Part I: MacBook Air: Initial impressions

Following our MacBook Air teardown, delivery/unboxing, accessory photos and benchmarks, we have our first impressions of the MacBook Air: Having had the pleasure of using the new MacBook Air (MBA) for the past two days, I can say that Apple has accomplished an amazing feat of engineering and delivered a truly impressive subnotebook computer, although not completely without compromise. The MacBook Air is shockingly thin and light - qualities that were readily apparent in Apple’s promotional material, but are even more so in person.

In terms of aesthetics and style, Apple has clearly borrowed a page or two from the iPod design book, using some of the iconoclastic MP3 player’s more subtle elements that have a proven record of attracting and resonating with consumers. The rounded, tapered edges make the computer appear even thinner than it already is, a trick also applied successfully to the impossibly thin Nano. To people already familiar with Apple’s historical product lineup, the aluminum casing associates the laptop within Apple’s traditionally ‘Pro-oriented’ family of computers, although in this case Apple is clearly targeting a travel-oriented consumer where mobility is of paramount importance.

To those less familiar with Apple’s computer offerings, the aluminum case makes a clear mental connection with the ubiquitous iPod giving it an immediate sense of familiarity. Even the MBA’s retail box and packaging more closely resembles that of the iPhone or iPod Touch, conveying the sense that one is buying a luxury good rather than a computer. Overall, the machine screams sleek and sexy, and is bound to turn a few heads when used out in public.

Filed under: Apple
Other story tags: MacBook Air, review, benchmark