Apple introduced new Macbook Air models at Monday morning’s WWDC keynote.
The new Airs—which come in 11-inch and 13-inch models—run on Intel’s Ivy Bridge processor—a Core i5 chip in the standard configurations, with a Core i7 processor available as a build-to-order option. The updated laptops ship with 4GB of memory, but you can expand that to 8GB.
The updated MacBook Airs now come with USB 3 in addition to USB 2. A port on each side incorporates both USB 3 and USB 2 so you don’t have to think about which port to plug into; users can plug into either of the two USB ports included in the MacBook Air, according to Apple senior vice president of worldwide product marketing Phil Schiller. A high-speed Thunderbolt port alongside two USB 3.0 ports let you easily connect to external displays and a variety of other peripherals.
The MacBook Air’s FaceTime camera has been updated to match the MacBook Pro's—FaceTime HD now features a 720p camera.
The 11-inch MacBook Air features a 1.7GHz dual-core i5 processor and an integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 graphics processor. It comes in a 64GB configuration for $999 and a 128GB configuration for $1099—that’s $100 less than Apple charged on the previous 11-inch models. The 13-inch MacBook Airs got a $100 price cut, too: The 128GB model costs $1199 while the 256GB version costs $1499. Those 13-inch laptops feature a 1.8GHz dual-core i5 processor and 4GB of memory.
Build-to-order options for the MacBook Air include a 2.0 GHz Intel Core i7 processor, up to 8GB of 1600 MHz DDR3 onboard memory and up to 512GB flash storage.
The 13-inch MacBook Air delivers up to 7 hours of wireless battery life, while the 11-inch MacBook Air delivers up to 5 hours, Apple says. Their batteries use advanced chemistry and Adaptive Charging technology to provide up to 1,000 recharges, according to the company. The new integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 is up to 60 percent faster and gives the MacBook Air more power to tackle games and videos, Apple says.
The latest MacBook Air models ship immediately. The MacBook Airs ship with OS X Lion, and starting today, customers who purchase a Mac are eligible for a free copy of Mountain Lion when it becomes available.
Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories are available from Apple's website.
We’ll update this article with more details as they become available.
For more Macintosh computing news, visit Macworld. Story copyright © 2011 Mac Publishing LLC. All rights reserved.
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