Part III: MacBook Air: Initial impressions

The MacBook Air compared against a 15-inch PowerBook G4

Of course, in order to make a notebook as thin as the MBA, Apple was forced to strip out some features found on standard notebooks, and even some subnotebooks. The most obvious feature missing from the MBA is an integrated optical drive, which is available as an optional, external accessory via USB connection.

Additionally, in order to accommodate the MBA’s sleek profile, the standard array of ports found on other Apple laptops have been condensed into a single USB port, a micro-DVI port, and headphone jacks. Most notably, that omits any sort of Firewire or Ethernet port from the MBA. Also missing are slots for an ExpressCard slot or a security lock, which may present a problem for anyone looking to secure their laptop to a desk.



The ports that are available, however, are accessed via a recessed, drop-down dock that helps maintain the MBA’s overall aesthetics when closed. The recessed nature of the dock causes potential problems for bulky USB accessories and may require the use of USB extension cable to connect properly.

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