In addition to launching the new MacBook and announcing Apple Watch sales, Apple gave a little love to its MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro notebooks. The 11-inch MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Air nabbed a speedier processor and new graphics, but the 13-inch MacBook Air also received updated flash storage that is nearly twice as fast as the previous storage. And the 13-inch MacBook Pro? It received Apple’s new trackpad with Force Touch, new processors and graphics, faster flash, plus about an hour of longer battery life.
Apple Upgrades MacBook Air with Faster Processors
The updated 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air now feature fifth generation Intel Core processors up to 2.2 GHz, with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.2 GHz, integrated Intel HD Graphics 6000, and Thunderbolt 2, which delivers twice the bandwidth of the previous generation Thunderbolt port.
The 11-inch MacBook Air comes with a 1.6 GHz processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.7 GHz, 4GB of memory, and is available with 128GB of flash storage starting at $899. The 256GB option starts at $1,099. The 13-inch MacBook Air also comes with a 1.6 GHz processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.7 GHz, 4GB of memory, and is available with 128GB of flash storage starting at $999. The 256GB option hits comes in at $1,199.
Configure-to-order options include a 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.2 GHz, up to 8GB of memory, and up to 512GB flash storage . . . which will push the price to $1,749.
The Faster 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display
The updated 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display also features new Intel Core processors up to 3.1 GHz with Turbo Boost Speeds up to 3.4 GHz, faster integrated Intel Iris Graphics 6100, and flash storage that is up to two times faster. The battery life is slightly improved, too — up to 10 hours of wireless web use.
Perhaps even more interesting is the inclusion of the Force Touch trackpad, which uses vibrations to give you haptic feedback during “clicks.” You can also adjust the amount of pressure you need to make clicks, and there’s a new gesture called Force Click that includes a deeper, harder press to do things like bring up a definition of a word, see a map, or fast forward even faster.
The base model 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display now comes with a 2.7 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.1 GHz, 8GB of memory, and 128GB of flash storage for $1,299 (see also, “Is 128GB Enough Storage on a New MacBook“). A 2.7 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.1 GHz, 8GB of memory, and 256GB of flash storage comes in at $1,499. A 2.9 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.3 GHz, 8GB of memory, and 512GB of flash storage for $1,799.
(A fully-loaded custom 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display (16GB memory and 1TB storage) can set you back $2,699.)
If you’re interested in figuring out which MacBook Air or Pro is right for you, check out Wicked Cool Bite’s MacBook Pro Buying Guide: 13 vs 15-inch Retina Display or MacBook Air Buying Guide 2015.
