The MacBook Air may be one of the thinnest laptops ever made, but Apple had to make some sacrifices to shed all that poundage. Did the company go too far? Some reviewers on the Web think so. Of course, a lot of the criticism centers around the stunted functionality the Air suffers because of its excised features — such as the lack of an optical drive and Ethernet port.
But that's not all the reviewers nitpicked. The Air has issues that go beyond its jettisoned components — the single USB port took some heat, for example, and not for the reason you'd expect. Click Continue for five downsides of the MacBook Air that have come to light since its big debut.
1. It does have an optical drive, after all
Apple offers an external CD/DVD drive for the MacBook Air. Be forewarned, however, if you buy one, it will only work with your MacBook Air — other MacBooks just don't pump out the power necessary to keep the external drive running. That's all right, since other Macs tend to have optical drives. To its credit, it looks like the Air has one powerful USB port.
2. Single USB port is picky on drive size
The USB port is hidden in a foldaway hatch alongside the headphone jack, and it looks like anything but your average thumbstick may have trouble connecting with the MacBook Air. Make no mistake: not all USB drives are created equal.
Engadget tried the slim Sprint / Novatel U727 USB EV-DO modem and couldn't get it to fit. Since Wi-Fi is your only option with the MacBook Air, it's important — especially to us bloggers — to have an alternative when that isn't available.
It's like the iPhone's recessed headphone jack all over again.
3. Power cord options more finicky than a cell phone's
Let's say you misplace your power cord. Well, if you happen to have one of Apple's other MagSafe chargers sitting around, you'll have to accommodate the MacBook Air if you want one of them to fit. Gizmodo confirmed that, on a table, other MacBook chargers won't fit in the Air, though the Air's charger will work with both MacBooks and MacBook Pros.
So you'll actually have to put your laptop in your lap, which may not be so bad according to Steven Levy from Newsweek. Levy says, "the Air doesn't run as hot as Apple's other laptops — it's actually possible to work for an hour with the device on your lap without the feeling that your fertility is at stake."
4. Low battery life
Apple's best-case scenario for the MacBook Air is five measly hours. Walt Mossberg from the Wall Street Journal found that with the screen's brightness all the way up, music playing and his Wi-Fi active, the MacBook Air only managed 3 hours and 24 minutes. With all of that turned off, Mossberg says, "you could likely get 4.5 hours in a normal work pattern."
What's worse, the battery is sealed into the laptop. Forget carrying a spare with you to swap out if the battery is low. But, as David Pogue of the New York Times points out: "That’s a familiar Apple trick for saving bulk; as on the iPod and iPhone, sealing the battery eliminates the need for a walled compartment, battery contacts and a door." The worst that can happen? Your battery dies and "you’ll have to pay Apple $130 to install a new one," says Pogue.
5. Remote Disc isn't quite there yet
Apple does offer an alternative in recompense for the MacBook Air's lack of an optical drive: the Remote Disc feature. It allows you to install software onto the Air using another machine, even a computer running a Windows operating system.
Edward C. Baig from USA Today gave the feature a whirl, though the trouble he ran into wasn't necessarily the Air's fault: "I ran into initial snags trying to remotely install software from the DVD drive in a Dell PC, until tweaking settings in Windows." Baig reports that Apple is "working with the companies to try to resolve compatibility issues."
The Bottom Line
The MacBook Air is a challenging design — no question there. It has the screen and keyboard of your average notebook, yet shares the attractive slimness and low weight of an ultraportable. Apple has tried its best to balance sacrifice with functionality, and in the process toes the line between a logical step forward and a radical leap.
Is it for you? You'll have to decide for yourself.
editor@dvice.com
By Kismet at 7:38 AM ON 01/25/08
Great looking item, but the review doesn't tell me enough to really decide anything. What are it's specs, I know I can go look them up but since I am ready this I don't want to go elsewhere to find out. The limitations though do seem a little steep, no ethernet and not optical drive built in makes it useless for me. I use portables to play DVDs on long trips and to access the internet so this one wouldn't work as carrying an optional componet just doesn't cut it. But as I said earlier WOW beautiful machine
By JYM-mac at 12:36 PM ON 01/25/08
I do not really understand what the fuss about these "missing features" is. The power adapter not fitting other macs... come on, name two PC laptops that can share adapters (even from the same vendor) and I'll give you a prize. The USB port not allowing all USB attachments to fit is unfortunate, but hardly a deal breaker, a large number of USB accessories come with little two inch USB extenders for this exact reason (this is not the first laptop to have this problem). I would love to see longer battery life, but realistically my XPS has never gotten more than 1.5 hours and a large number of laptops out there follow suit with 2 hours being an average battery life. With the air, 4.5 hours is like you are already carrying a spare battery... I think people are really getting on the picky side with the comments about the air, it may not be right for everyone, but the overall package is well worth the compromises made.
By m00nie at 1:46 PM ON 01/25/08
Any of the recent Dell notebooks all use the same power connector. XPS, Inspiron, Lattitudes alike. The only difference would be the Wattage (60watt for regular, 90 watt for some XPS or docking station), but they are all interchangable. As far as the HP notebooks that I work with, their power supplies are all interchangable as well.. And in fact, I can even use the HP power supply on the Dell's, although the Dell cannot detect the type of power supply that it is, but it will still work and charge the battery.
As for the battery, yes it does last fairly long, but so does my XPS 1330. However, not everyone has their battery FULLY charged all the time. In an instant, in other notebooks, you can quickly swap the battery out should the need arise. This cannot be done on the Air. And for the USB... it's not an extender that is the problem. It's that even some standard USB devices will not work. We're not talking bulky devices, but even some memory sticks won't even fit. I've never ran into another notebook, that my standard run of the mill thumb drive couldn't plug into. Maybe a USB wireless card or network device just because of the size and bulkiness of the device, but a memory stick? That's a little absurd. While an ultra portable IS going to have to give up some of the features at some point to be able to be as 'portable' as it is... You should not have to give up standard features like this. It won't affect everyone, but to a lot of people these are huge sacrifices.
By ginswizzle at 4:56 AM ON 01/26/08
What none of these reviews have said is if the Ethernet adapter works through a USB hub. If it does, the only one USB port issue would be a non-issue for me. Only time I really need Ethernet is in the office where I'd also want a keyboard and mouse plugged in at all times.
By Matthew Kennedy at 5:20 PM ON 01/27/08
Everyone seems to overlook that as or if software movies music and games become available via itunes downloads what the hell do you want a DVD/CD for? unless you like taking up physical space for fun!
As for watching movies on a plane i can do that on my iphone and i don't see a DVD drive on it anywhere! think about it Walter S. Mossberg!