At the recently concluded WWDC 2012, Apple unveiled the MacBook Air 2012. Looks exactly like the last MacBook Air but with a slight bump on specs making it a tad faster. See below for the list of updates if you think it’s worth an upgrade.
Although a lot of people were expecting the same Retina Display on the MacBook Pro, the MacBook Air is left with its old TN LCD display. It did gets a bit faster though with the following upgrades:
- Faster processor. 3rd generation Intel Core i5 / Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor
- Faster graphics. The new Intel chip means it will also have the latest graphics. Intel HD Graphics 4000 offers up to 60% speed improvement over the last version.
- Bigger RAM. Default RAM is now 4GB and can also be upgraded to 8GB.
- Bigger storage. You can now choose up to 512GB SSD storage.
- USB 3.0 ports. If you’re dealing with USB 3.0 devices now, the new MBA has two USB 3.0 ports and also the old Thunderbolt port. Previous MBA only supports USB 2.0.
The new MacBook Air also has the new MagSafe 2 connector for its AC adapter. Not a big deal really unless you’re planning to use your old power adapter as a spare. With all the changes, I wished they could’ve crammed an SD card reader on the 11-inch.
As common to new Apple products, prices of the new MacBook Air remains the same.
Intel Core i5 | Intel Core i7 | |
---|---|---|
11-inch MacBook Air | $999 | $1199 |
13-inch MacBook Air | $1099 | $1499 |
So is it time to ditch your old Air and get this one? I would still say no unless you’re wanting more power from your old one or you just want those faster USB 3.0 ports. But if it’s the first time for you to get a MacBook Air, definitely go for this newer model.