Tested apple recipe. It is not random that it was continuously released from 2010 to 2020 with changes only in the processor. Lightweight, very thin aluminum frame, illuminated logo, impeccable travel keyboard with instant response like the touchpad. I have had it for 3 years and I use it for browsing, Netflix, and office work. Very reliable but not to buy it new. It is the last model with USB ports (2), SD slot, Thunderbolt 2, and MagSafe. If you want these in a new generation, you go for the 14' pro at 2,500 euros, otherwise, you have to carry a dongle. The screen, although not retina, is fine for your tasks, surfing, and watching movies. The battery lasts a long time (at least 10 hours) and the processor does not lag anywhere (with many open windows) and rarely do you hear the fan. Another hint is that you can get a Thunderbolt to HDMI adapter for very little money to connect it to a monitor.
As for the negatives, I would only mention the outdated large bezels on the screen, which are also silver instead of black and are noticeable. Also, the screen is not easily visible from the sides and in the sun due to low nits and the lack of true tone, but who uses a laptop against the sun or watches from the sides anyway.

For a year, entering the "Apple Store" was like being pulled by a magnet. I admired it, touched it as if there were no other laptops. However, its price was prohibitive! Eventually, despite the remote learning lessons, I took the plunge (with many installments!)

In the first few days, it was difficult to get used to the macOS software. Where is the ease of Windows? Where are the files? Where is Google? Where do I save? Where is the speed?...

A few days later, finally getting familiar! Google, YouTube, Word were found with a little searching! One finger, two fingers, three fingers strokes on silk, and everything becomes magical. Here, you won't find instant speeds, but you won't be disappointed either. You know that this precious metal piece will work steadily, smoothly, and reliably for many years. For me, as an educator, it is incredibly collaborative!

Its keyboard has a beautiful mechanical feel, a little hard but wonderful in sensation, and it is naturally backlit.

Its battery lasts for 6 hours with webex, but yes, I expected more, to tell the truth.

Its price is indeed very high now! However, I consider it to be perhaps the most classic Mac you can buy, with an amazing design that has been widely copied! The newer M1, I think, has changed course a bit, and despite being slightly more expensive, I did not prefer it.

So, to put things in perspective. I bought this laptop from the apple store in America in February 2017. I am now entering the 5th year since then. Let me first talk about the machine itself. For simple everyday use, web browsing, writing texts, spreadsheets, and general office programs, as well as some photo editing, the computer is great. It is what the majority of people and students need. It never crashed, never disappointed me. I don't take care of it at all, I hardly ever shut it down, I forget to unplug the charger, and I always have around 50 tabs open on Chrome. After 4 years of abuse, it has now started showing the first signs of fatigue. Despite all this, I believe it has at least two more years before it starts lagging too much, which would be at 6 years... The battery now lasts 4 to 5 hours, which is very good considering that other computers don't even last 2 hours after 4 years.

Now, regarding the price. When I bought it in Greece, it cost 1200 euros. In America, it was 999 dollars, which is around 820 euros. Now, at the apple store, they found out that I was a student in Greece through my passport (100 years ahead of Greece) and gave me an additional student discount of 20%, so I paid 799 dollars, which is around 670 to 680 euros (almost half the price in Greece). Here, I see that even 4 years later, the price remains at 1000 euros. Ridiculous. Now in America, you can find it for as low as 500 dollars. I believe that for the money I paid, or even up to 800 euros, it was worth it because it was a very good machine and you couldn't get anything better for that price. I wouldn't buy it now for 1000 euros for any reason. For 2021, the price it deserves is a maximum of 600 euros.

I have the 2015 model, which I found used at a very good price and with a clean installation of macOS Catalina it flies. I believe that the 2017 model is still worth its money because, apart from its very good performance in demanding programs, you also get a thin ultrabook with excellent build quality and an iconic design, one of the best batteries on the market, and a very satisfactory keyboard. Apple's glass trackpad is in a league of its own, supporting many gestures and being responsive. I now use it on a daily basis, even though I couldn't touch a laptop without a mouse before. You will see that most reviewers criticize the screen of this machine, but the only reason why no other laptop can compete with its battery is the relatively "low" resolution. The colors are nice, vibrant, and warm, and coming from one of the old good ThinkPads (from 2014), I have to say that it is superior. Like all laptops, especially MacBooks, there is an issue with cooling, and after a long time at high temperatures, it does thermal throttling. Although I have never experienced it, it is something you should consider if you are getting it for endless hours of work. The only issue you will encounter is the capacity because 128GB is not enough. It can be upgraded with any NVMe SSD on the market, just make sure to do some research and get an adapter to fit Apple's special slot (2-3 euros from eBay). But besides that, you will also need special screwdrivers (P5 pentalobe - 1 euro from eBay and T5 torx - 1 euro as well) to open it. I upgraded it to a quite fast Kingston SSD 512GB and the time it takes to open has decreased (from 22'' to 13''), not to mention that it has become even more alive.

This laptop is truly unbeatable for the intended purpose. It is no coincidence that Apple has been selling it for over 10 years (which is like an eternity in the computer world). I got my first MacBook Air in 2010 (!) from England. Same screen (1440x900, just released back then), same chassis, same weight as the current one. The only difference was that it had a core 2 duo and 2GB of RAM. I wanted it as a student back then and then used it for work. My usage is 99% internet and word processing. It has all the essential features I want as a professional, such as lightweight for carrying it to work every day, reliability, build quality, TOP AND RELIABLE KEYBOARD (still the best on Macs regardless of price), and fast speeds thanks to the SSD - I repeat, for internet and office work. After 8 trouble-free years of use, I had an issue with the charging cable connection to the computer (the old L-shaped charger, now they have the reliable T-shaped one) and some decrease in battery performance. So I got the same one again!! Now with 8GB of RAM, it has become an even better machine, especially with multiple open tabs on the internet. I don't care about the processor for the work I do.
I note that I also saw the MacBook Pro in 2018 and liked the retina display. However, the increased specs were useless to me, the weight was increased (which makes a difference in everyday bag transportation, even 300g matter), but mainly there were 2 reasons why I got the "old" MacBook Air: Firstly, it still has USB-A, which is what all my peripherals use. On the contrary, USB-C requires dongles and adapters. Secondly, the keyboard, which has a greater travel distance, better feel, and never breaks. My mother's MacBook 12" has had the keyboard break 3 times, with 3 replacements at the authorized service. The sensitivity of the butterfly keyboards on MacBook Pro and MacBook is well known, they constantly break - despite Apple's multi-year recall and repair programs. I couldn't risk such damage, especially since I constantly spill food on the keyboard.
In conclusion, the best computer I've ever had FOR THE USE I MAKE OF IT. Anyone who wants something lightweight, user-friendly, fast, and reliable for internet, office, and media playback should not look elsewhere. For other "heavier" uses at this price point, there are certainly better options in Windows.

I decided to write this review after 6 months of using this product. The MacBook Air 2017 is perfect. I have been using it for half a year and it has never lagged. It is extremely fast, opening applications instantly. The battery life is excellent, lasting for 14.23 hours of continuous internet usage. It is very lightweight and the screen has perfect colors, even better than a television. As for the operating system, it is also very good with numerous built-in applications. For gaming enthusiasts, I assure you that it is the perfect laptop. It runs many games smoothly with excellent graphics and no lagging (such as War Thunder, World of Tanks, World of Warships, and even Fortnite). Additionally, for those who are not satisfied with the operating system, there is a dedicated application to install Windows 10 Home for free. Overall, I believe that this laptop is perfect and suitable for all tasks. (I will write another review after 1 year of use)

P.S.: You don't need to purchase Microsoft Office as you can access the online office of Microsoft on the internet. Also, all Mac computers have programs similar to Office but made by Apple (Keynote [PowerPoint], Numbers [Excel], Pages [Word])

Well. Although it is a computer that many people criticize, I have to say the following:
• For its intended purpose (internet, office work, etc.), it is extremely fast with incredible responsiveness.
• Despite having "average features" that you would cry about if it were a Windows laptop, MACOS PROVIDES INCREDIBLE MANAGEMENT AND DOES NOT FREEZE OR LAG.
Do not listen to those who say that the laptop is useless or that you can get something better with the same money with Windows. Guys, whoever wants the reliability that Apple offers and needs a tool for work, this is the way to go.

Finally, I hear a lot about the screen, that it is bad or that you can't see well from various viewing angles.
The screen is FINE. It does its job, it doesn't strain the eyes too much, and it certainly is not like those fake 1080p glossy screens of cheap Windows laptops.
And objectively now, regarding the viewing angles: are you really going to put the laptop, for example, on the desk and then move left and right until you say "oh, I can't see, oh, color distortion"? Computers are made to be used while sitting STRAIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM.

And to sum it up:
Perfect laptop, does its job reliably without problems, incredible build quality, a fine screen, and although it has "lower" features, MacOS provides incredible management.

I was also in a dilemma and was looking at reviews. I understand your positions. Let me tell you about my experience.
Coming from a 5-year-old Vaio that served me well during my student years, I wanted to make a good investment and the air is definitely a great choice. As a student and a working professional, I wanted autonomy, good build quality, portability, a great battery, and fast performance for office applications. I think it is the best choice due to its above-mentioned features and also because of macOS, which will leave you more than satisfied.
Don't be afraid of the screen, it has an excellent trackpad and keyboard, great temperature control, and is incredibly lightweight with amazing build quality. I think it is worth the money for a Mac, it is currently the most affordable option and definitely has nothing to envy from the new air 2018, except for the retina display, touch ID, and 8th generation processor (which you won't notice a difference in for office applications and internet use). As for storage, there are solutions like a 64GB or 128GB microSD card with an adapter, since it has a card reader, or an external hard drive, so don't worry and don't spend extra money.
I chose the official representative since they provide a two-year warranty. So far, I am completely satisfied.

Update: I have been a MacBook Air owner for 2.5 years and I am more than satisfied. It has never lagged, even with demanding multitasking. The temperatures are very stable. It maintains its speeds like the first day, even without upgrading the SSD yet. I am still running Mojave, which runs extremely smoothly on this model. With an SSD upgrade, I will upgrade the software. For the tasks I need and the requirements, it is still value for money. If you are considering buying a Mac now, you can also check out the new MacBook Air with more upgraded features and not significantly more expensive.

I have to say that it is amazing; I will say it. It is. I am a very demanding user and definitely one of those who should go for a MacBook Pro. However, I chose this one because of the price and because it was (almost) the first Mac computer I would get. I quickly got used to the Apple environment, exclusively using the device (no parallel use of Windows) within the first month, and I already had comfort even in shortcuts/advanced functions from the first trimester.
After almost 3 years, I have noticed the following:
Excellent keyboard, enjoyable to type on, extremely convenient touchpad that makes you feel like you're working on your phone, fast in most things, NEVER overheats, its fans rarely kick in, regardless of how much I push it, as it has an incredible cooling system, almost magical.
It works flawlessly with all Apple programs (e.g. its own word-pages, its own browser program Safari, etc.). I can't say the same for other programs, such as Microsoft Word and the entire Office suite in general, Adobe programs, etc. Especially with cracked versions, crashes occur or overall heavy performance.
If you need it for video editing, forget about working with Premier (Adobe is crazy with its demands even on Windows devices). On the contrary, you will be amazed at how fast and reliable it works with the equivalent Final Cut Pro, using the same video quality and size. You won't easily go back to any other program.
I use it for crazy multitasking, for example, three different browsers with countless (countless, I tell you) tabs open simultaneously (mainly on Safari because Chrome and especially Mozilla can't handle many open tabs), and at the same time, I have Photoshop, Word, and 3-4 other applications open. And it can handle it all.
Its battery is as promised by the company, easily lasting 12 hours if the brightness setting is somewhere in the middle and the usage is moderate, or a solid 6 hours if the brightness is high and the usage is intensive. Of course, over time, the battery loses performance, but it is NOTHING compared to Windows laptops that, after a while, end up lasting at most half an hour to an hour and a half. I think it has a much better battery than other MacBooks.
If you are an iPhone user, you will be surprised at how harmoniously all the devices work together. For example, copying from one device and pasting it on another, being able to make a call from the computer and continue the call on the iPhone, or writing and receiving SMS, etc.
I bought it for testing, with the intention of eventually getting a MacBook Pro for video editing, but I'm thinking of sticking with this one. It does (almost) everything and does it effortlessly. It's not a powerhouse in terms of speed and capabilities, but it covers 99% of users, I think even professionals like myself.
At first, I had doubts about its screen, thinking that I would struggle with the 13.3 inches. I even bought cables to connect it to my 24-inch office monitor, but I haven't used that monitor for 2 years now. I do everything, even design in Photoshop or page layout, without an external monitor, and many times without an external mouse.
In my opinion, someone should not get the 2018 MacBook Air because, apart from the extra 200-300 euros they will spend, they will miss out on various conveniences, such as USB ports, the card reader, the magnetic charging cable (which has saved me countless times from device falls), etc. such as the bright apple logo behind the screen (it is the latest device on the market that comes with a bright apple).
However, be careful: DO NOT make the mistake of getting the 128GB version because it fills up quickly and there always needs to be some free gigabytes for the computer to function efficiently. Prefer the 256GB version or if you don't want to spend money, you will end up with a solution like iCloud drive with a subscription, which uploads part of your data to the cloud and frees up space. It does it in a magical way, it costs a little and it has helped me - although I am not fully satisfied with how it works.
In general, I would characterize it as the best laptop on the market, very lightweight, very thin, compact, and sturdy construction. It may not have the retina screens of the new models, but it is undoubtedly value for money and I think there is no competitor in this category for something similar below 1000€.
What is crying-worthy is its service and its official resellers who have the attitude of 100 cardinals and do not serve, but the good thing is that with such strong machines, you will not need service (I say it from previous experience with another device).
Go for a MacBook Pro only if you intend to use the device for 4K editing or for very demanding graphics, etc.