The guys at Apple finally announced what we were all expecting to be the first true Apple netbook on the market, the new generation MacBook Air. There are in fact two new devices in this class, and we’re going to talk about them in a couple of words below, given the early details available right now.
What we were all craving for is the 11.6 inch version of the new Air. This one is quite compact and weighs only 2.3 lbs, which is even lighter than most regular 10 inch netbooks.
Comes with an 11.6 inch LED backlit display, 1366 x 768 px, so pretty much standard, although I’m pretty sure colors and viewing angles are better than on most 11.6 inch notebooks. Inside, you won’t get a HDD, but SSD storage (64 and 128 GB) and a Core 2 Duo processor clocked at 1.4 GHz, which I’m not entirely sure which one exactly is it right now, but could be the SU9400. There’s also dedicated graphics from Nvidia, with GeForce 320m chip.
New Air – the ultimate portable laptop?
Plus, the good connectivity (although I’m pretty sure there’s still one USB slot in there – scrap that, there are 2 – and there seems to be no SD card as well), Facetime camera mounted above the screen, a full-size chiclet keyboard and a big multitouch trackpad, one i can actually call huge for this class.
And 5 hours Web browsing battery life, which might not be the best in this class, but it still is decent.
New MacBook Airs: 11.6 and 13.3 inchers
All these in a device only less than 0.7 inch thin and weighing 2.3 pounds like I said.
Apple calls prices aggressive, i would call them just “outrageously high”, like on most their products. The 11.6 inch Air starts from $999 for the 64 GB, while the 128 GB version goes for $1199. Gulp!
11.6 inch Air
There’s also the bigger 13.3 inch Air, with improved processor (still a Core 2 Duo, but clocked at 1.83 GHz), a 13.3 inch display with 1440 x 900 px resolution, SD card and more storage space (128 or 256 GB SSD). There’s also a bigger battery, capable of up to 7 hours of life while browsing. But all these do come with a price, as the cheapest 13.3 inch Air goes for $1299, while the 256 GB version will get to $1599. Double Gulp!
Prices for the new Apple Macbook Air portable notebooks
Now, i won’t argue that the new Airs are portable laptops I would gladly receive as presents. They just look amazing, are incredibly compact and light and come with decent hardware (although not the latest generation, while competition already has Core i3/i5/i7 processors inside 11.6 and 13.3 inchers).
However, like expected and like all Apple products, they are pricey. Good 11.6 inchers go right now for around 500 bucks, while the Air start at twice as much. So, would I buy an Air? Well, right now I would say no. They are cool and all, but no way worth that kind of money in my eyes. However, I might change my mind after seeing the first reviews…
Comes with FaceTime
I’ll keep an eye on the subject and update once there are new interesting info on these. What you should know is that you will be able to get the Airs in Apple’s Store right away and I’m really looking forward to get my hands on some of these and give them a quick spin. But that might not happen too soon though.
That’s it for now, but don’t forget to leave your comments below. I’m really curious what you think about the new Apple netbook and if you would buy one or not.
In the meantime the Air is available in stores. Amazon even has them cheaper than the Apple Store, with small discounts and Free Shipping included. See details below:
- 11.6 inch Air goes for $979 for the 64 GB version and $1169 for the 128 GB one;
- 13.3 inch Air goes for $1259 for the 128 GB version and $1549 for the 256 GB one;
Price cuts aren’t big, but every buck counts, so…
via Engadget
