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MacBook Air 2017 - A1466 - Linux - Project + Install Advice

My “New” Linux Laptop: 2017 MacBook Air

I. Intel MacBooks – 2017 vs 2019 (A1466 vs A1932)
II. Future Possibilities – A1465
III. Linux - Mint 22.3 - Installation Instructions
IV. Linux - Other ISO - Debian
V. Purpose - Portable Dev Laptop
VI. Notes - MBA Release Dates, Intel CPU chip types 

Overview - Why Linux + Mac

I needed a portable laptop w/ good battery life and decent specs to write code while outside.  Mostly, it would be small-to-medium size Python or ASP.Net projects and maybe a few basic Machine Learning models; eventually, I'll get a newer M-series Macbook to fulfill my programming needs.

My HP 2016 i7 is too bulky and the HP i3 is hideous so I replaced my old Linux laptop with not one but a pair of 2017 MacBook Air’s that I picked up on eBay for $120 each. My HP 2014 i3 still runs fine, but the plastic body is falling apart.  The one nice benefit of the HP remains its touchscreen, surprisingly useful and windows keyboard layout; this is something I'm still getting used to relearning a Mac keyboard layout for Linux.

Why two MacBook Air?  Originally, I got the 256GB version MQD42LL/A and when pricing for a 512GB SSD upgrade it was basically the price of a 512GB A1466… why pay $80 for the SSD when $120 gets a whole computer?

The MacBook Air 2017 has similar specs (reflecting the MDQ42LL/A:

Feature MacBook Air 2017 (A1466) HP 15-f010dx (2014)
CPU Intel i5-5350U (5th gen, 15W) Intel i3-4010U (4th gen, 15W)
Cores / Threads 2 / 4 2 / 4
Base / Turbo 1.8 GHz / 2.9 GHz 1.7 GHz / No Turbo
RAM 8GB LPDDR3 1600 MHz 8GB DDR3 1600 MHz (upgraded)
Storage 256GB SSD (Apple blade) 256GB SATA SSD (upgraded)
Display 13.3" 1440×900 15.6" 1366×768 + Touchscreen
Weight 2.96 lbs 5.1 lbs
Build Aluminum unibody
12.8 × 8.94 × 0.68 in		 Plastic chassis
Ports 2× USB-A 3.0, Thunderbolt 2, SD card, MagSafe 1x USB-A 3.0, 2× USB-A 2.0, HDMI, Ethernet, DVD drive
Wireless WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4 WiFi 802.11n
Battery Life 6 - 8 hours 1.5 hours - when new (real world use)

So this is more of a durability upgrade than a speed upgrade. The aluminum unibody feels solid in a way the old plastic HP never did.  But I'll admit the screen is sharper, speakers are louder and battery life is unmatched...all this for $120?  Unreal value.  That said the HP is an economy model from 2014 challenging a more premium 2017 Mac so wasn’t entirely fair to begin with.

I also won't feel embarrassed demoing on this Linux Macbook my Python and ASP.Net builds.  Even after 9 years...it looks modern and premium, only those who own a Macbook might know its an older model.

I. Intel MacBooks – 2017 vs 2019 (A1466 vs A1932)

When shopping for a used Mac, I assumed newer would be better. The A1932 has an 8th-gen i5‑8210Y, but it’s often equal or slower than the A1466’s i5-5350U because of lower power limits (7W vs 15W).  Another detractor is the butterfly keyboard used on the A1932, from online sources reliability is not the greatest.

The A1932 has a sharper Retina display; but that seems to come at the cost of shorter battery life.  And while it has 2 USB-C ports, one usually used for charging.  The A1466 in contrast has 3 ports and a separate dedicated charging port by Magsafe.

RAM is soldered, so 8GB or more is best. For A1466, SSD is upgradeable, while 256GB is sufficient for a lightweight Linux setup, upgrading to a 512GB or 1TB is preferred longer term.

For Linux, the older model is more practical and compatible. Both 2015 and 2017 Airs share the A1466 model number.
 
Feature A1466 (2015–2017) A1932 (2018–2019)
CPU i5-5350U (15W) i5-8210Y (7W)
RAM Soldered Soldered
SSD Upgradeable Soldered
Screen Standard 1440×900 Retina 2560×1600
Ports USB-A, Thunderbolt 2, MagSafe, Card Reader 2× USB-C (one used for charging)
Wireless WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4 WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2
Keyboard Scissor Butterfly
Battery Life 6 - 8 hours 6 hours?

II. Future Possibilities – A1342, A1465, A2141

The smaller 11-inch MacBook Air (A1465) from 2015 is another interesting option. It weighs just 2.38 lbs and uses a similar Intel 5th generation i5 or i7 CPU. Battery capacity is smaller, but it could make a great ultra-portable Linux machine.

The challenge is finding one with 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD, since many are limited to 4GB and 128GB...the ideal configuration would be the MJVP2LL/A BTO....and unfortunately the prices they want are approaching what you can pay for an M1.

Other interesting options are the A1342, which offers ability to upgrade the RAM and SSD, but limited by the very old CPU...the Macbook Pro's are impressive, but due to slim form factor its difficult to find examples that haven't had hardware failures due to high thermal heat damage...one of the reasons Apple abandoned Intel CPU.

The only practical one that surpasses the A1466 is the A2141 and I'm considering variants using the i7 in 32GB and 512GB configuration as the 16" screen is what I'm interested for more IDE real estate.  But the prices for A2141 are near those for an M1 MBA and performance wise, the M1 can beat it.

Inevitably, I haven't picked up any as my price ceiling is $100-150, the M1 MBA can be found for $300 and I'm limiting myself to a rack of 6 laptops (4 slots presently filled)…reserving a spot for an M-series macbook.

 

Spec A1342 A1465 A1707 A2141
Common Name MacBook 13″ White Polycarbonate MacBook Air 11″ MacBook Pro 15″ Touch Bar MacBook Pro 16″
Latest Year Sold 2010 2015 2017 2019
Display 13.3″ 1280×800 11.6″ 1366×768 15.4″ Retina 2880×1800 16″ Retina 3072×1920
Typical CPUs Core 2 Duo P8600

i5-5250U , i7-5650U 

 i7-77000HQ , i7-7820HQ , i7-7920HQ i7-9750H , i9-9880H, i9-9980HK
RAM Options 2–8 GB DDR3 (upgradeable) 4–8 GB LPDDR3 16 GB LPDDR3 16–64 GB DDR4
Storage Options 250–500 GB HDD (2.5″ SATA) 128–512 GB PCIe SSD 256 GB–2 TB SSD 512 GB–8 TB SSD
Ports MagSafe, USB-A, Mini DisplayPort, Ethernet MagSafe 2, USB-A, Thunderbolt 2 4× Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) 4× Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C)
Notable Traits Last white plastic MacBook Smallest MacBook Air ever made Touch Bar + dedicated GPU Larger chassis, improved keyboard, last Intel 16″
Keyboard Unibody Scissor Butterfly Magic
Weight ~4.7 lbs 2.38 lbs ~4.0 lbs ~4.3 lbs

III. Linux - Mint 22.3 - Installation Instructions

  1. Prepare your Tools:
  2. Create the bootable USB using Balena Etcher with your downloaded ISO and USB 2.0 drive.
  3. Boot your Mac from the USB: Power off the MacBook, then hold Power + Option (⌥) keys until you hear the startup sound. Release the keys when the Boot Loader Menu appears. If the EFI drive icon doesn’t show up, try re-inserting the USB or using a different port.
  4. Launch Linux Mint by selecting the EFI Boot icon. The system will load for a few minutes, showing the Linux Mint logo before bringing up the desktop.
  5. Evaluate the live environment: Check that basic functions work — keyboard, trackpad, display, etc. Wi-Fi will not work initially on the MacBook Air 2017 and requires manual setup after installation. Trackpad gestures may also need additional configuration. Tip: Confirm everything works in macOS first to make Linux driver setup easier.
  6. Choose your installation method: Decide whether to dual-boot (preserving macOS alongside Linux) or fully erase the disk for a Linux-only installation.
  7. Run through the installation process, following the on-screen prompts. Once Linux Mint is installed, configure Wi-Fi, trackpad, and any other hardware that requires drivers.
  8. Let it Run 1st time: This WILL TAKE A WHILE... patience. Eventually press the Enter key when you reach max frustration and it'll magically continue.
  9. WiFi setup 1st time: You'll need an alternative way to connect to the internet by tethering (Bluetooth, USB cable, or Ethernet-to-USB adapter). I used my iPhone personal hotspot via Bluetooth.
    1. Check what Broadcom part you have. I have BCM4360 [14e4:43a0]. Open Terminal and run: 
      lspci -nn | grep Network
    2. Then install the Broadcom drivers: 
      sudo apt update
sudo apt install bcmwl-kernel-source
sudo modprobe wl
    3. You may need to restart NetworkManager: 
      sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager
    4. If issues persist, check for conflicting drivers: 
      lsmod | grep wl
      Post the results in ChatGPT to determine conflicts and how to remove them.
  10. Touchpad - Multi-Tap: Still working out this one. Out-of-the-box multi-tap won't work, which is annoying if you want to right-click using the touchpad. You can plug in an external mouse for a quick remedy.

IV. Linux - Other ISO Debian

I've used Mint for many years and prefer lightweight distros, but not too minimal (i.e., Xubuntu / Lubuntu). This leads me to consider Debian. The main goal is battery life, and from what others report, Debian uses less RAM and resources, which may translate to better battery life — possibly an extra hour.

I'll use the old HP 2014 i3-4010u to evaluate Debian, and based on that, I'll consider swapping the MacBook A1466.  Then finally retire the HP 2014.

V. Purpose - Portable Developer Laptop

I typically write code on Windows machines at work and prefer large LCD monitors; there is nothing like it. I also don't want to mix personal projects and work on the same machine. Eventually, if I do get into serious ML modeling, it’ll end up being a desktop PC with GPUs; possibly a pre-owned Mac Studio.

For personal code, sometimes I want to be portable. While the HP 2016 i7-6700HQ is more powerful, it’s bulky, noisy, and battery life is awful. It looks silly lugging that thing around and it’s already an ancient beast.

The MacBook Air (MBA) has proven perfect, as I can quickly pull from my git repo and code while waiting at Costco or at a coffee shop. Granted, it’s all lightweight stuff that I can then debug and run later at home or in the office.

Eventually, I'll pick up a modern MBA M-series. The HP 2016 i7 impressed me enough to stick with older laptops, as most of my code still cannot exceed its capabilities. When it does, then I’m ready.

VI. Notes - MacBook Air Release Dates & Intel CPU Types

Model / Suffix Release Date
M5Mar ?, 2026
M4Mar 12, 2025
M3Mar 8, 2024
M2Jul 15, 2022
M1Nov 10, 2020
A1932 (2019)Jul 9, 2019
A1932 (2018)Nov 7, 2018
A1466 (2017)Jun 7, 2017
A1465/A1466 (2015)Mar 9, 2015
A1465/A1466 (2014)Apr 29, 2014
A1465/A1466 (2013)Jun 10, 2013
A1465/A1466 (2012)Jun 11, 2012
A1370 / A1369 (2011)Jul 20, 2011
A1370 / A1369 (2010)Oct 20, 2010
A1304Oct 14, 2008
A1237Jan 29, 2008


Suffix Meaning / Rule of Thumb Typical TDP MacBook Use Case / Models
U Ultra-low power 10–28W MacBook Air (2010–2020), thin/light laptops; great battery life
Y Extremely low power 7–15W 12‑inch MacBook (2015–2019), fanless design, super-thin
H High performance 35–45W 15‑inch MacBook Pro (2018–2019), gaming/pro laptops equivalent
HQ High performance + Quad-core 45W 15‑inch MacBook Pro (2013–2017), quad-core Intel i7/i9 CPUs
M Mobile (older Intel) 15–45W MacBook Pro 2008–2010 era, older laptops before U-series
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