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Apple MacBook Air (2018)

 & Tom Brant Managing Editor

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Retina Display at Last

Replacing a lower resolution screen in the previous-gen MacBook Air is a gorgeous Retina Display, with a resolution of 2,560 by 1,600 and In-Plane Switching (IPS) tech to prevent washout when you're looking at it from extreme angles.

Excellent Force Touch Trackpad

Apple's Force Touch trackpad, now available on the MacBook Air, is the best, most precise touch pad I've ever used. Not only are your finger motions registered with extreme accuracy, but clicks are completely virtual—they're simulated by tiny vibrations called haptic feedback instead of a physical hinge.

Recycled Aluminum

The MacBook Air is made of recycled aluminum.

New vs. Old Bezels

Apple reduced the borders around the display to achieve a smaller chassis with the same size screen for the new MacBook Air.

New Vs. Old Height

The most striking visual change by far is that the laptop is now noticeably smaller than its predecessor both in width (11.97 inches vs. 12.8 inches), depth (8.36 inches vs. 8.94 inches), and weight (2.75 pounds vs. 2.96 pounds).

Optional Expensive Sleeve

Apple's new leather sleeve designed to fit the MacBook Air costs an eyebrow-raising $179.

Headphone Jack

On the right edge, the only port is a 3.5mm audio jack.

USB-C Only

On the right, you get two USB-C ports, each of which support Thunderbolt 3. There are no other type of ports available, so you'll almost certainly need an adapter if you have several older peripherals.

Fingerprint Reader and T2 Chip

The new MacBook Air comes standard with Apple's fingerprint reader. It doubles as the power button and recognized my print with 100 percent accuracy over several days of locking and unlocking the laptop.

Butterfly Key Switches

The MacBook Air now has Apple's unique butterfly-style switches. When struck, each key travels a far shorter distance than every other laptop key I've ever used.

About Our Expert

Tom Brant

Tom Brant

Managing Editor

I’m a managing editor at PCMag.com focused on PC hardware. Reading this during the day? Then you've caught me testing gear and editing reviews of Wi-Fi routers, printers, laptops, and tons of other personal tech. (Reading this at night? Then I’m probably dreaming about all those cool products.) I’ve covered the consumer tech world as an editor, reporter, and analyst since 2015.

I've covered most major consumer tech events, including CES, Computex, Google I/O, and IFA. I've also appeared on CBS News, in USA Today, and at many other outlets to offer analysis on breaking technology news.

Before I joined the tech-journalism ranks, I wrote on topics as diverse as Borneo's rainforests, Middle Eastern airlines, and Big Data's role in presidential elections. A graduate of Middlebury College, I also have a master's degree in journalism and French Studies from New York University.

The Technology I Use

While most people buy a phone or laptop and stick with it for years, I’m lucky enough to use devices based on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows daily as part of my job. As a result, I cycle through lots of tech in addition to my IT-issue work laptop. (Yes, that's a ThinkPad.) Personally, I’ve also owned a lot of tech products both cutting-edge and cringeworthy, from the Nintendo GameCube and the original MacBook to the Palm m105 and the CueCat.

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