The Apple MacBook Air Late 2008 is a notable notebook computer within the MacBook Air series, produced and marketed by Apple from 2008 to 2009. Released on October 14, 2008, this model debuted with a base price of $1,799.
Characterized by its sleek design and innovative features, the MacBook Air (Late 2008) maintained its predecessor’s processor speed upon its announcement in October 2008 and subsequent release in November.
However, it boasted enhancements in performance, facilitated by a swifter 1066 MHz bus, an expanded 6 MB on-chip L2 cache, and an upgraded graphics chipset. Additionally, the micro-DVI port was replaced with the more advanced Mini DisplayPort, enabling compatibility with larger external displays, boasting resolutions up to 2560×1600.
Externally, the MacBook Air Late 2008 retained the same housing as its predecessor, featuring a 13.3″ display, a full-size keyboard, and a single-button “three-finger” trackpad. Notably, it lacked an optical drive, featured a non-removable battery, and limited memory expansion to the onboard 2 GB.
However, internal enhancements included accelerated NVIDIA graphics, a swifter architecture with an enhanced system bus, quicker memory, and an expanded L2 cache. Furthermore, it offered increased storage capacity, adopting SATA support over PATA, and introduced the new Mini DisplayPort standard, replacing the mini-DVI port.
Key specifications of the new MacBook Air encompassed a 1.6 or 1.86 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, a 13.3 TFT Display, an aluminum unibody case, 2 GB of RAM, and storage options ranging from a 120 GB hard drive (HDD) to a 128 GB flash memory (SSD). Additional features included built-in Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, an iSight camera, an ambient light sensor, an illuminated keyboard, and 256 MB NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics in the base model.
On June 8, 2009, the MacBook Air Late 2008 was discontinued, marking the end of its production cycle. As of today, the MacBook Air Late 2008 stands at 15 years old, symbolizing its enduring legacy in the realm of portable computing.
MacBook Air Late 2008 Details
| Introduced | October 14, 2008 – 15 years ago |
| Discontinued | June 8, 2009 – 14 years ago |
| Last Software Update | October 18, 2016 – 7 years ago |
| Time on the Market | 237 days (7 months) |
| Time of Support | 96 months (8 years) |
| Model Identifier | MacBookAir2,1 |
| Model Number | A1304 |
| EMC | 2253 |
| Order Number | MB543LL/A (1.6 GHz) MB940LL/A (1.86 GHz) |
| Original Price | $1,799 (1.6 GHz) $2,499 (1.86 GHz) |
| Colors | Aluminum unibody |
| Weight | 3 Ibs. 1.360 KG |
| Dimensions | 0.16 – 0.76 H x 12.74 W x 8.9 D 0.40 – 1.93 cm H x 32.35 cm W x 22.6 cm D |
MacBook Air Tech Specs
Processor
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo L9300 “Penryn” (1.6 GHz) Intel Core 2 Duo L9400 “Penryn” (1.86 GHz) |
| Processor Speed | 1.6 GHz 1.86 GHz |
| Architecture | 64-bit |
| Number of Cores | 2 |
| System Bus | 1066 MHz |
| Cache | 6 MB on-chip shared L2 |
Storage & Media
Memory
| Built-in Memory | 2 GB DDR3 PC3-8500 SDRAM 1066 MHz |
| Maximum Memory | 2 GB |
| Memory Slots | None |
| Interleaving Support | Yes |
Display
| Built-in Display | 13.3″ Color TFT glossy widescreen Display |
| Pixel Density | 114 dpi |
| Brightness | 300 cd/m |
| Resolutions | 640 x 480 720 x 480 800 x 500 800 x 600 1024 x 640 1024 x 768 1152 x 720 1280 x 800 (native) |
Graphics
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GeForce 9400M |
| Graphics Memory | 256 MB DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory* |
| Display Connection | 1 – Mini DisplayPort (VGA, DVI or dual-link DVI with adapter) |
| Display Modes | Dual display extended and video mirroring |
| External Resolution | Up to 2560 by 1600 pixels |
| Camera | iSight (640 x 480) |
Expansion
| Expansion Slots | None |
| Hard Drive Interface | Serial ATA (SATA) |
| Bays | None |
Connections
| Wi-Fi | AirPort Extreme Card 802.11a/b/g/n |
| Ethernet | USB Ethernet Adapter MB442Z/A (Optional) |
| Modem | Apple USB Modem MA034Z/A (Optional) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR |
| Infrared | 1 – For Apple Remote Only |
| USB | 1 – 480 Mbps |
| Audio In | 1 – Built-in microphone |
| Audio Out | 1 – 3.5-mm analog output jack 1 – Built-in speaker |
| Display | 1 – Mini DisplayPort (VGA, DVI or dual-link DVI with adapter) |
| Security Slot | None |
Sensors
| Motion Sensor | Sudden Motion Sensor (SMS) |
| Liquid Sensor | Liquid Contact Indicators (LCI) |
Keyboard and trackpad
| Keyboard | Built-in Full-size 78-key (U.S.) or 79-key (ISO) incl. 12 function and 4 arrow keys, embedded keypad, ambient light sensor, illuminated |
| Trackpad | Solid-state trackpad with Multi-Touch gesture support |
Software
| Original OS | Mac OS X 10.5.5 |
| Maximum OS | OS X 10.11.6 |
| Firmware | Intel Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) |
| Bundled Software | Mac OS X 10.5 iLife 08 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand) |
Power
| System Battery | Integrated 37 W Lithium-Polymer |
| Backup Battery | None |
| Battery Life | Up to 4.5 hours |
| Maximum Battery Cycles | 300 |
| Maximum Continuous Power | Unknown |
| Line Voltage | 100-240 V AC |
| Power Adapter | 45 W MagSafe Power Adapter |
