Should I buy a MacBook Air?

The MacBook Air is a series of Apple's under-notebook computers. It has a full size keyboard, a machined aluminum case and a light and slim structure. The first model was released in 2008.

The MacBook Air comes with a 13.3-inch screen size. An 11.6 "model was introduced for a time in 2010. Since then, all MacBook Air come with an SSD drive and Intel Core i5 / i7.

Since the shutdown of the Apple MacBook in 2011, the Air is now considered the company's basic laptop and has been designed to be ultra-portable.

This year, Apple has released a new MacBook Air thinner and lighter, with a much improved screen resolution. It has also updated the hardware, making it the most expensive Air model to date.

However, the previous MacBook Air 2015 was still pretty fast and stylish enough to deserve a bit of attention. With Black Friday fast approaching, this model could offer the best value for money.

Price

Prices for the 2015 MacBook Air start at $ 999 (£ 949, AU $ 1,499). This will give you Intel Core i5, 128GB SSD and 8GB of RAM. You can brag about your processor with the Intel i7 for $ 150 more. Storage can be increased to 512 GB for an additional $ 400, bringing the total purchase price to $ 1,549.00 (£ 1,384, AU $ 2,339).

The base price of the new MacBook Air is $ 1199 (£ 1,119, AU $ 1,849). This includes 8GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, and the 8th generation Intel Core I5 ​​processor. The standard MacBook can cost $ 1299 (£ 1,249), but it comes with a 256GB SSD and is actually lighter than the new MacBook Air. However, the screen only has 12 inches compared to 13.3 inches and the battery does not last that long.

Regarding the MacBook Air, the RAM can be increased to 16 GB for an additional $ 200 / £ 180 / AU $ 320. Storage has a price. Upgrading to 256GB costs $ 200, bringing the cost of your computer to $ 1599. You can get a 1TB SSD drive for $ 1,000 more, but the total cost is $ 2599.

Software

Like all Apple computers, the MacBook Air comes with the native Mac operating system. This can present a steep learning curve for users migrating from Windows. You will find however help on Apple's extensive support website, which provides basic explanations and explanations of Mac's own terminology.

If you want to pause in Windows but the cost of MacBook Air does not get you excited, try Acer's Chromebook 15. It runs on Google's Chrome OS and costs $ 349 (about £ 279). .

Like Windows, Apple has its own App Store, with iTunes, for buying music. The Air comes with standard applications such as notes and maps. IWork applications from the Apple Free Office Suite can be downloaded for free through the App Store.

Air is now shipped with the pre-installed Mojave operating system. This brings three new applications into the fold; Stocks, voice memos and at home.

If you think the change to macOS is too shocking, you can even install Windows 10 on the MacBook Air through the preinstalled "BootCamp" utility.

The MacBook Air is a great option for budding and professional photographers. Now that the new model has 16GB of RAM, it is ideal for running software such as Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.

Equipment

The MacBook Air (2018) now comes with a Retina display, Touch ID and a Force Touch trackpad. Apple promises that the battery will provide up to 12 hours of web browsing / movie playback and up to 30 days in standby.

The new Air features a 13.3-inch LED-backlit widescreen display. It weighs 2.96 kg, which is slightly lower than one of its main competitors, Microsoft's Surface Book 2, which costs the same price as the standard MacBook Air, but weighs 3.38 kg.

Traditionally, detractors of Apple devices have complained of being too expensive compared to Windows devices with similar characteristics. Since the Surface Book with similar hardware is at the same price as the MacBook Air, Microsoft users can now feel ready to make the change. This becomes even more likely given the ease with which the MacBook Air can run Windows 10 with its own Mac OS.

The MacBook Air also has two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports. Devices using this connector can achieve much faster data transfer speeds than conventional USB. As part of its plan to make the MacBook Air as thin as possible, the device uses USB-C, which means that to connect to conventional USB devices, you need to purchase a separate adapter.

Expansion

If you choose to buy a MacBook Air, several add-ons are available at the checkout. These include AppleCare + for Mac, a USB-C to USB adapter, and a USB-C to Lightning cable. You can also browse extras such as the Magic Mouse 2, the leather case and Microsoft Office for Mac.

Should I buy a MacBook Air?

If you like the Apple budget, the MacBook Air is the cheapest option for portable Mac devices. You can even save a few extra dollars or pounds by opting for the 2015 MacBook Air instead of the newer model.

Both have virtually identical hardware specifications. However, if your main concern is portability and you can save extra money, a smaller, lighter MacBook can be a better choice.

Users who are new to macOS may also find that MacBook Air is no more expensive than popular Windows devices such as Surface Book 2.

Microsoft Office is also available for Mac and the MacBook Air can run Windows 10 if the transition turns out too difficult. Although Chromebooks are readily available for a fraction of the price, they come with their own operating system, which means that they can not run the full desktop version of the publishing applications. popular such as Adobe Photoshop.