Notebook Hunter

For $1,099 the Apple MacBook Air 11in (64GB) is an excellent ultraportable for those that don’t want to choose between portability and computing power. It may have only 2GB of RAM and a small 64GB SSD, but these are easily excused given that it has a low voltage Intel Core i5 and weighs less than a netbook.

The low voltage Intel Core i5-2467M (1.6GHz) processor is what makes the 11in Air so exciting for the price, because it’s on par with the processors found in notebooks nearly three times as heavy. It can even boost its clock speed up to 2.3GHz under load due to the integrated Turbo Boost 2.0 technology. Also integrated is the Intel HD Graphics 3000, which is enough to run newer games on low settings.

An 11.6in (1,366x768 resolution) screen is good, but there are two other surprises that many will be delighted with. First up is the Thunderbolt port, which is much faster than even USB 3.0 ports. Second is the backlit keyboard, which really enhances the already premium appearance of the 11in Air. It weighs a nearly non-existent 1.08kg and measures merely 17mm thick, giving it the best portability of any device that isn’t a tablet.

There are many accessories that can be ordered with it, but the RAM can be doubled to 4GB for $120 which while not crucial will still help the overall performance of this svelte little powerhouse.