The Macbook Air is one of the most popular laptops from Apple, known for its sleek design, long battery life, and reliable performance. But how does the 2012 model, which was released almost 11 years ago, compare to the newer models and other laptops in 2023? Is it still worth buying or using this year? In this blog post, we will try to answer these questions by looking at the specs, features, pros, and cons of the 2012 Macbook Air.
Specs and features
The 2012 Macbook Air came in two sizes: 11-inch and 13-inch. Both models had a dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, and flash storage ranging from 64GB to 512GB. The 13-inch model had a slightly higher clock speed (1.8GHz vs 1.7GHz) and a larger battery (50Wh vs 35Wh) than the 11-inch model. Both models featured a non-retina LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with a native resolution of 1366 x 768 for the 11-inch model and 1440 x 900 for the 13-inch model. They also had a 720p FaceTime HD camera, two USB 3 ports, a Thunderbolt port, a MagSafe 2 power port, an SD card slot (only for the 13-inch model), a headphone jack, stereo speakers, an omnidirectional microphone, a backlit keyboard, and a multi-touch trackpad. Both laptops supported Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and ran on OS X Mountain Lion.
Pros
The main advantages of the 2012 Macbook Air are its portability, durability, and simplicity. The laptop is very thin and light, making it easy to carry around and fit in any bag. It has an aluminum unibody design that is sturdy, durable and modern, even by today’s standards.
The laptop is easy to use, with acceptable performance, and average battery life (rated up to 5 hours for the 11-inch model and up to 7 hours for the 13-inch model). This will depend on the age of the battery.
Furthermore, the keyboard and trackpad are comfortable and responsive, and the speakers are loud and clear. At this price point (laptops under $300), it’s hard to find a laptop as robust as the 2012 Macbook Air.
Cons
The main drawbacks of the 2012 Macbook Air are its outdated specs, limited storage, and lack of upgradeability. The laptop has a low-end processor that may struggle with multitasking, heavy applications, or gaming. It also has a low amount of RAM that cannot be expanded or replaced. The flash storage is fast but small, especially for the base models with only 64GB or 128GB. The storage cannot be upgraded unless you use an external drive or cloud service. The laptop also has a limited number of ports that may require adapters or dongles for connecting other devices or displays. In addition, the laptop does not have a Retina display, Touch ID, Touch Bar, or any other modern features that are available on newer models.
Is the 2012 Macbook Air worth it?
The 2012 Macbook Air is a decent laptop that can still handle basic tasks like web browsing, email, word processing, or streaming in 2023. However, it is not suitable for more demanding users who need more power, storage, or features from their laptops. The laptop is also likely to become obsolete soon as newer software updates may not be compatible with it or may slow it down significantly. Therefore, we do not recommend buying or using the 2012 Macbook Air in 2023 unless you buy it at a discount. Speaking of deals, we’ve attached an Amazon link below.
