Apple is finally refreshing its MacBook Air lineup of lightweight laptops after nearly 1.5 years and not only does it come with a lower price tag, it also boasts better preformance. This is the first time the series has received quad-core processors, the base model now has more storage, and the dreaded butterfly keyboard has finally been overhauled.
The base MacBook Air packs the 10th generation Intel Core i3 (dual-core) processors and starts with 256GB SSD and can go all the way up to 2TB. There are now quad-core i5 and i7 models as well and the i7 variant also comes with Intel’s Iris Plus graphics.
With the update in hardware, Apple is promising double the CPU performance and an 80% improvement in GPU output compared to the UHD Graphics 617 in the last generation.
The ultrabook has a 13.3-inch IPS display with a 16:10 aspect ratio and 2,560 x 1,600px resolution. It is equipped with two-tone technology, previously seen in iPads, that is able to adjust the display’s settings based on the ambient light.
The two-tone technology is also able to switch the keyboard backlighting according to the ambient light. The laptop is made entirely out of recycled 6000-series aluminum and weighs only 1.3kg.
The 49.9Wh built-in battery is able to deliver 11 hours of web browsing over WiFi. It can be charged through two different Thunderbolt 3 ports with a 30W charger included in the package.
The new MacBook Air is available in Gold, Space Gray, and Silver color options starting at $1000, which is $200 lower when compared to its predecessor.
