Best laptop computer Apple MacBook Air review (13-inch, Summer 2012)

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Best laptop computer Apple MacBook Air review (13-inch, Summer 2012)

Best Laptop Apple MacBook Air review (13-inch, Summer 2012)

Advantage: The 13-inch MacBook Air has new Intel CPUs, better battery life, and an improved 720p Webcam, and finally adds USB 3.0 ports, while shaving $100 off the price from last year's models.

Disadvantage: The design, while strong, stays largely the same: there's no Ethernet port, and the base SSD storage option of 128GB is smaller than a standard hard drive, though common for ultrabooks.

The bottom line: This year's MacBook Air opts for gradual improvements rather than anything revolutionary, but lowered prices continue to make it the go-to mainstream recommendation for any MacBook owner-to-be.


Price as reviewed     $1,199
Processor     1.8GHz Intel Core i5 ULV (third-gen)
Memory     4GB, 1,600MHz DDR3
Hard drive     128GB SSD
Chipset     Intel HM77
Graphics     Intel HD 4000
Operating system     OS X Lion 10.7.4
Dimensions (WD)     12.7x8.9 inches
Height     0.11-0.68 inch
Screen size (diagonal)     13.3 inches
System weight / Weight with AC adapter     2.98 pounds / 3.68 pounds
Category     ultrabook