Apple quietly releases more affordable MacBook Airs starting
Source: U.S. Online Apple Store
As expected, Apple on Monday released faster versions of its MacBook Air lineup, with the 11-inch and 13-inch thin-and-lights getting 100MHz speed boosts compared to outgoing models, as well as a price reduction of $100.
Each base model MacBook Air comes with a dual-core 1.4GHz Core i5 with Turbo Boost up to 2.70GHz, while the upgraded version boasts a 1.7GHz Core i7 with Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz. The speed increases represent a 100MHz bump from the respective outgoing versions.
The U.S. Online Apple Store now has the new MacBook Air for sale starting from $899 for the 11-inch model with 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor and 128GB of storage. Build to order options include a 1.7GHz Core i7 CPU with Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz for $150, 8GB of RAM for $100 and 512GB of flash storage for $300.
Apple's four base configurations are priced as follows:
11-inch MacBook Air with 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor and 128GB SSD - $899
11-inch MacBook Air with 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor and 256GB SSD - $1099
13-inch MacBook Air with 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor and 128GB SSD - $999
13-inch MacBook Air with 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor and 256GB SSD - $1199
All base models are available to ship within 24 hours, while build-to-order deliveries are quoted at two to four days. Readers looking to save over Apple's standard MSRP, save on sales tax, or save on MacBook Air + AppleCare bundles, can stay tuned to the Price Guides over the next 24 hours as it's populated with the new models and exclusive discount coupons from Apple Authorized Resellers.
As anticipated last week, the CPU specifications line up with Intel's power-sipping Haswell chip architecture.
Rumors leading up to Tuesday's debut claimed Apple would not make styling or major internal changes to its thin-and-light lineup, instead settling for a minor speed increase ahead of a speculated revamp later in 2014.
While the refresh doesn't bring Retina displays down to Apple's most affordable laptop lineup, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the company will debut a high-resolution model later this year in an all-new 12-inch design with modified "click-less" trackpad and fan-less chassis.
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