MacBook Air Mid 2011 Model with i5 1.7Ghz, 256Gb of SSD, 4Gb of Memory, 13 Inch
This model is with Backlit Keyboard, Thunderbolt, and i5 1.7Ghz with 256Gb of SSD Space and OS X Lion pre-installed. Perfect for it’s size, not too small, not too big, not too heavy either, it’s perfect for on the go, business travel or for bloggers like myself. I would like to review this model design against my old MacBook Air Mid 2010, 128Gb SSD, 2Gb Ram and Core 2 Duo 2.1Ghz.
Both has Backlit keyboard, both has SSD technology, and both are thin. But how thinner is it against the new one? Not by much, but it makes the difference. How light is it? On my perspective, after carrying it around with me day to day, the Mid 2011 feels lighter. The built quality is the same, the performance feels like it’s the same since the new i5 I got is 1.7Ghz, so it could be up to par, or maybe my feeling is that the Mid 2011 is not loaded with stuff that is on my Mid 2010 MacBook Air. It could be that the MacBook Air Mid 2010 is faster, but I’m just going by my day to day usage and comparing the two.
Both are running Office, with Microsoft Outlook and Word running most of the time, Surfing the Internet to do some research and downloading apps from the Mac App Store. To me, on a day to day run, it feels like the Mid 2010 is just as fast. However, there are some minor differences that I notice, nope, not the OS itself, but Physical design aspect of it.
One of the thing I realize on the new MacBook Air Mid 2011 design is that it looks thinner, especially the perception of the front of the MacBook Air. Before opening the lid, it just feels like it’s thin. The back part of it however is just as thick as the MacBook Air Mid 2010. So it’s like an illusion that it’s thinner, but in actuality, it almost look the same. I can’t tell because the Mid 2010 has curvature design from top to bottom, which also makes the illusion that it’s thinner. Much like the iPhone 3GS design, it has the curvature on the front and back. Those are just minor stuff.
The other part I notice in the design is that there is no fan on the new MacBook Air Mid 2011, where as the MacBook Air Mid 2010 has one and it gets hot, real hot. To a point if I use it on the bed, the fan would get covered since it’s on the bottom, and it’s a big mistake to put that on to your lap. The new design has no fan, and it doesn’t get hot, just get warm, but not too warm, more like luke warm. I guess that’s the advantage of i5, where it’s more optimized for the battery and performance. I’m liking the new MacBook Air.
The keyboard layout is also different on the new MacBook Air. It has OS X Lion integration came to mind when they designed it. It used to have the Dashboard button on the Function 4 (F4) key. It is replaced with a Launcher for your Apps like on the Home Screen of your iPad or iPhone. Just swipe you trackpad to the right or left and it would go to the next Home Page for your apps. No big deal really, to get to the Dashboard, I just swipe 4 finger to the right until I get to the Dashboard or click on F4 and find the Dashboard Icon if you prefer.
There is one thing that bugs me with the new design and that is if you hold your MacBook Air while it’s in Sleep Mode (closed lid position), open the lid while your palm is towards the back frame of the MacBook Air, you would get pinch. I never had the problem with my old MacBook Air, and I do that every time my MacBook Air is on Sleep or Off. I have to learn to slide my palm towards the middle before I open up the lid.
The OS X Lion is also a step up, and just like the older MacBook Air, there is still no Air Drop for MacBook Air Mid 2011 pre-installed. I guess it’s too slow for Air Drop to work on MacBook Air. That’s a different post on OS X Lion Review.
That’s my quick review of the design and flaw of the new MacBook Air Mid 2011.