Apple MacBook Air 'Core i5' 1.8 13' (2017*) Specs
iMac Essentials provides everything you need to set up and start using your new iMac. Learn how to turn on and use your mouse and keyboard, as well as how to connect to Wi-Fi, use the apps that came with your iMac, and much more. Your MacBook Air comes with 90 days of complimentary technical support and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase AppleCare+ for Mac to extend your coverage to three years from your AppleCare+ purchase date and add up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $99 for screen damage or external enclosure damage, or $299 for other repairable damage, plus. The Apple MacBook ($1,299), once an entry-level polycarbonate laptop, has gone decidedly upmarket in recent years. A 2017 refresh brings Intel's seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors to the 12. The MacBook Air remains an excellent choice for students and other macOS fans with basic computing needs, but it will disappoint power users with its low-resolution display and outdated processor. Testing conducted by Apple in May 2017 using preproduction 2.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-based 15-inch MacBook Pro systems with a 256GB SSD and 16GB of RAM. The wireless web test measures battery life by wirelessly browsing 25 popular websites with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%.
Identifiers: 13-inch, 2017** - MQD32LL/A* - MacBookAir7,2 - A1466 - 3178
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On June 5, 2017, Apple quietly updated the MacBook Air 'Core i5' 1.6 13' (Early 2015) with a modestly faster 14-nm 'Broadwell ULT' 1.8 GHz Intel 'Core i5' processor (5350U). This model otherwise is identical to late configurations of its predecessor apart from some identifiers.
The Apple MacBook Air 'Core i5' 1.8 13-Inch (2017/Broadwell) features a 14-nm 'Broadwell ULT' 1.8 GHz Intel 'Core i5' processor (5350U) with two independent processor 'cores' on a single chip, a 3 MB shared level 3 cache, 8 GB of onboard 1600 MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM, 128 GB or 256 GB of 4 Lane PCIe-based flash storage (256 GB discontinued as a standard configuration on October 30, 2018, although subsequently offered as a custom option), and an 'integrated' Intel HD Graphics 6000 graphics processor that shares system memory.
This all is packed in a razor thin 0.11-0.68 inch), 2.96 pound, aluminum case with an integrated 720p 'FaceTime HD' webcam, a backlit full-size keyboard and a 13.3' widescreen TFT LED backlit active-matrix 'glossy' display (1440x900 native resolution).
Connectivity includes 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, analog audio out, a single 'Thunderbolt' 2 port, two USB 3.0 ports, and an SDXC-capable SD card slot.
Also see:
- What are all the differences between the 'Early 2015/Mid-2017' MacBook Air models? Which is the best choice for my needs?
- What are all the differences between the 'Early 2015/Mid-2017' MacBook Air models and the 'Early 2014' MacBook Air that they replaced?
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- Tech Specs
- Ports
- Global Original Prices
- Popular Q&As
Click on a category for related details. The most commonly needed info is 'open' by default, but all info is important. Asterisks (*) reference data in details fields.
| Introduction Date: | June 5, 2017 | Discontinued Date: | July 9, 2019* |
| Details: | The 'Introduction Date' typically refers to the date a model was introduced via press release, although no press release was issued for this model. The 'Discontinued Date' refers to the date a model either was replaced by a subsequent system or production otherwise ended *The MQD42LL/A configuration with 256 GB of storage was discontinued as a standard configuration on October 30, 2018, but this model still could be configured with a 256 GB SSD by custom configuration. This MacBook Air was discontinued for consumers entirely on July 9, 2019, but remained available for purchase by educational institutions. Also see: All Macs introduced in 2017. |
| Details: | Also see: All models with a 64-Bit processor courtesy of EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Sort. |
| Details: | Geekbench 2 benchmarks are in 32-bit and 64-bit modes, respectively. These numbers reflect an average of user provided 32-bit and 64-bit results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all 32-bit and 64-bit Geekbench 2 user submissions for Macs with the MacBookAir7,2 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare Geekbench 2 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison. |
| Details: | These Geekbench 3 benchmarks are in 32-bit mode and are for a single processor core and all processor cores, respectively. Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all 32-bit single core and multicore Geekbench 3 user submissions for Macs with the MacBookAir7,2 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare 32-bit Geekbench 3 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison. |
| Details: | These Geekbench 3 benchmarks are in 64-bit mode and are for a single processor core and all processor cores, respectively. Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all 64-bit single core and multicore Geekbench 3 user submissions for Macs with the MacBookAir7,2 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare 64-bit Geekbench 3 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison. |
| Details: | These Geekbench 4 benchmarks are are for a single processor core and all processor cores, respectively. All Geekbench 4 benchmarks are 64-bit. Both numbers reflect an average of user provided results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all single core and multicore Geekbench 4 user submissions for Macs with the MacBookAir7,2 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare Geekbench 4 results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison. |
| Processor Speed: | 1.8 GHz | Processor Type: | Core i5 (I5-5350U) |
| Details: | This model is powered by a 14 nm, 64-bit 'Fifth Generation' Intel Mobile Core i5 'Broadwell ULT' (I5-5350U) processor which includes two independent processor 'cores' on a single silicon chip. Each core has a dedicated 256k level 2 cache, shares 3 MB of level 3 cache, and has an integrated memory controller (dual channel). This system also supports 'Turbo Boost 2.0' -- which 'automatically increases the speed of the active cores' to improve performance when needed (up to 2.9 GHz for this model) -- and 'Hyper Threading' -- which allows the system to recognize four total 'cores' or 'threads' (two real and two virtual). |
| Turbo Boost: | 2.9 GHz | Custom Speeds: | 2.2 GHz (Core i7) |
| Details: | A 2.2 GHz Core i7 (I7-5650U) processor was available via custom order as a US$150 upgrade. As requested by readers, EveryMac.com also has documented this custom configuration as its own model. |
| Details: | N/A |
| System Bus Speed: | OPI* | Cache Bus Speed: | 1.8 GHz (Built-in) |
| Details: | *This system does not have a traditional system bus or a 'Direct Media Interface' (DMI) to connect between the processor and chipset. Instead, it uses a directly attached 'On Package Interface' (OPI). |
| Details: | N/A |
| L1 Cache: | 32k/32k x2 | L2/L3 Cache: | 256k x2, 3 MB (on chip) |
| Details: | Each core has its own dedicated 256k level 2 cache and the system has 3 MB of shared level 3 cache. |
| Details: | *Shipped standard with 8 GB of 1600 MHz 'Low Power' LPDDR3 SDRAM onboard. |
| Details: | *8 GB of RAM is onboard. It cannot be upgraded later. Also see: Actual Max RAM of All G3 & Later Macs. |
| Details: | *There are no RAM slots. 8 GB of RAM is onboard. It cannot be upgraded further at the time of purchase or otherwise. |
| Details: | This model has an Intel HD Graphics 6000 graphics processor that shares memory with the system. |
| Details: | The Intel HD Graphics 6000 processor reserves up to 1.5 GB of system memory for video function. |
| Built-in Display: | 13.3' Widescreen | Native Resolution: | 1440x900 |
| Details: | 13.3' color widescreen TFT LED-backlit active-matrix 'glossy' display with a 1440 by 900 native resolution. Apple reports that it also supports '1280 by 800, 1152 by 720, and 1024 by 640 pixels at 16:10 aspect ratio and 1024 by 768 and 800 by 600 pixels at 4:3 aspect ratio'. In Spain, site sponsor iRepairs provides affordable repair and data recovery services. In-person and by mail repair services include the display, battery, keyboard, motherboard, and more for this MacBook Air. Worldwide, site sponsor Shenzhen Parts sells quality, brand new, factory-direct parts with global shipping and bulk discounts for repair shops. Replacement parts include displays, keyboards, trackpads, speakers, cameras, and more for this MacBook Air. |
| 2nd Display Support: | Dual/Mirroring* | 2nd Max. Resolution: | 3840x2160 (4K)* |
| Details: | *Although Apple originally only reported that this model could support a single external display up to 2560x1600, third-parties discovered that it actually could support a 3840x2160 (4K) display, and Apple subsequently revised their official documentation to confirm this, as well. |
| Standard Storage: | 128, 256 GB SSD | Std. Storage Speed: | N/A |
| Details: | The MQD32LL/A and MQD42LL/A configurations of this model have 128 GB and 256 GB of flash storage, respectively. The MQD42LL/A configuration with 256 GB of storage was discontinued as a standard configuration on October 30, 2018, but the 128 GB option still could be configured with a 256 GB SSD by custom configuration. Originally, the entry-level MQD32LL/A configuration could be upgraded to 512 GB of storage for US$400 and the higher-end MQD42LL/A configuration could be upgraded to 512 GB of storage for only US$200. On October 30, 2018, Apple discontinued the stock 256 GB option and added 256 GB of storage as a US$200 upgrade option for the entry-level model. Apple does not intend for one to upgrade the storage after purchase, but it is quite possible. Also see: How do you replace or upgrade the storage in the 'Early 2015' MacBook Air models? Is it even possible? In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells storage upgrades for this MacBook Air. In the UK, site sponsor Flexx sells storage upgrades for this MacBook Air. In Canada, site sponsor CanadaRAM sells SSDs and other upgrades for this MacBook Air. In Australia, site sponsor RamCity sells storage upgrades for this MacBook Air. In Southeast Asia, site sponsor SimplyMac.sg sells storage upgrades for this MacBook Air. Also see: SSD Compatibility Guide for All G3 & Later Macs. |
| Storage Dimensions: | Proprietary | Storage Interface: | Proprietary* (PCIe 2.0 x4) |
| Details: | *The SSD in this model uses a proprietary PCIe 2.0 x4 interface. |
| Details: | *MacBook Air models do not have an internal optical drive. Site sponsor Adorama offers the external Apple USB SuperDrive for US$79. It writes DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL at 4X, DVD-R and DVD+R at 8X, DVD-RW at 6X, DVD+RW at 8X, reads DVD at 8X, writes CD-R at 24X, writes CD-RW at 16X, and reads CD at 24X. Site sponsor Other World Computing also has a variety of compact external optical drive options that may be of interest, including some with Blu-ray capability. Also see: What are the full capabilities of the external SuperDrive available for the MacBook Air? Can it be used with other Macs? |
| Details: | *No MacBook Air models have an internal Ethernet port. However, an Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet adapter is offered for US$29. Also see: What official and third-party adapters are available to connect the MacBook Air to wired Ethernet networks? |
| Details: | 802.11ac Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n compatible) and Bluetooth 4.0 standard. Also see: What is 802.11ac? How is it different from 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n? |
| Details: | Two USB 3.0 ports (up to 5 Gbps). Also see: What is the best USB 3.0 hub to use with the MacBook Air while traveling? |
| Details: | This model has an SDXC Card slot. In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells a wide variety of external accessories, including docking stations, adapters, input devices, cases, and more for this MacBook Air. In Australia, site sponsor Macfixit offers an extensive selection of external accessories like docks, stands, chargers, cases, security products, and more for this MacBook Air. Also see: Which SD Card slot storage solution is best for the MacBook Air? Which models are compatible? Is this kind of storage safe? |
| Incl. Keyboard: | Full-size | Incl. Input: | Trackpad (Inertial) |
| Details: | Apple reports that the integrated keyboard has '78 (US) or 79 (ISO) keys, including 12 function keys, 4 arrow keys (inverted 'T' arrangement) with ambient light sensor.' The multi-touch trackpad supports 'inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, three-finger swipe, four-finger swipe, tap, double-tap, and drag capabilities.' Also see: What are the differences between the trackpads in different MacBook Air models? |
| Details: | This MacBook Air uses a razor thin aluminum case design with a 'catchless' magnetic latch. |
| Apple Order No: | MQD32LL/A* | Apple Subfamily: | 13-inch, 2017** |
| Details: | *MQD32LL/A refers to the configuration with 128 GB of flash storage and MQD42LL/A refers to the configuration with 256 GB. MQD42LL/A was discontinued on October 30, 2018. **This model was introduced on June 5, 2017. Apple refers to this model as the 'MacBook Air (13-Inch, 2017),' but it is identical to the 'Early 2015' models apart from its processor and identifiers. |
| Apple Model No: | A1466 (EMC 3178) | Model ID: | MacBookAir7,2 |
| Details: | Please note that these identifiers refer to more than one model. Also see: All Macs with the A1466 Model Number, the 3178 EMC Number, and the MacBookAir7,2 Model Identifier. For more about these identifiers and how to locate them on each Mac, please refer to EveryMac.com's Mac Identification section. |
| Details: | Apple reports that this model can provide up to 12 hours of 'wireless web' and up to 12 hours of 'iTunes movie playback.' Apple additionally reports that it provides 'up to' 30 days of standby time. The system is bundled with a 45W MagSafe 2 power adapter. Also see: What is the battery life of the 'Early 2015' MacBook Air models in 'real-world' usage tests? Is it really as long as Apple claims? |
| Pre-Installed MacOS: | X 10.12.5 (16F73) | Maximum MacOS: | Current* |
| Details: | *This model is fully supported by the last version of macOS Sierra (10.12) and macOS High Sierra (10.13), also. Running macOS High Sierra (10.13), it supports HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding), but it does not support hardware accelerated HEVC. This model is compatible with the current macOS Mojave (10.14) and forthcoming macOS Catalina (10.15), as well. Also see: Which Macs are compatible with macOS Catalina (10.15)? What are the system requirements? What are the major new features? Has anything been removed from previous versions of the macOS? |
| Minimum Windows: | 8 (64-Bit)* | Maximum Windows: | 10 (64-Bit)* |
| Details: | *The pre-installed version of Apple's Boot Camp BCA supports the 64-bit version of Windows 8. Boot Camp 6 supports the 64-bit version of Windows 10. Earlier versions of Windows are not supported. |
| MacOS 9 Support: | None | Windows Support: | Boot/Virtualization |
| Details: | Also see: Are there any third-party programs to run Mac OS 9/Classic applications on Intel Macs? Site sponsor OHS specializes in heavily upgraded Macs capable of running both Mac OS X and Mac OS 9 applications. For more on running Windows on Intel Macs, please refer to the exhaustive Windows on Mac Q&A. |
| Dimensions: | .11-.68 x 12.8 x 8.94 | Avg. Weight: | 2.96 lbs (1.35 kg) |
| Details: | In inches while closed - minimum height to maximum height by width by depth, (0.3 cm-1.7 cm, 32.5 cm, 22.7 cm). |
| Original Price (US): | US$999, US$1199* | Est. Current Retail: | US$850-US$950 |
| Details: | *This MacBook Air originally was offered with 128 GB of flash storage for US$999 and 256 GB of flash storage for US$1199. On October 30, 2018, Apple discontinued the stock 256 GB option. Please note that on average the estimated current retail pricing of used systems is updated twice a year (please refer to the date on the bottom of the page for the date last updated). Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. |
Click on a category for additional details. The most commonly needed info is 'open' by default, but all info is important. The icons correspond with the icons for each port on the computer.
| Video (Monitor): | 1 (Thunderbolt 2) | Floppy (Ext.): | None |
| Details: | This model is equipped with one Thunderbolt 2 port. Thunderbolt 2 is backwards-compatible with Thunderbolt and Mini DisplayPort-equipped displays as well as adapters that are compatible with Mini DisplayPort (DVI, VGA, dual-link DVI and HDMI). It also can support other peripherals that use the Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 standard. Also see: What is 'Thunderbolt'? Is it an industry standard? What advantages does it offer? Are there any disadvantages? |
| Details: | N/A |
| Details: | N/A |
| Details: | Two USB 3.0 ports (up to 5 Gbps). Also see: What is the best USB 3.0 hub to use with the MacBook Air while traveling? |
| Details: | No internal modem or Ethernet. External Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet adapter offered for US$29. |
| Details: | N/A |
| Details: | Dual internal microphones. |
| Details: | *Single analog audio output/headphone jack. Supports Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphone. |
| Details: | N/A |
| Details: | 100V-240V AC, 45W 'MagSafe 2' power adapter. |
Global original prices for the MacBook Air 'Core i5' 1.8 13' (2017*) in 34 different countries and territories follow; organized alphabetically by region.
For global original prices for Intel Macs in one particular country on a single page, please refer to EveryMac.com's Global Original Prices section.
Original Prices - North & South America
| Mexico: | MXN $22,999, $27,999 | United States: | US$999, US$1199* |
Original Prices - Europe
| Denmark: | DKK 8,799, 10,499 | Finland: | €1129, €1379 |
| Ireland: | €1129, €1379 | Italy: | €1129, €1379 |
| Luxembourg: | €1062,66, €1304,41 | Netherlands: | €1099, €1349 |
| Spain: | €1099, €1349 | Sweden: | SEK 10.995, 13.295 |
| Switzerland: | CHF 1'079, 1'279 | United Kingdom: | £949, £1099 |
Original Prices - Asia
| China: | RMB 6,988, 8,488 | Hong Kong: | HK$7,488, HK$8,988 |
| India: | Rs 80,900, 96,900 | Indonesia: | Rp 16,499,000, 19,499,000 |
| Japan: | ¥98,800, ¥118,800 | Korea: | KRW 1,250,000, 1,490,000 |
| Malaysia: | RM 4,199, 4,999 | The Philippines: | PHP 53,990, 63,990 |
| Singapore: | S$1,328, S$1,618 | Taiwan: | NT$31,900, NT$37,900 |
| Thailand: | THB 35,900, 42,900 | Vietnam: | VND 23,880,000, 28,680,000 |
Original Prices - Australia & New Zealand
| Australia: | A$1499, A$1799 | New Zealand: | NZ$1649, NZ$1999 |
If you have additional original prices for this model, please get in touch. Thank you.
Ten of the most popular Q&As about the MacBook Air models follow.
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Macbook Air 2017
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2017 Macbook 12
Introduction
Love is in the MacBook Air and we have a brand new MacBook Pro 13' Touch Bar 2017 to fall for. What's new, borrowed, and blue in this MacBook Air killer successor? We'll have to teardown to find out.
Tie the knot with us, or just hang out on our Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
This teardown is not a repair guide. To repair your MacBook Pro 13' Touch Bar 2017, use our service manual.
Gotta love that new Mac smell, but just how new is this Pro? Get a whiff of these specs:
13.3” LED-backlit IPS Retina display with 2560 × 1600 resolution (227 dpi), P3 wide color gamut
3.1 GHz Kaby Lake dual-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 3.5 GHz)
8 GB of 2133 MHz LPDDR3 SDRAM
256 GB PCIe-based SSD
Integrated Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650
Four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports and 3.5 mm headphone port
802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2
Thanks to prior experience, we've got the obnoxious suction-prying-sliding maneuver down, and we pop this little guy open in no time.
Once the oyster is cracked, and the pearl revealed, we get some serious deja vu.
Compare the MacBook Pro 13' Touch Bar 2017 (second)...
... to the MacBook Pro 13' Touch Bar 2016 (third).
Everything looks pretty much the same to us, right down to the 49.2 Wh battery.
The only difference we spot is the finish on the fans. Looks like the 4K iMac got the real refresh juice this year.
We pick some cuffs out of this notebook and turn them into some mustaches. Here are the secrets within:
Intel Core i5-7267U processor with Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650
Intel® JHL6540 Thunderbolt™ 3 Controller
SanDisk SDRQKBDC4 064G 64 GB NAND flash memory (x2 for a total of 128 GB on this side of the board)
Samsung K4E6E304EB-EGCG LPDDR3 DRAM (4 x 2 GB for 8 GB total)
Texas Instruments SN650839 72C27RNGI, and TI/Stellaris LM4FS1EHSMC Controller (replacement codename for TM4EA231)
H9CKNNN4GTATMR-NTH
Murata/Apple 339S00056 Wi-Fi Module
On the opposite side we find:
2x SanDisk SDRQKBDC4 64 GB NAND flash storage (as seen in the 2016 Escape Edition's removable SSD)—bringing the total to 256 GB
APL1023 343S00736 (likely the custom Apple T1 chip that pairs with the Touch Bar) and (Apple?) 338S00193-A1 17148HDK
2x Texas Instruments TI CD3215C00 68C7QKW G1
Intersil 95828 HRTZ X708FGK
Texas Instruments HD3SS215 6.0 Gbps HDMI DisplayPort 2:1/1:2 Differential Switch
Macronix MX25L6473EZNI-10G Serial Flash Memory
NXP 66V10 NFC controller, containing Secure Element 008 and NXP PN549 (as seen in the iPhone 6s)
Here's the layout, such as it is, replete with mustaches!
For more detailed teardowns of the hardware in this device, consult the previous generation's teardown or even the past-gen one with more keys, if you fancy.
And to round out your Mac refresh knowledge, check out our MacBook and iMac 4K teardowns.
- The trackpad can be removed without first removing the battery.
- Proprietary pentalobe screws continue to make working on the device unnecessarily difficult.
- The battery assembly is entirely, and very solidly, glued into the case, thus complicating replacement.
- The processor, RAM, and flash memory are soldered to the logic board.
- The Touch Bar adds a second, difficult to replace, screen to damage.
- The Touch ID sensor doubles as the power switch, and is paired with the T1 chip on the logic board. Fixing a broken power switch may require help from Apple, or a new logic board.
Final Thoughts
Repairability Score
(10 is easiest to repair)
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