Hey, how's it going? Dave2D here.
So, today we're going to be talking about the new MacBook Air.
The original MacBook Air, from '08, 09', was a device that I think really shaped the industry.
It was the first thin and light computer out there that had a good keyboard, good trackpad,
and was like a good overall experience in a really portable package.
I really think it just redefined what laptops could, and should do.
And... When this thing came out - the old one - when it came out,
I remember it was a time period where people would ask me: "What computer should I get?"
Just family and friends, and even though I didn't like MacOS at the time,
I would say there is a computer out there, called the MacBook Air.
That if you're not dead-set on Windows, I highly recommend this device.
Because, for a lot people, once you get used to MacOS, you will really like the computer overall.
And I sent a lot of family and friends down that road.
I kind of regret it, because a lot of them ended up getting stuck in the Apple ecosystem.
And it was probably my fault.
But it was a really good device, it was so easy to recommend.
Fast forward 9, 10 years later;
The new MacBook Air.
Now, this is a device that is quite different from the old one.
It has the same name and I think a lot of people had this preconceived notion
That it should once again be this entry-level, base-model MacBook
That should be relatively affordable.
And... It kind of isn't, at $1200.
So, I'm just going to talk about the hardware real quick.
It is a great laptop, it's expensive, but the build quality is excellent.
It's on par with any of the new MacBooks from the last couple of years.
And you wouldn't be able to tell it's actually made from recycled Aluminum.
It's got Touch ID, controlled by the T2 chip on the inside.
It has two Thunderbolt 3 ports - And on that note;
If you're trying to decide between the 12" MacBook and the 13" MacBook Air,
I highly recommend the MacBook Air over the 12" just because of that extra port.
The single port on the 12" MacBook -
I keep pointing over there because I'm using it to record the audio -
But the single port on that machine is limiting for a lot of people.
So if you can, my vote goes to the MacBook Air.
The performance on it is really good, it's actually better than I thought it would be.
So this is running a Y-Processor and normally Y-Processors run without fans and stuff like that
Turns out, they are running a fan on the MacBook Air
And the presence of that fan changes what this processor can do.
So normally, on a Y-Processor, you can only run Boost Clock for a little bit of time.
It gets hot, drops back down
Because of this fan, you're able to maintain that Boost Clock,
And because it has a fan, it is audible when you push it hard enough.
But if performs quite well and the storage is also fast.
The screen is finally Retina, it's nice and sharp,
But it's dimmer than I expected it would be from a MacBook
And maybe we've been spoiled with a lot of really bright screens from MacBooks
But even the 12" MacBook has a brighter screen than the MacBook Air, which is a little bit strange.
The colors are good, it's just that the brightness is not as bright as I was hoping it to be.
The keyboard is as expected, it's got Butterfly switches
It really is a keyboard that if you were forced to use - like if you were not allowed to used any other keyboard
And you were forced to use the Apple Butterfly switch keyboard -
I think most people will get used to it and learn to like it.
It's just that initial learning curve can be steep for some people that are coming from completely different types of keyboards
The trackpad is also great, uses Force Touch, and I'd consider Apple to be the leaders in the whole laptop industry
When it comes to trackpads and stuff like that.
The speakers are also quite impressive.
I've kind of grown to expect really good speakers from Apple products, and this does not disappoint.
And battery life, also strong as expected, it's running a Y-Processor, so nothing too demanding.
I'm able to get 8.5 hours, screen at 250 nits.
So this is kind of like in the middle-of-the-pack, when it comes to industry, for thin and light Ultrabooks.
It's not super-long, if you're expecting like a crazy long battery life, you're not going to get that.
I think the higher resolution screen uses a lot more power than you would expect,
But a solid full-day battery on the MacBook Air.
Now, so far, the product seems very good right?
I mean there's nothing I have to really complain about it, except for the price.
And this is where I want to spend the majority of this video.
This is a $1200 device, and there's nothing inherently wrong with a $1200 laptop, right?
Lots of different companies sell $1200 laptops, but it's the fact that this is the cheapest laptop that Apple sells.
That you can get into the Apple ecosystem.
At least the modern laptop - They still sell this ancient relic of a device, which they shouldn't anymore -
But if you want a current Apple MacBook,
This is the cheapest one, and that is a problem.
Because on the market right now, in 2018, times are different, it's no longer 2008, or 2009.
There are so many companies out there that are making really good thin and light laptops,
That have great keyboards, great trackpads, great screens.
Every single one on this table is excellent.
The 13" ZenBook from Asus with the light up numberpad;
The Razer Blade Stealth;
The XPS 13;
The Surface Laptop 2;
The Surface Pro for people who want 2-in-1 capabilities.
There are a lot of really good options on the market right now in 2018
That this device - The MacBook Air - is no longer this magical device that I can just openly recommend to people
Now, here's the thing, the reason why they can sell this device,
The reason why they can make a $1200 entry model laptop,
Is that right now, in this day and age, there are so many people who actively seek MacOS as their primary choice,
There are so many people that love MacOS - I'm one of them - who prefers MacOS over Windows.
So they're going to sell this, easily.
It doesn't matter if competitors have better hardware, or if they are priced better,
It almost doesn't even matter that the MacBook Air is not a particularly good value
What does matter is that it has MacOS
And I think for a lot of people, that's what they're looking for, that's all they're looking for.
Now, if you're in the market for any kind of Ultrabook, and operating system is not like a thing you really care about,
I would not recommend the MacBook Air, you can get any one of these other Windows laptops,
And you are guaranteed to have better value for your money
But if you're looking for MacOS, or if you prefer MacOS,
This is it, this is the one that you have to get, because Apple forced this product onto us
It's a great product - It's expensive - but it's a great product
It just unfortunate that it's the only one we can pick from at this point.
Okay, hope you guys enjoyed this video!
Thumbs if you liked it, subs if you loved it!
See you guys next time!