MacBook Air: Best Laptop Ever!?

[Michael Knutson]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.gottabemobile.com/2010/11/15/macbook-air-review-part-1-the-best-laptop-ive-ever-used/' target='_blank'>http://www.gottabemobile.com/2010/1...-ive-ever-used/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"I picked up a new MacBook Air a few days after it was first introduced and have been using it as my primary mobile computer since then. If you want to skip reading a long block of text, I'll get to the point. The new MacBook Air is the best laptop I've ever purchased or used."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/lpt/auto/1289863501.usr17748.jpg" /></p><p>Can't really say that I disagree here. My experiences with my smaller (11.6-inch, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD) MacBook Air are pretty similar. Astoundingly easy to carry around, although I don't think I'd get as extreme as the author - I don't want to carry it in a jacket pocket. Powerful? I've done some admittedly non-scientific performance tests against my new MacBook Pro with a Core i7 processor: simultaneously installing MS Office 2011 for the Mac, the MBA finished far ahead of the MUCH faster processor-equipped (but standard hard drive equipped) MBP. Of course, your mileage may vary. I expect that it'll be a great travel companion as well, but I haven't had a chance yet to test it out on an airplane tray table. Despite all the gnashing of teeth when the (only) 64GB SSD is mentioned, after installing everything that I need for (business) travel, I still have 40GB free. Even throwing on a movie or two and some music will not tax storage capacity. Coming from the days of floppy-only laptops, I find it a (fun) challenge to manage storage. This may not be everyone's best laptop ever, but it is for me! So far ...</p>

[randalllewis]

And what would the tech press reaction have been if, say HP, had made an identically sized computer with no user upgradability and very limited storage space? I suspect it would have been correctly critical.

The Air is indeed an attractive laptop. But it is thin for the sake of being thin. I doubt people will carry a device this expensive in their jacket pocket. Given that most laptops are carried in padded bags with their accessories and/or other work or school material, the notion that the handful of ounces and millimeters Apple has shaved off the Air makes it easier to carry is laughable.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

I agree with that. As I've mentioned, the thinness means it is actually wider than my current notebook. It means that it is not going in some bags I use. Not exactly easier to carry for me.