Apple Bumps MacBook Air to 1.4 GHz Core i5, Drops Price

[JMcEntegart]

Looks like Apple is giving the MacBook Air a little springtime makeover.

Apple Bumps MacBook Air to 1.4 GHz Core i5, Drops Price : Read more

 

[danwat1234]

Whooo hooooooooooo. Said no one this year about the Macbook Air.
Needs a regular voltage CPU and innovative cooling so it can be powerful.

 

[JD88]

The $100 price drop is welcome and puts it more in line with where its specs are. However, I would still be hesitant to buy now when rumors of an all new model later this year are still flying around.

 

[pills161]

/yawn. And a whopping $100 off, I wouldn't consider that "slashing".

 

[danny2000]

way way way over-priced still!!!!!

 

[stridervm]

Great upgrade. Now the Macbook Air is now competitive to a Laptop released in 2010.

 

[mrmez]

$100 off is more than 10% for most of the line.
For a premium priced brand to drop 10% IS a big deal.

Also, they aren't meant to be powerful. You want power get normal Macbook.

 

[tomfreak]

Need $300 off to be in line with other laptops with similar specs.

 

[crikey2]

"Turbo Boost speed jumps from 2.7Ghz ... to 2.6GHz"
Since when is a change from 2.7Ghz down to 2.6GHz considered a jump?

 

[amk-aka-Phantom]

Needs a regular voltage CPU and innovative cooling so it can be powerful.

It doesn't need to be. It's meant as a basic ultrabook for low-requirement users. As for CPU, ULV Haswells only lose to regular ones on multithread loads (less cores) or very heavy loads (low TDP limit). Neither is the intended use of MB Air. I have an Asus N550JV with an i7-4700HQ and I'm realizing that I'm not doing ANYTHING with those 4 cores/8 threads, all serious work gets done on desktop. Would have been fine with a ULV Haswell paired with the same GPU (GT 750M) for games I do play on the go (Mass Effect 3, Battlefield 3). What matters the most to user experience is SSD and egough RAM to have tons of browser tabs open; ULV Haswell is enough. MBA is NOT a heavy production machine, it doesn't need a regular CPU. Want that - buy something else. Why not an Asus N550JK? 😛

 

[amk-aka-Phantom]

The $100 price drop is welcome and puts it more in line with where its specs are. However, I would still be hesitant to buy now when rumors of an all new model later this year are still flying around.

They didn't do the most desired upgrade - Retina Air. So I think you have a good point there, they'll have to do it. After all, there's already a Retina MBP 13, so Air will have to follow soon.

 

[nil404]

Removing stock for new retina MBA.

 

[nil404]

Need $300 off to be in line with other laptops with similar specs.

You mean the plastic ones?

 

[Hspito]

Need $300 off to be in line with other laptops with similar specs.

You mean the plastic ones?

And half the battery life.

 

[colson79]

Need $300 off to be in line with other laptops with similar specs.

You mean the plastic ones?

And half the battery life.

Yes, please post me a link to this mysterious other ultra book with an all aluminum body and great battery life for $699, I would love to buy one.

 

[bombebomb]

If you need an aluminum laptop that bad, you most likely need a new hard drive also once you're not beating on it.

 

[anirudh1]

Oh. So aluminium body > A bigger HDD + Ethernet + More CPU and GPU power + HDMI + more USB ports! Hmmmm...

And by the way, check out HP ProBook. Aluminum body - Price - <$699

 

[neon neophyte]

"You want power get normal Macbook."

that's adorable.

 

[atminside]

you can get another 100 off with a college student discount.......looks like I might get one

 

[wussupi83]

I honestly though that netbooks were useless until I got one - I much prefer to do things like read e-books and type documents on the netbook. And I still love the flexibility of a normal laptop and a desktop for other tasks. It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't experienced a low power device but certain tasks are more pleasurable on them.

 

[k33g0rz]

"Turbo Boost speed jumps from 2.7Ghz ... to 2.6GHz"
Since when is a change from 2.7Ghz down to 2.6GHz considered a jump?

Article is wrong. 1.3 boost 2.6.// 1.4 boost 2.7. Look at tech spec page on apple.com to confirm

 

[del35]

Sad commentary of the level of technological sophistication. Why are we even hearing of stuff like this?