The new MacBook Air does everything you want and more and it comes at a discount if you’re studying

By Paisal Chuenprasaeng
The Nation

 

MacBook Air today starts at a lower price and features a stunning Retina display, now with True Tone.

 

A computer designed with university students in mind, the new MacBook Air is as slim and light as ever but boasts even better looks and a lower price so as not to overstretch the budgets of the young. It is positively skinny at 41 millimetres to 15.6mm thick and in its lightest configuration weighs just 1.25 kg.

 

The notebook comes in a sleek aluminum chassis and is available in Space Grey, Silver and Gold. I was given the gold version and it earned plenty of admiring looks when I carried it around with me. 

 

The new MacBook Air comes with a 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology and has 2560-by-1600 native resolution at 227 pixels per inch. True Tone technology used on the Air’s retina display gives off a more natural viewing experience.

 

The True Tone technology automatically adjusts the white point of the display to match the colour temperature of your environment and that makes web pages and email look as natural as the printed page. And the high resolution of 4 million pixels-plus allows you to see images and video in great and realistic detail while text looks sharp and clear.

 

And since the display has 48 per cent more colours than the previous generation, viewing is rich and vibrant. That is helped by the display being housed in a frame whose borders are 50-per-cent thinner.

 

During the test, I enjoyed viewing photos and watching HD video clips. High resolution images appeared sharp and clear in vibrant colours and HD videos were beautifully rendered.

 

The new MacBook Air is designed for students and general use and is more than powerful enough for business and everyday applications, like Microsoft Office. It is powered by 8thGeneration Intel Core i5 dual-core processor running at 1.6 GHz, equipped with 8 gigabytes of 2133 MHz DDR3 working memory or RAM and comes with 128GB SSD storage. A version with 256GB storage is also available. The 128GB storage may sound small but you can expand it with external storage using a USB-C port.

 

Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports are provided and each can be used to recharge the notebook or as a DisplayPort to an external display. The Thunderbolt is capable of outputting data up to 40 Gigabits per second to the external 4K display, for example. The USB-C ports also support the protocol of USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 that has data throughput of 10Gb/s.

 

The new MacBook Air is not suitable for extensive graphics games as it uses integrated Intel UHD Graphics 617 as its graphics engine. But it supports Thunderbolt 3-enabled external graphics processors (eGPUs) in case you need maximum graphics horse power.

 

During the test, I found the new MacBook Air performed smoothly and fast when I used business applications, like LibreOffice. Video clips played smoothly and web pages were rendered fast and beautifully.

 

The new MacBook Air has a better sound system than its predecessor too. Its stereo speakers deliver twice the bass and 25-per-cent more volume than the previous generation. That’s particularly good for watching movies and listening to music. 

 

And the notebook comes with a three-microphone array to capture your voice more accurately when you make FaceTime video calls. The new MacBook Air provides FaceTime HD camera.

 

And although the new MacBook Air is housed in a 13-inch body, I found that the keyboard is spacious and comfortable to type on. It uses the latest-generation keyboard for MacBook Air that features a “butterfly mechanism”, which provides four times more key stability than a traditional scissor mechanism while also allowing greater comfort and responsiveness. Moreover, each key is LED-backlit and the keyboard comes with an ambient light sensor so you can type in low-light environment.

 

The keyboard comes with Force Touch trackpad that lets you interact with the notebook in a variety ways based on subtle differences in pressure. It also supports Multi-Touch gestures like pinch and zoom. The new trackpad is also about 20 per cent larger than the previous model.

 

What I liked most about the new MacBook Air is that its keyboard is now integrated with Touch ID and fingerprint reader. The Touch ID sensor is located at the top right corner of the keyboard. You can use your index finger to unlock the MacBook Air, locked documents, notes and system settings immediately without having to retype on the keyboard. You can also use your Touch ID through the fingerprint sensor to pay for online shopping, using Apple Pay.

 

The new MacBook Air features the Apple T2 Security Chip – the second-generation custom Mac silicon designed by Apple to make MacBook Air even more secure. So when you use Touch ID to unlock your Mac, authenticate a document, or pay a merchant online, your information stays safe.

 

The notebook runs on macOS Mojave that is intuitive to use and it also comes with powerful built-in apps, such as Pages, Photos, Numbers, iMovie and Safari. The macOS allows you to work with your iPhone by sending and receiving text messages that are sent to your iPhone on the notebook. You can also start a document, email, text, or note on your MacBook and finish it on your iPhone or vice versa.

 

And Apple has announced that when the new macOS Catalina is released later this year, the new MacBook Air can also be upgraded. Apple says Catalina is packed with cool new features, fresh new apps and powerful new technology for developers. MacOS Catalina comes with Apple’s popular entertainment apps – Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and the Apple TV app – and the all-new Sidecar feature enables users to extend their Mac desktop by using their iPad as a second display or as a high-precision input device.

 

The notebook uses a 49.9-watt Lithium Polymer battery with about 12 hours of battery life for browsing web pages.

 

The new MacBook Air with 128 GB storage retails for Bt35,900. University students can show their student ID card to buy it for Bt31,900.

 

Key specs:

 

OS: macOS Mojave Version 10.14.5

 

CPU: 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz, with 4MB L3 cache

 

Memory: 8GB of 2133MHz LPDDR3 onboard memory

 

Storage: 128GB PCIe-based SSD

 

Display: 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2560-by-1600 native resolution at 227 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors

 

Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 617

 

Camera: 720p FaceTime HD camea

 

Ports: Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports with support for: Charging, DisplayPort

 

Wireless: 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2

 

Audio: Stereo speakers, three microphones, 3.5mm headphone jack

 

Battery: Built-in 49.9 watt hour lithium polymer battery

 

Dimensions: 0.41-1.56 cm (H) x 30.41 cm (W) x 21.24 cm (D)

 

Weight: 1.25kg

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/edandtech/30375698

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-09-02

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

Can you take it on an airplane though? 

How many times did you write 'the new MacBook Air' in that review?

How many students can afford Bht 32000?

I would never buy a MacBook in the USA.  I absolutely would not buy one here.  I use an iMac.  When it dies, I will replace it with a PC.  

 

Why?

 

Apple's service record is abysmal. For the price of one iMac, I can buy 3 new Dells.  I love OSX as it is Unix, but I can do as much or more with a PC properly setup.  I should know, this is my business.  

 

Apple is another example of excess.  You pay money to them but do not get the value for the amount charged.

16 hours ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

I would never buy a MacBook in the USA.  I absolutely would not buy one here.  I use an iMac.  When it dies, I will replace it with a PC.  

 

Why?

 

Apple's service record is abysmal. For the price of one iMac, I can buy 3 new Dells.  I love OSX as it is Unix, but I can do as much or more with a PC properly setup.  I should know, this is my business.  

 

Apple is another example of excess.  You pay money to them but do not get the value for the amount charged.

I will, without hesitation, buy another iMac when this one dies (sorry JamJar). Rarely use Windows AIO next to it (which was an idea of a spare in case Mac dies). In 27" AIO market actually there isn't much of a difference in price between Apple and the Windows options. Scaling down the screen size of course significantly drops the price and small iMac ain't worth it.

 

That said - Windows based machines fitted with decent 8th gen processors, sufficient RAM and fast SSDs are a joy to use on Windows 10. But then again, thin and light laptops from Windows-based PC makers cost little or no less than MacBook Air and are just as easy to upgrade (just a few clicks on shopping site to buy new one, that is).

 

One good thing about new Air vs Pro is that instead of glue, battery is fitted with sticky pull-tabs. Excessive use of glue has kept me away from Apple's Pro laptops for nearly a decade. Wonder how they get around EU's environmental regulations...

 

EDIT: Can't talk about service center quality as none of my Macs ever needed one in 25+ years of using their products. So far for all the phones, iPads and iPods that required service, they were replaced with new ones within a couple of days. None were mine, was helping friends get their devices fixed - usually battery or screen problems. So for gadgets service was good. For computers... no idea.

16 hours ago, wgdanson said:

How many students can afford Bht 32000?

You'd be surprised...

Most importantly, will it get Facebook, Line, Messenger, Snapchat, Instagram?

2 hours ago, wgdanson said:

Most importantly, will it get Facebook, Line, Messenger, Snapchat, Instagram?

Oh no, delete these waste of time social surveillance sh<deleted> now!

Use Signal, Wire, Wickr, Telegram, Threema, etc if you need a non-spyware messenger (unless you love Mr Suckerman so much that you want to tell him all about you and make him more rich ???? ) !

1 minute ago, yuyiinthesky said:

Oh no, delete these waste of time social surveillance sh<deleted> now!

Use Signal, Wire, Wickr, Telegram, Threema, etc if you need a non-spyware messenger (unless you love Mr Suckerman so much that you want to tell him all about you and make him more rich ???? ) !

There was a touch of sarcasm in my post, meaning that all those students who will get Bht 4000 off their new AirBook will probably mainly use it for social media

I personally do not use Facebook stuff, so will not make Mr Zuckerman any more money

 

i don't trust apple any more as they put the emphasis of design instead of quality! i bought myself an expensive iphone 8+ but it didn't take long before i encounter issues related to sound. it wouldn't ring when somebody calls me, it wouldn't record a message..just hell!

6 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

EDIT: Can't talk about service center quality as none of my Macs ever needed one in 25+ years of using their products.

Count yourself lucky then.  I have had 5 iMacs since 2008.  The first four all needed various repairs including 13 screen replacements among the first three.  I have only purchased one iMac in my life.  I am on my fifth iMac.  How can that be?  

 

This is my 4th replacement under AppleCare.  That's right, I have had a replacement due to too many necessary repairs. 

 

My current iMac a 2005 I7 will run out it's AppleCare in November.  I will bring it to the Apple Store for a huge overhaul.  The fan is loud and the logic board needs replacement.  While they haven't given me a new iMac yet, it will be gutted for everything but the power supply and screen.  

 

Always buy AppleCare.  In most countries it gives you onsite repair.  Of course they don't do that here in Thailand.  Ask yourself why?  Because most of the repair stores send it to Singapore to worked on by Apple.  Few of them do the repairs.  In the USA I had more than 17 home office visits for repair. I got to know the tech quite well. 

 

Apple's quality sucks.  The OS is great, but the Chinese made components are total <deleted>.  And for this, you get to pay 3x what it would cost to buy a Dell.

Can't argue with that. And yes, I've bought AppleCare, just never used it.

 

As for pricing, it's not exactly 3x but yes, it is more expensive. Not if Dell had a 5K screen, though. Only screen like one in iMac costs 59,900 baht:

https://www.jib.co.th/web/product/readProduct/17374/27--UHD-DELL-UP2715K

So basically the iMac's computer part only costs 7000 baht, if you look at it that way. Cheaper than Apple's Mac Pro monitor stand alone ????

 

Basic iMac 27", 6 core i5 CPU, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD drive, Radeon Pro 570X graphics card, 27" 5K screen: 66,900 THB

https://www.apple.com/th/shop/buy-mac/imac/27-นิ้ว-โปรเซสเซอร์แบบ-6-core-ความเร็ว-3.0ghz-พร้อม-turbo-boost-สูงสุด-4.1ghz-1tb

 

Dell Optiplex 7760, 6 core i5 CPU, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, integrated graphics card, 27" 2K screen: 46,600 THB

https://www.quickserv.co.th/commercial/all/DELL/INTEL-CORE-I5/detail/OptiPlex-7760/SNS77AI001.html

 

But yes, I get your point. Once you start customising the iMac, like i9 CPU, 2 TB SSD, 64 GB RAM, Radeon Pro Vega 48 graphics card, it becomes insanely expensive and likely doesn't last as long due to additional heat generated by CPU and GPU. Must knock wood though - all my Macs were custom built, configured on Apple's website.

On 9/3/2019 at 6:21 PM, tomazbodner said:

likely doesn't last as long due to additional heat generated by CPU and GPU.

Add this:

 

After 2 years, the inside of your iMac is a huge dust collection which even more adds to the heat.  There is no filter to keep out the dust.  Mine is so full now, that my fan isn't completely free.  It must be replaced and you can be sure I will walk into the Apple store 1 month before my AppleCare runs out with a long list of gripes.