What is the battery life of the MacBook Air (NVIDIA/Late 2008) in real-world usage tests?
For the original MacBook Air, Apple stated that the notebook could provide five hours of battery life with wireless activated. Critics flambed this claim, finding battery life to be significantly inferior in real-world use. For the NVIDIA/Late 2008 MacBook Air — it is interesting to note that despite the fact that the energy consumption of these models is less than the original — Apple only has estimated 4.5 hours of battery life in a “wireless productivity” test, perhaps a quiet admission that the number reported for the original system was a bit more optimistic than it should have been. Nevertheless, those who follow the computer industry are used to practically irrational optimism from companies reporting battery life, and as a result, only real-world usage tests can provide a realistic estimate. In an otherwise comprehensive review, MacWorld did not test battery life, but IDG sister publication ComputerWorld did, and reported: According to Apple’s [Director of notebook marketing
