Ars Technica has gotten their hands on a MacBook air and put it through the paces.
What do they think?
It’s “the largest and most capable iPod in Apple’s line.” The Air would not make a good primary computer because you need to either buy the external optical drive separately or have anther computer that has one just to install software.
Plus, its very pricey for what you get.
Skipping ahead to the verdict, here is the good:
- Form factor is indisputably thin and light. Photos just don’t do it justice
- Sturdy despite its looks
- Works great as a full-size portable Internet Device
Now, the bad:
- Migration Assistant is incredibly annoying to use without FireWire
- Most of your USB devices won’t fit into the tiny port door–stock up on your extension cables
- Performance isn’t exactly the Air’s strong point compared to other Macs
And finally, the ugly:
- 4,200 RPM drive causes major machine slowdowns when there’s lots of disk acivity
- Battery life is disappointing–only half of advertised life on lowest screen brightness
If you’re interested you can check out the full review here.
If you’re considering purchasing a MacBook Air, do your research and don’t let its good looks fool you. Its an expensive bit of buyers remorse.
UPDATE: Ars Technica has done another MacBook Air review, this time with the SSD option. Check out the details here.
[Via Ars Technica]
Filed under: tech | Tagged: air, apple, macbook, review, tech
