Apple is good at redefining existing products, and with the MacBook Air, it has redefined thin-and-light laptop computers. Weighing in at just 3 pounds and measuring just a hair over .75 inches thick when closed, the Air is extremely thin and impressively light. There are smaller laptop computers out there, but none with the performance and design that Apple offers.

Despite their size, the Air laptops offer solid core power thanks to a specially designed 1.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 2GB of 667MHz RAM. You can upgrade to a 1.8GHz processor, but it'll add a substantial amount to the overall price. As is, the baseline Air provides enough central power for everything from Web browsing to photo editing.

Of course, there have to be some corners cut in order to make a laptop computer this small; storage space, for example, is smaller and slower than you'll find in most mainstream laptop computers. The Air ships with an 80GB 4,200rpm hard drive, which is adequate for most users; if you need a laptop computer with tons of fast storage, however, this probably isn't the notebook for you. Buyers can also opt for the 64GB solid-state drive if you're looking for a laptop that's nearly invulnerable to shakes and drops. This drive offers faster performance and has no moving parts, but it also adds hundreds of dollars to the unit's overall price.

The absence of an optical drive is another concern. You can add an external SuperDrive for a reasonable price, but it's an extra device to lug around when portability is clearly the main selling point of this laptop.

Wired connectivity is not Apple's priority with the Air -- neither an Ethernet nor a modem jack comes standard (optional USB versions of each are available) -- but it does shine in terms of wireless connectivity. It features built-in 802.11n connectivity (which supports a/b/g as well) and Bluetooth 2.1, so you can connect to the fastest Wi-Fi networks and use the latest Bluetooth peripherals.

The Air's 13.3-inch widescreen display is smaller than most laptop screens, but its 1280X800 resolution delivers crisp text and bright colors. Apple has also found room for an iSight webcam on top of the screen.

The keyboard is large enough to use comfortably, and the unique touchpad is larger than most. Borrowing from the iPhone's touch sensitivity, the touchpad lets you pinch and rotate in addition to drag and drop, which gives you more control of onscreen objects and windows.

With its high price and intrinsic limitations, the Air will likely appeal only to a very specific audience. If you're willing to settle for merely decent performance from a supremely compact laptop, however, the Apple MacBook Air might just be the computer for you.


Pros: Very thin and light, good wireless connectivity
Cons: Expensive, no optical drive or wired connectivity

Warranty
1 year, limited