MacBook Air Review: 2015 Refresh Seems Phoned In

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When Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) first introduced the MacBook Air in 2008, reaction was decidedly mixed.

MacBook Air, 2015 MacBook Air intro

Source: Apple

A laptop with a full-sized keyboard and display so slim it could fit in an envelope was something new. But, Apple ditched features consumers took for granted –like an ethernet port and optical drive — soldered the RAM (preventing future upgrades) and the battery couldn’t be swapped out.

With a sticker starting at $1,799, the MacBook Air was also expensive.

However, over the years, Apple has continually improved the MacBook Air, while also dropping the price. The base model 13-inch MacBook Air now costs $999, and an 11-inch model is available for $899. Along the way, the MacBook Air has gone from expensive showpiece to best-seller, and the ultraportable to beat.

At the recent Spring Forward event, a new MacBook was introduced, along with the release details for the Apple Watch. But, Apple also announced the 2015 MacBook Air.

Is the new model a worthy upgrade? Does it have what it takes to hold off competitors like Dell’s new XPS 13? We explore Apple’s latest 13.3-inch MacBook Air in this review.

2015 MacBook Air 13.3-inch Review: Physically Unchanged, Including 2010-Era Display

If you’ve seen a MacBook Air from the past five years or so, you’ll immediately recognize the 2015 MacBook Air. Visually, the new model remains virtually unchanged.

MacBook Air, 2015 MacBook Air no retina display

Source: Apple

In terms of form factor, that’s okay. The machined aluminum body and full-sized keyboard may seem dated, but they work well and remain both attractive and functional. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) may feel a Surface Pro combined with a keyboard cover can take on Apple’s ultraportable, but look around at any event where attendees need a laptop they can slip into a backpack, and you’ll see a whole lot of MacBook Airs (and not many Surface Pros).

Unfortunately, Apple also kept the 2010-era display.

That means wide bezels and a paltry 1440 x 900 resolution. Many Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG,NASDAQ:GOOGL) Chromebooks — which cost a third of what you’d pay for the entry level 2015 MacBook Air — offer full HD displays. The Dell XPS 13 is available with a Quad HD+ display (3200 x 1800 pixels) with touch support and nearly zero bezels.

The new MacBook got the Retina display that MacBook Air fans had been expecting, which is actually a shame because the MacBook is the laptop for showing off, while the MacBook Air is a machine that combines form factor with the capability to actually get work done. It just needed a modern display.

2015 MacBook Air 13.3-inch Review: Modest Gains

So, Apple scrimped on the display, but only time will tell how big a mistake that was. If you’re in the market for a new ultraportable, and you’re able to overlook the relatively low resolution, Apple did make some internal upgrades to the 2015 MacBook Air.

MacBook Air, 2015 MacBook Air visually unchanged

Source: Apple

The new 13.3-inch MacBook Air gets Intel Corporation‘s (NASDAQ:INTC) new Broadwell CPUs, with the base model packing a dual-core Intel Core i5. That offers a slight boost in performance.

The Broadwell chips are supposed to be more energy efficient. Ars Technica’s MacBook Air Review found the 2015 version actually took a hit in battery life compared to last year’s version when web browsing, but pulled ahead to deliver better battery life when the system is under heavy use. Let’s call it a bit of a wash.

The biggest improvement is a move to new SSDs from Samsung Elect LTD (OTCMKTS:SSNLF) that double the speed of disk operations. This will translate to an overall snappier feel when using the new MacBook Air.

2015 MacBook Air 13.3-inch Review: Specs

  • 13.3-inch LED-backlit display at 1440 x 900 pixels
MacBook Air, 2015 MacBook Air specs

Source: Apple

  • 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 (Broadwell) CPU with Intel Graphics 6000
  • 4 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Flash storage
  • Dual USB 3.0 ports, Thunderbolt 2 port, SDXC card slot, MagSafe 2 power port
  • 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
  • Dual speakers, dual microphones, 720p FaceTime HD camera
  • Full-sized, backlit keyboard with glass trackpad
  • Built-in 54 watt-hour lithium-polymer battery rated at up to 12 hours of web browsing
  • 0.11 to 0.68-inches thick, weighs 2.96 pounds
  • Runs OSX Yosemite
  • MSRP $999

Note: specs listed for 2015 MacBook Air review are for the base model.

2015 MacBook Air 13.3-inch Review: Conclusion

The latest 13.3-inch MacBook Air is still a decent portable PC that offers good value for the money. But, it feels like Apple is coasting.

MacBook Air, 2015 MacBook Air conclusion

Source: Apple

Going back again to the Dell XPS 13, this is the PC that showcases the problem with the 2015 MacBook Air.

Dell — a company best known for producing dull, mass-market commodity computers, and one that has gone through considerable upheaval of late — has produced an ultraportable that beats the MacBook Air in many ways.

The XPS 13 is slimmer, has a smaller footprint, offers the same machined aluminum body (plus an attractive carbon fiber palm rest), and its display absolutely blows away the MacBook Air’s. It looks pretty good, too.

The MacBook Air has been a consistent best-seller that’s helped Apple’s PC sales defy industry trends. But, PC makers haven’t stood still, yet Apple has largely ignored its ultraportable. As a result, the 2015 MacBook Air is no longer cutting edge, it’s not the smallest, thinnest or lightest.

Ultrabooks have not only closed the gap — thanks to Apple’s decision to hobble the MacBook Air with an outdated display — many of them have now raced ahead. Apple loyalists will still buy the MacBook Air (or the new MacBook), but consumers in general will find the 2015 MacBook Air lags the Ultrabook competition, and that may bite Apple.

As of this writing, Robert Martin did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. 


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2015/03/macbook-air-review-2015-refresh-phoned-in/.

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