The 2012 MacBook Air vs. the 2011 model: what's changed?
No, we didn't get the Retina Macbook Air many of us may have been hoping for, but the Apple ultra-portable did get a significant Ivy Bridge boost, including a pair of USB 3.0 ports. There's also an option to double the flash storage capacity with a 512GB SSD, along with adding up to 8 gigs of 1600MHz DDR3L RAM and Apple's new MagSafe 2 connector on the 13-inch Air. Base model pricing remains the same for the 11-incher, at $999 for the bare-bones configuration, while the larger Air will be available starting at $1199 -- a $100 drop over its predecessor. All of the new Airs will ship beginning today, but that doesn't mean it's upgrade time for you. Click on past the break for our side-by-side comparison and a closer look at what's new.
Height | 0.11-0.68 inches | 0.11-0.68 inches |
Weight | 2.38, 2.96 pounds | 2.38, 2.96 pounds |
Display resolution | 1366 x 768, 1440 x 900 | 1366 x 768, 1440 x 900 |
CPU | Sandy Bridge Core i5, Core i7 | Ivy Bridge Core i5, Core i7 |
Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 3000 | Intel HD Graphics 4000 |
Memory | 2, 4GB of 1333MHz DDR3 | 4, 8GB of 1600MHz DDR3L |
Storage | 64, 128, 256GB | 64, 128, 256, 512GB |
Ports | Two USB 2.0, Thunderbolt | Two USB 3.0, Thunderbolt |
Power | MagSafe | MagSafe 2 |
WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n | 802.11 a/b/g/n |
Bluetooth | 4.0 | 4.0 |
Battery life | 5-7 hours | 5-7 hours |
Starting price | $999 (11-in.), $1299 (13-in.) | $999 (11-in.), $1199 (13-in.) |
