Performance Over Processor

The MacBook Air may not be conventionally powerful, but the results speak for themselves

While each major computer manufacturer bring their own features, flaws and quirks to the table, it seems reasonable to state that Apple are currently at the top of their game. This is all the more remarkable when one considers that the Cupertino based team refuse to get sucked into spec-chasing, instead focusing on build quality, user experience and seamless software. A good example of this is the previous model (2010) MacBook Air, which sports a specification sheet which appears underwhelming at first glance: 

• 1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
• 2GB RAM
• Either a 128GB or 256GB hard drive

However, despite the specs above, actually using one of the previous model MacBook Airs dispels any concerns about the ultra-portable notebook not being up to the task of a general use, every day computer. Part of the horsepower ‘deficit’ seen in the MacBook Airs is made up by the employment of super-fast SSD’s. Because much of our time on computers is spent performing relatively light tasks, processor-wise, the bottleneck of speed is often seen in the computer’s hard drive, rather than processor. This means that Apple can employ cost and energy efficient chips to great effect, without a noticeable cost in performance.

One could also point toward Apple’s iOS devices, which can often be seemingly underpowered when compared to their competitors. The first iPad was not thought of as a powerhouse upon launch, yet it was a huge hit nonetheless. Whichever the product, Apple have gone a long way to relegating hardware specs to a less important place when considering a purchase.