Apple has updated its current lineup of the MacBook and MacBook Air with better hardware. Roll down for further details.
MacBook (2016)
The MacBook was launched to much acclaim last year and was popular among people who wanted an ultra-thin and well-designed laptop. Now, it is getting the Skylake treatment with a 6th-generation Intel Core M processor.
It won’t provide groundbreaking performance, though. You can choose it between the 1.1 and 1.3 Ghz turbo-clock configurations. It is accompanied with newer Intel HD 515 graphics which are said to be 25 percent more powerful than before. The RAM speed has been boosted from 1600 MHz last year to 1866 MHz now.
The display remains at a 12” 2304 x 1440 LCD, accompanied with a single USB Type-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack, along with Wi-Fi ac and Bluetooth 4.0. It retains the svelte design with a 0.52” thickness and a 0.92 kg weight. The new MacBook makes use of newer-gen SSDs which Apple has built in-house.
The only major visual change comes in the form of the new Rose Gold option, which made quite a splash in the new iPhones. Battery size is enlarged to 41.4Whr and is now said to last 10 hours of web browsing and 11 hours of video playback, an hour of increase in each domain.
Price starts at $1299 for the 1.1 Ghz/8 GB/256 GB version, to $1599 for 1.2 Ghz/8 GB/512 GB variant. The top-end 1.3 Ghz Core m7-6Y75 is built-to-order and should cost $1749.
MacBook Air (2016)
Changes are found less frequently in the new MacBook Air. By far the major difference over last year’s model is the default 8 GB RAM in the newer 13” version, twice that of last year when it used to cost you $100.
By far the biggest gripe remains still, though: the presence of a 1400 x 900 display, which may have seemed astonishing when it was first unveiled but has far outlived its need and utility. As a result, while the amount of RAM now finally borders on the industry average, the display is one of the most-mediocre you can find for the price range.
Still, the combination of this size, construction and battery can be difficult to find. It starts at $899 for the 11”/4 GB RAM model, or $999 for the 13”/8 GB RAM option.
