Apple MacBook Air MD761LL/A (2013) review

The MacBook Air also includes both a high-speed Thunderbolt port and two USB 3 ports, enabling you to easily connect to external displays and a wide variety of high performance peripherals. This version of the MacBook Air (model MD761LL/A) sports a 13.3-inch high-resolution display, 1.3 GHz Intel Core i5 dual-core processor (with a Turbo Boost of up to 2.6 GHz), 256 GB of flash memory storage, and 4 GB of RAM (see full specifications below). It also comes with the iLife software suite, which includes the latest versions of iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand.

Key Features

Up to 12 Hours of Battery Life Power through your whole work day with the 13-inch MacBook Air, which delivers up to 12 hours of battery life — more time power for word processing, presentations, email, and more . The increase is due to a larger battery (thanks to the compact all-flash storage in the MacBook Air) and the new power-efficient Intel Core processor architecture. Put the MacBook Air to sleep for more than 3 hours, and it enters standby mode to conserve battery life for up to 30 days.

802.11ac: The New Definition of Fast

The MacBook Air now supports ultrafast 802.11ac Wi-Fi. When connected to an 802.11ac base station — including the new AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule — wireless performance is up to three times faster than with the previous generation of MacBook Air. And your Wi-Fi range improves as well.

Flash Memory Storage

By replacing the standard spinning hard drive typically found in laptops (as well as desktop PCs) with flash memory, the MacBook Air delivers an almost instantaneous boot-up when you open the display, as well as faster application launches and snappier overall performance. Additionally, Apple has shed the enclosure that typically surrounds flash memory (usually about the same size as a standard hard drive), thus giving it a smaller footprint and helping to decrease the size of the MacBook Air.

Fourth-Generation Intel Core i5 Dual-Core Processing

The ultra-efficient architecture of the fourth-generation Intel Core i5 processor was designed to use less power and still deliver high performance. It has a 1.3 GHz speed, which can dynamically accelerate up to 2.6 GHz to match your workload thanks to updated Intel Turbo Boost Technology. And with the Intel HD Graphics 5000 processor, you get up to 40 percent faster graphics — performance you’ll especially notice with games and other graphics-intensive tasks.

Revolutionary Thunderbolt Technology

Developed by Intel with collaboration from Apple, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O (input/output) technology delivers an amazing 10 gigabits per second of transfer speeds in both directions. Built into the MacBook Air, the Thunderbolt port allows you to connect to new Thunderbolt-compatible peripherals as well as existing USB and FireWire peripherals using simple adapters. You’ll be able to move data up to 20 times faster than with USB 2.0 and more than 12 times faster than with FireWire 800, and you can daisy-chain up to six high-speed devices without using a hub. Thunderbolt also supports DisplayPort for high resolution displays and works with existing adapters for HDMI, DVI, and VGA displays.

USB 3

With USB 3 built into the MacBook Air, you can connect your external hard drive and transfer large files in seconds instead of minutes. Every MacBook Air comes with two USB 3 ports–with speeds up to 10 times faster than USB 2–and you can connect all your USB-compatible devices, including your iPhone, iPad, iPod, or digital camera. Integrated HD FaceTime Webcam You’ll be able to easily connect with friends, family, and business colleagues using the MacBook Air’s HD 720p FaceTime camera, which is integrated into the thin bezel above the display and features three times the resolution of the previous FaceTime camera. And with Apple’s FaceTime application, you’re not limited to video chats with other Macs–you can now make video calls to iPhone and iPod touch users.

Specifications

Display: 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with support for millions of colors Processor: 1.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 2.6 GHz) with 3 MB shared L3 cache Storage: 256 GB flash storage Memory: 4 GB of 1600 MHz LPDDR3 memory (maximum of 8 GB) Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 5000 internal graphics processor with 512 MB of GDDR5 memory Video: Thunderbolt digital video output (native Mini DisplayPort output); compatible with DVI, VGA, and dual-link DVI output using optional adapters; HDMI audio and video output using third-party Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter (sold separately) Audio: Stereo speakers; dual microphones; headphone port; support for Apple iPhone headset with microphone Connections: One Thunderbolt port (up to 10 Gbps), Two USB 3 ports (up to 5 Gbps), SDXC card slot, MagSafe 2 power port Communications: 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking (802.11a/b/g/n compatible); Bluetooth 4.0 Camera: HD 720p FaceTime camera Size and Weight: 12.8 x 8.94 x 0.68 inches; 2.96 pounds

Installed Software

At the heart of every MacBook Air–and every Mac–is OS X Mountain Lion, the world’s most advanced desktop operating system. Since the software built into every Mac is created by the same company that makes the Mac, you get a fully integrated system in which everything works together perfectly. OS X works with the processor in your Mac to deliver the best possible performance. Power Nap even takes advantage of the Mac hardware to keep the entire system up to date while it sleeps. OS X Mountain Lion     Mac App Store, Safari, Mail, Messages, Calendar, Contacts, Reminders, Notes, Time Machine, FaceTime, Photo Booth, Game Center, iTunes, and more

iLife

iLife helps you do more with photos, movies, and music than you ever thought possible. In iPhoto, you can browse, edit, and share your photos in stunning new full-screen views. Create epic Hollywood-style movie trailers from your home video in iMovie. And GarageBand gives you everything you need to make a great-sounding song–including tools for keeping your song in perfect rhythm and guitar and piano lessons. Apple iLife suite     iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand

What’s in the Box

13.3-inch MacBook Air, 45W MagSafe 2 power adapter, AC wall plug, power cord, printed and electronic documentation

Limited Warranty And Service

The MacBook Air comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a 1-year limited warranty, which can be extended to 3 years with the AppleCare Protection Plan.

AppleCare Protection Plan

Because Apple makes the hardware, the operating system, and many applications, the Mac is a truly integrated system. And only the AppleCare Protection Plan gives you one-stop service and support from Apple experts, so most issues can be resolved in a single call. Extend the complimentary service and support on your Mac to 3 years from the original Mac purchase date with the AppleCare Protection Plan. You get direct telephone access to Apple experts for technical questions, and you get global repair coverage–including both parts and labor–for your Mac and select Apple peripherals.