Apple MacBook Pro and MacBook Air: Improvements and some waiting disappointed

Last updated Jul 8, 2017 567

It also renews the range of Apple laptops belonging to the families MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, with next-generation processors and related industries. Dashed expectations for a MacBook Air Retina.

Apple updates the range of MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, acting mainly on the hardware platform tied to Intel processors Broadwell new generation. We begin to describe the new MacBook Air, available in versions with display from 11 and 13 inches, two models each.

Already we are talking about the display we can already say what is not there, or a panel Retina high-definition, that many fans were waiting. The model 11″ uses a resolution of 1,366 x 756 pixels, while the largest 13″ have a 1,440 x 900 pixels.

The first change, as mentioned, comes on the side of the processors and related news related to the platform. Make their appearance Intel Core i5 dual-core 1.6 GHz (Turbo Boost up to 2.7GHz) with 3 MB shared L3 cache, with the option of the model Intel Core i7 dual-core 2.2 GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz) with 4 MB shared L3 cache, this for all four of the MacBook Air.

In common is also the video subsystem Intel HD Graphics 6000, as well as the amount of RAM installed 4 GB, optionally brought to 8 GB when ordering. Makes its appearance Thunderbolt 2, faster than the previous version, as well as two USB 3.0 ports and an SDXC card reader on the 13 inch (11 by what is missing).

The size of the 11-inch model are 30 x 19.2 x 1.7cm, with a weight that stops the scales at 1.08 Kg. Turning to the size of 13 inches 32.5 x 22.7 x 1.7cm, weighing 1.35 Kg. Storage is based exclusively on solutions PCIe Solid State Drive, available in 128 GB and 25 6GB models based on the higher end, where you have the option 512 GB.

In summary : MacBook Air is now on sale in two versions for 11-inch and two 13 versions, differentiated as follows:

MacBook Air 11-inch :

Version with Intel Core i5 (optional Core i7), 4GB of memory (option 8 GB), 128 GB SSD (no options)
Version with Intel Core i5 (optional Core i7), 4GB of memory (option 8 GB), 256 GB SSD (512 GB option)

MacBook Air 13-inch :

Version with Intel Core i5 (optional Core i7), 4 GB of memory (option 8 GB), 128 GB SSD (no options)
Version with Intel Core i5 (optional Core i7), 4 GB of memory (option 8 GB), 256 GB SSD (512 GB option)

Now to the MacBook Pro : the models presented are three, all with 13-inch Retina display 2,560 x 1,600 pixels. Main novelties are the new fifth-generation Intel Core processors, Thunderbolt 2 and SSD storage subsystem with PCIe interface. In detail, the base processors are Intel Core i5 dual-core 2.7 GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.1 GHz) with 3MB shared L3 cache, while the most expensive adopts an Intel Core i5 dual-core 2.9 GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz) with 3MB shared L3 cache.

For all models, you can count on an upgrade of the processors through a more powerful Core i5 or Core i7. In common, we find the basic number of memory, 8 GB LPDDR3 to 1,866 MHz, that when ordering can rise to 16 GB.

Great discriminating between models is adopted PCIe Solid State Drive: 128 GB, 256 GB or 512 GB respectively from cheapest to the most expensive MacBook Pro, where it leaves the door open to an upgrade up to 1 TB SSD. For all models, the video subsystem is Iris Intel Graphics 6100, then no pattern, even on the most expensive, we find a discrete video card available, even as an option.

To summarize: the new MacBook Pro 13-inch Retina variant 2,560 x 1,600 pixel are three:

Version with Intel Core i5 2.7 GHz (option Core i5 and i7), 8 GB of memory (16 GB option), 128 GB SSD (no options)
Version with Intel Core i5 2.7 GHz (option Core i5 and i7), 8 GB of memory (16 GB option), 256 GB SSD (no options)
Version with Intel Core i5 2.9 GHz (option Core i7), 8 GB of memory (16 GB option), SSD 512 GB (1 TB option)

The decision not to equip MacBook Air Retina display may be motivated by the fact of wanting to keep prices ” low ” (for the standard Apple, of course) than the new MacBook without overlap.

Obviously, it is a hypothesis questionable in our view the lack of a discrete video card, at least as an option, the MacBook Pro models 13-inch, usually chosen by professionals or by those who still use the computer intensively. There is none like Intel, but for how powerful they can describe Iris Graphics 6100 has yet to prove to be more than a discrete solution NVIDIA or AMD.