Apple has updated MacBook Air with all-day battery life, fourth-generation Intel Core processors with faster graphics, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and flash storage that is up to 45% faster than the previous generation. Apple also introduced redesigned AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule base stations featuring 802.11ac Wi-Fi for up to three times faster performance, the company said.
The new MacBook Air features fourth-generation Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors that give the 13-inch MacBook Air up to 12 hours of battery life and up to 10 hours of iTunes movie playback. The 11-inch MacBook Air delivers up to nine hours of battery life and up to eight hours of iTunes movie playback. MacBook Air now supports next-generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi for wireless performance that is up to three times faster when connected to an 802.11ac base station. New Intel HD Graphics 5000 gives MacBook Air up to 40% faster performance for gaming and graphics intensive apps, and new flash storage provides speeds up to 45% faster than the previous generation and nine times faster than traditional hard drives.
The series features dual microphones, a FaceTime HD camera, a high-speed Thunderbolt port and two USB 3.0 ports. MacBook Air also supports dual displays and video mirroring while simultaneously supporting full native resolution on the built-in display.
MacBook Air ships with OS X Mountain Lion, bringing Messages, Notification Center, system-wide Sharing, AirPlay Mirroring, Dictation, Game Center and the enhanced security of Gatekeeper to consumers' Mac. With iCloud built into the foundation of OS X, the Mountain Lion makes it easier to keep users' content up to date across their Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
Apple also introduced redesigned AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule base stations that feature three-stream 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology with a maximum data rate of 1.3Gbps, almost three times faster than 802.11n. The new AirPort base stations include high-powered radios and a six-element beam-forming antenna array to maximize range and performance. With setup built right into OS X and iOS, users can create a high-speed Wi-Fi network in just a few clicks, and the intuitive AirPort Utility makes it easy to view and manage a network graphically. Featuring 2TB or 3TB hard drives, AirPort Time Capsule works in conjunction with Time Machine in OS X and can help wirelessly backup multiple Macs.
The 11-inch MacBook Air comes with a 1.3GHz processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.6GHz, 4GB of memory and is available with 128GB of flash storage starting at US$999, and 256GB of flash storage starting at US$1,199. The 13-inch MacBook Air comes with a 1.3GHz processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.6GHz, 4GB of memory and is available with 128GB of flash storage starting at US$1,099, and 256GB of flash storage starting at US$1,299. Configure-to-order options include a 1.7GHz Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3GHz, up to 8GB of memory and up to 512GB flash storage.
The AirPort Extreme is available for a suggested retail price of US$199. AirPort Time Capsule comes in two models: 2TB of storage for US$299 and 3TB of storage for US$399 (US).
Apple MacBook Air with fouth-generation Intel processor
Photo: Company