Apple’s latest lineup of MacBook Air ultraportables just hit the Apple online store, and as expected, these babies are packing Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge Core i5 and i7 processors and the company’s high-speed Thunderbolt technology, and backlit keyboards as standard.
All models pack a new Intel 3000 graphics processor and now feature a backlit keyboard like that in the MacBook Pros.
Prices start at $949 — $50 less than the last generation — for the entry-level 11-inch model, which boasts a 1.6GHz Core i5 processor, said to be 2.5% faster than the last model’s 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU. There’s also 64GB of storage and 2GB of RAM.
For $1,149 you can get the high-end 11-inch model with the same Core i5 processor at 1.6GHz, but with 128GB of storage and 4GB of RAM. Alternatively, there’s a build-to-order option that will allow you to purchase a 1.8GHz Core i7 processor, 4GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
As for the 13-inch, prices start at $1,249 and get you a 1.7GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The high-end 13-inch model costs $1,549 and features the same 1.7GHz processor and 4GB of RAM, but with 256GB of storage. You can also build-to-order the 13-inch model to get a 1.8GHz Intel Core i7 processor.
The specs are exactly the same as those leaked earlier today. How do you feel about the latest MacBook Airs? Will you be rushing out to buy one today?
Killian Bell is a freelance writer based in the U.K. He has an interest in all things tech and also covers Android over at CultofAndroid.com. You can follow him on Twitter via @killianbell.
40 responses to “Apple Releases New MacBook Airs With Sandy Bridge CPUs, Thunderbolt, Backlit Keyboards”
HDD still too small for me.
Anyone else noticed that the white Macbook seems to be MIA?
is that 2.5% or 25%?
I am the lone soul shocked and outraged at the lack of a FaceTimeHD camera on these new MacBook Airs? Read the specs. It’s just the standard def camera they’ve used for years. Except for that jaw dropping omission, it’s quite nearly a “perfect” computer.
guess theyre getting rid of it mean why get it when the new airs are 99 dollars more
Performance wise these are looking not bad at all for the price.
http://appledrunk.com/apple-up…
I am a little surprised by that omission as well. But then the low res stuff on the iPad 2 also seems a bit behind the times.
If the price is any indication, the iPad is on the lower end of the scale so a lack of a decent camera isn’t too earth shattering on that device. But the MacBook Air? Furthermore, these are Apple’s latest and greatest in July 2011. It therefore makes no sense whatsoever for them to attenuate that greatness with a lackluster camera. No sense at all.
I’m not too surprised, tbh. I would consider an Air instead of a Macbook Pro even. The white Macbook was starting to look a little out of place in the lineup, imho.
Yes, 2.5%: http://www.apple.com/macbookai…
In all fairness, the baseline 11″ model does seem to be the new bog standard model. The Airs in general cannot really be considered the “greatest” in terms of spec. Other models do a better job of this and the Airs are more entry level and/or specialist. That said, they are not low end by any stretch and neither is the iPad really so I don’t think it makes sense for any of them to have the low res cameras. Especially when the competition can manage to get HD cameras in comparable devices.
FaceTime HD is only 720p, which is hardly what I would call “great.” FaceTime HD is needed because Apple’s previous camera is long in the tooth. It’s been around for ages, with zero improvements FOR YEARS. FaceTime HD should be put on anything new Apple makes, including the iPad. And if they want to put something better on an expensive pro machine, by all means, put a 1080p FaceTimeHD+ camera in it. But there is no excuse to use 2004 camera technology in a brand new 2011 computer, especially one with an appealing design like the Air, and modern tech like SSDs to boot.
No the only sane explanation I can possibly think of is that the suppliers of 720p cameras refused to make them thin enough to fit into the Air’s enclosure. Even then I am still not very pleased about it at all.
At $949, the 11″ Macbook Air is about the same cost as a 64 GB iPad 3G with an Apple Bluetooth Keyboard and dock. I have an iPad with a Bluetooth keyboard, I don’t need an 11″ notebook which is basically the same thing without the connectivity.
Whoops, not 2.5% faster but 2.5x faster!!!!!
Not sure where you are getting $949 from. $999 seems to be the price for the base config.
the above 2.5% should read x2.5 (250%) i believe
Did anyone notice that their talking about education prices? The new Airs are still the same price.
glad you’re being honest
there is no HDD, it’s an SSD
No, it is 250%; or 2,5x. Early benchmarks confirm this.