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MacBook Air Revision B Wish List

It's closing in on four months since Steve Jobs unveiled the MacBook Air at his Macworld Expo keynote, so it's reasonable to expect that the first Air revision is in the works. It may not come for a couple of months yet, although the cusp of April/May is a traditional time window for Apple notebook updates, but that's usually following a previous update in October/November, and not a January product introduction.

Besides the time line, the operative question is how extensive the refreshments Revision B will be. Certainly there is plenty of room for improvement. I've read what must be dozens of MacBook Air reviews over the past four months, and even the most enthusiastic Air-heads (sorry, couldn't resist ) almost invariably qualify their effusive praise with a list of shortcomings that have to be rationalized or worked around.

Personally, I think the Air is pretty cool. I like small computers. However, there are a whole raft of reasons why I wouldn't seriously consider and Air as an adequate solution to my computing needs. It would be fun to have one has a road machine, but the Air is just not suited to desktops substitute workstation duty or to serving as one's primary computer.

Can Apple "fix" the MacBook Air to a degree that I would be tempted? Not very likely. However, it may be possible to address some of the functionality criticisms of users for whom the Air in principle suits their style and meets their requirements. So let's look at some specific areas that might be breathed-on and tweaked in Revision B.

Speed:

From the perspective of someone like myself who is still mostly happily getting along with a 1.33 GHz G4 machine, no Core 2 Duo Mac can be considered "slow," but many folks who have become accustomed to MacIntel speed have characterized the Air as more than a bit sluggish compared with the MacBook Pr and even made considerably less expensive MacBook. This is partly attributable to be downsized Core 2 Duo chips used in the Air, but also the poky 4200- RPM iPod Classic type hard drive in the Air's Intel GMA X3100 integrated graphics system that is shared with the MacBook and Mac mini.

The Air's 1.6 GHz and 1.83 GHz Core 2 Duo CPU s are currently 65 nm technology units based on the same generation as the now - superseded "Santa Rosa" "Merom" Core 2 Duos that were used in the larger MacBooks. A reasonable expectation would be that Revision B of the MacBook Air will have processor chips based on Intel's 45 nm technology "Penryn" Core 2 Duos, although with probably not much of the clock speed bump if any at all, but the more efficient Penryn should result in a performance boost even at carry-over clock speeds. The 45 nm chipset technology also can be expected to reduce heat generation and extend battery life, the latter particularly important for the Air with its non swappable battery.

Indeed, a switch to "Penryn" CPUs may play out to be the only major element of the first MacBook Air refreshments, but I hope not. I don't anticipate that the GMA X3100 graphics will be upgraded this time, since it was carried over for the Penryn MacBooks, but Intel's next-generation "Montevina" Core 2 Duo CPUs will reportedly feature faster new GMA X4500HD integrated graphics support than the current GMA X3100 and a lower power chipset. The GMA X4500HD will add full hardware H.264 decode acceleration, which will enable native hardware support for high-definition entertainment using Blu-ray drive, and better Blu-Ray performance on battery power, although I don't anticipate Blue-ray coming to the MacBook Air anytime soon.

I also doubt that much will be done about hard drive response Or the maximum 80 gigabyte capacity which is not really adequate for a front line workhorse computer these days. The 160 gigabyte 2.5-inch drive from the iPod Classic is too thick to fit inside the MacBook Air's case, and one thing I definitely do not expect in the short to medium term is a major case redesign.

Consequently, the Air will continue to lag behind its larger siblings in terms of speed and responsiveness.

It would be nice to think that Apple might apply some engineering effort to remedying what in many respects is the MacBook Air's most glaring shortcoming - that single, overworked, USB 2.0 port. The Air really needs a second USB port in the worst way, since so many connectivity functions depend on USB in the absence of FireWire and Ethernet, but I think we will have to wait for a later and more substantial revision to get relief here. Speaking of the lack of built-in FireWire and Ethernet (and optional $29 Ethernet to USB adapter dongle is offered), they are difficult to excuse and to live with, but once again I don't even remotely expect that there will be any change there in the next Air revision.

The same for the lack of a easily removable battery and a RAM expansion slot. There seems to be little likelihood that the current MacBook Air case and motherboard design can accommodate either, so it will take a major redesign if Apple is to remedy those issues.

The take-it-or-leave-it 2 GB of RAM is modestly respectable, for now, although given that I don't find 1.5 GB nearly enough with my much less demanding 1.33 GHz G4 PowerBook, I'm not at all optimistic that I would be satisfied with two gigs on a MacIntel, especially with 144 MB of it being siphoned away by the GMA X3100 graphics support.

However, I'm inclined to think that in the fullness of time Apple may be persuaded to add more connectivity, expandability and versatility to the MacBook Air to keep sales percolating once early adopter enthusiasm has ebbed. The original iBook had no FireWire and just one USB port - deficiencies that were addressed in later models. I'm not optimistic that the MacBook Air will ever get FireWire, but I'll be surprised if there isn't a dual-USB MacBook Air in the future - just not this time.

Good things about the MacBook Air that will be sustained are its light weight but still with a reasonably large display and a full-sized, backlit keyboard. It looks nice too of course, although I simply can't fathom what they were thinking with the black key caps.

For folks with modest hardware demands and willing to put up with the MacBook Air's manifold compromises, it will no doubt be a pleasant and satisfying little road warrioring machine, and whatever performance and power efficiency enhancements Penryn chips will provide will be a plus, but not nearly enough to make the Air an adequate primary, production computer? Not even close.


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cmoore@macopinion.com


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