Apple has updated its best-selling MacBook line with two new "ultimate everyday notebooks" - the 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air models. What's more, the new MacBook Airs house Intel's fourth-generation Core Haswell processor with faster graphics.
The popular notebook will also tout longer battery life and boast flash storage "that is up to 45 percent faster than the previous generation and nine times faster than traditional hard drives."
"MacBook Air is the industry leader for thin and light notebooks, and now with longer battery life, we've set the bar even higher," notes Philip Schiller, Apple's SVP of Worldwide Marketing. "With faster flash, more powerful graphics and up to 12 hours of battery life, the new MacBook Air packs even more performance into the portable and durable design our customers love."
The MacBook Air packs in the power-efficient fourth generation Intel Haswell line of Core i5 and Core i7 processors, which Apple claims will give the 13-inch notebook nearly 12 hours of battery life and up to 10 hours of iTunes movie playback. The 11-inch MacBook Air will support 9 hours of battery life and 8 hours of iTunes movie playback. By contrast, the previous iteration of the MacBook Air lasted 5 hours and 7 hours for the 11-inch and 13-inch models, respectively.
The new Intel HD Graphics 5000 will give the MacBook Air "up to 40 percent faster performance for gaming and graphics intensive apps." The updated MacBook Air models will also feature the new 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard.
The new MacBook Air models start at $999 and $1099 for the 11-inch and 13-inch models, respectively. Both models can be purchased from the Apple Store and will be available for shipping in one or two business days. The notebooks will be available from Apple retail stores June 12 onward.
