As expected, Apple has refreshed its MacBook Air line of ultraportables at the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2013, San Francisco, early this morning. The high-popular ultraportable is now powered by fourth generation Intel Core processor codenamed “Haswell.” The new MacBook Air models feature faster graphics, latest 802.11ac Wi-Fi, faster Flash memory and all-day battery life.
The new MacBook Air features the power-efficient, low-voltage fourth generation Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors that give the 13-inch MacBook Air up to 12 hours of battery life. The 11-inch on the other hand, delivers up to 9 hours of battery life.
New Intel HD Graphics 5000 delivers up to 40 percent faster performance for gaming and graphics applications. The all new Flash storage brings 45% faster performance than previous generation Flash storage.
Packed into the super-thin and super-light design of the MacBook Air are dual microphones, a FaceTime HD camera, a single Thunderbolt port and two USB 3.0 ports. MacBook Air supports dual displays and video mirroring, simultaneously supporting full native resolution on the built-in display.
Apple also introduced redesigned Airport Extreme and Airport Time Capsule base stations to feature three-stream 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology (max. data rate of 1.3Gbps). A whopping three times faster than 802.11n.
Pricing & Availability
MacBook Air is available today through Apple Online Store (store.apple.com/my/), Apple retail stores and Apple Authorised Resellers.
- 11″ MacBook Air (1.3Ghz Core i5/4GB/128GB) – RM2,999.00 (US$999)
- 11″ MacBook Air (1.3Ghz Core i5/4GB/256GB) – RM3,599.00 (US$1,299)
- 13″ MacBook Air (1.3Ghz Core i54GB/128GB) – RM3,299.00 (US$1,099)
- 13″ MacBook Air (1.3Ghz Core i5/4GB/256GB) – RM3,899.00 (US$1,299)
Configure-to-order options include a 1.7Ghz Intel Core i7 processor, up to 8GB of memory and 512GB flash storage.
Strangely, no Retina Display, although we’re guessing Apple had a price point target to meet. The US$999 option is a compelling buy, cheaper than the previous generation entry-level MacBook Air.
What do you think? MacBook Air now, or wait for the Haswell-based MacBook Pro?
