Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (2012)

869 reviews

Dec, 2024

Positive
performance (40)
usability (36)
portability (31)
design (19)
battery (18)

Negative
price (20)
size (5)
reliability (3)

General overview
Price comparison

alaTest has collected and analyzed 869 reviews of Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (2012). The average rating for this product is 4.4/5, compared to an average rating of 4.0/5 for other products in the same category for all reviews. Reviewers really like the design and battery. The portability and usability also get good opinions, whereas there are some critical reviews about the reliability and size.

performance, usability, portability, battery, design

price, size, reliability

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other products in the same category the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (2012) is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 85/100 = Very good quality.

See all Apple Laptop Computers

Review analysis

(Based on 869 reviews)

Expert Reviews

User Reviews

Review Ratings

(70% of reviews)
Show all 5 star reviews (16% of reviews)
Show all 4 star reviews (5% of reviews)
Show all 3 star reviews (3% of reviews)
Show all 2 star reviews (6% of reviews)
Show all 1 star reviews

Features

performance
Show positive (83%)Show negative (17%)(Show all)

usability
Show positive (80%)Show negative (20%)(Show all)

portability
Show positive (97%)Show negative (3%)(Show all)

price
Show positive (35%)Show negative (65%)(Show all)

battery
Show positive (75%)Show negative (25%)(Show all)

Show more features

Showing 683 review(s)

Expert Reviews User Reviews

Disclaimer:

Below is a list of reviews for this or similar products. If you think this grouping is wrong please click here to flag.
Read more on our FAQ’s page.

Showing 1 - 617 of 683 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (185)

Consumer review (amazon.co.uk)

Amazon.co.uk review summary for Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (2012)

alaTest has collected and analyzed 92 user reviews of Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (2012) from Amazon.co.uk. The average user rating for this product is 4.4/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.0/5 for other products in the same category on Amazon.co.uk. Reviewers really like the image quality and design. The performance and usability also get good feedback, but many are critical about the price.

usability, performance, design, image quality

price

91% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

Dec, 2024

Consumer review (amazon.com)

Amazon.com review summary for Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (2012)

alaTest has collected and analyzed 515 user reviews of Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (2012) from Amazon.com. The average user rating for this product is 4.4/5, compared to an average user rating of 3.9/5 for other products in the same category on Amazon.com.

90% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

Dec, 2024

Expert review by (t3.com)

MacBook Air 2012 review

The next-gen MacBook Air adds an Ivy Bridge power boost to the classic design

Ivy Bridge Power ; USB 3.0 connectivity ; Incredibly thin

Ageing design ; No SD card reader ; No wired internet

Partner Source

Read the full review

Expert review by : Ian Morris (pocket-lint.com)

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (mid-2012)

To some extent, Apple has made a rod for its own back. The MacBook Air reached such impressive heights last year, with just about the best computer hardware on the market, and with more than enough features to keep even demanding users happy. This year...

Beautiful, sturdy, great keyboard and trackpad, spiffing battery life

Expensive, keyboard a bit squeaky, can't be upgraded

We aren't sure what has happened, but it very much appears that Apple laptops are no longer all that much more expensive than a decent PC. The Dell XPS 13 uses older tech, but still costs nearly the same as this 13-inch Air. Arguably, the Air offers a...

Jul, 2012

Partner Source

Read the full review

Expert review by : Stuff.tv (stuff.tv)

Apple MacBook Air 13in (2012) review

Outwardly the MacBook Air has hardly changed since its release. But on the inside, it's rocking Ivy Bridge for better graphics and performance, with a far more practical 256GB SSD. With all these spec boosts, the Air might just be the ultimate...

More grunt, but remains totally silent, Flawless build quality

Starts expensive, and only gets pricier, Skinny rivals are snapping at its heels

Aug, 2012

Read the full review

Expert review by : Sasha Muller (alphr.com)

Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (early 2015) review

The 13-inch MacBook Air got a handful of updates in 2015 - but is it still worth buying in 2016?

Ultimately, the Air is usurped by its own family members: flanked by both the MacBook and the 13in MacBook Pro in Apple’s line-up, the MacBook Air finds itself second-best on portability, weight, power and battery life.

May, 2016

Read the full review

Expert review by (channelpro.co.uk)

Apple MacBook Air 13in

The same flawless design, now with Ivy Bridge and more RAM – all at a lower price

The bigger changes occur inside, with the headline being the introduction of Intel’s Ivy Bridge processors, and we were surprised to see a rather large step forward in application speed. Powered by a 1.8GHz Core i5-3427U, it scored 0.68 in our...

Read the full review

Expert review by (engadget.com)

MacBook Air review (13-inch, mid 2012)

More Info Apple announces refreshed MacBook Air: Ivy Bridge processor, USB 3.0, shipping today The 2012 MacBook Air vs. the 2011 model: what's chan...

At first blush, the MacBook Air doesn't appear to have changed much between 2011 and 2012: it looks exactly the same, save for those USB 3.0 ports and new MagSafe2 connector, and even the 50Wh battery remains unchanged. As for those faster Ivy Bridge...

Jun, 2012

Read the full review

Expert review by (cnet.com)

Apple MacBook Air ( 13-inch, 128GB)

The current MacBook Air models differ from the 2013 versions in that the base model uses a 1.4GHz Intel Core i5, an upgrade from the previous 1.3GHz processor. More significantly, the 11.6-inch MacBook Air now starts at $899 (from $999) in the US and...

While minor, the small upgrade to the stock CPU in Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air results in improved performance. The multitouch trackpad is still the industry's best, and even better, the 13-inch Air now starts at $999, which is $100 less than the...

Newer features such as touchscreens and higher-resolution displays are still missing. The ultrabook competition is catching up, in terms of design.

If you own a MacBook Air from the past couple of years there's really no need to upgrade, but a small spec bump and minor price cut make the most-current Air even more attractive.

Jun, 2014

Read the full review

Expert review by : Scott Stein (cnet.com)

2012 13-inch MacBook Air review: Still the king of the ultrabooks

The improvements are harder to spot, but a price drop and some added features make this year's MacBook Air an even better buy than last year.

The 13-inch ; has new Intel CPUs, better battery life, and an improved 720p Webcam, and finally adds USB 3.0 ports, while shaving $100 off the price from last year's models.

The design, while strong, stays largely the same: there's no Ethernet port, and the base SSD storage option of 128GB is smaller than a standard hard drive, though common for ultrabooks.

This year's MacBook Air opts for gradual improvements rather than anything revolutionary, but lowered prices continue to make it the go-to mainstream recommendation for any MacBook owner-to-be.

Jun, 2012

Read the full review

Expert review by : David Pierce (theverge.com)

MacBook Air review (13-inch, mid-2012)

Apple's MacBook Air was initially an expensive luxury, but with an update in 2010 became an affordable, excellent machine. It's light, well-made, and relatively powerful, and it's become the choice...

Ivy Bridge processors are a nice upgrade ; Gorgeous design ; Keyboard and touchpad are still great

Retina display puts this one to shame ; Graphics performance isn't stellar ; "HD" webcam is a misnomer

A nice upgrade, but better might be right around the corner

Jun, 2012

Read the full review

Expert review by : Scott Stein (cnet.com)

Apple MacBook Air (13-inch review

Not too long ago, the MacBook Air practically stood alone in the computer landscape with its unique blend of design, size, and performance, an improvement on the thin laptop with low-voltage CPU. The MacBook Air, in turn, influenced the arrival of the...

The 13-inch MacBook Air has new Intel CPUs, better battery life, and an improved 720p Webcam, and finally adds USB 3.0 ports, while shaving $100 off the price from last year's models.

The design, while strong, stays largely the same: there's no Ethernet port, and the base SSD storage option of 128GB is smaller than a standard hard drive, though common for ultrabooks.

This year's MacBook Air opts for gradual improvements rather than anything revolutionary, but lowered prices continue to make it the go-to mainstream recommendation for any MacBook owner-to-be.

Jun, 2012

Read the full review