neck to neck on GeekBench benchmarks). They both
Have the same graphics chip but note that the Pro will get better battery life (1 2 hours more) than the Air because the Pro has a bigger
Capacity battery (63.5 watt hours and 50 watt hours)

Unfortunately, my unit is influenced with a wifi drop problem. I do not know if you’ll meet the same issue but if you purchase an Air from an
Apple Store, be sure to test the wifi out by using it on many networks. If you meet any erratic wifi drops inside
The 1st 14 days demand a refund or an exchange.

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Update December 27th, 2011

After installing the 10.7.2 and a firmware update, the wifi connections in my dorm room became more dependable.

However, after taking it home I experienced drops as before on the home network. I DOUBT it is a problem with my
Router because ALL other connected devices work good. The 2011 MBP 13″ I earlier owned worked flawlessly on my network.

This is most probably a problem with the Air’s drivers. Five months after product launch, I do not believe Apple
Acknowledged the issue or either chose to disregard it as other users on the official forums continue to
Have alike complaints to this day.

Hardware wise, the casing held up well except for a scratch on the side. The cover is frighteningly thin and I have read
Reports of the screen’s fragile nature cracking at the slightest bump by another object. I could handle with care.
Want to know something funny? With the machine off, I can see through the Apple logo on the cover if there is light
Behind it it is that thin.

Software wise, on occasion the machine could run hot with fans blazing full throttle when watching HD YouTube videos
And could remain that way though I close everything. Odd. A fast reboot solves the problem.

A creaking sound developed inside a week of buy. When I lift the machine up, press on the palm rest or type on it
There could be a creaking sound made. I suspected the screws of the bottom to be loose so I decided to tighten them.
Note that you will have to order a pentalobe screwdriver to do this the screws are not the common type.
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January nineth, 2011

A cluster of 4 5 stuck pixels developed so I went to get a screen substitute. The Apple genius confirmed it was
4 5 pixels which qualified me for a screen substitute. Service was prompt and I got the machine the next day.
However, the new screen had two obviously observable dead pixels in the center of the screen. I tried using it for some days
But they were an complete distraction.

Dissatisfied, I took it back to another genius only to be met with impolite service. I stated that the dead pixels hindered
Functionality as they were visual distractions. He snidely responded with, “Where? I do not see them” and stayed
Adamant about not replacing it because I did not meet the criteria for the “minimum of five dead pixels for a replacement” policy.
It was a disgusting and unsatisfactory session that didn’t help.

So there you go people if you bought a shiny new Air and afterward down the road you get four dead. Read more ›

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114 of 122 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of five stars Great Looks, Speedy Laptop. Gets hot and deafening under average CPU load., August 15, 2011
By Alex Green “alx779″ (Toronto, Canada) See all my reviews This review is from: Apple MacBook Air MC966LL/A 13.3 Inch Laptop (NEWEST VERSION) (Personal Computers) I have been using my new 13″ Macbook Air, 256GB, Core i7 for just over a week and here are my impressions.

First, the good stuff.

The industrial design is totally gorgeous and rock solid. The laptop is thin, light and pleasure to look at.

Screen is 13″ but the resolution is comparable to that of most 15″+ laptops. Perfectly usable for graphic/software development. While Macbook Air uses (supposedly) an inferior TN panel in comparison to Macbook Pro, I didn’t find a drastic difference between the two (I also own a 17″ Macbook Pro). The Air has somewhat smaller looking at angles and possibly not as good colour reproduction, but the differences are subtle. As well, there is many less glare on Air’s “glossy” display in comparison to glossy Macbook Pro.

Performance is great, in many cases it bests the Quad Core i7 17″ Macbook Pro, thanks to its SSD Drive. Startups/shutdowns are super fast and the applications open/close nearly instantly. Having said that, don’t expect to do any serious gaming on this little man. The fitted Intel graphics chip has hard time handling five year old games and is really slower than nVidia chip on the last generation Air.

Expect to get about 4 5 hours of mixed use out of “7 hour” battery. That is what I average while doing many Photoshop and web dev work, browsing, listening to music and looking at some video clips.

Now, the negatives.

Well, it is one negative really, but it’s something I find very annoying. The laptop gets hot when CPU handling approaches 50 and the fan kicks in full blast at 6,000+ RPM.

I 1st noticed the extreme sound when I transferred my data and applications from the time machine backup upon initial setup. The fan stayed on complete time, CPU temperature approached 90C while being only 30 utilized.

I continued to experience high heat/fan sound issues during the week. On occasion it was throughout routine web browsing where many of the websites contained Flash elements. Starting Windows XP in Parallels could now set the fan in motion, again, on occasion hitting 6,000+ rpm. Playing Civilization IV, a pretty old game, had fan going full blast complete time with CPU again reaching 90C. Apple’s own “Cosmos” screensaver brings the CPU temperature up to 80 85C and the fan up to 4500 5000rpm. The most annoying thing none of these tasks taxed the CPU at more than 50!

I did a just bit of research on this subject. There are many discussions on Apple, MacRumours and other forums about extreme heat and fan sound. As well, many report increased heat on their older Apple laptops after upgrading to Lion, so possibly (fingers crossed), there is a patch on the way that will improve thermal management somewhat.

The thought about returning the Air for refund did cross my mind, but I decided to keep it . I’m not a gamer and doing my work (web/mobile development) isn’t taxing on the CPU, but, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect comparatively calm operation on such premium laptop with only 50 CPU handling. I can only hope that Apple is listening and wanting to remedy the problem.

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114 of 123 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of five stars Best Macbook to date, August 12, 2011
By iGlaswegian “Z.S” (Scotland) See all my reviews This review is from: Apple MacBook Air MC965LL/A 13.3 Inch Laptop (NEWEST VERSION) (Personal Computers) // var cv_mo3FDXRV7326VFYRollOverImg = new Image(); cv_mo3FDXRV7326VFYRollOverImg.Src = “ecx.Images amazon.Com/images/I/81yYR2T62ZS._SX320_PHcustomer video vignette_PIvideo reviews bottom,BottomLeft,0,43_OU01_PIcustomer video play active,BottomLeft,130, 12_CR0,0,0,0_.Png”; var cv_mo3FDXRV7326VFYpreplay = document.GetElementById(‘cv_mo3FDXRV7326VFYpreplayImageId’); if (cv_mo3FDXRV7326VFYpreplay) { cv_mo3FDXRV7326VFYpreplay.Onmouseover = function() { cv_mo3FDXRV7326VFYpreplay.Src = “ecx.Images amazon.Com/images/I/81yYR2T62ZS._SX320_PHcustomer video vignette_PIvideo reviews bottom,BottomLeft,0,43_OU01_PIcustomer video play active,BottomLeft,130, 12_CR0,0,0,0_.Png”; } cv_mo3FDXRV7326VFYpreplay.Onmouseout = function() { cv_mo3FDXRV7326VFYpreplay.Src = “ecx.Images amazon.Com/images/I/81yYR2T62ZS._SX320_PHcustomer video vignette_PIvideo reviews bottom,BottomLeft,0,43_OU01_PIcustomer video play,BottomLeft,130, 12_CR0,0,0,0_.Png”; } var node = cv_mo3FDXRV7326VFYpreplay.ParentNode; var cv_mo3FDXRV7326VFYcurrentClick = node.Onclick; node.Onclick = function () { var head = document.GetElementsByTagName(“head”); if (head0) { var logTag = document.CreateElement(‘script’); logTag.Type = “text/javascript”; logTag.Src = “/gp/customer media/du/log.Html/ref=cm_ciu_vr_mo3FDXRV7326VFY/180 8354286 3907854?Ie=UTF8&s=CustomerVideoPlay&p=CustomerImage”; head0.AppendChild(logTag); } if (cv_mo3FDXRV7326VFYcurrentClick) { return cv_mo3FDXRV7326VFYcurrentClick(); } } } Length:: 7:19 Mins

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