Apple has announced its new lineup of Mac laptop computers, with improved design and beefier specs under the hood.
The revamped MacBook Air, which Apple claims revolutionised the laptop market, will offer processor options up to a 3.2GHz (with TurboBoost) dual-core i7, memory of up to 8GB, 512GB Flash storage, and a high-definition camera for FaceTime. Best of all, and a surprise for Apple, is that it will be $100 cheaper than previous models. The new version is available from today.
The MacBook Pro range is also getting an upgrade, with the 13-inch model featuring choices of a 2.5GHz i5 or 2.9GHz i7 processor, while the 15-inch model features a choice between 2.3GHz or 2.6GHz quad-core i7. Graphics will also be improved, up to 60 percent faster than previous models, and the devices will also come with USB 3.0 ports.
The base model kicks off with 2.3GHz quad-core Core i7 Ivy Bridge CPU, Geforce GT 650M 1GB dedicated GPU, 8GB of RAM memory and 256GB flash storage drive. Apparently, top of the offer is the 2.7GHz Core i7 CPU, a maximum 768GB of SSD storage and up to 16GB of 1600MHz RAM memory. Note that the Geforce GT 650M is based on 28nm Kepler GPU that feature up to 384 CUDA cores, 128-bit memory interface, up to 2GB of DDR3 or GDDR5 memory and works at up to 850MHGz for the GPU.
Connectivity-wise, the new Macbook Pro Retina features SD card reader, two USB 3.0 ports, thinner MagSafe 2, two Thunderbolt ports and, a surprise of the day, an HDMI output. It also comes with 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0, Facetime HD, dual microphones, stereo speakers, glass trackpad and backlit keyboard.
With such specs, it is no surprise that Apple is saying that it will have a battery life of up to 7 hours of work and 30 days of standby time. It will feature pre-installed Apple OS X Lion.
Unfortunately for those with less than deep pockets, the base version with 2.3GHz Core i7 quad-core, 8GB of RAM memory and 256GB SSD storage will be priced at US $2,199.
Macbook Air Dual-core Ivy Bridge CPUs and USB 3.0
