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Topic: Laptops

Cracking open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 11-inch)

Summary: TechRepublic's Bill Detwiler cracks open Apple's 2011 11-inch MacBook Air. Inside the ultra-thin notebook he found hardware from Intel, Samsung, and Broadcom.

Bill Detwiler

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In July 2011, Apple released the 3nd generation MacBook Air. As with the 2nd generation Airs, the 2011 notebooks are available in 11-inch (A1370) and 13-inch (A1369) models. We cracked open the 1st generation MacBook Air (released in 2008) and 2nd generation MacBook Airs (released in 2010). And earlier this year, I cracked open the 13-inch 2011 MacBook Air.

Follow along as we go inside Apple's ultra-thin laptop.

To disassemble the new MacBook Air you'll need a screwdriver with Torx T5 and T8 bits and either a very small Phillips screwdriver or special pentalobe bit.

For a more in-depth analysis of the hardware inside the MacBook Air, check out my post, MacBook Air (2011 11-inch) Teardown: Ultra-efficient internal design.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
Caption by: Bill Detwiler

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Topics: Laptops, Apple, Hardware, Mobility

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Talkback

11 comments
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  • Why is storage still a big deal?

    We all use the internet. I take photos or shoot videos. No reason to store them on a machine that can be stolen.
    Maybe it is SpeedBump : a ridiculously high price for 256GB but feels cheap getting the 64GB so they expect everybody to get the most profitable 128GB...
    ingle
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Cracking open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 11-inch)

      @ingle For Apple to replace the White 13" Macbook with this is a joke. You get less storage by far and its very expensive to upgrade, the screen is smaller and so what you get a lighter and somewhat expensive netbook in its place. What a joke!
      jscott418-22447200638980614791982928182376
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Cracking open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 11-inch)

        @jscott418 That's rubbish. The speed and performance of the 3rd gen MacBook Air is leaps and bounds beyond any netbook. It is lacking in storage but comparing the new Air to a netbook is a joke.
        heathmaxie
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Cracking open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 11-inch)

    Funny that looks [s]exactly[/s] strangely like Dell parts?

    Oh my bad! It is a PC after all. They are manufactured by the same people (FOXCONN) using OEM similar components available to all in the same factories in China...

    [i]~~~~~~~~~~
    The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is.
    ~ Winston Churchill[/i]
    WinTard
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Cracking open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 11-inch)

      @WinTard I bought my Mac for the design, but your fooling yourself if you think the hardware is any better then a Dell.<br>I fix Mac's and know first hand their is nothing special inside anymore. Was not always that way. But it is now.
      jscott418-22447200638980614791982928182376
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Cracking open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 11-inch)

    Back in the 80's Volvo engines had a reputation for being unbreakable while Renault's couldn't go further than 70K miles. How come, since they were the same engines? Yup, Renault, Peugeot, Volvo used the same engines in some cars. Somebody has an answer? That will tell you why Dell is always in the shop while Macs are virtually never, while using the same parts. Know the difference between engineering and assembling?
    todaline@...
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Cracking open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 11-inch)

      @todaline@... Very nice analogy... +2 for you :)
      heathmaxie
      Reply Vote

  • Memory

    Stupid that Apple soldered the memory chips instead of making it modular
    sjanofsky@...
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Cracking open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 11-inch)

      @sjanofsky@... They figured out people would upgrade later when chips will be cheaper. In order to extract more money ( earlier ) and kill some cheap updates after, they solder it.
      bvukov@...
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Cracking open the Apple MacBook Air (2011 11-inch)

        @bvukov@... Socketing the chips would make it stick up off the mainboard higher. They are trying to flatten the design of the board so the Air can remain thin.
        bobfastner
        Reply Vote

  • Disposable?

    Ultra-efficient means it has lost the modular design we all love.<br><br>It is more disposable than upgradeable.
    albionstreet
    Reply Vote
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