Skip to main content
Tech Radar TechRadar the technology experts
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
RSS
Asia
flag of Singapore
Singapore
Europe
flag of Danmark
Danmark
flag of Suomi
Suomi
flag of Norge
Norge
flag of Sverige
Sverige
flag of UK
UK
flag of Italia
Italia
flag of Nederland
Nederland
flag of België (Nederlands)
België (Nederlands)
flag of France
France
flag of Deutschland
Deutschland
flag of España
España
North America
flag of US (English)
US (English)
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of México
México
Australasia
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of New Zealand
New Zealand
  • Phones
  • Computing
  • TVs
  • AI
  • Streaming
  • Health
  • Audio
  • VPN
  • More
    • Cameras
    • Home
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Opinion
    • How to
    • Versus
    • Deals
    • Coupons
    • Best
Tech Radar Pro
Tech Radar Gaming
Trending
  • Amazon Prime Day
  • Back to school
  • Nintendo Switch 2
  • Best VPN
  • ChatGPT
  • NYT Wordle today
  • Best laptop
  • Best web hosting
Recommended reading
images of a MacBook Pro 13-inch, MacBook Pro 16-inch, MacBook Air 15-inch, Mac mini and Mac Studio in a photo studio
Macbooks The best MacBook and Macs of 2025
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) REVIEW
Macbooks Five years ago Apple silicon changed the world of computing forever, and it was the beginning of the end of my days as a Windows user
MacBook 12-inch at launch
Macbooks The gold, 12-inch MacBook was a miracle, and now Apple has a chance to revive it with the A18 Pro
The leaked M4 MacBook Pro, as shown in a video by YouTuber Romancev768.
Computing Apple could launch a cut-price MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, new report claims – here’s why that would be a massive hit
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) with screen open on blue background
Laptops The best laptops 2025 tested, reviewed and rated
The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch and the Dell XPS 13 on a split-color background.
Laptops Dell XPS 13 vs MacBook Air
Studio shot of Mac mini from 2010
Computing 15 years ago, Apple reinvented the Mac mini with one of its best-ever designs
  1. Computing
  2. Laptops
  3. Macbooks

6 ways the Apple MacBook made today's laptops better

News
By Kevin Lee published 29 September 2016

How the MacBook inspired the computing world

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Where the MacBook has made its mark

Where the MacBook has made its mark

We all might have scoffed a little at the iPhone 7 between reinventing the color "black" and having the courage to move past the headphone jack. But, for all the flak Apple gets sometimes, it's still one of the most innovative and influential forces in the computing world.

The MacBook alone has shaped and shifted the design of all laptops trying to either copy its success or surpass it in some way. Elsewhere, Apple's move away from optical drives and adoption of USB-C has shifted the evolution of laptops altogether.

From Ultrabooks and high-resolution screens to USB-C, let's cover all the ways Apple has played a part in changing the landscape of computers.

This article is part of TechRadar's Mac Week. This year marks not only the 10th anniversary of Apple's MacBook, but the triumphant return of macOS. So, TechRadar looks to celebrate with a week's worth of original features delving back into the Mac's past, predicting the Mac's future and exploring the Mac as it is today.

  •  Apple has inspired many of the best laptops – it's true 
Page 1 of 7
Page 1 of 7
MacBook Air, the original Ultrabook

MacBook Air, the original Ultrabook

It's fair to say the MacBook Air is the face that inspired a thousand Ultrabooks. Back in 2008, the MacBook Air debuted as the world's thinnest laptop, with a nearly pencil-thin and all-aluminum chassis to boot.

Within mere months, we saw dozens of copycats and more original designs trying to capture the same magic.

Over the years, the number of MacBook Air competitors has only grown, and today there are more than a few that flat out supersede it as the king of ultra-light laptops. Regardless, Apple definitely was the first to popularize all the razor-thin designs we see today.

Page 2 of 7
Page 2 of 7
Goodbye, optical drive

Goodbye, optical drive

The MacBook Air just didn't stir the pot in being the de facto first Ultrabook, it caused another ripple effect on the entire laptop world.

This was one of the first devices to not come with an optical drive, and this idea eventually trickled upward to Apple's higher-end MacBook Pro models in October 2012.

Within a few years, more and more competitors' devices followed suit, and now optical drives on laptops are all but unwanted due to the weight and bulk they add.

Page 3 of 7
Page 3 of 7
Retina pressed the reset button on laptop screens

Retina pressed the reset button on laptop screens

If you go shopping for a laptop today, you'll primarily find a lot models with 1080p screens, but that wasn't always the case. In the past, the standard screen resolution you would find on a notebook was 1,366 x 768 (i.e. "HD" resolution).

And so, when Apple debuted its October 2012 MacBook Pro lineup with 13-inch, 2,560 x 1,600 and 15-inch, 2,880 x 1,800 Retina Displays, they were game changers.

These ridiculously sharper screens were a signature feature that put Apple well further ahead of the game than its rivals. They spurred the market to introduce higher-resolution displays, like the QHD+ panel you'll find on the Dell XPS 13 or the 4K Lenovo Yoga 910.

Even Microsoft took note when it launched the Surface Pro 3 in 2014 with a 2,160 x 1,440-pixel resolution display.

Page 4 of 7
Page 4 of 7
Shrinking and supercharging storage

Shrinking and supercharging storage

Solid-state storage has become a standard piece of equipment on most laptops and computers, but that wasn't always the case. In fact, flash-based storage was very rare and expensive, as evidenced by the first 13-inch MacBook Air in 2008, which had an optional 64GB SSD upgrade for $999.

A pricey upgrade to be sure, but the cutting edge tech made for what was one of the first truly fast modern laptops.

Although Dell introduced SSDs with its Latitude D420 and D620 nearly a year before Apple in February 2007, it was the popularity of the MacBook Air that truly brought the speed and space-saving benefits of SSDs to the public eye.

Page 5 of 7
Page 5 of 7
Upending the accessory market with USB-C

Upending the accessory market with USB-C

USB-C: you either love it for its versatility or hate it for replacing your headphone jack. It's quickly seen adoption over the last year and change, but the very first laptop to come with USB-C was the 12-inch MacBook.

Apple has a had a history of introducing ports that became industry standard, like Thunderbolt, and we're seeing this trend again with USB-C's gradual rise to prominence.

Page 6 of 7
Page 6 of 7
Spurring even thinner and lighter form factors

Spurring even thinner and lighter form factors

Just as the MacBook Air brought about the age of Ultrabooks, the new 12-inch MacBook has spawned a new generation of ultra-thin laptops.

We're already seeing manufacturers break thinness records with slimmer devices, like the HP Spectre, Asus ZenBook 3 and Acer Swift 7.

And, with rumor mills churning about the next MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, something tells us that Apple is prepared to respond in kind once again.

Page 7 of 7
Page 7 of 7
TOPICS
Apple
Kevin Lee
Kevin Lee
Social Links Navigation

Kevin Lee was a former computing reporter at TechRadar. Kevin is now the SEO Updates Editor at IGN based in New York. He handles all of the best of tech buying guides while also dipping his hand in the entertainment and games evergreen content. Kevin has over eight years of experience in the tech and games publications with previous bylines at Polygon, PC World, and more. Outside of work, Kevin is major movie buff of cult and bad films. He also regularly plays flight & space sim and racing games. IRL he's a fan of archery, axe throwing, and board games.

See more Computing News
Read more
images of a MacBook Pro 13-inch, MacBook Pro 16-inch, MacBook Air 15-inch, Mac mini and Mac Studio in a photo studio
The best MacBook and Macs of 2025
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) REVIEW
Five years ago Apple silicon changed the world of computing forever, and it was the beginning of the end of my days as a Windows user
MacBook 12-inch at launch
The gold, 12-inch MacBook was a miracle, and now Apple has a chance to revive it with the A18 Pro
The leaked M4 MacBook Pro, as shown in a video by YouTuber Romancev768.
Apple could launch a cut-price MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, new report claims – here’s why that would be a massive hit
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) with screen open on blue background
The best laptops 2025 tested, reviewed and rated
The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch and the Dell XPS 13 on a split-color background.
Dell XPS 13 vs MacBook Air
Latest in Macbooks
Apple MacBook Pro and Air deals
Yes, you guessed it – a wide range of Apple's MacBooks are now on sale during Amazon Prime Day, and there's a few I'd hate to miss
An Apple MacBook Air against a pink TechRadar background
Apple's M1 MacBook Air is back to the insane price of $599.99 in Walmart's anti-Prime Day sale
deals hero
I’m an Apple expert – here’s why Amazon Prime Day is a great time to buy a new MacBook
Apple MacBook Pro M4 deals hero image
Hurry - Apple's latest MacBook Pro with M4 chip has just had a price cut ahead of Amazon Prime Day
MacBook 12-inch at launch
The gold, 12-inch MacBook was a miracle, and now Apple has a chance to revive it with the A18 Pro
MacBook Air M4 on an orange background
I wouldn't wait for Prime Day to grab this deal – Apple's MacBook Air M4 drops to a record-low price
Latest in News
Intel Core Ultra processor
Windows 11 desktop PCs could soon get Copilot+ AI powers, as Intel might radically switch tactics with next-gen CPUs
Tokyo Game Show 2025 artwork
PlayStation, Square Enix, and more big studios have been confirmed for Tokyo Game Show 2025 - here's what to expect
G.Skill Trident Z Neo DDR4-3600 C16 4x8GB
Rising prices of DDR4, DDR5, GDDR6 RAM set to cause havoc on PC, smartphone and GPU prices - and no, AI is not the one to be blamed
Five characters standing in a room and looking shocked in Blindspot
Netflix might have another Suits-like hit on its hands as unlikely crime thriller makes its way onto the popular streamer's most-watched shows list
Marvel Rivals
Marvel Rivals season 3 is making big changes to how you earn your rewards, but you can claim extra goodies by simply watching your favorite Twitch streamer play the game
Police
UK Police wants to spend $100 million to turn millions of hours of VHS footage into digital format — now that's something AI could help with
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. 1
    I thought this was a mistake – TCL’s new mini-LED TV is 50% off for Prime Day
  2. 2
    The Samsung Galaxy Ring is on sale for its lowest price ever thanks to Prime Day
  3. 3
    I test AR glasses for a living and this is the best Prime Day deal I've seen for a pair this year
  4. 4
    Amazon has a mega Lego sale for Prime Day – here are my 17 picks from $6.99
  5. 5
    Need a cheap soundbar? This Prime Day deal on one of Amazon's own models is an absolute steal

TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Web notifications
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...