As expected, Apple unveiled the new Haswell-powered MacBook Air at at its World Wide Developers Conference conference today, flaunting the latest enhancements to the notebook that essentially launched the current Ultrabook craze. It’s not a complete overhaul, but the new system specs offer some noteworthy improvements over the 2012 model, offering improved performance but lacking the much-rumored Retina display we were all hoping for. Check out our spec comparison below for a quick look at how the new 13-inch MacBook Air stacks up against it’s predecessor.
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2012 MacBook Air (13-inch)  |
2013 MacBook Air (13-inch)  |
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| Dimensions | 12.8” x 8.94” x 0.68” | 12.8” x 8.94” x 0.68” |
| Weight | 2.96 pounds | 2.96 pounds |
| Keyboard | Backlit w/ ambient light sensor | Backlit w/ ambient light sensor |
| Processor | 1.8GHz Intel Dual-core i5-3427U | 1.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 (Haswell) |
| RAM | 4GB DDR3L SDRAM | 4GB of 1600MHz LPDDR3 |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | Intel HD Graphics 5000 |
| Screen Size | 13.3″ (non-touch) | 13.3″ (non-touch) |
| Resolution | 1440 x 900 | 1440 x 900 |
| Storage | 128GB SSD | 128GB SSD |
| Networking | 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 | 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 |
| Ports | Thunderbolt, USB 3.0 x 2, SD memory card reader | Thunderbolt, USB 3.0, SDXC card reader |
| Webcam | 720p HD webcam | 720p HD webcam |
| Operating System | Mac OS X Mountain Lion | Mac OS X Mountain Lion |
| Battery Life | 7 hours | 12 hours |
| Price | $1,200 | $1,100 |
Apple claims the new Haswell chip will extend battery life from seven to 12 hours on a single charge, while the new GPU and quicker graphics processor will ramp up performance beyond the capabilities of earlier models. The 1440 x 900 resolution display remains the same, but other feaures — such as flash and the 802.11ac Wi-Fi — will see dramatic speed improvements.
Apple also dropped the price of the new Air by $100 across all models, but is Apple’s refresh really enough? For those who already own a MacBoo Air, the longer battery life and faster processor are probably not enough to justify buying a new Air.
What do you think? Are you excited for the new MacBook Air, or do you simply feel let down? Let us know in the comments below.
