The same angular lines, glossy black screen, matt black keyboard and huge silver touchpad are all present to greet you, while build quality is just as superb. If it wasn’t made by Apple, it would be called an Ultrabook. The 2012 MacBook Air 13 inch is still a gorgeously minimalist unibody affair sheathed in anodised aluminium, that’s just 17mm thick and weighs a mere 1.35kg. SEE ALSO: Best Laptops, Ultrabooks and HybridsĪt first glance, you might be forgiven for thinking this is the same machine as its predecessor – Apple simply hasn’t fixed what wasn’t broken. Connectivity has also been given a major boost by the long-overdue addition of USB 3.0. In other words, the new MacBook Air is better to game on, but of course the same goes for all its competitor Ultrabooks. What’s new is that the internals have been upgraded to Ivy Bridge, which provides a modest CPU bump and a very noticeable GPU one. In stark contrast, the 2012 Air has the same chassis, layout and screen. Let’s start things off with a quick summary: the new MacBook Air is a relatively minor upgrade from its predecessor, especially when compared to the stunning overhaul that is the MacBook Pro with Retina Display. However, now Apple has upgraded its entire laptop range, so we’re testing the 13 inch MacBook Air 2012 to see how the new and improved model holds up. – Looking for the best MacBook Air rival? Have a read of our: MacBook Air Versus Samsung Series 9 showdown.Įven till early last year, the 2011 MacBook Air was one of the best ultraportables around, until the Samsung 900X3B came along and stole its crown. Not because it was the first premium ultraportable to be thin enough to fit in an envelope – Sony did that years earlier with its VAIO TZ1, among many other models – but because it achieved a higher level of market penetration and public awareness than others. The MacBook Air remains an iconic product in the laptop market.

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