105-431: The MacBook Air is a line of laptop computers developed and manufactured by Apple since 2008. It features a thin, light structure in a machined aluminum case and currently either a 13-inch or 15-inch screen. The MacBook Air's lower prices relative to the larger, higher performance MacBook Pro have made it Apple's entry-level notebook since the discontinuation of the original MacBook line in 2011. The MacBook Air
210-474: A 4K video while simultaneously displaying it on a discrete monitor. Thunderbolt 2 incorporates DisplayPort 1.2 support, which allows for video streaming to a single 4K video monitor or dual QHD monitors. Thunderbolt 2 is backwards compatible, which means that all Thunderbolt cables and connectors are compatible with Thunderbolt 1. The first Thunderbolt 2 product for the consumer market was Asus 's Z87-Deluxe/Quad motherboard, announced on 19 August 2013, and
315-627: A clamshell form factor with a flat-panel screen on the inside of the upper lid and an alphanumeric keyboard and pointing device on the inside of the lower lid. Most of the computer's internal hardware is fitted inside the lower lid enclosure under the keyboard, although many modern laptops have a built-in webcam at the top of the screen, and some even feature a touchscreen display. In most cases, unlike tablet computers which run on mobile operating systems , laptops tend to run on desktop operating systems, which were originally developed for desktop computers . The word laptop , modeled after
420-447: A hard disk drive (HDD) for storage; since then, solid-state drives (SSD) have gradually come to supplant hard drives in all but some inexpensive consumer models. Solid-state drives are faster and more power-efficient, as well as eliminating the hazard of drive and data corruption caused by a laptop's physical impacts, as they use no mechanical parts such as a rotational platter. In many cases, they are more compact as well. Initially, in
525-417: A separate graphics processor were limited in their utility for gaming and professional applications involving 3D graphics, but the capabilities of CPU-integrated graphics have converged with the low-end of dedicated graphics processors since the mid-2010s. For laptops possessing limited onboard graphics capability but sufficient I/O throughput, an external GPU (eGPU) can provide additional graphics power at
630-464: A 1080p FaceTime Camera, a three-mic array with advanced beam-forming algorithms, a high-impedance headphone jack, four-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio, full height function keys, and a total of four finishes including Silver, Space Gray, Starlight (a silver-champagne gold color), and Midnight (a dark blue color). The Gold color has been discontinued and replaced by the Starlight color found with
735-556: A 120 GB HDD, and the micro-DVI video port was replaced by the Mini DisplayPort . The disk drive was also changed from a PATA drive to the faster SATA drive. The mid-2009 revision featured slightly higher battery capacity and a faster Penryn CPU. On October 20, 2010 , Apple released a redesigned 13.3-inch model with a tapered enclosure, higher screen resolution, improved battery, a second USB port, stereo speakers, and standard solid state storage . An 11.6-inch model
840-622: A Launchpad key. On June 11, 2012, Apple updated the line with Intel Ivy Bridge dual-core Core i5 and i7 processors, HD Graphics 4000, faster memory and flash storage speeds, USB 3.0 , an upgraded 720p FaceTime camera, and a thinner MagSafe 2 charging port. The standard memory was upgraded to 4 GB, with a maximum configuration of 8 GB. On June 10, 2013, Apple updated the line with Haswell processors, Intel HD Graphics 5000, and 802.11ac Wi-Fi. Storage started at 128 GB SSD, with options for 256 GB and 512 GB. The Haswell processors considerably improved battery life from
945-451: A Thunderbolt 3 or later port. DisplayPort and Mini DisplayPort devices are supported. Some functionality may be available if a Thunderbolt device is connected to a USB-C port; this is implementation-dependent, and not guaranteed. Thunderbolt 4 supports Thunderbolt 3 devices, but not earlier versions. Thunderbolt 1 and 2 devices can be used with most, but not all, Thunderbolt 3 PCs with the use of an adapter. CNET 's Brooke Crothers said it
1050-492: A Thunderbolt device, the per-lane data rate becomes 10 Gbit/s and the four Thunderbolt lanes are configured as two duplex lanes, each 10 Gbit/s comprising one lane of input and one lane of output. Thunderbolt can be implemented on PCIe graphics cards , which have access to DisplayPort data and PCIe connectivity, or on the motherboard of computers with onboard video , such as the MacBook Air . The interface
1155-414: A broad range of devices, which combined features of several previously separate device types. The hybrids , convertibles , and 2-in-1s emerged as crossover devices, which share traits of both tablets and laptops. All such devices have a touchscreen display designed to allow users to work in a tablet mode, using either multi-touch gestures or a stylus / digital pen . Convertibles are devices with
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#17327731226651260-513: A combination port, and that USB was not open to modification in that way. Other implementations of the technology began in 2012, with desktop boards offering the interconnection now available. Apple stated in February 2011 that the port was based on Mini DisplayPort , not USB. As the system was described, Intel's solution to the display connection problem became clear: Thunderbolt controllers multiplex data from existing DP systems with data from
1365-458: A few high-end models intended for gaming do as well. As of 2021, 8 GB RAM is most common, with lower-end models occasionally having 4 GB. Higher-end laptops may come with 16 GB of RAM or more. The earliest laptops most often used floppy disk for storage, although a few used either RAM disk or tape, by the late 1980s hard disk drives had become the standard form of storage. Between 1990 and 2009, almost all laptops typically had
1470-405: A full-featured desktop OS like Windows 10 , and have a number of typical laptop I/O ports, such as USB 3 and Mini DisplayPort . 2-in-1s are designed to be used not only as a media consumption device but also as valid desktop or laptop replacements, due to their ability to run desktop applications, such as Adobe Photoshop . It is possible to connect multiple peripheral devices, such as
1575-592: A laptop and provide display output over one USB-C Cable. Most laptop displays have a maximum refresh rate of 60 Hz. The Dell M17x and Samsung 700G7A, both released in 2011, were among the first laptops to feature a 120 Hz refresh rate, and more such laptops have appeared in the years since. A laptop's CPU has advanced power-saving features and produces less heat than one intended purely for desktop use. Mainstream laptop CPUs made after 2018 have at least two processor cores, often four cores, and sometimes more, with 6 and 8 cores becoming more common. For
1680-561: A laptop with a Light Peak connector, indicating that the technology had shrunk enough to fit inside such a device, and had the laptop send two simultaneous HD video streams down the connection, indicating that at least some fraction of the software/firmware stacks and protocols were functional. At the same demonstration, Intel officials said they expected hardware manufacturing to begin around the end of 2010. In September 2010, some early commercial prototypes from manufacturers were demonstrated at Intel Developer Forum 2010. Though Thunderbolt
1785-516: A mouse, keyboard, and several external displays to a modern 2-in-1. Microsoft Surface Pro-series devices and Surface Book are examples of modern 2-in-1 detachable, whereas Lenovo Yoga -series computers are a variant of 2-in-1 convertibles. While the older Surface RT and Surface 2 have the same chassis design as the Surface Pro, their use of ARM processors and Windows RT do not classify them as 2-in-1s, but as hybrid tablets. Similarly,
1890-437: A new MacBook Air with Amber Lake processors, a 13.3-inch Retina display with a resolution of 2560×1600 pixels, Touch ID , and two combination USB-C 3.1 Gen 2/ Thunderbolt 3 ports plus one audio jack . The screen displays 48% more color, and the bezels are 50% narrower than the previous generation and occupies 17% less volume. Thickness was reduced to 15.6 mm (0.61 in) and weight to 1.25 kilograms (2.76 pounds). It
1995-465: A new line of iMacs that include the Thunderbolt interface. The Thunderbolt port on the new Macs is in the same location relative to other ports and maintains the same physical dimensions and pinout as the prior MDP connector. The main visible difference on Thunderbolt-equipped Macs is a Thunderbolt symbol next to the port. The DisplayPort standard is partially compatible with Thunderbolt, as
2100-742: A number of hybrid laptops run a mobile operating system , such as Android . These include Asus's Transformer Pad devices, examples of hybrids with a detachable keyboard design, which do not fall in the category of 2-in-1s. A rugged laptop is designed to reliably operate in harsh usage conditions such as strong vibrations, extreme temperatures, and wet or dusty environments. Rugged laptops are bulkier, heavier, and much more expensive than regular laptops, and thus are seldom seen in regular consumer use. The basic components of laptops function identically to their desktop counterparts. Traditionally they were miniaturized and adapted to mobile use, The design restrictions on power, size, and cooling of laptops limit
2205-532: A refreshed M3 MacBook Air in both 13-inch and 15-inch sizes. This model retains the same design as the M2 MacBook Air but adds support for two external displays when the lid is closed. macOS Sequoia , the current release of macOS, will work with Wi-Fi and graphics acceleration on unsupported MacBook Air computers (except for the 2018 and 2019 models) with a compatible patch utility. The MacBook Air 2018 and 2019 models are not able to be patched because of
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#17327731226652310-485: A small niche market , mostly for specialized field applications, such as in the military, for accountants, or travelling sales representatives. As portable computers evolved into modern laptops, they became widely used for a variety of purposes. The history of the laptop follows closely behind the development of the personal computer itself. A "personal, portable information manipulator" was imagined by Alan Kay at Xerox PARC in 1968, and described in his 1972 paper as
2415-496: A standard for memory cards in PCs. The specification for PCMCIA type I cards, later renamed PC Cards, was first released in 1990. Displays reached 640x480 ( VGA ) resolution by 1988 ( Compaq SLT/286 ), and color screens started becoming a common upgrade in 1991, with increases in resolution and screen size occurring frequently until the introduction of 17" screen laptops in 2003. Hard drives started to be used in portables, encouraged by
2520-587: A type of portable computer that was smaller and lighter than mainstream laptops of the time, but has since come to mean the same thing and no longer refers to any specific size. Laptops are used in a variety of settings, such as at work (especially on business trips ), in education , for playing games , web browsing , for personal multimedia , and for general home computer use. They can run on both AC power and rechargable battery packs and can be folded shut for convenient storage and transportation, making them suitable for mobile use . Laptops combine many of
2625-488: A wide range of CPUs designed for laptops available from both Intel , AMD , and other manufacturers. On non- x86 architectures, Motorola and IBM produced the chips for the former PowerPC -based Apple laptops ( iBook and PowerBook ). Between around 2000 to 2014, most full-size laptops had socketed, replaceable CPUs; on thinner models, the CPU was soldered on the motherboard and was not replaceable or upgradable without replacing
2730-398: Is a concept for a laptop that can be easily disassembled. The terms laptop and notebook both trace their origins to the early 1980s, coined to describe portable computers in a size class smaller than the contemporary mainstream units (so-called "luggables" ) but larger than pocket computers . The etymologist William Safire traced the origin of laptop to some time before 1984;
2835-613: Is embedded into the cable itself, so the current MDP connector is forward compatible. Eventually, Intel hopes for a purely optical transceiver assembly embedded in the PC. The first such optical Thunderbolt cable was introduced by Sumitomo Electric Industries in January 2013. It is available in lengths of 10 m (30 ft), 20 m (70 ft), and 30 m (100 ft). However, those cables are retailed almost exclusively in Japan, and
2940-480: Is mounted, although, as of 2021, an increasing number of models use memory soldered to the motherboard, either alongside SO-DIMM slots or without any slots and soldering all memory to the motherboard, but a new form factor, the CAMM module , is slated to fix the size and timing limitation. Before 2000, most laptops used proprietary memory modules if their memory was upgradable. In the early 2010s, high end laptops such as
3045-429: Is no clear dividing line in minimum or maximum size. Machines small enough to be handheld (screens in the 6–8" range) can be marketed either as very small laptops or "handheld PCs", while the distinction between the largest laptops and "All-in-One" desktops is whether they fold for travel. Having a higher resolution display allows more items to fit onscreen at a time, improving the user's ability to multitask, although, at
3150-430: Is not unknown as of 2022, but since around 2010, the practice has been restricted to small-volume gaming models. Laptop CPUs are rarely able to be overclocked ; most use locked processors. Even on gaming models where unlocked processors are available, the cooling system in most laptops is often very close to its limits and there is rarely headroom for an overclocking–related operating temperature increase. On most laptops,
3255-546: Is the ability to carry power. The final Thunderbolt standard specifies 10 W DC on every port. See comparison section below. Intel and industry partners are still developing optical Thunderbolt hardware and cables. The optical fiber cables would run "tens of meters" but would not supply power, at least not initially. The version from Corning contains four 80/125 μm VSDN (Very Short Distance Network) fibers to transport an infrared signal up to 190 m (600 ft). The conversion of electrical signal to optical
MacBook Air - Misplaced Pages Continue
3360-411: Is the length of active cables available from most brands, including CalDigit, Cable Matters, et al., while Apple are currently the only company that offers a 3 m (9.8 ft) active copper cable. Optical Thunderbolt 4 cables were targeting lengths from ~5 m (16 ft) to 50 m (160 ft), although this may not happen, instead jumping to Thunderbolt 5 optical cables, sometime after
3465-581: The Socket G2 , but many laptops use processors that are soldered to the motherboard. Many laptops come with RAM and storage that is soldered to the motherboard and cannot be easily replaced. This restriction is one of the major differences between laptops and desktop computers, because the large " tower " cases used in desktop computers are designed so that new motherboards , hard disks , sound cards , RAM , and other components can be added. Memory and storage can often be upgraded with some disassembly, but with
3570-467: The T2 Security Chip that prevents them from running macOS Sequoia. Boot Camp Assistant allows Intel Macs to dual-boot Windows . Apple silicon Macs do not support Boot Camp, even with ARM-based version of Windows 10 and 11. Laptop A laptop computer or notebook computer , also known as a laptop or notebook , is a small, portable personal computer (PC). Laptops typically have
3675-460: The USB-C connector, and support USB devices. Thunderbolt controllers multiplex one or more individual data lanes from connected PCIe and DisplayPort devices for transmission via two duplex Thunderbolt lanes, then de-multiplex them for use by PCIe and DisplayPort devices on the other end. A single Thunderbolt port supports up to six Thunderbolt devices via hubs or daisy chains ; as many of these as
3780-576: The flip form factor appeared in the early 1980s. The Dulmont Magnum was released in Australia in 1981–82, but was not marketed internationally until 1984–85. The US$ 8,150 (equivalent to $ 25,730 in 2023) GRiD Compass 1101 , released in 1982, was used at NASA and by the military , among others. The Sharp PC-5000 , the Ampere WS-1 , and Gavilan SC were released between 1983 and 1985. The Toshiba T1100 won acceptance by PC experts and
3885-496: The input/output components and capabilities of a desktop computer into a single unit, including a display screen (usually 11–17 in or 280–430 mm in diagonal size), small speakers, a keyboard, and a pointing device (namely compact ones such as touchpads or pointing sticks ). Hardware specifications may vary significantly between different types, models, and price points . Design elements, form factors, and construction can also vary significantly between models depending on
3990-589: The " Dynabook ". The IBM Special Computer APL Machine Portable (SCAMP) was demonstrated in 1973. This prototype was based on the IBM PALM processor . The IBM 5100 , the first commercially available portable computer , appeared in September 1975, and was based on the SCAMP prototype. As 8-bit CPU machines became widely accepted, the number of portables increased rapidly. The first "laptop-sized notebook computer"
4095-488: The 13-inch model received a processor speed increase from 1.6 GHz to 1.8 GHz. The 2017 model remained available for sale after Apple launched the next generation in 2018. It was discontinued in July 2019. Before its discontinuation it was Apple's last notebook with USB Type-A ports, a non- Retina display (TN 6-bit color panel), a user-upgradable SSD, and a backlit rear Apple logo. On October 30, 2018, Apple released
4200-403: The 14" and 16" MacBook Pro notebooks released on October 26, 2021, such as a thinner, lighter, flat chassis with 20% less volume than the previous MacBook Air. Other features include MagSafe 3, which also supports fast charging up to 50% in 30 minutes with a 67W or greater power adapter, a taller 13.6" Liquid Retina display with 500 nits max brightness (25% brighter than the previous MacBook Air),
4305-450: The 1970s introduction of portable computers, their forms have changed significantly, spawning a variety of visually and technologically differing subclasses. Excepting distinct legal trademark around terms (notably Ultrabook ), hard distinctions between these classes were rare, and their usage has varied over time and between sources. Since the late 2010s, more specific terms have become less commonly used, with sizes distinguished largely by
MacBook Air - Misplaced Pages Continue
4410-427: The 1980s using red plasma displays could only be used when connected to AC power, and had a built in power supply. The development of memory cards was driven in the 1980s by the need for a floppy-disk-drive alternative, having lower power consumption, less weight, and reduced volume in laptops. The Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) was an industry association created in 1989 to promote
4515-509: The 2011 Samsung 700G7A have passed the 10 GB RAM barrier, featuring 16 GB of RAM. When upgradeable, memory slots are sometimes accessible from the bottom of the laptop for ease of upgrading; in other cases, accessing them requires significant disassembly. Most laptops have two memory slots, although some will have only one, either for cost savings or because some amount of memory is soldered. Some high-end models have four slots; these are usually mobile engineering workstations, although
4620-503: The GPU is integrated into the CPU to conserve power and space. This was introduced by Intel with the Core i-series of mobile processors in 2010, followed by similar AMD APU processors in January 2011. Before that, lower-end machines tended to use graphics processors integrated into the system chipset , while higher-end machines had a separate graphics processor. In the past, laptops lacking
4725-845: The Light Peak concept was co-developed by Apple and Intel . Apple registered Thunderbolt as a trademark , but later transferred the mark to Intel, which held overriding intellectual-property rights. Thunderbolt was commercially introduced on Apple's 2011 MacBook Pro , using the same Apple-developed connector as Mini DisplayPort . Certain MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini and iMac models downgrade Thunderbolt 4 protocol to Thunderbolt 3 due to not supporting dual 4K displays over Thunderbolt. Sumitomo Electric Industries started selling up to 30 m (100 ft) optical Thunderbolt cables in Japan in January 2013, and Corning, Inc. , began selling up to 60 m (200 ft) optical cables in
4830-416: The MacBook Air during Apple’s keynote address at the 2008 Macworld conference on January 15, 2008. The first MacBook Air was a 13.3-inch model, initially promoted as the world's thinnest notebook at 1.9 cm (0.75 in) (a previous record holder, 2005's Toshiba Portege R200, was 1.98 cm (0.78 in) high). It featured a custom Intel Merom CPU and Intel GMA GPU which were 40% smaller than
4935-541: The PCIe port into a single cable. Older displays that using DP 1.1a or earlier must be located at the end of a Thunderbolt device chain, but native displays can be anywhere along the line. Thunderbolt devices can go anywhere on the chain. In that respect, Thunderbolt shares a relationship with the older ACCESS.bus system, which used the display connector to support a low-speed bus. Apple states that up to six daisy-chained peripherals are supported per Thunderbolt port, and that
5040-488: The US in late September 2013. Intel introduced Light Peak at the 2009 Intel Developer Forum (IDF), using a prototype Mac Pro logic board to run two 1080p video streams plus LAN and storage devices over a single 30-meter optical cable with modified USB ends. The system was driven by a prototype PCI Express card, with two optical buses powering four ports. Jason Ziller, head of Intel's Optical I/O Program Office showed
5145-489: The Western marketplace, along with optical USB 3.0 cables, both under the brand name "Optical Cables". Half the diameter and a fifth the mass of comparable copper Thunderbolt cables, they work with the 10 Gbit/s Thunderbolt protocol and the 20 Gbit/s Thunderbolt 2 protocol, and thus are able to work with all self-powered Thunderbolt devices (unlike copper cables, optical cables cannot provide power). The cables extend
5250-470: The ability to conceal a hardware keyboard. Keyboards on such devices can be flipped, rotated, or slid behind the back of the chassis, thus transforming from a laptop into a tablet. Hybrids have a keyboard detachment mechanism, and due to this feature, all critical components are situated in the part with the display. 2-in-1s can have a hybrid or a convertible form, often dubbed 2-in-1 detachable and 2-in-1 convertibles respectively, but are distinguished by
5355-465: The ability to run a desktop OS , such as Windows 10 . 2-in-1s are often marketed as laptop replacement tablets . 2-in-1s are often very thin, around 10 millimetres (0.39 in), and light devices with a long battery life. 2-in-1s are distinguished from mainstream tablets as they feature an x86 -architecture CPU (typically a low- or ultra-low-voltage model), such as the Intel Core i5 , run
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#17327731226655460-493: The arrival of that standard in late 2024. Details on compatibility are available from the Thunderbolt Technology Community Web site. A single Thunderbolt 3 or later port provides data transfer, support for two 4K 60 Hz displays, and quick notebook charging up to 100W with a single cable. Any Thunderbolt or USB dock can connect to a Thunderbolt 3 computer. USB devices can be connected to
5565-408: The bundled Remote Disc software to access the drive of another computer wirelessly that has the program installed. The MacBook Air also did not include a FireWire port, Ethernet port, line-in , nor a Kensington Security Slot . On October 14, 2008, a new model was announced with a low-voltage Penryn processor and Nvidia GeForce graphics. Storage capacity was increased to a 128 GB SSD or
5670-417: The butterfly keyboard with a Magic Keyboard design similar to that initially found in the 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro. On November 10, 2020, Apple announced the MacBook Air with an Apple-designed M1 processor, launched alongside an updated Mac Mini and 13-inch MacBook Pro as the first Macs with Apple's new line of custom ARM -based Apple silicon processors. The device incorporates a fanless design ,
5775-581: The cost of physical space and portability. Higher-end laptops intended for gaming or professional 3D work still come with dedicated (and in some cases even dual) graphics processors on the motherboard or as an internal expansion card . Since 2011, these almost always involve switchable graphics so that when there is no demand for the higher performance dedicated graphics processor, the more power-efficient integrated graphics processor will be used. Nvidia Optimus and AMD Hybrid Graphics are examples of this sort of system of switchable graphics. Traditionally,
5880-441: The current 30 m (100 ft) maximum length offered by copper to a maximum of 60 m (200 ft). Before 2020, there were no optical Thunderbolt 3 cables on the market. However, optical Thunderbolt 1 and 2 cables could be used at the time with Apple 's Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 adapters on each end of the cable. This achieves connections up to the 60 m (200 ft) maximum offered by previous versions of
5985-533: The discontinuation of the white MacBook around the same time. The mid-2011 models were upgraded with Sandy Bridge dual-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, Intel HD Graphics 3000, backlit keyboards, Thunderbolt , and Bluetooth was upgraded to v4.0 . Maximum storage options were increased up to 256 GB. This revision also replaced the Expose (F3) key with a Mission Control key, and the Dashboard (F4) key with
6090-709: The display should come at the end of the chain, if it does not support daisy chaining. In February 2011, Apple introduced MacBook Pro (13-inch, Early 2011) , Macbook Pro (15-inch, Early 2011) , and Macbook Pro ( 17-inch, Early 2011 ) featuring one Thunderbolt port. In May 2011, Apple introduced iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2011) featuring one Thunderbolt port, and iMac (27-inch, Mid 2011) featuring two Thunderbolt ports. In July 2011, Apple introduced Mac mini (Mid 2011) , MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2011) , MacBook Air (13-inch, Mid 2011) and Apple Thunderbolt Display featuring one Thunderbolt port for daisy-chaining, or other devices. In May 2011, Apple announced
6195-476: The earliest attestation of laptop found by the Oxford English Dictionary dates to 1983. The word is modeled after the term desktop , as in desktop computer . Notebook , meanwhile, emerged earlier in 1982 to describe Epson 's HX-20 portable, whose dimensions roughly correspond to a letter -sized pad of paper . Notebooks emerged as their own separate market from laptops with
6300-417: The early 2010s. Optical disc drives became common in full-size laptops around 1997: initially, CD-ROM drives, supplanted by CD-R, then DVD, then Blu-ray drives with writing capability. Starting around 2011, the trend shifted against internal optical drives, and as of 2022, they have largely disappeared, though are still readily available as external peripherals . In 2021, Dell showed Concept Luna, which
6405-413: The fast performance and long battery life. On June 6, 2022, during the 2022 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) , Apple announced their second-generation processor, called M2, with an improved performance versus the previous M1 processor. The first computer to receive this new chip was a radically redesigned MacBook Air. The latest MacBook Air was redesigned away from the tapered body in 2022 to match
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#17327731226656510-457: The first ever on any MacBook Air. It also adds support for Wi-Fi 6 , USB4 / Thunderbolt 3 and Wide color (P3) . The M1 MacBook Air can only run one external display, unlike the previous Intel-based model that was capable of running two 4K displays. The FaceTime camera remains 720p but Apple advertises an improved image signal processor for higher quality video. The M1 MacBook Air received widespread positive reviews, with reviewers praising
6615-660: The first system released with Thunderbolt 2 was Apple's late 2013 Retina MacBook Pro, on 22 October 2013. Thunderbolt 3 is a hardware interface developed by Intel. It shares USB-C connectors with USB, supports USB 3.1 Gen 2 , and can require special "active" cables for maximum performance for cable lengths over 0.5 meters (1.5 feet). Compared to Thunderbolt 2, it doubles the bandwidth to 40 Gbit/s (5 GB/s). It allows up to 4 lanes of PCI Express 3.0 (32.4 Gbit/s) for general-purpose data transfer, and 4 lanes of DisplayPort 1.4 HBR3 (32.40 Gbit/s before 8/10 encoding removal, and 25.92 Gbit/s after) for video, but
6720-769: The higher resolutions on smaller screens, the resolution may only serve to display sharper graphics and text rather than increasing the usable area. Since the introduction of the MacBook Pro with Retina display in 2012, there has been an increase in the availability of "HiDPI" (or high Pixel density ) displays; as of 2022, this is generally considered to be anything higher than 1920 pixels wide. This has increasingly converged around 4K (3840-pixel-wide) resolutions. External displays can be connected to most laptops, with most models supporting at least one. The use of technology such as USB4 (section Alternate Mode partner specifications ). DisplayPort Alt Mode has been utilized to charge
6825-446: The host has DP sources may be Thunderbolt monitors . A single Mini DisplayPort monitor or other device of any kind may be connected directly or at the very end of the chain. Thunderbolt is interoperable with DP-1.1a compatible devices. When connected to a DP-compatible device, the Thunderbolt port can provide a native DisplayPort signal with four lanes of output data at no more than 5.4 Gbit/s per Thunderbolt lane. When connected to
6930-650: The intended use. Examples of specialized models of laptops include 2-in-1 laptops , with keyboards that either be detached or pivoted out of view from the display (often marketed having a "laptop mode"); rugged laptops , for use in construction or military applications ; and low-production-cost laptops such as those from the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) organization, which incorporate features like solar charging and semi-flexible components not found on most laptop computers. Portable computers , which later developed into modern laptops, were originally considered to be
7035-566: The internal components of the technology under a microscope and the sending of data through an oscilloscope. The technology was described as having an initial speed of 10 Gbit/s over plastic optical cables, and promising a final speed of 100 Gbit/s. At the show, Intel said Light Peak-equipped systems would begin to appear in 2010, and posted a YouTube video showing Light Peak-connected HD cameras, laptops, docking stations, and HD monitors. On 4 May 2010, in Brussels , Intel demonstrated
7140-469: The introduction of 3.5" drives in the late 1980s, and became common in laptops starting with the introduction of 2.5" and smaller drives around 1990; capacities have typically lagged behind those of physically larger desktop drives. Resolutions of laptop webcams are 720p (HD), or 480p in lower-end laptops. The earliest-known laptops with 1080p (Full HD) webcams, like the Samsung 700G7C, were released in
7245-484: The introduction of the iPhone 13 in 2021. On June 5, 2023, during the 2023 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) , Apple announced the new 15-inch display size option for the M2 MacBook Air lineup, with the advanced six-speaker sound system along with the major technical features such as 1080p FaceTime camera and MagSafe charging. Ordering the 15-inch MacBook Air started on June 5, with the general availability having started on June 13. On March 4, 2024, Apple announced
7350-444: The late 2000s, SSDs were substantially more expensive than HDDs, but as of 2021 prices on smaller capacity (under 1 terabyte ) drives have converged; larger capacity drives remain more expensive than comparable-sized HDDs. Thunderbolt (interface) Thunderbolt is the brand name of a hardware interface for the connection of external peripherals to a computer . It was developed by Intel in collaboration with Apple . It
7455-475: The latest MacBook Pro models and upgraded to the M2 processor. The new model was given a larger 13.6-inch screen and brought back MagSafe , now the third iteration of Apple's magnetic laptop charger ports. This complete redesign features a dramatically thinner, flat design, doing away with the familiar wedge shape chassis that MacBook Air was most known for having. The new MacBook Air takes on hardware design cues from
7560-445: The loss is acceptable," and, "You can almost get two people pulling on it at once and it won't break the fibre." They predicted that "Light Peak cables will be no more expensive than HDMI." In January 2011, Intel's David Perlmutter told Computerworld that initial Thunderbolt implementations would be based on copper wires. "The copper came out very good, surprisingly better than what we thought," he said. A major advantage of copper
7665-478: The low price and mainstream performance, there is no longer a significant performance difference between laptop and desktop CPUs, but at the high end, the fastest desktop CPUs still substantially outperform the fastest laptop processors, at the expense of massively higher power consumption and heat generation; the fastest laptop processors top out at 56 watts of heat, while the fastest desktop processors top out at 150 watts (and often need water cooling). There has been
7770-560: The mass market as a way to have PC portability. From 1983 onward, several new input techniques were developed and included in laptops, including the touch pad ( Gavilan SC , 1983), the pointing stick (IBM ThinkPad 700 , 1992), and handwriting recognition (Linus Write-Top, 1987). Some CPUs, such as the 1990 Intel i386SL , were designed to use minimum power to increase the battery life of portable computers and were supported by dynamic power management features such as Intel SpeedStep and AMD PowerNow! in some designs. Some laptops in
7875-454: The maximum combined data rate cannot exceed 40 Gbit/s; video data will be using all needed speed, limiting PCIe data. DP 1.2 support is mandatory, while DP 1.4 is optional. Other overheads are possible on PCIe data (1.5% of 128b/130b is also removed) and Thunderbolt 3 protocol (you either optimise for speed or for latency), the last one gives only 21.6 Gbit/s to 25 Gbit/s. Thunderbolt 3 uses 64b/66b encoding after that, which means
7980-406: The maximum performance of laptop parts compared to that of desktop components, although that difference has increasingly narrowed. In general, laptop components are not intended to be replaceable or upgradable by the end-user, except for components that can be detached; in the past, batteries and optical drives were commonly exchangeable. Some laptops feature socketed processors with sockets such as
8085-479: The most compact laptops, there may be no upgradeable components at all. The following sections summarize the differences and distinguishing features of laptop components in comparison to desktop personal computer parts. The typical laptop has a screen that, when unfolded, is upright to the user. Laptop screens most commonly employ liquid-crystal display (LCD) technology, although use of OLED panels has risen substantially since 2020. The display interfaces with
8190-927: The motherboard using the embedded DisplayPort protocol via the Low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS) 30 or 40 pin connector. The panels are mainly manufactured by AU Optronics , BOE Technology , LG Display or Samsung Display . Externally, it can be a glossy or a matte (anti-glare) screen. In the past, there was a broader range of marketing terms (both formal and informal) to distinguish between different sizes of laptops. These included Netbooks , subnotebooks , Ultra-mobile PC , and Desktop replacement computers ; these are sometimes still used informally, although they are essentially dead in terms of manufacturer marketing. As of 2021, mainstream consumer laptops tend to come with 11", 13" or 15"-16" screens; 14" models are more popular among business machines. Larger and smaller models are available, but less common – there
8295-428: The motherboard. Since 2015, Intel has not offered new laptop CPU models with pins to be interchangeable, preferring ball grid array chip packages which have to be soldered; and as of 2021, only a few rare models using desktop parts. In the past, some laptops have used a desktop processor instead of the laptop version and have had high-performance gains at the cost of greater weight, heat, and limited battery life; this
8400-449: The need for a separate power supply from some devices. Thunderbolt 3 allows backwards compatibility with the first two versions by the use of adapters or transitional cables. Intel offers three varieties for each of the controllers: This follows previous practice, where higher-end devices such as the second-generation Mac Pro, iMac, Retina MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini use two-port controllers; while lower-end, lower-power devices such as
8505-399: The physical level, the bandwidth of Thunderbolt 1 and Thunderbolt 2 are identical, and Thunderbolt 1 cabling is thus compatible with Thunderbolt 2 interfaces. At the logical level, Thunderbolt 2 enables channel aggregation, whereby the two previously separate 10 Gbit/s channels can be combined into a single logical 20 Gbit/s channel. Intel says Thunderbolt 2 will be able to transfer
8610-467: The previous generation, and the models were capable of 9 hours on the 11-inch model and 12 hours on the 13-inch model; a team of reviewers exceeded expected battery life ratings during their test. In March 2015, the models were refreshed with Broadwell processors, Intel HD Graphics 6000, Thunderbolt 2, and faster storage and memory. The 11-inch model was discontinued in October 2016. In 2017,
8715-525: The price is 20 to 30 times that of copper Thunderbolt cables. German company DeLock also released optical Thunderbolt cables in lengths of 10 m (30 ft), 20 m (70 ft), and 30 m (100 ft) in 2013, priced similarly to the Sumitomo ones, and retailed only in Germany. In September 2013, glass company Corning Inc. released the first range of optical Thunderbolt cables available in
8820-414: The real rate is bigger than 40 Gbit/s, 2 times 20.625 Gbit/s. Intel's Thunderbolt 3 controller (codenamed Alpine Ridge, or the new Titan Ridge ) halves power consumption, and simultaneously drives two external 4K displays at 60 Hz (or a single external 4K display at 120 Hz, or a 5K display at 60 Hz when using Apple's implementation for the late-2016 MacBook Pros) instead of just
8925-481: The release of the NEC UltraLite in 1988. Notebooks and laptops continued to occupy distinct market segments into the mid-1990s, but ergonomic considerations and customer preference for larger screens soon led to notebooks converging with laptops in the late 1990s. Today, the terms laptop and notebook are synonymous, with laptop being the more common term in most English-speaking territories. Since
9030-535: The same components as the 2019 MacBook Pro . A test found that the 256 GB SSD in the 2019 model has a 35% lower read speed than the 256 GB SSD in the 2018 model, though the write speed is slightly faster. Updated models were released in March 2020 with Ice Lake Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors, updated graphics, support for 6K output to run the Pro Display XDR and other 6K monitors, and replaced
9135-456: The single display previous controllers can drive. The new controller supports PCIe 3.0 and other protocols, including DisplayPort 1.2 (allowing for 4K resolutions at 60 Hz). Thunderbolt 3 has up to 15 watts of power delivery on copper cables and no power delivery capability on optical cables. Using USB-C on copper cables, it can incorporate USB power delivery , allowing the ports to source or sink up to 100 watts of power. This eliminates
9240-432: The size of mainstream laptops has gone down and their capabilities have gone up; except for niche models, laptop sizes tend to be distinguished by the size of the screen, and for more powerful models, by any specialized purpose the machine is intended for, such as a " gaming laptop " or a " mobile workstation " for professional use. The latest trend of technological convergence in the portable computer industry spawned
9345-511: The size of the screen. There were in the past a number of marketing categories for smaller and larger laptop computers; these included "notebook" and " subnotebook " models, low cost " netbooks ", and " ultra-mobile PCs " where the size class overlapped with devices like smartphone and handheld tablets , and " Desktop replacement " laptops for machines notably larger and heavier than typical to operate more powerful processors or graphics hardware . All of these terms have fallen out of favor as
9450-430: The standard chip package. It also featured an anti-glare LED backlit TN 6-bit color panel display , a full-size keyboard, and a large trackpad that responded to multi-touch gestures such as pinching, swiping, and rotating. The MacBook Air was the first subcompact notebook offered by Apple after the 12" PowerBook G4 discontinued in 2006. It was also Apple's first computer with an optional solid-state drive . It
9555-1273: The standard. In April 2019, Corning showed an optical Thunderbolt 3 cable at the 2019 NAB Show in Las Vegas . Just over a year later, in September 2020, Corning released their optical Thunderbolt 3 cables in lengths of 5 m (20 ft), 10 m (30 ft), 15 m (50 ft), 25 m (80 ft), and 50 m (160 ft). In the meantime, Taiwanese company Areca released optical Thunderbolt 3 cables in April 2020 in lengths of 10 m (30 ft), 20 m (70 ft), and 30 m (100 ft). Copper versions of Thunderbolt 4 cables offer full 40 Gbit/s speed and support backward compatibility with all versions of USB (up to USB4), DisplayPort Alternate Mode (DP 1.4 HBR3), and Thunderbolt 3. Released in early 2021, they were also to be available in three specified lengths: 0.2 m (0.66 ft), 0.8 m (2.6 ft), and 2 m (6.6 ft) – with many companies initially offering 0.8 m (2.6 ft) ones. Copper Thunderbolt 4 cables up to 1.0 m (3.3 ft) are passive cables, while longer cables must integrate active signal conditioning circuitry. 2 m (6.6 ft) maximum
9660-418: The system RAM on laptops (as well as on desktop computers) was physically separate from the graphics memory used by the GPU. Apple's M series SoCs feature a unified pool of memory for both the system and the GPU; this approach can produce substantial efficiency gains for some applications but comes at the cost of eGPU support. Since around the year 2000, most laptops have used SO-DIMM slots in which RAM
9765-499: The term desktop (as in desktop computer ), refers to the fact that the computer can be practically placed on the user's lap ; while the word notebook refers to most laptops sharing a form factor with paper notebooks . As of 2024 , in American English , the terms laptop and notebook are used interchangeably; in other dialects of English , one or the other may be preferred. The term notebook originally referred to
9870-491: The testing and development of Thunderbolt devices. The developer kit is being provided only on request. In July 2011, Sony released its Vaio Z21 line of notebook computers that had a "Power Media Dock" that uses optical Thunderbolt (Light Peak) to connect to an external graphics card using a combination port that behaves like USB electrically, but that also includes the optical interconnect required for Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt 1 ran at 10 Gbit/s, making it faster than USB at
9975-966: The time. In June 2013, Intel announced that the next version of Thunderbolt, based on the controller code-named "Falcon Ridge" (running at 20 Gbit/s), is officially named "Thunderbolt 2" and entered production in 2013. The data-rate of 20 Gbit/s is made possible by joining the two existing 10 Gbit/s-channels, which does not change the maximum bandwidth, but makes using it more flexible. In June 2013, Apple announced Mac Pro (Late 2013) featuring six Thunderbolt 2 ports. In October 2013, Apple announced MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013) , and MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013) featuring two Thunderbolt 2 ports. In October 2014, Apple announced Mac mini (Late 2014) , and iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014) featuring two Thunderbolt 2 ports. In March 2015, Apple announced MacBook Air (11-inch, Early 2015) , and MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015) featuring one Thunderbolt 2 port. At
10080-456: The two share Apple's physically compatible MDP connector. The Target Display mode on iMacs requires a Thunderbolt cable to accept a video-in signal from another Thunderbolt-capable computer. A DP monitor must be the last (or only) device in a chain of Thunderbolt devices. Intel announced they would release a developer kit in the second quarter of 2011, while manufacturers of hardware-development equipment have indicated they will add support for
10185-477: Was available in three finishes, silver, space gray, and gold. Unlike the previous generation, this model could not be configured with an Intel Core i7 processor. The base 2018 model came with 8 GB of 2133 MHz LPDDR3 RAM, 128 GB SSD, Intel Core i5 processor (1.6 GHz base clock, with Turbo up to 3.6 GHz) with Intel UHD Graphics 617. Apple released updated models in July 2019 with True Tone display technology and an updated butterfly keyboard using
10290-470: Was initially marketed under the name Light Peak , and first sold as part of an end-user product on 24 February 2011. Thunderbolt combines PCI Express (PCIe) and DisplayPort (DP) into two serial signals, and additionally provides DC power via a single cable. Up to six peripherals may be supported by one connector through various topologies . Thunderbolt 1 and 2 use the same connector as Mini DisplayPort (MDP), whereas Thunderbolt 3, 4, and 5 use
10395-400: Was introduced in January 2008 as a premium ultraportable with a 13.3-inch screen and a full-size keyboard , and was promoted as the world's thinnest notebook, opening a laptop category known as the ultrabook family. With its slim design, it attracted attention for not including an optical disc drive , and having fewer ports than was typical for laptops at the time. Steve Jobs introduced
10500-594: Was introduced, offering reduced cost, weight, battery life, and performance relative to the 13.3-inch model, but better performance than typical netbooks of the time. Both 11-inch and 13-inch models had an analog audio output/headphone minijack supporting Apple earbuds with a microphone. The 13-inch model received a SDXC-capable SD Card slot. Solid-state storage was made standard, and later revisions added Intel Core i5 or i7 processors and Thunderbolt . On July 20, 2011, Apple released updated models, which also became Apple's entry-level notebooks due to lowered prices and
10605-789: Was originally conceived as an optical technology, Intel switched to electrical connections to reduce costs and to supply up to 10 watts of power to connected devices. In 2009, Intel officials said the company was "working on bundling the optical fiber with copper wire so Light Peak can be used to power devices plugged into the PC." In 2010, Intel said the original intent was "to have one single connector technology" that would let "electrical USB 3.0 ... and piggyback on USB 3.0 or 4.0 DC power." Light Peak aimed to make great strides in consumer-ready optical technology, by then having achieved "[connectors rated] for 7,000 insertions, which matches or exceeds other PC connections ... cables [that were tied] in multiple knots to make sure it didn't break and
10710-448: Was originally intended to run exclusively on an optical physical layer using components and flexible optical fiber cabling developed by Intel partners and at Intel's Silicon Photonics lab. It was initially marketed under the name Light Peak, and after 2011 as Silicon Photonics Link. However, it was discovered that conventional copper wiring could furnish the desired 10 Gbit/s per channel at lower cost. This copper-based version of
10815-526: Was rumored that the early-2011, MacBook Pro update would include some sort of new data port, and he speculated it would be Light Peak (Thunderbolt). At the time, there were no details on the physical implementation, and mock-ups appeared showing a system similar to the earlier Intel demos using a combined USB/Light Peak port. Shortly before the release of the new machines, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) announced they would not allow such
10920-710: Was the Epson HX-20 , invented (patented) by Suwa Seikosha 's Yukio Yokozawa in July 1980, introduced at the COMDEX computer show in Las Vegas by Japanese company Seiko Epson in 1981, and released in July 1982. It had an LCD screen, a rechargeable battery, and a calculator-size printer, in a 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) chassis, the size of an A4 notebook . It was described as a "laptop" and "notebook" computer in its patent. Both Tandy/RadioShack and Hewlett-Packard (HP) also produced portable computers of varying designs during this period. The first laptops using
11025-465: Was the last Mac to use a PATA storage drive, and the only one with an Intel CPU. To conserve on space, it uses the 1.8 inch drive used in the iPod Classic instead of the typical 2.5-inch drive. It was Apple's first notebook since the PowerBook 2400c without a built-in removable media drive. To read optical disks, users could either purchase an external USB drive such as Apple's SuperDrive or use
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