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00:00Hey, how's it going? Dave2D here. So today we're going to be talking about the new MacBook Air.
00:09The original MacBook Air from like 08, 09 was a device that I think really shaped the industry.
00:14It was the first thin and light computer out there that had a good keyboard, good trackpad,
00:19and was like a good overall experience in a really portable package.
00:23I really think it just redefined what laptops could and should do.
00:27And when this thing came out, the old one, when it came out, I remember it was a time period where
00:33people would ask me, you know, what computer should I get? Just family, friends.
00:36And even though I didn't like macOS at the time, I would say that there's a computer out there
00:41called the MacBook Air that if you're not dead set on Windows, I highly recommend this device
00:45because for a lot of people, once you get used to macOS, you will really like the computer overall.
00:51And I sent a lot of family and friends down that road.
00:53I kind of regret it because a lot of them ended up getting stuck in the Apple ecosystem.
00:57It was probably my fault, but it was a really good device. It was so easy to recommend.
01:01Fast forward 9, 10 years later, the new MacBook Air.
01:05Now this is a device that is quite different from the old one.
01:09It has the same name, and I think a lot of people had this preconceived notion
01:12that it should once again be this entry-level base model MacBook that should be relatively affordable.
01:17And it kind of isn't at $1,200. So I'm just going to talk about the hardware real quick.
01:21It is a great laptop. It's expensive, but the build quality is excellent.
01:26It's on par with any of the new MacBooks from the last couple of years,
01:29and you wouldn't be able to tell that it's actually made from recycled aluminum.
01:31It's got Touch ID controlled by the T2 chip on the inside.
01:34It has two Thunderbolt 3 ports.
01:36And on that note, if you're trying to decide between the 12-inch MacBook and the 13-inch MacBook Air,
01:42I highly recommend the MacBook Air over the 12-inch just because of that extra port.
01:46The single port on the 12-inch MacBook, I keep pointing over there because I'm using it to record the audio,
01:51but the single port on that machine is limiting for a lot of people.
01:55So if you can, my vote goes to the MacBook Air.
01:58The performance on it is really good. It's actually better than I thought it would be.
02:01So this is running a Y processor, and normally Y processors run without fans and stuff like that.
02:06Turns out, they are running a fan on the MacBook Air,
02:08and the presence of that fan changes what this processor can do.
02:12So normally on a Y processor, you can only run boost clock for a little bit of time, gets hot, drops back down.
02:17Because of this fan, you're able to maintain that boost clock.
02:20And because it has a fan, it is audible when you push it hard enough, but it performs quite well.
02:24And the storage is also fast.
02:25The screen is finally Retina.
02:28It's nice and sharp, but it's dimmer than I expected it would be from a MacBook.
02:31And maybe we've been spoiled with a lot of really bright screens from MacBooks,
02:34but even the 12-inch MacBook has a brighter screen than the MacBook Air, which is a little bit strange.
02:38The colors are good, it's just that the brightness is not as bright as I was hoping it to be.
02:42The keyboard is as expected. It's got butterfly switches,
02:45and it really is a keyboard that if you were forced to use,
02:48like if you were not allowed to use any other keyboard,
02:50and you were forced to use the Apple butterfly switch keyboard,
02:53I think most people will get used to it and learn to like it.
02:55It's just that initial learning curve can be steep for some people
02:58that are coming from completely different types of keyboards.
03:00The trackpad is also great, uses force touch,
03:03and I'd consider Apple to be the leaders in the whole laptop industry
03:06when it comes to trackpads and stuff like that.
03:08The speakers are also quite impressive.
03:10I've kind of grown to expect really good speakers from Apple products,
03:13and this does not disappoint.
03:15And battery life, also strong as expected.
03:17It's running a Y processor, so nothing too demanding.
03:19I'm able to get 8.5 hours, screen at 250 nits.
03:22So this is kind of like in the middle of the pack when it comes to industry
03:25for thin and light ultrabooks.
03:27It's not super long.
03:29If you're expecting like a crazy long battery life, you're not going to get that.
03:32I think the higher resolution screen uses a lot more power than you would expect,
03:35but a solid full-day battery on the MacBook Air.
03:38Now, so far, the product seems very good, right?
03:43I mean, there's nothing I really have to complain about it,
03:45except for the price.
03:46And this is where I want to spend the majority of this video.
03:49This is a $1,200 device,
03:51and there's nothing inherently wrong with a $1,200 laptop, right?
03:54Lots of different companies sell $1,200 laptops,
03:56but it's the fact that this is the cheapest laptop that Apple sells
03:59that you can get into the Apple ecosystem,
04:01at least the modern laptop.
04:03They still sell this ancient relic of a device, which they shouldn't anymore,
04:06but if you want a current Apple MacBook, this is the cheapest one.
04:09And that is a problem,
04:11because on the market right now in 2018, times are different.
04:14It's no longer 2008 or 2009.
04:16There are so many companies out there.
04:18They're making really good thin and light laptops
04:21that have great keyboards, great trackpads, great screens.
04:24Every single one on this table is excellent.
04:26The 13-inch ZenBook from Asus with the light-up number pad,
04:29the Razer Blade Stealth, the XPS 13,
04:31the Surface Laptop 2, the Surface Pro for people who want 2-in-1 capabilities.
04:35There are a lot of really good options on the market right now in 2018
04:39that this device, the MacBook Air,
04:41is no longer this magical device that I can just openly recommend to people.
04:44Now, here's the thing.
04:46The reason why they can sell this device,
04:48the reason why they can make a $1,200 entry-model laptop
04:51is that right now, in this day and age,
04:53there are so many people who actively seek macOS as their primary choice.
04:58There's so many people that love macOS.
05:00I'm one of them who prefers macOS over Windows,
05:03so they are going to sell this easily.
05:05It doesn't matter if competitors have better hardware or if they're priced better.
05:09It almost doesn't even matter that the MacBook Air is not a particularly good value.
05:12What does matter is that it has macOS,
05:14and I think for a lot of people, that's what they're looking for.
05:17That's all they're looking for.
05:18Now, if you're in the market for any kind of ultrabook,
05:20and operating system is not, like, a thing that you really care about,
05:24I would not recommend the MacBook Air.
05:26You can get any one of these other Windows laptops,
05:28and you're guaranteed to have better value for your money.
05:31But if you're looking for macOS, or if you prefer macOS,
05:35this is it.
05:36This is the one that you have to get,
05:37because Apple forced this product onto us.
05:39It's a great product.
05:41It's expensive, but it's a great product.
05:43It's just unfortunate that it's the only one we can pick from at this point.
05:46Okay, hope you guys enjoyed this video.
05:48Thumbs if you liked it, subs if you loved it.
05:50See you guys next time.