Comparison of macbook air 11 13. Which MacBook to choose: review, description, characteristics, reviews. Comparison of MacBook Air models

We were waiting for the line update MacBook Pro five long years. Finally, Apple has matured and introduced three new laptops at once: one without a touchpad Touch Bar and two with her. 13 inches and 15 inches, price: from 119,990 rubles to 349,590 rubles.

At the same time, the company stopped selling MacBook Air with a screen diagonal of 11 inches. A logical question arose - which Apple laptop should I pay attention to now?

Here you will find a lot comparative tables with prices and options for choosing a specific model. All of these models are available for order in the official Apple online store. Which one to choose, I believe, you will be able to understand after comparing each model.

In Apple's assortment today:

7 models
97 modifications

Note: if you tap on each table, it will open in higher resolution and there you can examine all the characteristics “under a magnifying glass.”

MacBook 2016

Verdict: Last year's updated model is perfect for typing and simple photo processing. This model is clearly not for games and intense workloads.

MacBook Air 2015 13''

Verdict: Frankly weak screen and a thickness that is now inferior to the entire line except last year's MacBook Pro. Buying a MacBook Air in 2016 is simply illogical. The only plus is the most low price among all models, but it would be more logical to buy a MacBook.

MacBook Pro 2015 13''

Verdict: The 15-inch model is gone and Apple exclusively offers the 13-inch version without discrete graphics. When choosing a Pro model, I recommend choosing the 16 GB version random access memory. The price tag here starts from 123,790 rubles for a model with a 128 GB drive.

MacBook Pro 2015 15"

Verdict: An excellent productive laptop that has all the necessary ports, a gorgeous Retina screen and a powerful processor, the clock speed of which in the top configuration exceeds even the characteristics of new products. Curiously, but models with discrete video card withdrawn from sale.

MacBook Pro 2016 13'' (without Touch Bar)

Verdict: The youngest model of the updated MacBook Pro, which is positioned as more productive MacBook alternative Air. And it wins in everything: from the screen to the processor and memory. Please note that the RAM is slightly slower than models with Touch Bar, but if Touchpad you don’t need it, that is, you can save from 30,000 rubles on the basic version.

MacBook Pro 2016 13'' (with Touch Bar)

Verdict: Junior model with OLED Touch Bar. Built-in video card, Intel Iris Graphics 550: for games will do, but don't expect a miracle. An option with an average drive and 16 GB of RAM will save you from the agony of choosing a laptop for several years.

MacBook Pro 2016 15''(with Touch Bar)

Verdict: The flagship model is a laptop option either for the obsessive designer or for the person who won't notice that he spent 349,000 rubles. The lion's share of the cost is taken by the SSD drive: in the top configuration its cost exceeds 100,000 rubles, but the feasibility of such an investment is still questionable. The average model varies in price from 231 to 282 thousand rubles and depends on the size of the drive and processor power. All 2016 15-inch MacBook Pro models come with 16GB of RAM.

Bottom line

Without many words…

Author's humble opinion

I have a 15-inch MacBook Pro 2014 with built-in Intel graphics Iris Pro and 16 GB of RAM. I don’t see any point in buying a new Pro and I won’t do it. If the question of purchase was open now, I would rather give preference to the 15-inch MacBook Pro 2015 in the top configuration with discrete graphics.

Why? Firstly, we already understood the marketing ploy about a 130% increase in productivity in the new MacBook Pro:

Which Apple laptop is the best? Light as a feather MacBook Air, or reliable and powerful MacBook Pro? You've decided it's time to change yours old Mac on one of the new Apple laptops? Or maybe you've finally decided to switch to the Mac platform? MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, MacBook Pro with Retina display - lots of options. Keep in mind that these models cover a wide price range. What will you get for the money that you still planned to part with? And which model is right for you? Let's figure it out.

New MacBook models and price tag

Apple's MacBook line consists of two products: MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. These two laptops differ in size, weight, and performance. Well, for the price, of course.

MacBook Air is Apple's lightest laptop. It comes in two different screen sizes - 11-inch and 13-inch. This is Apple's most inexpensive laptop. Prices start at $999 for the 11-inch model, and $1,099 for the 13-inch.

Base models of both sizes of this year's MacBook Air feature 1.3GHz Intel Haswell processors, 4GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD. On MacBook Air and MacBook models Pro Retina 2013, the hard drive is now connected via PCI Express or PCIe. This is significantly faster than the Serial ATA (SATA) interface used in last year's systems.

You can order a MacBook Air with a faster processor, more RAM, and hard drive increased size. Please note that the processor cannot be changed later. The SSD hard drive can be upgraded, although this is quite difficult - Apple doesn't sell individual SSD drives, so if you decide you need more storage space, you'll either have to get the hard drive from another MacBook Air or take it to a service center. which will help to do this.

"Standard" 13-inch MacBook Pro latest generation retails from $1,199. These Macs have internal optical drive"SuperDrive". It has 4 GB of RAM and a 500 GB hard drive working with a SATA controller. This makes the MacBook Pro quite fast, even though it still uses regular hard disk, not SSD. The processor operates at a frequency of 2.5 GHz. This is a fairly fast processor that works well in conjunction with good RAM. Also provided various options data storage, including a classic hard drive or SSD.

For $1,299 you can get the new MacBook Pro with Retina display. It is equipped with 2.4 GHz dual core processor Intel i5, 4 GB RAM and 128 GB SSD. The Retina display found on MacBook Pros is coupled with an internal optical drive, making Retina display models thinner and lighter than traditional PCs.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display completes Apple's line of laptops. It is equipped with a 2.0 GHz quad-core Intel i7 processor, 8 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD. It uses integrated Intel Iris Pro graphics. This year, the model with a Retina display is the only 15-inch model Apple is making. It retails for $1,999.

It’s worth mentioning separately about the more expensive 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display - this is the only model that is equipped with a fast discrete graphics chip. It's powered by a 2.3 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor and also includes Nvidia GeForce GT 750 discrete graphics. It's Apple's top-of-the-line model, so it's priced accordingly at $2,599. Like other MacBooks, the MacBook Pro with Retina display can be customized with faster processors or a larger hard drive.

Comparing screens by size and pixel density

MacBook Airs are not yet available with a Retina display—both the 11-inch and 13-inch models feature the classic LED panels. The 11-inch MacBook Air has a resolution of 1366 x 768, while the 13-inch model uses 1440 x 900 pixels.

11 inch MacBook display The Air is a bit of an outlier—the screen has a different aspect ratio than any other MacBook model. Most MacBooks come with 16:10 aspect ratio screens; and the 11-inch MacBook Air has a 16:9 aspect ratio screen. This has resulted in the 11-inch MacBook Air having a more elongated display than others. MacBook models.

Either way, the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air models have pixel densities of 135 pixels per inch (PPI) and 128 PPI, respectively. These are sharp and crisp displays that are capable of displaying millions of colors, even though they don't have Retina resolution.

As does the $1,199 MacBook Pro. This is a fast model with a native resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, equipped with 13.3 -inch display. It's in the same segment as the MacBook Air, with a pixel density of around 113 PPI.

The concept of “Retina display” came into fashion with the iPhone 4 and soon Retina displays appeared on the iPad. Also, since 2012 we have seen the MacBook Pro with a Retina display. This doesn't mean the MacBook Pro has the same pixel density as, say, the iPhone 5S or iPad Mini Retina - it just means you won't be able to see individual pixels when looking at the screen from a medium distance.

In this particular case, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display has a standard "Retina" resolution of 2560 x 1600 - an even higher resolution than the iPad Air. Although the screen is the same size as a standard 13-inch MacBook Pro, it has double the pixel density at 227 PPI. The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display has a resolution of 2880 x 1800 pixels. This is about 220 PPI.

Difference between Retina display and standard screens huge. Retina displays show more detail in photos and are much easier to read because they have smaller pixels. Naturally, you can judge the difference yourself at any Apple store or reseller.

Haswell platform

With the exception of the "standard" 13-inch MacBook Pro, which is a holdover from Apple's 2012 product line, all MacBooks now come with an Intel processor fourth generation, which is known by the code name "Haswell".

Haswell is an improvement on chips Ivy Bridge, which were used in last year's models. These include smaller size crystal and have improved power management, which is why this year's MacBook models have such improved battery life.

Haswell-equipped MacBooks also have a decent graphics subprocessor. According to Apple, tests have shown that the processor's integrated Haswell graphics are up to 40 percent faster than before.

In the MacBook chain, graphics power gradually improves along with price. The MacBook Air uses Intel HD 5000 graphics, while the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display uses an Iris chip, which is faster than the Intel HD 5000. The 15-inch MacBook Pro uses Iris Pro, which is even faster thanks to the addition of memory EDRAM. The most expensive 15-inch model uses a discrete graphics chip Nvidia GeForce GT 750, which is automatically activated when running graphics-intensive applications such as games or Photoshop.

Battery life

An important aspect of a laptop's performance is how long you can use it away from electrical outlet. After all, what's the point of carrying around a power bank all the time that adds weight to your bag? So the main idea of having a laptop computer is lost.

The tiny 11-inch MacBook Air lasts about 9 hours on a single charge when surfing the web, and about 8 hours when watching videos. The 13-inch MacBook Air, which has almost a third more battery capacity, can run up to 12 hours on a single charge. This model rules the roost in battery capacity tests.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, despite its high-resolution screen, has an impressive 9 hours of battery life. And the 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina has a battery life of 8 hours, despite all its powerful hardware inside.

The standard 13-inch MacBook Pro, with its hardware from 2012, has a battery life of approximately 7 hours.

Wireless connections

This year's entire line of laptops, except the $1,199 MacBook Pro, comes with wireless module 802.11ac. In practice, an 802.11ac-equipped Mac can transfer data wirelessly up to three times faster than the 802.11n Wi-Fi found on older machines like the standard MacBook Pro.

Naturally, the signal must be transmitted from 802.11ac base stations, such as the new AirPort Extreme or Time Capsule from Apple or other equipment operating in the same range. Otherwise, your new MacBook Pros won't make the most of 802.11ac speeds.

The Bluetooth 4.0 module is installed in the entire line of laptops from Apple.

External connectors

MacBook Air has two USB ports 3.0 and one Thunderbolt port. The Thunderbolt connector can be used to connect to external monitor, RAID system and other devices. The 13-inch MacBook Air adds an SDXC card slot, making it easy to import photos and videos from SD cards to your computer.

SDXC card slots are standard on MacBook Pro with Retina display. They are also the first Apple laptops to support Thunderbolt 2. This is a high-speed interface that transfers data twice as fast as the original Thunderbolt. What's more, there are two Thunderbolt 2 ports. There are also two USB 3.0 ports and an HDMI connector, so you can connect the MacBook Pro directly to an HDTV if necessary.

$1,199 MacBook Pro has built-in Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire 800, one Thunderbolt port, two USB 3.0 ports, and an SDXC card slot.

operating system

In all new Mac computers OS X 10.9 Mavericks is already installed. Mavericks, released in October 2013, features new UI elements like Finder tabs, as well as new apps like a redesigned Calendar, Maps, and iBooks. iCloud integration has increased significantly, so you'll notice improved workflow efficiency when you share files and data between your Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

But what really makes Mavericks an exceptional OS is the way Apple has redesigned its internals to improve performance and battery life. Laptops running Mavericks will last longer than before thanks to important changes like Timer Coalescing and App Nap. Thanks to them, it was possible to use processor resources more efficiently.

Who should buy a MacBook Air?

I would compare the MacBook Air to a roadster like the Mazda Miata. It looks airy and flying over the waves. But once you get behind the wheel, you get a completely different feeling - it's flexible, nimble and a lot of fun to drive.

For the same reason, the MacBook Air is very pleasant to use; its PCIe-coupled holistic architecture makes it fast and responsive. Mac users who surf the web will enjoy the software's performance, graphics, and design. The MacBook Air is a perfectly balanced machine that does a lot without costing a fortune.

The disadvantage is the limited memory capacity. 128 GB may not be enough for everyone. But there is an inexpensive solution - an external hard drive.

Who should buy the standard one?MacBook Pro?

The standard MacBook Pro sits between the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro with Retina display. It plays an important role in Apple ecosystem: This is a laptop for people who need much more space than they can afford with an SSD-equipped system or built-in optical drive.

The downside is that it lacks fast Wi-Fi, high-speed graphics and better battery life, like this year's models. Thus, it is a compromise solution. We can say that the 13-inch MacBook Pro remains popular choice for many users. This is the Mac for those looking for a good, reliable laptop with big amount opportunities. That's why Apple kept it in the current lineup. If you are looking for a powerful computer with a lot of memory, then this is a great option.

Who should buy a MacBook Pro withRetina display?

At $1,299, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is the best in its class. Its size fits most people. The price is also not overpriced. Don't forget that this year's MacBook models are faster than ever, thanks to powerful processors and installed Mavericks.

If you work with heavy graphics and video, you must work on a laptop that can edit quickly large files, for example, Photoshop. Well, if you want to achieve maximum performance, then the 15-inch MacBook Pro will be your best solution. The Iris Pro graphics on it are simply amazing, and the discrete Nvidia graphics on the expensive version of the 15-inch MacBook Pro allows you to avoid making compromises.

Still undecided?

If you're still having trouble deciding between MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Pro with Retina display, search forums for more information before you go shopping. Anyway, are you considering the best line The 2013 MacBook is better than ever, and no matter your choice, you'll end up with the best laptop on the market.

We hope this article will help you make your choice. If you have any questions or suggestions, be sure to leave them in the comments.

What have we come to in 10 years?

2016 has arrived, and a whole 10 years have passed since the release of the first professional laptops from Apple! Let's remember together how it all began and where we have come to today.

It’s better not to remember how they became more expensive in terms of rubles. Especially when you can buy any in installments without additional payment. You can't imagine the best way update your working Mac. Moreover, they have always been considered the ultimate laptop for busy people.

How it all started

June 6, 2005 at the Worldwide Developer Conference Steve Jobs announced an imminent attack new era in the Apple world - the transition from PowerPC processors to Intel.

Steve Jobs announced two main disadvantages of the PowerPC: the processor heats up too much during operation and the banal failure to fulfill promises. Heating was a very serious disadvantage for laptops, the cooling of which requires additional energy, and the processors themselves were not at all economical (performance per 1 Watt was too low). At the same time, the company was in no hurry to provide new processor models for Apple, and the long-awaited release of the PowerBook G5 was postponed indefinitely.

It is impossible to say unambiguously whether the transition to Intel occurred only for these two reasons or whether there are other aspects. Perhaps Apple has decided to cooperate with what it considers a more promising company in the future. Or maybe the company wanted users to be able to install... Windows on its products?

But it was precisely this moment that became the starting point for the creation of the company Apple new MacBook Pro laptops.

First generation MacBook Pro

Release date: 2006
Main characteristics:

Intel Core Duo processor 1.83 GHz to 2.16 GHz
Hard drive from 80 to 120 GB
LCD display from 15” (1440 x 900) to 17” (1680 x 1050)
ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics card
Two memory slots up to 2 GB RAM

The very first MacBook Pro was presented as a laptop for professional users by Steve Jobs at the Macworld Conference & Expo in January 2006.

The renaming of the laptop name from PowerBook to MacBook Pro occurred, as you might guess, for two reasons: firstly, Apple decided to abandon all associations with the PowerPC processor, and secondly, to add the word Mac to the name.

The MacBook Pro turned out to be similar, but not at all identical to the PowerBook G4. Externally, it became a little larger (by a centimeter in length and 3 mm in width) and a little thinner (by three millimeters). It also has a lot of new features:

The graphics and display brightness were significantly improved due to the ATI Mobility Radeon X1600, which had 128 or 256 MB of video memory and ran on GDDR3 SDRAM.
Built-in iSight camera located above the display.
Appeared infrared sensor to work with the Front Row multimedia player via the included remote control.
The MagSafe power connector has been replaced. The company gave him Special attention, demonstrating that if someone accidentally touches the power cable, it will be safely disconnected from the laptop without dragging it along in an unknown direction. This is achieved thanks to a special magnet and a very shallow connector.
The adapter has become more powerful (85 W instead of the previous 65), and the battery is more energy-intensive (60 W/hour instead of 50).
According to tests from Apple, the performance of the MacBook Pro compared to the PowerBook G4 has increased by 4 times.
The backlit keyboard, large trackpad and virtually silent operation computer.

Despite this, several disadvantages were noted in the new product: the FireWire 800 port and the PCMCIA slot were completely removed (a smaller ExpressCard/34 appeared instead), and the SuperDrive turned out to be significantly weaker than the one installed in the PowerBook G4.

In October 2006, in addition to the new Intel Core 2 Duo processors, the entire MacBook Pro line received double the amount of RAM. Hard drive capacity has also been increased.

In June 2007, models appeared equipped with a backlit LED display, an Nvidia Geforce 8600M GT video card and network support Wi-Fi standard 802.11n.

And between mid-2007 and early 2008, models appeared with an improved Core 2 Duo processor with a frequency of up to 2.5 GHz, an FSB bus with a frequency of 667 MHz to 800 MHz (which increased the speed of communication between memory and central processor), even larger volume hard drive and RAM up to 8 GB.

These were just the first MacBook Pro models, their display was surrounded by a wide plastic frame, which is now difficult to even imagine on Apple products. The next significant step was a complete redesign of the chassis, which brought us to the second generation of MacBook Pro laptops.

Second generation MacBook Pro (Unibody)

Release date: 2008
Main characteristics:

Intel Core 2 Duo processor 2.26 GHz to 2.53 GHz
Hard drive from 160 to 320 GB
LCD display from 15” (1440 x 900) to 17” (1920 x 1200) with LED backlight
Video card NVIDIA GeForce 9400M and NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT
RAM 2 GB, expandable up to 4 GB

On October 14, 2008, during a press conference held in the main Apple office, was presented new model MacBook Pro, key difference which from previous versions became use of new Unibody cases.

The essence of this technology comes down to the gradual “turning out” of the laptop body from a single piece of aluminum, and not to the connection of pre-created parts. This allowed the new laptops to be made smaller and more durable.

In addition to the new body, the MacBook Pro has also changed in its technical equipment:

The new line received a choice of two video cards: Nvidia GeForce 9600M GT with 256 or 512 MB of dedicated memory and GeForce 9400M with 256 MB of shared system memory.
The FSB bus bandwidth has increased from 800 MHz to 1066 MHz.
Increased hard drive capacity with solid-state drive option.
The optical drive is no longer placed in front, but on the side of the case.
The keyboard has completely changed, and is now black with bright backlighting.
The trackpad has become larger, which provides extra space for scrolling and using multi-touch gestures.
Magnetic gaskets have appeared on the lid instead of mechanical latches, so that when closing there is a small gap that allows you to conveniently open the laptop.
This is not to say that performance has increased slightly, be it the performance of the processor or video card.
The battery became removable, and access to the hard drive also appeared.

The 17-inch Unibody version of the MacBook Pro was introduced in January 2009 at the MacWorld conference by Phil Schiller. This model differed from its 15-inch brother in a matte display version and a non-removable lithium-polymer battery.

In June 2009, it was announced that all models will be equipped with a non-removable lithium polymer battery, which allows operation in offline mode until seven o'clock.

In April 2010, when the line received next update, models received Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, GeForce video card GT 330M with 256 or 512 MB of memory, the amount of RAM has increased to 8 GB. Also added inertial scrolling, making scrolling recall the user's iPhone interface and iPad.

A new one was released in February 2011 the lineup, which received Intel Core i5 and i7 Sandy Bridge processors, the latest Intel technology Thunderbolt and high definition FaceTime camera. Also in the new models it was possible to use discrete video cards from AMD: Radeon HD 6490M and Radeon HD 6750M.

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Third generation MacBook Pro (Retina display)

Release date: year 2012
Main characteristics:

Intel Core i5 and i7 processor 2.4 GHz to 2.6 GHz
Hard drive from 256 GB to 1 TB
Retina display from 13” (2560 x 1600) to 15” (2880 x 1800)
Video card built-in Intel HD Graphics 4000 and discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M 1GB
RAM 4, 8 and 16 GB

The generation of MacBook Pro laptops with Retina display was introduced on June 11, 2012 at WWDC. Apple positioned this laptop as a completely new line of MacBook Pro laptops.

It may seem that the most significant difference with the previous generation is Retina display. Of course, this innovation has become important step, because the quality of the picture has increased significantly, the image has become more contrasty, and there is much less glare. However, these are not all the features of the new generation:

The size and weight of laptops have changed - they have become thinner and lighter. In addition, a MacBook Pro model appeared with a 13-inch display.
Increased productivity and speed.
An important change was collaboration integrated GPU processor Ivy Bridge (Intel HD Graphics 4000) and a discrete video card in the form of GeForce GT 650M.
The battery life has also increased.
The new model features two Thunderbolt ports, a pair of USB 3.0 ports, an SDXC card slot, an HDMI port and a new MagSafe 2 connector.
The built-in camera has been upgraded to 720p.
The hard drive has been replaced with a full-fledged SSD drive.
A big plus was the increase in RAM.
The keyboard has changed a little, which has now become more protected from crumbs getting into it, which is why pressing the buttons has become more dense.

Among the shortcomings, we can note the lack of an optical drive, which now may not be so important for users, and an Ethernet connector. Also, holes for ventilation appeared in the case in the bottom panel, which upset those who like to use the laptop while holding it on their laps.

In 2013, the MacBook Pro underwent changes again - models with Intel Ivy Bridge 2.8 GHz processors appeared ( Turbo Boost 3.8 GHz) and Intel Haswell 2.6 GHz (Turbo Boost 3.8 GHz). In the fall of 2013, the graphics processor was also updated - now Intel Iris Pro Graphics and NVidia Geforce GT 750M 2GB were installed in fully equipped models.

Where MacBook Air and MacBook Pro were compared. If you've decided that an elegant MacBook Air is in your purchasing plans, now you need to decide Which MacBook Air is better Is the smaller 11-inch or larger 13-inch brother suitable? In addition, what configuration of a particular model should you choose.

Comparison of MacBook Air models

The 11-inch MacBook Air is Apple's cheapest laptop, starting point, so to speak, with a price tag of $1,000 (well, minus the $1). For this money you will get a laptop equipped with an 11.6-inch display (diagonal) with 1366x768 pixels. It has 4GB of RAM and 128GB of flash memory. By paying an additional $200, you will receive a model with 256GB memory.

The basic 13-inch MacBook Air will cost you just $100 more. There are the same 4GB of RAM and 128GB of flash memory. The 13.3-inch display has 1440x900 pixels. Also, by paying an additional $200, you can increase the memory to 256 GB.

With the lid closed, the height of the MacBook Air -11 is just over a centimeter. The thinnest part is the front - 0.25 cm, the back is only 1.14 cm high. The dimensions of the MacBook Air -13 are from 0.4 cm to 1.94 cm. The width of the 11-inch model is 28.5 cm, the 13-inch - 32.5 cm. Weight: 1 kg and 1.3 kg, respectively.

Both laptops are equipped with stereo speakers and support 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. The keyboard of all models has a backlight, the illumination of which is automatically adjusted thanks to installed sensors. It's tempting that the keyboards on the 11-inch and 13-inch models are the same size. All have OS X 10.9 Mavericks and iWork’13, iLife’13 applications installed.

The standard MacBook Air ranges from $999 to $1,299 and is already comparable in price to the base 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display (and even $100 more expensive than the 13-inch MacBook Pro with regular display). If you spend $1,850 and order the maximum package, you will get the most sophisticated MacBook Air model.

Let's start comparing models

Maximum mobility or larger screen

How important is a difference of 2 inches?

The 11-inch MacBook Air is something of an ugly duckling at Apple, and is the only laptop available with a 16:9 aspect ratio. All other laptops have a 16:10 screen ratio.

This approach to design makes it, despite its tiny size, more cinematic. This is the form factor you'll see on flat-panel HD TVs. The same aspect ratios are used in movies. It turns out that you see more of the width of the picture than the height. The 11-inch MacBook Air is wider and shorter than its 13-inch brother.

The density of 135 pixels per inch is even higher than the 13-inch model (which has 128 pixels), but the difference is not huge.

Some users like wide screen, others hate it, claiming the screen is too narrow. This is a very subjective opinion, so my advice is to look at your work to see what is best for you.

The resolution of the 13-inch MacBook Air is 1440x900. At same sizes, it has an even higher resolution than the MacBook Pro without a Retina display. The resolution is higher, but this Not Retina is a very important difference - not in any MacBook Air model No Retina display. It certainly makes the job easier MacBook batteries Air, making them surprisingly resilient. But the MacBook Air becomes less attractive to users who need better quality text and graphics.

Still, when talking about the Retina display, we must take into account that for many years we lived without it. And if you haven’t started using it, then for now you can do without it. The 13-inch MacBook Air displays a pretty decent picture on the screen.

Light weight or independent from a power outlet

How long can you use your MacBook Air without recharging?

Screen size isn't the only major difference between the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air. The larger case size allows for a larger capacity battery. The models have 38 Wh and 54 Wh batteries, respectively.

Both MacBook Air models deliver outstanding battery life, thanks in part to the Haswell processor, which is more energy efficient than previous processors. Apple said the 11-inch MacBook Air can last up to 9 hours on a single charge, and the 13-inch MacBook Air can last up to 12 hours. So, if you spend all day away from power sources, the 13-inch model will be the best choice for you.

Slim design or third-party device connection

What can you attach to a MacBook Air?

Both the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air have a 720p camera built into the center above the screen. They have a 1/8 inch headphone jack, two microphones (for best recording voice, or talking via Skype or FaceTime), two USB 3.0 ports (one on each side) and one Thunderbolt port (on right side). Thunderbolt, regular, not Thunderbolt 2.

Connectivity external devices only differ one. The 13-inch MacBook Air has an SDXC card slot on the right side. If you already use or are planning to buy a digital camera that records to an SD card, and also intend to use the MacBook Air to edit photos and videos taken with such a camera, the 13-inch MacBook Air is a convenient choice.

More RAM

If necessary?

4 GB of RAM is standard across the entire MacBook Air line. This is quite enough to run Mavericks, for Internet applications and, in general, for all applications that require normal performance. Well, if you really use RAM intensively: you work with media file editors, run many applications at the same time, etc., you should think about 8 GB of memory. Worth thinking about buying a MacBook Air with that amount of RAM if you're thinking about the future. Apple releases its devices with a reserve for planned changes. So, for example, a 2010 MacBook Air with 2 GB already works quite slowly with Mavericks.

It is worth saying that you immediately must decide how much RAM you need. Add volume by soldering additional memory To motherboard will not work.

More Flash Memory

If necessary?

This is probably the most difficult question when buying a MacBook Air. If you're moving from another machine, chances are you have apps and files that need to be transferred.

Compared to the 512 GB of hard drive storage that laptops have been using lately, 128 GB of flash memory is quite meager space. Most likely, everything will have to be cut back sharply. Rarely used files can be archived and transferred to external drive, server or even in cloud storage. It might also be a good idea to use iCloud.

Having decided how do you do all this you will use, consider options

The 256 GB configuration will add $200 to the price of the base model (we get $1,199 and $1,299, respectively). If this is not enough, then we add another $300 to the price received, and we get 512 GB for $1,499 and $1,599, respectively, for the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air.

In any case, increasing flash memory is quite expensive. There are companies like Other World Computing that specialize in SSD drives for older model year MacBook Airs. Please note that for the latest MacBooks Air they don't have SSD drives yet. This is due to the use of a new Haswell processor and a change in the entire flash drive operating system.

i7 processor

Is it necessary?

On paper, the MacBook Air looks sluggish compared to the MacBook Pro or some PC laptops. But this is a deceptive look. Flash storage makes a significant difference in operational efficiency. It also helps that the same company (Apple) makes the computer and develops the operating system that runs on that computer. The operating system is carefully optimized to get the most out of the processor.

Standard 1.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor optimized for MacBook work Air. But if you're willing to shell out $150, you'll get a dual-core Intel Core i7 processor. Besides the 30 percent clock speed difference, there are other differences within the i7. It has an additional megabyte of cache memory - 4 MB instead of 3 MB on i5. The cache memory stores frequently used data. More cache means more data can be stored on the chip, which means the i7 is faster.

i5 and i7 Turbo Boost technology automatically turns on the fastest work cores. This Turbo mode practically doubles the frequency - from 2.6 GHz on i5, to 3.3 GHz on i7.

Both processors use integrated graphics—Intel 5000 HD Graphics—and the i7 processor handles graphics faster than the i5. If you want maximum performance, it's worth spending $150 on an i7 processor. But in principle, this is not at all necessary - standard processor more which is enough for everyday use.

Who should buy the 11-inch MacBook Air

If weight and size are the main criteria for choosing a laptop, the 11-inch MacBook Air is your machine. It's slightly larger than the iPad Air (though more than twice as heavy), but it's a fully functional Mac that can do whatever you want. The 11-inch MacBook Air is a great computer for kids in schools and students who want a device that's lightweight and flexible.

There are a few compromises that you accept - a smaller (by about 20%) display and the lack of an SD card slot. If this is not important for use, then the lightweight, small 11-inch MacBook Air will be the ideal mobile laptop.

Who should buy the 13-inch MacBook Air

The 13-inch model in the basic configuration is $100 more expensive. But it has a larger screen, better battery life, and a slot for an SD card. Before the October update, the MacBook Pro was a near-perfect combination of lightness, performance and price. With the release of the MacBook Pro with Retina display and Apple's announcement of new pricing, a $200 difference separates the base 13-inch MacBook Air from the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display. But spending that $200 will get you a significantly faster processor, better graphics performance, a much better screen, more RAM and storage (up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of flash storage). With two Thunderbolt 2 ports and an HDMI port, connectivity to external devices will greatly increase. The MacBook Pro with Retina display is about 200g heavier.

Conclusion: If you are not willing or able to pay for a MacBook Pro with Retina display, or if you want to have less weight, longer battery life and without the hassle of comparing two machines, the MacBook Air is an amazing, lightweight laptop.

By the way, you can look at the review of the MacBook Air-13 made directly by the buyer.

Haven't made your choice yet? Please visit Apple's pages and dedicated forums. It's even better if you leave your comments right here. One thing you can be sure of is that thanks to brilliant engineers, Apple has created an incredibly airy computer with which you for a long time You'll be able to work autonomously, making MacBook Air a fantastic travel companion.

On July 27, the Chinese corporation Xiaomi organized a presentation of the first laptop own production, Mi Notebook Air. Both the design of the new product, the name, and positioning openly hint at a desire to compete with a similar Apple product. What can we say: the company representatives themselves compared Mi Notebook Air with Apple MacBook Air as an example of the advantages of their product. Therefore, we cannot ignore the similarities between these devices. Which is better, Mi Air or MacBook Air, is it worth buying a Chinese new product? This material is intended to find out.

Apple produces MacBook Air in two sizes, with a 13.3″ and 11.6″ screen. Xiaomi company presented its product also in two versions, with 13.3″ and 12.5″ displays. At the same time, the Chinese themselves showed a slide showing the difference in size between the 13-inch laptop models of Xiaomi and Apple. According to official information, the Chinese laptop is 13% thinner than the American one: 14.8 mm versus 17 mm. The size of the new product is 11% smaller than the MacBook, with the same screen diagonal. The Mi Air weighs 1240 grams - 110 grams less than the MacBook Air.

The younger 12-inch model has case dimensions of 292x202x12.9 mm. Dimensions of Macbook Air with 11″ - 300x192x17 mm. The mass of the “Chinese” is 1070 grams, versus 1080 for the “American”. This means that with comparable dimensions, Mi Notebook Air is 4 mm thinner, and the useful area of its upper part is spent more efficiently. The Chinese were able to increase the screen by almost an inch while maintaining the same lid dimensions.

Conclusion: In terms of size, the Mi Notebook Air is better than the MacBook Air, since the older model is more compact, while the younger one offers a larger screen with the same dimensions as its competitor.

Display

The Chinese Mi Notebook Air has a screen with a diagonal of 13.3 or 12.5 inches. Regardless of the version, it is used IPS matrix with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels (FullHD). IN Apple MacBook Air uses TN matrix displays, and their resolution is only 1440x900 or 1366x768 pixels, in 13.3-inch and 11.6-inch versions, respectively. All laptops have a glossy screen with wide viewing angles and anti-glare coating. In the case of a Chinese laptop, the space is top panel is used more efficiently, and the thickness of the frames is minimal.

Conclusion: The display characteristics of the Mi Notebook Air are better than the MacBook Air: it has a higher resolution, best type matrices and minimal frames.

Iron

With Xiaomi, everything is clear with hardware: there are two laptop options. In the case of Apple it is more complicated: within one diagonal there can be several variations hardware. It would be fair to compare those versions of the MacBook Air that are closest in price to the Mi Notebook Air. But in this case, the capabilities of an American laptop will not be presented in at its best. Therefore, for comparison, the specifications of the most current 2016 models, taken from the official Apple website, were selected.

CPU

The 13.3″ Mi Notebook Air has a dual-core Intel Core i5 6200U processor operating at frequencies up to 2.7 GHz. The similarly sized MacBook Air uses a dual-core Intel chip Core i5 with a frequency of up to 2.7 GHz, but it belongs to the previous generation (5000). The exact processor model is not mentioned on the official website. The 12.5-inch Mi Notebook Air is equipped with a dual-core Intel Core M3 processor, frequency up to 2.2 GHz. But the American laptop with a diagonal of 11.6″ is based on the same chip as its older brother in the line.

Conclusion: In terms of processor performance, the Chinese laptop should be slightly better than its competitor, but the budget version should be slightly inferior to its American counterpart.

Video card

The Chinese equipped the older Mi Notebook Air with a discrete video card suitable for gaming, Nvidia GeForce 940MX. The built-in Intel HD 520 GPU is responsible for processing graphics in light tasks. The younger modification of Xiaomi does not have discrete graphics, it got an integrated Intel HD 515 chip. MacBook Air of all modifications uses integrated Intel HD 6000 graphics, which is approximately equal in performance to Intel HD 515 and 520. At the same time, due to the reduced technical process, the new GPU consumes significantly less energy than the HD 6000.

Conclusion: In terms of graphics, the Mi Notebook Air 13.3″ is much more powerful than the MacBook Air, and the 12.5″ model is approximately equal to its competitor.

RAM

The amount of RAM installed in the Mi Notebook Air 13.3″ is 8 GB. DDR4 chips operating at 2133 MHz are used. The MacBook Air 13.3″ has a RAM capacity of 4 or 8 GB, but DDR3 chips with a frequency of 1600 MHz are installed here. The smaller modification of the Xiaomi laptop has 4 GB of RAM, like the MacBook Air 11.6″. In both cases, the memory belongs to the DDR3 generation, but for Apple its frequency is 1600, and for Xiaomi it is 1866 MHz. In all laptops, the chips are soldered directly to the motherboard, so the RAM cannot be expanded.

Conclusion: When comparing Mi Notebook Air and MacBook Air, there is parity in memory capacity, but the Chinese ultrabook has a higher RAM clock speed.

Persistent memory

The Mi Notebook Air 13 has a 256 GB SSD with an NVME interface. There is also another slot under the cover for installing a second drive with the same interface. The smaller version of the Chinese laptop is equipped with a 128 GB drive, and there is also a slot for installing a second SSD. For Apple MacBook Air, the storage capacity of both versions can be 128 or 256 GB, depending on the model. It does not have a slot for a second disk, but it does have a card reader that allows you to install a 128 or 256 GB flash drive. And no one prohibits the use of external drives.

Conclusion: In terms of memory capacity out of the box, there is parity, with a slight advantage in favor of Apple (it has a junior version with 256 GB). But Xiaomi has more expansion options. The disadvantages of the Mi Notebook Air include the lack of a card reader.

Autonomy

According to officially announced information, Mi Notebook Air with a 13.3-inch screen should work for 9.5 hours under load. The 12.5″ model should last 2 hours longer under the same conditions. A MacBook Air with a 13.3″ display should last up to 12 hours, but the 11.6″ version is “only” 9 hours. Of course, this is a theory; in reality, the numbers may differ. The older Mi Notebook Air has a 40 Wh battery, and the younger one has a 37 Wh battery. For Apple, these figures are 54 and 38 Wh, respectively. However, it should be remembered that Xiaomi components are more energy efficient (except for discrete graphics in the 13.3″ model). Also plus Xiaomi is support fast charging: up to 50% in half an hour.

Conclusion: In terms of autonomy, the younger model Mi Notebook Air is better than the MacBook Air, but the older model is inferior to its competitor.

Interfaces

Among the interface ports, the older version of the Mi Notebook Air has a USB Type C port, two familiar USB Type A, HDMI and a headset jack. The younger model has one less USB port. Apple product the 13.3″ version is equipped with a MagSafe 2 port for charging, a pair of USB3 Type A, Thunderbolt 2, a 3.5 mm headset jack and an SDXC card reader. The younger version has the same thing, but there is no slot for memory cards. Plus, the “Chinese” has HDMI, but the “American” needs a TB 2 - DP or TB 2 - HDMI adapter to connect to a monitor.

Conclusion: In terms of variety of interfaces, the Chinese laptop loses to its American competitor.

Input and output, multimedia

At the presentation of the Mi Notebook Air, it was said that the laptops are equipped with AKG stereo speakers with a power of 1 and 2 W, in 12- and 13-inch models, respectively. The webcam has a HD resolution of 1 MP. The keyboard is backlit and the touchpad recognizes multi-touch. For Apple laptops, everything is the same.

Conclusion: Apple comparison MacBook Air and Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air showed parity in this category.

Price

The Chinese pleased us by setting prices for their laptops at $750 and $515 for the 13.3-inch and 12.5-inch versions, respectively. In Ukrainian currency this is the equivalent of 18,500 and 12,700 hryvnia, respectively. Considering that intermediaries initially set a significant markup, in the first month of sales the Ukrainian price will be significantly higher. By autumn, the cost of the older version of Mi Notebook Air should stabilize at 20-25 thousand hryvnia (if the exchange rate remains 25 UAH per dollar), and for the 12.5″ model they will ask around 15-17 thousand.

The lowest price for a 13.3″ MacBook Air at the time of writing was 21,400 UAH, for a model with 4/128 GB of RAM/SSD. The version with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB SSD costs from 27,700 hryvnia. An Apple laptop model with an 11.6-inch display will cost from UAH 19,890.

Conclusion: Chinese prices for Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air are more attractive than the cost of MacBook Air. In Ukraine, after the hype subsides, prices for Chinese laptops will be lower than for American ones. Their reduction to an acceptable level (10-20% markup) cannot be avoided, since otherwise the new product will not be able to successfully compete with Apple.