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Revision as of 01:40, 3 January 2019

MacBook Air
File:AppleMacBookair2018sg.jpg
The late-2018 13in MacBook Air model in Space Gray
DeveloperApple Inc.
ManufacturerApple Inc.
Product family
TypeSubnotebook
Release date
  • January 29, 2008; 16 years ago (2008-01-29) (Original)[1]
  • October 30, 2018 (2018-10-30) (Current)
LifespanJanuary 29, 2008 (2008-01-29)
Operating systemmacOS
SoundInternal speakers and microphone
Power30W USB-C
Related
Websitewww.apple.com/macbook-air

The MacBook Air is a line of Macintosh subnotebook computers developed and manufactured by Apple Inc. It consists of a full-size keyboard, a machined aluminum case, and a thin light structure. The Air is available with a screen size of (measured diagonally) 13.3-inch (33.782 cm), with different specifications produced by Apple. Since 2010, all MacBook Air models have used solid-state drive storage and Intel Core i5 or i7 CPUs.[2] A MacBook Air with an 11.6-inch (29.46 cm) screen was made available in 2010.[3]

In the current product line, the MacBook Air sits below the performance-range of the MacBook Pro and compared to the MacBook. However, its features reflect different priorities. The Air was originally released as a premium ultraportable positioned above the previous MacBook.[4] Since then, the Air has become Apple's entry-level laptop due to the MacBook's discontinuation in 2011, as well as lowered prices on subsequent iterations.[5]

First generation

Steve Jobs with a MacBook Air at the 2008 keynote.

Steve Jobs introduced the first MacBook Air during a speech at his keynote at the 2008 Macworld conference held on January 15, 2008.[6] The first-generation MacBook Air was a 13.3"-only model, initially promoted as the world's thinnest notebook[7] (1.94cm MacBook may be compared with 1.98cm for a previous record model, 2005's Toshiba Portege R200[8]). It featured a custom[9] 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.[10] A mid-2009 refresh, introduced alongside the MacBook Pro family, featured a slightly higher-capacity battery, and a faster Penryn CPU.[11]

Design

The original 2008 MacBook Air

The MacBook Air features an anti-glare LED backlit display and a full-size keyboard, as well as a large trackpad that responds to multi-touch gestures such as pinching, swiping, and rotating.[12] Since the release of Snow Leopard, the Air's trackpad has supported handwriting recognition of Chinese characters.[13]

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 drive.[14] ArsTechnica found "moderate" performance improvements of the 64 GB[note 1] 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 SSD and 120 GB hard drive.

The CPU was a custom Intel Core 2 Duo Merom that was 40% of the size of the standard chip package.[15] For models of late 2008, the CPU was replaced with a low-voltage Penryn chip with 6MB of cache, running on a 1066 MHz bus.[16]

Reception

Following its introduction, the MacBook Air was greeted with a mixed reception. The portability of the MacBook Air was praised in reviews, but the compromise in features was criticized.[17][18][19] 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.[17][18] The flip-down hatch on the side of the original MacBook Air is a tight fit for some headphone plugs and USB devices, requiring users to purchase an extension cable. Apple removed the flip-down hatch on the late 2010 model in favor of open connection ports, as is the case with most other laptops.[20][21]

Some users have complained of CPU lockup caused by overheating. Apple released a software update in early March 2008 to fix the problem with mixed results: the deactivation of one CPU core was corrected; however, the runaway kernel problem remained for some users.[22] The problem is aggravated by system-intensive tasks such as video playback or video chatting.[23]

"Thinnest laptop"

At the launch of the MacBook Air in January 2008, Apple claimed it to be the thinnest laptop in the world. While this was true of laptops on sale at the time, the 2003 Sharp Actius MM10 Muramasas was thinner at some points than the Macbook Air, being 0.54 inches (14 mm) thick at its minimum.[24] It, like the MacBook Air, was a tapered design, with a maximum height of 0.78 inches (19.8 mm) —slightly thicker than the MacBook Air — shown above as 0.76 inches (19.3 mm).[25] The Sony Vaio X505, released in 2004, had a minimum thickness of 0.38 inches (10 mm) and a maximum of 0.8 inches (20.3 mm).[26]

Since the release of the MacBook Air, other thinner laptops have been released, such as the Dell Adamo,[27] launched in March 2009, which is a constant 0.65 inches (17 mm) thick. Apple subsequently removed "The world's thinnest notebook" from their marketing materials.

Technical specifications

Obsolete[28] Vintage
Table of models
Model Early 2008

(February)[29]

Late 2008

(October)[10]

Mid 2009

(June)[30]

Model identifier MacBookAir1,1 MacBookAir2,1
Model number (on underside) A1237 A1304
Part number (Order number) MB003LL/A MB543LL/A, MB940LL/A MC233LL/A, MC234LL/A
Display
(glossy) 		13.3", native 1280 × 800 pixels (16:10, 113 ppi) TN. Lower resolutions supported
Graphics
(Shared with system memory) 		Intel GMA X3100 using 144 MB of DDR2 SDRAM with Micro-DVI output Nvidia GeForce 9400M using 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM with Mini DisplayPort output
Front side bus/DMI 800 MHz 1066 MHz
Processor 1.6 GHz (L7500) or 1.8 GHz (L7700) 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
Memory
 2 GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM 2 GB[note 2] of 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM
Storage 80 GB 4200-rpm 1.8-inch PATA HDD or 64 GB SSD 120 GB 4200-rpm 1.8-inch SATA HDD or 128 GB SSD
Video Camera iSight (640 × 480)
Connectivity
 Internal 802.11 a/b/g and draft-n
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
Built-in infrared (IR) receiver for Apple Remote
Optional Apple USB Ethernet Adapter (Year 2008)
Latest possible operating system Mac OS X 10.7 "Lion"
(Unofficially, can run OS X 10.8 using MacPostFactor) 		OS X 10.11 "El Capitan"
Unofficially, can run MacOS 10.14 "Mojave" without wifi using Mojave Patcher
Battery
(non removable lithium-ion polymer) 		37-watt-hour (13") 40-watt-hour (13")
Battery cycle count [31] 300 500
Unit weight 3.0 lb (1.36 kg)
Dimensions 12.8 in (33 cm) wide × 8.94 in (23 cm) deep × 0.16 in (0.4 cm) to 0.76 in (1.9 cm) high (13")
Peripheral connections 1× USB 2.0
Micro-DVI video port
DVI-D/VGA adapter included 		1× Mini DisplayPort video port
MagSafe
1× 3.5 mm headphone jack

Second generation (Tapered profile)

Left side of a late-2010 MacBook Air. From left to right, MagSafe power connector, USB port, headphone jack and built-in microphone.

On October 20, 2010, Apple released a redesigned 13.3" model with a tapered enclosure, higher screen resolution, improved 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 netbooks of the time.[32][33][34][35]

On July 20, 2011, Apple released updates to the 11.6" and 13.3" models of the MacBook Air, which also became Apple's entry-level laptops due to lowered prices and the discontinuation of the white MacBook around the same time.[5] The mid-2011 MacBook Airs were powered by the new Sandy Bridge 1.6 or 1.7 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, or 1.8 GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 processors, that came with an Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor, and with a backlit keyboard, two USB 2.0 ports, FaceTime camera, a standard of 2 GB of RAM (configurable up to 4 GB), Thunderbolt which shares function with Mini DisplayPort and Bluetooth was upgraded to v4.0.[36][37] Maximum SSD flash memory storage options were increased up to 256 GB. Both 11" and 13" models had an analog audio output/headphone minijack (that also supports an iPhone/iPod touch headset with microphone), but only the 13" model had an integrated SDXC-capable SD Card slot. These models use a less expensive "Eagle Ridge" Thunderbolt controller that provides two Thunderbolt channels (2 × 10 Gbit/s bidirectional), compared to the MacBook Pro which uses a "Light Ridge" controller that provides four Thunderbolt channels (4 × 10 Gbit/s bidirectional). A USB ethernet adapter was immediately available upon release and a Thunderbolt-to-Firewire 800 adapter became available in mid-year 2012.

On June 11, 2012, Apple released an updated model in the same form factor as the prior model. The new model is powered by the new Ivy Bridge dual-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, doubles the RAM and SSD speeds, has the new USB 3 ports (with USB 2 capability) in place of the USB 2 ports and the new MagSafe 2 charging port.[38] The camera was upgraded to 720p FaceTime HD.

On June 10, 2013, Apple released another update in the same form factor as the 2012 model during the company's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC). The 11" and 13" models have a minimum standard 4 GB RAM, with a maximum configuration of 8 GB. Both models are powered by the Haswell ULT 1.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processors, with Turbo Boost up to 2.6 GHz, while a 1.7 GHz Dual-Core i7, with Turbo Boost up to 3.3 GHz, option is also available. Each model's storage standard is 128 GB SSD, upgradeable to 256 GB and 512 GB SSD. Due to Haswell CPUs, battery life has considerably improved from the previous generation, and the mid-2013 models are capable of 9 hours on the 11" model and 12 hours on the 13" model; a team of reviewers exceeded expected battery life ratings during their test.[39]

Design

MacBook Air components are officially non-user-replaceable, though third-parties do sell upgrade kits for the SSDs. The flash memory and battery are enclosed within the casing, with RAM soldered onto the motherboard. The flash memory, difficult to access, has a 128 MB cache[40] and a mSATA connection (updated to a proprietary PCIe interface) to the motherboard.[41]

The optional Apple USB 'SuperDrive' DVD-drive.

On the 11" Air, the left side of the computer has a MagSafe power connector, a USB port, a headphone jack, and a microphone.[12] The right side of the computer has a USB port and a Mini DisplayPort, now sharing Thunderbolt function beginning with the 2011 model. On top of the screen bezel there is a webcam, first dubbed iSight and now the FaceTime camera.

Apple incorporated several features in the design of the MacBook Air, such as the reduction of lead to make it more environmentally friendly. The MacBook Air contains no BFRs and PVC wiring, meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements, has a recyclable enclosure, and is rated EPEAT Gold. Its display is made from arsenic-free glass, and contains no mercury.[7][42] 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.[43] It also omits a FireWire port, Ethernet port, line-in, media card slots (except the 13" 2010 through 2015 models, which have an SD card slot), and a Kensington Security Slot.[44]

To gain optical drive features, users could either purchase an external USB SuperDrive or other brand, or the bundled Remote Disc software, only for browsing or software installation to access the drive of another computer wirelessly[45] that has the program installed.[46][47] It can also be used to reinstall the system software from the included installation DVD. Remote Disc supports NetBooting, so the Air can boot from its installation DVD in another computer's drive, which requires Remote Install Mac OS X to be running on that computer. The software does not allow playback or information of DVDs, CDs or installing Windows.[45] For these features, an external USB drive is required.[45] More recent versions of OS X replaced the installation DVD with a USB flash drive containing the software, eliminating remote installation.

The 2010 models include two speakers for stereo sound while earlier versions have one speaker located under the keyboard. The 2011 model replaces DisplayPort with a Thunderbolt 1 port, and also has a 1280×720 FaceTime HD Camera, replacing the previous 640×480 iSight camera. The 2012 model replaces USB 2 with USB 3, and uses the MagSafe 2 instead of the MagSafe connector for charging. The 2015 model updated the Thunderbolt port to Thunderbolt 2.

Issues

Due to a more mature manufacturing process, the CPUs in the second-generation MacBook Air perform better under load, as the first generation chips ran at a higher temperature—the processor needed to be throttled to avoid overheating and this further degraded performance.[48]

On October 17, 2013, Apple announced a replacement program for the 64 GB and 128 GB MacBook Air flash storage drives that are installed in Air systems purchased between June 2012 and June 2013.[49]

Reception

Comparison with iPad and netbooks

Although the 11" Air is only slightly lighter than the 13" Air, the biggest difference is the footprint which gives each model a distinct category; the 13” Air is much closer in size to most other conventional laptops, while the 11” Air is almost small enough to fit in a space that can hold an iPad.[50][51]

The 11" MacBook Air carried the desirable essential attributes of a netbook, but without the drawbacks of a slower processor and less capable operating system,[52] albeit at a higher price.[53][54][55][56][57] At the low end, Apple introduced the iPad—a different form factor than the netbook, but with improved computing capabilities and lower production cost. Both of these led to a decline in netbook sales, and most PC manufacturers have consequently discontinued their netbook lines in response.[58] Capitalizing on the success of the MacBook Air,[59] Intel promoted Ultrabook as a new high-mobility standard, which has been hailed by some analysts as succeeding where netbooks failed.[60][61][62]

Ultrabook competition

Intel developed a set of specifications for the Ultrabook, a higher-end type of subnotebook produced by various PC manufacturers and usually running Windows. Competing directly with the Air, the Ultrabook is intended to reduce size and weight, and extend battery life without compromising performance.[63][64][65]

Through July 1, 2013, the MacBook Air took in 56 percent of all Ultrabook sales in the United States, despite being one of the higher-priced competitors. [66] Apple had previously dominated the premium PC market, in 2009 having a 91 percent market share for PCs priced at more than $1,000, according to NPD, and Ultrabooks were an attempt by other PC manufacturers to move in on Apple's turf.[67] While Apple's MacBook lines were not immune to this consumer trend towards mobile devices,[68] they still managed to ship 2.8 million MacBooks in Q2 2012 (the majority of which were the MacBook Air) compared to 500,000 total Ultrabooks,[69][70] despite there being dozens of Ultrabooks from various manufacturers on the market while Apple only offered 11" and 13" models of the Macbook Air.[71] Forrester Research analyst Frank Gillett attributes Apple's increased success in the enterprise market to the 2010 MacBook Air and the iPad.[72]

While several Ultrabooks were able to claim individual distinctions such as being the lightest or thinnest, the MacBook Air was regarded by reviewers as the best all-around Ultrabook in regard to "OS X experience, full keyboard, superior trackpad, Thunderbolt connector and the higher-quality, all-aluminum unibody construction".[73]

The Microsoft Surface Pro has a similar size and price to the 11" MacBook Air;[74][75] Apple CEO Tim Cook has criticized the Surface Pro and other Ultrabook hybrids running the touch-based Windows 8, that attempt to combine laptop and tablet functionality in one device, saying that such devices were confusing like trying to "combine a fridge and a toaster".[76][77]

When released in October 2010, the 13" model's screen resolution was higher than the average 1366x768 screens of similar sized laptops. However, by mid-2013, with many premium Ultrabooks having high resolution screens (1080p or greater) as standard or upgrades, the MacBook Air has been increasingly criticized for sticking with a low-resolution screen. Many in the tech community had expected Apple to release a MacBook Air with Retina Display by mid-2013, similar to the MacBook Pro Retina which came out in 2012.[78] The October 2013 refresh of the 13" MacBook Pro Retina, with a slimmer chassis and a lower price point, was mentioned as a potential MacBook Air alternative as the battery life is not much shorter while not being considerably bulkier.[4][79] Apple released an entry-level version of the 13" MacBook Pro on October 27, 2016, which was specifically targeted towards MacBook Air users.[80]

The 11.6" MacBook Air, introduced in October 2010, is only slightly larger and heavier (when closed) than the iPad 2. The 11.6" Air has been regarded as thin and light compared to other ultraportables, such as the Sony VAIO Z and the 11" Samsung Series 9.[81]

As of 2013, several Ultrabooks such as the Sony VAIO Pro have managed smaller dimensions than the MacBook Air by using carbon fiber construction.[82][83][84]

Technical specifications

Obsolete[85] Vintage Discontinued Current
Table of models
Model Late 2010

(October)[86][87]

Mid 2011

(July)[88][89]

Mid 2012

(June)[90][91]

Mid 2013

(June)[92][93]

Early 2014

(April)[94]

Early 2015

(March)[95]

Mid 2017

(June)[96]

Model identifier 11" MacBookAir3,1 MacBookAir4,1 MacBookAir5,1 MacBookAir6,1 MacBookAir7,1 —
13" MacBookAir3,2 MacBookAir4,2 MacBookAir5,2 MacBookAir6,2 MacBookAir7,2
Model number (on underside) 11" A1370 A1465 —
13" A1369 A1466
Part number (Order number) MC504LL/A, MC505LL/A, MC506LL/A, MC503LL/A MC968LL/A, MC969LL/A, MC965LL/A, MC966LL/A MD223LL/A, MD224LL/A, MD231LL/A, MD232LL/A MD711LL/A, MD712LL/A, MD760LL/A, MD761LL/A MD711LL/B, MD712LL/B, MD760LL/B, MD761LL/B MJVM2LL/A, MJVP2LL/A, MJVE2LL/A, MJVG2LL/A, MMGF2LL/A (2016, 8 GB, 128 GB SSD), MMGG2LL/A (2016, 8 GB, 256 GB SSD) MQD32LL/A (128 GB SSD), MQD42LL/A (256 GB SSD)
Display
(glossy) 		11" 11.6", native 1366 × 768 pixels (16:9, 135 ppi) TN. Lower resolutions supported —
13" 13.3", native 1440 × 900 pixels (16:10, 128 ppi) TN. Lower resolutions supported
Graphics
(Shared with system memory) 		Nvidia GeForce 320M 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 Intel HD Graphics 4000 processor with up to 1 GB DDR3 SDRAM shared from main memory Intel HD Graphics 5000 processor with up to 1.5 GB LPDDR3 SDRAM shared from main memory Intel HD Graphics 6000 processor with up to 1.5 GB LPDDR3 SDRAM shared from main memory
Front side bus/DMI 11" 800 MHz Intel Direct Media Interface
2.5 GT/s 		Intel Direct Media Interface
5.0 GT/s
13" 1066 MHz
Processor 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 		1.6 GHz (i5-2467M) dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3 MB shared L3 cache
Optional 1.8 GHz (i7-2677M) dual-core Intel Core i7 with 4 MB shared L3 cache 		1.7 GHz (i5-3317U) dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3 MB shared L3 cache

Optional 2.0 GHz (i7-3667U) dual-core Intel Core i7 with 4 MB shared L3 cache

1.3 GHz (i5-4250U) dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3 MB shared L3 cache
Optional 1.7 GHz (i7-4650U) dual-core Intel Core i7 with 4 MB shared L3 cache 		1.4 GHz (i5-4260U) dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3 MB shared L3 cache
Optional 1.7 GHz (i7-4650U) dual-core Intel Core i7 with 4 MB shared L3 cache 		1.6 GHz (i5-5250U) dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3 MB shared L3 cache
Optional 2.2 GHz (i7-5650U) dual-core Intel Core i7 with 4 MB shared L3 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 		1.7 GHz (i5-2557M) dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3 MB shared L3 cache

Optional 1.8 GHz (i7-2677M) dual-core Intel Core i7 with 4 MB shared L3 cache

1.8 GHz (i5-3427U) dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3 MB shared L3 cache

Optional 2.0 GHz (i7-3667U) dual-core Intel Core i7 with 4 MB shared L3 cache

1.8 GHz (i5-5350U) dual core Intel Core i5 with 3 MB shared L3 cache
Optional 2.2 GHz (i7-5650U) dual-core Intel Core i7 with 4 MB shared L3 cache
Memory 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) 4 GB of 1600 MHz DDR3L SDRAM

Optional 8 GB

4 GB of 1600 MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM Optional 8 GB (8 GB standard for the 13" version since April 19, 2016) 8 GB of 1600 MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM
Storage 11" 64 (MC505LL/A) or 128 GB (MC506LL/A) SSD 64 GB or 128 GB SSD

Optional 256 GB

64 GB or 128 GB SSD

Optional 256 GB or 512 GB

 128 GB or 256 GB PCIe-based SSD
Optional 512 GB 		—
13" 128 (MC503LL/A) or 256 GB (MC504LL/A) SSD 128 or 256 GB SSD 128 or 256 GB SSD

Optional 512 GB

128 GB or 256 GB PCIe-based SSD

Optional 512 GB

Video Camera iSight (640 × 480) FaceTime HD (720p)
Connectivity
 Internal 802.11 a/b/g/n (AirPort) Internal Dual-Band 802.11 a/b/g/n (AirPort, Broadcom BCM43224 300 Mbit/s) Internal 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (AirPort, Broadcom BCM4360-based 867Mbit/s)
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR Bluetooth 4.0
Optional Apple USB Ethernet 100 Mbit Adapter Optional Apple USB Ethernet 100 Mbit Adapter Optional Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter

Optional Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire 800 Adapter

Latest possible operating system macOS 10.13 "High Sierra"
Unofficially, can run MacOS 10.14 "Mojave" with Mojave Patcher 		macOS 10.14 "Mojave"
Battery
(non removable lithium-ion polymer) 		11" 35-watt-hour 38-watt-hour —
13" 50-watt-hour 54-watt-hour
Battery cycle count [97] 1000
Unit weight 11" 2.38 lb (1.08 kg) —
13" 2.96 lb (1.34 kg)
Dimensions 11" 11.8 in (30 cm) wide × 7.56 in (19.2 cm) deep × 0.11 in (0.3 cm) to 0.68 in (1.7 cm) high —
13" 12.8 in (33 cm) wide × 8.94 in (22.7 cm) deep × 0.11 in (0.3 cm) to 0.68 in (1.7 cm) high
Peripheral connections 2× USB 2.0 2× USB 3.0
1× Mini DisplayPort video port 1× Thunderbolt port 1× Thunderbolt 2 port

Up to 3840 x 2160 @ 60Hz

MagSafe MagSafe 2
1× SDXC card slot (13" only)
1× 3.5 mm headphone jack

Third generation (Retina and USB-C)

On October 30, 2018, Apple unveiled a redesigned 13.3" MacBook Air model, with a Retina display, Touch ID, two combination USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports, and available in three colors (silver, space gray, and gold). It began shipping the day of the event and was available in-store on November 7. Unlike the previous generation, this model cannot be configured with an Intel Core i7 processor, the reason for this is currently unknown.

The models features a 13.3-inch Retina display with a resolution of 2560×1600 pixels. The screen displays 48% more color and the bezels are 50% narrower than the previous generation. The new models have same sized screen as the previous generation, but occupies 17% less volume, and are 15.6mm thick and weigh 2.75 pounds.

The base model MacBook Air 2018 comes with 8GB of 2133MHz RAM, 128GB SSD, Intel Core i5 processor (1.6GHz base clock, with Turbo up to 3.6GHz) and Intel UHD Graphics 617.[98]

Technical specifications

Current
Table of models
Model 2018[99]

(October)[100]

Model identifier MacBookAir8,1
Model number (on underside) A1932
Part number (Order number) MRE82xx/A, MREA2xx/A, MREE2xx/A, MRE92xx/A, MREC2xx/A, MREF2xx/A, MUQT2xx/A, MUQU2xx/A, MUQV2xx/A[101]
Display
(glossy) 		13.3", native 2560 x 1600 pixels (16:10, 227 ppi) IPS. Lower resolutions supported
Graphics
(Shared with system memory) 		Intel UHD Graphics 617 with up to 1.5 GB LPDDR3 SDRAM shared from main memory
DMI 4 GT/s On Package DMI interconnect Interface 3.0 (OPI) (Max. Theoretical Bandwidth 4 GB/s)
Processor 1.6 GHz (i5-8210Y) dual‑core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost 3.6 GHz, with 4 MB L3‑cache
Memory
 8 GB of 2133 MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM[102]
Optional 16 GB
Storage 128 GB PCIe-based SSD
Optional 256 GB, 512 GB or 1.5 TB
Video Camera FaceTime HD (720p) Many users report extremely poor quality of the camera.[103]
Connectivity
 Internal 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.2
Battery
(non removable lithium-ion polymer) 		11.4 V 49.9 W·h(4,379 mA·h)[104]
Battery cycle count [105] 1000
Unit weight 2.75 lb (1.25 kg)
Greenhouse Gas Emissions 176 kg CO2e[106]
Dimensions 11.97 in (30 cm) wide × 8.36 in (21.2 cm) deep × 0.16 in (0.4 cm) to 0.61 in (1.5 cm) high
Peripheral connections 2× Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports supporting charging, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, and USB 3.1 Gen 2
1× 3.5 mm headphone jack
Timeline of portable Macintoshes
Mac transition to Apple siliconiMac ProApple WatchiPadiPhoneMac ProPower Mac G5Power Mac G4Power Macintosh G3Power MacintoshCompact MacintoshMacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Air (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Air (Apple silicon)MacBook Air (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)MacBook Air (Apple silicon)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Air (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)12-inch MacBookMacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Air (Intel-based)MacBook (2006–2012)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook (2006–2012)MacBook Air (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook Pro (Intel-based)MacBook (2006–2012)PowerBook G4PowerBook G4PowerBook G4iBook G4iBook G4PowerBook G4iBook (white)iBook (white)iBook ClamshelliBook ClamshellPowerBook G3PowerBook G3PowerBook G3PowerBook 3400cPowerBook 1400PowerBook 2400cPowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 5300PowerBook 190PowerBook DuoPowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 500 seriesPowerBook 150PowerBook DuoPowerBook DuoPowerBook 180PowerBook 160PowerBook 140PowerBook DuoPowerBook DuoPowerBook 180PowerBook 160PowerBook 160PowerBook 140PowerBook Duo 230PowerBook Duo 210PowerBook 170PowerBook 140PowerBook 100Macintosh Portable
See also: List of Mac models

See also

Notes

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ In 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.

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