Our time spent with the MacBook Air's keyboard was strongly positive. Apple has since launched a keyboard repair program for all MacBooks with butterfly-style keyboards, offering free repairs for any issues. Previous versions have been controversial, however, as there have been many reports of them failing and requiring very expensive replacements. On the inside, you'll find Apple's latest keyboard, with third-generation butterfly switches that it swears are more effective than the traditional scissor-style mechanism. The plastic 'feet' pads on the bottom of the MacBook Air aren't always successful at keeping the laptop securely in place on a surface, but that might be due to the lightweight, as well. The recycled nature of the material doesn't have any effect on the actual feel of the laptop, as it's similar to the touch as other MacBooks we've handled. At 2.75 pounds, the MacBook Air is very light, yet doesn't feel flimsy or unsubstantial.Īpple's hyper-minimal MacBook allure remains fully intact with the current-gen Air, which is available in Silver, Space Grey, and Gold finishes and is solid aluminum on the outside with the reflective Apple logo in the middle. It's about a foot wide at 11.97 inches with a depth of 8.36 inches, and a thickness ranging between 0.16-0.61 inches. Machined entirely from recycled aluminum, the wedge-shaped laptop is svelte yet sturdy, coming across as a durable device that can survive at least a few years of steady usage. Here's why.Īt 2.75 pounds, the MacBook Air is very light, yet doesn't feel flimsy or unsubstantial. It’s a year old now, and superseded to some extent by more recent upgrades, but even still the 2018 model is worth a look. Keeping the slim profile while implementing a much-improved screen and other technological and feature upgrades, the 2018 MacBook Air keeps everything that was great about the original while making it a fully useful and competitive premium laptop for today. Thankfully, that changed in late 2018 with the introduction of the then-new MacBook Air. However, as Apple implemented high-res Retina displays into its MacBook Pro line and launched the also-thin premium MacBook, the Air seemed almost forgotten-occasionally updated with newer components, but ultimately left with a dated screen and some confusion about its place in the Mac laptop ecosystem. With its ultra-thin design, Apple's MacBook Air revolutionized the laptop space and quickly became a fan-favorite. Keep reading for our full product review. We purchased the Apple MacBook Air (2018) so our expert reviewer could thoroughly test and assess it. However, we've kept the review live for informational purposes. The product reviewed here is largely out of stock or has been discontinued, which is reflected in the links to product pages.

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