The new MacBook Air looks beautiful even from the inside

09 November 2018
iFixIt tears down the new Retina MacBook Air.

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  • Nate
  • jmK
  • 09 Feb 2021

pfffft why is their a fan pointing to nothing. Theirs also a flimsy heatsink on the cpu

    sadh, 09 Nov 2018And you changed the titleYes, thought it suited the article perfectly!

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • MwH
      • 12 Nov 2018

      Hamburger, 12 Nov 2018The older Air use the U series. Runs well. Do you know t... moreLightweight tasks can be done on almost any machine, even on the raspberry PI. Editing and adjusting photos in batches is not such a big deal, it only takes a bit more time to do on weaker systems.

      However, there's no need for an i7 Macbook or Macbook Air. The fact stands - Macbook and Macbook Air are aimed at casual/personal/student users, they are entry level laptops in the Apple range. Whereas Macbook Pros are aimed at people who need workhorses to do their jobs fast.

      Of course, it would be great to have an i7 or i9 or Xeon and 32/64gb of ram in the frame and form factor of the Macbook or Macbook Air, but that would mean there's no need for the other models in the lineup.
      There are different tools for different purposes. That's why you have feature phones, smartphones, phablets, tablets, big tablets, small and lightweight laptops, medium sized laptops, and 17" laptops, desktops, all-in-ones, etc.

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        • Hamburger
        • IWQ
        • 12 Nov 2018

        Anonymous, 11 Nov 2018If you want i7, get a Macbook Pro. Macbook and Macbook ... moreThe older Air use the U series. Runs well.

        Do you know the difference between M series and U series processor?

        Casual users? Macbook pro? No idea what kind of definition you have for using apple laptops. Is there even such definition? Pro owners can't be casual users? I've seen many photographers using the Air as a work horse in the field.

        You have a very fixated mindset.

          • H
          • Hamburger
          • IWQ
          • 12 Nov 2018

          BiyoBiyo JunJun, 11 Nov 2018who upgrade their laptop ram & hardisk after using it f... moreMany people do. As time passed, the ram and ssd become cheaper, so upgrading the laptop makes sense.

          Just like many owners upgraded their spin drive to an ssd.

          I upgraded my original NVMe 256GB drive to a NVMe 1TB now that the price is at a more sane level.

            Anonymous, 10 Nov 2018Hello? Apple's MacBook Air laptops are overpriced and overh... morewho upgrade their laptop ram & hardisk after using it for 3 4 years ? how big difference performance if u upgrade the ram? its laptop not a desktop . most laptop nowaday also cant upgrade their ram and hardisk , they already seal it.people usually buy new one if want upgrade their laptop.

            i just asking u , if people defend apple because they prefer mac os ecosystem u call them ifanatic ... then how about people who defend windows ? freak ?? no... u just hate apple , that why u hate people using apple . even ifanatic dosnt care people using windows , only people like u hated soo much ...

            dont say apple overprice , go see surface or chromebook , or gaming laptop , they also overprice. they just expensive because they got their own specialty . u can buy normal laptop with same spec but far more cheaper ....

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • m%5
              • 11 Nov 2018

              Anonymous, 10 Nov 2018Hello? Apple's MacBook Air laptops are overpriced and overh... moreWindows laptops don't have force touch trackpads, nor are they so thin and portable as Macbooks (if they have aluminium bodies). Most windows laptops are plastic or polycarbonate, their screens don't output anywhere near the same colour gamut of Macbooks, their speakers are nowhere near Macbook sound quality and sound richness, their trackpads are all waaaay behind Macbook trackpads.

              If you have an issue with a traditional laptop, you need to send it away to be serviced and now being able to get it back to you for weeks or months - that is, if they accept to do any repairs to it for free.

              When you compare laptops to Macbook, you don't just compare them based on specs.

              Because, for example, you can have the exact same engine and transmission in two cars frames, but one will cost $50,000 and the other one will cost you $90,000.
              That's because the expensive one has all the extra features like leather seats and steering wheel, top class navigation, bluetooth and wireless connectivity, 8.1 surround speaker system, reversing cameras, auto-parking, quad-climate control, auto-braking, cruise control, rain sensors, tyre pressure sensors, door lights, remote control startup/shutdown, keyless entry, magnesium alloy rims, and so on.

              That's what you get when you buy an Apple device: you buy a premium. Which comes at a premium price.

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • m%5
                • 11 Nov 2018

                Hamburger, 10 Nov 2018My only qualm with this Air is the m series processor. I wo... moreIf you want i7, get a Macbook Pro.

                Macbook and Macbook Air are casual laptops for casual users. And for students too.

                  Anonymous, 10 Nov 2018The Air is the prefect antidote to all those who had enough... moreYou can still use Mint or any other user friendly Linux distro.
                  Well not on new Macs Mini and Airs ... THX Apple moron developers!

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • UNy
                    • 10 Nov 2018

                    The Air is the prefect antidote to all those who had enough of Windows and want to try something new. I would love to upgrade to an Air but the problem is that my 7 years old Mac book pro is still going fast without having to fix a thing despite the fact that it has suffered several falls, the worst of them slipping out of my bag from one meter height to a concrete floor with just only some minor scratches at the corners of the lid. Macs overpriced? Initially, yes but in 7 years before I got my Mac I spent twice as much its price to buying and fixing windows pcs.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • PGq
                      • 10 Nov 2018

                      Anonymous, 09 Nov 2018Another one of Apple's disposable, non-upgradeable laptops.... moreAgree. Just pure GREED$$ & planned obsolescence at (Cr)Apple's will. For that price, you could get a customisable gaming laptop / desktop for flexibility & better performance overall.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • IW@
                        • 10 Nov 2018

                        BiyoBiyo JunJun, 10 Nov 2018soo , people comment "Apple laptops are best. Other laptops... moreHello? Apple's MacBook Air laptops are overpriced and overhyped devices that have mediocre power and specs compared to Windows laptops in the same price range. Whether or not you call them trash is up to you. One thing is for sure though. The moment your needs change and you want to upgrade the MacBook Air's RAM and Storage, then you can be sure they're going to the trash assuming you don't sell or give them away. There, did I answer your question?

                          There is a fan inside? Core M CPU and fan? Whyyyyyyy?
                          It's probably becase it's too thin or Apple messed up passive cooling like with the MacBook 12.

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • KSE
                            • 10 Nov 2018

                            Hamburger, 10 Nov 2018My only qualm with this Air is the m series processor. I wo... morethis can use egpu to boost performance. 12 inch macbook cannot

                              • H
                              • Hamburger
                              • IWQ
                              • 10 Nov 2018

                              My only qualm with this Air is the m series processor. I would rather it use the more mainstream U series and an option for i7. This is basically a 12" macbook with larger display.

                                Anonymous, 10 Nov 2018Typical iFanatic comment. "Apple laptops are best. Other la... moresoo , people comment "Apple laptops are best. Other laptops are trash, will cause headaches, vision damage, tumors, blah, blah, blah!" u call it ifanatic

                                what if people comment "windows laptop are best . apple laptop are trash cause bla bla bla bla " then what u call it ? brilliant ? smart ?

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                                  • aff
                                  • kXF
                                  • 10 Nov 2018

                                  Anonymous, 09 Nov 2018Check X1 6th Carbon, or X1 Extreme, or P1, top in the class... moreno such thing as top or not, high can be inferiox, this apple s not beautiful

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                                    • Anonymous
                                    • YPb
                                    • 10 Nov 2018

                                    >looks beautiful even from the inside

                                    for the price, it better be

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • IW@
                                      • 10 Nov 2018

                                      Anonymous, 09 Nov 2018Yeah, just buy ThinkPad and then spend your savings on eye ... moreTypical iFanatic comment. "Apple laptops are best. Other laptops are trash, will cause headaches, vision damage, tumors, blah, blah, blah!" "Apple's MacBooks are the most powerful, the most durable, the most advanced laptops on the planet". "Apple's products are made from precision machined components tested to withstand blah blah blah".

                                      What Apple doesn't say: "They have soldered, non-serviceable, non-upgradeable storage and RAM and they have mediocre processors and display despite their extortionate prices because of the shiny the Apple logo at the back."

                                        • s
                                        • sadh
                                        • tDQ
                                        • 09 Nov 2018

                                        Johnny Holmes, 09 Nov 2018It does indeed.And you changed the title