MacBook Air (11-inch, Late 2010)
A wedge-shaped 11-inch laptop with instant-on flash storage.
Overview
In October 2010 Apple reinvented the MacBook Air, bringing its smaller body and flash storage as standard. The 11-inch model measured 0.11 to 0.68 inch thick and weighed about 2.3 pounds, with a 1366 by 768 display, two USB ports and a FaceTime camera.
It used a 1.4 GHz Core 2 Duo, an NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics chip and 2 GB of memory, with 64 GB of flash storage at the base price. The battery was rated at five hours and the Mac woke instantly from sleep.
Critics praised the portability, though the base memory was tight. This was the launch point for the modern ultraportable and for the 11-inch size, which stayed in the line until 2016.
Why it mattered
Made the MacBook Air a mass-market success with an affordable, tiny all-flash design.
At a glance
- Announced
- October 20, 2010
- Released
- October 20, 2010
- Discontinued
- July 20, 2011
- Launch price
- $999
- Chip / processor
- Intel Core 2 Duo, 1.4 GHz
- Display
- 11.6"
- Storage
- 64 GB, 128 GB
- Status
- Vintage
Highlights
- 11.6-inch display
- All-flash storage
- 1.06 kg
- Two USB ports
- Instant-wake sleep
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Display
- Size
- 11.6-inch
- Type
- LED-backlit widescreen
- Resolution
- 1366 x 768
Chip
- Chip
- Intel Core 2 Duo, 1.4 GHz
Memory
- RAM
- 2 GB or 4 GB
- Storage options
- 64 GB or 128 GB flash
Battery
- Battery life
- Up to 5 hours
Ports
- Ports
- 2 USB 2.0, Mini DisplayPort, headphone jack
Camera
- Camera
- FaceTime camera
Design
- Weight
- 1.06 kg (2.3 lb)
Software
- Launch OS
- Mac OS X 10.6.4
How it compares
More in the MacBook Air family
MacBook Air (Original, 2008)
The laptop that came out of an envelope.
MacBook Air (13-inch, Late 2010)
The 13-inch Air gained a higher-resolution display and an SD slot.
MacBook Air (11-inch and 13-inch, Mid 2011)
Sandy Bridge power, a backlit keyboard and Thunderbolt for the Air.
MacBook Air (Mid 2013)
Haswell brought all-day battery life to the Air.
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
A Retina screen and Touch ID finally reached the Air.
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
The last Intel MacBook Air brought the Magic Keyboard to the entry level.
MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
The first Apple silicon MacBook Air, fast and fanless.
MacBook Air (13-inch, M2, 2022)
A flat redesign with a bigger display, MagSafe and a 1080p camera.
MacBook Air (15-inch, M2, 2023)
The first 15-inch Air: a big screen with a thin body.
MacBook Air (13-inch, M3, 2024)
M3 speeds and dual-display support for the 13-inch Air.
MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024)
The big Air gets M3 and a faster wireless chip.
MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)
16 GB of memory as standard and a new Sky Blue color.
MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025)
The bigger Air got M4, 16 GB and a better camera.
MacBook Air (13-inch, M5, 2026)
M5 and 512 GB of storage arrive on the 13-inch Air.
MacBook Air (15-inch, M5, 2026)
The large Air gets the M5 chip, 512 GB and Wi-Fi 7.